Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 1998
Increase in extracellular glutamate caused by reduced cerebral perfusion pressure and seizures after human traumatic brain injury: a microdialysis study.
To determine the extent and duration of change in extracellular glutamate levels after human traumatic brain injury (TBI), 17 severely brain injured adults underwent implantation of a cerebral microdialysis probe and systematic sampling was conducted for 1 to 9 days postinjury. ⋯ Extracellular neurochemical measurements of excitatory amino acids may provide a marker for secondary insults that can compound human TBI.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 1998
Case ReportsEvidence for end-to-side sensory nerve regeneration in a human. Case report.
Division of a peripheral nerve produces an axotomy leading to neurite outgrowth from the proximal stump and wallerian degeneration in the distal stump. Because there is no longer a connection between the distal stump and neuronal cell bodies in the anterior spinal cord or dorsal root ganglion, it is assumed that no neurites should exist in the distal stump. The authors present the case of a patient who unexpectedly had a neuroma on the proximal end of the distal segment of a previously severed nerve. ⋯ Our hypothesis is that the proximal end of the distal portion of a severed nerve may be innervated by collateral sprouts of axons that branch at points of more distal plexus formation. This invokes a similar pathophysiology to the controversial notion of end-to-side nerve sprouting. Neuromas that develop on the "wrong side" of a nerve become an additional potential source of pain in patients with injured nerves.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 1998
Case ReportsMicrovascular decompression for superior oblique myokymia: first experience. Case report.
Superior oblique myokymia (SOM) is a rare eye movement disorder presenting as uniocular rotatory microtremor due to intermittent contractions of the superior oblique muscle. Medical treatment usually fails to provide long-term benefit for the patient and has considerable side effects. Surgical alternatives including tenotomy or partial tenectomy of the superior oblique tendon often result in incomplete resolution of the visual symptoms. ⋯ There was no recurrence of oscillopsia during a follow-up of 22 months to date. From this single observation it appears likely that vascular compression of the trochlear nerve could be a significant pathophysiological factor contributing to SOM. In the hands of an experienced surgeon, microvascular decompression at the brainstem exit zone of this nerve may evolve as the method of choice for selected cases of disabling SOM.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 1998
Pterional craniotomy via a transcavernous approach for the treatment of low-lying distal basilar artery aneurysms.
The author describes a surgical procedure in which pterional craniotomy is performed via a transcavernous approach to treat low-lying distal basilar artery (BA) aneurysm. This intradural procedure is compared with the extradural procedure described by Dolene, et al. ⋯ Using the standard pterional approach, these distal BA aneurysms were found to be either too low relative to the posterior clinoid process for adequate exposure or there was insufficient room for temporary clipping of the BA proximal to the lesion. The addition of a transcavernous exposure eliminated these technical problems and aneurysm clipping could be accomplished in each case.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Nov 1998
Case ReportsDural arteriovenous shunts at the craniocervical junction.
A retrospective analysis was conducted of 10 patients (three women and seven men) who were treated for spinal dural arteriovenous shunts (AVSs) located at the craniocervical junction. This analysis was performed to evaluate the characteristics of this unusual location in contrast with those of the more common thoracic and lumbar AVSs. ⋯ If computerized tomography scanning shows SAH predominantly in the posterior fossa and no abnormalities are found on intracranial four-vessel angiographic study, proximal vertebral angiography should be performed to detect dural AVS at the craniocervical junction. The results of surgical intervention for this disease are quite satisfactory.