Neurosurgery
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Whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) provides benefit for patients with brain metastases but may result in neurological toxicity for patients with extended survival times. Stereotactic radiosurgery in combination with WBRT has become an important approach, but the value of WBRT has been questioned. As an alternative to WBRT, we managed patients with stereotactic radiosurgery alone, evaluated patients' outcomes, and assessed prognostic factors for survival and tumor control. ⋯ Brain metastases were controlled well with radiosurgery alone as initial therapy. We advocate that WBRT should not be part of the initial treatment protocol for selected patients with one or two tumors with good control of their primary cancer, better Karnofsky Performance Scale score, and younger age, all of which are predictors of longer survival.
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Both cortical oxygen saturation (SaO(2)) and cortical blood volume (BV) are related to regional cerebral blood flow. Among a series of patients with cerebral arteriovenous malformations, we examined the problem of hyperemia after embolization/resection or resection with the intraoperative application of near-infrared spectroscopy. ⋯ Intraoperative near-infrared spectroscopy is able to detect the hyperemic status of adjacent cortex after arteriovenous malformation resection. However, staged therapy with embolization and surgery results in less hyperemia after resection. While two patients with hyperemic complications exhibited very large increases in SaO(2) and BV, we cannot refute the normal-perfusion pressure breakthrough theory.
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Improved clinical and economic outcomes for high-risk surgical procedures have been previously cited in support of regionalization. The goal of this study was to examine the effects of regionalization by analyzing the cost and outcome of craniotomy for tumors and to compare the findings in academic medical centers versus community-based hospitals. ⋯ High-volume regional medical centers are capable of providing services with improved mortality rates and fewer hospital days, although with adjusted costs slightly higher than those at low-volume hospitals.
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To evaluate the orbitopterional approach to anterior communicating artery (AComA) aneurysms, on the basis of the quantification of this surgical exposure, compared with the pterional approach, in a cadaveric study and a retrospective review of data for 40 patients who underwent clipping of AComA aneurysms via the orbitopterional approach. ⋯ The orbitopterional approach improved the observation of the AComA complex and seemed to decrease the risk of intraoperative brain damage.
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The goals of this study were to identify and quantify the presence of programmed cell death (apoptosis) in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) among human subjects. Recent evidence from laboratory models suggests that cell death in the perihematoma region may involve apoptosis. ⋯ These observations suggest that apoptosis represents a prominent form of cell death associated with ICH in the perihematoma region. Further studies are required to define the mediators of apoptosis in ICH.