Neurosurgery
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This study was conducted to determine whether removing the bony prominence located above the porus of the internal acoustic meatus, called the suprameatal tubercle, and surrounding bone using the retrosigmoid approach would aid in the exposure of tumors that are located predominantly in the cerebellopontine angle but that also extend into the middle cranial fossa in the region of Meckel's cave and thus avoid the need for a supratentorial craniotomy. ⋯ The suprameatal extension of the retrosigmoid approach will permit removal of some tumors that are located mainly in the posterior fossa but that extend into the middle fossa in the region of Meckel's cave. The exposure can be increased by opening the superior petrosal sinus as it crosses in the upper margin of the porus of Meckel's cave and by opening the tentorium lateral to Meckel's cave.
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The goal of this study was to determine whether patients with "pure" epidural hematomas can now be transferred safely to a neurosurgical unit for decompression or whether general or orthopedic surgeons must still be prepared to perform emergency craniotomies. ⋯ Patients with pure epidural hematomas have better prognoses than previously assumed. There is usually enough time to safely transfer patients to a neurosurgical unit, provided that transport is rapid and anesthesiological services are available during the transport. Surgeons without training in neurosurgery should not perform emergency craniotomies in local hospitals but, rather, should transfer patients as quickly as possible to the nearest department of neurosurgery.
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Comment Letter Case Reports
Spinal cord compression by catheter granulomas in high-dose intrathecal morphine therapy: case report.
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Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a common mental disorder, notorious for its chronicity and intractability. Stereotactic lesions within the anterior limb of the internal capsule have been shown to provide symptomatic relief in such refractory cases, but only few systematic evaluations have correlated anatomic lesion location with individual postoperative outcome. ⋯ The current anatomic long-term analysis after thermocapsulotomy or gamma knife capsulotomy for obsessive-compulsive disorder reveals common topographic features within the right-sided anterior limb of the internal capsule independent of treatment modality.
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To examine in a prospective manner the long-term safety and efficacy of chronic intrathecal morphine in patients with severe, nonmalignant pain refractory to less invasive modalities. ⋯ Continuous intrathecal morphine can be a safe, effective therapy for the management of severe, nonmalignant pain among a carefully selected patient population and can result in long-term improvement in several areas of daily function.