Neurosurgery
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Atherosclerotic plaques were induced in abdominal aortas of rabbits. At 8 weeks, 5 mg of dihematoporphyrin ether (Photofrin II) per kg was injected intravenously followed by sacrifice of the animal, fluorescence microscopy, and quantitative assay of porphyrin in the plaque-containing aortas at 1, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours. Photofrin II was taken up preferentially by the plaque, with the highest plaque to normal wall ratio occurring at 48 hours. ⋯ Animals were killed at 2, 4, and 6 weeks. The 6-week specimens showed the most dramatic reduction in plaque in comparison to controls. Photodynamic therapy may provide an alternate strategy in dealing with focal atherosclerosis.
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A series of 4992 intracranial procedures performed over an 11-year period was evaluated for the occurrence of postoperative hemorrhage. Forty patients (0.8%) experienced postoperative hemorrhage. Twenty-four hemorrhages were intracerebral (60%), 11 were epidural (28%), 3 were subdural (7.5%), and 2 were intrasellar (5.0%). ⋯ An altered level of consciousness was the most frequent clinical finding, present in all patients. There was no clear relationship between the time of recognition and the final clinical outcome. Parenchymal clots carried the worst prognosis, accounting for 8 of the 11 deaths and all 7 patients with poor neurological outcome.
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Case Reports Clinical Trial
Transient late magnetic resonance imaging changes suggesting progression of brain stem glioma: implications for entry criteria for phase II trials.
An 8-year-old boy was treated with irradiation (66 Gy) for a brain stem glioma. Five months after the completion of radiotherapy, magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated apparent tumor progression despite the patient's neurological improvement. The child continued to improve, with subsequent radiographic evidence of tumor regression, without additional therapeutic intervention. The evaluations of response and recurrence of brain tumors as well as entry criteria for Phase II studies are discussed.
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Low velocity firearm damage to the upper cervical spine without neurological deficit occurs infrequently. Four cases of gunshot fragments involving the anterior elements of C1 and C2 are presented. In all four cases, the fragments were removed via a transoral approach without neurological complications or mechanical instability.
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Case Reports
Pyriformis syndrome in a 10-year-old boy as a complication of operation with the patient in the sitting position.
We present a case of sciatic neuropathy due to the pyriformis syndrome after operation in the sitting position. Neither sciatic nerve injury nor the pyriformis syndrome has been reported after operation in the sitting position, although a low incidence of common peroneal nerve injury has been reported as a complication of operation on patients who are in the sitting position. ⋯ The syndrome may occur because of extreme flexion of the hips and prolonged pressure while in the sitting position, leading to pyriformis muscle trauma, resultant spasm, and sciatic compression. The prognosis is for complete recovery after symptomatic treatment with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory medication and physical therapy.