World Neurosurg
-
Pneumocephalus is a commonly encountered finding in neurosurgery in which air displaces intracranial cerebrospinal fluid after cranial surgery or a cerebrospinal fluid leak into paranasal or mastoid sinuses. When an intracranial air collection becomes chronically established in a fixed loculation causing mass effect, pneumatocele is a more appropriate term. We present an unusual case of a spontaneous giant frontotemporal epidural pneumatocele that persisted for more than 1 year before the patient presented for neurological treatment. ⋯ This unique case represents the first reported case in the neurosurgical literature of a giant spontaneous epidural pneumatocele occurring in an adult treated with a middle fossa approach with resolution on follow-up imaging.
-
Complete surgical resection is known to provide the best prognosis when treating complex tumors of the spine. The anatomy of the cervical spine and the extensive involvement often present by the time these lesions are discovered can make total resection challenging. A novel technique combining preoperative and intraoperative imaging for intraoperative navigation can serve as an additional tool for facilitating tumor resection. ⋯ Preoperative MRI coregistered and merged with intraoperative CT may serve as a useful intraoperative imaging modality for facilitating safe and complete resection of complex spine tumors.