World Neurosurg
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Review Historical Article
Management of subarachnoid hemorrhage in two important Italian political leaders: a paradigm of ethical and technological evolution of neurosurgery during the past half-century.
For a curious and extraordinary coincidence, 5 of the 7 most relevant leaders of the Italian Communist Party (Partito Comunista Italiano, which was established in 1921, has been the biggest Communist Party in Western Countries) suffered a cerebral stroke. Cerebrovascular diseases afflicted also Stalin and Lenin, and a number of Presidents of the United States. ⋯ Retracing their medical incidents, separated by 50 years of history, we show how a fatal medical disease has become neurosurgical and successfully cured thanks to the advances of neurosurgery, neuroradiology, and hospital organization. A neurologic disease that was disgraceful 50 years ago has lost any disquieting and embarrassing significance in the present time to the light of evolution of vascular neurosurgery.
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Review Case Reports
De novo aneurysm associated with superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery bypass: report of two cases and review of literature.
De novo aneurysm formation has been reported as a rare complication of superficial temporal artery (STA) to middle cerebral artery (MCA) bypass surgery. ⋯ Persistent hemodynamic stress with hypertension in an artificial T-shaped vasculature and traumatic injury during surgical manipulation are the most important causes for de novo aneurysms after STA-MCA bypass. Follow-up magnetic resonance and computed tomography angiography examinations, along with appropriate blood pressure control, are recommended for patients who have undergone STA-MCA bypass surgery.
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Review Case Reports
Migration of a Ventriculo-peritoneal Shunt into the Pulmonary Vasculature: Case Report, Review of the Literature, and Surgical Pearls.
Ventriculoperitoneal shunts are prone to common complications such as infection or mechanical failure, but more insidious events can easily be missed. Distal shunt migration into the vascular system is a rarely observed phenomenon, and there are no established guidelines for its management. We present a case of a distal catheter migration into the pulmonary vasculature, review existing cases in the literature, and present recommendations for their management. ⋯ Although distal shunt migration into the heart and pulmonary vasculature is rare, early recognition is important and precautions should be taken to avoid potentially significant morbidity or mortality. Live fluoroscopic imaging and the help of specialty services can be of great assistance in safely removing the device. Early recognition of potential vascular injury signs during the subcutaneous tunneling procedure is also important.
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Review Case Reports
Extremely Delayed Multiple Brain Metastases from Renal Cell Carcinoma: Remission Achieved with Total Surgical Removal.
Late brain metastasis from renal cell carcinoma (RCC), which is generally considered as metastasis occurring more than 10 years after nephrectomy, often occurs as a solitary lesion, and total resection is recommended to achieve remission. ⋯ Total removal of late brain metastasis from RCC, even occurring with multiple lesions, can achieve total remission under specific conditions.
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Review Case Reports
Intramedullary recurrence of a thoracic meningioma - Presentation of an unusual case and review of the literature.
Spinal meningiomas are typically extra-axial, slow-growing, benign tumors that arise from the arachnoid cap cells. Intramedullary spinal meningiomas are exceedingly rare with few cases reported in the literature. ⋯ Intramedullary spinal meningiomas, particularly intramedullary low-grade recurrence of a previously extramedullary tumor, are rare phenomena. Although the pathogenic mechanisms are not well understood, intramedullary recurrence as described in this patient may reflect extrinsic factors related to prior surgical resections in addition to histologic progression. When operating on recurrent extramedullary lesions, aggressive arachnoid dissection may predispose patients to unusual patterns of recurrence.