World Neurosurg
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Chordomas and chondrosarcomas can occur in the skull base. Currently, 45% of chordomas and 56% of chondrosarcomas recur within 5 years of surgery. The role of adjuvant therapy is highly debated. No pharmacotherapies have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for chordomas or chondrosarcomas. High propensity for recurrence and lack of definitive adjuvant therapy necessitate additional basic science research to identify molecular anomalies associated with recurrent disease. ⋯ These data provide clinicians with a means to screen skull base chordomas and chondrosarcomas to help identify tumors with a propensity to recur. Many of these kinases can be efficaciously inhibited by Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs that have not yet been used in clinical trials for treatment of skull base chordomas or chondrosarcomas. Validation of kinases identified in this study may advance treatment options for patients with these tumors.
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A subarachnoid clot is the strongest predictor of cerebral vasospasm. Our purpose was to analyze the relationship between the number of postoperative cisternal clots and cerebral vasospasm and to assess the efficacy of surgical clot removal. ⋯ Surgically removing as many clots as possible in the acute stage can decrease SCV and reduce AVS severity. Irrigation should be performed on all approachable cisterns.
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Case Reports
Seeding of abdomen with primary intracranial hemangiopericytoma by a ventriculoperitoneal shunt: case report.
Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) placement has been implicated in extraneural metastasis of many primary central nervous system tumors. Reported cases include, but are not limited to, medulloblastoma, germ cell tumor, astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, lymphoma, ependymoma, melanoma, and choroid plexus tumors. However, a literature review reveals no reported cases of extraneural metastasis of solitary fibrous tumor/hemangiopericytoma (SFT/HPC). ⋯ The case raises concern regarding placement of a VPS in patients with obstructive hydrocephalus caused by SFT/HPC. To avoid spread of SFT/HPC to the abdomen, we propose that patients with intracranial SFT/HPC and obstructive hydrocephalus be treated primarily by endoscopic third ventriculostomy.
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Surgical treatment for cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA)-related intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is controversial. A subset of CAA-related ICH with associated subdural hemorrhage (SDH) has been reported. This study aimed to evaluate clinical results and surgical outcomes of this type of ICH with associated SDH. ⋯ Patients with CAA-related ICH with associated SDH more frequently have postoperative hemorrhage and have a worse surgical outcome. These findings are useful in choosing therapeutic methods and preoperative planning of surgical strategy.
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The frontal aslant tract is a deep frontal pathway connecting the superior frontal gyrus (SFG) to Broca area. This fiber is assumed to be associated with language functions, especially speech initiation and spontaneity. The aim of this study was to electrophysiologically investigate this network using corticocortical evoked potentials (CCEPs). ⋯ The present study demonstrated a corticocortical network connecting Broca areas and SFG in a reciprocal manner. Our findings might provide new insight into language and motor integration.