World Neurosurg
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Case Reports
Subarachnoid hemorrhage due to distal superior cerebellar artery dissection in Neurofibromatosis Type 1.
Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a rare disease with an incidence of 1 in every 3000 births. Numerous studies have focused on the main function of NF1 as a tumor suppressor, whereas few have examined the cerebrovascular abnormalities observed in patients with NF1. It is worth noting that intracranial aneurysms are uncommon in this condition. ⋯ In the treatment of subarachnoid hemorrhage because of a distal SCA dissection in patients with NF1, NBCA glue embolization may be a safer option than microsurgery or coil embolization, in the acute phase, considering the possible vulnerability of the vessel wall, accessibility, morphology of the lesions, and the risk of developing unpredictable infarcts in the case of parent artery occlusion. However, regular reevaluation of the blood flow is necessary to monitor recurrence, given the rich collateral circulation.
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Frontotemporal craniotomies are the most commonly performed neurosurgical approaches. We studied the external bony landmarks on the lateral surface of the skull to identify a "strategic" point where both the anterior and middle cranial fossae are exposed simultaneously during frontotemporal craniotomies through a single burr hole placed over the greater wing of the sphenoid bone (sphenopterional point). ⋯ According to our measurements, the sphenopterional point is located, on average, 21.72 mm posterior and 4.76 mm superior from the frontozygomatic suture, over the sphenoidal bone component of the pterion region.
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Awake craniotomy for tumor resection and epilepsy surgery is a well-tolerated procedure. Qualitative data on patients' experience of awake deep-brain stimulation (DBS) are, however, lacking. We collected qualitative data on patients' experience of awake DBS with a view to identifying areas for improvement. ⋯ Although awake DBS is well-tolerated, pain and off-period symptoms are an issue for a significant number of patients. Efforts should be made to minimize these unpleasant aspects of awake DBS.
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A pineal cyst is a relatively common benign condition of the pineal gland. The clinical management of patients with a pineal cyst remains controversial, especially when patients present with nonspecific symptoms. ⋯ We present the largest clinical series of patients with pineal cysts. Surgery, if indicated properly, is a legitimate treatment modality for symptomatic patients with satisfactory results. Relief of symptoms, even nonspecific ones, is achieved in the majority of cases. Simple growth of the cyst in the first decades of life is a part of the natural course and should not be considered as an indication for surgery.
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Surgical safety and efficiency during an orbitozygomatic (OZ) osteotomy rely on thorough knowledge of the surgical anatomy of the facial nerve. Although the anatomy of the facial nerve and its relation to the pterional craniotomy are described, a thorough assessment of facial nerve preservation techniques during the OZ approach and its variations is lacking. We assessed the surgical anatomy of the facial nerve related to the OZ approach and provided a thorough stepwise description on how to preserve it. ⋯ The frontal division of the facial nerve is related directly to dissection over the zygomatic bone and may be injured during fascial dissection or osteotomies. Both interfascial and subfascial techniques are feasible to use during the OZ craniotomy and provide ample exposure of the OZ unit. Regarding the preservation of the facial nerve branches, we favor the subfascial method.