World Neurosurg
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Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is an endemic infectious disease in developing countries, and it can become a serious illness in children. Treatment of TBM is more difficult and prone to failure than treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. TBM causes hydrocephalus, cerebral edema, increased intracranial pressure, global ischemia, and neurologic deficits, which disturb cellular metabolism and increase lactate levels. A reliable, widely available clinical indicator of TBM severity is needed. Successful treatment of TBM is assessed using the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS). ⋯ Examination of plasma and CSF lactate levels should be included in routine examinations to determine extent of cellular damage and GOS score in patients with TBM and acute hydrocephalus who have undergone fluid diversions.
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Dural substitutes are used in decompressive craniectomy (DC) to prevent adhesions during subsequent cranioplasty. Current literature attributes them to reduced blood loss and reduction in operative time of cranioplasty. The use of double-layer substitute has rarely been documented. We studied the use of double-layer G-patch as a dural substitute in DC and evaluated its outcome during subsequent cranioplasty with special focus on flap elevation time and blood loss during cranioplasty. ⋯ While evaluating the use of dural substitute during DC as an adhesion preventive material for subsequent cranioplasty, flap elevation time and blood loss should be taken into account rather than operative time. Double-layer G-patch during DC facilitates subsequent cranioplasty by preventing adhesions between the layers, resulting in easier dissection and reduced blood loss.
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The surgical Simpson grade, introduced in 1957, is the standard measure for meningioma resection and prediction of recurrences. We used an magnetic resonance (MR)-based grading system for the radiologic extent of resection, and assessed agreement of the extent of resection between the surgical Simpson grade and the MR-based scale. ⋯ Agreement for extent of meningioma resection between both scales was good in terms of the ICC. When the surgical Simpson grade is unclear, MR imaging at 3 months after surgery may be used as a baseline for further follow-up. In a substantial portion of cases, the extent of resection was less favorable on the early postoperative MR imaging than the surgeon's Simpson grade. The predictive value of the radiologic extent of resection for the risk of long-term recurrences is a subject for further research.
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Review Case Reports
De Novo Arteriovenous Malformation in a Pediatric Patient: Case Report and Review of the Literature.
An arteriovenous malformation (AVM) consists of a pathologic arteriovenous shunt formed from a tangle of vessels lacking a capillary bed. AVMs were previously accepted as congenital in nature; however, an increase in the number of reported de novo cerebral AVMs challenges the assertion that all AVMs develop in utero hence, the possibility of these lesions presenting postnatally cannot be excluded. A review of literature revealed 31 published cases of de novo AVM formation between 1996 and 2017. ⋯ The exact pathophysiology of de novo AVMs is not completely understood, but a combination of genetic, molecular, and environmental factors may play a role. Our case report only adds to the growing body of clinical evidence supporting the notion that these lesions may be acquired. It would be appropriate to consider an AVM as an abnormal vascular response to an injury rather than a static congenital lesion.
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Patients with bitemporal lobe epilepsy are generally not considered for surgical resection. Fortunately, responsive neurostimulation provides another avenue for the management of this challenging disease process. In conjunction with our epileptologist, we consider responsive neurostimulation for patients who have clinical features of temporal lobe epilepsy without clear localization on imaging and stereoelectroencephalography. ⋯ Robotically implanted responsive neurostimulation is a safe and effective treatment for bitemporal epilepsy and can possibly lead to valuable diagnostic information to guide future surgical management in patients who previously were not considered candidates for resective or ablative surgery.