No shinkei geka. Neurological surgery
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We report a rare case of a young man who had spontaneous left vertebrovertebral fistula associated with neurofibromatosis Type 1. His complaints were severe pain in the left neck and numbness in the left upper extremity. Cervical MR images showed a large abnormal flow void to the left of the spinal canal. ⋯ The occipital artery, the thyrocervical artery and the contralateral vertebral artery were associated with the fistula. The arteriovenous fistula was treated by endovascular coil embolization, using a tandem balloon technique. For this fistula, exhibiting the combination of high flow and multiple associated arteries, the flow control technique during the coil embolization, using tandem balloons in both the subclavian artery and the distal portion of the fistula of the vertebral artery, was safe and feasible for preventing coil migration.
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In the absence of guidelines on the use of corticosteroids in children with cancer and brain tumors, neurosurgeons (neurosurgical oncologists) and pediatricians administer these drugs based on their own experience. We surveyed Japanese neurosurgeons and pediatricians with regard to their policies for the use of corticosteroids in pediatric patients. ⋯ As their experience of treating children with cancer increased, clinicians began to focus on quality-of-life issues raised by the administration of corticosteroids rather than the avoidance of adverse effects. This survey may help to develop guidelines regarding the use of corticosteroids in pediatric patients, especially those needing palliative care.
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We evaluated the usefulness of rating diffusion weighted images (DWI) using semiquantitative scores modified from the Alberta Stroke Programme Early CT Score (ASPECTS) to predict deterioration of neurological symptoms in patients with hyperacute ischemic stroke who had undergone thrombolytic therapy with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA). ⋯ Cases of 0≦AD≦3, cardioembolic type cases with internal carotid artery occlusion in the group of 4≦AD≦7 and branch atheromatous disease in the group of 8≦AD were poor outcome at NIHSS 24 hours after intravenous rt-PA therapy for acute ischemic stroke patients.