Neurologia medico-chirurgica
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Neurol. Med. Chir. (Tokyo) · Jan 2010
ReviewStandard therapy for glioblastoma--a review of where we are.
Glioblastoma is the most common primary malignant brain tumor in adults and is a challenging disease to treat. The current standard therapy includes maximal safe surgical resection, followed by a combination of radiation and chemotherapy with temozolomide. However, recurrence is quite common, so we continue to search for more effective treatments both for initial therapy and at the time of recurrence. This article will review the current standard of care and recent advances in therapy for newly-diagnosed and recurrent glioblastomas, based on the most authoritative guidelines, the National Cancer Institute's comprehensive cancer database Physician Data Query (PDQ®), and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology(TM) for central nervous system cancers (V.1.2010), to elucidate the current position and in what direction we are advancing.
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Neurol. Med. Chir. (Tokyo) · Jan 2010
ReviewWhat is the role of clipping surgery for ruptured cerebral aneurysms in the endovascular era? A review of recent technical advances and problems to be solved.
Craniotomy and clipping have been robust treatments for ruptured cerebral aneurysm for more than 50 years, with satisfactory overall outcomes. Technical advances, such as developments in microsurgical tools and equipment, adjunctive therapy, and novel monitoring methods enable safer and more efficient treatment. ⋯ However, craniotomy and clipping are very important for the treatment of ruptured cerebral aneurysm. This paper discusses recent advances and future perspectives in the field of clipping surgery for ruptured aneurysms.
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Neurol. Med. Chir. (Tokyo) · Jan 2010
ReviewSurgical treatment for glioma: extent of resection applying functional neurosurgery.
Current treatments for gliomas, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, frequently result in unsuccessful outcomes. Studies on glioma resection were reviewed to assess better treatment outcomes applying the newest neurosurgical multimodalities. We reviewed reports of surgical removal of gliomas utilizing functional brain mapping, monitoring, and other functional neurosurgery techniques such as neuronavigation and awake surgery. ⋯ However, those deficits often improved during the postoperative rehabilitation and recovery period when the essential or the compensative eloquent areas remained intact. Pre- and intraoperative application of the latest brain function analysis methods promoted safe elimination of gliomas. These methods are expected to help explore the long-term prognosis of glioma treatment and the mechanism for recovery from functional disabilities.
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Neurol. Med. Chir. (Tokyo) · Jan 2010
Comparative StudyComparative analysis of spinal hemangioblastomas in sporadic disease and Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome.
The clinical differences were evaluated in spinal hemangioblastoma between patients with sporadic disease and patients with von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome. The distribution of hemangioblastomas in the central nervous system was investigated in 56 patients treated between 1988 and 2008 at the University of Tokyo Hospital. The characteristics of spinal hemangioblastomas were compared in 35 patients including 17 with sporadic disease and 18 with VHL syndrome treated between 1988 and 2008 at our hospital and three affiliated institutions. ⋯ Tumor recurrence was correlated with partial removal of lesions (p = 0.05). One third of patients with VHL syndrome developed new lesions every 2 years. The major finding of this study is that the incidence of spinal hemangioblastoma, distributed through all spinal levels, may be as high as 88% in patients with VHL syndrome, which is much greater than previously reported.
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Neurol. Med. Chir. (Tokyo) · Jan 2010
Foraminoplastic ventral epidural approach for removal of extruded herniated fragment at the L5-S1 level.
The 'foraminoplastic' ventral epidural approach and its advantages in the treatment of extruded disk herniation at the L5-S1 level are described. Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy is a minimally invasive procedure applicable to various types of lumbar disk herniation, but the L5-S1 disk space is still challenging to access due to anatomic limitations such as high iliac crest or severely narrowed foramen. The 'foraminoplastic' ventral epidural approach was performed in 25 patients with herniated disk radiculopathy at L5-S1 from March 2003 to May 2004. ⋯ Twenty-two patients had the favorable outcomes. Two patients required conversion to open microdiscectomy due to incomplete decompression and recurrent disk herniation. The 'foraminoplastic' approach is a safe and efficient surgical option for L5-S1 disk herniation even in patients with high iliac crest and narrow foramen.