Neurologia medico-chirurgica
-
Neurol. Med. Chir. (Tokyo) · Jan 2013
Acute subdural hematoma requiring surgery in the subacute or chronic stage.
The aim of this study was to clarify the clinical characteristics and pathophysiology of conservatively treated cases of acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) that ultimately require surgery in the subacute or chronic stage, and devise an appropriate form of management for them. A total of 50 patients with ASDH were admitted to our institution during a 5-year period. Hematoma removal in the subacute or chronic stage was performed in 8 patients. ⋯ After hematoma removal, no inner membrane was observed on the brain surface. One patient had typical chronic subdural hematoma in the subacute stage, and 2 patients had so-called subacute subdural hematoma (SASDH) in the chronic stage. Although the majority of such cases can be treated by burr-hole surgery, a small craniotomy or craniotomy ought to be considered as a further surgical option if SASDH is diagnosed on the basis of clinical and radiological data, especially diffusion-weighted MR imaging.
-
Neurol. Med. Chir. (Tokyo) · Jan 2013
Case ReportsPosterolateral sulcus approach for spinal intramedullary tumor of lateral location: technical note.
Posterolateral sulcus (PLS) approach of the spinal cord, being equivalent to the dorsal root entry zone myelotomy, may offer the satisfactory exposure of the spinal intramedullary tumor if applied appropriately. Eight consecutive patients with spinal intramedullary tumors of lateral location underwent the surgery of PLS approach in our institute. There were 6 male and 2 female patients, ranging in age from 34 to 72 years (mean, 57 years). ⋯ Average grade of the sensory pain scale was 2.7 before surgery and improved to 1.7 at 3 months after surgery. PLS approach can be one of the surgical choices to the spinal intramedullary tumors, if applied appropriately. Better indication for PLS approach may be the tumors of the uneven location within the spinal cord associated with moderate or severe local pain.
-
A 34-year-old female presented with trigeminal neuralgia caused by a venous malformation in the right cerebello-pontine region. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated the abnormal draining veins from the venous malformation. The dilated vessels extended around the trigeminal nerve and compressed the root entry zone. ⋯ Good outcome depends on decompression of the root entry zone without injury to the vessel. Surgical injury in this region can cause severe neurological deficits. Several treatment options should be prepared for the surgery, such as MVD or rhizotomy.
-
Neurol. Med. Chir. (Tokyo) · Jan 2012
Case ReportsParavertebral arteriovenous fistula treated by endovascular coil embolization.
A 41-year-old man, without underlying health problems or traumatic episodes, presented with a rare paravertebral arteriovenous fistula (AVF) causing radiculopathy manifesting as gradually progressive right grip weakness, and right thumb, index, and middle finger numbness. Digital subtraction angiography revealed a high flow, single hole paravertebral AVF fed by the right thyrocervical trunk that drained into the epidural venous plexus. The patient underwent endovascular embolization of the AVF via the transarterial approach. ⋯ Paravertebral AVF is usually asymptomatic because of a "reflux-impending mechanism" within the dural sleeves that prevents retrograde drainage into the perimedullary veins. However, in the present case, mechanical compression of the radicular nerve due to a dilated epidural venous plexus resulted in neurological symptoms. We conclude that endovascular surgery is an effective treatment strategy for paravertebral AVF.
-
Neurol. Med. Chir. (Tokyo) · Jan 2012
Cost-effectiveness analysis of intrathecal baclofen therapy in Japan.
Intrathecal baclofen (ITB) therapy was approved for health insurance coverage in 2005 for the treatment of patients whose spasticity could not be adequately controlled by conventional therapy, and is currently being used to treat around 300 patients nationwide in Japan. Various reports have examined the efficacy and safety of ITB therapy, but no report has evaluated the patient quality of life and medical costs in Japan. ⋯ The average cost of ITB therapy per quality-adjusted life year (QALY; number of years survival in perfect health) 5 years after surgery was 1,554,428 yen, below the 6 million yen willingness-to-pay threshold for 1 QALY. This study shows that ITB therapy in Japan is an outstanding treatment in medicoeconomic terms.