There are so many differences between the elderly patients and the younger patients in the aspects of a causes and the clinical course of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrage (ICH). As the mean life-time of a general population goes longer, the incidence of spontaneous ICH increases but the aggressive support in ICH is withdrawn more commonly and a prognosis of ICH becomes poor. Therefore, a prevention of ICH and a strict control of hypertension is very very important.
Aged ; Cerebral Hemorrhage* ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Mortality ; Prognosis

As the number of elderly people increases, the incidence of stroke, especially the hemorrhagic stroke, is increasing. A large-scale survey of the entire country pertaining to the incidence and demographic characteristics of hemorrhagic stroke in elderly is necessary. Through information garnered from a basic survey and clinical study, we must design a treatment program to reduce the mortality of elderly people through elucidating the specific properties of stroke pathophysiology.
Aged* ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Mortality ; Stroke*

Hypertension is a very common disorder in the aged persons. There exist several hemodynamic characteristics associated with hypertension in the geriatric population, - decreased elasticity of arterioles due to fibrosis, decreased renin activity, and decreased cardiac output and renal blood flow. Clinically, isolated systolic hypertension, blood pressure variation within a day, and white coat hypertension, are more common in the aged population. Furthermore, aged persons have more chances to suffer other diseases, diabetes, COPD, and renal dysfunction, for example. These characteristics need tailored approaches in diagnosing and managing hypertension in the aged. In the current literature, detailed characteristics of 'geriatric hypertension', are described, including definition, grade of hypertension, importance of treatment of hypertension, complications of hypertension, drug or non-drug treatment, and principles of drug treatment especially in the specific age group.
Arterioles ; Blood Pressure ; Cardiac Output ; Elasticity ; Fibrosis ; Geriatrics* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Renal Circulation ; Renin ; White Coat Hypertension

The stereotactic radiosurgery for arteriovenous malformation (AVM) began in the early 1970s. Nowadays, by 2000 world-wide, more than 27,500 patients have undergone Gamma Knife radiosurgery for cerebrovascular disease (CVD). New concepts, consisting of obliteration rate, postradiosurgical hemorrhagic risk, dose selection for treatment, and radiosurgery for pediatric AVM, medium-to-large sized AVM, cavernous malformation, venous angioma, so on, have been established. Gamma Knife radiosurgery has been considered as an effective management stratege with relatively few side effects for AVM. However, recently delayed radiation-induced complications were reported in 3.2 to 12.5% in range. Therefore, the long-term follow-up is thought to be mandatory even after treatment goal, complete obliteration, is confirmed.
Arteriovenous Malformations ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemangioma ; Humans ; Patient Selection ; Radiosurgery*

These days, a less invasive surgery is stressed. One current thought is that the endovascular surgery itself is the less invasive and safer surgery for a cerebral aneurysm, and not the microsurgery. Is this true? We have evaluated the merits and demerits of each method. Our conclusion is as follows. Endovascular Surgery should be considered as an alternative, only for the specific patients. Microsurgery itself retains its position of the first treatment of choice for a cerebral aneurysm. "Less invasive" cannot be equated with "less dangerous". We will show the above reasons using slides and videotapes of several patients.
Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Microsurgery ; Videotape Recording

OBJECTIVES: True spontaneous intracranial arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) of posterior circulation are very rare. Clinical entity and natural history of these lesions are not well known. We describe our experience in treating these lesions by microsurgical and/or endovascular techniques. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: Two patients were presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage and one with progressive hearing deficit and tinnitus. Angiograms revealed the presence of intracranial AVFs in all three cases and feeding vessels from the basilar perforator, vertebral artery, and anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA), respectively. Venous ectatic changes were also combined in all cases. Surgery was performed via a transpetrosal approach in a case of an unruptured AVF, which was fed by a basilar perforator with venous aneurysmal dilatation in pons. However, afferent vessel to the fistula could not be identified in microsurgical field. Endovascular occlusion was performed successfully 2 months later. In a case of spontaneous vertebral AVF presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage, the fistula was occluded and entangled dilated veins were completely excised via a far lateral suboccipital approach. The last case of AICA origin also presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage died from rebleeding during the preparation of endovascular treatment on the same day of the first ictus. CONCLUSION: Spontaneous intracranial AVFs of posterior circulation showed aggressive behavior. We recommand surgical and/or endovascular treatment for these lesions.
Aneurysm ; Arteries ; Arteriovenous Fistula* ; Dilatation ; Endovascular Procedures ; Fistula ; Hearing ; Humans ; Natural History ; Pons ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Tinnitus ; Veins ; Vertebral Artery

Aneurysms at the distal branch of the middle cerebral artery may be mycotic or congenital in origin. A 34 year-old male patient was admitted with a seizure and a 7-day history of upper respiratory tract infection. The neurological examination showed no abnormality except for headache and mild dysarthria. There was no intracardiac lesion suggesting infective endocarditis. CT, MRI and cerebral angiograms revealed a partially thrombosed giant aneurysm at the distal branch of the middle cerebral artery. Pathologic examination revealed acute inflammatory cells and focal necrosis in the aneurysmal wall as well as recent thrombus. Here, we are reporting an unusual case with a giant distal middle cerebral artery aneurysm with intramural inflammation, suggesting a congenital giant aneurysm with secondary infectious inflammation.
Adult ; Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, Infected* ; Dysarthria ; Endocarditis ; Headache ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Cerebral Artery* ; Necrosis ; Neurologic Examination ; Respiratory Tract Infections ; Seizures ; Thrombosis

Intracerebral hematoma (ICH) after reperfusion procedure in cerebral ischemia is a rare but serious complication. The authors present 4 cases with ICH after reperfusion procedures in cerebral ischemia. First case is ICH after superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery anastomosis in moyamoya patient, second case is ICH after graft bypass usuing saphenous vein in traumatic carotid artery injury patient, third case is ICH after intra-arterial urokinase therapy in acute internal carotid artery occlusion and forth case is ICH after temporary clipping to the middle cerebral artery in middle cerebral artery aneurysm surgery. Defective cerebrovascular autoregulation in ischemic brain regions may predispose patients to ICH after reperfusion procedure in cerebral ischemia. The authors suggest reperfusion procedure in ischemia must be executed prudently because of possibility of reperfusion injury including ICH.
Brain ; Brain Ischemia* ; Carotid Artery Injuries ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Cerebral Arteries ; Hematoma* ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Ischemia ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Reperfusion Injury ; Reperfusion* ; Saphenous Vein ; Transplants ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

OBJECTIVE: Preoperative extra-ventricular drainage in poor grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) patients has been known to improve patient's clinical grade. However, the risk of rebleeding due to increase of transmural pressure hinders its popular clinical use. The authors present new experience of preoperative extra-ventricular drainage in poor grade aneurysmal SAH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 1996 to November 2001, 56 SAH patients underwent extra-ventricular drainage preoperatively. The mean age was 57.9 years (range 27 to 88). Hunt and Hess grade (HH grade) on the time of extra-ventricular drainage insertion were grade 3 in 4 patients, grade 4 in 35 patients and grade 5 in 17 patients. The overall clinical outcome of the patients who underwent extra-ventricular drainage and final clinical outcome according to the intervals between ventricular drainage and direct clipping/endovascular coiling were analysed retrospectively. RESULT: Twenty-six patients (46.4%) improved clinically (average HH grade was improved from 4.6 to 3.3), 25 patients (44.6%) have not been changed, 5 patients (9%) aggravated (4 to 5) after ventricular drainage. Seven of 30 unchanged or aggravated patients underwent CT scan which revealed rebleeding of the aneurysm. 32 patients (57.1%) were treated with surgery or endovascular coiling. Seventeen patients (30.4%) have lost their opportunity of ultimate treatment because they had poor clinical course after extra-ventricular drainage. Final clinical outcome was not statistically different between early therapeutic group who underwent operation within 24 hours after extra-ventricular drainage and delayed therapeutic group who underwent operation after 24 hours. (Fisher extract test, survival rate P=0.603, clinical outcome P=1.000). CONCLUSION: Preoperative extra-ventricular drainage had additional risk of rebleeding, however, it provides immediate improvement of patient's neurological status and final clinical outcomes.
Aneurysm* ; Drainage* ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage* ; Survival Rate ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to examine whether melatonin has a neuroprotective effect against hippocampal neuronal damage following transient global ischemia in a gerbil. Polyamine is known to play a role in the pathophysiology of ischemic neuronal damage, we evaluated the influences of melatonin on the polyamine level as well as histology. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Male Mongolian gerbils (60-80 g) were used in this study. Transient global ischemia was induced by occlusion of the bilateral common carotid arteries for 3 min with microclips. Melatonin was administered immediately after occlusion. The animals were decapitated 24 h after the occlusion for polyamine measurement by a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and 4 days after the occlusion for histological evaluation (hematoxylin and eosin staining). A histological examination was performed by a blinded investigator. RESULTS: The hippocampal putrescine level increased compared to sham-operated animals and the increase of putrescine was attenuated by 20 mg/kg melatonin administration. Spermidine and spermine levels didn't show significant changes after ischemia. Hippocampal neuronal damage in the CA1 region was markedly observed in vehicle-treated animals compared to sham-operated animals. Melatonin administration (10 or 20 mg/kg) significantly inhibited hippocampal CA1 neuronal damage after ischemia compared to corresponding vehicle-treated animals (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: Melatonin attenuates the putrescine level after transient global ischemia and may have putative neuroprotective effects against global ischemia induced neuronal damage.
Animals ; Brain* ; Carotid Artery, Common ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Gerbillinae* ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; Ischemia* ; Male ; Melatonin* ; Neurons* ; Neuroprotective Agents ; Putrescine ; Research Personnel ; Spermidine ; Spermine