No abstract available.
Hematoma*

Both direct and indirect environmental stress to brain were increase the expression of transcription factor c-fos in various populations of neurons. In this study, we examined whether the intraperitoneal injections of lidocaine at doses inducing convulsion within 10 min increased the level of c-fos mRNA and protein in forebrain areas. In situ hybridization using (35S)UTP-labeled antisense c-fos, cRNA increased c-fos mRNA levels though hippocampal formation, piriform cortex, septum, caudate-putamen, neostriatum, and amygdala within 2 hr. In parallel with the mRNA expression, c-FOS protein immunoreactivity was also observed in the same forebrain areas. In contrast to the seizure activity and widespread neuronal degeneration following a kainate treatment, injections of lidocaine did not produce neuronal death within 3 days. The present study indicates that lidocaine induces convulsion and c-fos expression without causing neuro-toxicity.
Adult* ; Amygdala ; Animals ; Brain* ; Hippocampus ; Humans ; In Situ Hybridization ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Kainic Acid ; Lidocaine* ; Neostriatum ; Neurons ; Prosencephalon ; Rats* ; RNA, Complementary ; RNA, Messenger* ; Seizures ; Transcription Factors

OBJECTIVE: Shunt-dependent hydrocephalus (SdHCP) is a well-known complication of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The risk factors for SdHCP have been widely investigated, but few risk scoring systems have been established to predict SdHCP. This study was performed to investigate the risk factors for SdHCP and devise a risk scoring system for use before aneurysm obliteration.METHODS: We reviewed the data of 301 consecutive patients who underwent aneurysm obliteration following SAH from September 2007 to December 2016. The exclusion criteria for this study were previous aneurysm obliteration, previous major cerebral infarction, the presence of a cavum septum pellucidum, a midline shift of >10 mm on initial computed tomography (CT), and in-hospital mortality. We finally recruited 254 patients and analyzed the following data according to the presence or absence of SdHCP : age, sex, history of hypertension and diabetes mellitus, Hunt-Hess grade, Fisher grade, aneurysm size and location, type of treatment, bicaudate index on initial CT, intraventricular hemorrhage, cerebrospinal fluid drainage, vasospasm, and modified Rankin scale score at discharge.RESULTS: In the multivariate analysis, acute HCP (bicaudate index of ≥0.2) (odds ratio [OR], 6.749; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.843–16.021; p=0.000), Fisher grade of 4 (OR, 4.108; 95% CI, 1.044–16.169; p=0.043), and an age of ≥50 years (OR, 3.938; 95% CI, 1.375–11.275; p=0.011) were significantly associated with the occurrence of SdHCP. The risk scoring system using above parameters of acute HCP, Fisher grade, and age (AFA score) assigned 1 point to each (total score of 0–3 points). SdHCP occurred in 4.3% of patients with a score of 0, 8.5% with a score of 1, 25.5% with a score of 2, and 61.7% with a score of 3 (p=0.000). In the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) for the risk scoring system was 0.820 (p=0.080; 95% CI, 0.750–0.890). In the internal validation of the risk scoring system, the score reliably predicted SdHCP (AUC, 0.895; p=0.000; 95% CI, 0.847–0.943).CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the herein-described AFA score is a useful tool for predicting SdHCP before aneurysm obliteration. Prospective validation is needed.
Aneurysm ; Cerebral Infarction ; Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Hemorrhage ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Hypertension ; Multivariate Analysis ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; ROC Curve ; Septum Pellucidum ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt

Fungal infections of the spine are relatively uncommon. Moreover, cervical spondylodiscitis due to Candida albicans in non-immunocompromised patient is very rare. We report a case of Candida spondylodiscitis in a 64-year-old woman who complained of neck pain. The clinical feature and treatment option are presented with a review of pertinent literatures.
Candida ; Candida albicans ; Discitis ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neck Pain ; Spine

OBJECTIVE: Intraoperative ventriculostomy is widely adopted to make the slack brain. However, there are few reports about hemorrhagic or parenchymal injuries after ventriculostomy. We tried to analyze and investigate the incidence of these complications in a consecutive series of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). METHODS: From September 2006 to June 2007, 43 patients underwent surgical clipping for aneurysmal SAH at our hospital. Among 43 patients, we investigated hemorrhagic or parenchymal injuries after intraoperative ventriculostomy using postoperative computed tomographic scan in 26 patients. After standard pterional craniotomy, ventriculostomy catheter was inserted perpendicular to the cortical surface along the bisectional imaginary line from Paine's point. RESULTS: Hemorrhagic injuries were detected in 12 of 26 patients (46.2%). Mean systolic blood pressure during anesthesia was with in statistically significant parameter related to hemorrhage (p = 0.006). On the other hand, parenchymal injuries were detected in 11 of 26 patients (42.3%). Female and the amount of infused mannitol during anesthesia showed statistically significant parameters related to parenchymal injury (p = 0.005, 0.04, respectively). However, there were no ventriculostomy-related severe complications. CONCLUSION: In our series, hemorrhagic or parenchymal injuries after intraoperative ventriculostomy occurred more commonly than previously reported series in aneurysmal SAH patients. Although the clinical outcomes of complications are generally favorable, neurosurgeon must keep in mind the frequent occurrence of brain injury after intraoperative ventriculostomy in the acute stage of aneurysmal SAH.
Anesthesia ; Aneurysm ; Blood Pressure ; Brain ; Brain Injuries ; Catheters ; Craniotomy ; Female ; Hand ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mannitol ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Surgical Instruments ; Ventriculostomy

Bilateral traumatic abducens nerve palsy is a rare condition. We report a case associated with Hangman's fracture without skull fracture. Seventeen cases of bilateral traumatic nerve palsy were found in the literature and only four cases had bilateral traumatic abducens nerve palsy associated with cervical spine fracture without skull fracture. In case of head and neck injury, the abducens nerve may be damaged at the point of fixation to the dura mater. The pathogenesis, the clinical conditions and the radiological findings are presented.
Abducens Nerve Diseases* ; Abducens Nerve* ; Dura Mater ; Head ; Neck Injuries ; Paralysis ; Skull Fractures ; Spine

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the correlation between the success of recanalization and a modified version of the Qureshi grading system in acute ischemic stroke patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the intra-arterial thrombolysis (IAT) records of 37 patients who were evaluated by Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) and a modified version of the Qureshi grading systems as follows : 1) post-IAT Qureshi grade, 2) modified Delta Qureshi grade : pre-IAT group grade - post-IAT group grade (grade 1 : Qureshi grades 0-2 and grade 2 : Qureshi grade 3-5) and 3) Delta Qureshi grade (post-IAT Qureshi grade - pre-IAT Qureshi grade). Successful recanalization was defined as follows : 1) post-IAT TIMI grades 2 and 3, 2) post-IAT Qureshi grade 0-2, 3) modified Delta Qureshi grade=1, and 4) Delta Qureshi grade of > or =2 and/or post-IAT Qureshi grade=0. We investigated the correlation between the post-IAT TIMI grade and the modified Qureshi grade and also compared the various grading systems with modified Rankin Scale scores for evaluating the clinical outcome at 3 months. RESULTS: The post-IAT Qureshi grade and Delta Qureshi grade and/or post-IAT Qureshi grade were significantly correlated with the TIMI grade (gamma=0.976 and, 0.942, respectively). Further, post-IAT Qureshi grade and Delta Qureshi grade and/or post-IAT Qureshi grade showed a significantly stronger association with clinical outcome than did the post-IAT TIMI grade (p=0.001 and, 0.000 vs. 0.083, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our preliminary results suggest that the modified Qureshi grading system is a useful tool for assessing the success of recanalization after IAT.
Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Retrospective Studies ; Stroke

OBJECTIVE: Posterior accessed lumbar interbody fusion (PALIF) has a clear objective to restore disc height and spinal alignment but surgeons may occasionally face the converse situation and lose lumbar lordosis. We analyzed retrospective data for factors contributing to a postoperative flat back. METHODS: A total of 105 patients who underwent PALIF for spondylolisthesis and stenosis were enrolled. The patients were divided according to surgical type [posterior lumbar inter body fusion (PLIF) vs. unilateral transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF)], number of levels (single vs. multiple), and diagnosis (spondylolisthesis vs. stenosis). We measured perioperative index level lordosis, lumbar lordosis, pelvic tilt, sacral slope, pelvic incidence, and disc height in standing lateral radiographs. The change and variance in each parameter and comparative group were analyzed with the paired and Student t-test (p<0.05), correlation coefficient, and regression analysis. RESULTS: A significant perioperative reduction was observed in index-level lordosis following TLIF at the single level and in patients with spondylolisthesis (p=0.002, p=0.005). Pelvic tilt and sacral slope were significantly restored following PLIF multilevel surgery (p=0.009, p=0.003). Sacral slope variance was highly sensitive to perioperative variance of index level lordosis in high sacral sloped pelvis. Perioperative variance of index level lordosis was positively correlated with disc height variance (R2=0.286, p=0.0005). CONCLUSION: Unilateral TLIF has the potential to cause postoperative flat back. PLIF is more reliable than unilateral TLIF to restore spinopelvic parameters following multilevel surgery and spondylolisthesis. A high sacral sloped pelvis is more vulnerable to PALIF in terms of a postoperative flat back.
Animals ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lordosis ; Pelvis ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Curvatures ; Spinal Fusion ; Spondylolisthesis

A 69-year-old man, suffering from diabetes, presented with drowsiness and general weakness is reported. Brain computed tomography revealed low density subdural lesion in the left hemisphere. A single burr hole was trephined and purulent material with liquified hematoma was drained to reveal Klebsiella pneumoniae from the specimen culture. Due to the unexplained postoperative mental deterioration and high fever, the patient underwent abdominal sonography to reveal liver abscess and the same pathogen was also cultured from the liver abscess. This case was very rare in that Klebsiella pneumoniae implanted into the vascularized capsule of the chronic subdural hematoma by hematogenous bacteremia. When chronic subdural hematoma is present in an immunocompromised or in old age patient, the infected subdural hematoma might be considered as one of the differential diagnosis.
Aged ; Bacteremia ; Brain ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Empyema, Subdural ; Fever ; Hematoma ; Hematoma, Subdural* ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic ; Humans ; Klebsiella pneumoniae ; Liver Abscess ; Sleep Stages

OBJECTIVE: To quantitatively measure the degree of bone flap resorption (BFR) following autologous bone cranioplasty and to investigate factors associated with BFR. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 29 patients who underwent decompressive craniectomy and subsequent autologous bone cranioplasty between April 2005 and October 2014. BFR was defined as: 1) decrement ratio ([the ratio of initial BF size/craniectomy size]–[the ratio of last BF/craniectomy size]) >0.1; and 2) bone flap thinning or geometrical irregularity of bone flap shape on computed tomographic scan or skull plain X-ray. The minimal interval between craniectomy and cranioplasty was one month and the minimal follow-up period was one year. Clinical factors were compared between the BFR and no-BFR groups. RESULTS: The time interval between craniectomy and cranioplasty was 175.7±258.2 days and the mean period of follow up was 1364±886.8 days. Among the 29 patients (mean age 48.1 years, male: female ratio 20: 9), BFR occurred in 8 patients (27.6%). In one patient, removal of the bone flap was carried out due to severe BFR. The overall rate of BFR was 0.10±0.11 over 3.7 years. Following univariate analysis, younger age (30.5±23.2 vs. 54.9±13.4) and longer follow-up period (2204.5±897.3 vs. 1044.1±655.1) were significantly associated with BFR (p=0.008 and 0.003, respectively). CONCLUSION: The degree of BFR following autologous bone cranioplasty was 2.7%/year and was associated with younger age and longer follow-up period.
Autografts ; Bone Resorption ; Decompressive Craniectomy ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Skull