A case of dissecting aneurysm of the intracranial vertebral artery in 46-year-old man is reported. Dissecting aneurysm of the vertebral artery associated with SAH is very rare. The characteristic angiographic findings of dissecting aneurysm were: 1) retention of contrast medium in the aneurysm; 2) the presence of double lumina; 3) "String" or "Pearl-string" sign. The therapeutic occlusion of the intracranial vertebral artery was performed successfully.
Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, Dissecting* ; Angiography ; Arteries* ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Therapeutic Occlusion ; Vertebral Artery

We reviewed the cases of 9 patients with vascular lesions in thalamus, 5 hemorrhage and 4 infarctions that were confirmed clinical and CT findings. Generally CT scan and clinical datas proved to be helpful to the diagnosis and prognosis to thalamic lesion. However, these findings are not exactly correlated to prognosis of patients. We can gain more informative factors to our patients for Multimodal evoked potential examination (MEP) to analysis. Especially in our cases, MEP findings proved to be the most effective results in the determinations of the prognosis. We review the literature and discuss the treatment and discuss the treatment and prognosis in thalamic lesion. Emphasis is placed on the current and optimal method of the evaluation of prognosis in thalamic lesions using MEP combined with the finding of CT scan and clinical status.
Diagnosis ; Evoked Potentials* ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infarction ; Prognosis ; Thalamus* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Normal pressure hydrocephalus(NPH) is defined as a combination of dementia, gait disturbance and/or urinary incontinence, hydrocephalus on C-T scan, with a normal intracranial pressure. The clinical effect of CSF shunting in patients with this syndrome is sometimes striking but generally only 50-60% of the shunted patients benefit from the treatment. So many pre-operative investigations are performed including clinical examination, computed tomography, R-I cistrnography, T1/2 calculated from ventricular volume pressure curve and lumbar drainage. Among the pre-operative investigations, the effect of preoperative lumbar drainage was the most reliable indicator of NPH. The possible mechanisms of improved case are proposed. The differential diagnosis of primary brain atrophy and NPH can be made by the effect of pre-operative lumbar drainage.
Atrophy ; Brain ; Dementia ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Drainage ; Equidae* ; Gait ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Hydrocephalus, Normal Pressure* ; Intracranial Pressure ; Strikes, Employee ; Urinary Incontinence

Fifteen cases of diffuse axonal injury(DAI) brought about by nonmissile head injury in humans are analyzed. All cases were subjected to comprehensive clinical studies such as measurement of cerebral blood flow by SPECT, continuous intracranial pressure monitoring and multimodality evoked potentials(MEPs). In the patients with DAI, a high incidence of low cerebral perfusion and abnormal MEPs. especially auditory evoked potentials, were found, with high incidence of high velocity traffic accident injury mechanism. On the other hand, a low incidence of increased intracranial pressure was found and dehydrating agents such as glycerol and mannitol did not exert a beneficial influence upon the clinical courses or the outcomes. The outcome of the patients with DAI depended upon the duration of coma and whether or not brain stem signs were noted.
Accidents, Traffic ; Axons ; Brain Stem ; Coma ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Diffuse Axonal Injury* ; Evoked Potentials* ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory ; Glycerol ; Hand ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intracranial Pressure* ; Mannitol ; Perfusion ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

Recently nerve entrapments or nerve root compressions are common clinical symdromes. However, a clear understanding of both pathophysiological and morphological changes is lacking and it may not be completely established in the experimental model for chronic nerve compression, compared with a surprising review of peripheral nerve exposed to various acute damage. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 250 to 300g were used as the experimental model to elucidate histopathological changes in chronic nerve compression, which were produced by banding the sciatic nerve(normally 1.2mm in diameter) with the length of 1cm silastic tubings with inner diameter, 0.6mm(Group I), 0.9mm(Group II) and 1.5mm(Group III) in each. Specimens were obtained for light and electron microscopic studies postoperatively at 1 and 3 months following by nerve conduction study. Grossly in group I, the sciatic nerve was compressed to approximately 50% of its normal in cuff area and in thin strand on distal part at 1 month and more progressed at 3 months. The sciatic nerve of group II demonstrated 75% of control and distal part in 50% compression at 1 month, but the nerve seemed not to be affected by tubing. Light microscopic findings revealed Wallerian degeneration and diminished large myelinated fiber particularly in the periphery of nerves with 34% of transverse nueral percentage in group I at postoperative 1 month. Above findings were progressed to epineurial scarring and fibrosis at 3 months. There were marked diminution and deformity in large myelinated fiber in group II, but it was not more severe than the ones of group I. Electron microscopic findings in this group revealed the appearance of small regenerating unit clusters and thinly myelinated fibers. In group III, histological findings were not much different from that of normal nerve. Nerve conduction study revealed the decrease in conduction velocity to mean 10 M/sex in group I at 1 month and no electrical conduction at 3 months. In group II, diminution of conduction velocity in 73% of normal range at 1 month was noted, and 82% at 3 months. These findings explain correspondingly the histopathological changes in part of chronic nerve entrapment syndromes and appeal the need of further investigation in this experimental model.
Adult ; Cicatrix ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Fibrosis ; Humans ; Models, Theoretical ; Myelin Sheath ; Nerve Compression Syndromes ; Neural Conduction ; Peripheral Nerves ; Radiculopathy ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reference Values ; Sciatic Nerve ; Wallerian Degeneration

Cerebral somatosensory evoked potentials(SEPs) produced by stimulation of peripheral nerves provide a useful diagnostic index of conduction in somatosensory pathways to the cortex. Thus the integrity of both the dorsal column-medial lemniscus pathway and primary sensorimotor area has been considered an essential requirement to record a normal SEP. There are suggestions that SEPs contain several components arising from different neuronal sources, the early short latency potentials corresponding to the lemniscus-mediated responses and the late waves to the diffuse spino-thalamic projections. The present work analyses the influence on SEPs of focal brain lesions, using the computerized tomography in detecting and localizing brain lesions. Somatosensory evoked potentials were recorded in 20 patients with focal brain lesions recognized by computerized tomography. 1) Patients with primary sensorimotor area(PSMA) damages(group I) had a very abnormal of the early component(No, Po, Nl, Pl) in 100% on the lesion side. 2) Patients presented supratentorial lesions, sparing PSMA(group II), 87.5% showing abnormal SEPs in early components and characterized by increment of amplitude in late components. 3) Brainstem damage(group III) produced a distortion of the early components especially N11, N20msec in latency. 4) In incomplete spinal cord injuries, the SEPs is indeed signal of functional recovery, of posterior column, and incorrespondance with clinical improvement.
Brain Stem ; Brain* ; Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory* ; Humans ; Neurons ; Peripheral Nerves ; Spinal Cord Injuries

Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) are known as clinically effective agents for treatment of inflammatory diseases. Inhibition of cyclooxygenase has been thought to be a major facet of the pharmacological mechanism of NSAIDs. However, it is difficult to ascribe the antiinflammatory effects of NSAIDs solely to the inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis. Human neutrophil elastase (HNElastase; HNE, EC 3.4.21.37) has been known as a causative factor in inflammatory diseases. To investigate the specific relationship between HNElastase inhibition and specificity of molecular structure of several NSAIDs, HNElastase was purified by Ultrogel AcA54 gel filtration, CM-Sephadex ion exchange, and HPLC (with TSK 250 column) chromatography. HNElastase was inhibited by aspirin and salicylate in a competitive manner and by naproxen, ketoprofen, phenylbutazone, and oxyphenbutazone in a partial competative manner, but not by ibuprofen and tolmetin. HNElastase-phenylbutazone-complex showed strong Raman shifts at 200, 440, 1124, 1194, 1384, 1506, and 1768 cm(-1). The Raman bands 1194, 1384, and 1768 cm(-1) may represent evidences of the conformational change at -N=N-phi radical, pyrazol ring, and -C=O radical of the elastase-drug complex, respectively. Phenylbutazone might be bound to HNElastase by ionic and hydrophobic interaction, and masked the active site. Inhibition of HNElastase could be another mechanism of action of NSAIDs besides cyclooxygenase inhibition in the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Different inhibition characteristics of HNE-lastase by NSAIDs such as aspirin, phenylbutazone-like drugs and ineffective drugs could be important points for drawing the criteria for appropriate drugs in clinical application.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/pharmacology* ; Chromatography, Affinity ; Computer Simulation ; Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology ; Human ; Isoenzymes/isolation & purification ; Isoenzymes/antagonists & inhibitors ; Ketoprofen/pharmacology ; Leukocyte Elastase/isolation & purification ; Leukocyte Elastase/antagonists & inhibitors* ; Models, Molecular ; Naproxen/pharmacology ; Phenylbutazone/analogs & derivatives ; Salicylates/pharmacology ; Spectrum Analysis, Raman

Retraction of any part of the brain may damage the cortex as well as the parenchyma, so it is advisable to retract the brain with the least force necessary and for the shortest time as possible. The purpose of this study was to examine in cats the damage caused by retraction of the brain by measuring the regional blood flow and brain edema, and to determine which of two methods, continuous or intermittent brain retraction, is less harmful to the brain. Twenty five adult cats weighting 2.5 to 4.0Kg, were used in this study. The twenty five cats were divided into three groups ; control (n=5), continuous retraction (n=10) and intermittent retraction groups (n=10) respectively. The brain retraction was produced by applying the lead weight with the stainless retractor on the right frontal lobe through a craniectomy at the right frontal bone. The weight (20g) was supported throught the pulley so that its long axis was perpendicular to the cortical surface. In the continuous retraction group, the brain was retracted for 180 min with a retraction force of 20g and in the intermittent retraction group, a 15 min period of retraction was applied, followed by a 5 min release, repeated nine times. The regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and brain specific gravity measurements were carried out in each animal before and immediately after brain retraction, at the 30th min, 60th min, 90th min, 120th min, 150th min and 180th min after retraction. The rCBF was measured by hydrogen clearance method and the brain edema was measured by gravimetric technique. The results were as follows : 1) After the brain retraction, there were rise in blood pressure and bradycardia in 60 min. 2) Normal control cerebral blood flow (rCBF, ml/100g/min) were 38.7+/-1.9 in right frontal, 38.7+/-1.7 in left frontal, 38.6+/-2.3 in right parietal and 38.2+/-2,3 in left parietal lobes. 3) A considerable reduction in rCBF at the retraction site, has been demonstrated with continuous brain retraction in 60 min after retraction. A reduction in rCBF to 30% of control (RF ; 28.2+/-2.1ml/100g/min) in 180 min after continuous retraction of the right frontal lobe, however, intermittent retraction resulted in a reduction of flow to 12% of control(RF ; 37.5+/-2.9ml/100g/min) at retraction site in 180 min after retraction. 4) The changes of brain specific gravity relatively began to notice at rCBF less than 23.0ml/100g/min. It might be inferred from these that intermittent retraction was less harmful to the brain, which indicate adequate arterial blood flow under the retractor was vital for the preservation and return of the neuronal function following brain retraction.
Adult ; Animals ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Blood Pressure ; Bradycardia ; Brain Edema* ; Brain* ; Cats ; Frontal Bone ; Frontal Lobe ; Humans ; Hydrogen ; Neurons ; Parietal Lobe ; Rabeprazole ; Regional Blood Flow ; Specific Gravity

The operative treatment of hydrocephalus has been quite challenging to neurosurgeon, because so many kinds of complications were stirred by the procedure even though the operative technique has been steadily improved. All the more they were hardly managed with ease. In the paper, the authors trix to analyze post-shunt complications of 64 patients seen frm 1980 to 1987, to find out any precipitating factors of the complications and to suggest the way to overcome the factors. The rate of post-shunt complication was 31.5%, and the most common complications were shunt malfunction(14.1%), subdural fluid accumulation(10.9%) and infection(9.4%).
Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Precipitating Factors

We report three cases of coincidental cerebral aneurysm with pituitary tumor. In our hospital the incidence of such cases was 4.4% of 68 patients with pituitary tumors from March, 1970 to October, 1990. Cases No. 1 was a 47-year-old female suffering from progressive loss of visual acuity. Preoperative brain C-T scan and angiographies revealed unruptured posterior communicating aneurysm with pituitary tumor. Case No. 2 was a 39-year-old male suffering from headache after head trauma with acromegaly. Preoperative brain C-T scan and angiographies appeared unruptured anterior communicating aneurysm and pituitary tumor. Case No. 3 was a 62-year-old female suffering progressive loss of visual acuity and headache. Left middle cerebral artery aneurysm and pituitary tumor were found by preoperative brain C-T scan and angiographies. All cases were operated by transcranial route and performed tumor removal after primary clipping of aneurysm. Postoperatively remained tumor of all cases was treated by radiosurgery successfully.
Acromegaly ; Adult ; Aneurysm ; Angiography ; Brain ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Female ; Headache ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intracranial Aneurysm* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pituitary Neoplasms* ; Radiosurgery ; Visual Acuity