The Prognosis of Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage in over the Seventies with Poor Initial Conditions

OBJECTIVES: The prognosis of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage often depends on initial neurologic condition, size and location of hemorrhage and associated intraventricular hemorrhage. However, age of patient, coagulation state and other associated vascular diseases may also play a role when present. In recent years, the geriatric population has been increasing. The age distribution of the patients with intracerebral hemorrhages also has been increased, accordingly. However, such patients, especially when associated with poor initial conditions often tend to be managed rather conservatively. The authors analyzed retrospectively on forty-five patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage over the seventies with poor initial condition to find out whether there exists a difference of outcome between surgery and non-surgery group. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A total of 45 patients over seventies with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage with Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS) 4-8 treated over last six years were included. The validity of surgical management for these patients as well as clinical variables which might have been operated on the outcome of these patients were evaluated. The Glasgow Outcome Scale(GOS) after three months was used for comparison of outcome. RESULTS: In surgical group(19 cases), mean age was 74.5 years old, mean hematoma volume 67.2ml and mean GCS score 5.7 points. In nonsurgical group(26 cases), mean age was 79.3 years old, mean hematoma volume 32.1ml, and mean GCS score 6.8 points. Mortality rate in surgical group was 47.4%(9 patients), including 2 cases of post-operative rebleeding, while that in nonsurgical group was 46.2%. However, when patients with initial GCS 4-6 points and over 30ml in hematoma volume were regrouped, mortality rate in surgical group was 46.2%, whereas mortality rate in nonsurgical group was 66.7%. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that the mortality rate is much low in surgery group with initial GCS less than 6 points and hematoma volume over 30cc. There was no significant difference of outcome in patients with basal ganglia and thalamic hemorrhage. However, surgical treatment lowered the mortality and morbidity rate in patients with subcortical and cerebellar hemorrhage.

Pedicle Screw Fixation of the Thoracic Spine

Pedicle screw instrumentation has proven to be reliable and effective in the surgical management of lumbosacral disorders, yet the appropriateness in the thoracic spine is not known. To evaluate the accuracy of the pedicle screw placement in the surgical management of the thoracic spinal disorders and to establish its risks and benefits, a prospective study was designed. One hundred and two thoracic pedicle screws in 22 consecutively treated patients were investigated after surgery by computed tomography scans. Twenty-one(20.5%) screws penetrated the pedicle cortex or the vertebral body anterior cortex. Three screws penetrated the medial cortex of the pedicle by the averages of 2mm to a maximum 4mm. Fifteen screws(14.7%) penetrated laterally by an average of 1.5mm. There were 3 screws of caudal penetration. The screws inserted at T1-T8 revelaed a higher penetration rate than those inserted at T9-T12(35.7% versus 14.7%)(p<0.05). Hardware failures causing the preoperative defor-mity were seen in a patient to whom half the cephalad screws were laterally misplaced. However, there were no major neurologic complications. Although segmental pedicle screw fixation of the thoracic spine requires meticulous measures and considerable experience, it was therefore can be considered as a safe and effective method for stabilizing the thoracic spine.

Paraspinal Retroperitoneal Ganlioneuroma

Ganglioneuroma is a rare benign neurogenic tumor arising from sympathetic ganglia. A case of paraspinal retro-peritoneal ganglioneuroma in a 39-year-old woman is described here. The patient underwent surgery with gross total removal of the tumor and relief of her initial chief complaint of backache and leg pain. We review the literature and discuss the clinical features and the histogenesis of ganglioneuroma.

A Case of Intracranial Infectious Aneurysm with Embolic Cerebral Infarction

Infectious intracranial aneurysm, so-called mycotic aneurysm, has been rarely reported after era of antibiotics. Infective endocarditis is the most common cause. It is commonly occurs in patients with valvular heart disease. The authors report a case of infectious intracranial aneurysm in the distal branch of the right middle cerebral artery with embolic cerebral infarction in the contralateral middle cerebral artery territory. The patient underwent surgical excision of the aneurysm after six weeks of antibiotics therapy. The pathological findings demonstrated severe inflammatory change in the adventitial layer but intact intimal layer. The clinical features and the pathogenesis is discussed with review of pertinent literature.

Radiologic Location of Ventricular Tip and the Patency of Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt

Proximal cerebrospinal fluid shuntmalfunction due to ventricular catheter occlusion remains the most common sourceof the shunt problem. The position of the hole-bearing segment of the catheter affects the long term patency of the ventricular catheter of a cerebrospinalfluid shunt.Placementof thissegmentnear thechoroidplexus or injured ependyma increases the probability of obstruction. Accurate locationof ventriculoperitoneal(V-P)shunt tip inrelation to foramen Monro canbe well establishedby plain radiographyregardless of agesor sizes and shapes of head dueto the fact that foramen Monro tothe spatial matrix of the skull is constant. Of 147patients who underwentV-P shunt operations, 49(33.3%)patients had more thanone operations. Radiologicgradingof theventricularcatheterposition is compared betweensingle operatedgroup andreoperated group.Single operated group showed excellentin 33.6%, good41.8%, poor 24.4%of accuracy rateof catheter tip position. Incases ofreoperation, placement ofcatheter tipresulted in excellent 12.5%, good21.8%, and poor 65.6%.These results indicatethat accurate location of ventricular catheter tip affects favorably to the patency of V-P shunt.