Technical Consideration for Coiling of Ruptured Proximal Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery Aneurysm

OBJECTIVE: Surgical obliteration of ruptured aneurysm of the proximal posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) is challenging because of limited surgical accessibility. In recent years, coil embolization is the first-choice treatment for these lesions. However, coil embolization is not always easy in ruptured PICA aneurysm owing to the variable anatomical diversity of its shapes, its relationship to the parent artery, its low incidence, and accordingly, lesser neurointerventionist experience. METHODS: The parent artery and microcatheter for easier navigation and the embolization technique for stable coiling were identified. RESULTS: This study aimed to identify the more appropriate approach route, microcatheter, and strategies for an easier and safer, and more durable coil embolization in the treatment of lesions in the proximal PICA. CONCLUSION: Coil embolization for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage due to a ruptured proximal PICA remains a challenge, but with the appropriate coiling plan, it can be treated successfully.

Technical Consideration for Coiling of Ruptured Proximal Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery Aneurysm

OBJECTIVE: Surgical obliteration of ruptured aneurysm of the proximal posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) is challenging because of limited surgical accessibility. In recent years, coil embolization is the first-choice treatment for these lesions. However, coil embolization is not always easy in ruptured PICA aneurysm owing to the variable anatomical diversity of its shapes, its relationship to the parent artery, its low incidence, and accordingly, lesser neurointerventionist experience.METHODS: The parent artery and microcatheter for easier navigation and the embolization technique for stable coiling were identified.RESULTS: This study aimed to identify the more appropriate approach route, microcatheter, and strategies for an easier and safer, and more durable coil embolization in the treatment of lesions in the proximal PICA.CONCLUSION: Coil embolization for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage due to a ruptured proximal PICA remains a challenge, but with the appropriate coiling plan, it can be treated successfully.

Large Sized Common Iliac Artery Aneurysm with Thrombus Developing a Diagnostic Confusion in a Patient with Sciatica

The causes of sciatica are variable and include musculoskeletal, dermatologic, infectious, neoplastic, and vascular disorders. In many cases, the symptom is usually caused by degenerative disease in the spine with the compression or irritation of spinal nerve. On the other hands, there are also several announced extra-spinal causes including aneurysm, diabetes, and radiation for sciatica in a low rate. Among the extra-spinal cases, aneurysms arising from iliac vessels are sometimes developing a diagnostic confusion with the spinal causes, and delayed diagnosis can lead to poor prognosis. It is very important to pay attention weather the aneurysmal cause is involved in the symptom of sciatica.

Effect of Discontinuation of Anticoagulation in Patients with Intracranial Hemorrhage at High Thromboembolic Risk

OBJECTIVE: There was no abundance of data on the use of anticoagulant in patients with previous high risk of thromboembolic conditions under a newly developed intracranial hemorrhage in Korean society. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety of discontinuance and suggest the proper time period for discontinuance of anticoagulant among these patients. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 19 patients who took anticoagulant because of thromboembolic problems and were admitted to our department with newly developed anticoagulation associated intracranial hemorrhage (AAICH), and stopped taking medicine due to concern of rebleeding from January 2008 to December 2012. Analysis of the incidence of thromboembolic complications and proper withdrawal time of anticoagulant was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Our patients showed high risk for thromboembolic complication. The CHA2DS2-VASc score ranged from two to five. Thromboembolic complication occurred in eight (42.1%) out of 19 patients without restarting anticoagulant since the initial hemorrhage. Among them, three patients (37.5%) died from direct thromboembolic complications. Mean time to outbreak of thromboembolic complication was 21.38+/-14.89 days (range, 8-56 days). The probability of thromboembolic complications at 7, 14, and 30 days since cessation of anticoagulation was 0.00, 10.53, and 38.49%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Short term discontinuance of anticoagulant within seven days in patients with AAICH who are at high embolic risk (CHA2DS2-VASc score >2) appears to be relatively safe in Korean people. However, prolonged cessation (more than seven days) may result in increased incidence of catastrophic thromboembolic complications.

Large Sized Common Iliac Artery Aneurysm with Thrombus Developing a Diagnostic Confusion in a Patient with Sciatica

The causes of sciatica are variable and include musculoskeletal, dermatologic, infectious, neoplastic, and vascular disorders. In many cases, the symptom is usually caused by degenerative disease in the spine with the compression or irritation of spinal nerve. On the other hands, there are also several announced extra-spinal causes including aneurysm, diabetes, and radiation for sciatica in a low rate. Among the extra-spinal cases, aneurysms arising from iliac vessels are sometimes developing a diagnostic confusion with the spinal causes, and delayed diagnosis can lead to poor prognosis. It is very important to pay attention weather the aneurysmal cause is involved in the symptom of sciatica.

Median Nerve Stimulation in a Patient with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type II

A 54-year-old man experienced injury to the second finger of his left hand due to damage from a paintball gun shot 8 years prior, and the metacarpo-phalangeal joint was amputated. He gradually developed mechanical allodynia and burning pain, and there were trophic changes of the thenar muscle and he reported coldness on his left hand and forearm. A neuroma was found on the left second common digital nerve and was removed, but his symptoms continued despite various conservative treatments including a morphine infusion pump on his left arm. We therefore attempted median nerve stimulation to treat the chronic pain. The procedure was performed in two stages. The first procedure involved exposure of the median nerve on the mid-humerus level and placing of the electrode. The trial stimulation lasted for 7 days and the patient's symptoms improved. The second procedure involved implantation of a pulse generator on the left subclavian area. The mechanical allodynia and pain relief score, based on the visual analogue scale, decreased from 9 before surgery to 4 after surgery. The patient's activity improved markedly, but trophic changes and vasomotor symptom recovered only moderately. In conclusion, median nerve stimulation can improve chronic pain from complex regional pain syndrome type II.

Cardiac Troponin I Elevation in Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE: Cardiac dysfunction after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is associated with elevation of serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) levels. Elevation of cTnI predicts cardiopulmonary and neurological complications, and poor outcome. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical and radiologic records of 114 (male : 30, female : 84) patients who developed aneurysmal SAH between January 2006 and June 2007 and had no history of previous cardiac problems. We evaluated their electrocardiography and cTnI level, which had been measured at admission. A cTnI level above 0.5 microgram/L was defined as an indicator of cardiac injury following SAH. We examined various clinical factors for their association with cTnI elevation and analyzed data using chi-square test, t-test and logistic regression test with SPSS version 12.0. The results were considered significant at p < 0.05. RESULTS: The following parameters shows a correlation with cTnI elevation : higher Hunt-Hess (H-H) grade (p = 0.000), poor Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score (p = 0.000), profound pulmonary complication (p = 0.043), higher heart rate during initial three days following SAH (p = 0.029), ruptured aneurysm on communicating segment of internal carotid artery (p = 0.025), incidence of vasospasm (p = 0.421), and duration of hyperdynamic therapy for vasospasm (p = 0.292). A significant determinants for outcome were cTnI elevation (p = 0.046) and H-H grade (p = 0.000) in a multivariate study. CONCLUSION: A cTnI is a good indicator for cardiopulmonary and neurologic complications and outcome following SAH. Consideration of variable clinical factors that related with cTnI elevation may be useful tactics for treatment of SAH and concomitant complications.

Cystoperitoneal Shunting after Fenestration of an Enlarging Arachnoid Cyst / 영남의대학술지

A two-month-old girl with a history of an incidental arachnoid cyst in the prenatal period (38 weeks) presented with persistent irritability. A follow-up computed tomographic (CT) scan revealed an enlarged arachnoid cyst with hydrocephalus. We performed craniotomy and fenestration, but the cyst size did not decrease, and hydrocephalus had worsened on a follow-up CT scan performed 13 months after fenestration. The patient was treated with cystoperitoneal shunting. Follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed 5 years later revealed that the arachnoid cyst had decreased in size and that the hydrocephalus had resolved. Enlarging arachnoid cysts are not common, and optimal surgical treatment is uncertain. Based on the features of this case, we believe cystoperitoneal shunting is an advisable surgical intervention for patients with enlarging arachnoid cysts presenting with hydrocephalus.

The Effect of Premorbid Demographic Factors on the Recovery of Neurocognitive Function in Traumatic Brain Injury Patients

OBJECTIVE: Premorbid demographic backgrounds of injured individuals are likely to reflect more accurately the status of patients with traumatic brian injury (TBI) than clinical factors. However, the concrete study about the relationship between the demographic factors and neurocognitive function in TBI patients has not been reported. The object of this study was to evaluate the effect of premorbid demographic factors on the recovery of neurocognitive function following TBI. METHODS: From July 1998 to February 2007, 293 patients (male: 228, female: 65) with a history of head injury, who had recovered from the acute phase, were selected from our hospital to include in this study. We analyzed the effect of premorbid demographic factors including age, sex, educational level and occupation on the recovery of neurocognitive function in each TBI subgroup as defined by Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score. Intelligence and memory are components of neurocognitive function, and the Korean Wechsler Intelligence Scale (K-WAIS) and the Korean memory assessment scale (K-MAS) were used in this study. The results were considered significant at p<0.05. RESULTS: The higher level of education was a good prognostic factor for intelligence regardless of GCS score and younger age group showed a better result for memory with an exception of severe TBI group. In the severe TBI group, the meaningful effect of demographic factors was not noted by the cause of influence of severe brain injury. CONCLUSION: The demographic factors used in this study may be helpful for predicting the precise prognosis and developing an appropriate rehabilitation program for TBI patients.