Effect of pregabalin in preventing secondary damage in traumatic brain injury: an experimental study.

BACKGROUND: In this study we aimed to explore the effects of pregabalin on a traumatic brain injury model in rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study included 40 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats randomized into 4 groups, each of which contained equal numbers of animals. The control group had no head trauma and thus was not treated. The trauma group had head trauma but was not treated. The pregabalin group had no head trauma but was treated by pregabalin. The trauma + pregabalin group had head trauma treated with pregabalin. The biopsy samples taken from the study animals were histopathologically examined for the presence of edema, inflammation, and neuronal damage. RESULTS: All animals in the trauma group had edema, inflammation, and neuronal damage. Four subjects in the control group, 6 in the pregabalin group, and 4 in the trauma + pregabalin group had edema; inflammation was present in 1 subject in the control group, 3 subjects in the pregabalin group, and 3 subjects in the trauma + pregabalin group; neuronal damage existed in 1 subject in the control group, 1 subject in the pregabalin group, and 6 subjects in the trauma+pregabalin group. The trauma group had significantly higher edema and neuronal damage scores than the other groups. Similarly, inflammation was significantly more prevalent in the trauma group than the control and trauma+pregabalin groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study indicated anti-edema, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects of pregabalin in an experimental head trauma model in rats. Pregabalin may thus be beneficial in humans with acute TBI by relieving concomitant edema and inflammation.

[Effects of anti-edema drugs on diffuse cerebral edema in rats: experimental study]. / Siçanlarda, antiödem olarak kullanilan ilaçlarin diffüz beyin ödemine etkileri: Deneysel çalisma.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain edema is one of the most common problems encountered in neurosurgical practice and it leads to morbidity and mortality via increased intracranial pressure. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of hypertonic saline on traumatic brain edema in comparison to mannitol. METHODS: Eighty adult male Sprauge-Dawley rats weighting 300-350 g were used in this experimental study. Rats were randomly divided into control (C); trauma (T); mannitol only trauma+mannitol; NaCl 3% only; Trauma+NaCl 3%; NaCl 7.5% only; trauma+NaCl 7.5%; NaCl 23.4% only and trauma+NaCl 23.4% groups. All medications were given intraperitoneally. Rats were sacrificed and decapitated 24 hours after trauma with or without medications and the brains were examined histopatologically. RESULTS: Although no difference was observed with regard to hemorrhage between trauma only and trauma+NaCl 23.4% groups, there was a statistically significant difference in brain edema within these two groups (p=0.003). There were no statistically significant differences within groups with respect to plasma osmolarity and serum sodium levels. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that 23.4% NaCl is more effective than other concentrations of hypertonic saline or mannitol in the prevention of posttraumatic brain edema. Further clinical studies with different dosages and concentrations of hypertonic saline are required.

A 13-year-old girl with a cystic cerebellar lesion: consider the hydatid cyst.

We report a 13-year-old girl with a hydatid cyst located in the posterior fossa. The pre-operative diagnosis was a cerebellar tumour; the cyst was operated on using puncture, aspiration, irrigation and resection. Sixteen months post-operatively, the patient is in a good health. A hydatid cyst must always be considered in the differential diagnosis of cystic lesions of the cranium, especially for those children living in rural areas.