[The Impact of Corticotherapy on the Diagnostic Yield of Stereotactic Biopsy in Patients with Brain Lymphoma]. / Vliv kortikoterapie na diagnostickou výteznost stereotaktické biopsie u nemocných s lymfomem mozku.

Backround: Because of the dismal prognosis of untreated brain lymphoma early histological verification using stereobiopsy is decisive for patient with this disease. The study analysed the diagnostic yield of stereobiopsy in brain lymphoma patients with respect to prebiopsy corticosteroid administration. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with brain lymphomas were identified in a group of 162 stereotactic biopsies (108 frame-based and 54 frameless) of patients harboring suspected brain tumor. Non conclusive biopsies were reevaluated to exclude the possibility of missed lymphoma. RESULTS: Total 9 patients (8.3%) and 4 patients (7.4%) had lymphomas in the frame-based and frameless stereobiopsy groups, resp. In 10 patients, corticosteroid treatment of perifocal brain oedema was conducted continually up until biopsy (including one patient with corticotherapy for pulmonary disease). Lesion regression was observed in 6 of these patients. Transient lesion remission was observed during corticotherapy in one patient with lesion recurrence after steroid discontinuation. In 2 patients, corticosteroids were not administered before biopsy. The results of stereobiopsy were inconclusive in 8 patients (4.9%). Before biopsy, the possibility of brain lymphoma was considered in 3 patients, but the final diagnoses were autoimmune vasculitis, histological changes after embolic events from the thrombosed pulmonary veins in pulmonary malformation and local inflammation. CONCLUSION: Although the extent of brain lymphoma decreased after corticosteroid administration, corticotherapy does not exclude valid diagnostic biopsy.Key words: brain lymphoma - stereotaxic techniques - frameless stereotaxy - stereotactic biopsy - corticosreroids Part of the message was presented on XLI. Brno Oncological Days within the Glio Meeting and published in the form of a short abstract. The authors declare they have no potential conflicts of interest concerning drugs, products, or services used in the study. The Editorial Board declares that the manuscript met the ICMJE recommendation for biomedical papers.Submitted: 27. 5. 2017Accepted: 2. 7. 2017.

Factors responsible for early postoperative mental alterations after bilateral implantation of subthalamic electrodes.

INTRODUCTION: Early postoperative mental changes are the most frequent problem after bilateral subthalamic electrode implantation. The study aims to find an association between them and factors related to patient, disease and surgery, including the size of the third ventricle as brain atrophy marker. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 80 patients with bilateral subthalamic electrodes implanted for motor complications of Parkinson's disease (PD). Patients' age, disease and motor complications duration, medication, neuropsychological tests, surgical reports, third ventricle length (intercommissural distance) and width (intermammillary distance) were analysed. RESULTS: Early mental alterations requiring treatment were observed in 25.0% of patients with higher age being significant predictor. The duration of PD motor complications, L DOPA equivalent dose, DSR Mattis, third ventricle length and width were not statistically significant predictors. The incidence of postoperative mental alteration with intermammillary distance > 8 mm was 60%. The percentage of left sided electrodes implanted in anterior trajectory is significantly higher in patients with early mental changes. CONCLUSIONS: Higher age is a risk factor for early postoperative mental changes, but not disease, late motor complications duration and parameters describing third ventricular size except the excessive intermammillary distance. Left sided electrode implanted in anterior position is a risk factor.

Is hydrocephalus after spinal cord injury really caused by the injured spinal cord? Two case reports and a literature review.

UNLABELLED: Posttraumatic hydrocephalus caused by cerebrospinal fluid circulation disturbances frequently complicates the clinical course and treatment after craniocerebral injury. Hydrocephalus complicating spinal cord injury is only exceptionally reported. The paper presents two cases of complete cervical spinal cord injury with subsequent development of hydrocephalus. The analysis of both cases and literature data confirmed the dominant role of non-spinal factors in the development of hydrocephalus after spinal cord injury. Despite the exceptional occurrence of hydrocephalus after spinal cord injury, this diagnosis should be considered in cases of delayed deterioration of a patient with cervical spinal cord injury, particularly if cerebrospinal fluid space abnormalities and posttraumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage are present. KEY WORDS: spinal cord injury hydrocephalus subarachnoid hemorrhage Blakes pouch cyst neuroendoscopy.

[Antiaggregation and anticoagulation therapy in patients operated on for chronic subdural haematoma as related to pre-surgical status and surgical outcome]. / Vztah antikoagulacní a antigregacní terapie u nemocných s chronickým subdurálním hematomem k závaznosti predoperacního stavu a výsledku chirurgické lécby.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic subdural haematoma is a potentially threatening disease, affecting mainly advanced age patients often with frequent serious complicating diseases and extensive concomitant medication including antiaggregation and anticoagulation treatment. Surgery is indicated in symptomatic patients, with haematoma evacuation and subdural drainage via simple skull trephination in the majority of cases. The study aims to analyse the influence of presurgical anticoagulation and antiaggregation treatment on the severity of pre-surgical clinical status and final surgical outcome including the incidence of complications and haematoma recurrence. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The paper retrospectively analyses a group of 132 patients operated on from 2008 to 2013 for chronic subdural haematoma. The following parameters characterising pre-surgical clinical condition were studied: age, anticoagulation and antiaggregation treatment administered, other haemocoagulation problems, interval between the probable injury and surgery, duration of symptoms, the patients pre-surgical clinical condition (Glasgow Coma Scale) and the presence of a speech disorder or at least moderate limb paresis. In the postoperative period and subsequent follow- up, the type of surgery, haematoma recurrence, reoperation technique, postoperative complications and final outcome (Glasgow Outcome Scale) were analysed. RESULTS: 64 patients (42 males, 22 females) without antiaggregation and anticoagulation treatment or other medication potentially altering haemocoagulation with normal coagulation parameters (control group), 20 patients (13 males, 7 females) on anticoagulation and 37 patients (30 males, 7 females) on antiaggregation met study inclusion criteria. Anticoagulated patients and patients on antiaggregation were significantly older than the control group patients. Statistical analysis also proved a shorter duration of clinical symptoms and worse clinical condition (GCS) in anticoagulated patients than in the control group. Skull trephination with drainage was the primary surgery indicated in all but one patient, in patients with anticoagulation or antiaggregation after adequate haematological treatment. Although the incidence of reoperation due to haematoma recurrence and postoperative complications was the highest in anticoagulated patients, this difference from the control group did not reach the level of statistical significance. The analysis of clinical outcome (>2 months after surgery) shows a similar proportion of patients with good outcome (Glasgow Outcome Scale 4.5) in all studied groups - control group 82.8%, anticoagulation treatment 80%, antiaggregation treatment 83.8%. CONCLUSION: Study results did not confirm statistically a significant negative effect of antiaggregation or anticoagulation treatment after adequate pre-surgical preparation on surgical outcomes in chronic subdural haematoma patients (Glasgow Outcome Scale). The highest incidence of complications and haematoma recurrencies was found in anticoagulated patients, although the difference does not reach the level of statistical significance.

[Opportunistic infections in patients after complex therapy of cancer]. / Oportunní infekce mozku u pacientu po komplexní terapii nádorového onemocnení.

BACKGROUNDS: An opportunistic infection is an infection caused by pathogens, such as Toxoplasma gondii, that usually are not pathogenic in a healthy host but may cause an infection in immunocompromised patients. Although the most frequent cause of an opportunistic infection is immunodeficiency due to HIV infection, the immunodeficiency induced by anticancer treatment cannot be ignored. DESIGN: A 56-year old female patient after a comprehensive treatment of breast cancer underwent a stereotactic biopsy of MR-verified multiple brain lesions suspected to be of metastatic aetiology. The histology report unexpectedly concluded that the lesion was brain toxoplasmosis confirmed by detection of IgM specific antibody in cerebrospinal fluid. Immunology examination has proven a deficit of cell-mediated immunity. The symptoms (cephalea, cerebellar symptomatology with vertigo) and MR findings disappeared following 6-month treatment with a combination of pyrimethamin, sulfadiazin and leucovorin. CONCLUSION: Since neoplastic duplicities and brain lesions of non-neoplastic aetiology are found in about 11% of oncology patients, histological verification of aetiology of intracranial lesions is essential for targeted therapy of these patients. Our case of brain toxoplasmosis documents the role of opportunistic infections in differential diagnosis of brain lesions in patients who underwent anticancer treatment.

[A case study of a young male patient with subacute constrictive pericarditis]. / Kazuistika mladého pacienta s konstriktivní perikarditidou se subakutním prubehem.

Chronic constrictive pericarditis (CP) is a disorder affecting pericardium, that becomes inelastic, rigid and restricts filling of the ventricles. Most commonly CP evolves after acute pericarditis, typical is a long-lasting asymptomatic phase with development of right heart failure and low systemic output. The case report refers CP, which developed in 33 years old patient in a short period after acute idiopatic pericarditis. The patient suffered from severe congestive heart failure with oedema and pleural effusion. At first this diagnosis had not been thought of, the differential diagnosis was focused at primary lung disorder or autoimunne disease. After the true causation had been revealed, pericardectomy was performed with optimal effect and consequential complete recovery. Unfortunately the etiology of CP wasn't discovered. CP is in Europe a relatively rare disease, particularly in such young patients. Determining the correct diagnosis and treatment is vital to be done as soon as possible to prevent increase of surgery risk and probability of post-operative diastolic abnormalities.

[Experience with radiofrequency termoablation of brain tumors]. / Zkusenosti s radiofrekvencní termoablací mozkových nádoru.

Together with tissue sampling stereotaxy in neurooncology makes also targeted intervention such as brain tumor radiofrequency thermoablation possible. In the paper authors present their experience with navigated radiofrequency thermoablation in 18 patients. Cerebral metastasis was the treated lesion in 5 patients, 8 patients were operated on for brain glioma and 3 for pituitary adenoma. In 2 patients radiofrequency thermoablation of pituitary gland was undertaken to treat malignant pain or refractory diabetes. Presurgical planning using stereotactic software was utilised in all patient. In one patient it was necessary to perform tumor debulking because the local oedema of pituitary adenoma was threatening both optic nerves. Radiofrequency thermoablation is advantageous technique in circumscribed lesions, not exceeding 3 cm diameter, deeply seated. Perilesional oedema with intracranial hypertension is surgical limitation. Good tolerance of minimally invasive surgery and the possibility of biopsy sampling before radiofrequency thermoablation is an advantageous feature. Infiltrative growth of glial neoplasm together with irregular shape is the limitation of radiofrequency thermoablation in brain gliomas.

Minimally invasive treatment of posterior fossa craniopharyngioma by means of navigated endoscopy.

The aim of the paper is to present an unusual case of ectopic posterior fossa craniopharyngioma after repeated surgeries for primary suprasellar tumor. The clinical condition of the patient favored minimally invasive neuroendoscopic surgery. After presurgical planning with the help of neuronavigation system a trajectory from the contralateral side through the cisterna magna was chosen. Endoscopic cyst fenestration and cyst wall resection were safely performed with an excellent outcome. The possible origin of this posterior fossa craniopharyngioma is discussed together with tumor dissemination pathways. The endoscopic contralateral approach to the tumor utilized the wide working space provided by the cisterna magna and the great versatility of the navigated neuroendoscopic approach was proven.

Contribution to the V-V interval optimization in patients with cardiac resynchronization therapy.

The present study proposed procedure for predicting an optimal left and right ventricular pacing interval delay (V-V interval). In 16 patients (heart failure, left bundle branch block, biventricular pacing) two methods (A and B) identifying optimal V-V interval were tested. Method A: predicted optimal V-V interval A (POVV-A) = electromechanical delay of the segment paced by left ventricle lead minus electromechanical delay of the segment paced by right ventricle lead. Method B: predicted optimal V-V interval B (POVV-B) = difference in the onset of aortic and pulmonary flows. Both methods were validated using echocardiography and right-sided heart catheterization. Cardiac output during POVV-A (4.6 l.min(-1)) was significantly better than that during POVV-A minus 20 ms (4.3 l.min(-1), p<0.01) and POVV-A plus 20 ms (4.3 l.min(-1), p<0.01), and than that during POVV-B (4.4 l.min(-1), p<0.05). LV dP/dt during POVV-A (818 mm Hg.s(-1), exceeded that during POVV-A plus 20 ms (717 mm Hg.s(-1),, p<0.05) and POVV-A minus 20 ms (681 mm Hg.s(-1), p<0.05), and that during POVV-B (727 mm Hg.s(-1), p<0.01). The time difference in onsets of myocardial deformation of left ventricle segment paced by the left ventricle and right ventricle lead allows identifying the optimal V-V interval and improves left ventricle performance.

Therapy-related change of corpus callosum in a young patient with epilepsy.

Focal nonhemorrhagic lesion in the splenium of the corpus callosum in a patient with epilepsy treated with antiepileptic drugs was observed with MRI imaging. We have found only one such case during the past 2 years (series of MRI examinations of approximately 500 patients with various forms of epilepsy).