Usefulness of preoperative cone beam computed tomography and intraoperative digital subtraction angiography for dural arteriovenous fistula at craniocervical junction: Technical case report.

BACKGROUND: Direct surgery is commonly selected for the treatment of cranio-cervical junction dural arteriovenous fistula and its outcome is more satisfactory than that of embolization. Intraoperative treatment evaluation is relatively easy in embolization, whereas in direct surgery it can be difficult. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 67-year-old male suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage. On three-dimensional (3D) images of preoperational cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), the structure of the draining vein was depicted in detail along with the surrounding bone structures. The radial artery penetrated the dura mater, and it was found that there were two veins derived from the radiculospinal vein; one was the anterior radicular vein descending toward the dorsal side (the shallow layer of the surgical field) and the other was the anterior spinal medullary vein ascending toward the ventral side (the deep layer of the surgical field) and flowing out to the anterior spinal vein. CONCLUSION: Without detailed assessments with preoperative CBCT, the surgery might have been done with dissection of only the anterior radicular vein in the shallow layers. For identification of the draining vein located deep in the surgical field, such as the cranio-cervical junction, careful assessments using 3D CBCT images are important.

A case of a cerebral cavernous malformation of the third ventricle that caused the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs, also known as cavernous hemanigiomas) of the third ventricle are uncommon. Here, we present a rare case of a CCM that caused the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH). CASE DESCRIPTION: A 68-year-old man presented with acute-onset cognitive and memory disturbance. Endocrinological examinations revealed hyponatremia due to SIADH. Computed tomography indicated a high-density mass in the third ventricle that caused left unilateral hydrocephalus due to obstruction of the foramen Monroe. On magnetic resonance imaging, the mass showed high intensity in both T1 and T2-weighted images and low intensity in susceptibility-weighted images, suggesting subacute intralesional hemorrhage. We completely excised the mass via a basal interhemispheric translamina terminalis approach. Intraoperatively, the mass adhered tightly to the left hypothalamus, which was supposed to the origin and was well circumscribed from the surroundings. The histopathological diagnosis was CCM, and his SIADH improved after the operation. CONCLUSION: We presented a rare case of a CCM in the third ventricle that caused SIADH, which improved after complete excision of the mass via a basal interhemispheric translamina terminalis approach.

Removal of a malignant cystic brain tumor utilizing pyoktanin blue and fibrin glue: Technical note.

BACKGROUND: The leakage of cystic fluid during metastatic cystic brain tumor resection may cause tumor dissemination. When the cyst wall is thin, excision without removing the wall is often difficult. METHODS: We were able to perform an en bloc resection of a cystic malignant brain tumor after aspirating the cystic fluid, injecting pyoktanin blue into the cyst to stain the cyst walls, and solidifying the empty cyst cavity by filling it with fibrin glue. RESULTS: Pyoktanin blue readily stained the thin cystic walls and enabled visualization of mural damage. Solidification of the tumor made it easier to grasp and facilitated the dissection of tumor margins. CONCLUSIONS: This method has the potential to become a useful technique for the resection of malignant cystic brain tumors.

[Two cases of Nocardia farcinica brain abscess].

Brain abscess caused by Nocardia is a relatively rare disease, but its prognosis is poor, with the fatality being 3 times as high as that of other types of brain abscess. Nocardiosis caused by N. farcinica has higher fatality rates than nocardiosis caused by the other bacteria of the genus Nocardia. We report two cases of brain abscess caused by N. farcinica. Case 1: 72-year-old immunocompetent man. In this case, the disease healed in response to burr hole drainage and treatment with antibiotics (pazufloxacin, ciprofloxacin). Case 2: A 78-year-old woman with a history of liver cirrhosis. This patient received burr hole drainage and treatment with multiple antibiotics (sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, pazufloxacin, meropenem, amikacin, minocycline, and linezolid). Her brain abscess tended to alleviate but her general condition worsened, leading to death. N. farcinica is often resistant to multiple antibiotics. For treatment of brain abscess caused by this bacterium, it is essential to perform pathogen identification and a drug sensitivity test immediately, and to select optimum antibiotics, taking into account the general condition of individual patients.

Timing of craniotomy in a patient with multiple trauma including head injury.

A 7-year-old boy suffered blunt multiple injuries to the head, face, chest, and abdomen in a motor vehicle accident. On admission he had impaired consciousness and dyspnea. Radiographic studies revealed facial fracture and pulmonary contusion. Shortly after admission, he fell into shock due to intraabdominal bleeding. Laparotomy revealed spleen rupture. His vital signs remained unstable and bloody drainage from the abdominal cavity continued after surgery. Computed tomography showed traumatic intracerebral hematoma in the right temporal lobe, enlarging and compressing the brainstem. Abdominal reoperation was performed first to control the bleeding and stabilize the hemodynamics, disclosing renal laceration. Then evacuation of the intracerebral hematoma and decompressive craniectomy was performed. Postoperatively, his hemodynamics were stabilized. Clinical course was uneventful and neurological deficits gradually improved. Three months after the trauma, the patient was discharged on foot. This case emphasizes the importance of hemodynamic stability in decisions of neurosurgical indication and timing in patients with multiple trauma including head injury.

Presigmoid approach for cavernous angioma in the pons--technical note.

Surgical treatment of brainstem lesions has been encouraged after the development of magnetic resonance imaging. However, direct approaches to intra-axial lesions in the brainstem still carry a high risk of morbidity because the neuronal structures can be injured along the entry routes. We present two patients whose pontine cavernous angiomas were removed via incision of the lateral aspect of the pons with presigmoid approach. The first case, a 41-year-old woman, presented with paresis of the cranial nerves VI, VII, and VIII, and left hemiparesis progressing over 2 weeks caused by a cavernous angioma ventrally located in the lower pons. The second case, a 50-year-old woman, developed dizziness over 2 months due to a large cavernous angioma in the center of the pons. These lesions were totally removed through the presigmoid approach and no additional neurological deficits were observed. An image-guided navigation system was used for the craniotomy and removal of the lesion in the second patient. The presigmoid approach provides a safe route to intra-axial lesions in the pons. A technique for presigmoid craniotomy with one-piece bone flap under the image-guided navigation is also described.