Role of RyRs and IP3 receptors after traumatic injury to spinal cord white matter.

Calcium influx and elevation of intracellular free calcium (Ca2+i), with subsequent activation of degenerative enzymes is hypothesized to cause cell injury and death after trauma. We examined the effects of traumatic compressive injury on (Ca2+)i dynamics in spinal cord white matter. We conducted electrophysiological studies with ryanodine and inositol (1,4,5)-triphosphate (IP3) receptor agonists and antagonists in an in vitro model of spinal cord injury (SCI). A 25-30-mm length of dorsal column was isolated from the spinal cord of adult rats, pinned in an in vitro recording chamber (37 degrees C) and injured with a modified clip (2-g closing force) for 15 sec. The functional integrity of the dorsal column was monitored electrophysiologically by quantitatively measuring the compound action potential (CAP) with glass microelectrodes. The CAP decreased to 55.2+/-6.8% of control (p < 0.05) after spinal cord injury (SCI). Chelation of Ca2+i with BAPTA-AM (a high-affinity calcium chelator) promoted significantly greater recovery of CAP amplitude (83.2+/-4.2% of control; p < 0.05) after injury. Infusion of caffeine (1 and 10 mM) exacerbated CAP amplitude decline (45.1+/-5.9% of control; p < 0.05; 44.6+/-3.1% of control; p < 0.05) postinjury. Blockade of Ca2+i release through ryanodine-sensitive receptors (RyRs) with dantrolene (10 microM) and ryanodine (50 microM), conferred significant (p < 0.05) improvement in CAP amplitude after injury. On the other hand, blockade of Ca2+i with inositol (1,4,5)-triphosphate receptor (IP3Rs) blocker 2APB (10 microM) also conferred significant improvement in CAP amplitude after injury (82.9+/-7.9%; p < 0.05). In conclusion, the injurious effects of Ca2+i in traumatic central nervous system (CNS) white matter injury appear to be mediated both by RyRs and through IP3Rs calcium-induced calcium release receptors (CICRs).

Patient outcome after resection of lumbar juxtafacet cysts.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of patients who underwent lumbar juxtafacet cyst resection with questionnaire follow-up. OBJECTIVES: Determine the long-term outcome after resection of lumbar juxtafacet cysts. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Juxtafacet cysts are uncommon causes of radicular pain and are often associated with significant spinal degenerative disease. Previous studies have not focused on the outcome of patients who have undergone resection. METHODS: Charts of 29 patients who underwent lumbar juxtafacet resection were reviewed and an outcomes questionnaire was sent to each. RESULTS: Thirty-three lumbar juxtafacet cysts were resected from 29 patients. Cysts, 31 (94%) from facets and 2 (6%) from the ligamentum flavum, most commonly arose at the L4-L5 level (51%). Twelve patients (41%) were found to have some degree of spondylolisthesis before surgery, while 26 patients (90%) had facet arthropathy. Two patients (7%) underwent concurrent resection and fusion. Recurrence occurred in 3%. Three patients (9%) had subsequent lumbar spine operations, including 2 fusions (6%). Incidental durotomy was the most common surgical complication occurring in 3 cases (9%). Twenty-four patients (83%) responded to follow-up questionnaire or phone interview. Mean length of follow-up was 24 months (4-64 months). Twenty patients (83%) reported improvement in pain, and 16 (67%) reported an improved level of function. All respondents reported some degree of improvement in their condition after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Juxtafacet cysts are an uncommon cause of radiculopathy. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice with low rates of complications, recurrences, and residual complaints.

Giant cell reparative granuloma of the petrous temporal bone: a case report and literature review.

Giant cell reparative granuloma (GCRG) is an unusual, benign bone lesion that most commonly affects the maxilla and mandible; skull involvement is rare. The etiology is uncertain but may be related to trauma. GCRG is difficult to distinguish from giant cell tumor of the bone and has a lower recurrence rate. Thirteen reports of temporal bone GCRG in 11 patients have been reported. One report of a petrous GCRG in a 3-year-old girl has been identified. A 38-year-old male presented with a 2-year history of fullness in his left ear, ipsilateral hearing loss, and intermittent cacosmia. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a large left-sided anterior temporal extradural mass. The patient underwent a left frontotemporal craniotomy and resection of a left temporal fossa tumor that involved the petrous and squamous parts of the temporal bone. The patient's post-operative course was uneventful, except for increased hearing loss secondary to opening of the epitympanum. Follow-up at one month revealed no other problems. Histopathology of the specimen was consistent with a giant cell reparative granuloma.

Predictive validity of the pain and impairment relationship scale in a chronic nonmalignant pain population.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the predictive and incremental validity of the Pain and Impairment Relationship Scale (PAIRS) and to determine its ability to measure changes in pain beliefs following interdisciplinary treatment. DESIGN: A before-after treatment design. SETTING: A comprehensive interdisciplinary pain center at a large midwest university medical center. INTERVENTIONS: A cognitive-behavioral approach to pain management. The day-long program lasted 5 days a week for 4 weeks. Interventions were designed to improve physical functioning, reduce use of health care, and improve pain coping. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Six-month follow-up outcome measures included interference with daily activity, pain severity, and life control as measured by the Multidimensional Pain Inventory, medication use measured by the Medication Quantification Scale, depression measured by the Beck Depression Inventory, and the number of health care visits and pain-related hospitalizations. RESULTS: Pretreatment PAIRS scores correlated significantly with interference with daily activities, pain severity, life control, health care visits, and depression. Stronger correlations were obtained between posttreatment PAIRS scores and all follow-up outcome measures. Posttreatment PAIRS scores accounted for a significant portion of the variance beyond that in demographic variables and pretreatment PAIRS scores in all but one of the follow-up measures. PAIRS scores changed significantly (p < .0001 ) in a positive direction after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The PAIRS has excellent predictive validity, and can be used effectively to monitor individual and programmatic changes.

Response of extra-axial tumors to stereotactically implanted high-activity 125I seeds.

125I seeds can deliver a very high dose of radiation (100-500 Gy) to a well-circumscribed area over their average life of 87 days, which enable them to destroy slow-growing extra-axial tumors after permanent implantation. Stereotactic implantation of 125I seeds was performed in 26 patients with extra-axial tumors, with a median follow-up of 32 months. No acute morbidity or mortality resulted from the procedure. Cranial nerve involvement in 5 patients was the only delayed complication. One patient developed radionecrosis outside the range of 125I dose distribution, which was felt to be due to the hyperfractionated external radiation the patient had received prior to 125I seed placement. All 26 patients showed tumor regression. The results indicate that this form of treatment is relatively safe and effective in the management of extra-axial tumors.

Magnetic resonance angiography in the diagnosis of traumatic vertebrobasilar complications: a report of two cases.

Although conventional arteriography is usually performed to study the vertebrobasilar system, we report two cases of traumatic vertebrobasilar vascular occlusion that were diagnosed by magnetic resonance angiography. This enabled us to promptly treat the patients. Our experience suggests that magnetic resonance angiography may be a useful diagnostic tool in the setting of acute vertebrobasilar complications, associated with cervical spine trauma.

Malpositioned endolymphatic subarachnoid shunt causing trigeminal neuralgia: case report.

A case is presented of a 64-year-old female with a fifteen year history of right facial pain. The last nine years the facial pain is described as an intense, stabbing pain in the maxillary division of the right trigeminal nerve. The patient had Meniere's Disease for which an endolymphatic subarachnoid shunt was placed fifteen years prior. The patient underwent intensive medical and several surgical therapies for pain. Some of the procedures were initially successful but none provided lasting relief. Because of severe recurrent right facial pain, the patient underwent a right open partial rhizotomy of the trigeminal nerve via a retrosigmoid approach. Intraoperative findings included the end of the endolymphatic subarachnoid shunt in association with the trigeminal nerve roots. The end of the shunt was removed at the time of surgery. Postoperatively the patient has been pain free for thirty months. It is proposed a malpositioned or migrated endolymphatic subarachnoid shunt may be a cause of trigeminal neuralgia.

Continuous low dose rate brachytherapy with high activity iodine-125 seeds in the management of meningiomas.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate if meningiomas can be effectively treated with brachytherapy using permanent implantation of high activity I-125 seeds. Thirteen patients with intracranial meningiomas were treated by means of permanent stereotactic implantation of one or more high-activity I-125 seeds. The physical characteristics of I-125 enabled us to deliver a minimum tumor dose ranging from 100 Gy to 500 Gy at a low dose rate of 5 cGy to 25 cGy per hr. Indications for this procedure included recurrence after initial surgery or as primary modality of treatment in patients who were not candidates for surgery. All 13 patients are alive at a median follow-up of 25 months. Nine of 13 patients achieved complete resolution of the tumor and in the remaining four, more than 50% reduction in tumor volume was noted at the last follow-up. No late complications were observed. We conclude from this initial data that localized high dose irradiation delivered at a low dose rate using I-125 permanent implantation is an effective, safe, and simple method in the treatment of both recurrent and primary intracranial meningiomas.

Neurosurgical approaches to cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea.

The evolutionary concepts of pinpointing and treating cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistulas over the past few decades are reviewed taking into consideration the dynamic character of CSF circulation. The localization of the site of leakage is greatly facilitated by the judicious use of a variety of radioisotope and radiological techniques. The most recent are Metrizamide CT Cisternography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging. It is asserted that still the most challenging cases are those with intermittent liquorrheas, and those patients in which the site of the fistula is not easily defined. The authors will describe their personal experience with intracranial surgical repair of fistulas located in the anterior fossa.

Complications of interstitial radioactive iodine implants for recurrent pituitary adenomas.

Three cases of recurrent pituitary adenoma elected to be treated with I125 implants are presented. The I125 implants caused significant delayed changes in the tissues surrounding the sella turcica which lead to the development of refractory cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea. All three cases developed meningitis and two had pneumocephalus. This complication lead to the death of two patients and required intensive therapy in the third to achieve recovery.

Brachytherapy: a viable alternative in the management of basal meningiomas.

Thirteen patients with intracranial meningiomas of the skull base were treated with one or more high-activity iodine-125 seeds. In 11 patients, the seeds were implanted stereotactically under local anesthesia. A minimum dose of 100 to 500 Gy was delivered to the tumor at a dose rate of 5 to 25 cGy/h. Indications for this procedure included recurrence after initial surgery or as the primary modality of treatment in patients who were not candidates for surgery. All 13 patients are alive at a median follow-up of 15 months. Nine of 11 patients (82%) without calcification in their meningiomas achieved complete response. The remaining 4 patients-2 with calcification and 2 without--achieved partial response. No early or late complications were observed. We conclude from our experience that both recurrent and primary meningiomas of the skull base can be treated effectively with permanent iodine-125 brachytherapy.

A single case of Huntington's disease simultaneously occurring with obstructive hydrocephalus.

A case of simultaneously occurring Huntington's disease and obstructive hydrocephalus is presented. Huntington's and other neurodegenerative diseases have been described with normal-pressure hydrocephalus; however, no such description with obstructive hydrocephalus has been reported. The obstructive hydrocephalus displays a familial tendency in its presentation.

The importance of MRI findings for the diagnosis of nontraumatic lumbar subacute subdural haematomas.

Spinal subdural haematoma (SSH) is a rare cause of spinal cord or cauda equina compression which occurs mainly in patients with a bleeding diathesis. This report presents a case of subacute lumbar subdural haematoma demonstrated by magnetic resonance imaging. MRI appears to be more sensitive than myelography and CT.

Stereotactic approach to skull-base lesions.

With improved knowledge of the anatomy and increased collaboration between the neurosurgeon and the otolaryngologist, successful surgical resection of skull-based tumors is being achieved with reduced mortality and morbidity. In spite of this, there remains a group of patients in whom an alternate surgical approach of stereotaxis may be indicated. This group of patients includes those in whom only biopsy is required, or those in whom brachytherapy using high-intensity (125)I is planned because the patients' general condition is not good enough to undergo open surgical resection of the tumor or the tumor is unresectable or the patient refuses open surgery. This article presents a preliminary report on stereotactic approach to skull base lesions with special emphasis on the technique.

Axial herniation with brain stem deformity as a cause of sleep apnea.

A patient with an intracerebral hematoma and associated edema in the high right hemisphere parasagittal convexity had several episodes of apnea at night and during the day when she was asleep. On computed tomography (CT) scan, the hematoma demonstrated no evidence of brainstem compression. Sagittal magnetic resonance image (MRI), revealed the hematoma and edema mass resulted in central herniation with axial deformity of the brainstem. This is believed to be the cause of the apneic episodes. Treatment with mannitol and steroids promptly relieved the symptom.

Survival of patients with glioblastoma multiforme treated by intraoperative high-activity cobalt 60 endocurietherapy.

The authors report their initial treatment results in 49 patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GM) who received intraoperative endocurietherapy (ECT) with high-activity cobalt 60 (60Co) probe. Thirty poor prognosis (unresectable tumor) patients (Group I) with newly diagnosed GM were treated by either biopsy or subtotal excision, followed by 20.00-Gy single-fraction 60Co probe ECT, and 60.00-Gy external-beam radiation therapy (EXRT) (80.00 Gy total tumor dose). Nineteen patients (Group II) with recurrent, previously resected and externally irradiated GM were retreated with 20.00-Gy single-fraction 60Co probe ECT alone. The authors' initial experience with intraoperative ECT of GM is discussed.

Permanent high-activity iodine-125 in the management of petroclival meningiomas: case reports.

Two cases of petroclival meningiomas are reported wherein the tumors were completely destroyed without surgical resection or external-beam irradiation by means of permanent stereotactic implantation of one or two high-activity iodine-125 seeds.