Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

Neurological outcomes following iatrogenic vascular injury during posterior atlanto-axial instrumentation
The region that surrounds the atlanto-axial joint consists of complex anatomical relationships among structures such as the vertebral artery, upper cervical nerve roots, ligaments, and horizontal articular surfaces. These features allow for significant mobility, but escalate the complexity of atlanto-axial fusion surgery. The first reported attempt of surgical stabilization of the C1/2 joint was in 1910, by Mixter and Osgood, using a heavy silk thread to secure the posterior elements [32]. Modern day instrumentation techniques for posterior fixation of the C1/2 joint include transarticular screw (TAS) fixation and screw-ro...
Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery - August 28, 2016 Category: Neurosurgery Authors: Oluwaseun O. Akinduro, Griffin R. Baum, Brian M. Howard, Gustavo Pradilla, Jonathan A. Grossberg, Gerald E. Rodts, Faiz U. Ahmad Source Type: research

Neuromuscular transmission abnormalities in myotonic dystrophy type 1: a neurophysiological study
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is an autosomal dominant disease due to the expansion of an unstable trinucleotide (CTG) repeat in the 3' untranslated region of the myotonic dystrophy protein kinase (DMPK) gene, in chromosome 19q.13.3 [1]. It is the most common adult-onset muscular dystrophy [2] with considerable clinical heterogeneity, characterized by muscle weakness, myotonia and systemic manifestations, involving ocular, brain, heart, gastrointestinal, skin, endocrine, and respiratory systems [3]. (Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery)
Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery - August 28, 2016 Category: Neurosurgery Authors: Francesco Bombelli, Ludovico Lispi, Sandro Costanzi Porrini, Manlio Giacanelli, Chiara Terracciano, Roberto Massa, Antonio Petrucci Source Type: research

The analysis of correlative factors affecting long-term outcomes in patients with Solid Cerebellar Hemangioblastomas
Hemangioblastomas (HBs) are benign tumors classified as Grade I based on the World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System [1,2]. They are highly vascularized and often occur in the posterior fossa and especially in the cerebellar hemispheres, accounting for 1 –2.5% of all intracranial tumors in the posterior fossa [3]. Most hemangioblastomas are sporadic, but 20–30% of cases are hereditarily closely related to von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease [4]. (Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery)
Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery - August 28, 2016 Category: Neurosurgery Authors: Liang Niu, Yinian Zhang, Qiao Li, Junqiang Dai, Hang Yin, Lei Duan, Hu Yang, Wentao Liang, Zhenwei Qin, Jianping Zhang, Yawen Pan Source Type: research

Combined Approaches to the Skull Base for Intracranial Extension of Tumors via Perineural Spread Can Improve Patient Outcomes
Perineural tumor spread is the presence of tumor cells in the epineurium, perineurium, and/or endoneurium of a nerve, or involving at least one-third of the circumference around a nerve [1]. Spread typically occurs centripetally towards the skull base and central nervous system and occurs in less than 5% of head and neck carcinoma [2,3]. The most common malignancies with perineural spread include adenocystic carcinoma, in which up to 50% of cases have some degree of perineural involvement, mucosal squamous cell carcinomas, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and cutaneous neoplasms, such as melanoma and squamous cell carci...
Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery - August 28, 2016 Category: Neurosurgery Authors: Sheri K. Palejwala, Jonnae Y. Barry, Crystal N. Rodriguez, Chandni A. Parikh, Stephen A. Goldstein, G. Michael Lemole Source Type: research

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Prof. Lees issues the disclaimer: “Too much is omitted and forgotten and too much imagined for this to be a memoir. I prefer to call it a fantasia.” in the preface to his idiosyncratic contribution to the ‘old doctor looks back’ series that we have seen recently enhanced by Henry Marsh and the final instalment to the late Ol iver Sacks’ canon (the latter popping up posthumously here as a friend of Lees). This is a lyrical statement that simultaneously conjures up an ethereal tone and provides a pre-emptive defence to criticisms of skipping over the more contentious or sexy bits that sell so many memoirs. (Source:...
Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery - August 27, 2016 Category: Neurosurgery Authors: P.M. Haigh Tags: Book review Source Type: research

Dengue encephalitis presenting with nonconvulsive status epilepticus: a case report
Dengue fever is endemic in tropical/sub-tropical areas of the world and the global incidence is increasing. It is an infective disorder caused by one of the 4 serotypes of Dengue virus (family Flaviviridae), transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes. It is characterised by a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, ranging from asymptomatic infection to life-threatening dengue haemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome, which includes overt central neurological dysfunction, with encephalitis and seizures. (Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery)
Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery - August 27, 2016 Category: Neurosurgery Authors: F. Assenza, M. Tombini, G. Assenza, C. Campana, A. Benvenga, N. Brunelli, M. Ulivi, A.Rizzo Cascio, A. Corpolongo, M.L. Giancola, E. Nicastri, V. Di Lazzaro Tags: Case Report Source Type: research

COMMENT ON: Early CSF and Serum S 100  B Concentrations for Outcome Prediction in Traumatic Brain Injury and Subarachoid Haemorrhage
In the letter the authors discuss the findings in Kellerman and co-worker ’s paper: Early CSF and Serum S 100B Concentrations for Outcome Prediction in Traumatic Brain Injury and Subarachoid Haemorrhage published in this journal. Among the findings reported in this paper is that an initial S 100B value of more than 0.7μg/l would strongly indicate a very poor prognosis. This finding is discussed. (Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery)
Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery - August 24, 2016 Category: Neurosurgery Authors: Magnus Olivecrona, Lars-Owe D. Koskinen Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research

Influence of age on pain intensity, functional impairment and health-related quality of life before and after surgery for lumbar degenerative disc disease
Demographic changes due to increase in life expectancy will lead to a higher number of elderly people [1,2]. According to the United Nations Population Fund, people aged 60 years and older made up more than 11 per cent of the global population in the year 2012 –a number that will rise to about 22 per cent by the year 2050 [3]. Consequently, physicians will face an ever-increasing number of elderly patients suffering from degenerative disc disease (DDD) in the future. For a subset of these patients with failed conservative treatment and/or progressive se nsori-motor deficits, surgery may be indicated. (Source: Clinical Ne...
Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery - August 23, 2016 Category: Neurosurgery Authors: Oliver P. Gautschi, Nicolas R. Smoll, Holger Joswig, Marco V. Corniola, Karl Schaller, Gerhard Hildebrandt, Martin N. Stienen Source Type: research

Autonomic dysfunction in first ever ischemic stroke: prevalence, predictors and short term neurovascular outcome.
There is considerable evidence in literature suggesting that acute stroke can negatively impact cardiovascular function. Stroke has been shown to produce changes in autonomic function, increase the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias, cause myocardial damage and raise plasma catecholamine levels [1]. All these can predispose stroke survivors to sudden death [2]. The crucial central control sites of the autonomic function are found to be the insular cortex, amygdala, and lateral hypothalamus [3]. Their affection can produce alteration of autonomic tone, resulting in impaired control of blood pressure and heart rate with increa...
Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery - August 22, 2016 Category: Neurosurgery Authors: Sandeep Nayani, Sapna Erat Sreedharan, Narayanan Namboodiri, PSankara Sarma, PN Sylaja Source Type: research

Assessment of the effect of short-term factors on surgical treatments for hypertensive intracerebral haemorrhage
Hypertension is the most significant risk factor for a spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH). Approximately 40% of patients with an ICH die within 30 days, and most survivors endure severe disabilities [1,2]. The prognosis of standardized treatments of hypertensive intracerebral haemorrhages (HICHs) shows that standardized surgical treatments are superior to standardized medications [3,4]. However, many surgical treatments for HICHs are available, such as minimally invasive aspiration, keyhole craniotomy and haematoma aspiration with extended pterional and decompressive craniotomy. (Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery)
Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery - August 22, 2016 Category: Neurosurgery Authors: Ziyu Zhao, Hongying Wang, Zhong Li, Xiaoxi Wang, Wei Zhang, Kang Feng, Jingchun Fan Source Type: research

The role of intraoperative neuromonitoring in adults with Chiari I malformation
The application of intraoperative neuromonitoring (INM) during surgery of the cervical spine and spinal cord has been well documented [8,11]. In contrast, the use of INM during surgeries for Chiari malformations remains controversial. Chiari Type I malformations involve herniation of the cerebellar tonsils through the Foramen magnum, and suboccipital decompression with duraplasty is a well-established treatment [10]. Up to 60% of patients with Chiari malformation additionally harbor a cervical syringomyelia with some of these suffer from concomitant hydrocephalus, and a substantial number of therefore present altered elect...
Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery - August 22, 2016 Category: Neurosurgery Authors: Florian Roser, Florian H. Ebner, Marina B. Liebsch, Marcos S. Tatagiba, Georgios Naros Source Type: research

Limb-Girdle Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome in a Chinese Family with Novel Mutations in MUSK Gene and Literature Review
The congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS) are a diverse group of genetic disorders caused by abnormal signal transmission at the motor endplate by one or more specific mechanisms resulting in fatigable weakness [1]. Initially, CMS were classified according to the location of the mutant protein as presynaptic, synaptic basal lamina-associated and post synaptic. The prominent features of this pathological condition are exercise-induced weakness and fatigability, usually presenting from birth to childhood. (Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery)
Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery - August 22, 2016 Category: Neurosurgery Authors: Xinghua Luan, Wotu Tian, Li Cao Source Type: research

Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion Versus Instrumented Posterolateral Fusion In Degenerative Spondylolisthesis: An attempt to evaluate the superiority of one method over the other.
Spondylolisthesis is a complex and challenging multifactorial condition. Spondylolisthesis is the forwards slippage of one vertebra on another.Degenerative spondylolisthesis differs from spondylolytic spondylolisthesis by the absence of a pars interarticularis defect (spondylolysis), i.e., in Degenerative spondylolisthesis the whole upper vertebra (vertebral body and posterior part of the vertebra including neural arch and processes) slips relative to the lower vertebra.Degenerative changes within the facet joints are partly responsible for allowing forward slip.It is more common in people over age 50, and far more common ...
Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery - August 20, 2016 Category: Neurosurgery Authors: Amir Abbas Ghasemi Source Type: research

Pain and Functional Improvement Effects of Methylene Blue Injection on the Soft Tissue Around Fusion Site after Traumatic Thoracolumbar Fixation: A Double-Blind, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study
Many people have permanent functional impairment and pain after spinal fractures. Despite progress in surgical techniques, some patients still suffer from postoperative pain [1]. This leads to a low QOL due to pain, disability and loss of work productivity, prolonged hospital stays and increased health care costs while postoperative pain relief provides benefits such as earlier mobilization, shorter hospital stay, reduced hospital costs, and morbidity reduction [2,3]. Although several methods have been introduced for postoperative pain control in spinal surgeries, this problem remains noteworthy [4 –12]. (Source: Clinica...
Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery - August 20, 2016 Category: Neurosurgery Authors: Majid Reza Farrokhi, Hamed Yazdanpanah, Mehrnaz Gholami, Farnaz Farrokhi, Amir Reza Mesbahi Source Type: research

Options in treating trigeminal neuralgia: Experience with 195 patients
In the United States, idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (TN) has an incidence rate of approximately 12 per 100,000 people. Fortunately, for about 75% of patients who suffer with this disease, the frequent lancinating pain with which they suffer can be controlled with medications alone [1,2]. The response to medical management is estimated at 80% initially, which declines to less than 50% over time. However, this still results in a large proportion of people who continue to experience ongoing painful symptoms. (Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery)
Source: Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery - August 17, 2016 Category: Neurosurgery Authors: Patrick W. Hitchon, Marshall Holland, Jennifer ARNP Noeller, Mark C. Smith, Toshio Moritani, Nivedita Jerath, Wenzhuan He Source Type: research