Advances and technical standards in neurosurgery最新文献

The third ventricle is located in the deepest part of the brain and is delimited by both telencephalic and diencephalic structures. Its location makes every surgical procedure inside or around it quite challenging, due to the distance from the surface to the fragility of the neurovascular structures that is necessary to dissect before entering its cavity and to the narrow surgical corridors through which it is necessary to work. Its geometric localization inside the cranial cavity and the anatomical relationship with the interhemispheric fissure offers nevertheless to the surgeon an impressive variety of surgical approaches, which allow to reach every millimeter of the third ventricle lumen. Mastering properly all these approaches requires an impressive anatomical knowledge, the best available technology, and most refined technical skills, making the surgery of the third ventricle a point of excellence in the evolution of each neurosurgeon. The development of neuronavigation and neuroendoscopy has been a revolution in neurosurgery in the last 20 years and offered special advantages for the surgery of the third ventricle. In fact, the narrow corridors of approach make the precision of the neuronavigation and the enlightenment and magnification of the neuroendoscopy especially useful to reach the third ventricle cavity and working inside or around it. This chapter reviews the history of the surgery of the third ventricle and offers an update of the variety of surgical corridors identified and of the technology now available to properly work through them and inside the third ventricle cavity.

Trapped fourth ventricle is a clinic-radiological entity characterised by progressive neurological symptoms due to enlargement and dilatation of fourth ventricle secondary to obstruction to its outflow. There are several causative mechanisms for the development of trapped fourth ventricle, including previous haemorrhage, infection or inflammatory processes. However, this condition is most commonly observed in ex preterm paediatric patients shunted for a post-haemorrhagic or post-infective hydrocephalus. Until the introduction of endoscopic aqueductoplasty and stent placement, treatment of trapped fourth ventricle was associated with high rates of reoperation and complications resulting in morbidity. With the advent of new endoscopic techniques, supratentorial and infratentorial approaches for aqueductoplasty and stent insertion have revolutionised the treatment of trapped fourth ventricle. Fourth ventricular fenestration and direct shunting remain viable options in cases where aqueduct anatomy and length of obstruction is not surgically favourable for endoscopic approaches. In this book chapter, we explore the background, historical developments,$ and surgical treatment strategies in the management of this challenging condition.

Weakness of the muscles of the nape of the neck and back of the spine and its related instability is the nodal point of pathogenesis of a number of clinical and pathological events at the craniovertebral junction and the spine. Whilst acute instability results in sudden and relatively severe symptoms, chronic or long-standing instability is associated with a range of musculoskeletal and structural spinal alterations. Telescoping of the spinal segments results in "vertical" spinal instability in the subaxial spine and central or axial atlantoaxial instability (CAAD) at the craniovertebral junction. Instability in such cases might not be observed on dynamic radiological imaging. Chiari formation, basilar invagination, syringomyelia, and Klippel-Feil alteration are some of the secondary alterations as a result of chronic atlantoaxial instability. Radiculopathy/myelopathy related to spinal degeneration or ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament appears to have their origin from vertical spinal instability. All the secondary alterations in the craniovertebral junction and subaxial spine that are traditionally considered pathological and to have compressive and deforming role are essentially protective in nature, are indicative of instability, and are potentially reversible following atlantoaxial stabilization. Stabilization of unstable spinal segments is the basis of surgical treatment.

Junctional neurulation completes the sequential embryological processes of primary and secondary neurulation as the intermediary step linking the end of primary neurulation and the beginning of secondary neurulation. Its exact molecular process is a matter of ongoing scientific debate. Abnormality of junctional neurulation-junctional neural tube defect (JNTD)-was first described in 2017 based on a series of three patients who displayed a well-formed secondary neural tube, the conus, that is physically separated by a fair distance from its companion primary neural tube and functionally disconnected from rostral corticospinal control. Several other cases conforming to this bizarre neural tube arrangement have since appeared in the literature, reinforcing the validity of this entity. The clinical, neuroimaging, and electrophysiological features of JNTD, as well as the hypothesis of its embryogenetic mechanism, will be described in this chapter.

More than 30 years have elapsed since it was recognised that folic acid supplementation could substantially reduce the risk of open neural tube defects (ONTDs). During that time, many countries have adopted policies of food fortification with demonstrable reduction in the incidence of both cranial and spinal ONTDs. Improved prenatal detection and termination has also resulted in a reduction in the number of affected live births. Nonetheless, in the USA about 1500 children, and in the UK around 500 children are born each year with myelomeningocele (MMC) and so the management of MMC and its complications continues to constitute a significant clinical workload for many paediatric neurosurgical units around the world.Until recently, the options available following antenatal diagnosis of MMC were termination of pregnancy or postnatal repair. As a result of the MOMS trial, prenatal repair has become an additional option in selected cases (Adzick et al., N Engl J Med 364(11):993-1004, 2011). Fetal surgery for myelomeningocele is now offered in more than 30 centres worldwide. The aim of this chapter is to review the experimental basis of prenatal repair of MMC, to critically evaluate the neurosurgical implications of this intervention and to describe the technique of 'open' repair, comparing this with emerging minimally invasive alternatives.

The present article describes pathophysiological and clinical aspects of congenital malformations of the cerebral tissue (cortex and white matter) that cause epilepsy and very frequently require surgical treatment. A particular emphasis is given to focal cortical dysplasias, the most common pathology among these epilepsy-related malformations. Specific radiological and surgical features are also highlighted, so a thorough overview of cortical dysplasias is provided.

Object: Supraorbital craniotomy via an eyebrow incision provides minimally invasive cosmetically favorable access to both orbital and intracranial pathologies. We describe the indication, surgical technique, and clinical course using this surgical approach in a cohort of patients from a single pediatric neurosurgery unit.

Methods: In a retrospective analysis, we identified all surgical cases between January 2013 and April 2022 who underwent the supraorbital craniotomy via an eyebrow incision. Craniotomy was performed using piezosurgery ultrasonic bone incision. An interdisciplinary team of an orbital surgeon and a neurosurgeon performed the orbital surgeries. Clinical and surgical characteristics, perioperative data, possible complications, or redo surgeries as well as ophthalmologic status were assessed.

Results: Clinical data of 37 interventions (cases) in 30 patients (age: 8 ± 6.5 years) were analyzed. The supraorbital craniotomy established access to the cranial, lateral, and central portions of the orbit (n = 11) and ipsilateral fronto-medial portions of the skull base (n = 26). Thirty cases suffered from tumor disease with heterogeneous histopathologic diagnoses, and in 13 cases, adjuvant therapy was required. The mean duration of surgery was 163 ± 95 min, and the mean time of hospital stay was 6.0 ± 2.8 days. In two cases (5.4%), the following complications were observed. One infection treated by puncture and antibiotics and one revision surgery was necessary due to loosening of osteosynthesis material. Postoperative visual function was stable compared to preoperative status after all interventions. After a mean follow-up time of 26 ± 25.9 months for oncologic cases the long term outcome was complete remission in 13, stable disease in 14, progressive disease in 1 and death in 2 patients.

Conclusion: The supraorbital eyebrow approach is feasible and safe in pediatric neurosurgical cases as a minimally invasive and cosmetic favorable technique and should be considered for intraorbital as well as ipsilateral intracranial lesions adjacent to the skull base. Interdisciplinary cooperation enables a broader spectrum of surgical options in orbital and complex, fronto-basal, skull base pathologies.

Internal carotid artery blood blister-like aneurysms are challenging lesions that arise from the artery trunk at non-branching sites. They have been recognized since 1969 and are distinct from typical saccular aneurysms. Usually, these aneurysms are broad-based, with no clearly identifiable neck and have extremely friable and fragile walls, thus with a great propensity to cause subarachnoid hemorrhage and to rupture during treatment. Apparently, blister-like aneurysms are formed through an acquired defect of the inner layers (tunica intima and media) of the internal carotid artery wall, probably due to hemodynamic stress in the carotid siphon.Several surgical and endovascular techniques have been described for the treatment of these aneurysms, however, there is still no consensus on the best technique or method, exposing how challenging the treatment of internal carotid artery blister-like aneurysms is, for both neurosurgeons and neurointerventionists. In this chapter, we review the main aspects of the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and therapeutics and report our experience in the microsurgical treatment of these formidable lesions.

Cerebellar mutism syndrome (CMS) has received increasing attention over the last decades as a complication of posterior fossa tumour surgery in children. Risk factors, aetiological aspects, and treatment measures of the syndrome have been investigated, yet the incidence of CMS remains unchanged. Overall, we are currently able to identify patients at risk, but we are unable to prevent it from occurring.Once CMS sets in, several symptomatic pharmacological treatments have been suggested, but only in smaller case series and not in randomized controlled trials, and it is not clear whether the treatment or time itself had a helpful effect.Within weeks to months, most patients regain their ability to speak after a phase with mutism or severely reduced speech; however, many patients continue to have speech and language deficits. At this point, anti-cancer treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy may be of focus more than the prognosis of CMS; however, many patients continue to have speech and language problems for months and years to come, and they are at high risk of other neurocognitive sequelae as well.Without reliable measures to prevent or treat the syndrome, we may look towards improving the prognosis of speech and neurocognitive functioning in these patients. As speech and language impairment is the cardinal symptom and late effect of CMS, the effect of intense and early-onset speech and language therapy as a standard of care in these patients should be investigated in relation to its effect on regaining speech capacity.

Apert syndrome is characterized by a wide spectrum of craniofacial clinical features that have been successfully addressed via a variety of midface advancement techniques. Although surgeons have individual preferences as to which specific procedures should be performed to best treat Apert patients, craniofacial plastic surgeons, working in tandem with pediatric neurosurgeons, can identify and evaluate functional limitations and facial morphologic disproportions, and establish appropriate criteria for effective midface advancement technique indication and selection. The purpose of this review article is to present and discuss our rationale for midface advancement technique selection based upon the most common craniofacial characteristics presented by Apert syndrome patients. The present article also provides a grading system that stratifies as major, moderate, and mild, the effect of each midface advancement technique on the different types of Apert syndrome facial features. Surgeons should take into consideration the maximum effect and benefit of each craniofacial osteotomy and how these procedures will alter the craniofacial skeleton. By understanding the long-term effect of each osteotomy on the most common craniofacial characteristics of Apert syndrome patients, craniofacial plastic surgeons and neurosurgeons will be able to customize the surgical procedures they perform in order to achieve the best possible outcomes.