craneotomy

INTRODUCTION: Intraventricular tumors account for approximately 10% of central nervous system tumors. The intraventricular schwannomas are rare because there are only 15 cases reported in the international literature. CASE REPORT: A forty-one years old female, with a history of migraines during 17 years, consulted for headaches and nausea. Brain computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging evidenced solid nodular lesion at the right occipital horn with homogeneous contrast enhancement...

INTRODUCTION: Neurosurgeons are familiar with chronic subdural haematoma (CSH), a well-known clinical entity, which is usually treated by some modality of trepanation. Despite the excellent outcomes obtained by surgery, complications may occur, some of which may be potentially severe or fatal. Furthermore, up to 25% recurrence rate is reported. The authors present a novel approach to the management of CSH based on the use of dexamethasone as the treatment of choice in the majority of cases...

INTRODUCTION: Health system planning requires the precise knowledge of the activity performed. We present the neuroanesthesic activity results in Catalonia during 2003. METHODS: A prospective and cross-sectional survey was performed for 14 randomised days during 2003. All hospitals practicing anaesthesia in Catalonia took part in the survey. Data on characteristics of patients, anaesthetic techniques and type of procedure were included. RESULTS: 6909 neuroanesthetic procedures performed in Catalonia in 2003 (95% IC 6022-7847), a 1...

C1 partial aplasia is a rare congenital deformity which can produce unacceptable progressive severe torticollis. Five such cases treated in two regional Pediatric Hospitals of Argentin are presented here. There were 4 girls and 1 boy, with a mean age of 6 years; four of them had formation defect of articular mass (Villa's Area 3) causing fixed torticollis in 3 who underwent surgery. In another case the defect consisted of a posterior hemi-arch (Area 2). Surgical procedures consisted on isolated posterior occipito-cervical arthrodesis in two cases, and associated with a posterior decompression by suboccipital craneotomy in the third, due to the presence of preoperative neurological deficit...

We made a revision of 34 cases of intracerebral supurations (31 brain abscesses and 3 subdural empyemas) treated at our department of neurosurgery of "Mutua de Terrassa" during the period of 1989-2000. Treatment used was tapping of the abscess and aspiration in 28 cases and craneotomy and resection in only two cases. Three subdural empyemas were treated with burr-holes and aspiration. Results were evaluated using the Glasgow Outcome Scale at 6 months after discharge, resulting in 7 deaths (20.6%), 17 fully recovered patients (50%) and 10 with minor deficits (29...

From a group of 115 children with hereditary haemorrhagic disease, nine suffered avoidable accidents or incidents during their treatment, these nine patients represent 8.6% of the cases. The observed complications included a giant cervical hematoma and hemomediastinum after a puncture of the internal jugular vein; an encephalic lesion associated with descompressive craneotomy; a hemophilic pseudo cyst associated with inappropriate treatment of a tibial fracture; acute bleeding and shock after surgery for tonsillectomy and circumcision; subdural hygroma after a subdural puncture; giant hematoma and acute anemia secondary to a venous dissection; permanent dyslexia after inappropriate puncture; giant hematoma and acute anemia secondary to a venous dissection; permanent dyslexia after inappropriate management of intracranial bleeding; bleeding and acute anemia after surgical drainage of a prepucial hematoma and a joint hematoma of the left knee after synovectomy and application of a prosthesis...

A case of uterine leiomyosarcoma with cerebral and pulmonary metastasis is presented. The patient underwent chemotherapy and multiple surgical procedures, including three craneotomies for resecting cerebral metastasis. More than four years of survival with good quality of life were obtained. An aggressive surgical therapy in the rare cases of cerebral metastasis of leiomyosarcoma may be justified.

A patient with hemifacial spasm is presented and the surgical treatment discussed. The compression was located at the level of the vascular supply of the left facial nerve trunk. Through a left suboccipital retromastoid craneotomy a microscopic vascular decompression was performed with satisfactory results.