Management of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Two Important Italian Political Leaders: A Paradigm of Ethical and Technological Evolution of Neurosurgery During the Past Half-Century.

For a curious and extraordinary coincidence, 5 of the 7 most relevant leaders of the Italian Communist Party (Partito Comunista Italiano, which was established in 1921, has been the biggest Communist Party in Western Countries) suffered a cerebral stroke. Cerebrovascular diseases afflicted also Stalin and Lenin, and a number of Presidents of the United States. We present the stories of 2 important Italian political leaders who shared both the leadership role of the major left Italian Party and the dramatic experience of a subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Choroid plexus and aquaporin-1: a novel explanation of cerebrospinal fluid production.

Aquaporins are selective water channel proteins that play a central role in the homeostasis of human body water. The choroid plexus (CP) is considered to be the main cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-producing structure. In this study, six specimens of normal human CP obtained during surgery were analyzed by immunohistochemistry techniques for aquaporin-1 (AQP1) expression and distribution.

A simplified endoscopic third ventriculostomy under local anesthesia.

The aim of this study is the analysis of our experience with awake endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETVS) in hydrocephalic patients. From September 1994 to December 2001, 24 neuroendoscopic procedures were performed under local anesthesia. Local infiltration was administered using a bupivacaine and lidocaine mixture.

Neuroendoscopic management of intraventricular hemorrhage.

Background And Purpose: We reviewed our 7-year experience in neuroendoscopic management of severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) to evaluate its safety, efficiency, and efficacy.

Methods: Thirteen patients with spontaneous primary or secondary tetraventricular IVH underwent neuroendoscopy. In all procedures, we used a flexible instrument.