Effect of epidural methylprednisolone on post-operative pain and length of hospital stay in patients undergoing lumbar microdiscectomy.

Background & Aim: Intraoperative epidural corticosteroids have been used to decrease post-operative pain post-discectomy. The objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of epidural corticosteroids on post-operative pain and length of post-operative hospital stay in patients undergoing unilateral lumbar microdiscectomy.

Methods: 150 consecutively treated, comparable patients with unilateral lumbar disc herniation were prospectively allocated randomly to receive either a sponge soaked in epidural corticosteroids or saline at the end of the operative procedure.

Value of C-reactive protein after neurosurgery: a prospective study.

Aim: The aim of this manuscript is to review the current state of knowledge regarding C-reactive protein (CRP) kinetics after standard neurosurgical procedures, and to determine the value of CRP as a screening test for early post-operative infectious complications as opposed to other more commonly used tests, and as a marker of peri-operative surgical insult.

Methods: Over 18 months period, CRP levels, alongside with ESR and WCC were assessed pre-operatively (at day 0) and post-operatively (at days 1,2,3,4 and 5) in 50 consecutive female patients and 50 consecutive male patients undergoing seven neurosurgical procedures. Each of the seven procedures involved a different level of intra-operative trauma.

Posterior cranial fossa gangliogliomas.

Ganglioglioma (GG) is an uncommon primary lesion of the central nervous system that is typically located supratentorially. There are only a few reports of GG arising from the cerebellum. To the best of our knowledge this is the first case of a cerebellar GG with supratentorial extension and a longstanding history before its recognition.

Real-time 3T fMRI data of brain tumour patients for intra-operative localization of primary motor areas.

Introduction: In patients with tumours in or near the motor cortex reliable intra-operative identification of the precentral gyrus can be difficult due to anatomical dislocation. Maps of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) based on the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) effect are used to localize eloquent functional areas of the brain but require postprocessing for reduction of false positive activations. We set the focus of this study on the evaluation of feasibility and clinical usefulness of using real-time fMRI t-maps without postprocessing for pre-operative planning and intra-operative localization of functional motor areas.

Cavernous malformation of the internal auditory canal.

Cavernous malformations of the internal auditory canal are a rare clinical entity that, however, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of intracanalicular masses. Even though this type of malformation is usually associated with an evident gadolinium enhancement at MR examination, in some patients, like in this case, the signal characteristics may be not sufficiently specific to allow the correct preoperative diagnosis. Nevertheless, the clinical history, in particular, a rapid onset of cranial nerve deficits, lead to the suspicion of a vascular malformation.