Isolated recurrence of acute myeloid leukemia in the cerebellum: illustrative case.

Background: Myeloid sarcoma is a rare malignant hematopoietic neoplasm that arises at extramedullary sites. Although myeloid sarcoma may involve any organ, central nervous system (CNS) involvement is exceptionally rare. To date, few case reports and case series have described CNS myeloid sarcoma, the majority of which include peripheral disease.

Management of Intracranial Metastatic Disease With Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy.

Treatment approaches for metastatic brain tumors continue to evolve, with increasing recent emphasis on focal therapies whenever possible. MRI-guided Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT) is a minimally invasive surgical option that has broadened the capability of the neurosurgeon in treating difficult-to-treat intracranial lesions. This technology uses image-guided delivery of laser to the target lesion to generate heat and thereby ablate pathological tissue and has expanded the neurosurgical armamentarium for surgical treatment of brain metastases.

Glioblastoma Treated With Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy: Safety, Efficacy, and Outcomes.

Background: Despite the multitude of available treatments, glioblastoma (GBM) remains an aggressive and uniformly fatal tumor. Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is a novel, minimally invasive treatment that holds promise for treating patients with GBM who are not candidates for traditional open craniotomy. However, due to the recent introduction of LITT into clinical practice, large series that evaluate safety and long-term outcomes after LITT are lacking.

Initial Experience Using Intraoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging During a Trans-Sulcal Tubular Retractor Approach for the Resection of Deep-Seated Brain Tumors: A Case Series.

Background: Treatment of deep-seated subcortical intrinsic brain tumors remains challenging and may be improved with trans-sulcal tubular brain retraction techniques coupled with intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI).

Objective: To conduct a preliminary assessment of feasibility and efficacy of iMRI in tubular retractor-guided resections of intrinsic brain tumors.

Methods: Assessment of this technique and impact upon outcomes were assessed in a preliminary series of brain tumor patients from 2 centers.

MRI-Guided Interstitial Laser Ablation for Intracranial Lesions: A Large Single-Institution Experience of 133 Cases.

Background: Managing difficult-to-access lesions or surgically accessible lesions in fragile patients is a central problem in neurosurgery. MRI-guided interstitial laser ablation (ILA) is a minimally invasive option that may provide a safe means of treating these challenging patients.

Objective: We aim to (1) evaluate safety, efficacy, and preliminary outcomes within a diverse and large series of ILA treatments; and (2) report technical details and operative trends that proved useful over time in the authors' experience and that may be of use to neurosurgeons who perform ILA.

Hydrocephalus presenting as idiopathic aqueductal stenosis with subsequent development of obstructive tumor: report of 2 cases demonstrating the importance of serial imaging.

The authors describe 2 cases of triventricular hydrocephalus initially presenting as aqueductal stenosis that subsequently developed tumors of the pineal and tectal region. The first case resembled late-onset idiopathic aqueductal stenosis on serial imaging. Subsequent imaging revealed a new tumor in the pineal region causing mass effect on the midbrain.

Utilizing personalized stereotactic frames for laser interstitial thermal ablation of posterior fossa and mesiotemporal brain lesions: a single-institution series.

OBJECTIVE The precision of laser probe insertion for interstitial thermal therapy of deep-seated lesions is limited by the method of stereotactic guidance. The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of customized STarFix 3D-printed stereotactic platforms to guide laser probe insertion into mesiotemporal and posterior fossa targets. METHODS The authors conducted a retrospective review of 5 patients (12-55 years of age) treated with laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) in which STarFix platforms were used for probe insertion.

Laser interstitial thermal therapy for subependymal giant cell astrocytoma: technical case report.

Subependymal giant cell astrocytoma (SEGA) is a rare tumor occurring almost exclusively in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex. Although open resection remains the standard therapy, complication rates remain high. To minimize morbidity, less invasive approaches, such as endoscope-assisted resection, radiosurgery, and chemotherapy with mTOR pathway inhibitors, are also used to treat these lesions.

Microsurgical confirmation of perforating arteries arising from the fundus of a posterior communicating artery aneurysm.

Perforating arteries rarely project from the fundus of an aneurysm. We present the case of a 35-year-old woman who was found to have a right posterior communicating artery (PCOM) aneurysm via catheter angiography. Superselective microcatheter angiography revealed that perforating arteries arose from the aneurysm fundus that supplied the anterolateral thalamus.

Characterization of postoperative fevers after hemispherotomy.

Objective: Patients who have undergone hemispherotomy for intractable epilepsy tend to develop postoperative fevers, which can be severe and/or prolonged, for unclear reasons. The purpose of this paper is to characterize postoperative fever curves after hemispherotomy based on factors including seizure etiology, perioperative blood loss, and the presence or absence of ventricular drainage.

Methods: We present 72 patients who underwent hemispherotomy at our institution between 1995 and 2013 by four surgeons.

The safety of aeroplane travel in patients with symptomatic carotid occlusion.

Objective: Patients with carotid stenosis or occlusion may be at increased risk for stroke during air travel. Records from the Carotid Occlusion Surgery Study (COSS), a randomised trial of surgical revascularisation for complete carotid artery occlusion and haemodynamic ischaemia, were examined for evidence of stroke related to air travel.

Methods: COSS subjects who travelled by aeroplane to a regional Positron Emission Tomography (PET) centre for a screening of cerebrovascular haemodynamic evaluation were identified.

Initial experience with Penumbra Coil 400 versus standard coils in embolization of cerebral aneurysms: a retrospective review.

Background And Purpose: The Penumbra Coil 400 System (PC 400) is the newly introduced platinum coil system designed specifically to enhance filling efficiency by increasing coil diameter. Our goal was to study the packing and treatment advantage of the PC 400's unique geometric configuration compared with conventional coils (controls).

Materials And Methods: 16 aneurysms embolized with the PC 400 in 2011 were compared with 79 equally matched aneurysms embolized with conventional coils from 2004 to 2011.