Gamma knife radiosurgery versus deep brain stimulation for treatment-refractory depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder: A brief comparative summary.

Both gamma knife surgery (GKS) and deep brain stimulation (DBS) have documented success in management of treatment-refractory major depressive disorder (MDD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), but there are no formal randomized controlled trials to compare these treatment modalities in cases of psychiatric illnesses. In this brief review, comparison of GKS and DBS for management of MDD and OCD was done with regard to their efficacy, accompanying risks, reversibility of therapeutic effects, costs, availability, and daily life issues. Currently available evidence does not support the superiority of either evaluated treatment modality over each other in terms of clinical efficacy in cases of MDD and OCD.

De novo arteriovenous shunts after endovascular cure of cerebrospinal macro arteriovenous fistulas. A role for the vasa vasorum?

Background And Purpose: Macro-arteriovenous fistulas (MAVFs) are arteriovenous shunts draining into a giant venous ectasia. They can be treated by surgery or embolisation. Angiographic controls are usually performed rapidly after treatment in order to prove the cure of the lesion but no long term angiographies are generally scheduled.

Endovascular Intervention for Early Postoperative Stenosis of Extracranial-Intracranial Bypass Graft: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Background: Bypass graft stenosis following extracranial-intracranial bypass surgery carries significant risks for morbidity and mortality. In case of graft failure, treatment options include surgical revision and endovascular intervention. Whereas endovascular intervention following coronary artery bypass is well established, the role of endovascular therapy in cerebral bypass conduits is rarely reported.

The application of point-of-care platelet function assay in guiding platelet transfusion in aspirin-users with intracranial haemorrhages.

Background: An increasing number of patients with intracranial haemorrhages are aspirin-users. Neurosurgeons commonly attempt to minimize the risk of re-bleeding by withholding the medication and giving platelet transfusion. However, recent studies raised safety concerns and showed poorer outcome with platelet transfusion when the latter was not guided by changes in platelet function.

Iatrogenic Sigmoid Sinus Occlusion Rescued by Graft Repair and Endovascular Thrombolysis.

Background: Iatrogenic cerebral venous sinus injury and occlusion may occur during resection of parasagittal meningioma and lateral skull base surgery. The former involves the superior sagittal sinus, and direct surgical repair is associated with good results. Outcome of direct repair of transverse-sigmoid sinus injury is less clear.

Surgical Outcome for Moyamoya Disease: Clinical and Perfusion Computed Tomography Correlation.

Objectives: To compare surgical outcome both radiologically and clinically after interventions for patients with Moyamoya disease.

Methods: This retrospective observational study included 25 patients who were treated surgically for Moyamoya disease in the past 14 years. Clinical outcomes were analyzed by subgroups stratified by age, disease presentation, and surgical intervention.