Improving motor and cognitive recovery following severe traumatic brain injury using advanced emotional audio-video stimulation: Lessons from a case report.

Rationale: It is estimated that about 6 million people suffer from severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year (73 cases per 100,000 people). TBI may affect emotional, sensory-motor, cognitive, and psychological functions with a consequent worsening of both patient and his/her caregiver's quality of life. In recent years, technological innovations allowed the development of new, advanced sensory stimulation systems, such as Neurowave, to further stimulate residual cognitive abilities and, at the same time, evaluate residual cognition.

Type II Odontoid Fracture: a case series highlighting the treatment strategies.

Background: A type II odontoid fracture, if unstable, can cause spinal cord damage. In this case, it is essential to choose the correct treatment-but the issues of what the correct treatment is and which of the different surgical options is best are quite controversial. In this paper we present strategies for treatment of type II odontoid fracture.

Resection of the transverse sinuses and confluence of sinuses for treatment of multiple dural arteriovenous fistulas. Case report.

Dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) occurring simultaneously at two or more separate locations are not frequent. In fact, the incidence of multiple DAVFs is 7 to 8% of all DAVFs. Patients harboring multiple DAVFs have a higher incidence of hemorrhage, venous infarction, and neurological deficits due to a greater frequency of leptomeningeal venous drainage.

Osteochondroma of the L-5 vertebra: a rare cause of sciatic pain. Case report.

Solitary or multiple osteochondromas, which are benign bone tumors that usually occur in the long bones, are rarely found in the vertebral column. When present in the spine, however, they have a predilection for the cervical or upper thoracic regions. The authors present the case of a solitary osteochondroma arising from the left L-5 articular process that contributed to sciatica; complete cure was achieved following its removal.

Problems with post-clipping aneurysmal rests.

The postclipping aneurysmal rest is a uncommon but sometimes dangerous event, that is generally underestimated. We distinguish the aneurysmal rest on the basis of its morphology in: 1) partial neck, 2) whole neck, 3) partial neck + partial sac, 4) whole neck + partial sac; on the basis of the relationship with the clip in: 1) proximal, 2) distal, 3) proximal + distal; on the basis of its size in: 1) small (< 2 mm), 2) medium (2-4 mm), 3) large (> 4 mm). From the surgical point of view the aneurysmal rests in our opinion can be classified as unavoidable, avoidable and intentional.

Preoperative embolization in surgical treatment of spinal thoracic dumbbell schwannoma. A case report.

Schwannoma is the most common intraspinal tumor, which at times goes out of spinal canal and spreads into the paraspinal tissue to produce a dumbbell configuration. A 58-year-old woman is reported, in whom a plain thorax X-rays accidentally disclosed a mass located in the posterior mediastinum. Computerized tomography (CT) revealed a dumbbell lesion, 4.

Surgical treatment of a cerebral mycotic aneurysm using the stereo-angiographic localizer.

The authors report a case of mycotic aneurysm surgically treated by means of the Suetens-Gybels-Vandermeulen angiographic localizer system. The major advantages of this technique are reported.

Chronic encapsulated intracerebral haematoma: pathogenetic and diagnostic considerations.

Two cases of chronic encapsulated intracerebral haematoma are reported. The patients presented with progressive neurological deficits. Computed tomography scan showed a roundish, intracerebral lesion, that revealed ring blush after contrast infusion, with mass effect.

"Primary" leptomeningeal dissemination of medulloblastoma. Report of an unusual case.

The Authors report the case of a 5-year-old boy medulloblastoma presenting with "primary" widespread diffusion in the subarachnoid spaces of the posterior fossa without true mass lesion. The diagnosis, suspected first on the basis of the computed tomography (CT) findings, was confirmed by cytological examination of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and by surgery. The Authors analyse the peculiar clinical features (rapid and severe deterioration of general conditions, hyperacute course of the illness and fatal issue) and the morphological aspects of the tumor (CT and surgical findings).

Intraventricular craniopharyngioma. Clinical and surgical considerations.

The authors present two cases of craniopharyngioma wholly located within the cavity of the third ventricle. The rarity of this condition is outlined. In these cases the computed tomography is not always sufficient to determine the correct surgical approach; therefore the Authors stress the importance of the clinical findings.

Intracerebral venous hemorrhage in "high-risk" carotid-cavernous fistula.

Intracerebral hematoma associated with carotid-cavernous fistula is a rare occurrence. Based on a review of the literature and on the analysis of personal observation, the authors define as "high-risk fistula" a carotid-cavernous fistula at risk of intracerebral hemorrhage. Characteristic features of these are computed tomography demonstration of parenchymal vermicular enhancement of brain vessels, and an angiographic pattern of dilated and tortuous cerebral veins.