Clinical considerations on a right operculo-insular cavernous angioma: an illustrative case.

The insular cortex is considered one of the most complex regions of the brain, defined as the "hub" of somatosensory areas. Here, we examine the case of a surgically treated haemorrhagic cavernoma involving the middle and posterior insular cortex, presenting both sensory, gustative and speech symptoms. By reviewing the recent findings in humans' and primates' basic research, we illustrated clinical and radiological correlations of the reported case, confirming insular role in sensitive and gustatory functions.

Intracranial Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas: The Sinus and Non-Sinus Concept.

Introduction: Dural arteriovenous fistulas (dAVFs) account for 10-15% of all intracranial arteriovenous lesions. Different classification strategies have been proposed in the course of the years. None of them seems to guide the treatment strategy.

Complications in AVM Surgery.

In AVM surgery perioperative complications can arise and can have serious perioperative consequences. Surgically related complications in AVM treatment, in many cases, can be avoided by paying attention to details:1. Careful selection of the patient: - addressing a patient with eloquent AVM to Gamma Knife treatment - preoperative treatment with selective embolization of the accessible deep feeders - preoperative gamma knife or embolize those patient with an over-expressed venous pattern2.

Surgical pathway proposal for severe paralytic scoliosis in adolescents with myelomeningocele.

Purpose: The increased life expectancy of patients with myelomeningocele led to the necessity of new management for addressing complex spine deformities with severe pelvic obliquity. Tethered cord release (TCR) and spinal fusion were described as treatment options. However, nowadays, the surgical strategy is not well defined and high rates of mechanical failures and complications are reported.

Chiari malformation type 1: are we doing less with more? Illustrative case.

Background: Classic treatment of Chiari malformation type 1 consists of foramen magnum decompression. Selected patients may require occipitocervical fixation, transoral odontoidectomy, tonsillectomy, and so forth. Treatment standardization does not yet exist, and some patients risk being overtreated.

How we managed elective, urgent, and emergency orthopedic surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic: The Milan metropolitan area experience.

The COVID-19 virus is a tremendous burden for the Italian health system. The regionally-based Italian National Health System has been reorganized. Hospitals' biggest challenge was to create new intensive care unit (ICU) beds, as the existing system was insufficient to meet new demand, especially in the most affected areas.

Spinal epidural abscess in COVID-19 patients.

Objective: To report the peculiarity of spinal epidural abscess in COVID-19 patients, as we have observed an unusually high number of these patients following the outbreak of SARS-Corona Virus-2.

Methods: We reviewed the clinical documentation of six consecutive COVID-19 patients with primary spinal epidural abscess that we surgically managed over a 2-month period. These cases were analyzed for what concerns both the viral infection and the spinal abscess.

Giant calcified thoracic disk herniations: ossification of PLL or autonomous entity?

Background: Giant calcified thoracic disk herniation (GCTD) is an uncommon event, which requires surgical treatment in less than 1% of patients. GCDTs are a specific subgroup of herniated thoracic disks occupying more than 40% of the spinal canal showing calcifications associated with a certain degree of ossification. In this paper, we are reporting our whole experience in the surgical management of GCTDs through anterior approaches.

Surgical management of Chiari malformation type II.

Background: Chiari malformation type II is present in almost all patients with myelomeningocele but usually remains asymptomatic. Symptoms are generally more severe in neonates, who have the worst prognosis. The association symptoms/hydrocephalus is well known, and first treatment usually consists of ensuring adequate ventricular drainage.

Acute presentation of Chiari 1 malformation in children.

Purpose: To review the literature about the acute presentation of Chiari 1 malformation in children, with a focus on acute cervical cord syndromes with impairment of the cortico-spinal tract. To analyze the possible precipitating factors and the pathophysiology of the acute onset.

Method: Illustrative case presentation with literature review.

Aulus Cornelius Celsus and the Head Injuries.

Aulus Cornelius Celsus lived in Rome during the reigns of Augustus and Tiberius. He developed the scientific Latin, and his work De Medicina was the first medical textbook to be written in Latin, and subsequently the first medical treatise to be printed. He perhaps was a simple medical writer rather than a real physician, but his contributions to medical knowledge are outstanding.

Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy in Cases of Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Malfunction: Does Shunt Duration Play a Role?

Background: Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is now widely used to manage ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) malfunctions, but outcome predictors are still debated. Different opinions exist about the prognostic factors, but shunt duration is generally considered unimportant although its influence remains poorly investigated.

Methods: A total of 139 patients undergoing ETV for VPS malfunction were reviewed.

Hydrocephalus due to a Cavernoma-Like Lesion of an Obliterated Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation Treated by Embolization and Radiosurgery.

Background: Gamma-Knife radiosurgery can be the treatment of choice for small cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) in eloquent brain areas or, in association with endovascular treatment, for large and complex AVMs. Among the possible delayed complications occurring after radiosurgery of AVMs, de novo formation of a cavernoma has only recently been described. The authors report a unique case of communicating hydrocephalus with highly proteinaceous cerebrospinal fluid due to a cavernoma-like lesion of an obliterated cerebral AVM treated by embolization and radiosurgery.

Complications of Halo Placement.

Background: The halo vest is widely used throughout the world to manage craniovertebral and cervical instabilities. It can be used for postoperative immobilization or as an alternative to surgical fixation.

Method: In this paper we present some cases of severe complications from our own practice and review the literature on halo complications.

UAIS: Unruptured Aneurysms Italian Study.

Background: Unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) are increasingly identified and are an important health-care burden; in the past they were commonly treated by surgical clipping, but nowadays endovascular coil embolization is increasingly employed as an alternative.

Methods: The Unruptured Aneurysms Italian Study (UAIS) is a multicentric cooperative prospective study aimed to delineate the "State of the Art" of UIAs treatment in Italy. 51 Italian Neurosurgical and Neuroradiological Units, representatives of all 20 Italian regions are involved in the Study.

Unruptured Versus Ruptured AVMs: Outcome Analysis from a Multicentric Consecutive Series of 545 Surgically Treated Cases.

Background: Recent literature strongly challenged indications to perform preventive surgery in unruptured arteriovenous malformation (AVM) claiming that invasive AVM treatment is associated with a significant risk of complications and thus conservative management may be a preferable alternative in many patients. On the other hand, the recent improvement of surgical instrumentation and treatment strategies (both surgical and interventional) yielded better outcomes than those achieved only a decade ago. Therefore, even among specialists, a wide variety of opinions, concerning the treatment of unruptured AVM, can be found.

Craniovertebral fusion in an infant using struts of banked adult bone.

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to discuss the problems of craniocervical instability and craniocervical fusion in infancy. Despite the relative frequency of carniovertebral joint malformations, actual instability is quite rare in infancy.

Methods: An infant 8 months of age presented with tetraparesis and sleep apnea due to a complex malformation of her craniovertebral joint.

Life-Threatening Cerebral Hematoma Owing to Aneurysm Rupture.

Objective: To refine the surgical indications of surgery for life-threatening cerebral hematomas caused by aneurysm rupture, through the analysis of possible outcome predictors.

Methods: Forty-nine consecutive patients requiring prompt clot evacuation were retrospectively reviewed. In all cases, the hematoma was equal to or greater than 60 mL.