Early diagnosis of cerebral ischemia in cerebral vasospasm by oxygen-pulse near-infrared optical topography.

Purpose: Early diagnosis of vasospasm is a key factor in the choice of treatment after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). However, a noninvasive method of diagnosing delayed ischemic neurological deficit (DIND) has not been established. We therefore propose a new method of diagnosing cerebral ischemia using near-infrared optical topography (OT) with oxygen inhalation.

Late onset cerebrospinal fluid leakage associated with past head injury.

Late onset cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage, such as rhinorrhea or otorrhea, is a rare complication of closed head injury. We encountered two cases of delayed CSF leakage more than 10 years after head injury. In both cases, surgical treatments were performed using intradural approaches, and the dural defects were closed with viable pedicled flaps.

Intraoperative monitoring during surgery for hypoglossal schwannoma.

A 54-year-old man presented with an intracranial schwannoma of the hypoglossal nerve between the medulla and the left hypoglossal canal. The condylar fossa approach was used with intra-operative electromyography (EMG) monitoring of the lower cranial nerves. The tumor was then removed carefully without decreasing the tongue EMG responses.

Clipping of a vertebral artery aneurysm behind the hypoglossal nerve under the monitoring of lower cranial nerves.

Under an operative view, an aneurysm of the vertebral artery is located behind the lower cranial nerves. To prevent neurological deficits we employed electrophysiological monitoring while clipping an aneurysm of the vertebral artery. A 64-year-old woman had suffered a sudden severe headache in the morning.

Treatment with botulinum toxin improves the hyperexcitability of the facial motoneuron in patients with hemifacial spasm.

Botulinum toxin type A (BTX) injection into the orbicularis oculi muscle is an effective treatment for patients with hemifacial spasm (HFS). The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of this treatment on HFS, in particular the associated hyperexcitability of the facial motor nucleus, and to discuss the potential mechanism of HFS. F waves in the mentalis muscle were examined before, 2 and 6 weeks after the BTX treatment of only the orbicularis oculi muscle in ten patients with HFS.