Cerebrospinal fluid fistula after endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery: experience in a spanish center.

Background: Postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistula is the most serious complication after transsphenoidal surgery.

Objective: To analyze the incidence of CSF fistula after endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery for tumor removal in sellar region; to discuss associated factors and methods used for sellar closure.

Method: Retrospective study of 67 patients (73 surgeries) operated via transsphenoidal endoscopy at Hospital Vall D'Hebron and Hospital Clinic of the Universidad de Barcelona, Spain.

Post-ictal analgesia: involvement of opioid, serotoninergic and cholinergic mechanisms.

The neural mechanisms involved in post-ictal analgesia remain to be elucidated. Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) is used experimentally to induce seizure in animal subjects. This non-competitive antagonist blocks GABA-mediated Cl(-) flux.

Pyrogenic reactions in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization associated with contaminated glass medicine cups.

Pyrogenic reactions are potentially life-threatening complications caused by bacterial endotoxin. After two cardiac catheterization patients developed rigors the same day, the procedures were halted and a case control study was conducted. To identify case patients (persons with rigors < or = 3 hr after catheterization during September 25-November 9, 1995), we reviewed medical records of all cardiac catheterization patients who had a blood culture or received intravenous meperidine.