A Phase 2 Sensitivity and Selectivity Study of High-Dose 5-Aminolevulinic Acid in Adult Patients Undergoing Resection of a Newly Diagnosed or Recurrent Glioblastoma.

Background And Objectives: The utility of oral 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)/protoporphyrin fluorescence for the resection of high-grade gliomas is well documented, but the problem of false-negative observations remains. This study compares high-grade glioma visualization with low/standard dose 5-ALA (<30 mg/kg) to high-dose 5-ALA (>40 mg/kg) to see if by using this higher dose, it is possible to reduce the rate of false-negative observations without increasing the rate of false-positive (FP) observations and therefore increase the sensitivity.

Methods: This is a prospective study of consecutive patients with radiological evidence of presumed high-grade glioma.

Comparison of Using Intraoperative Computed Tomography-Based 3-Dimensional Navigation and Fluoroscopy in Anterior Cervical Diskectomy and Fusion for Cervical Spondylosis.

Objective: Anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a highly successful procedure to treat spinal cord or nerve root compression; however, complications can still occur. With advancements in imaging, 3-dimensional (3D) reconstruction allows real-time instrument tracking in a surgical field relative to the patient's anatomy. Here, we compare plate positioning and short-term outcomes when using 3D navigation to fluoroscopy in ACDF for degenerative spine disease.

Use of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid for Confirmation of Lesional Biopsy Sample in Presumed High-Grade Glioma.

Background: 5-amniolevulinic acid (5-ALA) assists neurosurgeons in defining operative margins during resection of high-grade gliomas, leading to improved rates of complete resection of enhancing tumor and progression-free survival. Here, we propose the use of 5-ALA in stereotactic biopsy for confirmation that the sample obtained is from the targeted mass. To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first known record of 5-ALA use for confirmation of pathologic specimen in stereotactic brain biopsy in the United States.

Effects of 5-ALA dose on resection of glioblastoma.

Purpose: Fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) with the use of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) leads to more extensive resection of high-grade glioma (HGG) and longer overall survival (OS) of patients compared to conventional resection. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of 5-ALA dosages on residual tumor volume (RTV) and OS in patients with glioblastoma.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study for patients who participated in a phase I and II dose-escalation clinical trial on 5-ALA for resection of HGG.

Surgical treatments for essential tremor.

Essential tremor is the most common form of pathologic tremor. Surgical therapies disrupt tremorogenic oscillation in the cerebellothalamocortical pathway and are capable of abolishing severe tremor that is refractory to available pharmacotherapies. Surgical methods are raspidly improving and are the subject of this review.

A Phase 1 Dose-Escalation Study of Oral 5-Aminolevulinic Acid in Adult Patients Undergoing Resection of a Newly Diagnosed or Recurrent High-Grade Glioma.

Background: The utility of oral 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)/protoporphyrin fluorescence for the resection of high-grade gliomas is well documented. This drug has received regulatory approval in Europe but awaits approval in the United States.

Objective: To identify the appropriate dose and toxicity or harms of 5-ALA used for enhanced intraoperative visualization of malignant brain tumors, reported from a single medical center in the United States.

Successful bilateral subthalamic nucleus stimulation for segmental dystonia after unilateral pallidotomy.

Background: Several subcortical structures have been targeted for surgical treatment of dystonia, including motor thalamus, internal segment of globus pallidus (GPi), and more recently, the subthalamic nucleus (STN). Deep brain stimulation of GPi is currently the preferred surgical treatment, but it is unclear if targeting other structures would yield better results. Patients who have already had a pallidotomy yet continue to experience dystonic symptoms may be limited in further treatment options.

Two cases of ischemia associated with subthalamic nucleus stimulator implantation for advanced Parkinson's disease.

Deep brain stimulation is generally a safe and effective method of alleviating motor impairment in advanced-stage Parkinson's disease patients. However, adverse events of surgery have been noted, such as hemorrhage, infection, seizures, and device failure. In this report, we describe 2 cases of the unusual adverse event of ischemia associated with subthalamic nucleus stimulator implantation.

Adjuvant gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery at the time of tumor progression potentially improves survival for patients with glioblastoma multiforme.

Objective: Gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery (GK-SRS) is a safe and noninvasive treatment used as adjuvant therapy for patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Several studies have yielded conflicting results in the effectiveness of radiosurgery in GBM. This study is a retrospective review of our institutional experience with GK-SRS adjuvant therapy in the treatment of GBM.