A review of ancillary tests in evaluating brain death.

The neurological determination of death (NDD) is primarily considered to be clinical. However, situations may arise where confounding factors make this clinical assessment difficult or impossible. As a result, ancillary tests have been developed in order to aid in the confirmation of brain death.

Large ophthalmic segment aneurysms with anterior optic pathway compression: assessment of anatomical and visual outcomes after endosaccular coil therapy.

Object: The optimal therapy for ophthalmic segment aneurysms with anterior optic pathway compression (AOPC) is undecided. Surgical results have been described, but the results of endovascular coil therapy have not been well documented.

Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed data obtained in all patients who harbored unruptured ophthalmic segment aneurysms with AOPC who underwent endovascular coil therapy at their institution.

Primary intradural extraarachnoid hodgkin lymphoma of the cervical spine. Case report.

This 42-year-old man presented with an intradural extramedullary mass in his lower cervical spine. On imaging studies the lesion mimicked the appearance of a meningioma. At surgery, the mass was found to be an intradural extra-arachnoid tumor.

Jugular bulb oximetry for prediction of vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Background: Cerebral vasospasm adversely impacts the outcome of those suffering aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Prediction of vasospasm could improve outcomes. We hypothesized that preclinical vasospasm would be heralded by an increase in cerebral oxygen extractions (AVDO2) which could be detected by jugular bulb oximetry.

Neuroepithelial cysts presenting with movement disorders: two cases.

Background: The authors present two cases of movement disorders caused by neuroepithelial cysts and highlight their management. Neuroepithelial cysts are ependymal or epithelial lined fluid collections of unknown etiology within the central nervous system parenchyma with no obvious ventricular or subarachnoid connection. Most cysts are asymptomatic, however, some present with seizures, mass effect, or rarely with movement disorders.

Conservative neurosurgical management of intracranial epidural abscesses in children.

Objective: Traditional management of epidural abscesses caused by sinusitis in children involves neurosurgical drainage. With better techniques to drain affected sinuses, to identify causative organisms, and to guide medical therapy, some pediatric epidural intracranial abscesses may be treated effectively with sinus drainage and antibiotics, without an intracranial procedure.

Methods: Charts and computed tomographic scans of children with isolated intracranial epidural abscess associated with sinusitis who were treated in a pediatric hospital were reviewed retrospectively.