An alternative projection for fluoroscopic-guided needle insertion in the foramen ovale: technical note.

Purpose: Puncture of the ganglion Gasseri through the foramen ovale and subsequent thermocoagulation, balloon compression, or glycerin injection is a well-established technique to treat trigeminal neuralgia. However, direct puncture of the foramen is sometimes difficult. Here, the authors present a simple technique of improved biplane fluoroscopic control for insertion of the needle into the foramen ovale.

Simple endoscopic decompression of cubital tunnel syndrome with the Agee system: anatomic study and first clinical results.

Background: Simple decompression in ulnar nerve compression syndromes offers options for endoscopic applications.

Objective: The authors present their initial experience with the Agee device.

Patients And Methods: The monoportal endoscopic technique (Agee system) was evaluated on 10 cadaveric arms.

Endoscopic decompression of the ulnar nerve at the elbow.

Objective: Recently, several studies suggested that simple decompression is as effective as anterior transposition in ulnar nerve entrapment syndrome. Simple decompression might be performed with minimally invasive techniques. The authors present their technique and results with endoscopic decompression in ulnar nerve entrapment syndrome.

Waterjet dissection in pediatric cranioplasty.

Object: Waterjet dissection has been shown to separate tissues of different resistance, with preservation of blood vessels. In cranioplasty, separation of subcutaneous tissue and dura mater is often difficult to achieve because the various tissue layers strongly adhere to each other after decompressive craniotomy. In the present study, the potential advantages and drawbacks of the waterjet technique in cranioplasty after craniectomy and duraplasty are addressed.

Brain abscess formation within an endodermal cyst of the frontal lobe: case report.

A 38-year-old man with a right frontal lobe cyst was treated by endoscopic cystoventriculostomy in 1998. Cyst capsule histology revealed surprisingly an endodermal cyst. The patient was reoperated for cyst expansion by endoscopic re-cystoventriculostomy in 2005.

Chronic subdural hematoma--craniotomy versus burr hole trepanation.

The authors present a series of more than 200 surgical procedures for chronic subdural hematoma in a 5-year-period. Clinical presentation and neurosurgical treatment were regarded with a special focus on the surgical technique. Between March 2003 and July 2008, 193 patients (113 male and 80 female, mean age 72.

PEEK cage cervical ventral fusion in spondylodiscitis.

Purpose: Cervical spondylodiscitis is a quite rare finding regarding the number and the common location of spinal abscesses in the lumbar region. While in thoracic and lumbar discitis, single-step surgery with neural decompression, disc space evacuation, and subsequent fusion is well known, there is no such report in cervical discitis. Here the authors present their experience with ventral polyetherketone (PEEK) cage fusion in cervical spondylodiscitis in a single-step procedure.

Recessive hyperekplexia mutations of the glycine receptor alpha1 subunit affect cell surface integration and stability.

The human neurological disorder hyperekplexia is frequently caused by recessive and dominant mutations of the glycine receptor alpha1 subunit gene, GLRA1. Dominant forms are mostly attributed to amino acid substitutions within the ion pore or adjacent loops, resulting in altered channel properties. Here, the biogenesis of glycine receptor alpha1 subunit mutants underlying recessive forms of hyperekplexia was analyzed following recombinant expression in HEK293 cells.

German neuroendoscopy above the skull base.

Endoscopy plays an important part in current minimally invasive neurosurgery. The concepts, indications, and standards of current neuroendoscopy were developed in the beginning of the 1990s by several groups of neurosurgeons. Several factors contributed to its success and acceptance, including technical development, influence of other disciplines, and adaptation to neurosurgical requirements.

Endoscopic diagnosis and treatment of far distal obstructive hydrocephalus.

Purpose: Obstruction of the CSF circulation distal to the fourth ventricle is a rare cause of noncommunicating hydrocephalus. Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) represents one of the treatment options, but reports of results are rare.

Methods: Between March 1997 and June 2008, 20 ETVs in 20 patients (mean 32.

A new endoscopic spine system: the first results with "Easy GO".

Purpose: Endoscopy meets increasing interest by spine surgeons. However, endoscopic results are diverging and many spinal endoscopic systems are difficult to apply and handle.

Methods: A system for endoscopic spinal surgery was developed where the main goals were: (1) easy intraoperative handling with standard microsurgical techniques, and (2) avoidance of a prolonged learning curve.

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy for obstructive hydrocephalus due to intracranial hemorrhage with intraventricular extension.

Object Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is well accepted for obstructive hydrocephalus of various etiologies. Nevertheless, it is seldom considered in intracranial hemorrhage even in cases involving obstruction of the CSF circulation. Methods Between May 1993 and April 2008, 34 endoscopic procedures were performed for hemorrhage-related obstructive hydrocephalus with an intraventricular component.

Minimally invasive superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery bypass through a minicraniotomy: benefit of three-dimensional virtual reality planning using magnetic resonance angiography.

Object: The aim of the authors in this study was to introduce a minimally invasive superficial temporal artery to middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) bypass surgery by the preselection of appropriate donor and recipient branches in a 3D virtual reality setting based on 3-T MR angiography data.

Methods: An STA-MCA anastomosis was performed in each of 5 patients. Before surgery, 3-T MR imaging was performed with 3D magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo sequences, and a high-resolution CT 3D dataset was obtained.

First experimental results with a new waterjet dissector: Erbejet 2.

Background: Waterjet dissection represents a useful technique for many surgical procedures. In this experimental study, the technical features and dissection qualities of the new Erbejet 2 with its new pump and nozzle applicator system are evaluated for its neurosurgical use compared to the established Helix Hydro-Jet.

Methods: One hundred twenty-six fresh cadaveric pig brains were simultaneously cut with the Helix Hydro-Jet and Erbejet 2.

Endoscopic options in children: experience with 134 procedures.

Object: There are frequent applications for endoscopy in neurosurgery. However, endoscopic surgery in children has peculiar characteristics and is associated with different rates of success. In this study, the authors report on their experience with 134 consecutive endoscopy procedures performed in 126 patients<18 years of age.

Comparison of the long-term results of anterior transposition of the ulnar nerve or simple decompression in the treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome--a prospective study.

Objective: In order to assess their late benefits we present the long-term results of a comparison of treating cubital tunnel syndrome with anterior submuscular transposition or simple decompression.

Methods: Of 40 patients initially recruited to this study 33 were available for long term follow-up. Sixteen patients underwent anterior submuscular transposition (group A); simple decompression was performed in 17 of the patients (group B).

Functional complementation of Glra1(spd-ot), a glycine receptor subunit mutant, by independently expressed C-terminal domains.

The oscillator mouse (Glra1(spd-ot)) carries a 9 bp microdeletion plus a 2 bp microinsertion in the glycine receptor alpha1 subunit gene, resulting in the absence of functional alpha1 polypeptides from the CNS and lethality 3 weeks after birth. Depending on differential use of two splice acceptor sites in exon 9 of the Glra1 gene, the mutant allele encodes either a truncated alpha1 subunit (spd(ot)-trc) or a polypeptide with a C-terminal missense sequence (spd(ot)-elg). During recombinant expression, both splice variants fail to form ion channels.

Endoscopic stomy of the septum pellucidum: indications, technique, and results.

Objective: Although endoscopic perforation of the septum pellucidum in obstruction of the foramen of Monro is well known, detailed reports on endoscopic septostomy, including surgical technique and results are lacking in the literature.

Methods: All intracranial endoscopic procedures performed between February 1993 and March 2008 were evaluated. All patients with blockage of the foramen of Monro that was treated with endoscopic septostomy were analyzed and prospectively followed.

Long-term follow-up of dual-portal endoscopic release of the transverse ligament in carpal tunnel syndrome: an analysis of 94 cases.

Objective: The long-term efficacy of dual-portal endoscopic release of the transverse ligament in carpal tunnel syndrome is still being debated. In this study, the authors present 94 endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery cases with long-term follow-up data.

Methods: The study includes 72 patients aged 17 to 86 years (mean age, 53.

Endoscopic cystoventriculostomy for treatment of paraxial arachnoid cysts.

Object: The optimal therapy of arachnoid cysts is controversial. In symptomatic extraventricular arachnoid cysts, fenestration into the basal cisterns is the gold standard. If this is not feasible, shunt placement is frequently performed although another endoscopic option is available.

TRIDENT high-energy-density facility experimental capabilities and diagnostics.

The newly upgraded TRIDENT high-energy-density (HED) facility provides high-energy short-pulse laser-matter interactions with powers in excess of 200 TW and energies greater than 120 J. In addition, TRIDENT retains two long-pulse (nanoseconds to microseconds) beams that are available for simultaneous use in either the same experiment or a separate one. The facility's flexibility is enhanced by the presence of two separate target chambers with a third undergoing commissioning.

A spatially resolved ion temperature diagnostic for the National Ignition Facility.

The concepts and initial development efforts for a spatially resolved ion temperature diagnostic are described. The diagnostic is intended for Inertial Confinement Fusion experiments at the National Ignition Facility and is an integration of neutron aperture imaging and ion temperature techniques. The neutron imaging technique is extended by recording tomographic projections of the radiation-to-light converter on a streak camera.

The National Ignition Facility neutron imaging system.

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) is scheduled to begin deuterium-tritium (DT) shots possibly in the next several years. One of the important diagnostics in understanding capsule behavior and to guide changes in Hohlraum illumination, capsule design, and geometry will be neutron imaging of both the primary 14 MeV neutrons and the lower-energy downscattered neutrons in the 6-13 MeV range. The neutron imaging system (NIS) described here, which we are currently building for use on NIF, uses a precisely aligned set of apertures near the target to form the neutron images on a segmented scintillator.

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy in obstructive hydrocephalus due to giant basilar artery aneurysm.

OBSTRUCTIVE: hydrocephalus due to giant basilar artery (BA) aneurysm is a rare finding, and endoscopic treatment has not been reported. Here the authors present their experience with endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) in obstructive hydrocephalus due to giant BA aneurysm. Between December 2000 and March 2007, 3 patients (2 men and 1 woman; age range 32-80 years) underwent an ETV for the treatment of obstructive hydrocephalus caused by a giant BA aneurysm.

Ultrasonic aspiration in neuroendoscopy: first results with a new tool.

Neuroendoscopic techniques are often considered inapplicable to lesion resection because most lesions are too large for effective endoscopic resection in an appropriate time frame. To evaluate the potential of ultrasonic aspiration in neuroendoscopic procedures, the authors developed a new handpiece for endoscopic application. The instrument was subsequently tested in 10 cadaveric pig brains and applied in 5 clinical cases.