A comparison of remifentanil and fentanyl in patients undergoing surgery for intracranial mass lesions.

Unlabelled: We compared the effects of remifentanil versus fentanyl during surgery for intracranial space-occupying lesions. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either remifentanil (0.5 microg.

Hypothermic circulatory arrest in neurovascular surgery: evolving indications and predictors of patient outcome.

Objective: One of the largest contemporary neurosurgical experiences with hypothermic circulatory arrest was analyzed for trends in patient selection and clinical variables affecting outcome.

Methods: During a 12-year period, 60 patients underwent 62 circulatory arrest procedures: 54 had posterior circulation aneurysms, 4 had anterior circulation aneurysms, and 2 had other lesions (hemangioblastoma and vertebral artery atherosclerosis).

Results: The surgical morbidity and mortality rates associated with hypothermic circulatory arrest were 13.

Efficacy of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring.

Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring is of benefit in protecting tissue at risk for trauma or ischemia during surgical procedures. Monitoring modalities include EEG, computer processed EEG, somatosensory (SEP), auditory (BAEP), and visual evoked potentials (VEP), and cranial nerve monitoring. The efficacy of monitoring is controversial, because no properly controlled prospective study of outcome with and without monitoring has been done.

Aneurysms of the basilar artery treated with circulatory arrest, hypothermia, and barbiturate cerebral protection.

Complete circulatory arrest, deep hypothermia, and barbiturate cerebral protection are efficacious adjuncts in the surgical treatment of selected giant intracranial aneurysms. These techniques were utilized in seven patients, one with a large and six with giant basilar artery aneurysms; four had excellent results, one had a good result, one had a fair outcome, and one died. The rationale for the use of complete cardiac arrest with extracorporeal circulation, hypothermia, and barbiturate cerebral protection is outlined.

Surgical management of large AVM's by staged embolization and operative excision.

A series of 20 patients with giant arteriovenous malformations (AVM's) managed with staged embolization and surgical resection is presented. Complete excision was accomplished in 18 of these patients. There were no deaths and only three complications, of which one was disabling.