Investigating the Potential Use of Chemical Biopsy Devices to Characterize Brain Tumor Lipidomes.

The development of a fast and accurate intraoperative method that enables the differentiation and stratification of cancerous lesions is still a challenging problem in laboratory medicine. Therefore, it is important to find and optimize a simple and effective analytical method of enabling the selection of distinctive metabolites. This study aims to assess the usefulness of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) probes as a sampling method for the lipidomic analysis of brain tumors.

Metabolomic Phenotyping of Gliomas: What Can We Get with Simplified Protocol for Intact Tissue Analysis?

Glioblastoma multiforme is one of the most malignant neoplasms among humans in their third and fourth decades of life, which is evidenced by short patient survival times and rapid tumor-cell proliferation after radiation and chemotherapy. At present, the diagnosis of gliomas and decisions related to therapeutic strategies are based on genetic testing and histological analysis of the tumor, with molecular biomarkers still being sought to complement the diagnostic panel. This work aims to enable the metabolomic characterization of cancer tissue and the discovery of potential biomarkers via high-resolution mass spectrometry coupled to liquid chromatography and a solvent-free sampling protocol that uses a microprobe to extract metabolites directly from intact tumors.

Profiling of Carnitine Shuttle System Intermediates in Gliomas Using Solid-Phase Microextraction (SPME).

Alterations in the carnitine shuttle system may be an indication of the presence of cancer. As such, in-depth analyses of this pathway in different malignant tumors could be important for the detection and treatment of this disease. The current study aims to assess the profiles of carnitine and acylcarnitines in gliomas with respect to their grade, the presence of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutations, and 1p/19q co-deletion.

Sub-Perception and Supra-Perception Spinal Cord Stimulation in Chronic Pain Syndrome: A Randomized, Semi-Double-Blind, Crossover, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Background: The introduction of modern sub-perception modalities has improved the efficacy of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) in refractory pain syndromes of the trunk and lower limbs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of low and high frequency SCS among patients with chronic pain.

Material And Methods: A randomised, semi-double-blind, placebo controlled, four period (4 × 2 weeks) crossover trial was conducted from August 2018 to January 2020.

Endoscopic versus stereotactic biopsies of intracranial lesions involving the ventricles.

Stereotactic biopsies of ventricular lesions may be less safe and less accurate than biopsies of superficial lesions. Accordingly, endoscopic biopsies have been increasingly used for these lesions. Except for pineal tumors, the literature lacks clear, reliable comparisons of these two methods.

On-Site Sampling and Extraction of Brain Tumors for Metabolomics and Lipidomics Analysis.

Despite the variety of tools available for cancer diagnosis and classification, methods that enable fast and simple characterization of tumors are still in need. In recent years, mass spectrometry has become a method of choice for untargeted profiling of discriminatory compound as potential biomarkers of a disease. Biofluids are generally considered as preferable matrices given their accessibility and easier sample processing while direct tissue profiling provides more selective information about a given cancer.

Diagnosis and management of pediatric cervical vagal schwannoma.

Schwannomas arising from the vagus nerve are extremely rare in children, with only 15 cases reported in the world literature. We describe a pediatric case of cervical vagal nerve schwannoma successfully treated with cranial nerve-sparing surgery. Our patient presented extensive mass in the right side of the neck with ipsilateral Horner's syndrome.

Therapeutic approach to pediatric acute mastoiditis - an update.

Introduction: Acute mastoiditis remains the most common complication of acute otitis media. It may rarely appear also in cochlear implant patients. However, the treatment recommendations for this disease are not precisely defined or employed, and in the current literature the differences regarding both the diagnosis and management are relatively substantial.

Different clinical presentation and management of temporal bone fibrous dysplasia in children.

Background: Fibrous dysplasia is a slowly progressive benign fibro-osseous disorder that involves one or multiple bones with a unilateral distribution in most cases. It is a lesion of unknown etiology, uncertain pathogenesis, and diverse histopathology. Temporal bone involvement is the least frequently reported type, especially in children.

Combination of Neuroendoscopic and Stereotactic Procedures for Total Resection of Colloid Cysts with Favorable Neurological and Cognitive Outcomes.

Background: Despite a wide range of surgical procedures, an unresolved debate remains regarding which attempt is optimal for the treatment of colloid cysts in the third ventricle. In this article, we present a new combination of stereotactic and endoscopic techniques.

Methods: This prospective study includes 27 consecutive patients with symptomatic primary and recurrent colloid cysts.

Motor cortex stimulation in patients with chronic central pain.

Background: Motor cortex stimulation is one of the neuromodulation methods of treating refractory central neurogenic pain.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the effects of motor cortex stimulation.

Material And Methods: The study group consisted of 14 consecutive patients with thalamic pain, atypical facial pain, post-brachial plexus avulsion injury pain, phantom pain and pain in syringomyelia who were treated with motor cortex stimulation at the Department of Neurosurgery of the Military Research Hospital in Bydgoszcz, Poland, from 2005 to 2013.

Clipping versus coiling for intracranial aneurysms.

Background And Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare results of clipping and coiling for aneurysms of the anterior circle of Willis. Previous studies have not identified a clear superiority of one method over the other.

Material And Methods: The study group included 165 consecutive patients.

Results of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring in spinal canal surgery.

Background And Purpose: Spine surgery carries the risk of neurological complications. Neurophysiological intraoperative monitoring (NIOM) plays some role in preventing adverse events. NIOM is a young technique, and because of its costs and additional personnel it requires constant evaluation of indications.

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy in treatment of hydrocephalus.

Introduction: Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is a minimally invasive method of treatment of obstructive hydrocephalus (HCP).

Aim: To investigate perioperative and intraoperative difficulties, failures and complications of ETV.

Material And Methods: Seventy-three procedures of ETV were conducted in our department in the last 5 years on 69 patients with HCP of different etiology.

Application of intraoperative computed tomography in a neurosurgical operating theatre.

Background And Purpose: The authors describe their own experience in use of intraoperative computed tomography (CT) with the Siemens SOMATOM Sensation in 125 cases.

Material And Methods: Intraoperative CT of the head was most often used in functional neurosurgery for stereotactic planning in 32 cases and for control of deep brain stimulation electrode placement in 18 cases. In spine surgery, CT was used most often in spine stabilization to control the placement of implants.

Results of neuromodulation for the management of chronic pain.

Background and purpose : Neuromodulative treatment of chronic pain syndromes is a modern mode of treatment of neuropathic and ischaemic pain. Its effectiveness is well documented in the literature. The objective of this work is to present the results of treatment of chronic pain syndromes on the basis of eight-year experience in our department.

[Intralipid for treatment of local anaesthetic-induced toxicity].

Regional anaesthesia can be associated with severe complications, which may be due to overdose or accidental intravascular injection of local anaesthetics. The clinical picture varies and depends on the pharmacodynamics of specific drugs, the total dose used, and the route of injection. Among the most common side effects are: excitation, seizures, loss of consciousness, cardiac dysrhythmias, severe shock and cardiac arrest.

Analysis of diltiazem and desacetyldiltiazem in serum by high-performance liquid chromatography.

This paper describes a simple high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the determination of diltiazem and desacetyldiltiazem in human serum. After basic methyl-tert-butyl ether extraction and back-extraction with hydrochloric acid, the drug and its metabolite was injected into a Supelcosil LC-CN column and the absorbance of the eluate was measured at 240 nm. The sensitivity was 5 ng/ml and the obtained precision, selectivity and stability during storage were adequate for the performed clinical studies in patients therapeutically treated with diltiazem.

High-performance liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of propafenone and 5-hydroxypropafenone in human serum.

A simple, rapid and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of propafenone and 5-hydroxypropafenone in human serum is described. Method involves a single-step extraction of the drug and its metabolite with dichloromethane:2-propanol (4:1 v/v) mixture from 0.2 ml of serum.

Simultaneous determination of mexiletine and four hydroxylated metabolites in human serum by high-performance liquid chromatography and its application to pharmacokinetic studies.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of mexiletine and its four hydroxylated metabolites in human serum. The method involves a single-step extraction of mexiletine, hydroxymethylmexiletine, p-hydroxymexiletine and their corresponding alcohols with diisopropyl ether-dichloromethane-propan-2-ol (2.5:1.

Pharmacokinetics of mexiletine and its metabolites, hydroxymethylmexiletine and p-hydroxymexiletine, after single oral administration in healthy subjects.

Pharmacokinetics of mexiletine and its major metabolites, p-hydroxymexiletine and hydroxymethylmexiletine, were studied in 10 healthy subjects after administration of a single oral 400 mg dose. Mexiletine was extensively metabolized to hydroxymethylmexiletine and less to p-hydroxymexiletine. Mean metabolic ratio (Rm) was 0.

A rapid HPLC method for plasma and serum mexiletine determination and its use in therapeutic drug monitoring.

A HPLC method for the determination of mexiletine in human plasma and serum is described. Serum or plasma after addition of mexiletine and internal standard was extracted with diisopropyl ether. The extract was then evaporated and dissolved in the mobile phase.

Determination of amiodarone and its metabolite desethylamiodarone in human plasma and serum.

A liquid chromatographic method for the assay of antiarrhythmic drug amiodarone and its metabolite desethylamiodarone in human plasma or serum has been developed. The method is simple and sufficiently sensitive for pharmacokinetic studies. Amiodarone, desethylamiodarone and added internal standard L 8040 were twice extracted at various pH from serum or plasma.