Intracranial and Spinal Dural Arterio-Venous Fistula (DAVF): A Surgical Series of 107 Patients.

Introduction: Dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) is a challenging condition in vascular neurosurgery. Development of new endovascular techniques has progressively modified treatment strategies; however, surgery is still considered a valid option of treatment of this pathology.

Materials And Methods: From a retrospective analysis of our database, we selected 107 patients who underwent surgical treatment for DAVFs.

A retrospective two-center study of antiepileptic prophylaxis in patients with surgically treated high-grade gliomas.

Background: The effectiveness of antiepileptic prophylaxis in patients with newly diagnosed high-grade glioma is debated. Craniotomy, surgical manipulation and bleeding are believed to favor the onset of seizures and, therefore, perioperative antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are generally used. Nevertheless, evidence to initiate preoperative AED prophylaxis are weak.

Spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas: outcome and prognostic factors.

The aim of this study is to review the clinical outcome of patients treated for spinal dural arteriovenous malformations and investigate the presence of pretreatment indicators of outcome after short- and midterm follow-up. The authors retrospectively reviewed the records of 65 consecutive patients treated either surgically or endovascularly in 3 neurosurgery departments between 1989 and 2009. After treatment, 80% of patients reported improvement of at least 1 symptom.

Bubbles in the head: a new method for brain retraction during craniotomy.

Background: A key aspect of neurosurgery is the challenge of ensuring adequate visualization through brain retraction whilst ensuring that underlying brain remains protected. Self-retaining retractors (SRR) are specially designed for this purpose. Their limitation however is the potential for ischaemic damage that accompanies any pressure on the cerebral cortex.

Preoperative and intraoperative brain mapping for the resection of eloquent-area tumors. A prospective analysis of methodology, correlation, and usefulness based on clinical outcomes.

Background: Localization of brain function is a fundamental requisite for the resection of eloquent-area brain tumors. Preoperative functional neuroimaging and diffusion tensor imaging can display cortical functional organization and subcortical anatomy of major white matter bundles. Direct cortical and subcortical stimulation is widely used in routine practice, however, because of its ability to reveal tissue function in eloquent regions.

Preoperative chemotherapy for infiltrative low-grade oligoastrocytoma: a useful strategy to maximize surgical resection -case report-.

A 38-year-old woman presented with a large infiltrative left frontal low-grade glioma manifesting as partial seizures of the left arm and lower limb. First line chemotherapy with temozolomide reduced infiltration and volume, allowing subtotal surgical resection. The patient suffered postoperative supplementary motor area syndrome with right hemiparesis and mutism that resolved completely after approximately one month.

Clinical and radiological outcome of craniocervical osteo-dural decompression for Chiari I-associated syringomyelia.

The aim of this study was to analyze the long-term clinical and radiological outcomes of craniocervical decompression for patients affected by Chiari I-related syringomyelia. We performed a retrospective analysis of a group of patients affected by Chiari I-associated syringomyelia treated by craniocervical decompression (CCD). Surgical and technical aspects and preoperative factors predicting outcome were discussed.

Spinal dural arteriovenous fistulae: analysis of outcome in relation to pretreatment indicators.

Objective: The outcome of treatment for a spinal dural arteriovenous fistula is unpredictable. In this study, we reviewed the outcome of patients treated for this condition, in relation to pretreatment indicators.

Methods: We reviewed the records of 37 consecutive patients treated either surgically or endovascularly in our department between 1989 and 2002.