Background: Microvascular decompression (MVD) using Teflon or Ivalon is the surgeon's preference for treating trigeminal neuralgia (Tn). Still, sometimes the prosthetic material is unavailable, or there is some recurrence of pain during the follow-up. In this case series, we report the outcome analysis for MVD using the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) sleeve technique in classic Tn.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Treatment for intra/suprasellar cysticercosis can be challenging and may result in visual disturbances if not managed properly. Despite its limited knowledge, an effective surgical option exists to treat this condition. This article presents three cases of sellar cysticercosis, comprising one female and two male patients, managed with microsurgical supraorbital keyhole approach (mSKA) and endoscopic-assisted supraorbital keyhole approach (eaSKA).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHemifacial spasm is a cranial nerve compression syndrome caused by the anteroinferior cerebellar artery (AICA) and posteroinferior cerebellar artery (PICA), characterized by involuntary tonic/clonic contractions of the muscles. The refractory hemifacial spasm can be treated with microvascular decompression, and multivessel compression could require more than conventional microvascular decompression. Multivessel compression may be challenging, and placement of conventional materials may not be sufficient and risks migration.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEncephaloceles are congenital malformations of the neural tube, mostly located in the occipital region in the Western world. Its presence is related to many complications, among which cognitive impairment and death are the most important. The diagnosis is usually made in the prenatal period, but sometimes due to poor control, this is not feasible.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Low-energy penetrating brain injuries are rarely encountered in neurosurgical practice. Immediate surgical management remains the primary treatment strategy to control potential bleeding and prevents infectious complications.
Case Description: A 28-year-old man presented with an orbital injury with left-sided chemosis, amaurosis, and ophthalmoplegia following an assault.
Dermoid cysts are benign congenital lesions that usually appear on the surface of the skull, mainly on the anterior fontanelle. Diagnosis is usually made in the first months of life by physical examination and imaging studies such as CT, MRI, or ultra sound (US) Doppler. It is important to distinguish it from other similar lesions that represent greater surgical complexity, morbidity, and mortality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Meningeal melanomatosis is an extra-axial well-encapsulated malignant tumour with diffuse meningeal growth and dark coloration (due to high melanin contents), while meningeal melanocytoma is the focalized benign variant. Melanocytic lesions may be secondary to melanoma or be histologically benign, however, their diffuse nature makes them impossible to cure. Melanocytosis is a diffuse tumour that can form solitary extra-axial tumours, which invades the parenchyma and presents signs of malignancy with increased mitosis and Ki67, observed in 1 to 6% of immunopathological exams.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Preoperative embolization of hypervascular tumours such as meningiomas has proven to be a favorable factor for resection of the latter because it diminishes intraoperative bleeding and the need for blood transfusions.
Objectives: Evaluation of surgical outcomes of preoperative embolization with microspheres of giant supratentorial meningiomas.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patient records from 2007 to 2012 with the diagnosis of giant supratentorial meningiomas (> 5 cm) (n= 27) and obtained two samples: those with preoperative embolization (n= 14) and patients without any properative embolization (n= 13).
Background: Astroblastoma is a rare glial neoplastic lesion that affects children and adolescents; its histogenesis remains uncertain. It is considered to account for 0.5% of all glial neoplasms, and two different subtypes have been defined based upon histologic characteristics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To study the microsurgical anatomy of the superior petrosal venous complex (SPVC).
Material And Methods: We conducted a descriptive and prospective study. Six injected specimens were used (12 sides).