Effect of epidural methylprednisolone on post-operative pain and length of hospital stay in patients undergoing lumbar microdiscectomy.

Background & Aim: Intraoperative epidural corticosteroids have been used to decrease post-operative pain post-discectomy. The objective of this study is to assess the efficacy of epidural corticosteroids on post-operative pain and length of post-operative hospital stay in patients undergoing unilateral lumbar microdiscectomy.

Methods: 150 consecutively treated, comparable patients with unilateral lumbar disc herniation were prospectively allocated randomly to receive either a sponge soaked in epidural corticosteroids or saline at the end of the operative procedure.

Value of C-reactive protein after neurosurgery: a prospective study.

Aim: The aim of this manuscript is to review the current state of knowledge regarding C-reactive protein (CRP) kinetics after standard neurosurgical procedures, and to determine the value of CRP as a screening test for early post-operative infectious complications as opposed to other more commonly used tests, and as a marker of peri-operative surgical insult.

Methods: Over 18 months period, CRP levels, alongside with ESR and WCC were assessed pre-operatively (at day 0) and post-operatively (at days 1,2,3,4 and 5) in 50 consecutive female patients and 50 consecutive male patients undergoing seven neurosurgical procedures. Each of the seven procedures involved a different level of intra-operative trauma.

Posterior cranial fossa gangliogliomas.

Ganglioglioma (GG) is an uncommon primary lesion of the central nervous system that is typically located supratentorially. There are only a few reports of GG arising from the cerebellum. To the best of our knowledge this is the first case of a cerebellar GG with supratentorial extension and a longstanding history before its recognition.

Real-time 3T fMRI data of brain tumour patients for intra-operative localization of primary motor areas.

Introduction: In patients with tumours in or near the motor cortex reliable intra-operative identification of the precentral gyrus can be difficult due to anatomical dislocation. Maps of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) based on the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) effect are used to localize eloquent functional areas of the brain but require postprocessing for reduction of false positive activations. We set the focus of this study on the evaluation of feasibility and clinical usefulness of using real-time fMRI t-maps without postprocessing for pre-operative planning and intra-operative localization of functional motor areas.

Cavernous malformation of the internal auditory canal.

Cavernous malformations of the internal auditory canal are a rare clinical entity that, however, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of intracanalicular masses. Even though this type of malformation is usually associated with an evident gadolinium enhancement at MR examination, in some patients, like in this case, the signal characteristics may be not sufficiently specific to allow the correct preoperative diagnosis. Nevertheless, the clinical history, in particular, a rapid onset of cranial nerve deficits, lead to the suspicion of a vascular malformation.

Evaluation of a new concept for the management of skull base chordomas and chondrosarcomas.

Object: Chordomas and chondrosarcomas of the skull base are rare locally invasive tumors associated with high recurrence rates. The aim of this study was to evaluate the concept of microsurgical tumor volume reduction followed by early gamma knife surgery (GKS).

Methods: Thirteen patients with 15 tumors were treated between October 2000 and June 2003.

A new biologic membrane in cardiovascular surgery.

Reconstruction techniques for major vessels and intracardiac defect repair use synthetic grafts or autogenic pericardium. Here, autologous abdominal parietal peritoneum with the overlying posterior rectus sheath as a biologic membrane are evaluated. Twelve adult canines were used.

Short phase efficacy of autologous peritoneum as a pericardial substitute.

The risks associated with resternotomy are largely related to loss of pericardial integrity. No satisfactory substitute for pericardium has been identified. The structural similarity between pericardium and peritoneum prompted an assessment of the latter as a biologic substitute.

Training of vector control personnel.

Modern vector control campaigns cannot be conducted efficiently and economically unless the organization is staffed with personnel having a high standard of training. Both professional and non-professional personnel are employed at different levels in the organization and the type of training they require depends upon their previous background and the duties they are called upon to discharge. As a rule, only the central administration is staffed by specialists, but the vector control officer at the provincial level is required to be a university graduate and to complete a special three months' course of training.

Field and laboratory studies on the use of malathion for control of body-lice in Egypt.

In view of the development of resistance to DDT by Egyptian strains of body-lice, there is a need for another effective and safe insecticide with which they may be controlled. Trials were made in three governorates of the United Arab Republic to compare the effectiveness against these insects of 1% malathion and 10% DDT dusts, 30 g of powder being applied inside the clothing while it was being worn.When susceptibility tests were carried out with the WHO standard technique, the LC(50) was found to be less than 0.