Navigation-assisted full-endoscopic spine surgery: a technical note.

Background: Full-endoscopic spine surgery (FESS) necessitates the use of X-ray fluoroscopy for intraoperative guidance and orientation. However, the two-dimensional X-ray fluoroscopic images do not provide real-time guidance. The authors developed a new real-time three-dimensional (3D) navigation technique for FESS that entails the use of intraoperative cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) in a hybrid operating room (OR).

Optimum concentration of iodine contrast agent injection for best stent visualization using Neuroform Atlas stent during stent-assisted coil embolization: Case reviews based on experiments.

Background: The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of contrast agent concentration (Conc) on the visibility of Neuroform Atlas and in clinical cases.

Methods: A plastic tube was filled with several Conc. in saline (experiment 1) and blood (experiment 2).

Supratentorial convexity schwannoma unrelated to cranial nerves: Case report and review of the literature.

Background: Intracranial schwannoma not related to cranial nerves is rare entity, and difficult to be diagnosed preoperatively. Here, we experienced a case of convexity schwannoma mimicking convexity meningioma, and discuss about the characteristics of such cases based on the past published reports.

Case Description: A 48-year-old man presented with a sudden onset of seizures.

Multiple cerebral syphilitic gummas mimicking brain tumor in a non-HIV-infected patient: A case report.

We present a unique case of symptomatic early neurosyphilis in a non-HIV-infected patient. A 47-year-old man with a history of diabetes mellitus presented with generalized seizures. He did not manifest any neurological deficits.

Transdural Indocyanine Green Videography for Superficial Temporal Artery-to-Middle Cerebral Artery Bypass-Technical Note.

Background: Neurosurgical application of indocyanine green (ICG) videography before performing a dural opening, known as transdural ICG videography, has been used during surgery of meningiomas associated with venous sinuses as well as cranial and spinal arteriovenous malformations. However, its use for a superficial temporal artery (STA)-to-middle cerebral artery (MCA) bypass has not been reported.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of medical records of patients who underwent transdural ICG videography during STA-MCA bypass performed between January 2012 and March 2015.

Endovascular Therapy for the Steal Phenomenon due to the Innominate Artery Severe Stenosis and Bilateral Internal Carotid Artery Severe Stenosis.

Background: Symptomatic innominate artery stenosis presenting as hemodynamic bilateral cerebral ischemia is uncommon. We present a rare case of the severe stenosis of the origin of an innominate artery and severe stenosis of bilateral internal carotid artery that induced hemodynamic cerebral ischemia after ipsilateral axillary artery-bilateral femoral artery bypass and was treated with stent replacement of the innominate artery and right internal carotid artery.

Case Report: A 64-year-old woman who previously had undergone right axillary artery-bilateral femoral artery anastomosis for abdominal aorta high obstruction had been suffering from chronic dizziness and so visited our department.

[A Case of a Pituitary Adenoma Diagnosed as Carney Complex Syndrome in an Older Female Patient].

Carney complex syndrome is an autosomal dominant familial tumor syndrome first described by Carney et al. in 1985. The diagnostic criteria include endocrine hyperactivity and spotty skin pigmentation.

Effectiveness of Intracranial Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty or Stenting for Atherosclerotic Vertebrobasilar Artery Occlusion in the Acute Phase of Ischemic Stroke.

Objective: Although short-term clinical outcomes after basilar artery stent placement have been reported previously, effectiveness of intracranial stenting for vertebrobasilar artery occlusion in the acute phase of ischemic stroke is unclear.

Methods: We clinically investigated 8 patients with intracranial percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) or stenting as our protocol for symptomatic atherosclerotic vertebrobasilar artery occlusion (age range, 54-80 years; mean age, 69 ± 11 years; 6 men and 2 women) who were admitted to our hospital between August 2013 and December 2015.

Results: Two patients underwent PTA of the vertebrobasilar artery 2-5 months before stent placement.

Coil Embolization for Ruptured Basilar Tip Aneurysm After Mechanical Thrombectomy for Acute Basilar Artery Occlusion.

Background: There is no published report of ruptured cerebral aneurysm accompanied by target vessel occlusion. We present a case of ruptured basilar tip aneurysm with concomitant basilar artery (BA) occlusion.

Case Description: A 53-year-old man presented to our emergency room with the acute onset of disturbance.

Brain Metastasis of Pleural Mesothelioma after a Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an uncommon, fatal neoplasm induced by asbestos exposure. Brain metastases from MPM are extremely rare, with most such cases diagnosed only at the time of autopsy. This report describes what we believe to be the first case of MPM metastasizing to the brain after a subarachnoid hemorrhage, as well as the subsequent surgical removal of the brain metastasis.

Relationship Between Clinical Features and T2-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Images in Symptomatic Rathke Cleft Cysts.

Background: It is not known when surgery is appropriate for the treatment for incidental Rathke cleft cysts because knowledge of their natural history is lacking. In this study, we sought to determine whether symptomatic Rathke cleft cysts could be distinguished by their signal intensities in magnetic resonance (MR) images. We analyzed the relationship between these signal intensities and clinical manifestations of the cysts and their patterns of expansion.

Carotid artery stenosis is exacerbated in spontaneously obese model rats with diabetes.

Aim: Population studies have shown obesity and diabetes to be risk factors for atherosclerosis. We assessed changes in the common carotid arteries in rat models of obesity and diabetes without hypertension.

Methods: Twenty 30-week-old male spontaneously diabetic and obese model Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) and 20 control Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO) rats were used in the experiments.

[Intra-tumoral hemorrhage of a relapsed CNS diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: a case report].

We report a case of a relapsed central nervous system(CNS)lymphoma with an intra-tumoral hemorrhage. A 75-year-old man was transferred to our hospital because of sensory aphasia. He was diagnosed with a left temporoparietal brain tumor having intra-tumoral hemorrhage.

Pituitary apoplexy caused by hemorrhage from pituitary metastatic melanoma: case report.

Melanoma metastases to the pituitary gland are extremely rare, with only a few reported cases. We report an unusual case of pituitary metastatic melanoma in which the patient presented with pituitary apoplexy. A 68-year-old man presented general fatigue and anorexia following sudden headache.

Neuroprotective effect of suppression of astrocytic activation by arundic acid on brain injuries in rats with acute subdural hematomas.

Acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) can cause massive ischemic cerebral blood flow (CBF) underneath the hematoma, but early surgical evacuation of the mass reduces mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether arundic acid improves the secondary ischemic damage induced by ASDH. Our results confirmed that arundic acid decreases the expression of S100 protein produced by activated astrocytes around ischemic lesions due to cytotoxic edema after ASDH as well as reducing infarction volumes and numbers of apoptotic cells around the ischemic lesions.

Early appearance of high grade glioma on magnetic resonance imaging.

The early appearance of high grade glioma on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was retrospectively reviewed in the clinical records and MR images of 52 patients with intracerebral glioma treated in Osaka General Medical Center between 1997 and 2006. Three patients had no abnormal findings, and four patients had only hyperintense areas on T(2)-weighted imaging at initial MR examination. Five of the seven patients presented with generalized seizures.

[Massive epistaxis due to traumatic internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm: a case report].

We present a case of traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the internal carotid artery (ICA) accompanied by skull base fracture, which was treated by endovascular trapping of the internal carotid artery. A 70-year-old woman met with a traffic accident and was admitted to our institution with epistaxis and accomapanied with shock. Angiography on day 2 showed carotidcavernous fistula.

Basilar trunk aneurysms with associated fenestration treated by using Guglielmi detachable coils: two cases reports.

Basilar trunk saccular aneurysms associated with fenestration are infrequent. Surgical treatment of a basilar trunk aneurysm is difficult because of its anatomic environment and complicated surgical exposure. We experienced two cases of basilar fenestration aneurysm, and the patients were treated using Guglielmi detachable coils.

Cervical extradural en-plaque meningioma.

A 22-year-old woman presented with a very rare extradural en-plaque spinal meningioma manifesting as right hemiparesis and gait disturbance. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a well-enhanced lesion extending from the C-1 to C-5 vertebral levels, compressing the cord dorsally. Computed tomography revealed a slightly enhanced mass with calcification in the spinal canal, advancing in all directions except anteriorly.

Intradural retroclival chordoma without bone involvement - case report.

A 63-year-old, previously healthy man presented with a rare large intradural retroclival chordoma without bone involvement. Computed tomography showed that the tumor was completely intradural and did not involve the bone, as confirmed at intraoperative inspection. The tumor was totally excised via the anterior transpetrosal approach.

Effect of gefitinib on brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer.

Two patients with non-small cell lung cancer presented with multiple brain metastases. They received gefitinib orally for the treatment of the primary lung lesions. About one month later, the brain metastases unexpectedly disappeared or became smaller.