Cerebral Hemodynamics During Exposure to Hypergravity (+G) or Microgravity (0 G).

Optimal human performance and health is dependent on steady blood supply to the brain. Hypergravity (+G) may impair cerebral blood flow (CBF), and several investigators have also reported that microgravity (0 G) may influence cerebral hemodynamics. This has led to concerns for safe performance during acceleration maneuvers in aviation or the impact long-duration spaceflights may have on astronaut health.

A double-blind randomized trial on the clinical effect of different shunt valve settings in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus.

Objective: The study aim was to examine the effect of gradually reducing the opening pressure on symptoms and signs in the shunt treatment of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH).

Methods: In this prospective double-blinded, randomized, controlled, double-center study on patients with iNPH, a ventriculoperitoneal shunt with an adjustable Codman Medos Valve was implanted in 68 patients randomized into 2 groups. In 1 group (the 20-4 group) the valve setting was initially set to 20 cm H2O and gradually reduced to 4 cm H2O over the course of the 6-month study period.

Characteristics of intracranial pressure (ICP) waves and ICP in children with treatment-responsive hydrocephalus.

Background: One important goal of modern treatment of pediatric hydrocephalus is to normalize the intracranial pressure (ICP) and ICP volume reserve capacity to optimize normal brain development. Better knowledge of the characteristics of ICP waves/ICP in pediatric hydrocephalus may provide new insight into the mechanisms behind modern hydrocephalus treatment. The aim of the present work was to characterize the ICP waves/ICP in children with either communicating or non-communicating hydrocephalus who improved clinically after surgery.

Association between ventricular volume measures and pulsatile and static intracranial pressure scores in non-communicating hydrocephalus.

Background: In non-communicating hydrocephalus (HC), enlarged cerebral ventricles are often thought to reflect increased intracranial pressure (ICP) or increased pulsatile ICP. The present study was undertaken to explore the association between ventricular volume measures and pulsatile or static ICP scores in patients with non-communicating HC. Since linear measures of ventricular size have the most widespread use, we also examined how linear and volume measures of ventricular size compare.

Intracranial pressure monitoring in pediatric and adult patients with hydrocephalus and tentative shunt failure: a single-center experience over 10 years in 146 patients.

OBJECT In patients with hydrocephalus and shunts, lasting symptoms such as headache and dizziness may be indicative of shunt failure, which may necessitate shunt revision. In cases of doubt, the authors monitor intracranial pressure (ICP) to determine the presence of over- or underdrainage of CSF to tailor management. In this study, the authors reviewed their experience of ICP monitoring in shunt failure.

A randomized controlled dual-center trial on shunt complications in idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus treated with gradually reduced or "fixed" pressure valve settings.

Object: This study was undertaken to investigate whether a gradual reduction of the valve setting (opening pressure) decreases the complication rate in patients with idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) treated with a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt.

Methods: In this prospective double-blinded, randomized, controlled, dual-center study, a VP shunt with an adjustable valve was implanted in 68 patients with iNPH, randomized into two groups. In one group (the 20-4 group) the valve setting was initially set to 20 cm H₂O and gradually reduced to 4 cm H2O over the course of the 6-month study period.

Surgical site infections after deep brain stimulation surgery: frequency, characteristics and management in a 10-year period.

Background/aims: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) implant infection is a feared complication, as it is difficult to manage and leads to increased patient morbidity. We wanted to assess the frequency and possible risk factors of DBS related infections at our centre. In the purpose of evaluating treatment options, we also analyzed treatment, and the clinical and microbiological characteristics of the infections.

Long-term follow-up of thalamic deep brain stimulation for essential tremor - patient satisfaction and mortality.

Background: Ventral intermediate thalamic nucleus (VIM) deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective treatment for tremor, but there is limited data on long-term efficacy and mortality after VIM-DBS. Here we report the analysis of patient satisfaction and mortality in all patients treated in our center 1996-2010 with VIM-DBS for essential tremor (ET).

Methods: Forty-six consecutive patients were included in this study.

Local and systemic pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine patterns in patients with chronic subdural hematoma: a prospective study.

Objective And Design: Innate immune pro- and anti-inflammatory responses in patients with chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) were investigated by measuring and comparing the systemic and subdural fluid levels of cytokines.

Materials And Method: Cytokine values were analyzed in samples obtained during surgery of 56 adult patients who were operated on for unilateral CSDHs using a Multiplex antibody bead kit.

Results: There were significantly higher levels of the pro-inflammatory IL-2R (p = 0.

Morphological characterization of cardiac induced intracranial pressure (ICP) waves in patients with overdrainage of cerebrospinal fluid and negative ICP.

Symptomatic overdrainage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) can be seen in shunted hydrocephalus patients and in non-shunted patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH). In these patients, intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring often reveals negative static ICP, while it is less understood how the pulsatile ICP (cardiac induced ICP waves) is affected. This latter aspect is addressed in the present study.

Chemokines as markers of local inflammation and angiogenesis in patients with chronic subdural hematoma: a prospective study.

Objective: The goal of this study was to investigate the chemokines CCL2, CXCL8, CXCL9 and CXCL10 as markers of the inflammatory responses in chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH).

Methods: Samples of peripheral venous blood and CSDH fluid (obtained during surgery) in 76 adult patients were prospectively analyzed. Chemokine values were assessed by a Multiplex antibody bead kit.

Is ventriculomegaly in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus associated with a transmantle gradient in pulsatile intracranial pressure?

Purpose: In patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) and ventriculomegaly, examine whether there is a gradient in pulsatile intracranial pressure (ICP) from within the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of cerebral ventricles (ICP(IV)) to the subdural (ICP(SD)) compartment. We hypothesized that pulsatile ICP is higher within the ventricular CSF.

Methods: The material includes 10 consecutive iNPH patients undergoing diagnostic ICP monitoring as part of pre-operative work-up.

Abductor pollicis longus tendon interposition for arthrosis in the first carpometacarpal joint: 55 thumbs reviewed after 3 (1-5) years.

We have performed an interposition arthroplasty using the abductor pollicis longus (APL) tendon for arthrosis in the basal joint of the thumb in our department since 1995. Before this, we had been using an interposition with the flexor carpi radialis (FCR) tendon. We re-examined 47 patients (55 thumbs) after a median follow-up of 41 (16-60) months.