Rhomboencephalosynapsis: Review of the Literature.

Rhombencephalosynapsis is a rare congenital anomaly, characterized by partial or total agenesis of the cerebellar vermis with midline fusion of the cerebellar hemispheres, dentate nuclei, and the superior cerebellar peduncles, creating the distinctive keyhole appearance of the fourth ventricle. Rhombencephalosynapsis can be isolated or can occur in association with other congenital anomalies and syndromes such as Gómez-López-Hernández syndrome (GLHS) or VACTERL: vertebral anomalies (V), anal atresia (A), cardiovascular defects (C), esophageal atresia and/or tracheoesophageal fistula (TE), and renal (R) and limb/radial (L) anomalies. Recent advances in prenatal imaging have resulted in an increasing rate of prenatal diagnosis of abnormalities of the posterior fossa including rhombencephalosynapsis.

Absence of Ischemic Injury after Sacrificing the Superior Petrosal Vein during Microvascular Decompression.

Background: Sacrificing the superior petrosal vein (SPV) is controversial during a microvascular decompression (MVD). There have been multiple reports of complications including life-threatening brainstem infarction and cerebellar edema.

Objective: To analyze the potential for vascular complications when the SPV is sacrificed during an MVD.

Retrosigmoid approach for glycerin rhizotomy in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia without overt arterial compression: updated case series.

Objective: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a neuropathic pain disorder characterized by severe, lancinating facial pain that is commonly treated with neuropathic medication, percutaneous rhizotomy, and/or microvascular decompression (MVD). Patients who are not found to have distinct arterial compression during MVD present a management challenge. In 2013, the authors reported on a small case series of such patients in whom glycerin was injected intraoperatively into the cisternal segment of the trigeminal nerve.