Hemispherical deafferentation: an alternative to functional hemispherectomy.

An alternative technique for so-called functional hemispherectomy has been developed to be used for the classical indications of hemispherectomy or the various modifications of functional hemispherectomy. The technique entails a smaller trepanation, less operation time, and less blood loss, and it leaves more brain tissue in place as compared with other functional hemispherectomy techniques. It starts with either hippocampectomy alone or with hippocampectomy and anterior temporal lobectomy.

Activation of the epileptic focus by transcranial magnetic stimulation of the human brain.

To establish whether transcranial magnetic stimulation is able to activate the primary epileptic focus preferentially, 13 patients who had medically intractable complex partial seizures were examined prior to surgical therapy. Single or a series of magnetic stimuli were applied to various regions of the skull. The effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation were monitored via subdurally implanted electrodes.

Pharmacokinetic aspects of cerebrospinal fluid penetration of fosfomycin.

Even today antibiotic therapy of postoperative or posttraumatic meningitis remains a problem. In patients in a neurosurgical intensive care unit, nosocomial microorganisms with high resistance are mainly found. There are no antibiotics available which have simultaneously a good efficacy on the higher resistant nosocomial microorganisms and a good penetration through the blood-brain or blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier.