Persistent communicating hydrocephalus in adult tuberous sclerosis patients: a possible therapeutic role for everolimus.

Subependymal giant cell tumor (SGCT) is a benign intraventricular tumor, usually located near the foramen of Monro. It is almost always associated with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). SGCTs may obstruct cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pathways.

Cord compression due to extradural thoracic nerve root hemangioblastoma.

Hemangioblastomas (HGBs) are benign tumors that occur sporadically or as part of von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease. 6-8% of spinal HGBs are extramedullary in location, and basically referred to as HGB of the spinal nerve root. Purely extradural (ED) location is the rarest form of these tumors.

Risk factors for development of significant chronic subdural hematoma following conservative treatment of acute subdural hemorrhage.

Objective: One of the complications of untreated acute subdural hemorrhage (aSDH) is the late development of chronic subdural hematomas (cSDH). cSDH may cause major neurologic deficits, requiring their surgical evacuation. The aim of our work was to find risk factors for the development of significant cSDH requiring surgery following conservative treatment of trauma-related aSDH.

Novel surgical approach in the management of longitudinal pathologies within the spinal canal: the split laminotomy and "archbone" technique: alternative to multilevel laminectomy or laminotomy.

Multilevel laminectomy to open the spinal canal carries the risk of spinal deformities and instability. With the aim of preserving and reconstructing the posterior structures the authors developed a novel, minimally invasive, multilevel spinous process splitting and distracting laminotomy approach with or without complementary corticocancellous iliac crest or PEEK cage "archbone" grafting. The technique allows exploration of the spinal canal and the removal of intramedullary pathologies.

Outcome of untreated meningiomas.

Background: Nowadays meningiomas are frequently detected incidentally. Their natural history has not yet been established because it is difficult to predict the growth pattern. Therefore, the management, after the radiological diagnosis, is still controversial.

Visual outcome in meningiomas around anterior visual pathways treated with linear accelerator fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy.

Purpose: Meningiomas threatening the anterior visual pathways (AVPs) and not amenable for surgery are currently treated with multisession stereotactic radiotherapy. Stereotactic radiotherapy is available with a number of devices. The most ubiquitous include the gamma knife, CyberKnife, tomotherapy, and isocentric linear accelerator systems.

Epidemiology of gliomas in Israel: a nationwide study.

Background: Glial brain tumors span a wide range of neoplasms with distinct clinical and histopathological features. This report presents the descriptive epidemiology of glial tumors by histological subtype and tumor behavior.

Methods: The study population included all incident cases of glial tumors diagnosed in Israel during March 2001 to July 2003.

Hearing preservation using combined monitoring of extra-tympanic electrocochleography and auditory brainstem responses during acoustic neuroma surgery.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an intraoperative monitoring hearing preservation strategy that includes simultaneous recordings of an auditory brainstem response (ABR) and non-invasive electrocochleography (ECochG). The combined ABR and tympanic membrane (TM) ECochG testing was performed in 74 patients undergoing acoustic neuroma (AN) surgery. In addition, EMG recordings were conducted to monitor the facial nerve function.

[Cushing disease: long-term follow-up after transsphenoidal surgery].

Background: Cushing's syndrome due to an ACTH-secreting pituitary tumor is associated with serious morbidity and mortality. As there is no definitive medical treatment, surgical removal of the tumor via the transsphenoidal route remains the first choice. Postoperative hypocortisolemia is recognized as the best indicator of cure.

Non-resectable slow-growing meningiomas treated by hydroxyurea.

Purpose: To test the benefit of hydroxyurea in the treatment of recurrent and non-resectable slow-growing meningiomas.

Methods: Twelve patients with regrowing non-malignant meningiomas, were enrolled for a protocol of 2 years with continuous chemotherapy with hydroxyurea, 20 mg/kg/day. Response to treatment was evaluated both clinically and by diagnostic imaging using computed tomography (CT) and 201-Thallium single photon emission CT.

Ammonium trichloro(dioxoethylene-o,o')tellurate (AS101) sensitizes tumors to chemotherapy by inhibiting the tumor interleukin 10 autocrine loop.

Cancer cells of different solid and hematopoietic tumors express growth factors in respective stages of tumor progression, which by autocrine and paracrine effects enable them to grow autonomously. Here we show that the murine B16 melanoma cell line and two human primary cultures of stomach adenocarcinoma and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) constitutively secrete interleukin (IL)-10 in an autocrine/paracrine manner. This cytokine is essential for tumor cell proliferation because its neutralization decreases clonogenicity of malignant cells, whereas addition of recombinant IL-10 increases cell proliferation.

Dexanabinol (HU-211) in the treatment of severe closed head injury: a randomized, placebo-controlled, phase II clinical trial.

Objective: To establish the safety of intravenous dexanabinol in severe head injury.

Design: Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo- (vehicle) controlled, multicenter, escalating dose study of a single administration of drug (48 or 150 mg) or vehicle (1 or 3 mL).

Setting: All Israeli neurosurgical intensive care units (a total of six units).