Evaluation of variation in the course of the facial nerve, nerve adhesion to tumors, and postoperative facial palsy in acoustic neuroma.

Objective To investigate the variation in the course of the facial nerve (FN) in patients undergoing acoustic neuroma (AN) surgery, its adhesion to tumors, and the relationship between such adhesions and postoperative facial palsy. Methods The subjects were 356 patients who underwent AN surgery in whom the course of the FN could be confirmed. Patients were classified into six groups: ventro-central surface of the tumor (VCe), ventro-rostral (VR), ventro-caudal (VCa), rostral (R), caudal (C), and dorsal (D).

Surgical removal of chondroma of the petrous apex resulting in hearing improvement--case report.

An 18-year-old male presented with a chondroma in the petrous apex manifesting as major complaints of headaches and sensorineural hearing disturbance on the right. Head computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a neoplastic lesion in the right petrous apex, which had bulged to compress the internal auditory meatus. Surgical removal improved his hearing with normalization of the postoperative air conduction threshold by reduction of the pressure of the internal auditory meatus, suggesting that the function of the cochlea was retained and the tumor was compressing the cochleal nerve at the level of the internal auditory meatus.

Choroid plexus papilloma originating in the sella turcica--case report.

A 51-year-old female presented with a rare case of choroid plexus papilloma originating in the sella turcica manifesting as headaches that was not readily distinguishable preoperatively from pituitary adenoma. Head magnetic resonance imaging revealed a tumor extending from the sella turcica to the suprasellar cistern. The tumor was removed via an endonasal transsphenoidal approach.

[Development of a radioactive pharmaceuticals management system using a Web-based system].

Systems for recording data on radiopharmaceuticals have changed following the Medical Care Law on concentration limits of radioisotopes in drainage, exhaust gas, and the atmosphere. A Web-based system that includes a patient information subsystem, DICOM imaging subsystem, and laboratory order subsystem has been developed for the receipt, use, stock prescription, disposal, and accounting of radiopharmaceuticals was developed using a Web-based system in order to simplify radiation safety management operations such as changes and additions to record book forms. In verifying the usefulness of the system and its recording and search times, it was found that the new Web-based system provides superior performance.

[A case of Jefferson fracture treated with the Sof'wire cable system method of fixation].

Jefferson fracture is a very rare disease which occurs in only 2-13% of all cervical spinal fracture cases and in only 1.3% of total spinal fracture cases. A combination of an atlas-axis fracture occurs relatively frequently and with a higher incidence of neurological morbidity than isolated fractures.