髓内占位性病变18例手术治疗临床分析

目的 探讨脊髓髓内占位性病变的临床类型、手术方式及预后.方法 笔者对2002-04～2008-05手术治疗脊髓髓内占位性病变18例进行回顾性分析.结果 18例患者均经MRI明确诊断,其中胶质瘤8例,先天性肿瘤7例,神经鞘瘤2例,海绵性血管瘤1例.18例患者全部采用显微神经外科技术手术治疗.其中病变全切12例,部分切除6例,术后肌力较前提高1～2级者13例,术后肌力暂时下降,经2周～1年恢复,比术前改善3例;术后肌力始终无改善或加重者2例,其他症状亦大部明显改善.结论 临床类型以胶质瘤和先天性病变较多.采取最新神经外科显微手术技术,可取得较满意的效果,提高治愈率.     

脊髓髓内病变的显微外科治疗

目的分析脊髓髓内占位性病变的手术特点,探讨手术时机、手术方式及预后。方法回顾性分析2002年7月-2008年4月经手术和病理证实的25例脊髓髓内占位性病变,随访患者术后神经功能状态。结果病变全切20例,次全切除3例,大部切除2例。术后病理证实室管膜瘤15例,星形细胞瘤2例,海绵状血管瘤2例,脂肪瘤2例,神经鞘瘤1例,血管畸形1例,结核瘤1例,炎性肉芽肿1例。术后神经功能好转20例,无变化3例,加重2例。结论对脊髓髓内病变应早期诊断,应在发生明显神经功能障碍之前实施手术。沿着确切的瘤一髓界面分离、切除病变,是肿瘤一级切除的基本保证,重建蛛网膜下腔能有效防止脊髓粘连;采用椎板成型解剖学复位技术可提高术后脊柱稳定性。     

脊髓髓内神经鞘瘤的临床诊断和治疗

目的 探讨脊髓髓内神经鞘瘤的临床特点和外科治疗方法.方法 回顾分析8例髓内神经鞘瘤的临床特点、影像学表现及其手术治疗效果.结果 8例患者肿瘤均获手术全切除,术后均进行临床随访,随访时间3 - 108个月.术前有肌力下降的5例患者,术后3个月肌力较术前明显改善,有6例患者术后出现不同程度感觉异常:所有患者MRI复查未见肿瘤复发.结论 脊髓背外侧生长且边界清楚,均匀强化的脊髓髓内肿瘤伴有明显神经根症状,应考虑髓内神经鞘瘤诊断,手术全切肿瘤是该病的最佳治疗选择,手术入路和手术技巧与预后密切相关.     

高颈髓髓内肿瘤显微外科治疗分析

目的 探讨显微神经外科手术治疗高颈髓髓内肿瘤的方法及临床疗效.方法 回顾分析我院显微外科手术切除15例高颈髓髓内肿瘤的临床资料.其中达到镜下全切除9例,次全切除3例,部分切除或活检3例.结果 术后病理显示:室管膜瘤8例,星形细胞瘤5例,血管母细胞瘤2例.平均随访25个月,症状好转13例,无变化1例,1例症状加重.结论 对脊髓髓内病变应早期诊断,显微手术治疗高颈髓髓内肿瘤可取得较好疗效.     

脊髓髓内神经鞘瘤的显微神经外科手术治疗

目的探讨脊髓髓内神经鞘瘤临床特点及手术治疗方法,以求提高疗效。方法对重庆医科大学第一附属医院神经外科2001年3月至2008年3月收治的脊髓髓内神经鞘瘤5例进行回顾性分析。结果本组5例均行肿瘤全切除手术,采用气管插管静脉复合麻醉,术中可见5例肿瘤皆有包膜,与周围脊髓界限清楚。术后4例神经系统症状均得到不同程度的改善。结论脊髓髓内神经鞘瘤手术切除效果较好,超声导航下显微外科技术能精确区分肿瘤与正常脊髓组织,有利于肿瘤全切除并保护好周围脊髓组织,值得推广。     

显微外科手术切除脊髓髓内肿瘤36例

目的　探讨显微神经外科技术在脊髓髓内肿瘤切除中的应用。方法　对 3 6例脊髓髓内肿瘤行显微神经外科切除术 ,观察手术前后症状及体征变化 ,评价对脊髓功能的影响。结果　 3 6例脊髓髓内肿瘤全切除 1 7例 ,次全切除 1 5例 ,部分切除 4例。 3 0例随访 6个月至 3年 ,恢复工作和学习 1 2例 ,生活自理 1 4例 ,生活需照顾 4例。结论　显微神经外科技术明显提高脊髓髓内肿瘤的切除率 ,改善生活质量 ,是髓内肿瘤治疗的主要手段     

脊髓髓内肿瘤及显微外科治疗

目的 探讨脊髓髓内肿瘤的诊断和显微手术切除方法。方法 对16例脊髓髓内肿瘤手术患者进行回顾性研究。结果 肿瘤全切除10例,近全切除4例,大部切除2例,术后12例均有不同程度的改善和好转,1例肌力较术前减退,3例未见明显好转。随访3个月～4年,室管膜瘤复发1例,星形细胞瘤复发3例,其余未见复发。结论 脊髓髓内肿瘤应作显微手术切除,避免或减少脊髓损伤,尽量做到全切除,减少术后的复发。     

显微手术治疗脊髓髓内肿瘤

目的探讨脊髓髓内肿瘤的显微手术治疗效果。方法回顾性分析经显微手术治疗的27例脊髓髓内肿瘤病人的临床资料。结果肿瘤全切除13例,次全切除10例,大部分切除4例。术后1月症状明显改善21例,稳定3例,加重3例。本组无死亡病例。术后随访6-24个月,复发2例;按McCormick脊髓功能状态分级：Ⅰ级17例,Ⅱ级6例,Ⅲ级3例,Ⅳ级1例。结论MRI是诊断脊髓髓内肿瘤的首选方法,显微手术切除脊髓髓内肿瘤是一种有效的手段。     

脊髓肿瘤的显微外科治疗

目的　探讨脊髓肿瘤的手术治疗效果。方法　回顾 3 8例脊髓肿瘤患者的诊断及显微手术切除方法。其中髓外 3 4例 ,髓内 4例。结果　肿瘤全切除 3 2例 (84 2 % ) ,次全切除 2例 ,大部分切除 4例 ,无手术死亡及严重致残 ,良性髓外及髓内肿瘤全切除后 ,多数患者脊髓功能在短期内即获改善 ,但是术前脊髓功能越差术后恢复越困难。结论　脊髓肿瘤应早期诊断并尽早手术治疗 ,术者娴熟的显微手术技巧可避免或减轻脊髓损伤。     

脊髓髓内肿瘤显微外科治疗

目的总结脊髓髓内肿瘤的治疗经验。方法回顾性分析11例脊髓髓内肿瘤病人的临床资料,位于颈段2例,胸段6例,腰段3例。行MRI平扫和增强扫描明确诊断,均采用显微外科手术治疗,结合术中所见对诊断及治疗进行分析。结果肿瘤全切除7例,次全切除4例。术后症状明显改善8例,无改善2例,加重1例,无手术死亡。按McCormick脊髓功能状态分级标准:Ⅰ级8例,Ⅱ级1例,Ⅲ级1例,Ⅴ级1例。随访7例,时间6～24个月,复发2例。结论 MRI是诊断脊髓髓内肿瘤的首选方法,手术切除肿瘤能改善症状。     

Hepatic Considerations in the Use of Antiepileptic Drugs

Summary: Virtually all of the major antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) can cause hepatotoxicity, although fatal hepatic reactions are rare. The mechanisms, incidences, and risk profiles for such reactions differ from drug to drug. With carbamazepine and phenytoin, hepatotoxicity may be due to drug hypersensitivity. Although the profiles of patients at risk have not been well-defined for these two antiepileptic drugs, it would appear from reports in the literature that older adolescents and adults are at higher risk than children of developing serious or fatal hepatotoxicity. Once hepatotoxicity develops, mortality rates are 10–38% with phenytoin and 25% for carbamazepine. The risk profile for valproate fatal hepatotoxicity has been more clearly defined. Those at primary risk of fatal hepatic dysfunction are children under the age of 2 years who are receiving multiple anticonvulsants and also have significant medical problems in addition to severe epilepsy. The risk is considerably lower for patients over the age of 2 years on valproate monotherapy. In contrast to the risk profile with other AEDs, adults receiving valproate as monotherapy have the lowest risk of hepatotoxicity. Fatal hepatic dysfunction coincident with valproate may be the result of aberrant drug metabolism. Concomitant use of AEDs that induce microsomal P450 enzymes (e.g., phenytoin and phenobarbital) may enhance the production of a toxic metabolite, and hence the greater risk of hepatotoxicity with polypharmacy.     

Vascular Malformations and Epilepsy: Clinical Considerations and Basic Mechanisms

Summary: Vascular malformations (VMs) are associated with epilepsy. The natural history of the various VMs, clinical presentation, and tendency to provoke epilepsy determine treatment strategies. Investigations have probed the mechanisms of epileptogenesis associated with these lesions. Electrophysiologic changes are associated with epileptogenic cortex adjacent to VMs. Putative pathophysiologic mechanisms of epileptogenesis include neuronal cell loss, glial proliferation and abnormal glial physiology, altered neurotransmitter levels, free radical formation, and aberrant second messenger physiology.     

Diagnostic Difficulties and Treatment Implications

Summary: Differentiation between types of epileptic seizures has been aided in recent years by the introduction of intensive neurodiagnostic techniques and the development of increasingly detailed classification systems. Paradoxically, these developments have not simplified the task of matching the appropriate antiepileptic drug to a particular seizure type. It is reasonable to assume that anticonvulsant drugs will have different effects on different types of seizures, but faulty, circular reasoning can enter the picture if one also assumes that responses of seizures to different drugs signify different seizure types. There are several examples of differential diagnoses that can fall prey to this problem, including the diagnosis between partial seizures with secondary generalization and generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and the diagnosis between complex partial seizures and absence seizures with automatisms, among others. Considerations of etiology in future classification systems can further complicate the problem: should one then choose an anticonvulsant drug on the basis of individual seizure type or on the basis of the type of epilepsy? Ramifications of this issue extend even to the drug approval process. Official sanction is not given for use of a drug for a seizure type not included in the original efficacy studies, even if later scientific evidence shows that seizure type to be related to a type that is included. New trials must be undertaken. These problems arise from how we choose to classify seizures.     

Cognitive Dysfunction Associated with Antiepileptic Drug Therapy

Summary: Epilepsy is frequently associated with cognitive dysfunction. However, the reasons for this correlation are unclear. Possible influential factors include patient age; duration, frequency, etiology, and type of seizures; hereditary factors; psychosocial issues; and antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy. Whereas many of these factors are beyond the physician's control, AED therapy is one element that can be addressed in treatment decisions by recognizing the potential cognitive effects of particular AEDs. For example, phenobarbital impairs memory and concentration; phenytoin affects attention, problem solving ability, and performance of visuomotor tasks. In contrast, carbamazepine may affect concentration, while valproate would appear to have minimal effects on cognition. Moreover, cognitive effects of AEDs are amplified with coadministration of multiple anticonvulsants (polytherapy). A review of studies on the cognitive effects of monotherapy with AEDs, as opposed to those of polytherapy, provides evidence that drug-related cognitive dysfunction can be reversed if patients are switched to a simpler therapeutic regimen. Future research should be directed toward developing reliable measures for assessing and monitoring cognition, and understanding the particular cognitive side effects of each AED. Physicians also need to revise their opinions about which side effects are "tolerable" for epileptic patients.     

Epilepsy and anomalies of neuronal migration: MRI and clinical aspects

Neuronal migration disorders are the result of disturbed brain development. In such disorders, neurons are abnormally located. In diagnosing these conditions, magnetic resonance imaging is superior to any other imaging technique. This enables us to improve our knowledge of the clinical correlates of neuronal migration. With reference to migrational disorder, a retrospective study of all 303 patients with epileptic seizures referred for magnetic resonance imaging during a 3-year period was performed, 13 patients (aged 12-41, mean age 27) were identified. They represent 4.3% of the entire study group. Of the patients with known epilepsy, 6.7% and of the mentally retarded, 13.7% had migrational disorders. Four patients had schizencephaly as the dominant finding, one was classified as hemimegalencephaly, 2 had isolated heterotopias, and 6 had localized pachy- and/or poly-microgyria. The clinical pictures are complex. Ectopias of grey matter are recognised foci of epilepsy, but from an epileptological and a clinical viewpoint little attention has been given to these disorders. The present study shows that malmigration is not rare in epilepsy patients, especially not in the mentally retarded.     

Carbamazepine Efficacy and Utilization in Children

Summary: Carbamazepine is effective for preventing partial and generalized tonic-clonic seizures in children. Although absence epilepsies are more common in children than adults, an estimated 80% of children with epilepsy have seizure types or epilepsies that are potentially responsive to carbamazepine. The differential diagnosis of ictal staring is an especially important issue in children because absence and atypical absence seizures are more prevalent in children than adults. Age-related pharmacokinetic differences and drug interactions are major considerations in children. On average, children have higher clearance rates of carbamazepine, shorter half-lives, and higher ratios of carbamazepine-10, 11-epoxide to carbamazepine than adults. In addition, children with severe epilepsy are more likely to require multiple-drug therapy, which can lead to complex drug interactions. When carbamazepine is administered along with valproate, drug protein binding interactions can cause intermittent side effects.     

Carbamazepine Efficacy in Adults With Partial and Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizures

Summary: Carbamazepine and phenytoin are drugs of choice in initial monotherapy for adult partial and secondarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures. These designations reflect the results of the Veterans Administration Epilepsy Cooperative Study Group of 1985. An earlier comparative study of carbamazepine and phenytoin by Ramsay and associates found both drugs equally effective in controlling new-onset seizures. Among the advantages of carbamazepine is that it causes relatively few cognitive and dysmorphic side effects. Its disadvantages are its unavailability in parenteral formulation and its metabolic autoinduction. The latter must be compensated for by planned dosage increases to maintain therapeutic plasma steady-state levels during the first 2 or 3 months of treatment. Carbamazepine is judged a drug of choice in the treatment of these secondarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and the drug of choice in children, adolescents, and women susceptible to the dysmorphic side effects associated with other anticonvulsant agents.     

Etiologic and Preventive Aspects of Epilepsy in the Child–Bridging the Gap Between Laboratory and Clinic

Summary: Four broad categories of basic phenomena are pertinent to developing ways to prevent epilepsy. These include mechanisms of epileptogenesis, ictal initiation and temporary entrainment by the seizure discharge of normally functioning brain, seizure propagation, and control mechanisms that function both to restrain the cascade of epileptic events culminating in a seizure and to arrest the epileptic event and restore the interictal state. In newborns and children, hypoxia-ischemia is a major factor leading to epileptogenesis, and several schemes are proposed to classify, quantify, and prevent hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Control mechanisms must be better understood in order to develop prophylactic recommendations for epilepsy, and an experimental model of "kindling antagonism" may increase our understanding of these. Programs of prevention of seizures in children will evolve only if basic researchers and clinicians work productively together to develop an adequate understanding of factors important in epileptogenesis and antiepileptogenic control mechanisms.     

Predisposing and Causative Factors in Childhood Epilepsy

Summary: We review information from large studies of defined populations, examining the role of known factors and especially of prenatal and perinatal factors in contributing to nonfebrile seizure disorders of early childhood. We depend especially, but not exclusively, on the recently completed analyses from the Collaborative Perinatal Project of the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke, the NCPP. About 4% of children in the NCPP who had at least one non-febrile nonsymptomatic seizure by the age of 7 years had a previous seizure during acute neurologic illness, such as meningitis or during the acute illness after trauma. Many such seizures should potentially be preventable. Of children with seizures, 10% had had a neonatal seizure and 13% had had a febrile seizure. Among the hundreds of prenatal and perinatal factors explored as predictors of childhood seizure disorders, the principal predictors identified were congenital malformations of the fetus, cerebral and noncerebral; family history of certain neurologic disorders; and neonatal seizures. In agreement with the British National Child Development Study, labor and delivery factors in the NCPP appeared to contribute very little to childhood seizure disorders. Maldevelopment, rather than damage at birth to an initially intact nervous system, appeared to be the more common mechanism. Most seizure disorders of early childhood remained unexplained by the large set of prenatal and perinatal characteristics examined.     

Classification of methods in transcranial Electrical Stimulation (tES) and evolving strategy from historical approaches to contemporary innovations

Transcranial Electrical Stimulation (tES) encompasses all methods of non-invasive current application to the brain used in research and clinical practice. We present the first comprehensive and technical review, explaining the evolution of tES in both terminology and dosage over the past 100 years of research to present day. Current transcranial Pulsed Current Stimulation (tPCS) approaches such as Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation (CES) descended from Electrosleep (ES) through Cranial Electro-stimulation Therapy (CET), Transcerebral Electrotherapy (TCET), and NeuroElectric Therapy (NET) while others like Transcutaneous Cranial Electrical Stimulation (TCES) descended from Electroanesthesia (EA) through Limoge, and Interferential Stimulation. Prior to a contemporary resurgence in interest, variations of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation were explored intermittently, including Polarizing current, Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation (GVS), and Transcranial Micropolarization. The development of these approaches alongside Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) and pharmacological developments are considered. Both the roots and unique features of contemporary approaches such as transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) and transcranial Random Noise Stimulation (tRNS) are discussed. Trends and incremental developments in electrode montage and waveform spanning decades are presented leading to the present day. Commercial devices, seminal conferences, and regulatory decisions are noted. We conclude with six rules on how increasing medical and technological sophistication may now be leveraged for broader success and adoption of tES.