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Intraoperative monitoring (IOM) has become the most reliable means to preserve facial nerve function during acoustic neuroma surgery. Since IOM has gradually entered in the operative rooms a proportion of patients did not receive facial nerve IOM. Purpose: to compare faciaI nerve score deficit in monitored versus non-monitored patients. 66 patients (38 non-monitored and 28 monitored) have been evaluated at least two years after operation. The facial nerve compound muscle action potential was recorded by means of surface electrodes; the negative amplitude/area and peak-to-peak amplitude of each sides measured and scored. The mean amplitude/area of the unaffected (1.56 mV/7.30 mV 2 and 1.48 mV/6.69 mV 2 ) and affected sides (0.75 mV/5.12 mV 2 and 0.74 mV/2.56 mV 2 ) and the scores of deficits did not statistically differ. Un-respective of the proportion of the patients with total nerves cut, the results of the study indicated that once the facial nerve was identified and somehow the anatomical continuity preserved, the utility of IOM to improve the quality of facial nerve function was more uncertain because did not affect the neurophysiological outcome, as one might expect instead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Spinal cord herniation is a rare entity that has been recognized and described with increasing frequency in the past few years. It is characterized by herniation of the spinal cord through an anterior dural defect. In their study of 12 cases, the authors attempt to develop management and treatment guidelines for patients suffering from this condition., Methods: A retrospective analysis of the medical files was carried out in a series of 12 consecutive patients treated at our Institution between 1998 and 2011 for spinal cord herniation. The clinical, radiological and surgical findings, management and outcome were reviewed., Results: The male:female ratio was 5:7, with a mean age of 47 years (range 26–71 years). All patients presented a progressively worsening symptomatology. Symptoms at presentation included progressive myelopathy, corticospinal tract sign, algoparesthesia and sphincter dysfunction. The radiological appearance was uniform. All the lesions were located between the T2 and T8 vertebrae. One patient was initially managed conservatively. All patients underwent surgical correction via a posterior approach, with reduction of the herniated spinal cord, the positioning of a muscular autograft to fill the anterior cavity and closure of the dural defect with an artificial dural patch. Six patients showed improvement of preoperative symptomatology at follow-up, while the others remained free from symptom progression., Conclusions: The authors present one of the largest studies to date regarding patients with spinal cord herniation and emphasize that the possibility of this condition must be kept in mind when addressing all patients with progressive myelopathy.

We present a case of a patient with an intraventricular cavernous angioma originating from the splenium of the corpus callosum presenting with intracranial hypertension syndrome. In our case the growth of the lesion from the corpus callosum toward the ventricular spaces determined the direct exclusion of the occipital and temporal horn of the left lateral ventricle.

Several anatomical studies indicate that the intracranial pachimeninges consist of two dural layers joined together, which divide while bordering the venous sinuses, therefore located in an interdural space. We present here an uncommon case of haematoma due to rupture of an infraclinoidal internal carotid artery aneurysm. The dome of the aneurysm leaned against the posterior wall of the cavernous sinus and, following laceration, pierced the inner dural layer and caused its detachment from the periosteal layer, thus determining a truly interdural haematoma which progressively involved the whole posterior fossa. A 42-year-old female was admitted to our institution with a recent history of thunderclap headache and right ophthalmoparesis. Two cerebral computerised scan tomographies performed elsewhere tested negative for subarachnoid haemorrhage. A cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a thin collection of blood adjacent to the clivus and all along the wall of the posterior fossa and foramen magnum. A right infraclinoid internal carotid artery aneurysm was also diagnosed, subsequently better highlighted on angiography. The patient underwent surgery with aneurysm clipping. Post-operative course was uneventful, and control angiography showed complete exclusion of the aneurysm from blood circulation. The patient was discharged 5 days later. At 3 months follow-up ophthalmoplegia had disappeared, and the patient had fully recovered. The possibility of a truly interdural location, particularly in cases of non-traumatic parasellar or clival haematomas, must be included in the differential diagnosis of posterior fossa extra-axial haemorrhages. MRI is the test of choice for diagnostic purposes.

Objective: Radical resection of meningiomas invading the superior sagittal sinus (SSS) presents several hazards. Some surgeons consider SSS invasion a contraindication for complete resection, and others advocate total resection with venous reconstruction. There is a lack of published large series to provide definitive guidelines for the surgical treatment of these complex cases. We report our 15-year experience with surgery of parasagittal meningiomas invading the SSS., Methods: Between 1986 and 2001, 108 patients (73 women, 35 men; age range, 22-83 yr; mean age, 56.2 yr) underwent surgery at the Neurological Institute "C. Besta" of Milan for tumors invading the SSS. Parasagittal meningiomas not invading the SSS were excluded from this series., Results: Simpson Grade I to II removal was achieved in 100 patients. Thirty patients with meningiomas totally occluding the SSS had complete resection of the encased portion of the sinus. Histological examination revealed 86 benign (79.6%), 16 atypical (14.8%), and 4 malignant (3.7%) meningiomas along with 2 hemangiopericytomas. There were two perioperative deaths. Serious complications included brain swelling (nine patients; 8.3%) and postoperative hematoma (two patients; 1.85%). Follow-up ranged from 19 to 223 months (mean, 79.5 mo). One patient was lost to follow-up. Tumors recurred in 15 patients (13.9%). After multivariate analysis, histological type, tumor size, and Simpson grade were confirmed as significant independent prognostic factors for recurrence., Conclusion: On the basis of our results, we conclude that if the sinus is partially invaded, it can be opened to obtain as complete a resection as possible and to attempt to preserve the patency of the sinus. If the sinus is obstructed, the portion of the sinus involved can be resected completely. In both situations, extreme care is vital to preservation of cortical veins, which may offer important collateral drainage. With our approach, good results are achieved and it is not necessary to reconstruct the sinus.

Patients with diffuse pontine gliomas have a median survival of less than one year and represent a challenge for pediatric oncologists, prompting them to attempt experimental therapies. From 1987 to 2005, 62 children with diffuse pontine glioma, not amenable to curative surgery, were treated according to four successive pilot protocols: (1) concomitant chemo-radiotherapy (etoposide, cytarabine, ifosfamide, cisplatin, and dactinomycin); (2) intensive high-dose courses chemotherapy (cisplatin/etoposide, cyclophosphamide/vincristine/methotrexate) and a subsequent course of myeloablative thiotepa followed by radiation and maintenance chemotherapy; (3) cisplatin/etoposide followed by isotretinoin before, during and after focal irradiation; and (4) iv vinorelbine before, during, and after irradiation. Considering all patients, 77% experienced a transient response to treatment, always detectable after radiotherapy. The progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 25 +/- 6% at one year, median PFS was seven months; overall survival (OS) was 45 +/- 6%, median OS was eleven months: no statistical differences in the four studies in terms of outcome were detected. Despite improved diagnostic, therapeutic, and supportive tools in pediatric neuro-oncology, little has been achieved for patients with diffuse pontine tumors.

Reliable data on large cohorts of patients with glioblastoma are needed because such studies differ importantly from trials that have a strong bias toward the recruitment of younger patients with a higher performance status. We analyzed the outcome of 676 patients with histologically confirmed newly diagnosed glioblastoma who were treated consecutively at a single institution over a 7-year period (1997-2003) with follow-up to April 30, 2006. Survival probabilities were 57% at 1 year, 16% at 2 years, and 7% at 3 years. Progression-free survival was 15% at 1 year. Prolongation of survival was significantly associated with surgery in patients with a good performance status, whatever the patient's age, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 0.55 (p < 0.001) or a 45% relative decrease in the risk of death. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy improved survival, with adjusted hazard ratios of 0.61 (p = 0.001) and 0.89 (p = 0.04), respectively, regardless of age, performance status, or residual tumor volume. Recurrence occurred in 99% of patients throughout the follow-up. Reoperation was performed in one-fourth of these patients but was not effective, whether performed within 9 months (hazard ratio, 0.86; p = 0.256) or after 9 months (hazard ratio, 0.98; p = 0.860) of initial surgery, whereas second-line chemotherapy with procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine (PCV) or with temozolomide improved survival (hazard ratio, 0.77; p = 0.008). Surgery followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy should be considered in all patients with glioblastoma, and these treatments should not be withheld because of increasing age alone. The benefit of second surgery at recurrence is uncertain, and new trials are needed to assess its effectiveness. Chemotherapy with PCV or temozolomide seems to be a reasonable option at tumor recurrence.

Objective: To review the natural history and the long-term results of microsurgical resection of brainstem cavernous angiomas operated on in one institution., Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of the preoperative and postoperative course in 52 consecutive patients who underwent microsurgical resection of a brainstem cavernoma between 1990 and 2002. The role of sex, age, cavernoma location, size, multiple bleedings, relationships to the pial-ependymal surface, surgical approach, and preoperative magnetic resonance imaging appearance were evaluated as prognostic factors possibly influencing outcome. Discrete data were compared by use of the chi2 test and Fisher's exact test as appropriate., Results: The risk of hemorrhage was 3.8% per patient per year. The rebleeding rate was 34.7%. Nineteen of 29 patients who experienced new neurological deficits after surgery improved over time to their preoperative condition or better. Permanent morbidity was observed in 10 (19%) of 52 patients (follow-up: 1.5-10.5 yr; mean, 4.7 yr; median, 4.3 yr; standard deviation, 0.2 yr). The final Karnofsky Performance Scale score for these 10 patients was 90 in 2 patients, 80 in 2, 70 in 2, 60 in 2, 50 in 1, and 30 in 1. The mortality rate was 1.9%. The incidence of permanent new neurological deficits was lower in the 20 patients whose lesion could be removed through an anterolateral pontine approach (5 versus 29%; P = 0.035)., Conclusion: Surgical resection is recommended for superficial lesions and for lesions that can be reached through the anterolateral pontine surface. Surgery is also recommended for symptomatic cavernomas with a satellite subacute hematoma.

We report on our experience in the treatment of intracranial germinomas (18 pure germinomas and two germinomas with syncytiotrophoblastic giant cells) according to a strategy of radiotherapy doses and fields reduction after a neoadjuvant chemotherapy (Cisplatin-vinblastine and bleomycin combination). Radiation therapy was delivered after the completion of the third and last course of chemotherapy. For the solitary germinoma the target volume was the gross tumour volume. In the five multifocal germinoma patients the whole ventricle volume was irradiated. For the single disseminated germinoma patient we treated the whole central nervous system. The cumulative doses were 30 Gy for the pure germinomas. For the STGCs, a cumulative dose of 35 Gy was used. The median follow-up was 55 months (range 12-120). 18 patients were alive without recurrence of disease. In the two patients with STGCs the death took place 16 and 35 months after diagnosis.

Objective: Radical resection of meningiomas invading the superior sagittal sinus (SSS) presents several hazards. Some surgeons consider SSS invasion a contraindication for complete resection, and others advocate total resection with venous reconstruction. There is a lack of published large series to provide definitive guidelines for the surgical treatment of these complex cases. We report our 15-year experience with surgery of parasagittal meningiomas invading the SSS., Methods: Between 1986 and 2001, 108 patients (73 women, 35 men; age range, 22-83 yr; mean age, 56.2 yr) underwent surgery at the Neurological Institute "C. Besta" of Milan for tumors invading the SSS. Parasagittal meningiomas not invading the SSS were excluded from this series., Results: Simpson Grade I to II removal was achieved in 100 patients. Thirty patients with meningiomas totally occluding the SSS had complete resection of the encased portion of the sinus. Histological examination revealed 86 benign (79.6%), 16 atypical (14.8%), and 4 malignant (3.7%) meningiomas along with 2 hemangiopericytomas. There were two perioperative deaths. Serious complications included brain swelling (nine patients; 8.3%) and postoperative hematoma (two patients; 1.85%). Follow-up ranged from 19 to 223 months (mean, 79.5 mo). One patient was lost to follow-up. Tumors recurred in 15 patients (13.9%). After multivariate analysis, histological type, tumor size, and Simpson grade were confirmed as significant independent prognostic factors for recurrence., Conclusion: On the basis of our results, we conclude that if the sinus is partially invaded, it can be opened to obtain as complete a resection as possible and to attempt to preserve the patency of the sinus. If the sinus is obstructed, the portion of the sinus involved can be resected completely. In both situations, extreme care is vital to preservation of cortical veins, which may offer important collateral drainage. With our approach, good results are achieved and it is not necessary to reconstruct the sinus.

Oligoastrocytomas are mixed gliomas harboring different genetic alterations and with heterogeneous clinical evolution. We have looked for correlations between genetic losses and clinical evolution in 34 oligoastrocytomas. Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) with different microsatellite markers was studied on chromosomes 1p, 10q, 17p, and 19q. LOH on 1p was found in 44% of the tumors, on 10q in 24%, on 17p in 18%, and on 19q in 38%. LOH on 1p and 19q was combined in 29% of the patients. LOH on 1p was associated with significantly longer overall survival (p = 0.0092) and LOH on 10q with shorter overall survival (p = 0.0206). The observation that LOH on 10q predicts a short survival in oligoastrocytomas is novel and provides further evidence that genetic analysis may help to predict the clinical evolution of different gliomas, giving a more rationale basis to therapeutic options.

Objective: We investigated the in vitro effects of low- and high-dose methylprednisolone (MP) on the cytokine-induced expression of HLA-DR, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 on human brain microvessel endothelial cells (HBMECs)., Methods: Brain endothelium was obtained from microvessels included in the apparently normal white matter of surgical specimens of nine patients. Cells were stained with monoclonal antibodies anti-HLA-DR, anti-ICAM-1 and anti-VCAM-1 and analysed by flow cytometry as fluorescence histograms. The mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of HBMECs treated with different stimuli was calculated., Results: gamma-IFN-induced HLA-DR was down-regulated in a dose-dependent manner by MP. High-dose MP reduced the TNF-alpha-induced ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression., Conclusions: The down-regulation of adhesion molecules on cerebral endothelial cells could decrease mononuclear cell transmigration through the blood brain barrier and consequently the perivascular infiltrates. The results add support to the rationale for high-dose MP treatment in multiple sclerosis relapses.

We have recently isolated stem cells deriving from the olfactory bulbs of adult patients undergoing particularly invasive neurosurgery. After improving our experimental conditions, we have now obtained neural stem cells according to clonal analysis. The cells can be expanded, established in continuous cell lines and differentiated into the three classical neuronal phenotypes (neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes). Also, after exposition to leukemia inhibitory factor, we are able to improve the number of neurons, an ideal biological source for transplantation in various neurodegenerative disorders.

Object: The authors attempted to simplify the operative approach to severe multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Seven patients with progressive and severe myelopathy underwent modified double-door laminoplasty during a 5-month period., Methods: The double-door laminoplasty procedure was modified by using two artificial titanium laminae obtained by simple surgical 0.5-mm Ti-mesh (rather than by bone graft or ceramic spacers). Preoperatively, gait disturbance was present in all patients with long-tract signs on neurological examination. In all cases the sagittal diameter of the cervical spinal canal was somewhat reduced (< 10 mm) by congenital stenosis, and further severe compression of the spinal cord resulted from osteophytic bars and calcified ligamenta flava at different levels. No abnormal alignment, pathological movements, or instability was present. Computerized tomography (CT) studies demonstrated severe multilevel cervical compression, and T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging demonstrated pathological areas of hyperintensity within the spinal cord in all cases. In the initial follow-up study (range 8-12 months), the patients who underwent this procedure experienced marked improvement of gait disturbance without any significant incidence of morbidity or complications. Postoperative CT and MR imaging studies demonstrated complete spinal cord decompression and restoration of the patency of the subarachnoid spaces., Conclusions: The proposed procedure has the advantage of achieving both an immediate stabilization of the open laminae by means of a bridgelike mechanism and protection from the possible compression of the dural sac by paravertebral muscles.

Background: Patients with intracranial anterior circulation aneurysms are subjected to surgical operation because of rupturing of the sac of the aneurysm leading to spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (which occurs in most of the cases) or because of the neurological complaints caused by the mass or pulsation effect of the aneurysms against the surrounding brain structures. Direct surgical treatment of these giant aneurysms is always a challenging procedure but it makes feasible both the clipping of the neck of the aneurysm and the reduction of its mass effect., Methods: A case series of 47 giant anterior circulation aneurysms, operated during a time span of 23 years (1972-1994) in our Institution is presented., Results: In 31 cases the occlusion of the neck of the aneurysm could be achieved by applying single or multiple clips; in the remaining 16 cases the occlusion of the aneurysm was obtained by the aid of different methods. The operative mortality was 12.7%., Conclusions: Endovascular techniques for giant aneurysms occlusion are extremely useful in a combined approach. Due to their low morbidity these treatments can achieve a major role although some long term follow-up studies are still needed for a better understanding of their role.

Three cases of cerebromeningeal pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma are presented and the recurrence of a fourth case, previously described in 1980, is examined because of its evolution towards malignancy. Clinical, radiologic and pathological aspects are discussed and the general features of the previously reported cases of xanthoastrocytoma are reviewed.

A series of 81 patients operated for intramedullary spinal cord tumours over a span of 12 years (1975-1986) is presented. The mean age of the patients was about 37 years and 9 patients were in the paediatric age (0-15 years). In 29 cases (36%) the tumours were located within the cervical region; in 34 cases the tumours were located in the thoracic region (42%) and in 18 cases the tumours were located within the medullary cone (22%). Ependymoma accounted for 52% of the cases (42 cases), astrocytoma for 20% (16 cases), lipoma for 7% (6 cases), hemangioblastoma for 6% (5 cases), metastatic tumours for 5% (4 cases); in the remaining 8 cases (10%) rare or very rare spinal tumours were found. The 9 patients in the paediatric age and 8 additional cases who had undergone previous surgery were then excluded from this review. In 59% of the patients with ependymoma and in 90% of the patients with astrocytoma severe neurological deficit were already present before the operation. Total tumour removal was accomplished in 81% of the cases with ependymoma, total or subtotal removal was achieved in 50% of the cases with astrocytoma. At long term follow-up study fair or good functional results were observed in 19 out of 41 cases of ependymoma (46%) and in 3 cases out of 10 of astrocytoma (30%). The surgical outcome was mostly related to the preoperative neurological conditions and to tumour malignancy grade.

The long-term follow-up of 100 consecutive patients who suffered from a reversible ischaemic attack (RIA) in the carotid territory and were submitted to extra-intracranial arterial bypass (EIAB) surgery in seven Italian Neurosurgical Centres is reported. The preoperative angiographic and clinical features, and the surgical complications are reported. The follow-up ranged from two to seven years with a mean of thirty-five months. In this period in the territory served by the bypass only two completed strokes and six RIAs occurred. Four patients died, only one for cerebral ischaemic problems. The results of the present series have been compared with those of the literature: they appeared consistent with other surgical series and clearly better than those of medical treated patients. The EIAB can then be considered a good therapeutic choice for the treatment of RIAs in carotid territory.

The long-term results obtained in a series of 174 patients operated on for spinal meningiomas are critically analyzed. This series was similar to those of other authors with regard to age, sex, location of the tumors, and clinical presentation. Before surgery, about 70% of the patients were included in Groups I and II (mild neurological impairment), and about 30% of the patients were classified in Groups III and IV (significant to severe neurological impairment, up to paraplegia). Complete tumor removal was achieved in 96.5% of the patients, and surgical mortality was about 1%. Microsurgical technique, which was adopted in the last 29 cases, proved to be very effective in reducing undue damage to the spinal cord and in minimizing the postoperative neurological deficits. Of the 174 patients who underwent surgery, 156 underwent late follow-up study for an average of 15 years (2 patients died in the immediate postoperative period, and 16 patients were lost to follow-up). Twenty-nine patients died of causes unrelated to the spinal meningioma; of the remaining 126 patients, 92% were categorized in Groups I and II, and only 8% in Groups III and IV. The rate of recurrence was 6% (9 patients) among the 150 patients who had complete tumor removal, and the rate of regrowth was 17% (1 patient with anaplastic meningioma) among the 6 patients treated by subtotal removal. The early diagnosis of the disease and the use of microsurgical technique appeared as the most relevant factors for further improvement of the surgical results.

The purpose of this paper is to estimate the real value of the Extra-Intracranial Arterial Bypass (EIAB) in preventing or reducing further and more catastrophic ischaemic events in patients suffering from an Internal Carotid Artery (ICA) occlusion. 257 patients, suffering from ICA occlusion, are considered retrospectively: 122 of them submitted to EIAB and 135 medically treated or untreated. In both groups, homogeneous by sex, age, neurological grading distribution and length of follow-up, the following parameters were considered: the incidence of ischaemic recurrences during the follow-up period; the characters of the recurrences with particular reference to the fatal stroke; the rate of ischaemic events per year. The comparison between the outcome in surgically treated patients and in "untreated" ones indicates that the EIAB can be effective in preventing or reducing the ischaemic recurrences and the frequency of fatal stroke in TIA-, RIND, or stroke-patients suffering from ICA occlusion.

During a 7-year period, we observed 58 patients with signs and symptoms of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in whom clinical and neuroradiological investigations failed to reveal a reasonable cause of the bleeding. Repeat panangiography was negative in the 2 patients with spasm. Rebleeding episodes soon after admission were rare, and the overall rebleeding rate was 3.4% (equivalent to an annual recurrence of 0.6%). In 1 case, a second extensive angiographic evaluation showed a small cerebral arteriovenous malformation, which was successfully treated surgically. On follow-up, 89% of the patients experienced a good outcome, with return to normal activities. This study confirms a good prognosis for patients with SAH of unknown cause. The necessity of performing a second angiographic study and the role of small infundibular dilations of the cerebral arteries are discussed.

The surgical approach to cerebral giant aneurysms is still a source of great concern. We describe our experience with giant aneurysms of the anterior circulation and discuss the different surgical techniques adopted. During the period January 1972-December 1985, a total of 33 patients were operated upon at the Istituto Neurologico "C. Besta" of Milan for a giant aneurysm of the anterior circulation. Nineteen cases had suffered subarachnoid haemorrhage before admission; in 14 cases the hospitalization was due to evidence of mass effect on the surrounding neurovascular structures. All aneurysms were directly approached: in 24 cases the neck was occluded by a suitable clip, in 4 cases intramural thrombosis was attempted, in 3 cases the aneurysms were definitively trapped and in one case aneurysmorrhaphy was performed after resection of the sac. Operative mortality was 12%. Long-term follow-up shows good results whenever exclusion of the aneurysm from cerebral circulation had been achieved, either after removal of the sac or not; on the contrary, only fair or poor results were evident when other surgical techniques were adopted, either electively or out of necessity. The importance of intraoperative protection and monitoring of brain function is stressed.