Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Atul Goel.
A 16-year-old non-immunocompromised and otherwise healthy patient presented with a tuberculous brain abscess. The abscess was aspirated stereotactically. Following the aspiration the disease process flared up and multiple daughter abscess cavities were discovered. The daughter abscesses were removed via craniotomy. Stereotactic aspiration requires care to prevent such flare up of the disease.
A 22-year-old female presented with a cerebellopontine angle epidermoid tumor manifesting as a rare combination of hemifacial spasm, trigeminal neuralgia, and tinnitus. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated the tumor distorting the brainstem and the fourth ventricle. The tumor was almost completely resected and the seventh-eighth cranial nerve complex was decompressed by mobilizing the anterior inferior cerebellar artery loop. No arterial loop was related to the trigeminal nerve. The patient was completely relieved of the "tic convulsif" and tinnitus after the surgery. The inflammatory nature of epidermoid tumor may be involved in the etiology of the syndrome. Microvascular decompression may be needed in addition to tumor removal in such cases.
Two rare cases of subtorcular occipital bone hemangioma occurred in 26-year-old and 30-year-old female patients. Partial resection was performed in both cases because of the proximity to the torcula. No recurrence was seen at follow-up examination at 9 and 12 months.
A 38-year-old female presented with headaches, fever, and malaise. Computed tomography showed an intraventricular peripheral ring-enhanced lesion with central necrosis. The lesion was totally excised. Histological examination revealed a tuberculoma. The patient was treated with antituberculous chemotherapy. The patient was asymptomatic at 9 months. Ventricular involvement in neurotuberculosis is rare, but should be considered in the presence of other indicators of tuberculous infection.
A 36-year-old male and a 20-year-old male presented with intramedullary cysticercosis in the thoracic spinal cord. Magnetic resonance imaging clearly identified the cysts. Surgery was performed to decompress the spinal cord, as both patients had progressive and severe worsening of their neurological condition. Intramedullary cysticercosis can be treated successfully by surgery and/or medical therapy.
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OBJECTIVE: We review our experience with the use of the plate and screw method of fixation in the treatment of 160 patients with atlantoaxial instability during a 14-year period at our center. We previously described this method of fixation in 1994. METHODS: Between 1988 and 2001, 160 patients with atlantoaxial instability were treated with the use of a plate and screw method of fixation at the Department of Neurosurgery at King Edward Memorial Hospital in Bombay, India. The study group was composed of 91 males and 69 females (mean age, 23 yr; age range, 18 mo-79 yr). Atlantoaxial instability was a result of congenital abnormality in 132 patients (83%) and occurred after trauma in 28 patients (17%). All patients had mobile, completely reducible atlantoaxial dislocation. For 3 months postoperatively, a hard cervical collar was used. The mean follow-up period was 42 months (range, 4 mo-14 yr). RESULTS: Three patients died in the postoperative phase. Successful stabilization of the atlantoaxial region was documented with dynamic radiography in the other 157 patients. There was no incidence of implant rejection. In one patient, one screw was found to be broken 18 months after surgery; however, firm bony fusion was documented in this patient. There were no neurological, vascular, or infective complications. CONCLUSION: The plate and screw method of fixation with the use of intra-articular bone grafts in patients with atlantoaxial instability yielded a 100% fusion rate with a low incidence of complications.
OBJECTIVE: The surgical strategies and outcomes for 70 patients operated on for tuberculum sellae meningioma were analyzed retrospectively. The analysis was based on factors that probably determined the difficulties encountered during surgery, assisted in predicting the extent of resectability, and helped in predicting the surgical outcome. METHODS: Seventy patients with tuberculum sellae meningiomas were operated on in the neurosurgery department at King Edward Memorial Hospital and Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College, Bombay, India, between 1991 and May 2001. The patients were analyzed retrospectively on the basis of clinical and radiological factors that appeared to affect the outcome. Each factor was given points, and for each tumor, the points were added to obtain a score. On the basis of the score, the tumors were then divided into three grades. The grades determined the difficulties that could be anticipated during surgery. The majority of patients were operated on by use of unifrontal craniotomy on the side of worse vision by standard dissection techniques. RESULTS: Total tumor resection was achieved in 59 patients, and subtotal tumor resection with less than 7% of tumor left behind was achieved in 11 patients. All patients with subtotal resection had higher-grade tumors. Preoperative visual status had a bearing on the visual outcome after surgery. Four patients were misdiagnosed as having a pituitary tumor. Two patients died in the immediate postoperative period. The average follow-up was 46 months (range, 6 mo to 9 yr). There was symptomatic recurrence in one patient in whom a subtotal resection had been performed. CONCLUSION: The extent and duration of visual symptoms, encasement of the anterior cerebral artery complex, and size of the tumor were the more important factors that affected the surgery. The grading system gave a reasonable assessment concerning the possible surgical problems.