Donald A Eckard | PubMed Health

PubMed2003

Stiff guide technique: technical report and illustrative case.

Endovascular techniques are gaining wider acceptance in the treatment of intracranial lesions. Tortuous vasculature is a common reason for failure to treat an intracranial lesion, especially when balloon catheters or stents are used. In these cases, the guiding catheter often buckles into the aorta during an attempt to place the balloon or stent. In our experience, a stiff wire can be used to support the guiding catheter, allowing the balloon catheter or stent to more readily navigate tortuous vessels.

Angioplasty, Balloon↗

PubMed2002

Imaging of acquired cerebral herniations.

The consequences of cerebral herniation are compression of the brain, cranial nerves, and blood vessels that may result in serious neurologic morbidity, coma, and even death. A thorough understanding of the various patterns of cerebral herniation is essential, and it is important to remember that many of these patterns of herniation overlap. CT and MR imaging are effective at establishing the diagnosis of cerebral herniation, which will guide important decisions regarding therapeutic options and prognosis.

Brain↗

PubMed2002

Percutaneous ethanol sclerotherapy of venous malformations of the tongue.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Percutaneous ethanol sclerotherapy has been reported to be efficacious for head and neck venous malformations. We sought to evaluate the safety and efficacy of percutaneous sclerotherapy by using ethanol for treatment of symptomatic venous malformations of the tongue. METHODS: Eleven sclerotherapy procedures were performed in seven patients from January 1995 to February 2001. Patient age ranged from 19 months to 57 years (mean age, 32 years). Four patients were male and three were female. Mean follow-up was 36 months. The volume of ethanol used per treatment session ranged from 2 to 32 cc (mean, 16 cc). RESULTS: Sclerotherapy provided significant improvement or resolution of symptoms for all patients. There were no major complications. One patient had a small (3 x 2 cm) area of skin blistering at the injection site. All patients experienced pain and swelling to a variable degree. Sclerotherapy resulted in resolution of symptoms in six of seven patients. Three patients had resolution of symptoms after one procedure. Four patients each underwent two sclerotherapy procedures. One patient who remained symptomatic but improved after undergoing two procedures underwent an anterior glossectomy and is now asymptomatic. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous ethanol sclerotherapy is a safe and effective method of treating symptomatic venous malformations of the tongue.

Administration, Cutaneous↗