PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Marcos Tatagiba

Publications and source records attributed to Marcos Tatagiba.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Age-associated epigenomic heterogeneity in papillary tumors of the pineal region: a multicenter YoungNOA investigation.

BACKGROUND: Papillary tumors of the pineal region (PTPR) are rare CNS neoplasms with adult and pediatric presentations, but whether age defines distinct molecular biology is unclear. METHODS: We assembled a multicenter retrospective cohort of 86 histologically confirmed PTPR with genome-wide DNA methylation data, comprising 62 adult and 24 pediatric tumors. Molecular subgroup, array platform, sex, and tumor purity were incorporated into multivariable models. Analyses included DNA methylation class assignment, differential methylation, copy-number variation (CNV), epigenetic mitotic-clock scores, methylation-based tumor microenvironment deconvolution, and descriptive survival evaluation. RESULTS: Adult and pediatric tumors mapped within the established PTPR-A and PTPR-B methylation framework rather than forming age-defined methylation classes. Pediatric tumors were enriched for PTPR-B (22 of 24 tumors [91.7%]) compared with adult tumors (39 of 62 [62.9%]). After adjustment for methylation-based subgroup as well as technical and biological covariates, 2,923 CpG probes were associated with age at a false discovery rate (FDR) threshold below 0.05, and 530 also met the prespecified effect-size threshold. Global methylation summaries were similar between age groups. CNV patterns were dominated by molecular subgroup; adjusted genomic CNV load was not independently associated with pediatric age. In contrast, epiTOC2 intrinsic rate score and the methylation signature represented by the first principal component (PC1) showed age-associated effects independent of molecular subgroup. Methylation-based deconvolution suggested a limited microenvironmental signal, with neutrophil fraction showing the most consistent adjusted association. CONCLUSIONS: Adult and pediatric PTPR share the established PTPR-A/PTPR-B framework. Pediatric tumors, particularly within PTPR-B, showed age-associated DNA methylation differences and higher epigenetic mitotic-clock (epiTOC2) scores in this retrospective cohort. These tissue-level associations do not establish clinical risk or treatment implications and require prospective clinical annotation and orthogonal validation.

Humans↗

The role of the right superior temporal gyrus in visual search-insights from intraoperative electrical stimulation.

Intraoperative electrical stimulation in awake patients is a seminal technique during brain surgery allowing one to infer the function of brain areas by temporary inactivation. Using this technique, we found that inactivation of the middle portion of the superior temporal gyrus (STG) leads to disturbed serial exploratory visual search. The data supplement recent findings by Ellison et al. [Ellison, A., Schindler, I., Pattison, L. L., & Milner, A. D. (2004). An exploration of the role of the superior temporal gyrus in visual search and spatial perception using TMS. Brain, 127, 2307-2315] using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation over the STG in healthy subjects. Our data demonstrate that the STG is integral to human exploration behaviour and challenge the traditional view that only the right posterior parietal cortex is involved in the mediation of visual search processes.

Aged↗

The impact of petrosal vein preservation on postoperative auditory function in surgery of petrous apex meningiomas.

OBJECTIVE: The importance of preserving the superior petrosal vein has received increasing attention in the surgical treatment of pathologies involving the petrous apex. Recent reports have associated postoperative auditory nerve dysfunction with petrosal vein sacrifice. However, there is no systematic clinical study available thus far focusing on the postoperative auditory function after petrosal vein obliteration. METHODS: In 55 patients with meningiomas involving the petrous apex, pre- and intraoperative findings including petrosal vein sectioning were analyzed retrospectively concerning their impact on postoperative auditory function. RESULTS: The petrosal vein was preserved in 26 (47%) cases. In 27 (49%) cases, this vein was not preserved. Hearing loss occurred in 11% of all cases. In the preserved-vein group, postoperative hearing loss occurred in 3 of 26 (11%) cases and in the sacrificed-vein group in 3 of 27 (11%) cases. CONCLUSION: Sacrifice of the petrosal vein during surgery of petrous apex meningiomas seems not to have an impact on postoperative auditory function.

Adult↗

Applicability of an electrosurgical device based on electromagnetics in neurosurgery.

Because of electrical and thermal spread to healthy nervous tissue, the application of electrosurgical tools in neurosurgery has specific limitations. This is true for both bipolar and monopolar devices. These limitations are not inherent to an instrument in which action is based on electromagnetic interaction with human tissue. We evaluated the indications and the clinical applicability of a new radiofrequency electrosurgical unit that works on this biophysical principle. The system was found to be a useful addition for the resection of morphologically tougher tissue with keyhole approaches in which the ultrasound aspirator cannot easily be applied.

Brain Injuries↗

Long-standing intraspinal glass fragments causing subsequent radiculopathy after dorsal stabilization.

A 37-year-old female presented with a history of lumbar intraspinal glass fragments due to an accident in childhood. The patient developed progressive right convexity thoracolumbar scoliosis during puberty. Twenty-eight years after the accident, horizontalization of this deformity was performed by dorsal stabilization. Postoperatively the patient complained of acute L-5 radiculopathy. Radiological examination detected multiple glass fragments intra- and extradurally around the L3-4 levels with compression of the dural sac. Microsurgical removal of the extra- and intradural glass fragments led to complete relief of the radicular pain. Foreign bodies can become symptomatic due to changes in the status of the spine, especially during growth in young patients.

Adult↗

The impact of hypotension due to the trigeminocardiac reflex on auditory function in vestibular schwannoma surgery.

OBJECT: Surgical manipulation of the fifth cranial nerve during its intra- or extracranial course may lead to bradycardia or even asystole as well as arterial hypotension, a phenomenon described as the trigeminocardiac reflex (TCR). The authors studied the impact of this reflex on postoperative auditory function in patients undergoing vestibular schwannoma (VS) surgery. METHODS: One hundred patients scheduled for VS surgery were studied prospectively for parameters influencing the postoperative auditory function. The evaluation included sex, age, pre- and postoperative auditory function, preoperative mean arterial blood pressure, preoperative medical diseases or medication (for example, antiarrhythmia drugs), tumor size and localization, and the intraoperative occurrence of the TCR. The TCR, which occurred in 11% of the patients, influenced the postoperative hearing function in the patients with Hannover Class T3 and T4 VSs. With an overall hearing preservation of 47%, 11.1% of the patients in the TCR group and 51.4% of those in the non-TCR group experienced preserved hearing function postoperatively. In cases involving larger tumors (Hannover Class T3 and T4), an intraoperative TCR was associated with a significantly worse postoperative hearing function during VS surgery (p = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: The hypotension following TCR is a negative prognostic factor for hearing preservation in patients undergoing VS surgery. Patients' knowledge of this can be increased pre- and postoperatively. Further study of this phenomenon will advance the understanding of the underlying mechanisms and may help to improve hearing preservation by controlling the occurrence of the TCR.

Adolescent↗

Differentiating imaging findings in primary and secondary tumors of the jugular foramen.

The preoperative diagnosis of a jugular foramen tumor may be challenging, since a large variety of unusual lesions may be located in this region. These tumors may be classified as primary lesions (which are located in the jugular foramen or extend from the jugular foramen into the surrounding structures) and as secondary lesions (that extend from the surrounding structures into the jugular foramen). Primary tumors include glomus jugulare tumors, schwannomas, meningiomas and peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumors, while secondary tumors comprise chordomas, chondrosarcomas, chondroblastomas, giant-cell tumors, cholesterol granulomas, giant cholesterol cyst, endolymphatic sac tumors, reactive myofibroblastic tumors, temporal bone carcinomas and metastases. Accurate preoperative radiological suspicion is of great value for preoperative patient counseling and has a direct impact on the surgical planning in these cases. The present study describes and discusses the main differentiating imaging features of lesions involving the jugular foramen, whose accurate preoperative radiological evaluation is essential for proper surgical planning.

Brain Neoplasms↗

The role of surgery in meningiomas involving the optic nerve sheath.

OBJECTIVE: Clinical presentation, radiological appearance and treatment options of patients with optic nerve sheath meningiomas (ONSM) vary. To provide a baseline for treatment of this tumour entity a series of 24 patients with ONSM is presented. METHOD: Clinical charts of the patients including surgical and histological records, imaging studies as well as meticulously focusing questionnaires of clinical outcome were reviewed. RESULTS: Twenty four patients with ONSM were treated at the Neurosurgical Department from 1981 to 2002. Mean age at diagnosis was 44 years (14-69) with a female:male ratio of 7:1. The preoperative duration of symptoms was negatively correlated with the preoperative visual acuity. The microsurgical approach consisted of pterional craniotomy, intra-/extradural subtotal excision of the meningioma and bony decompression of the optic canal. Surgical results showed low surgical morbidity and preserved or even improved vision in 8/16 patients (50%) all of whom had rapid visual decline preoperatively. In the long-term, visual loss occur again occurred due to recurrence in about 20% of cases. CONCLUSION: Microneurosurgery for treatment of ONSMs is still reserved for cases with intracranial extension, disfiguring proptosis and patients with rapid visual deterioration. Radiotherapy should be considered as treatment option in all other cases as it prolongs the time for functional vision in the affected eye with low morbidity.

Adolescent↗

Pharmacotherapy of epileptic seizures in glioma patients: who, when, why and how long?

BACKGROUND: The risk for patients with primary brain tumors of experiencing an epileptic seizure at least once in the course of disease probably exceeds 50%, depending on tumor location and tumor type. Several aspects regarding the role of anticonvulsants in the treatment of brain tumor patients have remained controversial. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed the seizure history in 107 patients undergoing a surgical procedure for glioma at our institution. RESULTS: The overall seizure incidence was 68%. Pre-operative seizures did not predict the occurrence of post-operative seizures. After surgery, postoperative chemo- or radiotherapy and anticonvulsive therapy one third of patients was seizure-free whereas one third showed frequent seizures despite this treatment. Seizure frequency increased regardless of anticonvulsive treatment with progressive or recurrent tumor growth. CONCLUSIONS: Based on a literature review and our institutional experience, we delineate some recommendations for the management of seizures in patients with brain tumors.

Adolescent↗

Evolution of vestibular schwannoma surgery: the long journey to current success.

The extraordinary improvement of patient outcome after surgical treatment for vestibular schwannomas is relatively recent and has occurred mainly over the last 30 years. The introduction of microsurgical techniques has resulted in increasing degrees of precise anatomical and functional preservation of the facial and cochlear nerves. An expanded microsurgical technique accompanied by continuous electrophysiological monitoring has resulted in marked changes in the primary goals for this surgery. Whereas in the past the primary goal of vestibular schwannoma management was to preserve the patient's life, the objective in vestibular schwannoma treatment today is to preserve neurological function. Long-term follow-up examinations show negligible recurrence rates, indicating that the aim of preservation of nerve function does not limit the completeness of tumor removal with modern neurosurgical techniques. Despite these advances in preserving the anatomical integrity of, for example, the cochlear nerve, losses of function and even deafness may occur postoperatively in some cases. Current biological and technical research in experimental and clinical settings addresses these problems. In this article, the authors report in detail the developments achieved in vestibular schwannoma surgery and the great clinicians to whom these results can be credited.

Deafness↗

Fetal hydrocephalus, intrauterine diagnosis and therapy considerations: an experimental rat model.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fetal hydrocephalus is induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of 8 mg/kg 6-aminonikotinamide (6-AN), a niacinamide antagonist, in Sprague-Dawley rats on day 13 of gestation. Laparotomy was carried out in some rats 3, 6, 7 and 8 days after the intraperitoneal injection. The fetuses were collected by uterotomy and fixed in a formalin solution after measuring head circumference and body length for further histological investigations. The ventricular areas and volumes of the lateral ventricles were measured using a computer morphometric technique after all fetuses were serially sectioned sagittally or coronally. Furthermore, 8 maternal rats (4 treated with 6-AN and 4 controls) were used for ultrasound investigation. The fetal ventricular system and the central canal were demonstrated and compared by transabdominal ultrasound in the 6-AN and control groups. On day 19 of gestation the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was drained in some fetuses for 18 h through a thin micro-catheter, which was inserted into the lateral ventricle. In some other fetuses the intracranial pressure (ICP) and the intra-amniotic pressure (IAP) were measured after Doppler sonography of the cerebral blood flow (CBF). These measurements were carried out using a transuterine approach following the laparotomy. RESULTS: Hydrocephalus was produced due to the closure of all outlets of the fourth ventricle. Macrocephalus was clear on day 17 (4 days after 6-AN injection). The entire ventricular system was dilated, including the aqueduct and foramen of Monro, and cerebellar hypoplasia was revealed. CONCLUSION: Increased ICP in 6-AN fetuses was associated with decreasing CBF. The cerebral mantel was better developed after CSF drainage. The intra-amniotic pressure was increased in all pregnant rats and was either similar to or higher than ICP.

6-Aminonicotinamide↗

Screening for large mutations of the NF2 gene.

Neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) is a genetic disorder caused by mutational inactivation of the NF2 gene and is characterized by bilateral vestibular schwannomas, spinal tumors, and other benign tumors of the nervous system. Previously, we found intragenic NF2 mutations in 99 of 188 unrelated NF2 patients by exon-scanning-based methods. Tumor analysis of 22 de novo NF2 patients led to the identification of 12 additional constitutive NF2 mutations. The remaining 77 patients were further examined for large alterations using the newly developed gene dosage assay multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA). One deletion of a single exon, seven deletions of multiple exons, seven deletions involving the 3' or 5' end of the NF2 gene, four deletions involving the whole NF2 gene, and one duplication of three exons were detected. For 47 of the 77 patients, mRNA of adequate quality could be obtained, enabling transcript analysis, which confirmed eight alterations detected by MLPA. In addition, in one family, the mRNA analysis detected an insertion of two exons of another gene. Thus, deletions, duplications, and insertions affecting the NF2 gene were found in 21 cases, which is 11% of the 188 unrelated NF2 patients studied, 16% of the 132 mutations identified, and 27% of the 77 cases in which no intragenic small mutations were detected by exon scanning. The combination of multiple screening techniques facilitated a mutation-detection rate of 100% for the 21 inherited cases in this study.

Exons↗

Peroneal nerve compression resulting from fibular head osteophyte-like lesions.

BACKGROUND: The anatomical relationship of the fibular head with the fibular nerve is a critical point in regard to injuries of peripheral nerves in the lower extremities. In this location, the peroneal nerve may be injured due to several mechanisms, and osteophyte-like lesions can be considered as a differential diagnosis. METHODS: The suitable literature concerning this association is reviewed and a case is presented. A 15-year-old adolescent boy presented with right peroneal nerve palsy on admission. The radiological examinations (computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) demonstrated an osteophytic lesion in the head of the right fibula. The patient underwent surgical decompression of the nerve and resection of the lesion. Postoperatively, there was a complete recovery of the deficits. CONCLUSIONS: The association of osteophyte-like bone changes and peroneal nerve palsy is rare. The differential diagnoses of these lesions include cartilaginous exostoses and osteochondromas, which may be related to hereditary multiple exostoses syndrome. The timing of the treatment plays an important role in the neurological recovery.

Adolescent↗

Epidermoid cysts of the cavernous sinus.

BACKGROUND: Epidermoid cysts involving the cavernous sinus are rare lesions. They can be divided into 3 different categories: extracavernous, interdural, and true intracavernous. METHODS: This classification of cavernous epidermoid cysts is correlated with the extent of tumor resection and the clinical outcome in reported cases here and elsewhere. RESULTS: Patients with cysts invading or compressing the cavernous sinus present with an excellent functional recovery after surgery independent of the extent of tumor resection. In cases of interdural cysts, there is often an adherence of the tumor capsule to the third and fourth cranial nerves. Therefore, in this group, subtotal resection is a safe strategy to prevent surgical morbidity. However, this policy may lead to a higher incidence of tumor recurrence in these cases. In true intracavernous lesions, a higher rate of total removal is possible despite the increased occurrence of internal carotid artery encasement and cranial nerve displacement. CONCLUSION: Postoperative outcome with preservation of neural and vascular structures in cavernous epidermoid cysts is more likely related to surgical strategy than to tumor localization. Independent of the different tumor origins in these cases, a subtotal resection is usually sufficient to achieve postoperative improvement of the symptoms without additional morbidity.

Adult↗

Spinal nerve root ganglionitis as a cause of disc herniation: case report.

The authors report on a patient in whom monoradicular pain was caused by ganglionitis of a spinal nerve. Neuroimaging and intraoperative findings identified what were thought to be tumorlike changes in the affected nerve root. The neuropathological examination, however, revealed typical signs of ganglionitis. This rare inflammation usually appears with viral infections, as part of paraneoplastic symptoms, or in the presence of Sjögren disease. Because all of these differential diagnoses were negative in the treated patient, chronic nerve root compression due to disc herniation was suspected as the causative factor for the spinal ganglionitis.

Diagnosis, Differential↗