Biomedical subjects

Tufan Hicdonmez

Publications and source records attributed to Tufan Hicdonmez.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Giant subdural empyema in a child: a case report.

An unusual case of a giant (8 x 6 x 6 cm) frontoparietal SDE of Streptococcus pneumoniae in a 17-month-old child is reported. The initial diagnosis was made with emergency CT. The purulent material was removed via a frontoparietal craniotomy. A series of postoperative MR imaging showed the gradual reduction in size of the lesion, although collapsed capsule, fibrous thickening of meningeal structures and associated displacement of the underlying brain persisted. The child was symptom-free in a follow-up period of 15 months. This case showed that SDE may reach a giant size and thus may mimic an intra-axial lesion; the coronal MR imaging is a more reliable diagnostic tool than the emergency axial CT in giant SDE of upper convexity localization, and the clinical improvement may be more impressive than the radiological changes.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMed2006

Neuroprotective effects of N-acetylcysteine on experimental closed head trauma in rats.

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a precursor of glutathione, a potent antioxidant, and a free radical scavenger. The beneficial effect of NAC on nervous system ischemia and ischemia/reperfusion models has been well documented. However, the effect of NAC on nervous system trauma remains less understood. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of NAC with an experimental closed head trauma model in rats. Thirty-six adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups of 12 rats each: Group I (control), Group II (trauma-alone), and Group III (trauma+NAC treatment). In Groups II and III, a cranial impact was delivered to the skull from a height of 7 cm at a point just in front of the coronal suture and over the right hemisphere. Rats were sacrificed at 2 h (Subgroups I-A, II-A, and III-A) and 12 h (Subgroups I-B, II-B, and III-B) after the onset of injury. Brain tissues were removed for biochemical and histopathological investigation. The closed head trauma significantly increased tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (P < 0.05), and significantly decreased tissue superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities (P < 0.05), but not tissue catalase (CAT) activity, when compared with controls. The administration of a single dose of NAC (150 mg/kg) 15 min after the trauma has shown protective effect via decreasing significantly the elevated MDA levels (P < 0.05) and also significantly (P < 0.05) increasing the reduced antioxidant enzyme (SOD and GPx) activities, except CAT activity. In the trauma-alone group, the neurons became extensively dark and degenerated into picnotic nuclei. The morphology of neurons in the NAC treatment group was well protected. The number of neurons in the trauma-alone group was significantly less than that of both the control and trauma+NAC treatment groups. In conclusion, the NAC treatment might be beneficial in preventing trauma-induced oxidative brain tissue damage, thus showing potential for clinical implications.

Acetylcysteine↗

PubMed2006

Giant cervicothoracic extradural arachnoid cyst: case report.

The pathogenesis, etiology, and treatment of the spinal arachnoid cyst have not been well established because of its rarity. A 57-year-old male was presented with spastic quadriparesis predominantly on the left side. His radiological examination showed widening of the cervical spinal canal and left neural foramina due to a cerebrospinal fluid-filled extradural cyst that extended from C2 to T2 level. The cyst was located left anterolaterally, compressing the spinal cord. Through a C4-T2 laminotomy, the cyst was excised totally and the dural defect was repaired. Several features of the reported case, such as cyst size, location, and clinical features make it extremely unusual. The case is discussed in light of the relevant literature.

Arachnoid Cysts↗

PubMed2006

Paraplegia due to spinal subdural hematoma as a complication of posterior fossa surgery: Case report and review of the literature.

Although blood contamination of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) after an intracranial operation is possible, development of a symptomatic spinal hematoma after a posterior fossa surgery has never been reported. A 43-year-old woman underwent a posterior fossa tumor removal in the prone position with no intraoperative difficulty. On the second postoperative day, she complained of severe epigastric pain and developed a rapid onset of paraplegia with anesthesia below the thoracic 5 spinal level. The emergency cranial and spinal MRIs revealed a spinal extramedullary hemorrhage spreading to the whole spinal regions, just sparing the cauda equina area. There was a prominent localized hematoma formation surrounding and compressing the spinal cord at the upper thoracic levels, which was evacuated via an urgent laminectomy. The patient showed partial neurological recovery after the decompression. Development of the spinal hematoma was explained by the movement of blood from the tumor bed into the spinal canal under the effect of gravity, during or after the operation. A 30 degrees head elevation might facilitate the accumulation of blood. Localization of the hematoma formation may be caused by the fact that the upper thoracic levels constitute the apex of the kyphosis. We conclusively suggest that a spinal hematoma should be taken into consideration as a rare but potentially severe complication of a posterior fossa surgery. Meticulous hemostasis and isolation of the surgical area from the spinal spaces are essential. Overdrainage of CSF should be abandoned. Postoperatively, patients should be monitored for spinal findings as well as cranial signs.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Nocardial brain abscess: review of clinical management.

Nocardiosis has become a significant opportunistic infection over the last two decades as the number of immunocompromised individuals has grown worldwide. We present two patients with nocardial brain abscess. The first patient was a 39-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus. A left temporoparietal abscess was detected and aspirated through a burr-hole. Nocardia farcinica infection was diagnosed. The patient had an accompanying pulmonary infection and was thus treated with imipenem and amikacine for 3 weeks. She received oral minocycline for 1 year. The second patient was a 43-year-old man who was being treated with corticosteroids for glomerulonephritis. He was diagnosed with a ring-enhancing multiloculated abscess in the left cerebellar hemisphere, with an additional two small supratentorial lesions and triventricular hydrocephalus. Gross total excision of the cerebellar abscess was performed via a left suboccipital craniectomy. Culture revealed Nocardia asteroides, and the patient was successfully treated with intravenous ceftriaxone, then oral trimethoprime-sulfamethoxazole for 1 year. The clinical course, radiological findings, and management of nocardial brain abscess are discussed in light of the relevant literature, and current clinical management is reviewed through examination of the cases presented here.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Microneurosurgical training model in fresh cadaveric cow brain: a laboratory study simulating the approach to the circle of Willis.

BACKGROUND: Residents of neurosurgery need many years to develop microneurosurgical skills, and laboratory training models are essential for developing and refining surgical skills before clinical application of microneurosurgery. A simple simulation model is needed for young residents to learn how to handle microneurosurgical instruments, and to perform safe dissection of intracranial vessels and nerves. METHODS: The material consists of a 2-year-old fresh cadaveric cow cranium. A 4-step approach was designed to dissect the internal carotid artery and its proximal branches, the optic nerve, the optic chiasm, and the pituitary stalk. RESULTS: The model simulates standard microneurosurgery using a variety of approaches to vessels and neural structures in and around the circle of Willis of the human brain. CONCLUSION: The cadaveric cow brain, besides being cost-effective, represents a fairly useful method to accustom residents of neurosurgery, especially junior residents, to dissecting intracranial vessels and nerves, and it simulates intracranial microneurosurgical procedures performed in the human brain.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Simulation of surgery for craniosynostosis: a training model in a fresh cadaveric sheep cranium. Technical note.

The authors present a training model in sheep crania that allows residents in neurosurgery and plastic surgery to practice the frontoorbital remodeling procedure used in the surgical correction of simple craniosynostoses such as plagiocephaly, trigonocephaly, and brachiocephaly. The model comprises a three-step approach: subperiosteal and subperiorbital dissection; elevation of the bifrontal bone flap and the supraorbital bar; and finally, frontoorbital remodeling. The authors conclude that this training model, based on the use of cadaveric sheep crania, represents a fairly useful method to accustom trainees to the required surgical techniques and simulates well the steps of standard pediatric and adult craniofacial surgery for simple craniosynostosis.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

A laboratory training model for interhemispheric-transcallosal approach to the lateral ventricle.

Laboratory training models are essential for developing and refining surgical skills before clinical application of microneurosurgery. Our aim is to train residents of neurosurgery to be familiar with a basic microneurosurgical technique in access to the lateral ventricle via a transcallosal approach. The training material consists of a 2-year-old fresh cadaveric cow cranium. A four-step approach was designed to simulate microneurosurgical dissection along the falx to visualize cingulated gyri, callosomarginal and pericallosal arteries in order to perform callosotomy and access to the lateral ventricle, and finally to the foramen of Monroe. We conclude that the model perfectly simulates standard microneurosurgical steps in interhemispheric-transcallosal approach to the lateral ventricle and to the area of the foramen of Monroe.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Large intradiploic growing skull fracture of the posterior fossa.

Growing skull fractures (GSFs) are rare complications of head injury and mostly occur in infancy and early childhood. Location in the posterior fossa and intradiploic development of a GSF is very uncommon. We report a 7-year-old boy with a large, 9 x 7 x 4-cm, occipital intradiploic GSF. The lesion developed progressively over a period of 5 years following a documented occipital linear fracture. This case of a GSF developing from a known occipital linear fracture demonstrates that a GSF may reach a considerable size and, although uncommon, intradiploic development and occipital localization of a GSF is possible.

Accidental Falls↗

PubMed2005

Contralateral subdural effusion after aneurysm surgery and decompressive craniectomy: case report and review of the literature.

We report a complication of decompressive craniectomy in the treatment of aneurismal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and accompanying middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction. A 56-year-old man presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage and right sylvian hematoma. He was diagnosed with high-grade SAH and medical therapy was employed. He showed rapid clinical deterioration on day 9 of his admission. Computed tomographic scans showed right MCA infarction and prominent midline shift. Because of the patient's rapidly worsening condition, further evaluation to find origin of SAH could not be obtained, and decompressive right hemicraniectomy was performed. During sylvian dissection, right middle cerebral and posterior communicant artery aneurysms were detected and clipped. One week after operation, a contralateral frontoparietal subdural effusion and left to right midline shift was detected and drained through a burr-hole. Through successive percutaneous aspirations, effusion recurred and complete resolution was achieved after cranioplasty and subduroperitoneal shunt procedures. Decompressive craniectomy is generally accepted as a technically simple operation with a low incidence of complications. In the light of this current case, we hypothesize that a large craniectomy may facilitate the accumulation of recurrent effusion on contralateral side creating a resistance gradient between two hemispheres. This point may be especially true for subarachnoid hemorrhage cases requiring aneurysm surgery. We conclusively suggest that subdural effusions may be resistant to simple drainage techniques if a large contralateral craniectomy does exist, and early cranioplasty may be required for treatment in addition to drainage procedures.

Craniotomy↗

PubMed2005

Spinal deformities after selective dorsal rhizotomy for spastic cerebral palsy.

OBJECT: Spinal deformities are significant problems in children with spastic cerebral palsy. The treatment of their spasticity by selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) may worsen or improve these problems. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of and change in degree of thoracolumbar scoliosis, thoracic kyphosis, and lumbar lordosis in children who have undergone SDR. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of children younger than 18 years of age, who had undergone SDR at British Columbia's Children's Hospital from 1987 to 2001 and in whom preoperative and postoperative spine radiographs have been obtained. Angles for thoracolumbar scoliosis, thoracic kyphosis, and lumbar lordosis were measured. The study group comprised 105 patients. The mean age at surgery was 5.2 years (range 2.7-14.6 years), with a mean time to most recent follow-up radiographs of 4.3 years (1-13.6 years). Sixty-two children had spastic diplegia (59%), 34 spastic quadriplegia (32%), and nine quadriplegia and intellectual delay (9%). A total of 104 children underwent laminoplasty with replacement of the laminae, usually from L-1 to S-1 and 54.8% of children had scoliosis at last follow up, with 25% having worsening of 10 degrees or more. The incidence of abnormal kyphosis at the last follow-up visit was 38.6%, with 31.8% having worsening of 15 degrees or more. The incidence of hyperlordosis at last follow up was 21.3%, with 36% having worsening of 15 degrees or more. The factors in this series impacting development of spinal deformities have been analyzed and are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: The relatively high incidence of spinal deformity in children who have undergone SDR via multi-level lumbosacral laminoplasties should raise some concern.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Hip joint subluxation after selective dorsal rhizotomy for spastic cerebral palsy.

OBJECT: The effects of selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) procedures on the hip joints of children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP) are not well described. This study was performed to determine the incidence of hip subluxation in children with CP who underwent SDR at a single institution. METHODS: The study group comprised 82 patients (164 hip joints) with a mean follow up of 3.9 years. Forty-four patients had spastic diplegia (53.6%), 35 had spastic quadriplegia (42.7%), two had spastic triplegia (2.4%), and one had spastic hemiplegia (1.2%). The mean patient age at SDR was 5.2 +/- 2.4 years. Preoperative and postoperative hip radiographs were reviewed and the femoral head center edge (CE) angles were recorded. The mean pre- and postoperative right CE angles were 14.1 and 17.2 degrees, respectively, and those of the left were 13.6 and 15.1 degrees, respectively. Considering a change in CE angle greater than 5 degrees as clinically significant, 72 hips (43.5%) remained unchanged, 63 (38.4%) improved, and 29 (17.7%) worsened. Of a number of preoperative variables, including age at time of surgery, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level, ambulatory status, extent of hip subluxation, preoperative scoliosis, and asymmetry of hip subluxation, only GMFCS level was associated with worsening of hip subluxation. CONCLUSIONS: Selective dorsal rhizotomy is more likely to have a positive effect or no effect on hip joint subluxation rather than to have a negative effect. More severe involvement, as measured using the GMFCS, may predispose to worsening of hip subluxation after SDR.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Minimizing blood transfusions in the surgical correction of coronal and metopic craniosynostosis.

OBJECTIVE: The current study was performed to determine the rate of allogeneic blood transfusion for coronal and metopic craniosynostosis surgery done by two experienced pediatric neurosurgeons and to identify factors associated with a need for transfusion. METHODS: First operations for coronal and metopic craniosynostosis correction in children from 1996 to 2002 were reviewed retrospectively. For analysis, the primary endpoint was defined as either the receipt of a blood transfusion or a postoperative Hb level below 70 g/l, even if no blood was transfused. Univariate and multivariate analyses were done to examine the relationship of attaining the primary endpoint to extent of surgery, surgeons, surgery time, preoperative hemoglobin, craniosynostosis type, weight, and age. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients were operated on: 17 with unicoronal; 9 with bicoronal, and 6 with metopic craniosynostosis. Median age at operation was 7.5 months. Blood transfusion rates were 0% for unicoronal, 44% for bicoronal, and 33% for metopic synostosis operations. Logistic regression revealed that the best predictor of having a postoperative hemoglobin level of <70 g/l or receiving a blood transfusion was the extent of surgery (beta=1.59, SE(beta)=0.57). The odds of reaching the primary endpoint for extensive surgery over basic surgery was 4.9 [95%CI=(1.6,15.0)]. Once extent of surgery was accounted for in the model, no other covariates significantly improved the model. CONCLUSIONS: Low transfusion rates were achieved in primary operations for coronal and metopic craniosynostosis using simple intraoperative techniques and by accepting a low postoperative hemoglobin level.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed2004

Spontaneous hemorrhage into spinal neurenteric cyst.

CASE REPORT: A case of spontaneous hemorrhage into an intradural extramedullary neurenteric cyst at the C4-C6 level in a 6-year-old boy is reported. The child presented with sudden neck pain, torticollis, and myelopathy. The cyst was of high signal intensity on both T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance images, suggesting hemorrhage into the cyst. The combination of CT and MR provided useful preoperative information regarding the nature and the location of the cyst. A posterior approach via osteoplastic laminotomy was used for this anteriorly localized cyst. The use of intraoperative ultrasound was helpful in identifying and puncturing the cyst to minimize the spinal cord manipulation during the excision of the cyst wall. DISCUSSION: We report the first documented case of hemorrhage into a spinal neurenteric cyst that has been confirmed surgically and histopathologically.

Child↗

PubMed2004

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome with posterior intraorbital coloboma cyst: an unusual case.

Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) is associated with partial deletion of short arm of chromosome 4, and characterized by severe growth retardation. Other characteristic features are microcephaly, intellectual handicap, Greek helmet facies and closure deficits such as cleft lip or cleft palate, coloboma of the eye, and cardiac septal defect. We herein present a new case of WHS with bilateral iris colobomata and a left intraorbital large coloboma cyst causing exophthalmos.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

PubMed2003

Reversible postictal MRI change mimicking structural lesion.

A reversible change on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) following generalised seizure mimicking a tumour-like structural lesion is reported in a 15-year-old patient. MRI revealed a left fronto-parietal cortico-subcortical lesion on T2 weighted images. The control MRI after 5 weeks from the onset revealed no pathological finding. The reversible MRI changes may be the result of a local brain swelling, and a defect of cerebral autoregulation during seizure at the site of activity. The transient nature of such neuroradiological findings have to be taken into consideration in the differential diagnosis because of their similar appearance on imaging to intrinsic brain tumours.

Adolescent↗