Relationship of lesion location to clinical outcome following microelectrode-guided pallidotomy for Parkinson's disease.
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The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between lesion location and clinical outcome following globus pallidus internus (GPi) pallidotomy for advanced Parkinson's disease. Thirty-three patients were prospectively studied with extensive neurological examinations before and at 6 and 12 months following microelectrode-guided pallidotomy. Lesion location was characterized using volumetric MRI. The position of lesions within the posteroventral region of the GPi was measured, from anteromedial to posterolateral along an axis parallel to the internal capsule. To relate lesion position to clinical outcome, hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used. The variance in outcome measures that was related to preoperative scores and lesion volume was first calculated, and then the remaining variance attributable to lesion location was determined. Lesion location along the anteromedial-to-posterolateral axis within the GPi influenced the variance in total score on the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale in the postoperative 'off' period, and in 'on' period dyskinesia scores. Within the posteroventral GPi, anteromedial lesions were associated with greater improvement in 'off' period contralateral rigidity and 'on' period dyskinesia, whereas more centrally located lesions correlated with better postoperative scores of contralateral akinesia and postural instability/gait disturbance. Improvement in contralateral tremor was weakly related to lesion location, being greater with posterolateral lesions. We conclude that improvement in specific motor signs in Parkinson's disease following pallidotomy is related to lesion position within the posteroventral GPi. These findings are consistent with the known segregated but parallel organization of specific motor circuits in the basal ganglia, and may explain the variability in clinical outcome after pallidotomy and therefore have important therapeutic implications. (+info)
Reassessment of unilateral pallidotomy in Parkinson's disease. A 2-year follow-up study.
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Unilateral pallidotomy has gained popularity in treating the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. We present the results of a 2-year post-pallidotomy follow-up study. Using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), the Goetz dyskinesia scale and the Purdue Pegboard Test (PPBT), we evaluated 20 patients at regular intervals both off and on medications for 2 years post-pallidotomy. There were no significant changes in the dosages of antiparkinsonian medications from 3 months pre-pallidotomy to 2 years post-pallidotomy. On the side contralateral to the operation, the improvements were preserved in 'on'-state dyskinesia (83% reduction from pre-pallidotomy to 2 years post-pallidotomy, P < 0.001) and 'off'-state tremor (90% reduction from pre-pallidotomy to 2 years post-pallidotomy, P = 0.005). There were no statistically significant differences between pre-pallidotomy scores and those at 2 years post-pallidotomy in ipsilateral dyskinesia, axial dyskinesia, 'off'- or 'on'-state PPBT, 'off'-state Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and 'off'-state gait and postural stability. After 2 years, the 'on'-state ADL scores worsened by 75%, compared with pre-pallidotomy (P = 0.005). We conclude that 2 years after pallidotomy, the improvements in dyskinesia and tremor on the side contralateral to pallidotomy are preserved, while the initial improvements in most other deficits disappear, either because of progression of pathology or loss of the early efficacy achieved by surgery. (+info)
Language outcome following multiple subpial transection for Landau-Kleffner syndrome.
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Landau-Kleffner syndrome is an acquired epileptic aphasia occurring in normal children who lose previously acquired speech and language abilities. Although some children recover some of these abilities, many children with Landau-Kleffner syndrome have significant language impairments that persist. Multiple subpial transection is a surgical technique that has been proposed as an appropriate treatment for Landau-Kleffner syndrome in that it is designed to eliminate the capacity of cortical tissue to generate seizures or subclinical epileptiform activity, while preserving the cortical functions subserved by that tissue. We report on the speech and language outcome of 14 children who underwent multiple subpial transection for treatment of Landau-Kleffner syndrome. Eleven children demonstrated significant postoperative improvement on measures of receptive or expressive vocabulary. Results indicate that early diagnosis and treatment optimize outcome, and that gains in language function are most likely to be seen years, rather than months, after surgery. Since an appropriate control group was not available, and that the best predictor of postoperative improvements in language function was that of length of time since surgery, these data might best be used as a benchmark against other Landau-Kleffner syndrome outcome studies. We conclude that multiple subpial transection may be useful in allowing for a restoration of speech and language abilities in children diagnosed with Landau-Kleffner syndrome. (+info)
Independent development of sensory and motor innervation patterns in embryonic chick hindlimbs.
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Previous studies suggest that sensory axon outgrowth is guided by motoneurons, which are specified to innervate particular target muscles. Here we present evidence that questions this conclusion. We have used a new approach to assess the pathfinding abilities of bona fide sensory neurons, first by eliminating motoneurons after neural crest cells have coalesced into dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and second by challenging sensory neurons to innervate muscles in a novel environment created by shifting a limb bud rostrally. The resulting sensory innervation patterns mapped with the lipophilic dyes DiI and DiA showed that sensory axons projected robustly to muscles in the absence of motoneurons, if motoneurons were eliminated after DRG formation. Moreover, sensory neurons projected appropriately to their usual target muscles under these conditions. In contrast, following limb shifts, muscle sensory innervation was often derived from inappropriate segments. In this novel environment, sensory neurons tended to make more "mistakes" than motoneurons. Whereas motoneurons tended to innervate their embryologically correct muscles, sensory innervation was more widespread and was generally from more rostral segments than normal. Similar results were obtained when motoneurons were eliminated in embryos with limb shifts. These findings show that sensory neurons are capable of navigating through their usual terrain without guidance from motor axons. However, unlike motor axons, sensory axons do not appear to actively seek out appropriate target muscles when confronted with a novel terrain. These findings suggest that sensory neuron identity with regard to pathway and target choice may be unspecified or quite plastic at the time of initial axon outgrowth. (+info)
Cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of propofol during anaesthesia in humans.
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The concentration of propofol in and surrounding the human brain during propofol anaesthesia is unknown. We measured simultaneously the concentration of propofol in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from an indwelling intraventricular catheter and the concentration in arterial blood in five neurosurgical patients before, during induction (at 2.5 and 5 min) and during a maintenance propofol infusion (at 15 and 30 min). After induction of anaesthesia with propofol 2 mg kg-1, anaesthesia was maintained with an infusion of 8 mg kg-1 h-1 for 15 min and then reduced to 6 mg kg-1 h-1. The plasma concentration of propofol increased rapidly during induction and reached a plateau concentration of mean 2.24 (SD 0.66) micrograms ml-1 after 5 min. The concentration of propofol in CSF showed a slower increase during induction and remained almost constant at 35.5 (19.6) ng ml-1 at 15-30 min after induction. The CSF concentration of propofol that we measured was 1.6% of the plasma concentration and consistent with the high protein binding of the drug in plasma. (+info)
Update on Parkinson's disease.
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Parkinson's disease is a progressive degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. The hallmark physical signs are tremor, rigidity and bradykinesia. Idiopathic Parkinson's disease is caused by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and nigrostriatal pathway of the midbrain. Secondary parkinsonism may be caused by certain drugs (e.g., metoclopramide and haloperidol) or by cerebrovascular disease (e.g., multiple lacunar strokes). The disease can usually be diagnosed based on the history and physical findings. Dopamine replacement is still considered the most efficacious treatment for Parkinson's disease, but dopamine agonists, formerly prescribed only as adjunctive therapy, are emerging as useful initial therapy. Other pharmacologic treatments include drugs that inhibit dopamine-metabolizing enzymes (monoamine oxidase-B and catechol O-methyltransferase). Injections of botulinum toxin can be helpful in patients with associated dystonia or blepharospasm. Surgery may be indicated for certain patients or when symptoms do not respond to medical therapy. Additional adjunctive therapies include physical therapy, nutritional counseling and techniques to help patients manage emotional and cognitive changes related to the disease. (+info)
Neurosurgical tools and techniques--modern image-guided surgery.
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Cushing and other great neurosurgeons made their mental preparations for surgical procedures through extensive, beautiful drawings. Three-dimensional visualization was in those days supported through interpretation of pneumoencephalograms with displacements of structures indicating where a space-occupying process might be located. Today this visualization necessary for each neurosurgeon is partly lost in the teaching process due to axial magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography scans and of minimal invasive techniques. Microsurgical navigation on the brain surface is like sailing along a coastline. Navigating in the brain is like sailing in fog and tools for navigation must be developed accordingly. The robotic microscope Surgiscope enables the surgeon to have at the same time a microscope, a pointing devise and a bidirectional tool for automatic maneuverability in the brain. A neurosurgeon may be distracted and thereby perform less adequate. Computer technology and virtual reality models enhances possibilities for rehearsal of difficult operations and of controlling the surgical performance. Computer technology is thus a supporter of future neurosurgeons and a part of quality control. Future education must be linked to this fact. (+info)
The sitting position in neurosurgery: a critical appraisal.
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The potential for serious complications after venous air embolism and successful malpractice liability claims are the principle reasons for the dramatic decline in the use of the sitting position in neurosurgical practice. Although there have been several studies substantiating the relative safety compared with the prone or park bench positions, its use will continue to decline as neurosurgeons abandon its application and trainees in neurosurgery are not exposed to its relative merits. How can individual surgeons continue to use this position? Will individual, difficult surgical access cases be denied the obvious technical advantages of the sitting position? Limited use of the sitting position should remain in the neurosurgeon's armamentarium. However, several caveats must be emphasized. Assessment of the relative risk-benefit, based on the individual patient's physical status and surgical implications for the particular intracranial pathology, is of paramount importance. The patient should be informed of the specific risks of venous air embolism, quadriparesis and peripheral nerve palsies. Appropriate charting of patient information provided and special consent issues are essential. An anaesthetic input into the decision to use the sitting position is a sine qua non. The presence of a patient foramen ovale is an absolute contraindication. Preoperative contrast echocardiography should be used as a screening technique to detect the population at risk of paradoxical air embolism caused by the presence of a patent foramen ovale. The technique involves i.v. injection of saline agitated with air and a Valsalva manoeuvre is applied and released. Use of this position necessitates supplementary monitoring to promptly detect and treat venous air embolism. Doppler ultrasonography is the most sensitive of the generally available monitors to detect intracardiac air. The use of a central venous catheter is recommended, with the tip positioned close to the superior vena cava junction with the right atrium, to aspirate intravascular gas. Measures to minimize hypotension associated with the sitting position include a slow, staged positioning over 5-10 min and use of the 'G suit' inflated with compressed air applied to the lower extremities and pelvis. Use of the sitting or upright position for patients undergoing posterior fossa and cervical spine surgery presents unique challenges for the anaesthetist. With appropriate patient selection and preparation, and using prudent intraoperative monitoring and anaesthetic techniques, selected patients should still benefit from the optimum access to mid-line lesions, improved cerebral venous decompression, lower intracranial pressure and enhanced gravity drainage of blood and CSF associated with the sitting position. (+info)