[Patient positioning on the operating table in neurosurgery: sitting or lying].

Efficacy and safety of microvascular decompression of trigeminal nerve depending on the position on the operating table were assessed in 200 neurosurgical patients in retrospective observational study It was shown that efficacy doesn't depend on positioning. Lying position eliminates probability of such complications as postural hypotension, hypotension during surgery, tension pneumocephalus and peripheral nerves injury. Sitting position increases risk of air venous embolism by 25 times. Lying position increases risk of postoperative nasal liquorrhea by 4 times, but eliminates risk of postoperative paresis of trigeminal nerve. It is also decreases risk of corneal reflex reduction by 3 times, hyperpathia by 2 times and paresthesias by 5 times, but increases probability of postoperative hyperesthesia by 4 times. Microvascular decompression of trigeminal nerve in lying position is safer than similar operation in sitting position.

[Spinal neurosurgical intervention in a patient with end-stage renal disease (ESRD)].

The article presents the description of clinical observation, in which spinal neurosurgical intervention was successfully made in a patient with ESRD, receiving chronic hemodialysis for 20 years. In this context, we discuss the various clinical and tactical aspects of the management of patients with this severe co-pathology: infusion-transfussion therapy, peculiarities of anesthetic management and intra-operation monitoring, diagnostics and correction of hemostasis disorders, hemodialysis organization.

[Thromboelastography as a method for preoperative assessment of hemostasis state in neurosurgical patients on long term aspirin therapy].

The hemostasis state was assessed by routine tests and TEG in 169 patients on long term aspirin therapy. According to TEG results all the patients were divided into three groups: normo-, hypo- and hypercoagulation. The aspirin therapy was interrupted in normo- and hypercoagulation groups, but the surgery was not postponed. In cases of hypocoagulation the aspirin therapy was also interrupted and the surgery was postponed for 3-5 days until TEG results normalized. Also the frequency of intracranial hemorrhagic complications was analyzed in every group. The results showed that despite the method used the hypocoagulation group had the highest rate of postoperative hemorrhage complications. Thromboelastography enables to assess hemostasis state in neurosurgical patients on long term aspirin therapy promptly and effectively.

[Bilateral bispectral index monitoring during surgery for posterior cranial fossa tumors].

The analysis of the results of bilateral monitoring of the depth of anesthesia in 22 patients with neurosurgical pathology of the posterior cranial fossa using the technique bispectral index (BIS). The results showed that more than half of the observations (at 19 and 22 patients) during the main phase of the operation (removal of the tumor) were observed differences in the BIS index values between the right and left side. In 1/3 of patients, these differences were driven by higher values of BIS on the side of surgery. By the end of removal of the tumor and, particularly, by the end of surgery there was a complete alignment of values of the BIS on the right and left.

[Hemostatic disorders caused by chronic use of valproic acid in neurosurgical patients. Thromboelastographic monitoring].

The paper gives the results of analyzing the hemostatic system in 26 patients with various neurosurgical diseases on the basis of routine laboratory biochemical tests and thromboelastographic indicators. In all the patients, the pattern of the disease contained an epilepsy syndrome that required mono- or combination therapy with valproic acid. Laboratory indicators of clinical hypocoagulation were found to develop during the use of valproic acid, and its monotherapy in particular. Hemorrhagic complications were also analyzed in not only the immediate, but also late postoperative period (for as long as 6 months after surgery). Two cases of severe late complications, such as formation of chronic subdural hematomas requiring surgical intervention, were diagnosed in the valproate monotherapy group. A tactic using a thromboelastographic technique is proposed to prepare these patients for further neurosurgical intervention.

[Reducing the frequency of fresh frozen donor plasma transfusion on the basis of the results of thromboelastographic study in neurosurgical patients with intraoperative blood loss].

The paper gives the results of a study of the time course of changes in the major laboratorily determined hemostatic parameters, as well as the main characteristics of a thromboelastographic curve in 95 neurosurgical patients who developed significant intraoperative blood loss at surgery. The patients were divided into 2 comparable groups: 1) a decision on fresh frozen donor plasma transfusion was taken only on the basis of laboratory parameters; 2) this was done on the basis of thromboelastographic data. In Group 2, the frequency of fresh frozen donor plasma transfusion proved to be 4 times less than that in Group 1. The use of thromboelastography to evaluate the hemostatic system during operations with a significant blood loss volume permits a reduction in the frequency of fresh frozen donor plasma, without deteriorating the results of treatment.

[Thromboelastography as a method for preoperative screening for the hemostatic system in neurosurgical patients].

The paper analyzes the use of a method of thromboelastography (TEG) as a screening technique of diagnosing hemostatic disorders in risk-group neurosurgical patients: hemostatic disorders detectable from the data of routine laboratory tests; the administration of anticoagulants and desaggresants, the use of anticonvulsants causing impairments in the hemostatic system, hematological diseases, and hepatic cirrhosis. As compared with the routine laboratory tests, TEG is shown to diagnose hemostatic disorders accurately and promptly and to monitor the efficiency of their therapy.

[Effectiveness and safety of using 6% hydroxyethyl starch 130/04 and 4% modified liquid gelatin in neurosurgical patients with massive intraoperative blood loss].

The results of using three infusion solutions, such as 6% hydroxyexyethyl starch (HES) 200/0.5 (HaesSteril), HES 130/0.4 (Voluven), and 4% modified gelatin solution (Gelofusin), were compared in 33 patients with neurosurgical diseases of the brain (supratentorial meningovascular tumors) and predictable massive intraoperative blood loss during acute isovolemic hemodilution and compensation for later blood loss. The evaluation criteria were volemic, hemostatic and cerebrovascular effects. The most marked and longest volemic effect was observed in the Voluven group. The least hemostatic changes were seen in the Gelofusin group. The findings suggest that among the test infusion solutions, Voluven is most effective and Gelofusion is safest.

[Effect of the combined hypertonic colloidal solution HyperHeas on hemodynamic and oxygen transport parameters, intracranial pressure, and cerebral oxygenation].

The paper gives the results of a clinical study of the effect of the new combined hypertonic colloidal and hypertonic solution HyperHaes (Frezenius-Cabi) on the parameters of systemic hemodynamics (invasive evaluation by means of a Swan-Ganz catheter), systemic oxygen transport, intracranial pressure (ICP) (lumbar spinal fluid pressure), and cerebral oximetry (INVOS 5100) in neurosurgical patients. The paradoxical effect was found as acute blood pressure lowering and elevated ICP on the beginning of solution infusion (the vasodilator effect of a distinctly hyperosmolar agent). In all other respects, HyperHaes is an ideal agent for volumetric compensation in neurosurgical patients.

[Prompt massive operative blood loss during removal of a giant parietooccipital tumor in a neurosurgical patient with the single kidney].

A clinical case of successful use of 4% modified liquid gelatin (Helofusin, B. Braun, Germany) at a single-stage infusion volume of 4.5 liters (!) is described in a neurosurgical patient with the single during removal of a giant parietooccipal tumor complicated by rapid massive operative blood loss. The paper discusses the side effects of artificial colloidal infusion solutions, namely their effects on hemostasis and the status of viscera.

[Stepwise surgical treatment in a patient with concomitant cerebrovascular pathology].

The paper describes a relatively rare clinical case of stepwise surgical treatment in a patient with concomitant cerebrovascular pathology: thrombosis of the left internal carotid artery + critical stenosis of the right internal carotid artery + arteriovenous malformation of the right occipital lobe. The patient underwent open right carotid endarterectomy left extra-intracranial microvascular anastomotic application, and histoacryl endovascular embolization of the major afferents and arteriovenous malformation stroma in the stepwise fashion. Management policy, possible complications, and ways of their prevention in these patients are discussed.

[Combined surgical treatment for carotid paraganglioma]. / Kombinirovannoe khirurgicheskoe lechenie karotidnoi paragangliomy.

The paper gives a clinical example of embolization of the vascular network of carotid paraganglioma with subsequent en-block tumor removal with bifurcation of the common carotid artery and with recovery of great blood flow along the internal carotid artery through alloprosthesis of the latter. The positive effects of a combination of endovascular embolization of the vascular network of the tumor with its subsequent removal are noted. Indications for endovascular embolization and its procedure, intraoperative evaluation of cerebral collateral circulation are discussed. Those for carotid repair during en-block removal of carotid paraganglioma with bifurcation of the common carotid artery are considered.

[Intraoperative anaphylactic/anaphylactoid reaction to infusion of a modified liquid gelatin]. / Intraoperatsionnaia anafilakticheskaia/anafilaktoidnaia reaktsiia na infuziiu modifitsirovannogo zhidkogo zhelatina.

A clinical observation of an extremely rare but highly severe complication, i.e. anaphylatic/anaphylactoid reaction to the infusion of a synthetic colloid plasma-expander (Gelofusion) is described in the paper. Dropping arterial pressure concurrent with tachycardia and a negative dynamics of ST segment in ECGS were the main reaction signs. Besides, mechanisms of allergic reactions developing during the anesthesia implementation as well as the related measures of prevention and therapy are also elucidated.