Proton beam therapy for loco-regional control of a recurrent mixed malignant germ cell tumor of the skull in a 22-month-old girl.

BACKGROUND: Germ cell tumors (GCT) situated in the head and neck region are very rare and occur predominantely in newborns or young infants. Recurrent CTs are often resectable only by mutilating surgery and the need for alternative treatment strategies is obvious. In this situation radiation therapy is the most important treatment option for loco-regional tumor control, but bear in this area the risk of possible impairment of brain function and face deformation as long term effects. CASE REPORT: In a girl with a connatal expansive growing teratoma of the skull the tumor recurred in spite of repeated surgery as mixed malignant GCT at the age of 15 months. Tumor control could not be achieved with chemotherapy and additional surgery seemed not promising. Therefore high dose proton beam therapy (PT) (54 Gy) has been administered to the child at the age of 22 months and led to local tumor control with only mild side effects. CONCLUSION: PT treatment may be an option for specific clinical conditions in germ cell tumors where local tumor control cannot be achieved by chemotherapy and/or surgery and long lasting side effects of conventional radiotherapy due to tumor localization and age have to be considered. However, PT should be implemented in treatment protocols for specific situations to guarantee supervised application, central documentation and follow-up.

The amount of solid cerebral microemboli during carotid stenting does not relate to the frequency of silent ischemic lesions.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Carotid artery stent placement (CAS) may be associated with clinically silent cerebral lesions. We prospectively evaluated the association of the number of solid cerebral microemboli during unprotected CAS with the frequency of silent cerebral lesions as detected by diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DWI). METHODS: We performed multifrequency transcranial Doppler detection of solid microemboli in the ipsilateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) during CAS in 27 consecutive patients with symptomatic high-grade carotid stenoses. No embolus protection was used in any of the cases. DWI before and 24 +/- 2 hours after CAS was used to detect new ischemic lesions. RESULTS: We detected 484 solid microemboli in 17 patients (63%). On MR imaging 24 +/- 2 hours after CAS, 6 patients (22%) had developed 13 new clinically silent DWI lesions within the ipsilateral MCA territory. In patients with Doppler evidence of solid emboli during CAS, the incidence of new DWI lesions was higher (29%) than in patients without Doppler evidence of solid emboli during the procedure (10%); this difference was not statistically significant (P = .25). The number of solid microemboli during CAS in patients with new ipsilateral DWI lesions was not significantly different from that in patients without new ipsilateral DWI lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Solid microembolism is a common event during unprotected CAS; however, the frequency of procedure-related silent cerebral lesions appears to be independent of the number of solid cerebral microemboli during the procedure.

Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitor Bridging and Subsequent Endovascular Therapy in Vertebrobasilar Occlusion in 120 Patients.

PURPOSE: The treatment mode in acute vertebrobasilar occlusion (VBO) remains uncertain. We analyzed efficacy and safety of intravenous glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (IV GPI) plus subsequent intra-arterial thrombolysis with or without additional endovascular mechanical therapy (percutaneous transluminal angioplasty/stenting or thrombus aspiration) and sought treatment factors that predict good clinical outcome. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 120 cases of patients with angiographically proven acute VBO. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors for clinical outcome and included level of consciousness, age, sex, time to angiography, GPI agent, admission mode, occlusion type, recanalization success, and endovascular treatment mode. Clinical follow-up was dichotomized in no to moderate disability (modified Rankin scale (mRS) 0-3) vs. severe disability or death (mRS 4-6). RESULTS: Median National Institutes of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) score on admission was 32, and mean NIHSS score was 24. A total of 49 patients (41 %) developed no to moderate disability (mRS 0-3), and 39 patients (33 %) died. Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction 2/3 recanalization success was achieved in 97 patients (80.8 %). Symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhages occurred in 11 patients (9 %). Mild impairment of consciousness (p < 0.001) and embolic occlusion type (p = 0.01) were significant predictors of favorable outcome. Clinical outcome in recanalized patients was better, but not statistically significant (p = 0.055). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that combined therapy with IV GPI and subsequent endovascular therapy may be a valid treatment strategy in acute VBO. With this treatment approach, a preserved vigilance before treatment and an embolic occlusion type are associated with no to moderate disability.

[Endovascular therapy of high-degree stenoses of the neck vessels-stent-supported percutaneous angioplasty of the carotid artery without cerebral protection]. / Endovaskuläre Behandlung hochgradiger Halsgefässstenosen - Stentgestützte perkutane Angioplastie der Arteria Carotis ohne Protektion.

PURPOSE: Technical essentials and therapeutic results of carotid stenting without cerebral protection are presented. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 161 patients, 167 high grade carotid stenoses were stented, followed by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, with subsequent evaluation of the clinical and angiographic results. Diffusion-weighted MRI was carried out in 108 patients to detect cerebral sequelae. RESULTS: Endovascular therapy was successful (residual stenosis < 25 %) in 166 stenoses (99.4 %). Twelve patients (7.5 %) had cerebrovascular complications within the 30-day perioperative period, seven of which occurred during the procedure. After treatment, diffusion-weighted MRI disclosed at least one new cerebral lesion in 40 patients (37 %), which were symptomatic in six patients. CONCLUSION: Even without cerebral protection, high grade carotid stenosis can be safely treated with stent-protected percutaneous angioplasty. Microemboli detected by postoperative MRI are infrequently symptomatic.

[Formation of portal venous collaterals after ligation of the portal vein for induction of liver regeneration]. / Portale Kollateralenbildung nach Pfortaderligatur zur Leberregenerations-Induktion im Schweine-Modell.

PURPOSE: Unilateral occlusion of the portal vein induces contralateral lobar hypertrophy - in contrast to complete portal vein occlusion which will result in a cavernous transformation. The impact of the formation of collaterals in partial portal vein occlusion is not sufficiently known. The lobar-hypertrophy- phenomenon is in clinical use for several years to induce iatrogenic liver growth to enable extended resections. After portal vein ligation in patients prior to extended hepatic resections, we noticed a perfusion of the formerly occluded side on CT. Using the well-established mini pig model, we were interested whether portal collaterals are formed as cause of the reperfusion. Ex-situ angiograms of the liver were used for the depiction of collaterals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using a median laparotomy as access for preparation of the hepatoduodenal ligament, a proximal left portal vein ligation was performed in eight mini pigs under general anesthesia. The total arrest of the portal blood flow (except in segments VI and VII) was documented by duplex ultrasound. After 4 weeks, all pigs were sacrificed and the weight of the ligated liver segments and non-ligated liver segments was measured and compared to a sham group (n = 5). After insertion of a guiding sheath, an ex-situ DSA of the portal vein was acquired. RESULTS: Compared with the sham group, the liver weight increased by 60 % (23 - 99 %, std. dev. 30 %) in segments VI and VII. Atrophy of the ligated segments was signified by a weight loss of 10 % (standard deviation 15 %). The ex-situ angiograms revealed a uniform pattern of collaterals with subsequent complete total recanalization of the formerly occluded portal vein distal from the ligation. The collaterals reduced the portal venous flow rate. CONCLUSION: After portal vein ligation, uniform collateralization results in recanalization of the occluded portal vein. The extent of the collaterals exceeds the known cavernous transformation. The increase in liver volume is not restrained by the formation of collaterals.

[Long-term outcome after endovascular treatment of high-risk patients with recurrently symptomatic intracranial stenoses of the posterior circulation]. / Langzeitergebnisse nach endovaskulärer Behandlung von Hochrisiko-Patienten mit mehrfach symptomatischen intrakraniellen Stenosen der vertebrobasilären Strombahn.

PURPOSE: We present long-term clinical and duplex data from high-risk patients with severe, recurrent symptomatic stenoses of the vertebrobasilar circulation. We hypothesized that despite the greater risk of periprocedural complications in this patient group, interventional treatment would reduce the risk of recurrent strokes relative to the expected natural risk. We also predicted that the long-term treatment outcome would be positively influenced by the use of stents and by the periprocedural technical success rate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An analysis of our patient data base yielded 45 cases of stenosis of the vertebrobasilar circulation treated endovascularly in 42 patients between 1998 and 2006. Clinical and vascular diagnostic tests, both periinterventionally and during follow-up, were performed independently by experienced neurologists. RESULTS: The technical success rate was 93%. Stents were used in 67% of the procedures. After 30 days, 24% of the patients showed post-procedural clinical deterioration. After an average period of 26.3 months, 17.8 % of the patients had deteriorated. 11.1% of the patients suffered severe permanent damage as a result of the procedure (mRs 3 - 6). Restenosis was found in 9.5% of the cases. There were no instances of a recurrent stroke during follow-up. CONCLUSION: For this population of high-risk patients with recurrently symptomatic intracranial stenoses of the vertebrobasilar axis, endovascular treatment reduced the risk of stroke and death relative to the expected natural risk. The use of stents had no significant effect on the long-term results.

Long-term outcome after angioplasty of symptomatic internal carotid artery stenosis with and without stent.

INTRODUCTION: Carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS) has widely replaced balloon angioplasty (percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, PTA) in the treatment of internal carotid artery stenosis (ICAS). Here we assess whether the use of stents increases the safety and long-term efficacy of angioplasty in patients with ICAS. Our aim was to test the hypothesis that the long-term efficacy of CAS is superior to that of PTA. METHODS: At the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, PTA was performed from 1990 to 1997 and CAS was performed from 1998 to 2006. All patients undergoing these procedures were symptomatic. Selection and follow-up examinations were performed by independent vascular neurologists. Follow-up terms were 1, 3, 6 and 12 months, then annually. RESULTS: In the PTA group (n=71), 2.8% of the patients showed severe periinterventional complications (i.e. lasting neurological deficits). Of these 71 patients, 57.7% were followed up for an average period of 51 months. Stenosis >70% was observed in 9.8% of the PTA patients, while 4.9% of the patients had ipsilateral occlusions. In the CAS group (n=354), 4.2% of the patients showed severe periinterventional complications. In total, 61% of the CAS patients were followed up for an average period of 25 months, of whom 4.6% showed stenosis of >70% and 1.9% had ipsilateral occlusions. Periprocedural complications and new symptoms that appeared during follow-up occurred at a rate of 5.6% (PTA) and 5.9% (CAS). There was no difference in the rate of annual ipsilateral events (1.1% in PTA vs. 1.3% in CAS, p=1.000) CONCLUSION: Overall, the use of stents, rather than PTA only, shows no beneficial clinical effect in the treatment of ICA stenosis. While the rate of restenosis may be significantly reduced, this merely suggests that the impact of restenosis is less apparent than expected.

Comparison of polydioxanone (PDS) and polypropylene (Prolene) for Shouldice repair of primary inguinal hernias: a prospective randomised trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the recurrence rates after Shouldice operation for primary inguinal hernias, using non-absorbable polypropylene or absorbable polydioxanone suture material. DESIGN: Randomised, controlled trial. SETTING: Teaching hospital, Germany. SUBJECTS: 220 male patients who had 233 elective Shouldice repairs of primary inguinal hernias, 201 of whom were followed up. INTERVENTION: Standard Shouldice procedure with 2/0 polypropylene (Prolene, n = 98) or 2/0 polydioxanone (PDS, n = 103). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Recurrence rates after a minimum follow-up of 24 months (range 24-48, mean 31). RESULTS: Numbers of early complications were similar in the two groups; there were 2 wound infections in each. A total of 193 patients with 201 repairs had a documented follow-up (86%). There were 6 recurrences in the PDS group and 5 in the Prolene group, giving a total recurrence rate of 5%. This difference was not significant (Fisher's exact test, p = 1.0). CONCLUSION: Recurrence rates in both groups were higher than expected, but there was no difference between the two groups.

[Indications for imaging the inner ear with CISS-MRI]. / Indikationen zur Darstellung des Innenohres mit Hilfe der CISS-MRT.

BACKGROUND: High-resolution CT images are often unable to visualize the extent of possible cochlear obliteration after meningitis or after temporal bone fracture. The exact estimation of this extent, however, is crucial for cochlear implant surgery planning. Thus MR imaging of intralabyrinthine pathology is becoming an increasingly significant imaging modality. METHODS: The clinical relevance of the CISS (constructive interference in steady state) MR sequence is explained using 5 selected cases of different inner ear pathology. RESULTS: Two of the examined patients had unsuspicious inner ear signals, whereas in 3 cases MRI rendered relevant information about partial or total cochlear obliteration. CONCLUSIONS: These clinical examples illustrate how the ideal fluid and tissue contrast of CISS-MRI make this new technique suitable as a primary tool for evaluating inner ear obliteration before cochlear implant surgery.