Relation of Structural and Functional Changes in Auditory and Visual Pathways after Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Surgery.

Auditory and visual pathways may be affected as a consequence of temporal lobe epilepsy surgery because of their anatomical relationships with this structure. The purpose of this paper is to correlate the results of the auditory and visual evoked responses with the parameters of tractography of the visual pathway, and with the state of connectivity between respective thalamic nuclei and primary cortices in both systems after the surgical resection of the epileptogenic zone in drug-resistant epileptic patients. Tractography of visual pathway and anatomical connectivity of auditory and visual thalamus-cortical radiations were evaluated in a sample of eight patients. In general, there was a positive relationship of middle latency response (MLR) latency and length of resection, while a negative correlation was found between MLR latency and the anatomical connection strength and anatomical connection probability of the auditory radiations. In the visual pathway, significant differences between sides were found with respect to the number and length of tracts, which was lower in the operated one. Anatomical connectivity variables and perimetry (visual field defect index) were particularly correlated with the latency of P100 wave which was obtained by quadrant stimulation. These results demonstrate an indirect functional modification of the auditory pathway and a direct traumatic lesion of the visual pathway after anterior temporal lobectomy in patients with drug resistant epilepsy.

Long-Term Electroclinical and Employment Follow up in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Surgery. A Cuban Comprehensive Epilepsy Surgery Program.

The purpose of this paper is to present a long- term electroclinical and employment follow up in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients in a comprehensive epilepsy surgery program. Forty adult patients with pharmacoresistant TLE underwent detailed presurgical evaluation. Electroencephalogram (EEG) and clinical follow up assessment for each patient were carried out. The occurrence of interictal epileptiform activity (IEA) and absolute spike frequency (ASF) were tabulated before and after 1, 6, 12, 24 and 72 months surgical treatment. Employment status pre- to post-surgery at the last evaluated period was also examined. Engel scores follow-up was described as follows: at 12 months 70% (28) class I, 10% (4) class II and 19% (8) class III-IV; at 24 months after surgery 55.2% (21) of the patients were class I, 28.9% (11) class II and 15.1% (6) class III-IV. After one- year follow up 23 (57.7%) patients were seizure and aura-free (Engel class IA). These figures changed to 47.3%, and 48.6% respectively two and five years following surgery whereas 50% maintained this condition in the last follow up period. A decline in the ASF was observed from the first year until the sixth year after surgery in relation to the preoperative EEG. The ASF one year after surgery allowed to distinguish "satisfactory" from "unsatisfactory" seizure relief outcome at the last follow up. An adequate social functioning in terms of education and employment in more than 50% of the patients was also found. Results revealed the feasibility of conducting a successful epilepsy surgery program with favorable long term electroclinical and psychosocial functioning outcomes in a developing country as well.

Subthalamotomy for Parkinson's disease: clinical outcome and topography of lesions.

OBJECTIVE: Subthalamotomy is an effective alternative for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, uncertainty about the optimal target location and the possibility of inducing haemichorea-ballism have limited its application. We assessed the correlation between the topography of radiofrequency-based lesions of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) with motor improvement and the emergence of haemichorea-ballism. METHODS: Sixty-four patients with PD treated with subthalamotomy were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor score (UPDRSm), MRI and tractography. Patients were classified according to the degree of clinical motor improvement and dyskinesia scale. Lesions were segmented on MRI and averaged in a standard space. We examined the relationship between the extent of lesion-induced disruption of fibres surrounding the STN and the development of haemichorea-ballism. RESULTS: Maximum antiparkinsonian effect was obtained with lesions located within the dorsolateral motor region of the STN as compared with those centre-placed in the dorsal border of the STN and the zona incerta (71.3%, 53.5% and 20.8% UPDRSm reduction, respectively). However, lesions that extended dorsally beyond the STN showed lower probability of causing haemichorea-ballism than those placed entirely within the nucleus. Tractography findings indicate that interruption of pallidothalamic fibres probably determines a low probability of haemichorea-ballism postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: The topography of the lesion is a major factor in the antiparkinsonian effect of subthalamotomy in patients with PD. Lesions involving the motor STN and pallidothalamic fibres induced significant motor improvement and were associated with a low incidence of haemichorea-ballism.

Sarcoma histiocítico primario del sistema nervioso central. Reporte de caso y revisión de la literatura / Primary histiocytic sarcoma of the central nervous system. A case report and review of the literature

La afectación primaria del sistema nervioso central por un sarcoma histiocítico es extremadamente infrecuente, con apenas 17 casos publicados y un comportamiento clínico agresivo. Presentamos el caso de una mujer de 46 años cuyas imágenes de resonancia magnética mostraron masa tumoral intraparenquimatosa temporoparietal derecha con desplazamiento de la línea media y edema vasogénico asociado. El tumor fue resecado parcialmente, resultó ser un sarcoma histiocítico. La paciente falleció a los 3 meses de ser realizado el diagnóstico. La necropsia demostró un severo edema cerebral y recrecimiento del tumor sin afectación del resto de los órganos. El diagnóstico estuvo basado en las características microscópicas del tumor, complementado con un panel inmunohistoquímico amplio, que resulta vital para confirmar el origen histiocítico y excluir otras lesiones malignas (AU)

Primary histiocytic sarcoma of the central nervous system is not only an extremely rare tumour, with only 17 published cases to date, but also a very aggressive one. We report the case of a 46 year old woman, who was seen on magnetic resonance to have a right intracerebral parietal temporal tumour with displacement of the midline and associated vasogenic oedema. The tumour was partially resected and seen to be a histiocytic sarcoma. The patient died 3 months after the diagnosis. Necropsy showed severe brain oedema and tumour regrowth but no involvement of other organs. Diagnosis was based on the microscopic characteristics of the tumour as well as an immunohistochemical panel, essential for the confirmation of its histiocytic origin and for the differential diagnosis with other malignant lesions (AU)

Temporal lobe epilepsy surgery modulates the activity of auditory pathway.

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effects of the anterior temporal lobectomy on the functional state of the auditory pathway in a group of drug-resistant epileptic patients, linking the electrophysiological results to the resection magnitude. Twenty-seven patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and a matched control group were studied. Auditory brainstem and middle latency responses (ABR and MLR respectively) were carried out before and after 6, 12 and 24 months surgical treatment. The volume and longitude of temporo-mesial resected structures were estimated on magnetic resonance images taken 6 months after surgery. Before the intervention the patients showed a significant delay of latency in waves III, V, Pa and Nb, with an increase in duration of I-V interval in comparison with healthy subjects (Mann-Whitney U-test, p<0.05). After resection, additional significant differences in waves I and Na latency were observed. Na and Pa waveforms showed a tendency to increase in amplitude, which became statistically significant 12 months after surgery for right hemisphere lobectomized patients in the midline electrode, and in Pa waveform for all patients in the temporal electrodes ipsilateral to resection (Wilcoxon test, p<0.05). In general, latency variations of MLR correlated with resection longitude, while changes in amplitude correlated with the volume of the resection in the middle temporal pole and amygdala (Pearson' correlation test, p<0.05). As a result, we assume that anterior temporal lobectomy provokes functional modifications into the auditory pathway, probably related to an indirect modulation of its activity by the temporo-mesial removed structures.

Inflammatory mediators in epilepsy.

All common contributing factors to epilepsy such as trauma, malignancies and infections are accompanied by different levels of central nervous system inflammation that in turn have been associated with the occurrence of seizure. Emerging data from human brain tissue and experimental models of epilepsy support the proposed involvement of inflammation in epilepsy. Key mediators of this process include, among others: interleukin (IL) -1ß, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, adhesion molecules and component of complement. Recent advances suggest the involvement of specific inflammatory pathways in the pathogenesis of seizures in patients with pharmacoresistant temporal lobe epilepsy, highlighting the potential for new therapeutic strategies. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge on the relationship between inflammatory mediators and epilepsy. We also describe experimental and clinical evidence of inflammation in epilepsy with special emphasis on clinical aspects once the epileptogenic focus has been resected. Further insight into the complex role of inflammation in epileptogenesis may provide new treatment options.

Autologous bone marrow stem cell neurotransplantation in stroke patients. An open study.

PURPOSE: Bone marrow stem cells (BMSC) were transplanted into the perilesional area in five patients bearing sequels of stroke, to evaluate the safety of the procedure and tolerance to the transplanted cells. METHODS: Cells were obtained from bone marrow samples taken from the same patient and stereotactically implanted into the targets, determined using a combination of images, and trans-operative recording of multiunit activity. The cells were implanted in several points along tracts in the perilesional region. RESULTS: No important adverse events derived from surgery or transplant were observed during the one year follow-up period, or detected using a combination of tests and functional measurements applied pre- and post-surgically. In contrast, some improvements were observed regarding the neurological condition of the patients, but the small number of patients in the study does not allow any conclusive statement. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that BMSC can be safely transplanted into the brain of patients, with excellent tolerance and without complications, using the methods described here.

Autoradiography reveals selective changes in serotonin binding in neocortex of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy.

The main goal of the present study was to evaluate binding to serotonin in the neocortex surrounding the epileptic focus of patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). Binding to 5-HT, 5-HT(1A), 5-HT(4), 5-HT(7) receptors and serotonin transporter (5-HTT) in T1-T2 gyri of 15 patients with MTLE and their correlations with clinical data, neuronal count and volume were determined. Autopsy material acquired from subjects without epilepsy (n=6) was used as control. The neocortex from MTLE patients demonstrated decreased cell count in layers III-IV (21%). No significant changes were detected on the neuronal volume. Autoradiography experiments showed the following results: reduced 5-HT and 5-HT(1A) binding in layers I-II (24% and 92%, respectively); enhanced 5-HT(4) binding in layers V-VI (32%); no significant changes in 5-HT(7) binding; reduced 5-HTT binding in all layers (I-II, 90.3%; III-IV, 90.3%, V-VI, 86.9%). Significant correlations were found between binding to 5-HT(4) and 5-HT(7) receptors and age of seizure onset, duration of epilepsy and duration of antiepileptic treatment. The present results support an impaired serotoninergic transmission in the neocortex surrounding the epileptic focus of patients with MTLE, a situation that could be involved in the initiation and propagation of seizure activity.

Meningioma gigante del trígono ventricular con extensión al tercer ventrículo: presentación de un caso y revisión de la literatura / Huge meningioma of the ventricular trigon with extension to the third ventricle: presentation of a case and revision of literature

Los meningiomas intraventriculares constituyen del 0.5 al 4.5 por ciento del total de los meningiomas intracraneales, localizándpse con mas frecuencia en los ventrículos laterales. Se presenta un paciente de 25 años de edad con cefalea y papiledema que se le diagnostica mediante tomografía computarizada un meningioma gigante localizado en el trígono ventricular con extensión al III ventrículo posterior. Se realiza un abordaje transcortical parieto-occipital derecho para abordar al ventrículo lográndose la resección microquirúrgica total de la lesión. El paciente evoluciona satisfactoriamente presentando como única complicación una epilepsia postquirúrgica tardía controlada con medicación anticonvulsivante. El conocimiento y orientación en la microanatomía ventricular combinado con técnicas microquirúrgicas, facilitan la resección de tumores de origen meningeo con localización y extensiones complejas(AU)

Selective posteroventral pallidotomy guided by semimicroregister in the treatment of advanced stages of idiopathic Parkinsonïs disease / Palidotomía posteroventral selectiva guiada por semimicroregistro en el tratamiento de los estadíos avanzados de la enfermedad de Parkinson idiopática

Introducción. El desarrollo tecnológico contemporáneo y una mejor comprensión de funcionamiento de los ganglios basales obtenidos en las dos últimas décadas, unido a la necesidad de buscar alternativas terapéuticas para los estadíos avanzados y complicados de la enfermedad de parkinson, han condicionado un resurgimiento de la cirugía funcional de los ganglios basales como opción terapéutica. Método. 103 pacientes con enfermedad de Parkinson avanzada fueron evaluados con la escala UPDRS y se sometieron a lesión de la porción interna del globus pallidus. Durante la cirugía, todos los pacientes fueron sometidos a técnicas de semimicrorregistro con el fin de localizar y definir el área sensorimotora del globus pallidus, utilizando un recurso tecnológico propio. Resultados. Más del 93

de los pacientes se benefició con la cirugía, con promedios de mejoría del 40

para la condición motora. En el 95

de los pacientes se abolió la disquinesia y la morbimortalidad fue menor del 10

. Se concluye que la palidotomía posteroventral selectiva es un tratamiento exitoso y relativamente seguro para el tratamiento de las complicaciones motoras evolutivas de la enfermedad de Parkinson avanzada(AU)ç

Resección microquirúrgica estereotáxica de tumores intracraneales guiada por imagen y asistida por computadora / Microsurgical stereotaxic resection of intracranial tumors guided by computer-assisted image

Se reporta que la orientación espacial durante la microcirugía, constituye un elemento indispensable. Se demuestra esta aplicación de la cirugía estereotáxica en el Centro Internacional de Restauración Neurológica (CIREN) de mayo de 1994 a febrero de 1998, al describir la realización de 65 intervenciones microquirúrgicas en condiciones estereotáxicas, a 62 pacientes con tumores cerebrales intracraneales. El proceder se dividió en 3 etapas: adquisición de la imagen, tomografía axial computadorizada, planificación quirúrgica, con sistema de planeamiento STASSIS y procederes microquirúrgicos, que incluyeron los sistemas estereotáxicos: Leksell, Micromar y Estereoflex. Del total, 27 de estos pacientes presentaron tumores gliales, 33 no gliales y sólo 2 lesiones no neoplásicas de localización y tamaño variados. Se realizaron 30 resecciones totales. La morbilidad quirúrgica fue mínima y no hubo mortalidad quirúrgica. Las principales ventajas del método son: localización exacta de la craneotomía, fácil orientación espacial, facilidad para distinguir los límites entre el tumor y el tejido sano. Se verificó la aplicabilidad del Estereoflex a la microcirugía cerebral (AU)

Resección microquirúrgica estereotáxica de tumores intracraneales guiada por imagen y asistida por computadora / Microsurgical stereotaxic resection of intracranial tumors guided by computer-assisted image

Se reporta que la orientación espacial durante la microcirugía, constituye un elemento indispensable. Se demuestra esta aplicación de la cirugía estereotáxica en el Centro Internacional de Restauración Neurológica (CIREN) de mayo de 1994 a febrero de 1998, al describir la realización de 65 intervenciones microquirúrgicas en condiciones estereotáxicas, a 62 pacientes con tumores cerebrales intracraneales. El proceder se dividió en 3 etapas: adquisición de la imagen, tomografía axial computadorizada, planificación quirúrgica, con sistema de planeamiento STASSIS y procederes microquirúrgicos, que incluyeron los sistemas estereotáxicos: Leksell, Micromar y Estereoflex. Del total, 27 de estos pacientes presentaron tumores gliales, 33 no gliales y sólo 2 lesiones no neoplásicas de localización y tamaño variados. Se realizaron 30 resecciones totales. La morbilidad quirúrgica fue mínima y no hubo mortalidad quirúrgica. Las principales ventajas del método son: localización exacta de la craneotomía, fácil orientación espacial, facilidad para distinguir los límites entre el tumor y el tejido sano. Se verificó la aplicabilidad del Estereoflex a la microcirugía cerebral(AU)

It is reported that spatial guidance during microsurgery is an essential element. This application of stereotaxic surgery is shown at the International Center of Neurological Restoration (CIREN, in Spanish) from May, 1994, to February, 1998, on describing the performance of 65 microsurgical procedures under stereotaxic conditions among 62 patients with cerebral intracranial tumors. The procedure was divided into 3 stages: image adquisition, CAT, surgical planning , with STASSIS planning system, and microsurgical procedures that included the Leksell, Micromar and Esteroflex stereotaxic systems. 27 of the total of patients presented glial tumors; 33, non-glial; and only 2 non-neoplastic lesions of diverse localization and size. 30 total resections were made. Surgical morbidity was minimum and there was no surgical mortality. The main advantages of this method are: exact localization of the craniotomy, easy spatial guidance, and the opportunity to distinguish the limits between the tumor and the sound tissue. The possibility to apply Esteroflex to cerebral microsurgery was demonstrated(AU)

Tumores intraventriculares supratentoriales primarios / Supratentorial intraventricular primary tumors

Introducción. Son raros los tumores con una localización intraventricular supratentorial primaria. Resulta de mayor frecuencia la extensión intraventricular, entre los tumores que se comportan de este modo est el astrocitoma del hipot lamo y del nervio óptico, linfomas, subependimomas, craneofaringionmas y carcinomas metastasicos. Pacientes y metodos. Se realizó un estudio restrospectivo con las historias clínicas de 11 pacientes ingresados en el CIREN en el período comprendido de enero de 1996 a noviembre de 1999 con diagnóstico clínico de tumor intraventricular supratentorial. De los 11 enfermos, 8 correspondieron al sexo masculino y 3 al femenino. La edad osciló entre 15 meses y 51 años. La afectación ventricular fue la siguiente: cinco tumores afectaron el ventrículo lateral y seis al tercer ventrículo. Los procederes diagnóstico terap,utico de los casos estudiados, resecados total o parcialmente fueron los siguientes, cinco abordajes transcalloso, cuatro abordajes transcortical, una resección neuroendoscópica y una biopsia estereotoxica. Una vez resecado el tejido se procesó histológicamente, a 4 de ellos se les realizó tecnicas inmunohistoquímicas y a 3 estudio por microscopía electrónica para confirmar el diagnóstico. Resultados. El an lisis histológico fue el siguiente: 3 pacientes con diagnóstico de neurocitoma central, 3 con quiste coloide, 1 astrocitoma pilocítico, 1 tumor neuroectod,rmico primitico, 1 ependimoma, 1 meningioma (transicional) y una lesión inflamatoria crónica de causa no precisada. Es objetivo del presente trabajo comunicar nuestra experiencia, así como confirmar que las lesiones localizadas en los ventrículos laterales y en el tercero son raras si tenemos en cuenta que se trataron 109 lesiones tumorales del sistema Nervioso en nuestro centro en el tiempo referido anteriormente(AU)

Tumores intraventriculares supratentoriales primarios / Supratentorial intraventricular primary tumors

Introducción. Son raros los tumores con una localización intraventricular supratentorial primaria. Resulta de mayor frecuencia la extensión intraventricular, entre los tumores que se comportan de este modo est el astrocitoma del hipot lamo y del nervio óptico, linfomas, subependimomas, craneofaringionmas y carcinomas metastasicos. Pacientes y metodos. Se realizó un estudio restrospectivo con las historias clínicas de 11 pacientes ingresados en el CIREN en el período comprendido de enero de 1996 a noviembre de 1999 con diagnóstico clínico de tumor intraventricular supratentorial. De los 11 enfermos, 8 correspondieron al sexo masculino y 3 al femenino. La edad osciló entre 15 meses y 51 años. La afectación ventricular fue la siguiente: cinco tumores afectaron el ventrículo lateral y seis al tercer ventrículo. Los procederes diagnóstico terap,utico de los casos estudiados, resecados total o parcialmente fueron los siguientes, cinco abordajes transcalloso, cuatro abordajes transcortical, una resección neuroendoscópica y una biopsia estereotoxica. Una vez resecado el tejido se procesó histológicamente, a 4 de ellos se les realizó tecnicas inmunohistoquímicas y a 3 estudio por microscopía electrónica para confirmar el diagnóstico. Resultados. El an lisis histológico fue el siguiente: 3 pacientes con diagnóstico de neurocitoma central, 3 con quiste coloide, 1 astrocitoma pilocítico, 1 tumor neuroectod,rmico primitico, 1 ependimoma, 1 meningioma (transicional) y una lesión inflamatoria crónica de causa no precisada. Es objetivo del presente trabajo comunicar nuestra experiencia, así como confirmar que las lesiones localizadas en los ventrículos laterales y en el tercero son raras si tenemos en cuenta que se trataron 109 lesiones tumorales del sistema Nervioso en nuestro centro en el tiempo referido anteriormente