[Deformities, caused by premature ossification of the cranial sutures, and their treatment]. / A koponyavarratok korai csontosodása miatti deformitások és azok kezelése.

The establishment of the Hungarian cranio-facial surgical team is reported on and the activity sphere of this special field is described. The consequences of early ossification of the cranial sutures as well as the therapeutical possibilities are dealt with. Brief review is given on the development of cranio-facial surgery. The age, diagnosis and interventions performed with the patients in 1987 are summarized in a table.

Ventral spondylodesis: basic method in the treatment of cervical spine injuries.

Ventral spondylodesis or ventrofixation is the most important surgical method for the treatment of severe cervical spine injuries accompanied by instability. Its wide indications include fracture-dislocations, compression fractures of the vertebral body, injuries to the disc, luxations, 'tear drop fractures' as well as "hangman's fractures". The essential parts of its technique: previous reduction by traction, anterior cervical approach, removal of the injured parts of vertebral body and disc(s), replacement by corticocancellous bone graft with subsequent plate-screw fixation. The authors performed in their Institute nearly 100 operations of this type, in a 10-year period of which; detailed account is given. Good results of surgery can be expected only by ensuring adequate technical conditions and professional knowledge, performing the operations in centres having sufficient experience.

[Early experience with the use of the Halo device in the treatment of damage to the cervical spine]. / Halo-készülékkel szerzett korai tapasztalataink nyaki gerinckórképek kezelése során.

Authors report on their experiences gained in 5 cases with the Halo device. The method of treatment is described. On the basis of a literary overview the field of indication, the advantages and the disadvantages of the method are described. In the assessment of the method it is stressed that according to their opinion this is the best conservative method of treatment, and the results compete with that of the operative treatment.

Supratentorial lobar ependymomas: reports on the grading and survival periods in 80 cases, including 46 recurrences.

We report 80 supratentorial lobar ependymomas, including 46 recurrences. All underwent operation. In the total collection 34.5% survived for more than 5 years. The behaviour of children and adults was nearly identical. Based on a histological grading into three steps of malignancy (E1, E2, E3), the ependymomas in low grade 1 showed a 5 years' survival time of 41.5%. Compared to a 28.5% survival in group E2 at the same time. Results in group E3, which histologically resembled malignant glioma or glioblastoma, are not relevant because of the small number of cases. More than 50% of the E1 recurrences showed transformation to E2. No transformation into a lower grade of malignancy has been observed.

Ependymomas extending into both lateral ventricles: CT-diagnosis and operability.

Two ependymomas in adults, extending into both lateral ventricles have been reported. The final diagnosis was achieved by cranial computed tomography. This was particularly important in the first case while the clinical course and the previous diagnostic methods as angiography and isotope scintigraphy were misleading, suggesting a demyelinating process. This patient died because of a rare complication: intraoperatively evolved extradural, frontobasal hematoma which diagnosed again by CT-scan, but the removal of the hematoma was not performed on due time. In the second case a similar, but larger tumor could be removed successfully after CT diagnosis. The importance of CT-scan in diagnosis and operative decision of intraventricular tumors was emphasized.