[Intracranial electrode recording prognostic value in anterior temporal lobectomy and hypocampectomy]. / Valor pronóstico de los registros intracraneales en la lobectomía temporal anterior con hipocampectomía.

UNLABELLED: The experience obtained in the Epilepsy Clinic of the General Hospital of México in regard to the use of intracraneal electrodes to determine the epileptic tissue that must be resected in an anterior temporal lobectomy with amygdalo-hippocampectomy in patients with intractable mesial temporal lobe seizures is described. The data obtained while recording the electroencephalographic activity with these electrodes to learn about its impact in the postsurgical result (seizure reduction and complications) both in the first year and long-term (up to 17 years) follow-up was analyzed. Fifty seven patients implanted between years 1993-2008 were included. Forty eight patients (84%) were seizure and medication free in the first year of postsurgical follow-up. Five patients relapsed after five years of being seizure free. There were no serious complications caused by the use of intracraneal electrodes per se and neurological deficits were barely noticeable in one patient due to the lobectomy. CONCLUSION: the use of intracraneal electrodes is a safe and effective diagnostic method that contributes to the good postsurgical long-term outcome in those patients previously excluded for a possible surgery.

[Surgical treatment for trigeminal neuralgia]. / Tratamiento quirúrgico de la neuralgia del nervio trigémino.

We treated 50 patients at the Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional La Raza, IMSS, in Mexico City, with trigeminal neuralgia by two procedures: a) microvascular decompression of the trigeminal nerve with asterional craniectomy, or b) compression of Gasser's nodule by percutaneous puncture. Each patient was allowed to choose one of the procedures after informed consent. Twenty two patients underwent percutaneous puncture, while 28 patients underwent microvascular decompression. Our study group comprised 35 females and 15 males between the ages of 38 and 80 years. After 3 months, we achieved good-to-excellent results in 25 patients with microvascular decompression and in 15 patients, with compression of Gasser's nodule. At 2 years follow-up, our results remained the same for microvascular decompression group while in the other group we observed only satisfactory results in 59% of cases. In craniectomy group, we found vascular compression in 96% of cases. Five patients presented hypoacusia after decompressive procedure and eight patients had facial dysesthesia after percutaneous procedure. In percutaneous group, procedures were cancelled due to technical difficulties in two cases. We conclude that both procedures are safe, with zero mortality. The microvascular procedure affords better results at 2 years follow-up.

Tratamiento quirúrgico de la neuralgia del nervio trigémino / Surgical Treatment for Trigeminal neuralgia

Se trataron 50 pacientes en el Hospital de Especialidades Centro Médico Nacional La Raza con neuralgia del trigémino, mediante dos procedimientos: a) microdescompresión vascular del trigémino mediante craniectomia asterional y b) compresión del ganglio de Gasser por punción per cutánea. El paciente eligió el procedimiento quirúrgico previa información detallada. A 22 pacientes se les realizó punción y a 28 microdescompresión. Las edades variaron de 38 a 80 años, 35 mujeres y 15 hombres. Los resultados a tres meses fueron buenos o excelentes en 25 pacientes con la microdescompresión y en 15pacientes con la compresión. A dos años los resultados seguían iguales a quienes se les realizó microdescompresión y en los pacientes tratados con compresión los resultados satisfactorios habían disminuido 59% de los casos. Se encontró compresión vascular en 96% de los casos de los pacientes que se realizó craniectomía. Tuvimos cinco pacientes con hipoacusia después de la microdescompresión y ocho con disestesia facial después de la compresión, y en dos casos de compresión el procedimiento no se pudo llevar a cabo por dificultades técnicas. Uno y otro procedimientos son seguros, con nula mortalidad, pero con mejores resultados a dos años con la microdescompresión vascular.

We treated 50 patients at the Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Médico Nacional La Raza, LMSS, in Mexico City, with trigeminal neuralgia by two procedures: a) microvascular decompression of the trigeminal nerve with asterional craniectomy, or b) compression of Gasser's nodule by percutaneous puncture. Each patient was allowed to choose one of the procedures after informed consent. Twenty two patients underwent percutaneous puncture, while 28 patients underwent microvascular decompression. Our study group comprised 35 females and 15 males between the ages of 38 and 80 years. After 3 months, we achieved good-to-excellent results in 25 patients with microvascular decompression and in 15 patients, with compression of Gasser's nodule. At 2 years follow-up, our results remained the same for microvascular decompression group while in the other group we observed only satisfactory results in 59% of cases. In craniectomy group, we found vascular compression in 96% of cases. Five patients presented hypoacusia after decompressive procedure and eight patients had facial dysesthesia after percutaneous procedure. In percutaneous group, procedures were cancelled due to technical difficulties in two cases. We conclude that both procedures are safe, with zero mortality. The microvascular procedure affords better results at 2 years follow-up.