Deep brain stimulation of the globus pallidus internus or ventralis intermedius nucleus of thalamus for Holmes tremor.

Holmes tremor (HT) is a difficult-to-treat, very disabling symptomatic condition which characteristically appears weeks to years after a brain lesion. It features a unique combination of rest, action, and postural tremors. Pharmacotherapy is mostly not effective. Chronic deep brain stimulation (DBS) of ventralis intermedius nucleus (Vim) of thalamus has been described as being the best surgical approach in singular case series; various authors observe, however, cases with partial responses only; therefore, alternatives are still needed. We report ten patients with HT unresponsive to best medical therapy who underwent DBS in our center from March 2002 to June 2012. Based in our previous experience dealing with cases of unsatisfactory Vim intraoperative tremor control and in order to optimize surgical results, presurgical target planning included two Nuclei: Vim and posteroventral Globus pallidus internus (GPi) (Espinoza et al. 2010; Espinoza et al. Stereotact Funct Neurosurg 90(suppl 1):1-202, p 61, 2012). Definitive chosen target was decided after single-cell microelectrode recording, intraoperative test stimulation, thresholds for stimulation-induced adverse effects and best clinical response compared to baseline status. Fahn-Tolosa-Marin tremor rating scale (FTM-TRS) was used to evaluate outcome. The electrode was implanted in the nucleus with the best tremor suppression achievement; on the other hand, GPi DBS was initially decided if one of the following conditions was present: (a) If Vim nucleus anatomy was grossly altered; (b) when intraoperative tremor control was unsatisfactory despite Vim high-intensity stimulation; or (c) if unaffordable side effects or even tremor worsening occurred during intraoperative macrostimulation. Seven patients received definitive Gpi DBS implantation, while three patients received Vim DBS. In all observed cases, we observed an improvement on the TRS. In two cases where Vim thalamic anatomy was altered by the pathological insult GPI was planned from the beginning, and same was true in two additional cases where the Gpi nucleus showed major alterations allowing only Vim planning. Over all cases, the average improvement in tremor was of 2.55 points on the TRS or a 64 % increase in measured results; with a minimum of 1 point (25 %) improvement in one case and a maximum of 4 points (100 % improvement) also in one case. All the results were sustained at 2 years follow-up. One case with predominant resting component, implanted in the GPi, achieved the maximum possible tremor reduction (from 4 to 0 points, meaning 100 % tremor reduction); in the nine resting cases, the average reduction was of 3 points (or 75 %). DBS demonstrated in this case series adequate tremor control in 10 patients unresponsive to medical therapy. Presurgical planning of two targets allowed choosing best optimal response. Gpi stimulation could be considered as an alternative target for cases in which thalamic anatomy is considerably altered or Vim intraoperative stimulation does not produce satisfactory results.

Endonasal endoscopic transsphenoidal chiasmapexy using a clival cranial base cranioplasty for visual loss from massive empty sella following macroprolactinoma treatment with bromocriptine: case report.

Visual deterioration after dopamine-agonist treatment of prolactinomas associated with empty sella syndrome and secondary optic apparatus traction is a rare event. Chiasmapexy has been described as a viable treatment option, although few cases exist in the literature. Here, a novel endonasal endoscopic approach to chiasmapexy is described and its efficacy is demonstrated in a case report. A 55-year-old female patient with a history of a giant prolactinoma and 14 years of treatment using dopaminergic agonist therapy presented to our institution with a 1-month history of visual changes. Neuroophthalmological examination confirmed severe bitemporal field defects, and MRI revealed a large empty sella with downward optic chiasmal herniation. Endoscopic endonasal chiasmapexy was performed by elevating the chiasm with lumbar drainage and filling the clival and sellar defect with an extradural liquid (HydroSet; a cranioplasty bone cement), and a piece of AlloDerm was used to cover and cushion the chiasm. Postoperative imaging demonstrated successful anatomical elevation of the optic apparatus, and the patient showed functional improvement in the visual field at 3 months postoperatively. Although rare, massive empty sellar and chiasmal descent from macroadenoma treatment can result in progressive visual loss. Here, a novel technique of endonasal endoscopic extradural cranioplasty aided by lumbar drainage is reported, which appears to be an effective technique for stabilizing and possibly reversing anatomical and visual deterioration.

Tumor neuroepitelial disembrioplásico: presentación de caso y revisión de la literatura / Dysembryoplastic Neuroepithelial Tumor (DNT): Case Presentation and Literature Review

El tumor neuroepitelial disembrioplásico (DNT) fue descrito por primera vezpor Daumas-Duport, en 1988, e incorporado a la clasificación de tumores de laOrganización Mundial de la Salud, desde 1993, como parte del grupo de tumoresneurogliales. El artículo describe un caso típico, dada su presentación clínica, hallazgosimaginólógicos e histológicos, con adecuada evolución postoperatoria. Se haceuna revisión de la literatura del DNT, describiendo su epidemiología, presentaciónclínica, hallazgos imaginólógicos e histológicos, posibilidades de tratamiento actualy pronóstico...

Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumors (DNT)were first described by Daumas-Duport in 1988and incorporated into the new World Health Organizationclassification of brain tumours as partof the group of glioneuronal tumours in 1993. Wedescribe a typical case due to its clinical presentation,image and hystologic findings, with goodpostoperative course. A review of the literatureof DNT is made, describing its epidemiology,clinical presentation, image and histological findings,current treatment options and prognosis...