An increase in low molecular weight fibrin-fibrinogen degradation products (FDP) was demonstrated in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 17 of 18 patients with bacterial or viral meningitis compared with 29 patients without meningitis. The CSF also showed an increase in coagulation proteins of molecular weight less than 90000 (factors VII, IX, and plasminogen) but did not contain fibrinogen (MW 3400...

AIM The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the intensity of trauma influences the pathogenesis of traumatic chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH). MATERIAL AND METHODS Thirty-one patients treated surgically for traumatic CSDH were divided into high-impact and lowimpact groups according to the intensity of trauma. They were respectively evaluated with respect to clinical and radiologi...

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS The development of expanded endoscopic endonasal approaches (EEAs) has allowed resection of cranial-base lesions beyond the sella. One major criticism is an increased risk of postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage because of the larger skull base defect. We evaluated our experience with vascularized pedicled nasoseptal flap (PNSF) reconstruction and compared the p...

BACKGROUND Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) and related headache after intrathecal pump implantation is a possibility. Knowing the exact location of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak is mandatory for managing with interventional therapies. OBJECTIVES Radioisotope cisternography (RICG) is a common procedure in nuclear medicine and may be used as an additional procedure in the differ...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Arachnoid granulations (AGs) of the posterior wall of the temporal bone are a rare cause of spontaneous CSF leakage. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and appearance of presumed AGs, evidenced by the posterior wall defects of the temporal bone with lobulated or scalloped margins on CT scans. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed CT ...

OBJECTIVE The complication rates associated with different types of functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) remain to be fully examined. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. METHODS We extracted data from the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database on 50,734 patients (aged ≥ 16 years) who underwent FESS for chronic rhinosinusitis between 2007 and 2013. We focused on specifi...

Objective Our purpose here was to identify risk factors of poor outcome after anterior operation in patients with cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). Methods This study retrospectively reviewed 98 patients who underwent anterior surgery for improving neurological symptoms. The Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) recovery rate <50% was defined as poor surgica...

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension in a 37-year-old man with intractable headaches was diagnosed on MR imaging. A generous CSF leak was identified at C2 on CT myelography. Successful treatment was performed with CT-guided blood patch at the leakage site after the patient had failed 2 lumbar blood patches. Imaging-guided precise placement of the blood patch is safe and recommended when a lumba...

BACKGROUND Developing controlled hypercarbia is a known scheme of lowering the suprasellar part of the adenoma in order to assist the surgeon, which acts through raising the ICP and therefore the CSF pressure. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study is to compare the effect of introducing a lumbar drain with that of controlled hypercapnia on the quality of transsphenoidal pituitary tumor resecti...