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Threatening of cerebrovascular insufficiency within surgery of carotid artery restenosis

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Palkovic S., Tjan T., Fischer B., Wassmann H.

Open Medicine

2007

vol. 2

issue 3

335-340

Surgical intervention for extracranial carotid artery stenosis remains a major potential therapeutic modality for the prevention of stroke. Nevertheless, every kind of surgical technique for carotid entarterectomy (CEA) has its specific complications, compromising the final surgical result. The authors report about a 70-year old man, suffering from recurrent transient ischemic attacks by suspected internal carotid artery (ICA) re-stenosis, 11 and 13 years after CEA with patch angioplasty. In relation to neurological symptomatic and angiographic appearance of ICA re-stenosis an open surgery of the left ICA was preferred. Intraoperatively the old patch material was such vulnerable that it was not possible to maintain the continuity of ECA and ICA or CCA and ICA. Consequently reconstruction and replacement of ICA and ECA with 6 mm Gore-Tex grafts was performed. Follow-up three years after surgery showed no symptoms of insufficient brain metabolism as well as a good flow within the grafts. Patch angioplasty by CEA seems to be favourable to reduce the risk of early ICA re-stenosis but for all that there are other accompanying problems, which can compromise utility of patch technique. For this the authors prefer a patient adapted surgical treatment, based not only on so far not significant data but moreover on personal experience.

Spinal meningiomas: Clinical and therapeutic tonsiderations

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Schröder J., Fischer B., Palkovic S., Wassmann H.

Meningiomas of the spinal canal are rare, in contrast to their cranial counterparts. This study reports on the dominant features of spinal meningiomas before and after treatment. We treated 30 patients (23 female) with meningiomas of the spinal canal from 1992 to 2003. The mean age was 68 (range: 43–91). Upon admission, 26 patients presented with a marked neurological deficit (11 paraparesis, 9 motor weakness, 4 myelopathic ataxia, 1 quadriplegia, and 1 cauda equina syndrome). Two patients had sensory deficits, and two had pain only. The distribution of the tumors was as follows: 8 cases were cranio-cervical, 1 case was cervical, 6 cases were at the cervico-thoracic junction, 9 cases were of the thoracic spine, 5 cases were of the thoracolumbar spine, and 1 case was of the lumbar spine. Five cases also had intracranial manifestations. The mean interval between the onset of the first symptoms and treatment was 12 months. All cases were treated via (hemi)-laminectomy for complete removal of the tumor and occasionally via duraplasty. After a mean follow-up of 3 years, symptoms had improved by 3 points (on a 5-point scale) in 3 cases, by 2 points in 7 cases, and by 1 point in 12 cases; 7 cases were unchanged, and 1 case had worsened by 1 point. We observed 3 local recurrences. One case developed manifestations at a different site. Spinal meningiomas are often diagnosed late, after they have already caused major neurological deficits. Nevertheless, owing to their benign character, the outcome is favorable when treated appropriately. The outcome depends above all on the initial neurological status. The worse the deficit is, the less probable it is that the patient will recover neurologically.

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2 Open Medicine

1 2008

1 2007

2 Fischer B.

2 Palkovic S.

2 Wassmann H.

1 Schröder J.

1 Tjan T.

Search results

Threatening of cerebrovascular insufficiency within surgery of carotid artery restenosis

Spinal meningiomas: Clinical and therapeutic tonsiderations