• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.711-716
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• 2001

Objectives : Three-dimensional computed tomographic angiography(3D-CTA) is recently developed diagnostic imaging modality. We have studied this noninvasive method for possible role in replacing conventional angiography( CA) in the detection of aneurysms of the circle of Willis in patients with subarachnoid hemorrahge(SAH). Methods : We studied retrospectively, the 100 patients with SAH or unruptured aneurysms admitted to our hospital from October 1997 to December 1998. Among there, 85 patients underwent CTA, 82 patients underwent CA and 67 patients underwent both of CTA and CA. 3D-CTA was obtained using maximum intensity projection(MIP) and shaded-surface display(SSD) reconstruction. Results : Total 107 aneurysms were detected in 92 patients, and 64 aneurysms were detected in 67 patients underwent both CTA and CA. In five cases of those 67 cases, aneurysms were detected by CA but not by 3D-CTA. The detection rate of aneurysms(91.8%) and the detection rate of parent artery in cases of anterior communicating artery aneurysms(86.9%) with total 3D-CTA were relatively compatible with that of CA. But 3D-CTA was not enough in detection of posterior communicating artery aneurysms, internal carotid artery aneurysms as well as small sized aneurysm(<3mm). Conclusion : We consider CTA is valuable in as a screening test for cerebral aneurysm and follow-up test. And it is also valuable in early surgery for patients with aneurysmal rebleeding because of simple, quick, non-invasive method.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.609-614
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• 2000

Objective : A retrograde clinical study was undertaken to determine the effect of opening lamina terminalis on the development of hydrocephalus after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage(SAH). We compared the incidence ratios of the development of hydrocephalus with and without opening lamina terminalis during operation after aneurysmal SAH. Patients and Methods : From Oct. 1996 to Sep. 1998, we performed 138 aneurysm surgery for 122 patients. In 98 cases, the lamina terminalis was opened to make direct cerebrospinal fluid flow from the third ventricle to subarachnoid space for prevention of delayed hydrocephalus. We compared the incidence of hydrocephalus after opening lamina terminalis to those without opened lamina terminalis. Results : In 95 cases, the hydrocephalus was noticed in 2 cases(2.2%). It is significantly lower in the group with opening lamina terminalis than the group without opening lamina terminalis(about 10%). Conclusion : It is simple and easy procedure to open the lamina terminalis during aneurysm surgery. With this maneuver, we could reduce the incidence of hydrocephalus after aneurysmal spontaneous SAH. Thus, it is considered that the opening lamina terminalis is one of the effective methods for preventing the development of hydrocephalus after aneurysmal spontaneous SAH.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.325-333
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• 2001

Objective : To clarify the benefits and therapeutic effects of intra-arterial papaverine infusion on the symptomatic cerebral vasospasm, we analyzed the results of treatment in 32 patients retrospectively. Methods : A total of 510 patients underwent surgical clipping or endovascular intra-aneurysmal treatment for ruptured intracranial aneurysm between May, 1996 and June, 1999. The delayed ischemic deficit(DID) was developed in 90 of 510 patients. Of these 90 patients, 32 developed symptomatic vasospasm inspite of using modest "3H therapy". The brain CT scan was taken before the intra-arterial infusion of papaverine. The 32 patients underwent 42 intra-arterial papaverine infusion. The symptomatic vasospasm was divided into three groups : deterioration of mental status(Group 1), appearance of a focal neurologic deficit(Group 2), or both(Group 3). We measured Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS), arterial diameters, and cerebral circulation time(CCT) at the time of pre- and postangioplasty. Results : The number of patients in group 1, 2 and 3 were 26, 7, 9 respectively. Eighteen cases showed improvement of GCS more than 2 scores, 16 more than 1, and 8 showed no change of GCS. Average cerebral circulation time(CCT) was decreased ranging from 0.0%-67.5%, and arterial diameters were increased in 21 cases ranging from 1 to 4 folds. Conclusion : Intra-arterial papaverine infusion seemed to have therapeutic effects on symptomatic vasospasm by improving the neurological signs and increasing the arterial diameter. We suggest that intra-arterial papaverine infusion would be an useful adjunctive therapeutic modality in symptomatic vasospasm.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.12
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• pp.1563-1569
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• 2000

Objective : Delayed ischemic neurologic deficit(DIND) is one of the major complications following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage(SAH). However, the correlation between angiographic vasospasm(AV) and DIND after SAH is not precisely known. The authors investigated the timing, incidence, characteristics of DIND, and analyzed correlation between AV and DIND. Patients and Methods : A series of 126 patients with SAH and performed cerebral angiography which, confirmed anterior circulation aneurysm, admitted to between January 1996 to December 1998, were studied retrospectively. A comparative analysis between group 1(G1) in which AV patients presented with DIND, and group 2(G2) patients did not DIND, were done. AV was graded according to location, distribution and degree. Location of vasospasm was classified as basal type(BT), distal type(DT). BT was involved horizontally and include the bilateral carotid systems, proximal middle cerebral artery(MCA) and proximal anterior cerebral artery(ACA). DT was involved vertically and include the MCA branches as they become vertically or posteriorly oriented and the ACA distal to the anterior communicating artery. BT and DT all defined ether as localized type(LT) or combined type(CT). Distribution of vasospasm was classified as type I, type II and type III. Type I represents the involvement of bilateral carotid systems and bilateral anterior cerebral artery, type II was designed as one carotid system without involving anterior cerebral artery, and type III when only some portions of the anterior cerebral artery were involved, bilaterally. Degree of vasospasm was classified as mild(less than 25%), moderate(between 25-50%), severe(greater than 50%), and those were determined by comparing the caliber of the artery in vasospasm to that of the nearest area of apparently normal vessel. Results : The incidence of AV & DIND was 57/126(45.2%), 29/126(23.0%), and timing of DIND was 9 days(${\pm}4.1$) after initial hemorrhage. As for the location, BT was seen in 12 cases(40.0%), DT 11 cases(36.7%) and CT 7 cases (23.3%), respectively. Where as G1, BT was seen 5 cases(18.5%), DT 5 cases(18.5%) and CT 17 cases(63.0%), respectively in G2. CT AV was more correlated with DIND than LT AV(p<0.05). For distribution, type I was seen in 16 cases(59.2%), type II 4 cases(14.8%), type III 7 cases(25.9%) in G1 where as type I was seen in 7 cases(23.3%), type II 10 cases(33.3%), type III 13(43.3%) in G2. Type I AV was well correlated with DIND unlike to type II or type III(p<0.05). As for the degree, mild was seen in 4 cases(14.8%), moderate 14 cases(51.9%), severe 9 cases (33.3%) in G1, and mild 16 cases(18.5%), moderate 11 cases(36.7%) and severe 3 cases(10.0%) in G2. Moderate to severe type AV was well correlated with DIND(p<0.05). Conclusion : These results indicate that it may be possible to predict DIND according to careful analysis of location, distribution, degree of AV in patients with aneurysmal SAH.