• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.665-670
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• 2021

Symptomatic cerebral vasospasm (CVS) and delayed ischemic neurologic deficit (DIND) after unruptured aneurysm surgery are extremely rare. Its onset timing is variable, and its mechanisms are unclear. We report two cases of CVS with DIND after unruptured aneurysm surgery and review the literature regarding potential mechanisms. The first case is a 51-year-old woman with non-hemorrhagic vasospasm after unruptured left anterior communicating artery aneurysm surgery. She presented with delayed vasospasm on postoperative day 14. The second case is a 45-year-old woman who suffered from oculomotor nerve palsy caused by an unruptured posterior communicatig artery (PCoA) aneurysm. DIND with non-hemorrhagic vasospasm developed on postoperative day 12. To our knowledge, this is the first report of symptomatic CVS with oculomotor nerve palsy following unruptured PCoA aneurysm surgery. CVS with DIND after unruptured aneurysm surgery is very rare and can be triggered by multiple mechanisms, such as hemorrhage, mechanical stress to the arterial wall, or the trigemino-cerebrovascular system. For unruptured aneurysm surgery, although it is rare, careful observation and treatments can be needed for postoperative CVS with DIND.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.923-928
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• 2000

Objective : The reliability of transcranial doppler sonography(TCD) for predicting delayed ischemic neurologic deficit( DIND) was investigated in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage(SAH). Methods : The velocity of blood flow through the middle cerebral artery was measured by TCD in 70 patients treated surgically within 72 hours due to ruptured cerebral aneurysm. A correlation between measured maximal mean blood flow velocities and clinical factors including age, hypertension, Hunt-Hess grade, Fisher grade, DIND, and outcome was made. Results : An age-dependent reduction of the measured maximal mean velocities was found(r＝-0.4043, p<0.001). Flow velocities in hypertensive patients were significantly lower than in the normotensive individuals(two-tailed T test, p<0.05). There was no significant difference between the flow velocities and evaluated other clinical factors. When the flow velocities of 14 patients who developed DIND were compared with those of patients without deficits, no significant difference was seen. A significant increase in flow velocities in the days before the onset of DIND was found only in 4 of 14 cases. High flow velocities did not necessarily mean impending neurological deficits : 6 of 70 patients tolerated flow velocities over 160cm/s. Conclusion : We suggest that TCD readings have limited utility for predicting DIND following SAH, especially in older or hypertensive patients. More direct measurements of blood flow are necessary to adequately predict which patients are at high risk of DIND.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.95-99
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• 2007

Objective : The purpose of this reports is to describe the influence of continuous external ventricular drainage [EVD] on delayed ischemic neurologic deficit [DIND] after early surgery in ruptured aneurysmal patients. Methods : The authors reviewed 229 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage [SAH] who had been treated with clipping at a single institution between 1998 and 2004. Of these, 121 patients underwent continuous EVD [Group A] postoperatively, whereas 108 patients did not [Group B]. EVD was performed at ipsilateral Kocher's point and maintained 2 to 14 days postoperatively. Results : DIND occurred in 15.7% [19 cases] of patients in Group A, 25% [27 cases] from Group B [P value=0.112]. Compared with Group A, Group B was more likely to suffer acute symptom of DIND and showed poor response to 3- H therapy. Major symptoms of DIND in Group A were mild confusion [36.8%] and mild deterioration of mental state [26.3%], contrary to weakness of extremities [59.2%] in Group B. At discharge, Glasgow Outcome Scales [GOS] of Group A were : good recovery [63.2%], moderately disabled [21%], severely disabled [10.5%], dead [5.3%] and Group B : good recovery [48.1%], moderately disabled [37%], severely disabled [14.8%] and dead [0%]. Of 121 patients from group A, 35 patients [28.9%] suffered ventriculitis. Conclusion : Continuous EVD after aneurysmal clipping in patients with SAH reduced the risk of DIND and its sequelae, relieved its symptoms, and improved the outcome.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.705-710
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• 2001

Objective : Postoperative seizure is a well documented complication of aneurysm surgery. The purpose of the present study was to analyze risk factors for postoperative seizure. Methods : Between January 1990 and December 1996, we performed craniotomy for ruptured cerebral aneurysms in 321 patients. Among them 206 patients who could be followed up for more than 1 year(range, 1 to 4.6 years) were enrolled to present study. All patients were treated with anticonvulsants for 3 to 18 months postoperatively. We analyze the incidence of postoperative seizure in different sex and age groups, and risk factors associated with postoperative seizures following aneurysm rupture. For statistical processing chi-square test and Fisher's exact test were used. Results : In the follow-up period of 1 to 4.6 years(mean, 1.8 years) postoperative seizure appeared in 18 out of 206 patients(8.7%). Mean latency between the operation and the first seizure was 6 months(range, 3 weeks to 18 months). The age of the patients has significant influence on the risk of seizure, it occurred more often in younger patients(p =0.0014). Aneurysm location in the MCA was associated with a significantly a higher risk of seizure(p = 0.042). Eight patients(19%) out of 42 patients who suffered delayed ischemic neurologic deficit(DID) developed seizure. Delayed ischemic neurologic deficit was associated with significantly a higher risk of seizure(p =0.019). Infarct and hypertension were associated with significantly a higher risk of seizure(p <0.05). pre- or postoperative intracranial hematoma(intracerebral or epidural hematoma) was associated with significantly a higher risk of seizure(p <0.0001). H-H grade, Fisher grade, Glasgow Outcome Scale of patients and timing of operation after subarachnoid hemorrhage had no significant relation with the risk of seizure. Conclusion : Factors associated with the development of postoperative seizure were middle cerebral artery aneurysm, delayed ischemic neurologic deficit, infarct on late postoperative CT scan, hypertension, pre or postoperative intracranial hematoma(intracerebral or epidural hematoma). Identification of the risk factors may be help to focus the antiepileptic drug threapy in cases prone to develop seizures. Prospective evaluation is indicated.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.36-39
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• 2006

Objective : The present study attempts to address the change of management results over time during the past 13 years in good-grade patients with intracranial aneurysm. Methods : Six hundred twenty five [Hunt-Hess grade I to III] out of 826 patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysms operated by the same operator within 3 days after the attack from 1990 to 2002 were selected. Since 1998, endovascular aneurysmal occlusion was done in selected cases of 21 patients. The change of management results over time, including rebleeding rate, delayed ischemic neurologic deficit[DIND] as a cause of morbidity and mortality and surgical outcome were examined. Results : The ratio of poor-grade patients in all patients tended to decrease over the years. The early rebleeding rate declined from 5.0% to 1.2% with the use of tranexamic acid and computed tomography angiogram DIND as a cause of mortality and morbidity has decreased from 12.5% in 1990 to approximately 0% currently. Surgical outcome began to improve significantly in 1994 [poor outcome : 25% in 1990, 12.2% in 1994,6.8% in 2002]. Conclusion : These results suggest that the advances in care and increased experience of the operator significantly affect the change of overall outcome, and early detection of the aneurysm is needed for reducing the ratio of poor-grade patients.

• 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 Trauma and Injury
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.190-194
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• 2015

Blunt cerebrovascular injury is defined as a vertebral or carotid arterial structural wall injury resulting from nonpenetrating trauma. Complete traumatic internal carotid artery occlusion is very rare condition accounting for 0.08~0.4 0f all trauma patients and believed to be associated with the greatest risk of ischemic stroke reported in 50~90% in a few small series. A 55-year-male was admitted with drowsy mentality and severe headache after a fall down accident. Brain computed tomography showed a subdural hematoma at the both frontal area with a fracture of the occipital skull bone. Two days after admission, he suddenly complained with a right side hemiparesis of motor grade 2. Brain magnetic resonance diffusion demonstrated multiple high flow signal changes from the left frontal and parietal lesion. Computed tomographic angiogram (CTA) revealed absence of the left ICA flow. Trans femoral cerebral angiography (TFCA) showed complete occlusion of the left internal carotid artery (ICA) at ophthalmic segment in the left ICA angiogram and flows on the left whole hemispheric lesions through the anterior communicating artery in the right ICA angiogram. We decided to conduct close observations as a treatment for the patient because of acute subdural hematoma and sufficient contralateral cerebral flow by perfusion SPECT scan. Two weeks after the accident, he was treated with heparin anticoagulation within INR 2~4 ranges. He recovered as the motor grade 4 without another neurologic deficit after 3 months.

• 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.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.481-487
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• 1998

The surgical management of acute type B dissection is controversial. The complexity of the repair usually requires a period of aortic cross-clamping exceeding 30 minutes, which can cause ischemic injury of the spinal cord. Several forms of distal perfusion have been considered for use to prevent this injury. To determine the safety and efficacy of a graft replacement with cardiopulmonary bypass in reparing acute dissection of descending thoracic aorta, we retrospectively reviewed our surgical experience treating 8 patients who had aortic dissection secondary to atherosclerosis, trauma, and carcinoma invasion. Cardiopulmonary bypass was performed with two aortic cannulas for simultaneous perfusion of the upper and lower body and one venous cannula for draining venous blood from the right atrium or inferior vena cava. Although aortic cross-clamp time was relatively long (average, 117.8 minutes; range, 47 to 180 minutes) in all cases, there was no neurologic deficit immediately after graft replacement for the aortic lesion. Two patients(25%) of relatively old age died on the postoperative 31st and 41st days, respectively, because of delayed postoperative complications, such as pulmonary abscess and adult respiratory distress syndrome. Although any of several maneuvers may be appropriate in managing dissection of the descending aorta, graft replacement with cardiopulmonary bypass during aortic cross-clamping may be a safe and effective method for the treatment of acute dissection of the descending thoracic aorta.