• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.58 no.5
• /
• pp.479-482
• /
• 2015

We report a case of a 31-year-old woman with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) in the pineal region with associated leptomeningeal dissemination and lumbar metastasis. The patient presented with severe headache and vomiting. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain showed a heterogeneously enhanced tumor in the pineal region with obstructive hydrocephalus. After an urgent ventricular-peritoneal shunt, she was treated by subtotal resection and chemotherapy concomitant with radiotherapy. Two months after surgery, MRI showed no changes in the residual tumor but leptomeningeal dissemination surrounding the brainstem. One month later, she exhibited severe lumbago and bilateral leg pain. Thoracico-lumbar MRI showed drop like metastasis in the lumbar region. Finally she died five months after the initial diagnosis. Neurosurgeons should pay attention to GBM in the pineal region, not only as an important differential diagnosis among the pineal tumors, but due to the aggressive features of leptomeningeal dissemination and spinal metastasis.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.60 no.3
• /
• pp.322-326
• /
• 2017

Neuroendoscopic surgery is performed because it causes minimal damage to normal structures, carries a lower rate of complications, and achieves excellent outcomes. Surgeons using an endoscope and related instruments can perform complex operations through very small incisions, which is especially useful for minimally invasive procedures for the brain and spine. Neuroendoscopic surgery is now performed in cases of obstructive hydrocephalus, various intraventricular lesions, hypothalamic hamartomas, craniosynostosis, skull base tumors, and spinal lesions. This review discusses the brief history of neuroendoscopy and the current state and future perspectives of endoscopic surgery.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.41 no.6
• /
• pp.421-424
• /
• 2007

Two patients, one with glioblastoma multiforme [GM] in the right thalamus and the other with meningioma at the right frontal convexity, had suffered bilateral cortical blindness after transtentorial herniation. On one of those patients, bilateral cortical blindness had occurred due to acute obstructive hydrocephalus caused by GM and on the other patient, cortical blindness had developed after acute hemorrhage from meningioma. Bilateral occipital lobes of those patients showed signal change on the brain magnetic resonance image [MRI]. There were no ophthalmologic abnormalities on fundoscopy and ophthalmologic examination. After recovery of consciousness, cortical blindness was detected in both patients, and during gradual recovery period, visual function was slowly recovered. The pattern of visual evoked potential [VEP] at 7 weeks and 12 weeks after herniation was normalized gradually. Cortical blindness due to herniation was reversible, even though the high signals of bilateral visual cortex still existed on MRI 16 month later in case 2.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.60 no.2
• /
• pp.165-173
• /
• 2017

Objective : To explore and analyze the influencing factors of facial nerve function retainment after microsurgery resection of acoustic neurinoma. Methods : Retrospective analysis of our hospital 105 acoustic neuroma cases from October, 2006 to January 2012, in the group all patients were treated with suboccipital sigmoid sinus approach to acoustic neuroma microsurgery resection. We adopted researching individual patient data, outpatient review and telephone followed up and the House-Brackmann grading system to evaluate and analyze the facial nerve function. Results : Among 105 patients in this study group, complete surgical resection rate was 80.9% (85/105), subtotal resection rate was 14.3% (15/105), and partial resection rate 4.8% (5/105). The rate of facial nerve retainment on neuroanatomy was 95.3% (100/105) and the mortality rate was 2.1% (2/105). Facial nerve function when the patient is discharged from the hospital, also known as immediate facial nerve function which was graded in House-Brackmann : excellent facial nerve function (House-Brackmann I-II level) cases accounted for 75.2% (79/105), facial nerve function III-IV level cases accounted for 22.9% (24/105), and V-VI cases accounted for 1.9% (2/105). Patients were followed up for more than one year, with excellent facial nerve function retention rate (H-B I-II level) was 74.4% (58/78). Conclusion : Acoustic neuroma patients after surgery, the long-term (${\geq}1year$) facial nerve function excellent retaining rate was closely related with surgical proficiency, post-operative immediate facial nerve function, diameter of tumor and whether to use electrophysiological monitoring techniques; while there was no significant correlation with the patient's age, surgical approach, whether to stripping the internal auditory canal, whether there was cystic degeneration, tumor recurrence, whether to merge with obstructive hydrocephalus and the length of the duration of symptoms.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.30 no.9
• /
• pp.1115-1119
• /
• 2001

Objective : Management strategies for pediatric chiasmatic-hypothalamic gliomas(CHG) include surgery, irradiation, chemotherapy and a combination of these modalities. This study was performed in order to compare the efficacy of various methods of treatment and to describe its optimal management. Material and Method : We have reviewed the results of management of 6 children with a diagnosis of CHG, who were observed closely during the last 8 years. The patients were aged 7 months to 15 years. Our patients presented with diencephalic syndrome, endocrine dysfunction, and progressive visual loss. None of these had evidence of neurofibromatosis-1. Treatment consisted of surgery alone(2), surgry and irradiation(2), surgery, irradiation and chemotherapy(1), and surgery and chemotherapy(1). Results : Four children had large exophytic suprasellar tumors and two showed diffuse midline lesions. Obstructive hydrocephalus was present in all patients. Pathologic examination revealed anaplastic astrocytoma in 1 and lowgrade astrocytoma in 5. Two patients, recently treated with radiation therapy following radical subtotal resection, showed significant tumor reductions and good clinical status. Four patients had partial tumor resection. Of these patients, two developed disease stabilization during follow-up period of 7 and 8 years, respectively. Life-threatening complications were noted in remaining two patients. Conclusion : CHG may follow an unpredicatable course and show a various reponse to each treatment modality. Further studies are indicated to define the optimal method of treatment of CHG in childhood.