• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.371-374
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• 2014

Neurosurgeons have been trying to reduce surgical invasiveness by applying minimally invasive keyhole approaches. Therefore, this paper clarifies the detailed surgical technique, its limitations, proper indications, and contraindications for a superciliary keyhole approach as a minimally invasive modification of a pterional approach. Successful superciliary keyhole surgery for unruptured aneurysms requires an understanding of the limitations and the use of special surgical techniques. Essentially, this means the effective selection of surgical indications, usage of the appropriate surgical instruments with a tubular shaft, and refined surgical techniques, including straightforward access to the aneurysm, clean surgical dissection, and the application of clips with an appropriate configuration. A superciliary keyhole approach allows unruptured anterior circulation aneurysms to be clipped safely, rapidly, and less invasively on the basis of appropriate surgical indications.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.425-428
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• 2007

Hemangiopericytoma [HPC] is a rare tumor with uncommon location in the central nervous system. We report a rare case of sellar and suprasellar HPC mimicking pituitary adenoma in a patient initially seen with the symptoms of bitemporal hemianopsia, headache, and panhypopituitarism. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed a contrast-enhancing soft tissue mass arising from the pituitary fossa, with apparent compression of the chiasm and involving the cavernous sinus. Subtotal resection of the tumor was achieved via a pterional approach. Histopathological examination identified the tumor as a HPC. Nine years later, the tumor recurred. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of sellar and suprasellar HPC in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.592-599
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• 2001

Objective : The anterior communicating artery(ACoA) is known to be the most frequent location of intracranial aneurysms, but the complex arterial anatomy of the ACoA region makes this aneurysm among the most difficult one to treat. In the treatment of ACoA aneurysms, the direction of aneurysmal fundus is known to be very important in the surgical tactics. All ACoA aneurysms in our series were classified according to its direction, and analyzed the clinical features in order to investigate the prognostic factors influencing upon the surgical outcome. Methods : The authors reviewed 236 cases of ruptured ACoA aneurysms that were operated from 1990 to 1997, were classified according to Pia's classification. Results : The incidence rate of the ACoA aneurysm was 35.1%(236/672). Ventral group was more common than dorsal group, especially in ventro-caudal projection subgroup(36.0%). Poor preoperative clinical grade(Hunt-Hess grade IV and V) patients were more common in dorsal group(13.1%) than ventral group(2.6%). Rebleeding and intracerebral hematoma were more commonly seen in ventral group. However, vasospasm, hydrocephalus, hyponatremia, and intraventricular hemorrhage were observed more frequently in dorsal group. Worse outcome was more common in dorsal group than ventral group, especially in dorso-caudal projection subgroup. Also, poor outcome was identified in patients with intracerebral hematoma, intraventricular hemorrhage, hyponatremia, and hypertension, although statistically insignificant. In cases with the A1 dominancy, there was no difference in surgical outcome between the right and left side approach. The higher the aneurysmal neck from the planum sphenoidale, the worse outcome via pterional approach. Conclusion : It seems that the preoperative clinical grade, aneurysmal direction, and the height of aneurysmal neck, especially in the pterional approach, would be the major prognostic factors, and that intracerebral hematoma, intraventricular hemorrhage, hyponatremia, hydrocephalus and the intraoperative aneurysmal rupture would be the minor prognostic factors.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.392-394
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• 2010

Trochlear nerve palsy associated with spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is known to be a rare malady. We report here on a patient who suffered with left trochlear nerve palsy following rupture of a right posterior communicating artery aneurysm. A 56-year-woman visited our emergency department with stuporous mental change. Her Hunt-and-Hess grade was 3 and the Fisher grade was 4. Cerebral angiography revealed a ruptured aneurysm of the right posterior communicating artery. The aneurysm was clipped via a right pterional approach on the day of admission. The patient complained of diplopia when she gazed to the left side, and the ophthalmologist found limited left inferolateral side gazing due to left superior oblique muscle palsy on day 3. Elevated intracranial pressure, intraventricular hemorrhage or a dense clot in the basal cisterns might have caused this trochlear nerve palsy.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.8
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• pp.1069-1073
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• 2000

Although the most commonly encountered orbital tumor is metastatic tumor, adenocarcinoma of stomach metastasized to the optic nerve is rarely reported. The authors discuss a rare case of metastatic adenocarcinoma of left optic nerve with a review of literature. A 44-year-old man presented with decreased visual acuity of left eye for 3 months. Neurologic examination revealed left optic neuropathy. On MR imaging, a homogenously wellenhanced mass surrounding left optic nerve around optic canal was noticed. The X-rays and the whole body bone scan sho-wed multiple bony metastasis. Subtotal removal was performed via combined subfrontal and pterional approach and metastatic adenocarcinoma from the stomach was confirmed histologically. Postoperative course was uneventful, but there was no improvement of visual acuity.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.680-683
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• 2000

Osteosarcoma is the most frequently encountered primary malignant tumor of the bone. But primary osteosarcoma of the skull(POS) is rare. The author presents a case of skull neoplasm identified as osteogenic sarcoma. A twentyseven-years-old male patient was admitted because of painful swelling at left temporal and zygomatic area with impairment of extraocular movement. Chest film and long bone series showed no evidence of abnormality. Skull films revealed round irregular bony destructive area at the left pterional area. CT and MRI revealed expansile destruction of the left sphenoid bone, lateral orbital wall and temporal bone within the hemorrhagic mass lesions which showed wall enhancement. Histologic examination confirmed a rare variant of osteosarcoma of the telangiectatic type.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.189-192
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• 2006

Spontaneous dissection of the anterior cerebral artery is an unusual cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage. We present a case of a dissecting aneurysm of the anterior cerebral artery presenting with subarachnoid hemorrhage. A 51-year-old woman presented to our hospital with severe headache. Neurological examination demonstrated neck stiffness, decreased visual acuity of the left eye, and left ankle weakness. Computed tomographic scans showed subarachnoid hemorrhage. The initial cerebral angiogram demonstrated a slightly narrowed caliber and mild poststenotic dilation of the right A1 segment. A second cerebral angiogram 14 days later revealed no change in the focal narrowing of the proximal A1 segment but marked progression of the dilatation of the distal A1 segment. Right pterional craniotomy was performed. A sausage-like dilation of the right A1 segment was found with no definite mural hematoma. This abnormal right A1 segment was wrapped with a Sundt clip. A postoperative computed tomographic scan revealed Infarction of the right head of the caudate nucleus and the anterior limb of the right internal capsule. If a dissecting aneurysm is suspected, serial angiographic studies should be performed because of the possibility of dynamic changes over a short period.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.275-281
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• 2017

Treating diseases in the field of neurosurgery has progressed concomitantly with technical advances. Here, as a surgical armamentarium for the treatment of cerebral aneurysms, the history and present status of the keyhole approach and the use of neuroendoscopy are reviewed, including our clinical data. The major significance of keyhole approach is to expose an essential space toward a target, and to minimize brain exposure and retraction. Among several kinds of keyhole approaches, representative keyhole approaches for anterior circulation aneurysms include superciliary and lateral supraorbital, frontolateral, mini-pterional and mini-interhemispheric approaches. Because only a fixed and limited approach angle toward a target is permitted via the keyhole, however, specialized surgical devices and preoperative planning are very important. Neuroendoscopy has helped to widen the indications of keyhole approaches because it can supply illumination and visualization of structures beyond the straight line of microscopic view. In addition, endoscopic indocyanine green fluorescence angiography is useful to detect and correct any compromise of the perforators and parent arteries, and incomplete clipping. The authors think that keyhole approach and neuroendoscopy are just an intermediate step and robotic neurosurgery would be realized in the near future.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.195-198
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• 2009

Objective : Medpor porous polyethylene was used to reconstruct small bone defects (gaps and burr holes) along a craniotomy bone flap. The feasibility and cosmetic results were evaluated. Methods : Medpor Craniotomy Gap Wedges, V and T, were designed. The V implant is a 10 cm-long wedge strip, the cross section of which is an isosceles triangle with a 4 mm-long base, making it suitable for gaps less than 4 mm after trimming. Meanwhile, the Medpor T wedge includes a 10 mm-wide thin plate on the top surface of the Medpor V Wedge, making it suitable for gaps wider than 4 mm and burr holes. Sixty-eight pterional craniotomies and 39 superciliary approaches were performed using the implants, and the operative results were evaluated with respect to the cosmetic results and pain or tenderness related to the cranial flap. Results : The small bone defects were eliminated with less than 10 minutes additional operative time. In a physical examination, there were no considerable cosmetic problems regarding to the cranial bone defects, such as a linear depression or dimple in the forehead, anterior temporal hollow, preauricular depression, and parietal burr hole defect. Plus, no patient suffered from any infectious complications. Conclusion : The Medpor Craniotomy Gap Wedge is technically easy to work with for reconstructing small bone defects, such as the bone gaps and burr holes created by a craniotomy, and produces excellent cosmetic results.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.58-61
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• 2016

Choroid plexus papillomas (CPPs) are relatively rare neuroectodermal tumors that develop from choroid plexus epithelial cells and are usually restricted to the ventricles. Extraventricular CPPs are very unusual and can be difficult to diagnose and treat. A 50-year-old male patient was admitted to our clinic complaining of headache and visual deterioration. Neurological examination found no abnormalities except decreased light perception and secondary optic atrophy in the left eye. Endocrine testing revealed normal levels of hormones produced by the pituitary and target glands. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed a huge regular-shaped lesion in the sellar-suprasellar region occupying the sella turcica and extending into the suprasellar cistern and planum sphenoidale. The lesion was completely excised by microsurgery via an ordinary left-sided pterional approach. Histopathology identified the lesion as a choroid plexus papilloma. Following the case report, literature on the origin, differential diagnosis, and treatment of this rare tumor is reviewed.