• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2011

Objective : The aim of the study is to determine the efficacy of indocyanine green (ICG) videoangiography for confirmation of vascular anastomosis patency in both extracranial-intracranial and intracranial-intracranial bypasses. Methods : Intraoperative ICG videoangiography was used as a surgical adjunct for 56 bypasses in 47 patients to assay the patency of intracranial vascular anastomosis. These patients underwent a bypass for cerebral ischemia in 31 instances and as an adjunct to intracranial aneurysm surgery in 25. After completion of the bypass, ICG was administered to assess the patency of the graft. The findings on ICG videoangiography were then compared to intraoperative and/or postoperative imaging. Results : ICG provided an excellent visualization of all cerebral arteries and grafts at the time of surgery. Four grafts were determined to be suboptimal and were revised at the time of surgery. Findings on ICG videoangiography correlated with intraoperative and/or postoperative imaging. Conclusion : ICG videoangiography is rapid, effective, and reliable in determining the intraoperative patency of bypass grafts. It provides intraoperative information allowing revision to reduce the incidence of technical errors that may lead to early graft thrombosis.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.11-16
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• 2010

Objective: Abnormalities of the bone are frequently encountered in patients with meningioma, and hyperostosis and endostosis are common bone alterations in these tumors. Extensive bony destruction is very unusual in patients with meningioma. We report six cases of intracranial meningioma associated with an osteolytic lesion of the skull and discuss the underlying mechanisms that may be responsible for bone destruction in patients with meningioma. Methods: Six patients were classified into three groups, severe, moderate and mild, according to the degree of osteolytic bony destruction. The tumor was classified as intracranial or extracranial, depending on its location. We investigated the potential role of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) in meningioma-associated osteolysis. The levels of MMP expression were determined by gelatin zymography, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR analysis (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemical analysis. Results: Complete surgical removal of the lesion was performed in each patient. Histological examination revealed benign meningioma in four cases, and two cases of atypical meningioma. Patients did not have a poor prognosis except one case of recurred atypical meningioma. Gelatin zymography and RT-PCR detected high levels of MMP-2 in almost all extracranial masses in comparison with the intracranial masses and MMP9 in two. There was no difference in the severity of bone destruction. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed MMP-2 expression in the vicinity of the bone destruction, and a few MMP-9-positive stainings were observed. Conclusion: Osteolysis of the skull in patients with meningiomas might not be indicative of malignant pathological features and poor prognosis. Invasion to the extracranial portion and osteolysis might be associated with MMP-2 expression in meningioma.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.60-63
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• 1999

Transcranial Doppler(TCD) is an important diagnostic tool for evaluating the patients with stroke. It has some advantages and unique role when compared with other neuroimaging modalities. Recent development of transcranial color-coded Doppler(TCD) improves the limitation and pitfalls of TCD. The current indications of TCD are as follows: 1. Screening and evaluation of the intracranial major vessels 2. early detection and follow-up of vasospasm due to SAH 3. emboli detection (high-imtensity transient signals, HITs) 4. dignosis and follow-up of subclavian steal 5. evaluation of intracranial collaterals when the extracranial ICA has severe stenosis or occlusion 6. evaluation of cerebral perfusion pressure (intracranial pressure) 7. evaluation of arteriovenous malformation 8. diagnosis and follow-up of arterial dissenction 9. diagnosis and follow-up of venous sinus thrombosis (experimental).

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.185-190
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• 2011

Objective : To investigate the efficacy of extracranial-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass surgery using a radial artery interposition graft (RAIG) for surgical management of cerebrovascular diseases. Methods : The study involved a retrospective analysis of 13 patients who underwent EC-IC bypass surgery using RAIG at a single neurosurgical institute between 2003 and 2009. The diseases comprised intracranial aneurysm (n=10), carotid artery occlusive disease (n=2), and delayed stenosis in the donor superficial temporal artery (STA) following previous STA-middle cerebral artery bypass surgery (n=1). Patients were followed clinically and radiographically. Results : Bypass surgery was successful in all patients. At a mean follow-up of 53.4 months, the short-term patency rate was 100%, and the long-term rate was 92.3%. Twelve patients had an excellent clinical outcome of Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) 5, and one case had GOS 3. Procedure-related complications were a temporary dysthesia on the graft harvest hand (n=1) and a hematoma at the graft harvest site (n=1), and these were treated successfully with no permanent sequelae. In one case, spasm occurred which was relieved with the introduction of mechanical dilators. Conclusion : EC-IC bypass using a RAIG appears to be an effective treatment for a variety of cerebrovascular diseases requiring proximal occlusion or trapping of the parent artery.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.296-300
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• 2012

Internal carotid artery (ICA) trapping can be used for the treatment of giant intracranial aneurysms, blood blister-like aneurysms, and fusiform dissecting aneurysms. Fusiform dissecting aneurysms are challenging to treat surgically and endovascularly because of no definite neck and critical perforators. Surgical or endovascular trapping of the ICA with or without an extracranial-intracranial bypass has commonly been used as an effective method to treat these lesions, but balloon test occlusion (BTO) must be performed. Here, we report a case of a ruptured fusiform dissecting aneurysm of the distal ICA, which was successfully treated using an endovascular ICA trapping with a manual ICA compression test instead of BTO.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.78-83
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• 2009

Fibromuscular dysplasiais an uncommon condition of idiopathic, non-inflammatory and non-atherosclerotic disease of the musculature of arterial walls. The disease is rare, but it commonly affects young and middle aged women. Isolated intracranial cerebral fibromuscular dysplasia is extremely rare because cerebral fibromuscular dysplasia usually affects extracranial vessels. A 20-year-old woman was admitted with light hemiplegia and global aphasia. Brain MRI and MRA demonstrated acute left middle cerebral artery territory infarction with a multifocal stenosis and dilatation of the left middle cerebra artery and left internal carotid. The characteristic conventional cerebral angiographic findings demonstrated a typical string-of-beads appearance in the left distal internal carotid artery and proxiaml portion of the left middle cerebral artery, which suggested a medial type fibromuscular dysplasia. We report a case of isolated intracranial fibromuscular dysplasia with left middle cerebral artery territory infarction. Fibromuscular dysplasia should he considered as a stroke risk factors in children and young adults, especially in patients with no known cardiovascular risk factors.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.81-84
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• 2001

Pneumocephalus is exceedingly rare in the absence of trauma or recent surgery. It is most commonly seen after severe head injury, with disruption of the dura and subsequent cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Intracranial air has also been reported as a complication of shunting. This may be secondary to intermittent shunt failure or a persistent communication between the extracranial and intracranial space that permits the entrance of air. In the present case, air appeared to enter the ventricular system through the fistula that connected the frontal sinus. This air replaced the CSF being drained into the peritoneal cavity by the shunt. The decrease of intracranial pressure after a shunt might play a role in causing pneumocephalus. We report a case of tension pneumocephalus after shunting for hydrocephalus as a life-threatning complication.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.152-160
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• 2009

Purpose : To intra-individually compare diagnostic accuracy of high-resolution contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) with computed tomography angiography (CTA) and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) for the assessment of supraaortic steno-occlusive disease. Materials and Methods : Twenty-eight patients (20 men, 8 women, 53-79 years of age) underwent supraaortic CE-MRA, CTA and DSA. CE-MRA was performed on two 1.5T MR scanners (voxel dimension: $0.66{\times}0.66{\times}1.1$ or $1.2\;mm^3$), and CTA on 64-slice CT scanners (voxel dimension: $0.42{\times}0.42{\times}0.63\;mm^3$). All the three examinations were completed within 40 days (median 19 days; range 1-40 days). Retrospective evaluation and measurement of diameter of 6 extracranial and 9 intracranial arterial segments was done by 2 experienced radiologists. Results: A total of 420 arterial segments were examined by CE-MRA, CTA and DSA. On DSA, 34 stenoocclusive lesions were noted at extracranial (n= 19) and intracranial (n = 15) vessels. For extracranial stenosis greater than 70%, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) were 94.7%, 98.7%, 90.0% and 99.3% on CE-MRA, and 94.7%, 99.3%, 94.7% and 99.3% on CTA. For intracranial stenosis greater than 50%, sensitivity; specificity, PPV and NPV were 93.3%, 98.3%, 77.8%and 99.6% on CE-MRA, and 86.7%, 97.9%, 72.2% and 99.1 % on CTA, with DSA as the standard of reference. Conclusion : Supraaortic CE-MRA is as reliable as CTA in depicting the arterial stenosis, and is effective in screening of significant stenosis of both extracranial and intracranial arterial stenosis.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.307-318
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• 2001

Objective : Surgical experiences of pseudoaneurysms such as traumatic, mycotic and ill-defined unknown causes of aneurysms are rare. The authors have studied the results of surgical management from such cases in our series. Patients and Method : In the last 17 years, 1320 patients with cerebrovascular aneurysms were managed surgically. Among these, 16 patients showed the pseudoaneurysms. The authors analyzed retrospectively the clinical characteristics, treatment methods, management outcomes and problems in the managements. Results : There were 6 patients with traumatic aneurysm, 4 mycotic aneurysms and 6 ill-defined unknown causes of aneurysm. The sites of traumatic aneurysms were cavernous portion of the internal carotid artery(n=3), distal portion of the anterior cerebral artery (n=2) and vertebral artery(VA : n=1). Good outcomes in 5 cases could be obtained by extracranial - intracranial bypass followed by parent vessel occlusion or resection of aneurysm followed by re-anastomosis of parent vessel. The sites of mycotic aneurysm were peripheral portions of middle cerebral artery(MCA : n=3) and posterior cerebral artery(PCA : n=1). The outcomes of the patients with a mycotic aneurysm were relatively poor. It was partially due to the development of new aneurysm after treatment in one. The sites of ill-defined unknown causes of aneurysm were extracranial carotid artery(n=3), V2 portion of the VA(n=1), peripheral portion of the PCA (n=1) and MCA(n=1). Good outcome in all cases could be obtained by resection of aneurysm with or without saphenous vein graft. Conclusion : For the treatments of cerebrovascular pseudoaneurysm, combinations of aggressive medical, endovascular and surgical managements seem mandatory. Insertion of stent for a extracranial carotid artery aneurysm and coiling for a peripheral mycotic aneurysm can be option in future.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.116-123
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• 2008

Objective : The objective of this study is to investigate clinical characteristics, management methods and possible causes of intracranial fusiform aneurysm. Methods : Out of a series of 2,458 intracranial aneurysms treated surgically or endovascularly, 22 patients were identified who had discrete fusiform aneurysms. Clinical presentations, locations, treatment methods and possible causes of these aneurysms were analyzed. Results : Ten patients of fusiform aneurysm were presented with hemorrhage, 5 patients with dizziness with/without headache, 4 with ischemic neurologic deficit, and 1 with 6th nerve palsy from mass effect of aneurysm. Two aneurysms were discovered incidentally. Seventeen aneurysms were located in the anterior circulation, other five in the posterior circulation. The most frequent site of fusiform aneurysm was a middle cerebral artery. The aneurysms were treated with clip, and/or wrapping in 7, resection with/without extracranial-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass in 6, proximal occlusion with coils with/without EC-IC bypass in 5, EC-IC bypass only in 1 and conservative treatment in 3 patient. We obtained good outcome in 20 out of 22 patients. The possible causes of fusiform aneurysms were regard as dissection in 16, atherosclerosis in 4 and collagen disease or uncertain in 2 cases. Conclusion : There is a subset of cerebral aneurysms with discrete fusiform morphology. Although the dissection or injury of internal elastic lamina of the cerebral vessel is proposed as the underlying cause for most of fusiform aneurysm, more study about pathogenesis of these lesions is required.