Thalamic Stimulation for Epilepsy
With the growing applications for deep brain stimulators (DBS) in recent years, interest in using DBS as an option for patients with epilepsy has increased. Thalamic DBS appears to be…
NEUROSURGERY
Electrical Stimulation for Epilepsy: Experimental Approaches
Direct electrical stimulation of the brain is an increasingly popular means of treating refractory epilepsy. Although there has been moderate success in human trials, the rate of seizure freedom does…
Epilepsy Surgery: The Emerging Field of Neuromodulation
Edward F. Chang, MD, Guest Editor Nicholas M. Barbaro, MD, Guest Editor Epilepsy is a devastating neurological disorder that afflicts nearly 1% of the population. While resective surgery has been…
Efficacy of Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Epilepsy by Patient Age, Epilepsy Duration, and Seizure Type
Medically refractory epilepsy is a morbid condition, and many patients are poor candidates for surgical resection because of multifocal seizure origin or eloquence near epileptic foci. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS)…
Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation: Seminal Animal and Human Studies for Epilepsy and Depression
The unique ability to stimulate bilaterally, extracranially, and non-invasively may represent a significant advantage to invasive neuromodulation therapies. In humans thus far the technique has been applied noninvasively, and is…
Dural Carotid-Cavernous Fistulas: Epidemiology, Clinical Presentation, and Management
Dural arteriovenous fistulas of the cavernous sinus are no longer difficult to diagnose or treat. Specific ocular manifestations allow these fistulas to be diagnosed clinically. Noninvasive imaging techniques can be…
Anesthesia Considerations and Intraoperative Monitoring During Surgery for Arteriovenous Malformations and Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas
The anesthetic considerations for surgical resection of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) incorporate many principles that are common to craniotomies for other indications. However, a high-flow, low-resistance…
Occlusive Hyperemia Versus Normal Perfusion Pressure Breakthrough after Treatment of Cranial Arteriovenous Malformations
Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are vascular lesions characterized by direct connections between feeding arteries and draining veins without an intervening capillary network. Two hypotheses, normal perfusion pressure breakthrough (NPPB) and occlusive…
Stereotactic Radiosurgery of Cranial Arteriovenous Malformations and Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas
Cranial arteriovenous malformations (AVM) and cranial dural arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) carry a significant risk of morbidity and mortality when they hemorrhage. Current treatment options include surgery, embolization, radiosurgery, or a…
Vein of Galen Malformations: Epidemiology, Clinical Presentations, Management
The vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation is a congenital vascular malformation that comprises 30% of the pediatric vascular and 1% of all pediatric congenital anomalies. Treatment is dependent on the…
