Raymond's syndrome following petrosal sinus sampling

Summary Inferior petrosal sinus sampling (IPSS) is used to evaluate the pituitary-dependency of Cushing's disease, and to predict the laterality of a microadenoma prior to transsphenoidal operation. A serious complication occured in a 14-year-old boy: he suffered brain stem ischaemia with abducens nerve palsy and hemiparesis (Raymond's syndrome). The case prompted us to reconsider the indication for this investigation.     

Convergence of occipital nerve and superior sagittal sinus input in the cervical spinal cord of the cat

Co-existence of facial and occipital pain may occur in occipital neuralgia, migraine and cluster headache; suggesting convergence of trigeminal and cervical afferents. Such convergence has been shown in humans and other animals, but the site and extent of this are uncertain. In anaesthetized adult cats, the superior sagittal sinus and occipital nerve were stimulated electrically, and extracellular recordings made in the dorsolateral area of the upper cervical cord using glass-coated tungsten electrodes. Of 49 units in 10 cats, 33 (67%) had input from the superior sagittal sinus and the occipital nerve. Thirteen (27%) had superior sagittal sinus input and 3 (6%) had occipital nerve input. Convergent receptive fields were identified mechanically in 7 units. These experiments in cats show convergent input from occipital nerve and superior sagittal sinus on dorsolateral area units in two-thirds of cases studied. This experimental site of trigeminocervical convergence may relate to referral of pain in occipital neuralgia and other headaches.     

扩大经额硬膜外入路切除巨大侵袭性垂体瘤

目的:探讨采用扩大的经额硬膜外入路切除巨大侵袭性垂体瘤的临床应用.方法:1997年6月至2002年3月采用该入路显微外科切除巨大侵袭性垂体瘤10例,肿瘤主要累及于鞍上、蝶筛窦及上斜坡区.结果:本组10例中,肿瘤全切6例,次全切除3例,大部分切除1例.术后发生颅神经麻痹4例,其中动眼神经障碍3例,外展神经障碍1例.全组无手术死亡.术后影像学随访6～24个月,全切除肿瘤病例未见肿瘤复发,次全切除者无明显增大.结论:该入路可充分显露鞍区肿瘤,术野开阔,对脑组织损伤小,适用于已侵犯蝶筛窦区及上斜坡的侵袭性垂体瘤.     

Persistent left superior vena cava draining to left atrium with normal coronary sinus

In embryology, a persistent connection of the left superior vena cava to the left atrium rarely coexists with a coronary sinus. We herein report an unusual case of persistent left superior vena cava terminating in a left atrium with normal coronary sinus, which was revealed at the time of permanent pacemaker implantation after a second operation for recurrent left atrioventricular valve regurgitation. Because this anomaly had gone undiagnosed at the first operation, we were unable to diagnose it prior to the second operation, because the preoperative coronary angiogram clearly demonstrated a coronary sinus that was not dilated. We would have repaired the anomaly using a patch or other procedure had it been diagnosed before the second operation in order to prevent cyanosis or brain complications secondary to right-to-left shunting. One should always be on guard for this rare condition.     

Heart rate fluctuations in diabetic patients with cardiac vagal dysfunction: a spectral analysis

The autonomic nervous control of cardiac function during active orthostatic load has been studied by measuring the power spectrum of heart rate fluctuations in 16 insulin-dependent diabetic patients and 14 age-matched control subjects. The patients were subdivided into two groups: 8 with normal respiratory sinus dysrhythmia (RSA+) and 8 with reduced respiratory sinus dysrhythmia (RSA-). In RSA- patients the total power (0.01-0.50 Hz) was significantly reduced compared with control subjects (4.7 versus 15.5 min-2, 2p less than 0.05) and the pattern of heart rate fluctuations was characterized by a relative increase in the low-frequency component (0.01-0.05 Hz) as compared with RSA+ patients and control subjects (45% versus 24% and 27%, both 2p less than 0.01). There was also a significant reduction in the high-frequency component (0.15-0.50 Hz) as compared with RSA+ patients and control subjects (17% versus 36% and 33%, both 2p less than 0.05). During standing, a significant increase in total power was found only in control subjects (2p less than 0.01) and the difference between control subjects, and RSA+ and RSA- patients reached significance (32.2 versus 15.1 and 12.7 min-2, 2p less than 0.02 and 2p less than 0.01). The pattern of heart rate fluctuations in RSA- patients showed no significant change on standing. These results suggest that the reduced overall heart rate variability in diabetic patients with cardiac autonomic neuropathy is associated with a typical heart rate fluctuation pattern.     

颈交感神经对血管源性头痛痛觉传导的影响

目的采用电刺激大鼠上矢状窦(SSS)区硬脑膜,观察颈上交感神经节(SCG)摘除术前后在延髓和上颈段三叉神经脊束核一氧化氮合酶(NOS)阳性神经元数目的变化,以探讨交感神经系统在血管源性头痛(如偏头痛)涉及的伤害觉信息传递中的作用。方法以雄性SD大鼠(体重为220～250g)为实验对象,行颈上交感神经节摘除术后再手术暴露其SSS,然后电刺激SSS区硬脑膜,应用免疫组织化学染色技术,观察延髓和上颈段三叉神经脊束核NOS表达的变化。结果NOS免疫反应阳性神经元主要分布在三叉神经脊束核和上颈段脊髓的第Ⅰ、Ⅱ板层,双侧对称。假手术对照组、SCG摘除组每张切片的NOS阳性神经元数分别为150.2±10.3、223.0±11.6,SCG摘除组NOS阳性神经元数目较假手术对照组明显增加(P<0.05)。结论颈交感神经系统参与了头部血管源性疼痛(如偏头痛)中伤害性感觉信息导致的疼痛的产生、传导及调节过程。     

横窦和窦汇的浅表解剖学标志

目的为神经外科手术准确定位横窦的下缘和窦汇确定出一个可靠的浅表解剖学标志。方法对10例经10%甲醛溶液固定的尸头标本进行逐步解剖,测量各相关解剖结构到横窦下缘的距离。结果实验所收集的数据表明在定位横窦下缘和窦汇时,上项线及枕外隆凸尖不是一个可靠的浅表解剖学标志。而以半脊肌附着点作为浅表解剖学标志比以上项线作为浅表解剖标志更准确、可靠。本组10例标本中,无1例的半脊肌附着点超过横窦下部边界3mm,并且它可以作为一个可靠的浅表解剖学标志用以定位接近中线部分的横窦。结论这些发现可以帮助神经外科医生在治疗后颅窝和颅颈接合处病变而进行的各种中线入路手术时更准确的定位横窦。     

跨矢状窦脑膜瘤术中矢状窦的处理

目的总结跨矢状窦脑膜瘤术中矢状窦的处理方法.方法对26例跨矢状窦脑膜瘤及受累矢状窦进行切除,依具体情况重建或不重建矢状窦.结果该组病人无手术死亡,手术后均未加重原有神经功能障碍,无脑血液回流障碍,7例重建矢状窦者未发现有矢状窦内血栓形成.结论矢状窦旁脑膜瘤的治疗除肿瘤切除外,对受累上矢状窦处理是否彻底对预防术后复发是至关重要的.对受累矢状窦应按具体情况按一定的原则进行积极处理.     

Cerebellopontine angle ganglioneuroblastoma

Summary The CT, MR and histological features of a rare ganglioneuroblastoma of the cerebellopontine angle and cavernous sinus are reported.     

The traumatic dural sinus injury — a clinical study

Summary In a period of 13 years 978 cases of severe head injuries were operated on in our clinic. An analysis of the medical reports includes injuries of the superficial dural sinus (39 cases=4%): among these injuries of the anterior and central part of the superior sagittal sinus (66 per cent), injuries of the transverse sinus (18 per cent), injuries of the posterior part of the superior sagittal sinus (8 per cent), and combined injuries of different dural sinuses (8 per cent).Clinical data, i.e. the causes of accident, radiological examination results, intracranial lesions, operation technqiues and outcome are analysed and discussed. The analysis of cases with dural sinus injuries shows a high mortality rate (total mortality rate: 16 patients=41%; intra-operative mortality rate: 8 patients=20%).