Retrorectal tumors: A challenge for the surgeons

Retrorectal or presacral tumors are rare lesions located in the presacral area and considered as being derived from multiple embryological remnants. These tumors are classified as congenital, neurogenic, osseous, inflammatory, or miscellaneous. The most common among these are congenital benign lesions that present with non-specific symptoms, such as lower back pain and change in bowel habit. Although congenital and developmental tumors occur in younger patients, the median age of presentation is reported to be 45 years. Magnetic resonance imaging plays a crucial role in treatment management through accurate diagnosis of the lesion, the evaluation of invasion to adjacent structures, and the decision of appropriate surgical approach. The usefulness of preoperative biopsy is still debated; currently, it is only indicated for solid or heterogeneous tumors if it will alter the treatment management. Surgical resection with clear margins is considered the optimal treatment; described approaches are transabdominal, perineal, combined abdominoperineal, and minimally invasive. Benign retrorectal tumors have favorable long-term outcomes with a low incidence of recurrence, whereas malignant tumors have a potential for distant organ metastasis in addition to local recurrence.     

The association between decision-making skills and subjective decision outcomes among administrative officers in the Swedish Social Insurance Agency

Social insurance administrative officers’ decision-making skills influence their efficiency at work and their general well-being. At work their tasks are characterised by complexity and a need for order and accountability. Moreover, cases should usually be handled and finalised within the imposed time frames. We investigated skills related to decision-making success among social insurance officers. In total, 118 administrative officers at the Swedish Social Insurance Agency (66% response rate) responded to questions on scales and measures relating to cognitive-rational, socio-emotional and time approach features of decision-making skill. In addition, they responded to questions on three scales pertaining to outcomes of everyday decisions in terms of subjective everyday difficulties, tendencies to burnout and depressive symptoms. The results showed that cognitive-rational competence was associated with lower reports of subjective everyday difficulties and depressive symptoms and thereby contributed to the explained variance in decision outcomes. Furthermore, socio-emotional and time approach features of decision-making skills contributed to the explanation for subjective everyday difficulties, tendencies to burnout and depressive symptoms. The results corroborate the basic assumption and usefulness of a broad approach in the definition and assessment of decision-making skills in human service professions in general, and of administrative officers in social insurance agencies in particular. Recommendations for future research and the implications of the results are discussed.     

Soft Drugs. XX. Design,Synthesis, and Evaluation of Ultra-Short Acting Beta-Blockers

A new type of ultra-short acting -blocker which might prove advantageous in treating acute arrhythmias was designed, synthesized and investigated. Based on the soft drug inactive metabolite approach, the inactive phenylacetic acid metabolite of both metoprolol and atenolol was reactivated by esterification with sulfur-containing aliphatic alcohols. Since the sulfur-containing moieties are labile to the ubiquitous esterases, the new compounds should be inactivated by a one step enzymatic cleavage back to the inactive phenylacetic acid derivative. Pharmacological and pharmacokinetic profiles of the new compounds were evaluated in rats and rabbits. Isoproterenol-induced tachycardia was inhibited with short-term infusion of each compound. This tachycardia blocking effect rapidly disappeared upon termination of infusion, while -blocking activity was 2–4-fold longer after comparable doses of the short-acting -blocker, esmolol. The rapid recovery from the -receptor blockade is believed due to fast hydrolysis of the soft drugs in the body. This is supported from in vitro results showing the t_l/2 of esmolol is about 10-fold longer than the new soft drugs in rat, rabbit, dog and human blood. Hydrolysis studies in phosphate buffered solutions indicated that the esters are labile to base-catalyzed hydrolysis. However, the relative t_1/2 values measured in biological media compared to phosphate buffered solution clearly support rapid enzymatic cleavage of the soft drugs. Interestingly, one of the soft -blockers, the sulfonyl ester derivative, showed a unique property of exhibiting good -receptor blocking activity without significant hypotensive action.     

Multiple intracranial aneurysms: A high risk condition

Summary There is still a relative silence in the literature on what policy should be followed in treating multiple aneurysms. The main risks are: bleeding of a formerly asymptomatic aneurysm during the haemodynamic tides of the peri-operative period; aneurysm(s) can be hidden on angiograms and tend to be overlooked easier in case of an already revealed aneursym; misjudgement of the ruptured one as a silent additional aneurysm, therefore left for second stage surgery.This paper, based on a material of 330 operations for multiple aneurysms, focuses on these problems. It advocates the one stage complete repair of all lesions using both options of bilateral pterional craniotomies or the contralateral approach. But it also describes those silent aneurysms which safely could be clipped later. Hazards and disadvantages concerning the more aggressive surgery proved to be less significant than the natural history of multiple aneurysms represents.Presented at the EANS Wintermeeting on High Risk Neurosurgery, Budapest, February 20–23, 1991.     

经迷路进路听神经瘤术后脑脊液漏的预防及处理

目的　探讨经迷路进路听神经瘤切除术后脑脊液漏发生的影响因素及处理方法。方法1999年以来采用迷路进路或扩大迷路进路听神经瘤切除术 85例 ,前 4 1例采用传统关闭术腔技术 ,后4 4例对关闭技术进行改良 ,分析其脑脊液漏的发生率。发生脑脊液漏者行保守或手术治疗。结果传统关闭技术组中脑脊液漏的发生率为 19 5 % ( 8 4 1) ,改良关闭技术组中脑脊液漏的发生率为 2 3%( 1 4 4 ) ,两组差异有显著性意义 (P =0 0 13)。传统关闭技术组中脑脊液漏多数发生在大型听神经瘤中 ,其发生率随肿瘤增大有上升的趋势。 9例脑脊液漏的患者中 ,3例经保守治疗 ;6例经手术修补成功 ,其中 5例 1次修补成功。结论　改良关闭术腔技术可显著降低经迷路进路听神经瘤切除术后脑脊液漏的发生率 ,手术修补为终止脑脊液漏的有效措施     

GLOMUS TUMORS──A REVIEW OF 8 CASES WITH INTRODUCTION OF A MODIFIED COMBINED INTRA-AND EXTRACRANIAL APPROACH

Eight cases of glomus tumors hospitalized in our department from 1982 through 1995 were reviewed. It comprised of five glomus tympanic tumors and three glomus jugular tumors. Discussion was centered on it’s contemporary diagnosis, classification and surgical treatment with introduction of a modified combined intra-and extracranial surgical approach to resect the extensive glomus tumors.     

视神经鞘脑膜瘤的显微外科治疗(附13例报道)

目的探讨视神经鞘脑膜瘤的显微神经外科手术方法。方法收治13例视神经鞘脑膜瘤，根据肿瘤位置采用3种不同经颅入路：单侧额部入路、经额经眶上缘入路及经额颧经眶上缘入路，利用显微外科技术安全显露眶上裂外侧部、眶上裂中央部切除肿瘤。结果肿瘤全切11例，部分切除2例。术后13例患者的眼球突出均恢复正常，11例其它症状和体征也恢复或改善。术后动眼神经麻痹1例，患侧眼失明2例。结论熟悉显微神经外科解剖学，利用显微外科技术选择合适的经颅入路，可以提高视神经鞘脑膜瘤的全切除率，并使颅眶区的正常结构得到最大程度的保护。     

Cytoarchitectonic Basis for Safe Entry Into the Brainstem

This work is a continuation of the anatomical study in which safe approach zones through the floor of the fourth ventricle--infrafacial and suprafacial--were morphologically and morphometrically defined (Acta Neurochir (1997) 139: 1014-1019). The purpose of cytoarchitectonic study was to analyze correlation between morphometry of the facial colliculus and hypoglossal triangle and localization of the corresponding cranial nerves nuclei in the brainstem tegmentum in order to verify morphometrical borders of the previously defined zones. Morphometrical evaluation of the fourth ventricle floor of 10 examined brainstems was initially performed. Distances from obex to the rostral portion of hypoglossal triangle and facial colliculus were determined. Then a series of axial sections of each specimen, stained for Nissl substance, were analyzed to define the distance from obex to the rostral portion of the hypoglossal and abducens nuclei. Distances of motor trigeminal and facial nuclei from the midline sagittal plane were also measured. The obtained results allowed morphometrical determination of the infra-abducental and supra-abducental region of safe entry into the brainstem tegmentum. Infra-abducental region corresponds to infrafacial safe approach zone and supra-abducental to suprafacial zone. The distance of the rostral portion of facial colliculus from obex was longer than the distance of the rostral pole of abducens nucleus from obex in every examined specimen (by 0.7 mm on average). A very similar correlation between the distance of the rostral margin of hypoglossal triangle and localization of the rostral pole of hypoglossal nucleus was found. The rostral portion of hypoglossal triangle was longer by 1.5 mm on average. The obtained results show that previously defined infrafacial and suprafacial safe approach zones via the fourth ventricle floor correspond morphometrically to tegmental regions of safe entry--infra-abducental and supra-abducental respectively. It suggests that morphometrical evaluation of the fourth ventricle floor proposed by the authors could be useful in the intra-operative determination of safe entry via the rhomboid fossa into the brainstem tegmentum.