Main description:

As an addition to the European postgraduate training system for young neurosurgeons we began to publish in 1974 this*series devoted to Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery which was later sponsored by the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies. The fact that the English language is well on the way to becoming the international medium at European scientific conferences is a great asset in terms of mutual understanding. Therefore we have decided to publish all contributions in English, regardless of the native language of the authors. All contributions are submitted to the entire editorial board before publication of any volume. Our series is not intended to compete with the publications of original scientific papers in other neurosurgical journals. Our intention is, rather, to present fields of neurosurgery and related areas in which important recent advances have been made. The contributions are written by specialists in the given fields and constitute the first part of each volume. In the second part of each volume, we publish detailed descriptions of standard operative procedures, furnished by experienced clinicians; in these articles the authors describe the techniques they employ and explain the advantages, difficulties and risks involved in the various procedures. This part is intended primarily to assist young neurosurgeons in their postgraduate training. However, we are convinced that it will also be useful to experienced, fully trained neurosurgeons.

Contents:

A. Advances.- Stereotactic Radiosurgery in Intracranial Tumours and Vascular Malformations.- Technique.- Acoustic Tumours.- Case Report.- Conclusions.- Tumours in the Pineal Region.- Case Report.- Conclusion.- Craniopharyngiomas.- Case Report.- Conclusions.- Hypersecreting Pituitary Tumours.- 1. Pituitary Dependent Cushing's Disease and Nelson's Syndrome.- a) Cushing's Disease.- b) Nelson's Syndrome.- Case Report.- 2. Acromegaly.- Case Report I.- Case Report II.- Conclusions.- Arteriovenous Malformations.- Case Report I.- Case Report II.- Conclusion.- General Conclusions.- Acknowledgements.- References.- Infection in Neurosurgery.- Meningitis.- Intrathecal Administration of Antibiotics.- Brain Abscess.- Osteomyelitis and Epidural Abscess.- Disc Space Infection.- Pulmonary Infections.- Wound Infection.- Bacteriuria After Indwelling Catheterization.- Conclusions.- References.- Spasticity-Clinical Classification and Surgical Treatment.- I. Introduction.- II. Pathophysiology.- 1. The Segmentary Control of Alpha Motoneurons.- 2. The Intersegmentary Control.- 3. The Supra-Segmental Control.- 4. Laboratory Investigations.- III. The Natural History of Spasticity.- 1. The Spastic Child.- 1.1. Investigations.- 1.1.1. The I.Q.- 1.1.2. The Evaluation of Functional Adaptation.- 1.1.3. Analytical Evaluation.- 1.2. Useful or Handicapping Spasticity.- 1.3. Codification of the Problems.- 2. The Adult Spastic.- 2.1. Period of Recovery.- 2.2. Spasticity in "Extension".- 2.3. Spasticity in "Flexion".- 3. Spasticity and Involuntary Movements.- IV. Neurosurgery of Spasticity.- 1. Neurotomies.- 2. Radiculotomy.- 2.1. Direct Effect.- 2.2. "Distant" Effect.- 2.3. Failure or Deterioration.- 3. Posterior Radiculotomy: New Techniques.- 3.1. Posterior "Rhizidiotomy" of Sindou et al.- 3.2. Partial Posterior Radiculotomy of Guidetti and Fraioli.- 3.3. Sectorial Posterior Radiculotomy (Gros and Privat).- 3.3.1. Factorial Checking.- 3.3.2. Operative Technique.- 3.3.3. Results.- 4. Anterior Radiculotomy.- 5. Myelotomy.- 6. Central Operations.- 6.1. Dentatectomy-Dentatolysis.- 6.2. Pulvinarolysis.- V. Utilization of Electrical Functional Stimulations (EFS).- 1. Technical Conditions.- 1.1. Applications by Surface Bipolar Electrodes.- 1.2. EFS by Implanted Electrodes.- 1.3. EFS of the Spinal Cord.- 2. Clinical Effect of EFS.- 3. Pathophysiology of EFS.- VI. Indications for Treatment.- 1. The Spastic Child.- 2. The Spastic Hemiplegia.- 3. The Spastic Hand of Hemiplegics.- 4. The Spastic Paraplegics.- 4.1. Spasticity in Extension.- 4.2. Spasticity in Flexion.- 5. Indications.- 5.1. Indications for Functional Improvement.- 5.2. Indications for Articular Protection.- 5.3. Indications for Comfort.- VII. Concluding Remarks.- References.- B. Technical Standards.- Surgical Approaches to the Sphenoidal and Clival Areas.- I. Intradural Approaches.- a) Subtemporal Approach.- b) Suboccipital Approach.- II. Anterior Approaches.- a) Transcervical Approach.- b) Transoral (-buccal) Approach.- c) Transsphenoidal (rhino-septal) Approach.- d) Transbasal Approach.- III. Choice of Surgical Approach.- 1. Biopsy.- 2. Tumor Relation to the Dura.- 3. Consistency of the Tumor.- 4. Histology.- 5. Localization and Extent of the Tumor.- a) Intradural Approach.- b) Extradural Approach.- c) Combined Approaches in One Stage.- d) Combined Approaches in Multiple Stages.- IV. Conclusion.- References.- Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy.- Spondylotic Myelopathy.- Definition.- Spondylosis.- Pathological Mechanism.- Additional Investigations.- Radiology.- Contrastprocedures.- Lumbar Puncture.- Trauma.- Therapy.- Surgical Therapy.- Results of Surgical Therapy.- Author's Surgical Approach to SM.- Laminectomy.- Technique.- Anterior Approach.- Technique.- Therapy in Case of Traumatic SM.- Informing the Patient.- Acknowledgement.- References.- Tumours of the Posterior Part of the Third Ventricle: Neurosurgical Criteria.- Pathological Classification.- Diagnosis.- Clinical Symptomatology.- Radiology.- Management.- CSF Diversionary Procedures and Radiotherapy.- Neurosurgical Criteria.- References.- Author Index.