Main description:

There are two important reasons for publishing this new series entitled "Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery": 1. the lack of any organized common European postgraduate training system for young neurosurgeons and 2. the language barriers, which impede the exchange of neurosurgical findings in Europe more than in other parts of the world. 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 the Editors have decided to publish all contributions III 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.- Progress in Pituitary Adenoma Biology. Results of Research and Clinical Applications.- 1. Traditional Concept of Pituitary Adenomas.- 1.1. Historical Background.- 1.2. Inconsistencies of the Traditional Concept.- 2. New Concepts of Pituitary Adenoma Classification.- 2.1. General Observations About Pituitary Adenoma Biology.- 2.1.1. Light Microscopy.- 2.1.2. Electron Microscopy.- 2 1 3 Immunohistology.- 2.2. Functional Terminology of Pituitary Adenomas.- 2.3. Endocrine-Active Adenomas.- 2.3.1. Somatotropic Adenomas, Acromegaly.- 2.3.2. Prolactinomas.- 2.3.3. Corticotropic Adenomas, Cushing's Disease, Nelson's Syndrome.- 2.3.4. Thyrotropic Adenomas.- 2.3.5. Gonadotropic Adenomas.- 2.4. Endocrine-Inactive Adenomas.- 2.4.1. Oncocytomas.- 2.4.2. Endocrine-Inactive Adenomas With Signs of Secretion.- 3. Clinical Application of the New Knowledge.- 3.1. Etiology of Pituitary Adenomas.- 3.2. Clinical Symptoms and Diagnosis of Pituitary Adenomas.- 3.3. Treatment of Pituitary Adenomas.- 3.3.1. Surgical Treatment.- 3.3.2. Radiotherapy.- 3.3.3. Medical Treatment.- 4. Summary.- References.- Chemotherapy of Brain Tumours.- Classification of Antineoplastic Drugs.- I. Drugs Depressing the Biosynthesis of DNA, RNA or Proteins.- A. Antimetabolites.- a) Folic Acid Antagonists.- b) Antipyrimidines.- c) Antipurines.- B. Inhibitors of Protein Synthesis.- II. Drugs Interfering With the Replication, Transcription and Translation of the Nucleic Acid.- A. Alkylating Agents.- B. Antibiotics.- III. Drugs Producing Metaphase Arrest.- IV. Miscellaneous Agents.- Cell Kinetics in Experimental and Human Glioma.- The Growth Fraction.- The Resting Fraction.- Chemotherapy of Experimental Brain Tumours.- Basis for Clinical Trials.- I. Measurable Parameters.- a) Survival Time.- b) Rate of Objective Remissions.- c) Duration of "Free Interval".- II. Prognostic Factors and Stratification of Patients.- III. Drugs Combination, Schedules.- IV. Routes of Drug Administration.- a) Systemic.- b) Intraarterial.- c) Intrathecal and Intraneoplastic.- Results of Chemotherapy in Human Malignant Brain Tumour.- a) Intraarterial Chemotherapy.- b) Local Chemotherapy.- c) Systemic Chemotherapy.- Conclusion.- References.- Supratentorial Arteriovenous Malformations of the Brain.- Historical Review.- Pathogenesis.- Pathological Incidence.- Pathology.- Pathophysiology.- Associated Vascular Anomalies and Other Lesions.- Age and Sex Incidence.- Location and Size.- Clinical Symptoms.- Hemorrhage.- Epilepsy.- Other Signs.- Radiological Findings.- Plain Radiographs.- Pneumoencephalography.- Angiography.- A. Pure Pial AVM.- B. Mixed Pial Dural AVM.- C. Supratentorial Pure Dural AVM.- Radioisotopic Brain Scanning.- Computerized Tomography.- Therapy.- X-Ray Therapy.- Surgical Treatment.- Indications to Surgery.- Surgical Procedures.- References.- B. Technical Standards.- The Surgical Treatment of Syringomyelia.- The Hydrodynamic Theory of Syringomyelia.- Clinical Presentation.- Radiology.- Arachnoiditis.- Air Myelography.- Surgical Technique and Findings.- Myelotomy.- Ventricular Drainage.- Results of Surgical Treatment.- Arachnoiditis.- Apparent Cure.- Conclusion.- References.- Surgical Approach to Lumbar Disc Herniations.- Indications for Operative Treatment.- Operative Technique.- Historical Remarks and Introduction.- Anaesthesia.- Positioning.- Postoperative Management.- Postoperative Complications.- The Micro-Approach for the Lumbar Disc Prolapse Operation.- The "Classical" Larger Approach: Operation of Multiple Prolapses or of a Prolapse Which Preoperatively Could not be Clearly Localized.- Pecularities in Cases With Bilateral Symptoms.- Disc Prolapse Recurrences.- Operative Procedure in Cases With Narrow Spinal Canal, Disturbances Due to Arthritic Enlarged Facets or Narrowing of an Intervertebral Foramen.- Summary.- References.- Recurrent Instability of the Cervical Spine With Neurological Implications-Treatment by Anterior Spinal Fusion.- I. The Concept of the "Intervertebral Mobile Segment".- A Supporting Part, the Vertebral Bodies.- A Mobile Part, the Articulations.- Posterior Processes-a Part of the Segment Naturally Restraining Forward Flexion.- II. The Components of Stability of the Cervical Spine.- Internal Factors.- External Factors.- The Control of Stability.- III. Factors Producing Instability of the Cervical Spine.- Instability of Spinal Origin.- Instability of Muscular Origin.- IV. The Concept of Recurrent Instability.- Light Trauma.- Spondylosis.- Congenital Vertebral Fusion.- V. Neurological Implications of Recurrent Instability.- Trauma From Compression.- Trauma by Stretching.- Arterial Trauma.- Summary.- VI. Clinical Study.- Unilateral Cervicobrachial Pain.- Myelopathy With of Without Cervicobrachial Pain.- Cervical Pain.- Study of CSF.- VII. Radiological Findings.- Plain X-Rays.- Tomography.- Pneumomyelotomography.- Dynamic Study With Fluoroscopy.- VIII. Immobilization Test.- Collar Immobilization.- The Traction Immobilization.- IX. Treatment.- Medical Treatment.- Surgical Treatment.- a) Surgical Technique.- b) Post Operative Care.- X. Results.- Radiological Evolution.- Clinical Results.- "Recurrent Instability" and Its Future After Surgical Treatment.- References.- Author Index.