Main description:

As an addition to the European postgraduate training system for young neurosurgeons we began to publish in 1974 this series of Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery which was later sponsored by the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies. This series was fust discussed in 1972 at a combined meeting of the Italian and German Neurosurgical Societies in Taormina, the founding fathers of the series being Jean Brihaye, Bernard Pertuiset, Fritz Loew and Hugo KrayenbUhl. Thus were established the principles of European co operation which have been born from the European spirit, flourished in the European Association, and have throughout been associated with this series. 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 publi cation 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 fust part of each volume.

Contents:

A. Advances.- The Classification and Molecular Biology of Pituitary Adenomas..- The Functional Classification of Pituitary Adenomas (Kovacs and Horvath 1986).- Prolactin Producing Adenomas "Prolactinomas".- Growth Hormone Producing Adenomas.- Pituitary Adenomas Producing GH and PRL.- ACTH Producing Adenomas.- Functioning Corticotroph Adenomas.- "Silent" Corticotroph Adenomas.- Glycoprotein Hormone Producing Pituitary Adenomas.- Gonadotroph Adenomas.- Thyrotroph Adenomas.- Null Cell Adenomas and Oncocytomas.- Plurihormonal Pituitary Adenomas.- Invasive Adenomas.- Carcinoma of the Pituitary Gland.- Proliferation Markers and Laboratory Evaluation of Pituitary Tumor Aggressiveness.- Pathogenesis and Molecular Biology of Pituitary Adenomas.- Clonal Origins of Pituitary Adenomas.- Pituitary Tumorigenesis: Endocrine Factors.- Pituitary Adenomas: Cytogenetic Aberrations.- Structural Genomic Alterations: Oncogene Activation (v-fos, H-ras, gsp).- Structural Genomic Alterations: Tumor Suppressor Gene Inactivation.- The Retinoblastoma Tumor Suppressor Gene (Rb).- The p53 Tumor Suppressor Gene.- The MEN 1 Tumor Suppressor Gene.- Growth Factors and Pituitary Tumorigenesis.- Growth Factors and Pituitary Neoplasm: Conclusion.- The Pituitary Specific Transcription Activator: Pit-1.- Acknowledgements.- References.- Biomechanics and Classification of Traumatic Lesions of the Spine..- 1. Introduction.- 2. Experimental Biomechanics.- 2.1. The Spinal Column: a Composite Material.- 2.1.1. The Vertebrae.- 2.1.2. The Intervertebral Discs.- 2.1.3. The Vertebral Ligaments.- 2.2. Stability.- 2.2.1. Vertical Stability: the Supporting Elements and Their Resistance to Compression.- 2.2.2. Transverse Stability: the Elements of Cohesion and Their Resistance to Tearing.- 2.2.3. Global Stability: Elements of Mechanical Strain and Their Controlling Factors.- 2.3. Spinomedullary Dynamics.- 2.3.1. Behaviour of the Spinal Canal During Movement.- 2.3.2. Mechanical Behaviour of the Neural Tissue.- 2.3.3. Reciprocal Behaviour.- 3. Anatomo-Radiologic Classification.- 3.1. The Thoraco-Lumbar Spine.- 3.1.1. Group of Disco-Ligamentous Lesions.- 3.1.2. Group of Disco-Corporeal Lesions.- 3.1.3. Group of Mixed Lesions.- 3.2. The Inferior Cervical Spine (C3-C7).- 3.2.1. Group of Disco-Ligamentous Lesions.- 3.2.2. Group of Disco-Corporeal Lesions.- 3.2.3. Group of Mixed Lesions.- 3.4. The Sub-Occipital Spine.- 4. Conclusions.- 5. References.- Space-Occupying Lesions of the Sensori-Motor Region..- Summary.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Surgical Anatomy of the Sensori-Motor Region.- 2.1. Definition of the Sensori-Motor Region.- 2.2. Craniocerebral Topography of the Sensori-Motor Region.- 2.3. Anatomy of the Medial Sensori-Motor Region.- 2.4. Anatomy of the Lateral Sensori-Motor Region (Including Broca's Area).- 2.5. Anatomy and Proportions of the Pyramidal Tract.- 2.5.1. Anatomy.- 2.5.2. Proportions.- 3. Clinical Syndrome and Neuroradiology of Central Lesions.- 3.1. Clinical Syndrome.- 3.2. Neuroradiology.- 4. Displacement of Anatomical Structures.- 5. The Role of Intraoperative Mapping of the Sensori-Motor Cortex.- 5.1. Technique of Cortical Electrophysiological Mapping.- 5.1.1. Cortical Electrical Stimulation (MCS).- 5.1.2. Results of Cortical Motor Stimulation.- 5.1.3. Recording of Somato-Sensory Evoked Potentials.- 5.2. Examples.- 5.2.1. Central Falx Meningioma (General Anaesthesia).- 5.2.2. Anaplastic Glioma of the Precentral Gyrus (General Anaesthesia).- 5.2.3. Low-Grade Glioma of the Superior Frontal Gyrus (Local Anaesthesia).- 5.2.4. Low-Grade Glioma of the Operculum (General Anaesthesia).- 5.2.5. Subcortical Central Metastasis (General Anaesthesia).- 5.3. Anaesthetic Regimen.- 5.3.1. General Anaesthesia.- 5.3.2. Local Anaesthesia.- 6. Surgery of Central Lesions.- 6.1. General Considerations on Localization.- 6.2. Positioning of the Patient and Drug Regimen.- 6.3. Placement of Craniotomy.- 6.4. General Considerations on Surgical Strategy.- 6.5. Lesion-Specific Operative Techniques.- 6.5.1. Meningiomas.- 6.5.2. Low-Grade Astrocytomas.- 6.5.3. High-Grade Gliomas.- 6.5.4. Metastases.- 6.5.5. Cavernomas.- 6.5.6. Abscesses.- 6.6. Location-Specific Operative Approaches.- 6.6.1. Lesions in the Dorsal Frontal Gyri.- 6.6.2. Lesions of the Precental Gyrus or Pyramidal Tract.- 6.6.3. Lesions of the Postcentral Gyrus and Anterior Parietal Lobule.- 7. Surgical Outcome.- References.- B. Technical Standards.- The Surgery of Cavernomas Both Supra-Tentorial and Infra-Tentorial..- History.- General Features.- Incidence - Age - Sex Ratio.- Nomenclature.- Classification.- Cavernoma and "Cryptic" Vascular Malformations.- Cavernoma and Angiographically Occult Intracranial Vascular Malformations (AOIVMs).- Pathology.- Macroscopic Appearance.- Microscopic Appearance.- Neuro-Imaging of Cavernomas.- Plain Skull X-Rays.- Angiography.- CT-Scan.- MRI.- Cavernoma, a Dynamic Lesion.- Haemorrhage.- Calcification.- Pericavernomatous Atrophy.- Enlargement of the Cavernomatous Matrix. Additional Lesions.- Associated Forms.- Familial and Multiple Forms.- Cavernomas in Children.- Natural History.- Clinical Presentation.- Forms Presenting with Epilepsy.- Anatomo-Clinical Correlations.- Postoperative Follow-up.- Forms with Focal Deficits.- Forms Presenting with Headache.- Supratentorial Cavernomas.- Superficially-Located Cavernomas.- Operative Techniques.- Deep-Seated Cavernomas.- Intraventricular Cavernomas.- Cavernomas of the Basal Ganglia.- Cavernomas of the Optic Chiasma.- Extra-Axial Cavernomas of the Middle Cerebral Fossa.- Cavernomas of the Cavernous Sinus.- Infratentorial Cavernomas.- Brainstem Cavernomas.- Clinical Features.- Location.- Surgery.- Conclusion.- Cerebellum.- Extra-Axial Cavernomas of the Posterior Cerebral Fossa.- Conclusion.- Acknowledgements.- References.- Surgery for Gliomas and Other Mass Lesions of the Brainstem..- Incidence.- History of Management.- Radiotherapy.- Histology.- Diagnosis.- Microsurgical and Functional Correlative Anatomy of the Brainstem.- Cranial Nerve Nuclei.- Arteries.- Mesencephalon.- Pons.- Medulla Oblongata.- Fourth Ventricle.- Reticular Formation.- Clinical Materials and Methods.- Patients.- Tumour Histology.- Clinical Aspects.- Neuroimaging.- Surgical Technique.- Surgical Approaches.- General Principles for Tumour Excision.- Results.- Extent of Tumour Removal.- Postoperative Course and Complications.- Outcome.- Discussion.- Concluding Remarks.- Acknowledgements.- References.- Hearing Preservation in Acoustic Tumour Surgery..- Summary.- Material and Methods.- Tumour Removal.- Results.- Evaluation by Nordstadt Classification System.- Evaluation Based on Gardner's, Shelton's and House' Criteria.- The Interear Difference.- Examples.- Discussion.- Completeness of Resection.- Radiotherapy Instead of or Prior to Acoustic Neurinoma Surgery.- Gamma Knife Therapy.- Linear Accelerator.- Timing.- Surgical Approaches.- Criteria for Useful Hearing Quality.- Chances of Hearing Preservation.- Closing Remarks.- References.- Listed in Index Medicus.