Necdet Çeviker

Observation of 95 patients with extradural hematoma and review of the literature

The authors review the cases of 95 patients with extradural hematoma managed at Gazi Hospital in the last 4 years. The common factors in craniocerebral traumas, the time interval between admittance and trauma, the interval between admittance and operation, and the location of hematomas are determined. The arterial origins demonstrated at operation in extradural hematomas are described. The interactions between all these factors and mortality are discussed. Availability of computed tomography scanning accounts for the present mortality rate of 9.4% when compared with the mortality rate of 33% for conventional diagnostic facilities.

Intracranial Meningiomas of Childhood and Adolescence

Meningiomas are rare intracranial neoplasms in childhood and adolescence, representing 0.4–4.1% of the pediatric-age tumors and 1.5–1.8% of all intracranial meningiomas. The goal of this study was to determine epidemiology, clinical and radiological features, and long-term outcome of childhood and adolescence meningiomas. Patients operated for intracranial meningiomas of childhood and adolescence between 1983 and 2003 at Gazi University School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, were evaluated retrospectively. This study presents 11 cases (6 male, 5 female), ranging in age from 14 months to 17 years. Age and sex distribution, presenting symptoms, neurological examination results, location of meningiomas, radiological and histopathological findings, and prognosis were reviewed. The results were compared with those reported in the existing literature. Atypical and malignant meningiomas seem to be more common in childhood and adolescence with respect to adult meningiomas. Tumor location, completeness of tumor removal, and pathological grade are the most important prognostic factors.

Neuroprotective effects of infliximab in experimental spinal cord injury

BACKGROUND The aim of the study is to assess the effects of infliximab, a TNF-alpha receptor blocker, in a spinal cord clip compression injury model. METHODS Clip compression injury model was used for producing spinal cord injury on 32 adult, male Wistar rats (Gazi University Animal Research Laboratory, Ankara, Turkey). After exposing the vertebral column between T7 and T10, total laminectomy was performed with the assistance of a high-speed drill and a surgical microscope. The dura was left intact. Spinal cord injury was performed on all rats with application of a 70-g closing force aneurysm clip for 1 minute. The rats were randomly allocated into 4 groups. Control group received no further therapy, whereas the other 3 groups received methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg intraperitoneal), infliximab (5 mg/kg subcutaneous), and a mixture of these 2 agents. All rats were killed 72 hours later, and the level of lipid peroxides in traumatized spinal cord tissue were measured as thiobarbituric acid-reactive material and determined using the method of Mihara and Uchiyama (Determination of malonaldehyde precursor in tissue by thiobarbituric acid test. Anal Biochem 1978;86(1):271-8). RESULTS Treatment with infliximab and methylprednisolone decreased MDA levels in rats with spinal cord injury with a statistically significant difference. In addition, combined therapy achieved a more profound decrease in tissue MDA levels, which was also statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS Infliximab is found as effective as methylprednisolone on spinal cord clip compression injury. Moreover, the combination of these 2 agents demonstrated higher efficacy suggesting a synergistic effect between these 2 agents. However, further studies regarding functional and behavioral analyses as well as biochemical markers are required.

Spinal cord compression due to brucella granuloma

SummaryCentral Nervous System (CNS) involvement during the course of Brucella infection is a rare clinical condition. In this article, a patient with a progressive paraparesis syndrome with spasticity, who was treated by medical methods and surgical intervention is analysed. This patient suffered from spinal cord compression in the thoracal region caused by a Brucella granuloma. The patient had no evidence of systemic Brucella infection.ZusammenfassungDie Brucella-Infektion führt nur selten zu einem Befall des Zentralnervensystems. Wir berichten über einen Patienten mit progressiver spastischer Paraparese, bei dem medikamentöse und chirurgische Maßnahmen erfolgten. Die Symptomatik beruhte auf einer Rückenmarkskompression im Thorakalbereich durch ein Brucella-Granulom. Es bestanden keinerlei Symptome einer systemischen Brucella-Infektion.

Neuroprotective effects of infliximab in experimental spinal cord ischemic injury

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of spinal cord injury after both ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) and trauma. This experimental study was designed to investigate the potential effects of infliximab, an anti-tumor necrosis factor-α agent, on I/R injury of the rabbit spinal cord. Eighteen New Zealand white rabbits were divided into three groups, each consisting of six rabbits: sham (no I/R), I/R, and infliximab (I/R + infliximab). Spinal cord ischemia was induced by applying an infrarenal aortic cross clamp for 30 minutes. At 48 hours after ischemia, animals were functionally evaluated using the Tarlov score. Changes in the spinal cord were observed by measuring tissue levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and by evaluating hematoxylin-eosin-stained sections. At 48 hours after ischemia, the Tarlov scores in the infliximab group were higher than those of the I/R group, MDA and AOPP levels in the I/R group were significantly higher than those in the sham and infliximab groups (p < 0.05), and SOD levels in the infliximab group were significantly higher than those in the I/R and sham groups (p < 0.05). The sham group had higher GSH levels than the infliximab group; however, the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Histological examination revealed that the infliximab group had significantly less vascular proliferation, edema, and neuron loss than the I/R group. These results indicate that infliximab may protect the spinal cord against injury in a rabbit I/R model.

A comparison of the local effectiveness of mitomycin C, aprotinin, and Adcon-L in experimental peridural fibrosis

BACKGROUND Peridural fibrosis and leptomeningeal adhesion formation are among the common causes of FBSS. Various materials have been used to prevent the compressive effect of postoperative PF on neural structures. We investigated and compared the effects of 3 agents--aprotinin, mitomycin C, and Adcon-L--to PF after lumbar laminectomy in rabbits. METHODS Four groups each including 8 rabbits were formed: Adcon-L, aprotinin, mitomycin C, and control groups. L3 laminectomy was performed on each animal. One of the 3 agents was administered locally to laminectomy areas in each group. All the animals were killed 4 weeks after the surgery. Peridural fibrosis, arachnoidal fibrosis, and dural adhesions were evaluated histologically and graded. The results were compared statistically by using a standard chi2 test. RESULTS There were significant differences in the PF grades among the experimental groups and the control group (P < .05). When the fibroblast density and the inflammatory cell density were evaluated, the grades of the experimental groups were better compared with the grades of the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P > .05). CONCLUSION Various materials have been used to prevent the compressive effect of postoperative PF on the neural structures. Aprotinin, mitomycin C, and Adcon-L are effective in preventing PF and dural adhesions in postlaminectomy areas. However, mitomycin C and Adcon-L were more effective than aprotinin in preventing peridural scarring.

Head trauma and leucocytosis

SummaryA prospective analysis of 153 cases of head trauma was conducted with respect to their white blood cell counts. A white blood cell count exceeding 20×106/l is associated with a poor clinical grade on admission and with a 96% mortality as opposed to that of a 23% mortality for those with slightly lower or slightly above normal white blood cell count. The sensitivity for this level is a mortality of 96% while the specificity is 77%.

A New Coated Bipolar Coagulator: Technical Note

Summary Background. Sometimes charring or popping occurs and the bipolar blades get stuck to the vessel. Methods. The tips of one of the many commercially available bipolar forceps were coated in a striped manner with Teflon −50 μ in thickness. Results. The new bipolar coagulator coated with Teflon reduced the incidence of tissue sticking. Conclusions. Experience with this instrument was still quite limited, but preliminary results were promising.

Assessment of mortality associated with mild head injury in the pediatric age group

Reducing mortality among accident and trauma patients requires careful attention to monitoring those regarded as being at low risk. We hospitalized almost 1600 head-injured patients in the period between 1979 and 1992 at the Neurosurgery Department of Gazi University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey. These patients were selected from among the numerous patients admitted to our emergency unit and treated with the same protocol in the same department. Among the hospitalized children, there were three patients defined as having a mild head injury on the basis of Glasgow Coma Scale scores of 15 who later had unfavorable outcomes. Clinical signs that might identify potentially endangered patients with mild injury were gathered; these included the presence of post-traumatic amnesia, somnolence, irritability, anisocoria, local evidence of trauma to the head, associated injuries, history of altered consciousness, and skull fracture. The study was designed to identify features by which patients who are in real danger can be distinguished among the many with trivial trauma that we face every day. We did not find any identifying clinical features and concluded that computed tomographic scanning is the only reliable answer. This will reduce avoidable mortality and morbidity by identifying the patients who are at higher risk than is at first evident.

Comparison of Oxiplex and Gore-Tex effectivity in an experimental peridural fibrosis model

OBJECTIVE The authors conducted a study to compare the effectiveness of Oxiplex and Gore-tex in preventing postlaminectomy peridural fibrosis in rats. Peridural fibrosis is a common cause of pain in patients undergoing spinal surgery. To prevent scar formation numerous materials and methods have been employed such as non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), Gelfoam, Oxiplex, Gore-tex, carboxymethil cellulose, Adcon-L, autogenous adipose grefting, mitomisin, and radiotherapy have been investigating for a long time, but only moderate success has been obtained. METHODS Laminectomies were performed at the fourth lumbar vertebra (L-4) in 30 rats. Oxiplex or Gore-Tex was applied over the dura mater with the aim to perform a blinded evaluation of their effects. In the control group, only a L-4 laminectomy was performed. Animals were sacrificed 28 days after the surgical procedure. The extent of peridural fibrosis was evaluated on spine specimens by histological analysis. RESULTS Both groups of animals treated with either Oxiplex or Gore-Tex showed a significant reduction in the degree of peridural fibrosis as compared to the control group. However no significant difference in the prevention of peridural fibrosis was observed between the Oxiplex and Gore-Tex groups. CONCLUSIONS This experimental model has shown that Oxiplex and Gore-Tex are effective methods to prevent peridural fibrosis and dural adhesions at the postlaminectomy areas.