Shoji Mabuchi

Distal Aneurysms of the Superior Cerebellar Artery and Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery Feeding an Associated Arteriovenous Malformation: Case Report

The authors report a case of two distal aneurysms of the cerebellar arteries, one arising from the vermian branch of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery, the other arising from the hemispheric branch of the superior cerebellar artery, and both feeding an associated arteriovenous malformation (AVM). The aneurysm of the distal posterior inferior cerebellar artery was considered the source of a cerebellar hemorrhage because of the location of a hematoma in the cerebellar vermis. The life-threatening hematoma was evacuated in an emergency operation 6 hours after the acute onset of symptoms. The cerebellar aneurysms and the AVM were clipped or extirpated successfully after the patients condition improved. The association of two rare types of aneurysms with an AVM strongly supports the theory that increased hemodynamic stress derived from the AVM plays an important role in aneurysm formation. The authors think that one should operate on the symptomatic lesion first or both the aneurysm and the AVM in the same operative procedure.

Anterior Decompression and Fusion Using Bone Grafts Obtained from Cervical Vertebral Bodies for Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament of the Cervical Spine: Technical Note

OBJECTIVE To describe a surgical technique of anterior decompression and fusion using bone grafts obtained from cervical vertebral bodies with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the cervical spine. This technique seeks to avoid complications associated with an anterior approach of decompression and bone fusion, which widely uses autogenous bone from the iliac crest. METHODS Forty patients with cervical myelopathy were studied. The ossified ligament was localized to one, two, three, four, five, six, and seven vertebral bodies in 10, 18, 5, 4, 1, 1, and 1 patients, respectively. The ossified area of all posterior longitudinal ligament was completely removed using microsurgical techniques, and 11 patients were operated on at one level, 21 at two levels, and 8 at three levels. RESULTS The symptoms of all patients improved after the operation. Postoperative x-ray films showed solid bone fusion in all patients at a mean follow-up time of 3 years (range, 1-5.25 yr). Anterior angulation was found in one of eight patients (13%) who underwent three-level fusion. CONCLUSION Two major advantages were as follows: 1) no complications related to the iliac donor site occurred, and 2) early mobilization of patients was possible with a soft cervical collar. Anterior decompression and fusion should be used for cases with ossification of up to three consecutive vertebrae needing either one- or two-level fusions.

Visualization of the Ostium of an Arteriotomy in Bypass Surgery

Visualization of the ostium of an arteriotomy by staining it blue with methylrosaniline chloride (pyoctaninum blue) in anastomotic bypass surgery for children with moyamoya disease is described. This technique enables surgeons to create an anastomosis more precisely and quickly. No adverse effects were observed.

A3-A3 side-to-side anastomosis in the anterior communicating artery aneurysm surgery: Report of four cases

BACKGROUND Giant or large aneurysms prevent direct clipping without compromise of the parent vessels, and any countermeasures should be attempted. METHODS We describe an A3-A3 side-to-side anastomosis as a method of revascularization of the pericallosal artery in surgery of an aneurysm of the anterior communicating artery (ACoA) in four patients. RESULTS In two patients with the pericallosal artery narrowed or occluded by the clipping or trapping procedure, and in two other patients with giant aneurysms clipped with prolonged duration of temporary occlusion of the parent vessels, no serious neurologic changes were observed after surgery. CONCLUSIONS We believe that an A3-A3 side-to-side anastomosis is effective in preventing ischemic complications in the territory of the pericallosal artery.

Characteristics of Symptomatic Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Patient Receiving Direct Oral Anticoagulants: Comparison with Warfarin

BACKGROUND Direct oral coagulants (DOAC) have been shown to decrease the frequency of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) compared with warfarin. However, the precise characteristics, such as the size and locations of the hemorrhage, and outcome and onset time of ICH in patient taking DOAC are not fully elucidated. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the characteristics of symptomatic patients with ICH taking either DOAC or warfarin between January 2012 and December 2015. RESULTS Out of 400 consecutive patients with ICH, 15 patients were DOAC-ICH and 24 patients were warfarin-ICH. DOAC-ICH was observed in 6 patients with 10 mg of rivaroxaban, 5 patients with 15 mg of rivaroxaban, and 1 patient with 10 mg of apixaban, 5 mg of apixaban, 30 mg of edoxaban, and 60 mg of edoxaban. Prothrombin time was well controlled in most of the warfarin-ICH patients (83.3%). The locations of ICH were similar in both groups; however, median ICH volume was significantly smaller in DOAC-ICH patients than in warfarin-ICH patients (P < .01) and ICH around basal ganglia seemed to show great difference between the groups. DOAC-ICH patients showed better neurological outcome at the time of discharge than warfarin patients (P < .01), and the ratio of good prognosis was significantly higher in the DOAC-ICH patients than in the warfarin-ICH patients (P < .01). The onset of warfarin-ICH was frequently observed in the morning and evening, whereas DOAC-ICH did not show any specific onset time. CONCLUSIONS Patients with DOAC-ICH showed smaller ICH volume and better clinical outcomes than patients with warfarin-ICH, and DOAC-ICH did not show any specific onset peak.

A case of midbrain infarction with acute bilateral cerebellar ataxia visualized by diffusion tensor imaging.

An 85-year-old woman with hypertension was admitted with a sudden onset of gait disturbance and dysarthria. On admission, the patient showed severe bilateral cerebellar ataxia with moderate right medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF) syndrome. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging showed an acute infarction in the lower and medial part of midbrain. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) started from both cerebellar peduncles revealed that the lesion of the acute infarction matched the decussation of superior cerebellar peduncle where crossing of tract was seen and a part of its tract was interrupted at the site. Interruption of the cerebellum red nuclear path at the medial part of midbrain was considered to be the reason for bilateral cerebellar ataxia and visualization of cerebellum red nuclear path by DTI can give better understanding of the neurological symptom.

Irregular Neointimal Lining with Prominent Proliferative Activity After Carotid Patch Angioplasty: An Autopsy Case Report

OBJECTIVE Although the healing response after carotid balloon injury and carotid patch angioplasty injury has been well-documented in animal models, there is limited information about this process after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in human patients. CASE DESCRIPTION We describe the autopsy results of a 79-year-old man who died 18 days after CEA with patch angioplasty. The treated carotid artery had an adequate luminal diameter. Elastica-Masson staining revealed that the treated portion was covered with neointima but the patch graft was exposed to the arterial lumen at 18 days after CEA. Immunohistochemistry staining for alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), von-Willebrand factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 revealed that the neointima was mainly composed of α-SMA-positive cells. In addition, the α-SMA-rich neointima had many more Ki-67-positive cells than did the internal carotid artery intima in the area beyond the CEA-treated portion. CONCLUSIONS This case report is the first to describe an entire carotid artery specimen in the acute stage after CEA with patch angioplasty. These findings suggest that an α-SMA-rich neointima with prominent proliferative activity covers the inner surface of the treated carotid artery, but patch grafts are left uncovered. The intrinsic arterial wall may have an important role in intimal regeneration after CEA, although the nature of the neointima and the mechanism by which it regulates proliferative activity remain unclarified.

Mollaret Meningitis with High Level of Cytokines in CSF Successfully Treated by Indomethacin

A rare case of Mollaret meningitis characterized by four recurrent episodes of aseptic meningitis during the 3-year periods were reported. The patient showed high fever and severe headache accompanied by high level of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alfa (TNF-a). The symptoms and high CSF cytokines were dramatically resolved immediately after inducing indomethacin treatment. Reactivation of the latent virus is considered to be the cause of this rare disease and indomethacin is estimated to inhibit periodic abnormal generation of eicosanoid in the brain resulting in reducing fever and subsequent inflammation.

Serial Arterial Spin Labeling May Be Useful in Assessing the Therapeutic Course of Cerebral Venous Thrombosis : Case Reports

We report two cases of cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) which serial arterial spin labeling (ASL) was useful in evaluating the clinical course of the disease. A 48-year-old female presented with acute seizure, and was diagnosed as transverse-sigmoid sinus thrombosis. ASL imaging revealed low signal intensity in the right temporal lobe, suggesting the decreased perfusion by elevated venous pressure. Soon after the treatment, while the development of venous collateral has not fully observed by magnetic resonance (MR) angiography, low ASL signal within the right temporal lobe have shown remarkable improvement. A 65-year-old female presented with vomiting and subsequent seizure was diagnosed as superior sagittal sinus thrombosis. The low ASL signal within the right frontal lobe seen in the acute stage improved to the normal level by the course of time, before the good collateral can be seen by MR angiography. This is the first report to assess the sequential change of the cerebral perfusion of CVT by ASL, and ASL may provide additional useful information in combination with conventional modalities.

Lateral Position of the External Carotid Artery: A Rare Variation to Be Recognized During Carotid Endarterectomy

BACKGROUND External carotid artery (ECA) positioned laterally to the internal carotid artery (ICA) at the level of the common carotid artery (CCA) bifurcation is occasionally encountered during carotid endarterectomy (CEA). This study aimed to determine the frequency of this phenomenon and provide technical tips for performing CEA. METHODS The study included 199 consecutive patients (209 carotid arteries) who underwent CEA at Otaru Municipal Medical Center in 2007-2014. The position of the ECA with respect to the ICA at the CCA bifurcation was preoperatively rated as either lateral or normal, using three-dimensional computerized tomographic angiography (3-D CTA) anteroposterior projections. Postoperative diffusion-weighted images (DWIs), and postoperative 3-D CTA images were reviewed. RESULTS Among the 209 carotid arteries with atherosclerosis, 11 instances (5.3 %) of lateral position of the ECA were detected in 11 patients. Ten of these arteries (91 %) were right-sided (odds ratio 11.1; 95 % confidence interval 1.38-88.9). Wider longitudinal exposure of the arteries was used during CEA, and the CCA and ECA were rotated clockwise or counter clockwise. The ICA lying behind the ECA along the surgical access route was then pulled out laterally and moved to the shallow surgical field. Cross-clamping, arteriotomy, plaque removal, and wall suturing were performed as usual. No cerebral infarcts were detected on postoperative DWIs, and 3-D CTA revealed no CCA and ICA kinking. CONCLUSIONS Lateral position of the ECA is not extremely rare in patients undergoing CEA for atherosclerosis and may be a congenital variation, although this is still controversial. CEA can be performed safely if the arteries from the CCA to the ICA are rotated, and the ICA is moved to the shallow surgical field under wider longitudinal exposure. Although no postoperative cerebral infarcts were detected, the risk of artery-to-artery embolism resulting from artery repositioning prior to plaque removal should be taken into consideration.