Microsurgery has always been the main treatment for large vestibular schwannomas. With the progress of microsurgical technique and neuroimaging, the application of the intraoperative physiological monitoring technology, as well as the popularization of the concept of minimally invasive neurosurgery, the current development trend of surgery for vestibular schwannomas is to realize both the maximal tumoral resection and the maximal preservation of facial nerve function, which puts more emphasis on the improvement of quality of life. It is still a challenge for neurosurgeons to resect the tumor to the maximum extent and preserve the nerve function as well. In view of this background, the strategy of " near-total resection” and " subtotal resection” combined with stereotactic radiotherapy has been more and more accepted in the past years. However, as a neurosurgeon, the ultimate goal should be " gross-total resection of tumor” and preservation of the nerve function as well. For those tumors severely adherent to neurovascular structure, " near total resection” might be a rational choice. Meanwhile, long-term follow-up should be conducted to clarify the biological behavior of tumor residues, as well as the necessity and long-term effect of stereotactic radiotherapy.
Objective To collect evidence of treatment for the patients with ocular myasthenia gravis. Methods We searched The Cochrane Library (Issue 1, 2010), PubMed (1966 to April, 2010), CNKI (1979 to April, 2010) and VIP (1989 to April 2010) to identify systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, controlled clinical trials and prospective avaicohort studies about efficacy and safety of treatment for ocular myasthenia gravis. Results We identified 2 guidelines, 5 systematic reviews and 4 observational studies on inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase, immunosuppressive agents, intravenous immunoglobulin, corticosteroids, and thymectomy for ocular myasthenia gravis. The first choice for ocular myasthenia gravis was inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase. When the symptom could not be remitted, the corticosteroids should be considered. Immunosuppressive agents might be added if the effect of corticosteroids was not good. Plasma exchange was not recommended. Thymectomy should be performed if the patients suffered from thymoma. Conclusion The best clinical evidence can be available by the evidence-based method.
Stroke with hereditary cerebral small vessel diseases is a rare disease. Its clinical manifestations include early-onset ischemic lacunar or hemorrhagic stroke with high disability. Its typical imaging markers include lacunes, white matter hyperintensities, microbleeds, intracerebral hemorrhages located in deep or lobe of brain, crotical microinfarcts, and enlarged perivascular spaces. As the clinical and neuroimaging signs and symptoms of hereditary cerebral small vessel diseases often overlap with sporadic cerebral small vessel diseases, it is hard to diagnose. This article summarizes the clinical features, importance of obtaining valuable family history, genetic diagnosis, and management of stroke with hereditary cerebral small vessel disease to improve its accuracy diagnosis.
ObjectiveTo explore the risk factors of stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) in the patients with acute ischemic stroke, in order to provide effective guidance for clinical prevention and treatment.MethodsFrom November 2016 to November 2019, 330 patients with acute ischemic stroke admitted to the Department of Neurology of West China Hospital of Sichuan University and the Department of Neurology of the Sixth People’s Hospital of Chengdu were selected as the research object. The clinical data of the patients were analyzed retrospectively. According to whether SAP occurred, they were divided into infected group and non-infected group. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the risk factors of SAP.ResultsA total of 71 cases of SAP occurred in patients with acute ischemic stroke, accounting for 21.52%. Logistic regression analysis showed that age≥70 years old [odds ratio (OR)=3.677, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.452, 9.311), P=0.006], chronic lung disease [OR=4.985, 95%CI (1.558, 15.952), P=0.007], disturbance of consciousness [OR=7.147, 95%CI (1.617, 31.587), P=0.009], bulbar palsy [OR=5.909, 95%CI (2.668, 13.089), P<0.001], the use of nasal feeding tube [OR=7.427, 95%CI (1.681, 32.812), P=0.008] were independent risk factors for SAP in patients with acute ischemic stroke.ConclusionsAge≥70 years old, chronic lung disease, disturbance of consciousness, bulbar paralysis and use of nasal feeding tube are independent risk factors for SAP. It is necessary to strengthen the management of these risk factors in order to identify high-risk patients with SAP early, and develop intervention strategies for risk factors, so as to improve the prognosis.
Endovascular treatment for acute ischemic stroke has become the main therapy for large vessel occlusion. In addition to stent thrombectomy, in recent years, the application of aspiration thrombectomy is becoming more and more common. The physical principles of aspiration and stent thrombectomy extraction are different. The thrombus is captured by the negative pressure generated by suction through the contact between the reperfusion catheter and the thrombus, thus achieving cerebrovascular recanalization. Currently, more and more researches support the application of aspiration thrombectomy. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the aspiration thrombectomy compared with the stent thrombectomy and how to apply the aspiration technology reasonably are the hot issues concerned by everyone. This paper reviews the application and research progress of aspirating thrombectomy in order to provide reference for clinical treatment decisions.
Ischemic stroke can lead to disruption in the oral ecology and an overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria, resulting in periodontal disease. Meanwhile, the aspiration and pulmonary infection resulted from dysphagia can increase the unfavorable prognosis. Some studies have found that there exist oral bacteria in the thrombus in myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke patients, showing that oral flora might be associated with thrombus and stroke-associated pneumonia. There are few high quality clinical studies or evidence-based guidelines. Priority should be given to high quality research that provides oral care standards, and incorporating oral care into future stroke pathways to improve the prognosis.
Objectives To observe the distribution of enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVSs) in acute ischemic stroke, and determine the factors that influence basal ganglia and centrum semiovale EPVSs. Methods We prospectively registered consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke at the neurological wards of Jianyang Municipal People’s Hospital and West China Hospital of Sichuan University from February 1st to November 1st, 2014. Patients with ischemic stroke within 14 days of symptom onset, having magnetic resonance image (MRI) scan were included. Basal ganglia and centrum semiovale EPVSs, white matter hyperintensity, cerebral atrophy and lacunar infraction were rated using validated scales by reading MRI. Clinical information was obtained using standardized forms. The distribution of EPVSs was observed and analyzed. The evalution of EPVSs was analyzed in relation to age, vascular risk factor, cerebral atrophy, white matter hyperintensity, lacunar infraction, etc, by using univariate and multivariate logistical regression to evaluate the influencing factors for basal ganglia and centrum semiovale EPVSs. Results A total of 170 patients with acute ischemic stroke within 14 days from onset were included; in whom, 97.6% had EPVSs in basal ganglia and all had EPVSs in centrum semiovale. The most common scores of basal ganglia EPVSs were 1 point and 2 points. The most common scores of centrum semiovale EPVSs were 2 and 3 points. In logistic regression, age [odds ratio (OR)=1.043, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.015, 1.071), P=0.002], periventricular white matter hyperintensity [OR=4.203, 95%CI (1.525, 11.583), P=0.006] and hypertension [OR=3.965, 95%CI (1.927, 8.157), P<0.001] were independently associated with increased severity of basal ganglia EPVSs. Only periventricular white matter hyperintensity [OR=2.248, 95%CI (1.054, 4.795), P=0.036] was independently associated with increased severity of centrum semiovale EPVSs in logistic regression. Conclusions EPVSs are common in ischemic stroke. There is a lower prevalence of EPVS in the basal ganglia compared with the centrum semiovale. Compared with centrum semiovale EPVSs, basal ganglia EPVSs are more associated with hypertensive cerebral small vessel disease, which may be a marker for hypertensive cerebral small vessel disease.
Objectives To study the relationship between matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and hemorrhagic transformation (HT) in ischemic stroke patients and provide evidence for the further clinical studies, thrombolytic therapy selection, and application of MMP inhibitors to clinical practice to extend the windows for thrombolytic therapy. Methods The studies on relationship between MMP-9 and hemorrhagic transformation in ischemic stroke were identified, in which HT was followed-up based on plasma level of MMP-9 or comparison of plasma level of MMP-9 was conducted based on HT or not, regardless of language of publication and type of design. MEDLINE (1966-Jan. 2006), EMBASE (1966-Apr. 2006), CNKI (1977-Feb.2006), and Wanfang database (1989-2005) were searched and the references lists of eligible studies were manually searched. Two reviewers independently evaluated the quality of studies and extracted data. The data were analyzed using the RevMan 4.2. and SPSS11.0 softwares. Results Six trials fulfilled the inclusion criteria, including 558 patients, 130 of them developed hemorrhagic transformation. The heterogeneity between studies was statistically significant; (Plt;0.0001). We didn’t pool the data of studies of plasma MMP-9 level. Most of the studies showed that the plasma MMP-9 level in HT or in a certain type of HT was higher than that in non-HT patients. The result of subgroup analysis showed that the plasma MMP-9 level was independently associated with HT, summary OR=14.45, 95%CI (4.90, 43.65). Conclusions The values of plasma MMP-9 in HT or in a certain type of HT are higher than that in non-HT. MMP-9 may independently be a risk of hemorrhagic transformation. The sample size of the included studies is small. So the conclusions need to be confirmed with further studies.
Objective The primary objective was to determine whether Danshen agents can improve functional outcome without causing undue harm in patients with acute ischaemic stroke. Secondary objectives were to assess the effect of Danshen agents on impairment and on the quality of life. Methods Searches were performed in the Cochrane Stroke Group Specialized Trial Register, Trials Register of the Cochrane Complementary Medicine Field, Chinese Stroke Trials Register and data from the pharmaceutical company. In addition, we searched the electronic bibliographic databases: Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (CENTRAL/CCTR) Issue 1, 2002, MEDLINE (1996 to 2002), EMBASE (1980 to 2002), China Biological Medicine Database (1978 to 2002). We handsearched ten Chinese journals potentially related to our question. Two reviewers selected studies, assessed quality of studies, extracted data independently. The primary outcomes of death or dependency at the end of long term follow-up(at least three months) and adverse events were assessed. Secondary outcome measures included: measures of neurological deficit at the end of treatment, death from all causes within the first two weeks of treatment and during the whole follow-up period and quality of life. Results Eight potentially eligible trials were identified, of which three trials (304 patients) were included. Two trials were excluded and three trials were waiting for assessment. Number of death and dependency at the end of long term follow-up (at least three months) were not reported in the three included trials. Only one trial reported the adverse events. Three trials measured neurological deficit at the end of treatment. Danshen agents were associated with a significant improvement in neurological deficit (RR 1.07, 95%CI 1.01 to 1.14). There was no death and during the whole treatment period and there was no assessment on quality of life. Conlusions There were too few patients and outcome events to draw reliable conclusions from the present data. The methodological quality of all included studies was poor. Further high quality randomised controlled trials should be performed.
Cerebral small vessel disease refers to a group of pathological processes, neuroimaging features, and clinical symptoms, with various etiologies that affect the small arteries, arterioles, venules, and capillaries of the brain. The onset of cerebral small vessel disease can be insidious. It has various symptoms, some of which can attack acutely. Acute cerebral small vessel disease is characterized by lacunar stroke and brain parenchymal hemorrhage. The latter mainly includes hypertensive hemorrhage and cerebral amyloid angiopathy. This article summarizes the research advances of acute cerebral small vessel disease from the aspects of pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, neuroimaging features, and treatment methods, discussing characteristics and clinical challenges.