Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

T M Sundt

Publications and source records attributed to T M Sundt.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

The Nd:YAG laser in neurosurgery. Part 1. Laboratory investigations: dose-related biological response of neural tissue.

The biological response of normal cat brain to Nd:YAG laser light was studied both in vitro and in vivo to evaluate the potential safety of this laser for coagulation in brain tissue. Transmission studies revealed a blood:brain absorption ratio of 100:1 indicating the selective absorption of Nd:YAG light by hemoglobin and enabling Nd:YAG light to selectively heat blood vessels compared to brain tissue. In vivo temperature recordings and pathological evaluation demonstrated a remarkable ability of the brain to dissipate the thermal energy produced by Nd:YAG light with only a small amount of structural damage. Powers of 10 W applied for 8 seconds using a 1.2-mm focused probe resulted in a penetration depth in normal brain of only 2 mm. Thermal recordings also revealed that blood is heated to 90% of its maximum temperature within 3 seconds, while the brain temperature increases linearly as the duration of the laser pulse is increased. In addition, the localized heating of brain tissue was cooled rapidly within seconds following cessation of the laser pulse. These findings indicate that by using short, intermittent pulses of light focused upon blood vessels, damage to the surrounding tissue can be minimized, and the Nd:YAG laser can be used safely as an adjunctive measure for hemostasis in many neurosurgical procedures.

Animals↗

The Nd:YAG laser in neurosurgery. Part 2. Clinical studies: an adjunctive measure for hemostasis in resection of arteriovenous malformations.

The Nd:YAG laser has been used safely to aid in the resection of 10 cases of parenchymal arteriovenous malformations (AVM's). The laser was found helpful for: 1) defining the plane between the AVM and the brain; 2) coagulating any dural component of the AVM; and 3) achieving hemostasis of the bed following resection of the lesion. However, its overall benefit in the resection of AVM's remains to be determined, as it could not arrest active high-flow bleeding from the thin-walled vessels feeding the deep portion of the AVM. This was attributed to the inherent characteristics of these vessels, since the instrument has been effective in non-AVM arteries of similar dimensions containing contractile elements in the vessel walls. Future refinements in focusing instrumentation and operative technique should enhance its capabilities and usefulness. When used within the recommended power range, the Nd:YAG laser is safe and its penetration predictable. The fiberoptic cable light delivery system allows excellent mobility of the handpiece, but the protective eyewear laser-light filters reduce the available light to the surgeon. The instrument appears promising but more work is required.

Adolescent↗

Booster clips for giant and thick-based aneurysms.

The authors describe their experience using booster clips to secure the closure of primary clips in the repair of giant and other thick-walled aneurysms. These clips were used for 21 aneurysms in 20 patients, comprising 12% of all aneurysms operated on during the 15-month period of the report, but representing about 50% of all giant aneurysms operated on during the same time frame. These clips are designed to encircle the primary clip and have fixation "shoes" to close upon the jaws of the primary clip. All aneurysms were opened for decompression and thrombectomy when necessary following temporary major vessel occlusion before placement of the primary clip. Cerebral blood flow measurements and continuous electroencephalographic monitoring were utilized to predict the brain's tolerance to temporary ligation of the internal carotid artery (ICA) in those cases with a giant aneurysm arising from that vessel. There were no complications attributable to the periods of intracranial or cervical ICA occlusion; these periods varied but did not exceed 8 minutes for the former nor the tolerance period for the latter, which was calculated as from 5 to 30 minutes. It was necessary to reoperate on two patients and reposition clips because of stenoses or occlusions identified on immediate postoperative angiography. Fifteen patients had normal neurological function at the time of discharge. Three patients had minor deficits which did not prevent employment; two of these were related to a preoperative deficit and one was a complication of delayed ischemia. There were two deaths: one from bleeding complications and probable damage to perforating vessels in a patient operated on under profound hypothermia (the only case in the series so managed), and one from respiratory complications in a patient with severe pulmonary problems.

Adult↗

Response of chronic experimental cerebral vasospasm to methylprednisolone and dexamethasone.

The authors have previously demonstrated that high-dose methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg intravenously every 8 hours) prevents severe chronic vasospasm in dogs. In the present study, lesser doses of methylprednisolone (15 mg/kg intravenously every 8 hours) and dexamethasone (0.1 mg/kg intravenously every 8 hours), although better than no treatment at all, were significantly less effective than the higher dose of methylprednisolone. These data suggest that methylprednisolone can prevent chronic experimental vasospasm from occurring only when given in high doses (30 mg/kg).

Animals↗

Brain pH in focal cerebral ischemia and the protective effects of barbiturate anesthesia.

Intracellular brain pH was measured with a lipid-soluble, pH-sensitive fluorescent indicator in 16 squirrel monkeys. Eight of these were under halothane anesthesia and eight under barbiturate anesthesia. Measurements were taken before, during, and after focal incomplete ischemia. Brain pH following 3 h of cerebral focal ischemia changed from a normal value of 7.0 to 6.5 and 6.2 in animals studied under barbiturate and halothane anesthesia, respectively. Brain pH returned toward normal after flow was restored in animals under barbiturate anesthesia but continued to deteriorate in animals under halothane anesthesia.

Animals↗

The surgical approach to arteriovenous malformations of the lateral and sigmoid dural sinuses.

Arteriovenous malformations (AVM's) of lateral and sigmoid sinuses are acquired lesions evolving from a previously thrombosed dural sinus. Their natural history is usually that of gradual progression and hence surgery is frequently necessary. The preferred surgical treatment is complete excision coupled with packing of the sigmoid sinus. The operative approach is illustrated and discussed in detail. Results and complications are reviewed in 27 patients whose symptomatology had progressed under conservative management; 22 of these cases harbored primary lesions and five had recurrences. There were 22 excellent, one good, and two poor results (both of the latter from blindness that preceded surgery). There were two deaths, both in patients previously operated on with incomplete removal or obliteration of the AVM by attempted embolization.

Adolescent↗

Failure of naloxone to affect focal incomplete cerebral ischemia and collateral blood flow in cats.

Focal incomplete cerebral ischemia was created in 20 adult cats by retro-orbital middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion under halothane anesthesia. Arterial blood flow (CBF), bilateral electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings, and systemic arterial blood pressure (SABP) were monitored for the 1st hour of occlusion. Ten animals were treated with 10 mg/kg of naloxone within 10 minutes of MCA clipping, followed by a continuous infusion of naloxone at 2 mg/kg/hr for the duration of the occlusion (8 hours). Ten animals were treated in a similar fashion with physiological saline (control). Blood flow was restored after 8 hours. The brains were examined at the time of death or 7 days after the occlusion period. There was no difference between the two groups regarding cerebral infarction size or distribution, neurological outcome, SABP, PaCO2, or CBF. Minor changes in EEG amplitude observed in the naloxone-treated group appear to represent interaction of the drug with halothane after prolonged administration. The authors conclude that naloxone did not modify the outcome of focal cerebral ischemia in the cat.

Animals↗

Prevention of chronic experimental cerebral vasospasm with ibuprofen and high-dose methylprednisolone.

Severe chronic cerebral vasospasm was reliably induced in dogs by two injections, 2 days apart, of autologous blood into the cisterna magna. Treatment with ibuprofen or high-dose methylprednisolone after the first injection prevented or reduced vasospasm. Both drugs reduced meningismus and accelerated the rate of neurological recovery. Compared with specimens from normal dogs, rings of basilar arteries obtained from untreated dogs contracted weakly in response to 5-hydroxytryptamine, prostaglandin F2 alpha, potassium chloride, and barium chloride. Rings of arteries from dogs who received ibuprofen or methylprednisolone contracted more strongly. Electron micrographs of basilar arteries from untreated dogs showed degeneration of smooth muscle, whereas those from treated dogs did not. Thus, what is termed "chronic cerebral vasospasm" probably represents a structural derangement of the blood vessel wall leading to its narrowing, rather than a sustained contraction of the vascular smooth muscle. Administration of high-dose methylprednisolone and ibuprofen can prevent its occurrence.

Animals↗

The accuracy and limitations of intravenous digital subtraction angiography in the evaluation of atherosclerotic cerebrovascular disease: angiographic and surgical correlation.

Intravenous digital subtraction angiography (IV-DSA) and subsequent conventional selective carotid angiographic examinations were reviewed in 78 patients who were suspected of having cerebrovascular disease, and the results were correlated with surgical findings in 53 patients. The impact of the information provided by each of these examinations on subsequent therapy was reviewed. IV-DSA examinations of acceptable quality accurately depict atherosclerotic lesions in the cervical carotid arteries. We found IV-DSA to be deficient for detection of intracranial vascular disease.

Angiography↗

Carotid endarterectomy for unilateral carotid system transient cerebral ischemia.

This study involved 151 consecutive patients who had transient focal cerebral ischemia (TIA) in one carotid arterial system and who had carotid endarterectomy on the side corresponding to the ischemic symptoms. Each patient was examined preoperatively by a neurologist, who also judged the postoperative morbidity and mortality. All patients were operated on by one surgeon. A major or minor ischemic stroke occurred in 3% of patients during operation or within 30 days thereafter. The mortality was less than 1% at 1 month. After the first month, ischemic stroke occurred at a rate of 2% per year, and two-thirds of the strokes were ipsilateral to the endarterectomy. Long-term mortality was 3% per year. Long-term stroke morbidity was less than would have been expected for a comparable group of patients with TIA, and the percentage of deaths due to a cardiac cause was greater than expected, owing to a relative shift from stroke mortality to cardiac mortality. No patient who had a cerebral blood flow of 40 ml or greater per 100 g of brain per minute during occlusion for endarterectomy had a stroke during operation or during 4 1/2 years of follow-up.

Carotid Artery, Internal↗

Cerebral blood flow, brain pH, and oxidative metabolism in the cat during severe insulin-induced hypoglycemia.

The effects of severe hypoglycemia on brain pH, cerebral blood flow (CBF), and other physiologic and metabolic parameters were studied in 26 cats subjected to insulin hypoglycemia. Two groups were utilized to compare the effects of anesthesia. The halothane group was composed of 14 animals and the barbiturate group contained 12 animals. Insulin was administered by both the intravenous and intramuscular routes until there was a severe electroencephalographic (EEG) change or until 6 h had elapsed. The cerebral responses to hypoglycemia demonstrated the following: CBF was unaffected by severe hypoglycemia in normotensive animals with or without EEG changes; brain pH was essentially constant in all groups regardless of glucose levels, CBF, or EEG; and the EEG abnormalities corresponded closely to brain glucose levels. Cerebral adenosine triphosphate and phosphocreatine levels were lowest in the animals with isoelectric EEGs. We conclude that CBF and brain pH in the normotensive cat under general anesthesia are relatively unaffected by insulin hypoglycemia despite the presence of severe EEG changes and diminished cerebral energy reserves. The study suggests tha the PaCO2-CBF response curve is ot dependent upon the metabolic integrity of cerebral tissue and is mediated by pathways separate from those of autoregulation.

Animals↗

Stereospecific chemoattraction of lymphoblastic cells by gradients of lysophosphatidylcholine.

Human plasma contains chemoattractant activity for cultured cells from the mouse thymic lymphoma 6C3HED and also for lymphoblasts from concanavalin A-stimulated mouse spleen cells. A major portion of the attractant activity for both cell types could be attributed to plasma lysophosphatidylcholine. Studies on synthetic lysophosphatides showed that polar head group structure, acyl chain length, and stereochemical configuration are important determinants for attractant activity.

Animals↗

Interposition saphenous vein grafts for advanced occlusive disease and large aneurysms in the posterior circulation.

The authors report their initial experience with the use of interposition saphenous vein grafts between the external carotid artery and the proximal posterior cerebral artery. The indications, results, and technical aspects of the operation are reviewed. All patients accepted for surgery were at high risk for a posterior circulation infarct, and all patients with ischemic symptomatology had continued to progress while on anticoagulant drugs or anti-platelet agents. Thus, all patients were at high risk, and 11 of the 14 patients operated on were confined to bed before surgery. Intraoperative graft flows varied from 35 to 170 ml/min, and postoperative graft flows ranged from 75 to 311 ml/min in the patent grafts. There were three early graft occlusions and two late graft occlusions; these all occurred in patients with relatively low flows at the time of surgery (40 ml/min or lower). Subdural hygroma was the next most frequent complication to graft occlusion. It was thought to be caused by the pulsating graft anastomosed to a major vessel through a small opening in the basal arachnoid, which provided a new path for cerebrospinal fluid flow in patients with a degree of preexisting atrophy. One patient with a large aneurysm in the posterior circulation underwent proximal intracranial clipping of the vertebral artery and bypass grafting simultaneously. There were seven excellent results and two good results in nine patients in whom the graft remained patent. In the five patients with graft occlusion, there were two minor strokes, two major strokes, and one death.

Adult↗

Results and complications of surgical management of 809 intracranial aneurysms in 722 cases. Related and unrelated to grade of patient, type of aneurysm, and timing of surgery.

Data from 722 consecutive causes with intracranial aneurysms were stored in a computer and later retrieved for analysis. Results and complications (including preoperative death and morbidity) of the surgical management of these patients were correlated with the Botterell grade of the patient in individuals with a recent subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), with the type of aneurysm, and with the timing of the surgical procedure. Patients with no SAH within 30 days prior to hospital admission were classified as "no SAH." Approximately 30% of all patients had sustained more than one hemorrhage. Death and morbidity rates prior to surgery in good-grade patients with a recent SAH exceeded the risk of surgery itself. Rebleeding was the primary cause for death and morbidity in Grade 1 patients: 3% of Grade 1 patients died from a recurrent hemorrhage and 7% deteriorated to a lower grade. Deterioration from ischemia produced by vasospasm related or unrelated to rebleeding exceeded the risks of rebleeding in Grade 2 patients. There was an operative morbidity of 2% and mortality of 2% in patients who were classified as Grade 1 at the time of surgery, but an overall management morbidity of 3% and mortality of 6% in patients who were in Grade 1 at the time of hospital admission. Early surgery in Grade 1 patients was not associated with an increased incidence of delayed ischemia postoperatively. In Grade 2 patients, the operative morbidity and mortality was 7% and 4%, respectively, and the management morbidity and mortality 16% and 11%, respectively. Early surgery in this group was associated with a high frequency of postoperative delayed ischemia (particularly in patients with more than one SAH). Epsilon-aminocaproic acid appeared to protect against a rebleed, gut was associated with a higher incidence of postoperative pulmonary emboli. Intraoperative complications were related both to the size of the aneurysm and to its location. Repair of multiple aneurysms did not adversely affect the result. The surgical approach, the importance of using a self-retaining brain retractor, and the technical complications in these cases are discussed.

Brain Ischemia↗

Digital angiography: introducing digital techniques to clinical cerebral angiography practice.

Digital subtraction angiography provides a computerized radiographic method of imaging the vascular system. These computer techniques may be used with arterial catheterization (digital arterial angiography) and with intravenous contrast injection (digital venous angiography). Both methods are changing the diagnostic evaluation and therapeutic follow-up of patients with cerebrovascular disease.

Brachiocephalic Trunk↗