This new edition presents an authoritative account of the current state of brain biomechanics research for engineers, scientists and medical professionals. Since the first edition in 2011, this topic has unquestionably entered into the mainstream of biomechanical research. The book brings together leading scientists in the diverse fields of anatomy, neuroimaging, image-guided neurosurgery, brain injury, solid and fluid mechanics, mathematical modelling and computer simulation to paint an inclusive picture of the rapidly evolving field. Covering topics from brain anatomy and imaging to sophisticated methods of modeling brain injury and neurosurgery (including the most recent applications of biomechanics to treat epilepsy), to the cutting edge methods in analyzing cerebrospinal fluid and blood flow, this book is the comprehensive reference in the field. Experienced researchers as well as students will find this book useful.

Peripheral nerves are biologic wires that convey the desire for motion from brain to muscle, and the experience of touch from skin to brain. When a nerve is cut, the individual fibers, or axons, must regenerate from the site of injury to reconnect with their skin and muscle targets. Nerve regeneration is a process of bewildering complexity that requires the coordinated action of multiple biologic systems. Gene expression within the neuron is altered to support axon growth, regenerating axons must cross the complex environment of the nerve injury and enter pathways that lead to functionally appropriate end organs, Wallerian degeneration clears these pathways of axon debris, and Schwann cells in the distal nerve must produce growth factors to support regeneration. In spite of this complexity, the surgical repair of transected nerve remains a mechanical process that has changed little in the last century, and that restores normal function to only 10% of adults with nerve injuries. Improving the outcome of nerve repair will require close cooperation between surgeon and scientist. Skyrocketing clinical demands on the surgeon and the rapidly increasing sophistication of neuroscience have interacted to form two distinct cultures. Nerve Repair bridges these cultures by providing a translational review of the clinical and basic science relevant to nerve repair. It provides the clinician with an understanding of pertinent research, and the basic scientist with an overview of the clinical manifestations of nerve injury and regeneration. It is also grounded in the history of peripheral nerve surgery and biology so that modern concepts can be understood in the context of their origins.

This book describes and illustrates an approach to surgery for spinal cord tumors that is based on a refined concept of anatomic compartmentalization. The aim of this approach is to enable maximum preservation of spinal cord function through confinement of the surgical work to the involved compartment or compartments. Importantly, this involvement differs according to tumor type, and the classification favored by the author takes this fully into account. After introductory chapters on epidemiology and pathology, the anatomy of the spinal cord relevant to surgery for spinal cord tumors is discussed in detail and the proposed classification is clearly explained. The surgical approach to each of the identified anatomic compartments is then described, with attention to the roles of intraoperative mapping techniques, diffusion tensor imaging, and electrophysiologic studies in ensuring that spinal cord functions are spared. Examples of the author's experience when applying the proposed approach are presented. The book is meant for neurosurgeons at all levels of experience.

Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Repair Strategies provides researchers the latest information on potential regenerative approaches to spinal cord injury, specifically focusing on therapeutic approaches that target regeneration, including cell therapies, controlled drug delivery systems, and biomaterials. Dr. Giuseppe Perale and Dr. Filippo Rossi lead a team of authoritative authors in academia and industry in this innovative reference on the field of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. This book presents all the information readers need to understand the current and potential array of techniques, materials, applications and their benefits for spinal cord repair.

Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS). It regulates normal CNS function, is a major participant in pathology, and serves learning, memory, and higher cognitive functions. The 12 chapters of this book provide the first comprehensive coverage of all the major features of glutamate as excitatory neurotransmitter. The book begins with a valuable historical backdrop. Building from a chapter on the common structure of glutamate receptors, several others cover the major ionotropic receptors, their structure, function, and pharmacology. A follow-up chapter discusses the metabotropic receptors that are directly coupled to second messenger metabolism. A central theme of the book is the capacity of the excitatory amino acid system to contribute to the diverse array of signaling systems in the CNS as a direct result of the large assortment of receptors (including, for the ionotropic receptors, various subunits) the combination of which determine distinct functional properties. A recent development in the field discussed in several chapters is the biochemical characterization of a supermolecular protein complex, the post-synaptic density, that makes the unique structure of excitatory synapses. This complex subserves the experience-dependent modulation of synaptic strength and synaptic plasticity, and gives the synapse the capacity to change dynamically in both structure and receptor composition. Drawing on the individual properties of the receptors, transporters, and functional architecture of the synapse, the concluding chapters describe the functional integration of these components in the more complex physiological processes of plasticity and pathology. Recognition that the regulation of excitatory amino acid receptor activity underlies the pathology of many neurological diseases, including stroke, Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia, has opened up an exciting frontier that will allow the translation of our understanding of these basic mechanisms into new concepts of pathology and new therapeutic strategies. This book will be invaluable for neuroscientists, pharmacologists, neurologists, and psychiatrists, and for their students and trainees.

Advice for the preparation and execution of clinical and viva components of the Neurosurgical Examinations Comprehensive relevant examination scenarios Key steps in performing the neurological examination Salient points of scientific examination topics

This new book from leading neurosurgeon and author Gary Kraus is an account of traumatic brain injury (TBI) from the time a brain-injured patient arrives in the emergency department through to the wide range of clinical outcomes of such an injury. Written with the voice of experience, the author examines causation of TBI, the patient’s stay in the neuro-intensive care unit and the many neurological assessments and tests that inform the outcomes that the patient and their families will encounter. A wide range of medical professionals will benefit from Dr Kraus’s acute insights into TBI including Neurosurgical residents, Neurosurgeons with a sub-specialist interest in Neuro-Trauma, Neurologists managing patients with post traumatic brain injury, Neuro-Intensivists, Neuro-Psychologists, Researchers/scientists involved in Clinical trial in traumatic brain injury, and those with a specialist interest in Neuro-rehabilitation.

Many neurological conditions are caused by damage to neurons and glial cells. For most of these diseases there are at present no effective treatments to minimize the extent of neuronal and glial loss, and no effective way of replacing what has been lost. This picture is rapidly changing. Developments in basic neuroscience have produced various potential therapies that can protect neurons and glia following traumatic, anoxic, infectious and immunological damage. The old doctrine that axons cannot be made to regenerate, and dead neurons cannot be replaced is no longer tenable, and a wide variety of reconstructive techniques for the nervous system are under development. These and other basic science discoveries will progress into clinical practice, and lead to a revolution in neurology and neurosurgery. This book describes the various conditions that lead to damage to the nervous system, and the ways in which they may be ameliorated. It covers the burgeoning science of reconstruction of the nervous system, through neuronal, glial and stem cell transplantation, axon regeneration, remyelination, plasticity and pharmacological interventions.

This book integrates neuroscience research on neuroplasticity with clinical investigation of reorganization of function after brain injury, especially from the perspective of eventually translating the findings to rehabilitation. Historical foundationw in neuroplasticity research are presented to provide a perspective for recent findings. Leading investigators synthesize their work with research from other laboratories to provide a current update on neuroanatomic features which enhance enuroplasticity and provide a substrate for reorginaization of function. The capacity for recovery from brain injury associated with focal lesions as compared to diffuse cerebral insult is discussed. Interventions such as environmental enhancement and drugs to enhance reorganizatioin of function after brain injury have been studied in animalmodels and in human studies. Methodologies to study neurophysiological measures, trancranial magnetic stimulation, and computational modeling. Implications of neuroplasticity research for innovations in rehabilitation of persons with brain injury are critically reviewed.

This book fills the gap between the increasing demand for epilepsy surgical experience and limited training facilities in this area. It comprehensively describes surgical techniques, including tricks and pitfalls, based on the author's 30 years of experience, providing optimal and effective training for young neurosurgeons by avoiding learning by trial and error. Moreover, it also includes useful information for epileptologists and other professionals involved in the epilepsy surgical program to allow them to gain a better understanding of possibilities and limitations of epilepsy surgery.

New Therapeutics for Traumatic Brain Injury: Prevention of Secondary Brain Damage and Enhancement of Repair and Regeneration explores traumatic brain injury (TBI), a major cause of death and disability throughout the world. The delayed nature of the secondary injury phase suggests that there is a therapeutic window for pharmacological interventions or other approaches to prevent progressive tissue damage and improve functional outcomes. It is now apparent that therapeutic interventions should entail both protective and repair/regeneration strategies depending on the phase of brain injury. This book describes emerging experimental strategies for the treatment of TBI, including new anti-inflammatory or anti-apoptotic therapeutics that limit brain damage, and novel or repurposed drugs that enhance repair or regeneration of the brain after injury.

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 first 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 been associated throughout with this senes. The fact that the English language is now the international medium for communication at European scientific conferences is a great asset in terms of mutual understanding. Therefore we have decided to publish all contri butions in English, regardless of the native language of the authors. All contributions are submitted to the entire editorial board before publication of any volume for scrutiny and suggestions for revision. 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 first part of each volume.

The international symposium "Syringomyelia 2000" in Kobe, Japan, brought together experts in neurosurgery, neurology, and neuropathology. The decade leading up to this event saw remarkable developments in surgery and imaging technology. The symposium was thus an opportunity for researchers and clinicians to enhance and broaden the scope of their knowledge and to become more aware of work being done in complementary fields. With its collection of papers presented at the Kobe conference, this volume contains a thorough and comprehensive description of syringomyelia - its classification, pathology, and pathophysiology; experimental studies; and its association with abnormalities of the craniocervical junction, Chari II malformation, tethered cord, and other disorders. This compilation provides valuable state-of-the-art information for professionals in the fields of neurosurgery, neurology, and neuropathology and for all others concerned with syringomelia.

Complications in Neuroanesthesia focuses on complications that may arise related to neuroanesthesia practice and discusses its various causes. Each complication is written as a separate chapter, and the pathophysiology and mechanisms of each complication, as well as measures for diagnosis, treatment and prevention are discussed. Towards the end of the book, several case scenarios are provided to the readers that challenge readers to diagnose the possible complication for each case. Chapters include brain and spinal cord problems, cardiovascular and hematological problems, and nerve and muscle problems. Written in a standard format, Complications in Neuroanesthesia provides quick and easy access to understanding problems in neuroanesthesia. It provides insight into all possible complications occurring during perioperative management of neurosurgical and neurologic patients. It is useful for trainees, clinicians, and researchers in the fields of neurosurgery, neurocritical care, and neurology by providing an understanding of preventable mishaps that may occur in neurosurgical or neurologic patients.

This is the second in a sesries of books dealing with the enormous clinical problem of spinal cord dysfunction. Volume I discussed assessment; this book focuses on intervention. There are three main approaches to the restoration of function after damage to the spinal cord: the prevention of seconday pathological events; the identification of impaired or absent functions in nerve cells and processes that survive the initial injury; and restoration of severed neuronal connections. This book addresses the first two of these approaches. It contains a discussion of the arguments about early decompression of the spinal cord following injury, therapy of acute spinal injury, and the effects of early treatment and local cooling on spinal cord blood flow. The management of specific problems associated with spinal cord dysfunction is addressed; these problems include cardiovascular abnormalities due to autonomic dysfunction, bladder control, pain, and sexual function. Current procedures of rehabilitation (particularly the management of chronic problems and the treatment of complications) are summarized, and ideas on motor control and learning are discussed.

The latest in this already classic series presents recent progress and detailed descriptions of standard procedures, to assist young neurosurgeons in their post-graduate training. With contributions from experienced European and American clinicians.

Moyamoya disease (MMD) was first reported as a new entity among vascular disorders in 1957. Named for the abnormal vascular networks found around the occluded distal internal carotid artery, it is the most common pediatric cerebrovascular disease in East Asia. In recent years large amounts of data on MMD have been collected and important investigations have been carried out in Japan and Korea, even as the pathophysiology of the disease remains to be discovered. This monograph covers a diversity of topics and presents a systematic compilation of the data and current status of MMD in clinical practice and basic research. With contributions by more than 70 authors, the book includes sections on genetics, computational analysis of hemodynamic shear stress, new imaging techniques, and endovascular treatment of MMD, along with practical applications and future directions for gene and stem cell therapies. For neurosurgeons as well as neurologists and pediatricians, this volume will help lead to more efficient and informed management of MMD.

Volume 13: Pineal, Pituitary, and Spinal Tumors is organized in six sections, for convenience and quick access to critical information. Section I, Types of Tumors includes a chapter on molecular characterization of Embryonal tumors, a chapter on diagnosis of metastatic oligodendroglioma using fine-needle aspiration cytology, one covering intra-arterial chemotherapy of oligodendroglial tumors and another on the role of cyclooxygenase-2 in the development and growth of Schwannomas, and others, closing with a chapter on trigeminal neuralgia with cerebellopontine angle tumors. Section II, Diagnosis, includes two chapters on cell counting in histopathologic slides of tumors. Section III offers three chapters which discuss aspects of intraoperative ultrasonography. Section IV covers brain tumor surgery, and Section V surveys Brain Metastasis. The final section offers a wide-ranging review of General Diseases, with chapters on, among others, Alexander Disease; Lipoma; Transplantation of human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells in cases of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain damage; and a chapter discussing the use of mobile phones and brain cancer risk in children. Like its twelve predecessors in the series, this volume merits distinction for its thorough approach, its roster of 78 distinguished contributors representing 14 different countries and its detailed examination of leading-edge technology and methods.

Wireless Cortical Implantable Systems examines the design for data acquisition and transmission in cortical implants. The first part of the book covers existing system level cortical implants, as well as future devices. The authors discuss the major constraints in terms of microelectronic integrations are presented. The second part of the book focuses on system-level as well as circuit and system level solutions to the development of ultra low-power and low-noise microelectronics for cortical implants. Existing solutions are presented and novel methods and solutions proposed. The third part of the book focuses on the usage of digital impulse radio ultra wide band transmission as an efficient method to transmit cortically neural recorded data at high data rate to the outside world. Original architectural and circuit and system solutions are discussed.

Following recent developments in hypofractionated stereotactic radiation therapy (SRT) for brain and spine tumors, this new edition offers a fully updated and comprehensive "how-to" guidance on hypofractionated SRT for brain and spine metastases, glioma, benign tumors, and other tumor types. Presenting the state of the art of the technology and practice, this book: * Discusses the pros and cons of hypofractionated SRT compared to single-fraction radiosurgery, providing a deeper understanding of radiosurgery and radiobiology * Explains the toxicity and adverse effects of hypofractionated SRT including the dosage of 24 Gy in two spine SBRT fractionation schemes, aiding practitioners in communicating the risks and benefits of treatment and in obtaining consent from their patients * Outlines the current standards for safe practice, including checklists for implementation * Explores new technologies for brain and spine tumors including LITT, MR-guided focused ultrasound, and Zap technology, with chapters authored by well-recognized experts in the radiation, oncology, and neurosurgery communities; this book delivers a level of technological and clinical detail not available in journal papers This book is suitable for radiation oncologists, neurosurgeons, and medical physicists who specialize in brain and/or spine radiosurgery or want to start a program and need a comprehensive reference with key checklists for practice.

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 first 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 been associated throughout with this senes. The fact that the English language is now the international medium for communication at European scientificconferences is a great asset in terms of mutual understanding. Therefore we have decided to publish all contri butions in English, regardless of the native language of the authors. All contributions are submitted to the entire editorial board before publication of any volume for scrutiny and suggestions for revision. Our series is not intended to compete with the publications of original scientificpapers 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 fieldsand constitute the first part of each volume.

This dedicated volume in the series Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery (ATSN) provides a comprehensive approach to diseases of the craniovertebral junction (CVJ) and their management based on the multidisciplinary cooperation of neurosurgeons, anatomists, neuroradiologists, and neuroanesthesiologists. The contributing authors represent the most renowned clinical and surgical experts from Europe and beyond. The main topics highlighted are embryology, normal and abnormal development of the CVJ, including the related vessels, modern radiological contributions to diagnosis, genetic and metabolic factors which may impact on the surgical strategies, the opportunities offered by traditional operative techniques, and the recently introduced minimally invasive and endoscopic surgical modalities. Special emphasis is also placed on the evolution of the principles of surgical treatment as matured during the past decade by experiences in the still open field of pediatric neurosurgery."

Tumor Neurosurgery provides information on the basic knowledge and clinical management required for optimal care of neurooncology patients. Providing an up-to-date synopsis of the field of tumor neurosurgery, the book covers the most common sites and tumor pathologies encountered by neurosurgeons. The chapters are organized under broad topics, including investigative studies, perioperative care and the role of newer techniques. The clinical management of CNS tumors in adults and children is described, including spinal tumors, both intradural and extradural. This book provides coverage of relevant topics in the field of tumor neurosurgery, for residents and registrars in training, and for recent graduates of training programs.