The efficacy and safety of fasudil hydrochloride, a novel protein kinase inhibitor, were evaluated for the treatment of cerebral vasospasm and associated cerebral ischemic symptoms in patients with ruptured cerebral aneurysm. This randomized open trial with nimodipine as the control included 72 patients who underwent subarachnoid hemorrhage surgery for ruptured cerebral aneurysm of Hunt and Hess grades I to IV. For 14 days following surgery, patients were administered either 30 mg of fasudil hydrochloride by intravenous injection over a period of 30 minutes three times a day or 1 mg/hr of nimodipine by continuous intravenous infusion. Fasudil hydrochloride and nimodipine both showed inhibitory effects on cerebral vasospasm. The incidence of symptomatic vasospasm was five of 33 patients in the fasudil group and nine of 32 patients in the nimodipine group. Good recovery evaluated by the Glasgow Outcome Scale was achieved by 23 of 33 patients in the fasudil group and 19 of 34 patients in the nimodipine group. Both drugs significantly improved consciousness levels and neurological deficits such as aphasia. However, fasudil hydrochloride improved motor disturbance more than nimodipine. Adverse reactions occurred in 13 of 37 patients receiving fasudil hydrochloride and 15 of 35 patients receiving nimodipine. There were no serious adverse events in the fasudil group. The results of this clinical trial indicate that fasudil hydrochloride is a safe and efficient agent for suppressing cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage surgery for ruptured cerebral aneurysm.

Fasudil is believed to be at least equally effective as nimodipine for the prevention of cerebral vasospasm and subsequent ischemic injury in patients undergoing surgery for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). We report the final results of a randomized, open trial to compare the efficacy and safety of fasudil with nimodipine. A total of 63 patients undergoing surgery for SAH received fasudil and 66 received nimodipine between 1998 and 2004. Symptomatic vasospasm, low density areas on computed tomography (CT), clinical outcomes, and adverse events were all recorded, and the results were compared between the fasudil and nimodipine groups. Absence of symptomatic vasospasm, occurrence of low density areas associated with vasospasm on CT, and occurrence of adverse events were similar between the two groups. The clinical outcomes were more favorable in the fasudil group than in the nimodipine group (p ＝ 0.040). The proportion of patients with good clinical outcome was 74.5% (41/55) in the fasudil group and 61.7% (37/60) in the nimodipine group. There were no serious adverse events reported in the fasudil group. The present results suggest that fasudil is equally or more effective than nimodipine for the prevention of cerebral vasospasm and subsequent ischemic injury in patients undergoing surgery for SAH.

This study demonstrates radical surgery with excellent neurological outcomes is the primary treatment of trigeminal schwannomas. Appropriate selection of surgical approach according to tumor types is highly important and necessary. The preoperative facial pain could be relieved, hypesthesia frequently remains or could even be worsened after surgery.

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We hereby report our initial clinical experience of a dual-room intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) suite with a movable 1.5-T magnet for both neurosurgical and independent diagnostic uses. The findings from the first 45 patients who underwent scheduled neurosurgical procedures with iMRI in this suite (mean age, 41.3 ± 12.0 years; intracranial tumors, 39 patients; cerebral vascular lesions, 5 patients; epilepsy surgery, 1 patient) were reported. The extent of resection depicted at intraoperative imaging, the surgical consequences of iMRI, and the clinical practicability of the suite were analyzed. Fourteen resections with a trans-sphenoidal/transoral approach and 31 craniotomies were performed. Eighty-two iMRI examinations were performed in the operating room, while during the same period of time, 430 diagnostic scans were finished in the diagnostic room. In 22 (48.9%) of 45 patients, iMRI revealed accessible residual tumors leading to further resection. No iMRI-related adverse event occurred. Complete lesion removal was achieved in 36 (80%) of all 45 cases. It is concluded that the dual-room 1.5-T iMRI suite can be successfully integrated into standard neurosurgical workflow. The layout of the dual-room suite can enable the maximum use of the system and save costs by sharing use of the 1.5-T magnet between neurosurgical and diagnostic use. Intraoperative MR imaging may provide valuable information that allows intraoperative modification of the surgical strategy.

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OBJECTIVE Endoscopic removal of intracerebral hematomas is becoming increasingly common, but there is no standard technique. The authors explored the use of a simple image-guided endoscopic method for removal of spontaneous supratentorial hematomas. METHODS Virtual reality technology based on a hospital picture archiving and communications systems (PACS) was used in 3D hematoma visualization and surgical planning. Augmented reality based on an Android smartphone app, Sina neurosurgical assist, allowed a projection of the hematoma to be seen on the patient's scalp to facilitate selection of the best trajectory to the center of the hematoma. A obturator and transparent sheath were used to establish a working channel, and an endoscope and a metal suction apparatus were used to remove the hematoma. RESULTS A total of 25 patients were included in the study, including 18 with putamen hemorrhages and 7 with lobar cerebral hemorrhages. Virtual reality combined with augmented reality helped in achieving the desired position with the obturator and sheath. The median time from the initial surgical incision to completion of closure was 50 minutes (range 40-70 minutes). The actual endoscopic operating time was 30 (range 15-50) minutes. The median blood loss was 80 (range 40-150) ml. No patient experienced postoperative rebleeding. The average hematoma evacuation rate was 97%. The mean (± SD) preoperative Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score was 6.7 ± 3.2; 1 week after hematoma evacuation the mean GCS score had improved to 11.9 ± 3.1 (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Virtual reality using hospital PACS and augmented reality with a smartphone app helped precisely localize hematomas and plan the appropriate endoscopic approach. A transparent sheath helped establish a surgical channel, and an endoscope enabled observation of the hematoma's location to achieve satisfactory hematoma removal.

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