Object Extensive research has been focused on neuroprotection after spinal cord trauma to alleviate the effects of secondary injury. This study aims to investigate the neuroprotective effects of gabapentin in an experimental spinal cord ischemia reperfusion injury. Methods Thirty-two adult male New Zealand white rabbits received spinal cord ischemic injury using the aortic occlusion model. Animals were divided into 4 groups (sham, control, low-dose, and high-dose treatment groups; 8 rabbits in each group). High (200 mg/kg) and low (30 mg/kg) doses of gabapentin were administered to the animals in the treatment groups after spinal cord ischemic injury. Neurological status of the animals, ultrastructural findings in injured tissue samples, and levels of tissue injury markers in these 2 groups were compared with findings in the animals that did not receive the ischemic procedure (sham-operated group) and those that received normal saline after administration of ischemia. Results Regarding levels of tissue injury marker levels after ischemic injury, animals in the gabapentin-treated groups demonstrated better results than animals in the other groups. The ultrastructural findings and caspase-3 activity were similar. The treatment groups demonstrated better results than the other groups. Conclusions Gabapentin demonstrated significant neuroprotection after early phases of ischemic injury. Further studies with different experimental settings including neurological outcome are required to achieve conclusive results.

Although further studies considering different dose regimens and time intervals are required, the results of the present study prove that alpha-lipoic acid has favorable effects on experimental spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury.

AIM: Topical hemostatic agents are widely used in brain surgery but they have some disadvantages such as foreign body reaction, being a focus for infection and causing artifacts in radiological examinations. The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness and safety of microporous polysaccharide hemospheres (MPH) with a well known agent, oxidized regenerated cellulose (ORC), histopathologically and radiologically. MATeRIAL and MeTHodS: Standard brain lesions (4x1mm) were created in 24 hemispheres in 12 New-Zealand rabbits. Animals were divided into three groups; control, ORC and MPH. Twenty-four hours later, all rabbits magnetic resonance brain imaging. After imaging, the animals were sacrificed and the brains were removed for histopathological analysis. ReSULTS: Histopathological analysis showed no significant difference between the groups. Radiological examination showed no significant difference between the MPH and ORC groups in terms of edema but the edema in control group was significantly prominent than MPH and ORC groups (p<0.001). CoNCLUSIoN: A new agent (MPH) provides safe and effective hemostasis in the brain in this study. The most important advantage of microporous polysaccharide hemospheres is their rapid clearance from the surgical field and therefore having the potential of causing less imaging artifacts.

No abstract

Spinal anesthesia is widely used for many obstetric, gynecological, orthopedic, and urological operations. Subdural hematomas may occur after trauma and are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Postdural puncture headache (PDPH) is a benign condition and the most frequent complication of spinal anesthesia. The high rate of headache after spinal anesthesia may mask or delay the diagnosis of subdural hematoma. The true incidence of postdural puncture subdural hematoma (PDPSH) is unknown because most affected patients are probably managed without investigation. Therefore, the true incidence of PDPSH may be greater than suggested by previous reports. The differentiation of headache associated with subdural hematoma from PDPH is crucial. We herein report two cases of bilateral subdural hematoma after epidural anesthesia and emphasize the importance of suspicion for PDPSH and careful evaluation of patients with headache after spinal anesthesia.

No abstract

No abstract

Introduction:Paragangliomas are mostly localized in the adrenal medulla and they are usually pheochromocytomas, derived from the neural crest, but otherwise mesenteric paragangliomas are extremely rare tumors.Case Presentation:In this article we represent a 59-year-old female with an abdominal mass and pain due to mesenteric paraganglioma.Conclusions:Paragangliomas can occur as mesenteric tumors; usually, preoperative accurate diagnosis is not possible with imaging methods and precise diagnosis is possible after histological evaluation.