Scientific Program

Conference Series Ltd invites all the participants across the globe to attend 24th International Conference on Neurosurgery and Neuroscience Edinburgh, Scotland.

Day 1 :

Keynote Forum

Koji Abe

Okayama University, Japan

Keynote: Neuroprotective therapy both for acute ischemic stroke and ALS

Time : 09:40-10:20

Conference Series Neurosurgery 2019 International Conference Keynote Speaker Koji Abe photo
Biography:

Koji Abe is currently a Professor and Chairman of Neurology at Okayama University Medical School in Japan. He graduated MD from Tohoku University School of Medicine, and then got PhD title from Tohoku University under direction of Professor Kyuya Kogure. He has been publishing more than 350 papers on cerebral blood fl ow and metabolism and neurodegenerative diseases. His research interests cover many important fi elds of neurology especially in the mechanism of ischemic brain damage, gene and stem cell therapy, neuroprotection, and neuroimaging. He is the Past President of the International Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism (CBFM), and organized World CBFM meeting in Osaka in 2007 and Japan-Asia CBFM meeting Okayama city in 2014. He is currently serving Presidents of both Vas-Cog Japan and Vas-Cog Asia societies.

Abstract:

Edaravone is a free radical scavenger, which is the first clinical drug for neuroprotection in the world which has been approved from 2001 in most ischemic stroke patients in Japan, and some of China and India. Edaravone scavenges hydroxyl radicals both in hydrophilic and hydrophobic conditions and is especially useful in thrombolytic therapy with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). Combination therapy of Edaravone with tPA greatly increased survival of stroke animals, reduced infarct size, and inhibited molecular markers of oxidative damage in lipid, protein and DNA. Use of Edaravone greatly reduced hemorrhagic transformation accompanied by tPA treatment, and may also extend therapeutic time window with tPA therapy for more than 4.5 hrs in human stroke patients for preserving neurovascular unit (NVU). An intensive Edaravone therapy for 3 days now showed a favorite recovery in 3 European countries. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by selective death of motor neurons. Among our own 390 ALS patients, 4.1% show familial ALS (FALS), in which 50% is associated with missense mutations of SOD1, 25% were TDP43 and FUS mutations, and 6.3% is an optineurin mutation. Although the underlying mechanism of ALS has not yet been fully clarified, several reports have implicated the involvement of oxidative stress under selective death of motor neurons in both ALS patients and animal models. A recent multicenter prospective double-blind placebo-control clinical trial with edaravone for ALS patients conducted in Japan showed a positive effect for delaying the clinical score (ALS FRS-R) during the course of examination (24 weeks). Serious or critical adverse eff ect was not noted in this clinical trial. Of particular was that this clinical benefit of edaravone was shown as an add-on therapy after anti-glutamatergic riluzole. These data strongly suggest a potential underlying mechanism of oxidative stress in ALS and a clinical delay by a free radical scavenger. These translational studies on a free radical scavenger Edaravone allowed governmental permissions both for acute ischemic stroke after 2001 and for ALS after 2015. Edaravone was approved for ALS at 2015 in Japan, 2016 in Korea, and 2017 in USA.

 

Conference Series Neurosurgery 2019 International Conference Keynote Speaker Tofael Hossain Bhuiyan photo
Biography:

Tofael Hossain Bhuiyan is a senior Neurosurgeon of international repute with excellent management skills. He has over 19 years of experience in treating complex brain and spine problems like brain tumors, spinal disc prolapsed, brain stroke and subdural hematoma, spinal deformity with a special interest in childhood neurosurgical problems like hydrocephalus and spinal birth defects. After fi nishing his MBBS and MS, he had undergone many specialized courses in Pediatric Neurosurgery, a better part of which has been rendered in the Italy, USA, and China etc. He had been Professor at Dept. of Neurosurgery, Rangpur Medical College, Bangladesh.

Abstract:

Background: Dorsolumbar spine injury is the most common cause of paraparesis or paraplegia. Optimal goals of the management include establishment of a painless, balanced and stable spinal column with vertebral fusion.
 
Material & Methods: We reviewed various types of fractures of dorsolumbar spine, their management and outcome in a prospective study of 59 cases of dorsolumbar trauma managed surgically at our centre (January 2014-December 2017). All patients underwent complete neurological examination, X-ray and MRI imaging of the spine.
 
Study Design & Settings: Prospective observational descriptive study in a tertiary care hospital from January 2014 to December 2017.
 
Results: 59 consecutive patients of dorsolumbar spine injuries with neurological deficit ranged from 14-65 years were included in this study. Out of them 56 (94.91%) patients were male and remaining 3 (5.09%) were female. Most common D12 vertebra was fractured in 20 cases, L1 in 19 cases, L2 and L3 in 4 cases each; L4, D12/L1 and L1/L2 in 2 cases each and D9, D11, D10/D11, D11/D12, D12/L3, D5/D6 in one case each. Most common mode of injury was fall from height (84.85%), others due to road traffi c accident. Majority of the patients belonged to Frankel Grade A (71.18%) i.e. 42 cases presented with complete paraplegia while 17 presented with incomplete neurological deficit. All patients were operated using posterior approach, by decompression of the cord by laminectomy at the site of injury with stabilization by interpedicular screws and rods above and below the level if injured vertebral body.

Break: Networking & Refreshment Break 11:00-11:20 @ Dunedin Bar Area
  • Neurology | Neurointensive Care Unit | Neurorehabilitation | Neurophysiology | Neurosurgery | Case Reports on Neurology & Neurosurgery | Skull base Neurosurgery
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland

Chair

Koji Abe

Okayama University, Japan

Co-Chair

Pedro Góes

Paulo Niemeyer State Brain Institute, Brazil

Session Introduction

David J. Banayan

Rush University Medical Center, USA

Title: Advanced and emerging concepts in neuroprotection: Unlocking the secrets of nerve cell resilience and recovery

Time : 11:20- 11:50

Speaker
Biography:

David J Banayan MD, is an Assistant Professor in the Section of Psychiatry & Medicine at Rush University Medical Center. He is the Director of the Transplant Psychiatry Program, and Associate Director of Clinical Education for the Psychiatry Consultation Service. He is an board certified in General Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine, and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada. Following a Master’s degree in Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at McMaster University, and Residency in Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, he completed a combined fellowship in Psychosomatic Medicine and Clinical Medical Ethics at the University of Chicago. His publications span the areas of intensive care medicine, deliruim, adolescent suicide, first episode psychosis, and research ethics. His areas of current academic interest include quality improvement in transplant psychiatry, neuroprotection, and the complex interface between general medicine, psychiatry, ethics, and the law.

Abstract:

Neuroprotection is a burgeoning area of scientific research. Certain pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals have the potential to modify and enhance nerve cell response to toxic stimuli. This discovery has spawned intense interest in unlocking the cellular mechanisms that confer such resilience and recovery. Numerous biochemical pathways play a role in neuroprotection, such as: enhanced neutralization of molecular radicals; mitochondrial membrane integrity support; arresting generation of pro-inflammatory cell membrane metabolism products; activation of neurotrophic factors; modification of intracellular calcium homeostasis; inducing shifts in the resting endogenous balance of proapoptotic and anti-apoptotic factors within the cell; and others. This session introduces participants to fundamental and advanced concepts in neuroprotection through an examination of the downstream mechanisms of psychotropic agents and nutraceuticals. Recent advances in neuroprotection are also reviewed. The session will prepare clinicians to engage the literature on neuroprotection with an informed, critical eye. Proprietary animations developed by the author, bring to life difficult-to-understand abstract concepts, and provide a unique learning experience for participants. Comprehensive critical review of the biochemical sciences and biomedical literature through PubMed and EMBASE. While bench research and animal studies currently dominate the neuroprotection literature, as this nascent area of science evolves, it is hoped that it will culminate in the development of specific sub-cellular targets in humans. Human studies are costly, complicated, and require a large number of participants to show an effect, posing a potential barrier for real-world progress in neuroprotection.

Speaker
Biography:

Jacintha Vikeneswary Francis is presently the Neurosurgeon, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Hospital Sultanah Aminah Johor bahru, Malaysia since June 2016. She served as Neurosurgical Medical Officer in Hospital Kuala Lumpur and Hospital Queen Elizabeth, Kota Kinabalu Sabah from November 2006 till 2012. She attended several Conferences and was Chairman for few.

Abstract:

Background: Posterior fossa cysts are benign but usually developmental lesions. There are patient usually asymptomatic. Some cysts might communicate with these subarachnoid spaces however non-communicating cyst could develop from communicating ones giving rise to complexity of diagnosis and further management.
 
Case Description: One year old baby girl presented with developmental delay which is gross motor and speech with increase ICP symptoms. CT brain and MRI revealed large posterior fossa cyst extending supratentorially causing compression to the third ventricle and showing gross hydrocephalus. We proceed with endoscopic fenestration of posterior fossa cyst and ommaya insertion and subsequently proceeded with ventricular peritoneal shunt. Due to previous history of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), patient developed malfunction of the shunt due to poor absorption of the shunt, eventually patient required ventriculo-cysto-atrial shunt. 6 months post-procedure, patient currently does not show any evidence of recurrent cyst and developmentally showing improvement.
 
Conclusion: Posterior fossa cyst is rare and contributes to challenges radiologically and surgically. Current surgical management mainly depends more on clinical features giving little insights on the exact pathology of posterior fossa cyst.

Speaker
Biography:

Tiziana Bonifacino PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Pharmacy, University of Genoa, Italy. She got the degree in Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology (honors) in 2007 and the PhD in Neurochemistry and Neurobiology in 2011. The present scientific interests are related to neuronal transmission in the CNS and are focused on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of neurotransmitter release and receptor activity in physiological and pathological conditions, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. She has established several scientific collaborations with national and international institutions. She has published 32 publications (25 papers, 6 abstract on journals and 1 graphical abstract) in peer-reviewed journals.

Abstract:

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease, characterized by upper and lower motor neuron degeneration. Glutamate(Glu)-mediated excitotoxicity plays a major role in cell death and Glu has been found elevated in serum of patients and animal models of ALS. The aim of this research was to investigate whether the augmentend extracellular Glu can be sustainend by alteration of its release. Glu release was studied from purified spinal cord synaptosomes of SOD1G93A mice at the early and the late phases of the disease (4 and 17 weeks of life, respectively). Both the spontaneous and the stimulus-evoked exocytotic Glu release were increased at the two stages studied. We also measured the expression/activation state of a number of pre-synaptic proteins involved in neurotransmitter release: few of them were found modified and synaptotagmin and actin resulted over-expressed in both 4 and 17 week-old mice. Increased pre-synaptic Ca2+ levels, over-activation of calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase-II and ERK/MAP kinases correlate with hyper-phosphorylation of synapsin-I at both stages. In line with these findings, Glu exocytosis was paralleled by the increase of the readily releasable pool of vesicles and prevented by blocking synapsin-I phosphorylation, using specific antibodies. Our results highlight that abnormal glutamate release is present in the spinal cord of SOD1G93A mice at the pre-symptomatic and late stage of the disease, an event accompanied by marked plastic changes of specific pre-synaptic mechanisms supporting exocytosis, that in turn may represent targets to diminish exitotoxicity in ALS. Th e precociousness of this phenomenon may imply that it represents a cause rather than a consequence of the neuronal damage during disease progression.

Biography:

Samih Hassan has completed his Neurosurgical training in London between St. Georges Hospital and the National Hospital of Neurology and Neurosurgery; Queen Square. He then did a fellowship in pituitary surgery and neuroendoscopy at Queen Square Hospital. He is currently a Consultant Neurosurgeon at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.

Abstract:

Objectives: To examine the relationship between the speed of peripheral cortisol level drop following pituitary surgery for Cushing disease (CD) and long-term CD recurrence.
 
Design: A retrospective study of patients presenting to our centre between 2007 and 2018.
 
Methods: We reviewed our centre’s database to identify all patients with confi rmed pituitary-driven CD. The target cortisol level for remission of CD was defined as, less than 50 nmol/l.
 
Results: We identified 148 patients (43 males and 105 females, age range: 17–84 years). Twenty patients were excluded due to being lost to follow-up. Median follow-up from diagnosis was 59 months (range: 4–126 months). Patients who achieved the target cortisol of <50 nmol/l within 48 h had a recurrence rate of 2.1% during the followup period. Patients who achieved that level within 48 to 96 h had a recurrence rate of 10%, and those who achieved this level after 96 h had recurrence rate of 33.3%. Interestingly, we identified 13 patients who attained long term CD remission during follow-up with a persistent cortisol level of >50 nmol/l post operatively (range: 59–270 nmol/l).
 
Conclusions: The speed of reduction in peripheral cortisol levels correlates with long term CD control. This can be used as a predicting factor to guide the treating physicians in counselling patients with CD. In addition, some individuals with cortisol levels above 50 nmol/l are in long term remission, suggesting a need to reconsider this threshold value.

Break: Lunch Break 13:20-14:20 @ Westview Restaurant
Biography:

Itaru Yazawa has been a Visiting Lecturer at Hoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences since 2015. He received his PhD in Physiology from Tokyo Medical and Dental University in 2002. With using the decebrated and arterially perfused preparation he developed, he found that there are autonomous reciprocal functional interactions between the brainstem and the spinal cord. The preparation is recognized as a vital tool for investigating functional interactions between the CNS in several research fields. Currently, he is focusing on constructing a new system where the preparation can be maintained at the same body temperature as living animals.

Abstract:

Most recent studies of motor behavior use in vitro preparations of the neonatal rodent brainstem-spinal cord and spinal cord. However, the relevance of these studies to the neural mechanisms of adult respiration/circulation and locomotion is unclear, because the neonatal brainstem and spinal cord are immature. Moreover, it has been reported that the oxygen tension in deep tissues in these preparations was extremely low compared to that in the in vivo preparations. Thus, the results obtained from these in vitro preparations might indicate the physiological phenomena produced in a hypoxic state. To overcome these difficulties in research fields using rodents, we have adapted a decerebrated and arterially perfused in situ preparation originally developed by Pickering etal., to the preparation that can investigate functional interactions between the central nervous system. For this purpose, the rodent (weighing about 5 g or more) was decerebrated and survived by a type of total artificial cardiopulmonary bypass as a means of extracorporeal circulation to deliver oxygen to the tissues of the entire body. The oxygen and ion components of body fluid required for the survival of the preparation were supplied via the blood vessels. The physiological state of this preparation resembles to that of unanesthetized rodents under hypothermia. Here we would like to introduce a decerebrated and arterially perfused in situ preparation, and talk about reciprocal functional interactions between the brainstem and the spinal cord found by using this preparation.

Speaker
Biography:

Tamajit Chakraborty pursuing his DNB (Diplomate National Board) Superspeciality Course (6 Years) in Neurosurgery at Sir Gangaram Hospital, New Delhi, India. He is always passionate about neurosurgery, with special interest in trauma and vascular neurosurgery. He has been awarded Dr. A.D.SEHGAL award for the best post graduate Student in Neurosurgery (Sir Gangaram Hospital and Research Centre) in the year 2016. He is also actively involved in various research activities on traumatic brain injury in his institution.

Abstract:

Ossified ligamentum flavum (OLF) is a condition of heterotopic lamellar bone formation within the yellow ligament. Ossification of the ligamentum Flavum (OLF) was discovered by Polgar and further described by Yamaguchi and Isuruni. It is mostly prevalent in Japan and other East Asian countries such as Korea and China. Achondroplasia is a genetic disorder of bone growth with congenital spinal stenosis being a well-known complication. Degenerative changes of the spine, such as disc herniation, degenerative spondylosis and arthrosis result in worsening of stenosis. However, symptomatic spinal stenosis due by ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF) in achondroplasia is extremely rare. The case presented here is a rare case of spinal stenosis due to ossified ligamentum flavum in a 30 year old Indian female of achondroplasia, who presented with difficulty in walking along with flexor spasms and along with bilateral lower limb progressive sensory loss. Clinical examination and radiological findings were suggestive of dorsal myelopathy at D10-D11-D12 level. We did bilateral D10-11-12 pedicle screw and rod fixation and D10-D12 laminectomy with cord decompression with good post-operative recovery.

Koji Abe

Okayama University, Japan

Title: Neuroprotective therapy with antioxidative drugs and supplements

Time : 15:20-15:50

Speaker
Biography:

Koji Abe is currently a Professor and Chairman of Neurology at Okayama University Medical School in Japan. He graduated MD from Tohoku University School of Medicine, and then got PhD title from Tohoku University under direction of Professor Kyuya Kogure. He has been publishing more than 350 papers on cerebral blood flow and metabolism and neurodegenerative diseases. His research interests cover many important fields of neurology especially in the mechanism of ischemic brain damage, gene and stem cell therapy, neuroprotection, and neuroimaging. He is the Past President of the International Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism (CBFM), and organized World CBFM meeting in Osaka in 2007 and Japan-Asia CBFM meeting Okayama city in 2014. He is currently serving Presidents of both Vas-Cog Japan and Vas-Cog Asia societies.

Abstract:

Neuroprotection is essential for potential therapy not only in acute stage of stroke but also in chronic progressive neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS, Parkinson’s disease (PD), and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Free radical scavenger can be such a neuroprotective candidate with inhibiting death signals and potentiating survival signals under cerebral ischemia and even neurodegenerative cellular processes. Edaravone is one such free radical scavenger, which is the first clinical drug for neuroprotection in the world and has been used from 2001 in most ischemic stroke patients in Japan. A recent multicenter prospective double-blind placebo-control clinical trial with edaravone for ALS patients conducted in Japan showed a positive effect for delaying the clinical score (ALSFRS-R) during the course of examination (24 weeks). Serious or critical adverse eff ect was not noted in this clinical trial. Of particular was that this clinical benefit of edaravone was shown as an add-on therapy after anti-glutamatergic riluzole. These data strongly suggest a potential underlying mechanism of oxidative stress in ALS and a clinical delay by a free radical scavenger. Antioxidative supplements are also important choices to prevent or even treat neurological disorders such as ischemic stroke and dementia. Many basic and clinical studies suggest that antioxidative supplements such as Tocovid® (mainly tocotrienol) and TwendeeX® (coenzyme Q+multivitamin) may be effective to ameliorate acute ischemic stroke, chronic cerebral white matter damage, and Alzheimer’s dementia.
 
Recent Publications:
1. Abe K et al., (1988) Strong attenuation of ischemic and postischemic brain edema in rats by a novel free radical scavenger. Stroke 19: 480-485.
 
2. Abe K et al., (2017) Safety and efficacy of edaravone in well-defined patients with ALS: a randomized, doubleblind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet Neurol. 16: 505-512
 
3. Gopalan Y and Yuen K H (2014) Clinical investigation of the protective eff ects of palm vitamin E tocotrienols on brain white matter. Stroke 45:1422-1428.

Pedro Góes

Paulo Niemeyer State Brain Institute, Brazil

Title: The keyhole concept for the management of ruptured and unruptured aneurysms

Time : 15:50-16:20

Speaker
Biography:

Pedro Góes is a young Neurosurgeon graduated from the Federal University of São Paulo, currently acting as a Member of the Vascular Neurosurgery group of
the Paulo Niemeyer State Brain Institute in Rio de Janeiro. In addition to aneurysms, he is interested in arteriovenous malformations, cavernomas and tumors of the central nervous system, with a recent publication on the role of necrosis in intracranial meningiomas.

Abstract:

For the treatment of aneurysms, clipping still offers higher occlusion rates and its technique continues to evolve, resulting in smaller exposures and reduced manipulation to brain tissue. We report our experience with minipterional craniotomy for anterior circulation aneurysms, exploring our routine use of this approach for managing both ruptured and unruptured aneurysms in a high-volume institution in Brazil. This presentation includes vídeos of different treated cases.
 
Recent Publications:
1. Figueiredo et al. (2016) Surgical experience of minipterional craniotomy with 102 ruptured and unruptured anterior circulation aneurysms. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience 27:34-9.
 
2. Tra et al. (2017) Minipterional and supraorbital keyhole craniotomies for ruptured anterior circulation aneurysms: experience at single center. World Neurosurgery doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2017.09.058.
 
3. Cavalcanti et al. (2017) Engaging in a keyhole concept for the management of ruptured and unruptured aneurysms. World Neurosurgery 102:466-476.
 
4. Alkhalili et al. (2017) The minipterional approach for ruptured and unruptured anterior circulation aneurysms: Our initial experience. Asian Journal of Neurosurgery doi: 10.4103/1793-5482.180951.
 
5. Caplan et al. (2014) The minipterional craniotomy for anterior circulation aneurysms: initial experience with 72 patients. Neurosurgery 10(2):200–207.

 

Break: Networking & Refreshment Break 16:20-16:40 @ Dunedin Bar Area

Ekaterina Drozhevskaia

The Turner Scientific Research Institute for Children’s Orthopedics, Russia

Title: Complex clinical and functional study of children with idiopathic tip-toe walking

Time : 16:40-17:10

Speaker
Biography:

Ekaterina Drozhevskaia graduated from St. Petersburg State Pediatric Medical Academy in 2008, finished Residency in Clinical Neurophysiology at North- Western State Medical University in 2014. She was Head of Diagnostic Department in Institute of Human Brain, St. Petersburg, Russia and now working
as Clinical Neurophysiologist in Turner Scientific Research Institute for Children's Orthopedics and is Chairman of Neuromuscular Disorders Society in St. Petersburg from 2015.

Abstract:

Tip-toe walking is a well-known problem in children which leads their parents to consult a specialist. This condition usually is difficult to differentiate between neurological and orthopedic disorder that’s why it needs a multidisciplinary approach and cooperation of different specialists to find a diagnosis and determine the correct treatment. 25 children with tip-toe walking (aged 1-15 years) were examined by neurologist and orthopedist. To find out the main reason of walking disorder a number of neurophysiological and radiodiagnostic methods were used. The neurophysiological investigations included EMG of lower limb muscles, NCS, TMS. Imaging included US and MRI of lower limbs muscles. Radiological method was chosen according to the age of a child. Based on the results of all examinations and investigations children were put to a diff erent group: CNS disorder, neuromuscular disorder, orthopedic disorder - and they got treatment accordingly. These results show the importance of considering not only clinical examination by specialists, but also different types of investigations (neurophysiological and imaging) for optimizing the approach to full diagnostic and proper treatment and rehabilitation approach to children with idiopathic tip-toe walking.

Speaker
Biography:

Rahul Srinivasan is pre final resident in Neurosurgery Department at Medical Trust Hospital Kochi, Kerala. He is also member of Cochin Neurological Society
and Neurological Society of India. He has co-authored various articles in field of Neurotrauma. Last article related to ICP monitoring was published in Acta Neurochirurgica in 2018. During his post-graduation he has assisted multiple cranial, spinal surgeries and endovascular procedure. He has won best poster award at PULSUS Conference at Singapore conducted in September 2018. His current research also continues in field of Neurotrauma.

Abstract:

Perimedullary AV fistula is not common disease. Here we present a case of 11-year-old boy who presented with sudden onset of severe headache and neck pain for one day. He was having similar episodes in the past and treated as migraine. Imaging revealed SAH in posterior fossa and cervical subarachnoid space. There were multiple flow voids around lower cervical cord suggesting vascular malformation. Patient underwent spinal and brain DSA, which revealed diagnosis of single hole single feeder cervical perimedullary AVF with feeding artery aneurysm as a cause of SAH. He was treated by endovascular means with 5 month imaging follow up.

Guive Sharifi

Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Iran

Title: Endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach in patients with Rathke’s cleft cyst

Time : 17:40-18:10

Biography:

Guive Sharifi is an Associate Professor of Neurosurgery from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. He is a faculty member of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. He has conducted studies in the field of neurosurgery, especially endoscopic pituitary surgery and skull base surgery. He has published about 83 scientific articles in local and international medical journals. He is also a member of the specialized association of neurosurgical societies, including the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.

Abstract:

Rathke’s cleft cysts are bengin lesions that originate from congenital remnants of Rathke pouch. The cyst could be filled with different fluids which can affect imaging characteristics. They are frequently found on autopsy, but contrary in rare cases these lesions could exhibit symptomatic growth or present as pituitary apoplexy. 19 patients (eight females) were considered for a non-aggressive surgical strategy of partial cyst wall removal and drainage of cyst contents was performed via endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach (EETA) on all patients. The anterior face of the cyst wall were excised and sent off for pathologic examination. All nineteen procedures were subtotal resections and this was defined as decompression and drainage of cyst contents and partial resection of the ventral cyst wall. Diabetes insipidus resolved for one patient as postoperative complications after six months. There were no postoperative CSF leaks and no permanent neurological or endocrine deficits and all patients had improvement of initial preoperative symptoms. Th e EETA as a non-aggressive strategy for partial cyst wall removal and simple drainage of cyst contents is a feasible approach for surgical treatment of Rathke’s cleft cysts. However, more aggressive strategy may indicated in patients with repeated recurrences. Not to mention that endoscopic approach provides wide panoramic visualization to facilitate extracapsular resection with preservation of pituitary stalk and gland.