Intracranial epidermoid tumors are rare, potentially curable, benign lesions that are sometimes associated with perioperative complications, and tend to recur if not completely removed. Histologically benign epidermoid tumors may also develop into highly malignant tumors. This study evaluated on 28 cases of intracranial epidermoid tumor treated over a 13-year period by radical resection with microneurosurgical techniques. The majority of patients underwent computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging within the first 24 hours postoperatively to confirm the results of surgery. Radical surgical resection was achieved in 21 of the 28 cases, and there was no operative mortality. The most common postoperative complication was transient paresis of various cranial nerves. During a mean follow up of 6 years, only one tumor became malignant. Radical surgical resection should be the goal in treating these benign lesions, but if not possible, every effort should be made to minimize the amount of tumor tissue that remains.

Duraplasty using autologous fascia lata reenforced by on-site pedicled muscle flap is an effective technique to control CSF leak, especially when dura is poorly vascularized and less viable. The unfortunate recurrence of CSF leak and reexploration in the seventh patient helped us to observe the effectively healed dural defect with profound early postoperative vascularization of the graft, supporting our idea about the effectiveness of this technique.

This study indicates a prolonged activation of pro-apoptotic (sFas, caspase-3) and anti-apoptotic (bcl-2) proteins after severe TBI in humans. The degree of activation of particularly caspase-3 may be related to the severity of the injury. Parallel increases of these three molecules may indicate a pivotal role of apoptosis in the pathophysiology of post-traumatic brain oedema, secondary cell destruction and chronic cell loss following severe TBI and may open new targets for post-traumatic therapeutic interventions.

Results of our study demonstrated that there might be a significant association between IL-1beta gene polymorphism and outcome after HI, supporting the hypothesis of a genetically determined influence.