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A series of 146 victims of fatal traffic accidents were subjected to postmortem radiographic examination prior to medicolegal autopsy. A total of 42% were found to have radiographically demonstrable head injuries ranging from relatively simple linear skull fractures to massive skull damage. Free intracranial or intravascular air was demonstrated in more than 60%. A total of 21% had demonstrable neck injuries, most of which were localized to a single level at the craniocervical junction or the upper two cervical vertebrae. Flexion and extension studies of this area are of major importance in demonstrating the injury and locating potentially occult lesions for the forensic pathologist.

This paper describes a stereotactic CO2 laser system for the removal of intra-axial, intracranial neoplasms. The volume of the neoplasm is transferred into stereotactic space by computer reconstruction of data derived by computed tomography (CT) performed under stereotactic conditions. The tumor volume is sliced in a plane orthogonal to the surgical approach, and slices at specific distances from the focal point of the stereotactic frame are displayed on a graphics monitor in the operating suite along with a cursor representing the position of the surgical laser. Laser vaporization of sequential slices of the tumor results in a cavity, the formation of which is monitored by anteroposterior and lateral roentgenograms. Fifteen stereotactic laser procedures have been performed on 13 patients, and the results are discussed. By this method, it is theoretically possible to remove all of an intracranial neoplasm detected by CT scanning.

This report describes an open stereotactic technique by which a tumour volume reconstructed in stereotactic space from CT data is removed by stereotactic CO2 laser vaporization. The position of the laser beam in relation to the tumour outlines is monitored by computer and displayed to the surgeon on a graphics display terminal in the operating room. Twenty-six (26) of these procedures have been performed on twenty-four (24) patients with deep-seated intra-axial neoplasms (23) and arteriovenous malformation (1). Post-operative CT scanning revealed no evidence of contrast enhancing lesions in nineteen (19) patients while a small amount of residual tumour was noted in five (5) patients post-operatively. This method has proven itself valuable for maintaining three-dimensional surgical orientation for the resection of intra-axial neoplasms from neurologically important areas.

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