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We describe an unusual case of a foreign body penetrating the skull base and lodging in the posterior fossa. A 38-year-old woman fell onto a chopstick while eating, causing it to impact into her mouth. The chopstick penetrated the oropharynx and the occipital bone via the jugular foramen to enter the posterior fossa intracranially, piercing the tentorium cerebelli and leaving a fractured tip in the occipital lobe. Three-dimensional reconstructive computed tomographic scans were obtained to view the trajectory and position of the chopstick. Reconstructed angiography revealed the proximity of the carotid artery and the jugular vessels to the foreign object. Safe access to the chopstick was via an occipital craniotomy to retrieve the distal portion and an ipsiplateral retrosigmoid craniectomy to remove the proximal end. Provision was made to gain proximal control of all major nearby vessels in the event of any hemorrhage. Trauma causing penetration of a foreign body into the posterior fossa of the skull is rare due to its surrounding thick bone. Appropriate preoperative planning, including 3-D computed tomographic images and angiograms, are integral in the surgical approach for the safe removal of such objects.

The Excimer Laser Assisted Non-occlusive cerebral vascular Anastomosis (ELANA) has been proposed as a major advance in the field of cerebral revascularisation. Appreciable challenges remain, however. We report our experience with introducing this technique to the UK and review the field of cerebral revascularisation and flow replacement. Retrospective review of prospectively recorded case series. Data were collected prospectively, complication data were recorded and analyzed and functional surgical outcomes were measured using the modified Rankin scale (MRS). Ten patients, during a 2-year period, were considered suitable for high-flow cerebrovascular bypass surgery, with 8 proceeding to surgery. Seven bypasses were completed and 1 abandoned. Of the 5 patients neurologically intact preoperatively, 3 remained so postoperatively, 4 experienced no neurological deficit and one suffered transient hemiparesis due to hyperperfusion which resolved. One patient with preoperative hemiparesis improved. One patient died 8 days postoperatively. Overall long-term patency rate was (42%), however 3 thrombosed bypasses were all competitive (used for prophylactic intraoperative reasons), 2 thrombosing after the surgical procedure was completed. We discuss the role for this modern technique and the lessons learnt from its introduction to the UK, and consider the current and future requirements for cerebral revascularisation.

We present a rare case of intracranial papillary endothelial hyperplasia, or 'Masson's tumour,' following gamma knife radiosurgery for epilepsy. A 59-year-old woman presented with a 4-month history of escalating headaches and progressive neurological deficit. MR scan of brain showed enlargement of an enhancing right temporal lobe lesion, midline shift and obstructive hydrocephalus. She had previously undergone non-curative gamma knife radiosurgery at the age of 44 years for medically refractory complex partial seizures. Postprocedure imaging had shown signal change and enhancement within the right temporal lobe consistent with radiation necrosis, which remained stable over the next decade. Now, 15 years following radiosurgery, we suspected an intrinsic high-grade neoplasm, but surgical excision instead found a benign pseudoneoplasm. Papillary endothelial hyperplasia should be considered in the differential diagnosis for mass lesions following gamma knife radiosurgery, particularly as resection can be curative. Remarkably, she has become seizure free.

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