title: Temperatures achieved in human and canine neocortex during intraoperative passive or active focal cooling.
abstract: Focal cortical cooling inhibits seizures and prevents acquired epileptogenesis in rodents. To investigate the potential clinical utility of this treatment modality, we examined the thermal characteristics of canine and human brain undergoing active and passive surface cooling in intraoperative settings. Four patients with intractable epilepsy were treated in a standard manner. Before the resection of a neocortical epileptogenic focus, multiple intraoperative studies of active (custom-made cooled irrigation-perfused grid) and passive (stainless steel probe) cooling were performed. We also actively cooled the neocortices of two dogs with perfused grids implanted for 2 hours. Focal surface cooling of the human brain causes predictable depth-dependent cooling of the underlying brain tissue. Cooling of 0.6-2°C was achieved both actively and passively to a depth of 10-15 mm from the cortical surface. The perfused grid permitted comparable and persistent cooling of canine neocortex when the craniotomy was closed. Thus, the human cortex can easily be cooled with the use of simple devices such as a cooling grid or a small passive probe. These techniques provide pilot data for the design of a permanently implantable device to control intractable epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Neurosurgery, Washington University School of Medicine , St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Matthew D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Smyth
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Neurosurgery, Washington University School of Medicine , St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Rowland H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Neurosurgery, Washington University School of Medicine , St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Chester K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Yarbrough
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota , Saint Paul, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Edward E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Pediatrics (Clinical Neuroscience), University of Minnesota , Minneapolis, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Xiao-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington , Seattle, Washington.|5 Department of Neurology and Regional Epilepsy Center, University of Washington , Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: 6 Mercy Clinic Child Neurology , St. Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Rothman
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington , Seattle, Washington.|5 Department of Neurology and Regional Epilepsy Center, University of Washington , Seattle, Washington.|7 Center for Human Development and Disability, University of Washington , Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Raimondo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'Ambrosio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation; D003399:Craniotomy; D004285:Dogs; D000069279:Drug Resistant Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D007430:Intraoperative Care / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D023421:Models, Animal; D019579:Neocortex / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D010477:Perfusion / Q000295:instrumentation; D010865:Pilot Projects; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000295:instrumentation; D013997:Time Factors