Tuberculosis of the Central Nervous System

INTRODUCTION.-  SECTION I:  GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS.- Historical preview and epidemiology of tuberculosis.- Human genetics of tuberculosis of the nervous system.- Pathogenesis of tuberculosis of the nervous system.- Pathology of tuberculosis of the nervous system (tuberculous meningitis, tuberculoma, tuberculous abscess).- SECTION II:  TUBERCULOSIS OF THE BRAIN AND ITS COVERINGS.- Scalp and the calvarium.- Dura mater and epidural space.- Subdural space.- Cerebrum, cerebellum and deep structures of the brain.- Brainstem.- Ventricles.- Sellar-suprasellar region.- Cavernous sinus.- Vascular complications of tuberculous meningitis.- Imaging findings of tuberculosis of the brain and its coverings.- Surgical therapy.- SECTION III:  TUBERCULOSIS OF THE SPINE AND ITS COVERINGS.- Pott's disease.- Spinal dura mater and epidural space.- Spinal subdural space.- Spinal cord.- Imaging findings of tuberculosis of the spine and its coverings.- Surgical therapy.- Video-assisted thoracic surgery for tubercular spondylitis.- SECTION III:  TUBERCULOSIS OF THE CRANIAL AND PERIPHERAL NERVES.- Optochiasmatic tuberculosis.- Peripheral neuropathy due to tuberculosis.- Imaging findings of tuberculosis of the cranial and peripheral nerves.- SECTION V:     LABORATORY STUDIES IN NEURO-TUBERCULOSIS.- Traditional and new laboratory procedures.- Methods of microbiological confirmation in tuberculous meningitis.- SECTION V:  THERAPY OF TUBERCULOSIS OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AND ITS COVERINGS.- Medical therapy.- Surgical therapy of tuberculosis of the nervous system and its coverings.- Shunt surgery in childhood tuberculous meningitis with hydrocephalus.- Role of endoscopic third ventriculostomy in tuberculous meningitis with hydrocephalus.- Surgical treatment of thoracic or lumbar spinal tuberculosis complicated with resultant listhesis.- Surgical treatment of spinal tuberculosis complicated with extensive abscess.- Paradoxical worsening of tuberculosis

Mehmet Turgut, MD, PhD, graduated from the Ege University School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey and later specialized in neurosurgery in Hacettepe University Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. In 2004, he received the PhD degree from the department of Embryology and Histology, Ege University Health Sciences Institute, Izmir, Turkey. He is currently Associate Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery, Adnan Menderes University School of Medicine, Aydin, Turkey. His fields of expertise and research interests are broad and include developmental neuroscience, pediatric neurosurgery, infectious diseases of the central nervous system, and peripheral nerve surgery. Dr. Turgut is an editorial board member for 17 international journals including Central European Neurosurgery, Journal of Spine, Journal of Pediatric Neurology, Journal of Spine & Neurosurgery, and Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice and a reviewer for a wide range of international journals and research programs. He is the lead or co-author of numerous publications in international journals as well as many book chapters and other publications.

Ali Akhaddar, MD, is Full Professor of Neurosurgery at the Faculty of Medicine, Mohammed V University in Rabat (Morocco) and Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery at Avicenne Military Hospital of Marrakech (Morocco). His research interests include infectious diseases of the central nervous system, degenerative disc and spine diseases, sellar region tumors, as well as medical writing. He is an Expert Member of the Scientific Committees of the National Scientific and Technological Research Center of Morocco (CNRST). Dr Akhaddar is a Member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), the French speaking society of Neurosurgery (SNCLF) and the Military Neurosurgeons Committee in the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS). He has received many awards during his career, including from the