Spontaneous regression of nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma.

Eighty percent of pituitary macroadenomas are nonfunctioning and may be treated conservatively. Spontaneous regression occurs but is rare and generally has an identifiable cause such as chemotherapy, pituitary apoplexy and viral infections. We present a 28 year-old male with a nonfunctioning pituitary macroadenoma that regressed over one year without any apparent cause.

Effect of Microscopic Third Ventriculostomy (Lamina Terminalis Fenestration) on Shunt-needed Hydrocephalus in Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

There are reports that in patients with aSAH (aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage), LTF (lamina terminalis fenestration) reduces the rate of shunt-needed hydrocephalus via facilitation of CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) dynamic, diminished leptomeningeal inflammation, and decreased subarachnoid fibrosis. Regarding the conflicting results, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of LTF on decreased shunt-needed hydrocephalus in patients with aSAH. A cross-sectional retrospective study was carried out to survey all patients with confirmed aSAH operated from March 2011 to September 2016 in an academic vascular center (Rasool Akram Hospital in Tehran, Iran). Of a total of 151 patients, 72 patients were male and 79 were female. The mean age of the participants was 51 years. A transiently CSF diversion (EVD - external ventricular drainage) was performed (the acute hydrocephalus rate) on 21 patients (13.9%). In 36 patients (23.8%), aneurysm occlusion with LTF and in 115 patients (76.2%) only aneurysm occlusion surgery was performed. In hydrocephalus follow-up after surgery, 13 (12%) patients needed shunt insertion (the rate of shunt-needed hydrocephalus). The statistical analysis demonstrated no significant relation between LTF and shunt-needed hydrocephalus. Confirmation of the hypothesis that LTF may decrease the rate of shunt-needed hydrocephalus can significantly decrease morbidity, mortality, and treatment costs of shunting (that is a simple, but a potentially dangerous procedure). So, it is advised to plan and perform an RCT (randomized controlled trial) that can remove the confounding factors, match the groups, and illustrate the exact effect of LTF on shunt-needed hydrocephalus.

The effects of amantadine on traumatic brain injury outcome: a double-blind, randomized, controlled, clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: Amantadine, as a dopamine receptor agonist, may stimulate and help the recovery of the nervous system after traumatic brain injury (TBI). METHODS: We performed this study as a double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial with target population including all patients with TBI who scored nine or lower on the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), admitted to our hospital between January 2013 and April 2014. The protocol included administration of the drug (placebo or amantadine) for 6 weeks and patient evaluation using the GCS and FOUR score on the first, third and seventh days after the drug was started. After 6 months from starting study drug, the patients were evaluated on the Mini-Mental State Examination, Glasgow Outcome Study, Disability Rating Scale and Karnofsky Performance Scale. RESULTS: We included 40 patients in the study. The mean age of the patients was 36.77 ± 18.21. As an only important finding, the amantadine group registered an important rise between the first and the seventh day of study drug (∆GCS7-GCS1) with p-value = 0.044. CONCLUSION: Based on our findings during the first week and the 6 months (since starting drug) follow-ups, prescribing amantadine did not lead to reportable effects on the patients' level of consciousness, memory, disability, cognition, mortality and performance.

Migrating spinal intradural schwannoma with adjacent disc herniation: A case report and brief literature review.

BACKGROUND: Schwannoma is the most common migrating tumor in the intradural space. CASE DESCRIPTION: We present a patient with migrating schwannoma of the cauda which admitted with buttock and thigh pain since 2 years ago. On two preoperative lumbosacral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), he had a L2/3 disc herniation concomitant with the intradural extra-axial mass at level of the L1/2 disc on the first MRI and then on the second one, his mass was just posterior to the L3 vertebral body, 22 months later. During the surgical resection of the mass, we found it just posterior to the L2 body. In the literature, we found no accompaniment of migrating intradural spinal mass with adjacent intervertebral disc herniation caused by a double-level cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) blockade, as it was with our case. On serial imaging, we have seen the mass above and then below the level of CSF blockade, resulting from an extra-dural disc herniation. CONCLUSION: We think this rare case could promote a better understanding of the dynamic nature of the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system within intradural space.

Parkinsonism: a rare manifestation of craniopharyngioma.

Craniopharyngioma is a non-glial, non-malignant intracranial tumor of ectodermal origin, which arises from a remnant of Rathke's pouch. This tumor accounts for 5.6 to 13% of intracranial tumors in children. This paper discusses a case of craniopharyngioma in a five-year-old boy. An MRI scan of his brain showed a huge sella and supra sella cystic-solid lesion that had invaded the prepontine and interpeduncular cisterns, filling of 3rd ventricle and hydrocephalus. The patient operated via interhemispheric subfrontal through lamina terminalis and the tumor dissected from all part of brain stem and total resection achieved. After surgery Parkinsonism was worse for 3 days and levodopa started for 3 days. Parkinsonism was gone and after one week levodopa discontinued. This case practically implied that decompression of mass effect of tumor on brain stem and short-term management with levodopa can improve Parkinsonism due to midline compressive brain tumors without basal ganglia involvement.

Cervical Spine Involvement: A Rare Manifestation of Reiter's Syndrome.

Spine involvement is less common in Reiter's syndrome than in other seronegative spondyloarthropathies. Also, cervical spine involvement rarely occurs in Reiter's syndrome and other spondyloarthropathies. This paper reports a rare case of Reiter's syndrome in which there was cervical spine involvement that presented clinically as an atlanto-axial rotatory subluxation. Reiter's Syndrome (RS) is one of the most common types of seronegative spondyloarthropathies (SSAs) that presents clinically with a triad of symptoms, i.e., conjunctivitis, urethritis, and arthritis. This case highlighted the importance of radiographs of the lateral cervical spine and dynamic cervical imaging for all patients who have Reiter's syndrome with cervical spine symptoms to ensure that this dangerous abnormality is not overlooked.