Spinal cord injury: epidemiological study of 386 cases with emphasis on those patients admitted more than four hours after the trauma.

We studied 386 cases of spinal cord injury to analyze the follow up of the patients admitted most of the time more than four hours, the majority of the injuries happening far from the attending health service and first specialized care received long after the accident. This is a clinical study based on data collected during hospitalization of the patients, operated or not, in a Brazilian public health service. The lesion mainly seen was fracture and dislocation, isolated or on multiple levels, and the most important clinical complications were due to respiratory failure and hypotension, especially because 73.8% were from outside and they were admitted more then four hours after the trauma. The mortality rate was 11.9%, but just 2.1% had undergone a surgery. The complications resulted in major risk of death when the trauma was at the cervical level and the patients were over 50 years old, especially when admitted more than four hours after the trauma. We emphasize the importance of the first health care concerning the clinical treatment, aiming to reduce the mortality rate.

[Paracoccidioidomycosis in cerebral hemisphere and brainstem: case report]. / Paracoccidioidomicose em hemisfério cerebral e tronco encefálico: relato de caso.

We report on a 36 years-old man that had been at the Amazon forest four years before. Six months before the admission he had developed a progressive quadriparesis, gait ataxia, dysphagia, dysarthria, difficulty in breathing and hiccup. The gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted MRI showed a lesion into the right parietoccipital area and another into the medulla, that was the largest. There was any evidence of tuberculosis or AIDS. The patient was submitted to microsurgical approach to the medulla. Pathological examination revealed paracoccidioidomycosis. Treatment with anphotericin B till 2100 mg was administered followed by sulfamethoxazole-trimetoprim for three months plus physical therapy. The patient went back to his activities six months after the end of the treatment. Comments are presented about the participation of the immunological system and of the cytokines (interleukines).

Importance of anesthesia for the genesis of neurogenic pulmonary edema in spinal cord injury.

There are reports describing both provocation and inhibition of neurogenic pulmonary edema by anesthetic drugs. Therefore, we compared the effect of two types of anesthesia on the formation of neurogenic pulmonary edema in rats with balloon-induced acute spinal cord injury. Animals with sham procedure (group 1) were anesthesized by intraperitoneal sodium pentobarbital. In the experimental groups, rats were submitted to acute spinal cord lesion by insufflations of a balloon in the epidural space at T8 for 1 min (group 3 under i.p. sodium pentobarbital and group 2 under i.p. xylazine-ketamine anesthesia). In rats with pentobarbital anesthesia, systolic blood pressure doubled the baseline value during compression, whereas this effect was less pronounced in the ketamine-xylazine group. The pulmonary index (100 x wet lung weight/body weight) was 0.395 (+/-0.018) in sham-operated rats, rose to 0.499 (+/-0.060) in group 2, and was maximum under pentobarbital anesthesia (0.639+/-0.14; p=0.0018). Histologic examination of the spinal cord showed parenchymal ruptures and acute hemorrhage. Comparison of the pulmonary index with histologic slides of lung parenchyma revealed that relevant intra-alveolar edema occurred only for index values above 0.55. On electron microscopy, endothelial alterations, and damage of the alveolar lining cells were found. Our study indicates that neurogenic pulmonary edema caused by spinal cord injury is less pronounced in rats under xylazine-ketamine anesthesia, when compared with pentobarbital.

Hemodynamic parameters and neurogenic pulmonary edema following spinal cord injury: an experimental model.

Neurogenic pulmonary edema is a serious and always life-threatening complication following several lesions of the central nervous system. We report an experiment with 58 Wistar-Hanover adult male rats. Two groups were formed: control (n=4) and experimental (n=54). The experimental group sustained acute midthoracic spinal cord injury by Fogarty's balloon-compression technique containing 20 microL of saline for 5, 15, 30 or 60 seconds. The rats were anesthetized by intraperitoneal (i.p.) sodium pentobarbital (s.p.) 60 mg/Kg. The quantitative neurological outcome was presented at 4, 24 and 48 hours from compression to characterize the injury graduation in different groups. Poor outcome occurred with 60 seconds of compression. Six animals died suddenly with pulmonary edema. Using the procedure to investigate the pulmonary edema during 60 seconds of compression, followed by decompression and time-course of 60 seconds, 20 rats were randomly assigned to one of the following groups: control (1, n=4, anesthetized by i.p. s.p., 60 mg/Kg but without compression) and experimental (2, n=7, anesthetized by i.p. xylazine 10 mg/Kg and ketamine 75 mg/Kg) and (3, n=9, anesthetized by i.p. s.p., 60 mg/Kg). The pulmonary index (100 x wet lung weight/body weight) was 0.395 +/- 0.018 in control group, rose to 0.499 +/- 0.060 in group 2, and was 0.639 +/- 0.14 in group 3. Histologic examination of the spinal cord showed parenchymal ruptures and acute hemorrhage. Comparison of the pulmonary index with morphometric evaluation of edema fluid-filled alveoli by light microscopy showed that relevant intra-alveolar edema occurred only for index values above 0.55. The results suggest that the pulmonary edema induced by spinal compression is of neurogenic nature and that the type of anesthesia used might be important for the genesis of lung edema.

Schwannoma of the craniocervical junction: surgical approach of two cases.

We report two cases of craniocervical junction schwannomas with a special focus on the surgical approach. The patients underwent a far-lateral approach in the sitting position that facilitated the lesion removal. This report is meant to improve the understanding of this surgical technique as well as improve awareness of its usefulness for similar cases.

[Tumoral form of neurocysticercosis: case report]. / Forma tumoral de neurocisticercose: relato de caso.

The authors report a case of neurocysticercosis by giant cyst (3.9 x 3.4 cm), where there were clinical manifestations of increased intracranial pressure and characteristics of image in computed tomography of cranium of expansive process with mass effect in central nervous system (CNS). They comment the possibility of the tumoral form of this disease having clinical and radiological presentation similar to other expansive processes of CNS and stress the surgical procedure as a form of treatment and diagnostic confirmation.

[Eosinophilic granuloma of the cervical spine: case report]. / Granuloma eosinofílico de coluna cervical: relato de caso.

Eosinophilic granuloma (EG) is a benign condition of histocytes proliferation localized or multifocal. It is presents in the cervical spine in 1.5%-20% of the cases of EG. We report the case of a seven-year-old girl that presented with a one month history of cervical pain, persistent wryneck and vicious posture of the neck. A computerized tomography was performed and confirmed the presence of spreading lesion, ostheodestructive to the level of the left laminae of C2, with invasion of the spine and the muscular tissue. A laminectomy was underwent for removal of the lesion. The patient had a good post-operative recovery with improvement of the symptoms. Chemotherapy with prednisone, vinblastine and ethoposide was administred. After six months, this protocol was repeated associaded to methotrexate. The patient improved and had no new symptoms in a follow-up of 36 months.

[Foreign body in the orbital cone: case report]. / Corpo estranho no cone orbitário: relato de caso.

Orbital injuries may be associated with the presence of foreign bodies in which long retention leads to damages such as loss of vision or cerebral abscess. We present the case of a 21-year-old male patient that developed ptosis, limitation of movements and an inflammatory reaction in the right eye after being hit by a tree branch. A CT scan of the orbits revealed an increased density in the right orbital cone. After the neurosurgical approach for the removal of the foreign body, a wooden fragment measuring 2.0x0.3 cm, the patient had a good outcome without visual deficits, ptosis regression and resolution of the inflammatory process. The postoperative CT scan didn't identify any remaining foreign body fragment. This case calls attention to the fact that the wooden splinter presented on CT scan with high density (136 HU) two months after the trauma and was removed by a supraorbital craniotomy.

[Schwannoma of brachial plexus: report of two cases]. / Schwanoma de plexo braquial: relato de dois casos.

Schwannomas, neurinomas or neurilemmomas are benign peripheral nerve tumors. The literature report some cases associated with neurofibromatosis 2. We report two cases of cervical schwannoma originating from the brachial plexus unassociated with neurofibromatosis. A 31-year-old woman presented with a mass in the right supraclavicular region, irradiating pain and distal tingling to percussion (Tinel's sign) for 6 months. And a 52-year-old woman presented with pain in the cervical region and right arm for one year. Both the patients underwent to a microsurgery with total resection of the lesion. Histology of the surgical specimen confirmed the diagnosis of schwannoma. Postoperatively, the patients had a good recovery.

Spinal cord injury: From inflammation to glial scar.

BACKGROUND: Glial scar (GS) is the most important inhibitor factor to neuroregeneration after spinal cord injury (SCI) and behaves as a tertiary lesion. The present review of the literature searched for representative studies concerning GS and therapeutic strategies to neuroregeneration. METHODS: The author used the PubMed database and Google scholar to search articles published in the last 20 years. Key words used were SCI, spinal cord (SC) inflammation, GS, and SCI treatment. RESULTS: Both inflammation and GS are considered important events after SCI. Despite the fact that firstly they seem to cause benefit, in the end they cause more harm than good to neuroregeneration. Each stage has its own aspects under the influence of the immune system causing inflammation, from the primary to secondary lesion and from those to GS (tertiary lesion). CONCLUSION: Future studies should stress the key points where and when GS presents itself as an inhibitory factor to neuroregeneration. Considering GS as an important event after SCI, the author defends GS as being a tertiary lesion. Current strategies are presented with emphasis on stem cells and drug therapy. A better understanding will permit the development of a therapeutic basis in the treatment of the SCI patients considering each stage of the lesion, with emphasis on GS and neuroregeneration.

Schwanoma de coluna lombar: relato de caso / Schawannoma of the lumbar spine: case report

Objetivo: Mostrar um caso de schwannoma de coluna lombar que se apresentou com um quadro clínico de lombalgia e ciática. Caso: O paciente queixava-se de lombalgia e ciática à esquerda. A ressonância magnética (RM) mostrou um schwanoma lombar L4-L5. O paciente foi submetido à laminotomia e microcirurgia intradural, com remoção total do tumor. Houve uma importante recuperação no pós-operaório e a RM um ano após mostrou ressecção completa. Conclusão: Os autores enfatizam que o schwanoma de coluna lombar deve ser considerado no diagnóstico diferencial de um paciente com o quadro clínico de lombalgia e ciática, que são sintomas mais comuns da doença discal.

Spinal cord injury: epidemiologycal study of 386 cases with emphasis on those patients admitted more than four hours after the trauma / Trauma raquimedular: estudo epidemiológico de 386 casos com ênfase para aqueles pacientes admitidos após quatro horas do trauma

We studied 386 cases of spinal cord injury to analyze the follow up of the patients admitted most of the time more than four hours, the majority of the injuries happening far from the attending health service and first specialized care received long after the accident. This is a clinical study based on data collected during hospitalization of the patients, operated or not, in a Brazilian public health service. The lesion mainly seen was fracture and dislocation, isolated or on multiple levels, and the most important clinical complications were due to respiratory failure and hypotension, especially because 73.8 percent were from outside and they were admitted more then four hours after the trauma. The mortality rate was 11.9 percent, but just 2.1 percent had undergone a surgery. The complications resulted in major risk of death when the trauma was at the cervical level and the patients were over 50 years old, especially when admitted more than four hours after the trauma. We emphasize the importance of the first health care concerning the clinical treatment, aiming to reduce the mortality rate.

Estudamos 386 casos de trauma raquimedular, observando a evolução dos pacientes admitidos na maioria das vezes após quatro horas do trauma, a maioria procedente de lugar distante do serviço de saúde. Trata-se de um estudo clínico baseado em dados coletados durante a hospitalização, de pacientes operados ou não, em serviço de saúde pública no Brasil. Na maioria das vezes a lesão principal foi fratura-luxação, isolada ou em múltiplos níveis, e as complicações clínicas mais importantes foram devido à insuficiência respiratória e hipotensão, especialmente porque 73.8 por cento dos casos eram de lugares distantes, tendo sido admitidos mais de quatro horas após o trauma. A taxa de mortalidade foi 11,9 por cento, sendo 2,1 por cento em pós-operatório. As complicações resultaram em maior risco de morte quando o trauma foi ao nível cervical, idade acima de 50 anos, especialmente aqueles admitidos com mais de quatro horas. Enfatizamos a importância do primeiro atendimento na admissão, sobretudo para as alterações respiratórias e hemodinâmicas, objetivando reduzir a mortalidade.

Schwanoma de nervo femural: diagnóstico por ressonância magnética / Femoral nerve schwannoma: MRi diagnosis

Objetivo: Os autores relatam um caso de schwannoma de nervo femural por achados de imagem. Caso: A paciente queixavase de dor e inchaço na região inguinofemural à direita. A Ressonância Magnética (RM) mostrou um schwanoma originando-se do nervo femural, na região inguinofemural à direita. Através de procedimento microcirúrgico, o tumor foi totalmente removido, com boa evolução no pós-operatório.Conclusão: Os autores enfatizam que o schwanoma de nervo femoral na região inguinofemoral deve ser considerado tendo como base os achados de RM.

Paracoccidioidomicose em hemisfério cerebral e tronco encefálico: relato de caso / Paracoccidioidomycosis in cerebral hemisphere and brainstem: case report / Paracoccidioidomycosis in cerebral hemisphere and brainstem: case report

Relata-se sobre um homem de 36 anos com passagem quatro anos antes pela selva amazônica. Admitido após seis meses do aparecimento progressivo de tetraparesia, ataxia de marcha, disfagia, disartria, dispnéia e soluço. A ressonância magnética revelou lesão parietoccipital à direita e no bulbo, sendo esta última maior. Investigações para tuberculose e síndrome da imunodeficiência adquirida tiveram resultados negativos. Foi submetido a microcirurgia da lesão do bulbo. O estudo anatomopatológico revelou paracoccidioidomicose. Recebeu tratamento com anfotericina B até 2100 mg, e sulfametoxazol-trimetoprim por três meses, e fisioterapia. Voltou às atividades após seis meses do término do tratamento. Comenta-se sobre a participação do sistema imunológico e das citocinas (interleucinas.

We report on a 36 years-old man that had been at the Amazon forest four years before. Six months before the admission he had developed a progressive quadriparesis, gait ataxia, dysphagia, dysarthria, difficulty in breathing and hiccup. The gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted MRI showed a lesion into the right parietoccipital area and another into the medulla, that was the largest. There was any evidence of tuberculosis or AIDS. The patient was submitted to microsurgical approach to the medulla. Pathological examination revealed paracoccidioidomycosis. Treatment with anphotericin B till 2100mg was administered followed by sulfamethoxazole-trimetoprim for three months plus physical therapy. The patient went back to his activities six months after the end of the treatment. Comments are presented about the participation of the immunological system and of the cytokines (interleukines.

Hemodynamic parameters and neurogenic pulmonary edema following spinal cord injury: an experimental model

Edema pulmonar neurogênico é complicação séria e aumenta o risco de vida em pacientes com várias lesões do sistema nervoso central. Apresentamos uma experiência com 58 ratos Wistar machos e adultos. Foram formados dois grupos: controle (n=4) e experimental (n=54). O grupo experimental sofreu trauma raquimedular torácico médio com o cateter-balão de Fogarty contendo 20µL de salina por 5, 15, 30 ou 60 segundos de compressão. Os ratos foram anestesiados com pentobarbital sódico (p.s.), 60 mg/Kg intraperitoneal (i.p.). Foi investigada a relação entre a lesão medular e o tempo de compressão. A evolução neurológica foi quantificada e apresentada com 4, 24 e 48 horas da compressão para caracterizar a graduação da lesão nos diferentes grupos. A pior evolução ocorreu com 60 segundos de compressão. Seis animais morreram subitamente com edema pulmonar. Vinte ratos foram randomicamente distribuídos em um dos seguintes grupos: controle (1, n=4, anestesiados com p.s. i.p., 60 mg/Kg, mas sem compressão) e experimental (2, n=7, anestesiados com xilasina 10 mg/Kg e ketamina 75 mg/Kg) e (3, n=9, anestesiados com p.s. i.p., 60 mg/Kg). O índice pulmonar (100 x peso pulmonar / peso corporal) foi 0,395 ± 0,018 no grupo controle, 0,499 ± 0,060 no grupo 2, e 0,639 ± 0,14 no grupo 3. O exame histológico da medula espinhal mostrou rupturas no parênquima e hemorragia aguda. Comparando-se o índice pulmonar com o índice morfométrico através da microscopia óptica, evidenciou-se que ocorreu edema intra-alveolar relevante para índices acima de 0,55. A presente experiência sugere que o edema pulmonar induzido pela compressão medular é de natureza neurogênica e que o tipo de anestesia utilizada no experimento poderia ter participação na gênesis do edema pulmonar.

Schwannoma of the craniocervical junction: surgical approach of two cases

We report two cases of craniocervical junction schwannomas with a special focus on the surgical approach. The patients underwent a far-lateral approach in the sitting position that facilitated the lesion removal. This report is meant to improve the understanding of this surgical technique as well as improve awareness of its usefulness for similar cases

Stroke onset and its seasonal variation: experience with 105 cases

Introduction. The influence of the seasons on the incidence of stroke and mortality from this condition has been reported during the last decades, with some discrepancy in the results. Objective. The aim of the present study was to investigate the occurrence of stroke and its relationship with the weather. Method. A registry based study was conducted to assess the variation in the stroke onset and its seasonal influence in 105 patients. All the cases underwent a standardized treatment to stroke, based on the literature. The data were analyzed in retrospect using a stroke data bank: sex, mortality rate, cases of stroke per month, sunstroke per month, average temperature per month and kind of stroke and cases according to the weather. Results. The stroke onset was associated with low temperature and the number of cases was bigger in the months of January and June. Conclusion. The authors observed that the number of strokes was bigger in the transition of the weather from high to low temperature and especially in the months of January and June.

Introdução. A influência sazonal na incidência de acidente vascular encefálico e sua mortalidade é apresentado durante a ultima década, com algumas discrepâncias nos resultados. Objetivo. Investigar a ocorrência de acidente vascular encefálico e sua relação com o tempo. Método. Um estudo clínico observacional foi conduzido para avaliar a variação dos casos da doença de acordo com a influência sazonal em 105 pacientes. Todos os casos submeteram-se a tratamento estandardizado, de acordo com a literatura. As informações foram analisadas retrospectivamente de acordo com sexo, taxa de mortalidade, número de casos por mês, acidente vascular encefálico e tempo de insolação por mês, temperatura média no mês e número de casos de acordo com o tipo de acidente vascular encefálico e o clima se quente ou frio. Resultados. Observou-se tendência de apresentação maior do número de casos no período menos quente do ano. Conclusão. Os autores observaram tendência no maior número de casos da doença em estudo no período menos quente do ano e, especialmente, nos meses de janeiro e junho.

Espasmo hemifacial e impressäo basilar associados a malformaçäo de Arnold-Chiari: relato de caso / Hemifacial spasm and basilar impression associated with Arnold-Chiari deformity: report of a case

Os autores relatam o caso de uma paciente com espasmo hemifacial e impressäo basilar associados a malformaçäo de Arnold-Chiari. Com a descompressäo cirúrgica da fossa posterior, empregada no tratamento da impressäo basilar, houve melhora do quadro clínico e o espasmo hemifacial se reduziu quanto à freqüência, duraçäo e intensidade. É enfatizada a necessidade do tratamento etiológico do espasmo hemifacial, antes de se recorrer à toxina botulínica

Acidente vascular de tronco encefálico: estudo de 21 casos / Vascular stroke of the brain steam: study of 21 cases

Através de estudo prospectivo foram acompanhados 21 casos de acidente vascular de tronco encefálico, durante 12 meses, entre 1991 e 1992. O objetivo foi observar a relaçäo entre o tipo de lesäo, a apresentaçäo clínica e a evoluçäo. Com o exame neurológico, a tomografia computadorizada (CT) e, em alguns casos, angiografia e ressonancia magnética (MRI) demonstrou-se a topografia da lesäo. A hemorragia pontomesencefálica foi o achado mais freqüente. A hipertensäo arterial sistêmica estava presente em 67 por cento dos casos e a sexta década de vida foi a mais atingida. Todos os pacientes receberam tratamento clínico visando as doenças associadas. utilizou-se o Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) para evoluçäo: 28 por cento tiveram GOS 5, 24 por cento GOS 4,5 por cento GOS 3,28 por cento GOS 2 e 14 por cento GOS 1. Notou-se, por esta experiência, tratar-se de uma patologia grave e com várias formas de apresentaçäo. quando o paciente foi admitido em coma e com lesäo mista, a evoluçäo foi desfavorável (p < 0,01). Muitas vezes foi difícil correlacionar os casos com as descriçöes clássicas da literatura, por isto chamanos a atençäo para o fato de que se deva observar individualmente as características de cada caso

Schwanoma de plexo braquial: relato de dois casos / Schwannoma of brachial plexus: report of two cases

Schwanomas, neurinomas ou neurilemomas são tumores benignos de nervos periféricos. Podem ocorrer em associação com a neurofibromatose tipo 2. Relatamos dois casos de tumor cervical originado em plexo braquial sem associação com neurofibromatose. Uma mulher, de 31 anos apresentando uma tumefação em região supraclavicular direita, dor irradiada para o membro ipsilateral e sinal de Tinel à percussão da região. Outra mulher, 52 anos, com cervicobraquialgia persistente à direita há um ano. Ambas foram submetidas a microcirurgia, com ressecção total da lesão. O estudo histopatológico foi compatível com schwanoma. As duas pacientes tiveram boa evolução neurológica, com desaparecimento dos sinais e sintomas.