Infection of a Rathke cleft cyst: a rare cause of pituitary abscess.

BACKGROUND: Only 20 cases of abscess formation within a Rathke cleft cyst have been reported. METHODS: Case report and review of the English-language literature. RESULTS: A 64-year-old female was admitted with a 12-mo history of headache and decreased visual acuity and had bilateral papilledema and bitemporal hemianopsia with impairment of visual acuity. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a sellar and suprasellar mass measuring 2×2×2 cm. The lesion was removed using a transsphenoidal approach. The abscess was drained, and gram stain revealed polymorphonuclear cells and gram-positive cocci. The postoperative course was uneventful. Ceftriaxone and metronidazole were continued for 6 wks. The patient also received hydrocortisone and continued thyroid hormone replacement. During a 6-mo follow up, the patient's headaches disappeared, and the bitemporal hemianopsia and impaired visual acuity abated. CONCLUSION: Predisposing factors for pituitary abscesses in primary lesions include immunosuppression and pituitary irradiation, surgery, or infarction. Approximately one-third of pituitary abscesses arise within other lesions. The clinical manifestations are non-specific. Magnetic resonance imaging shows a cystic lesion with central low intensity and rim enhancement after administration of contrast. When a pituitary abscess is diagnosed, surgical procedures should be performed promptly via a transsphenoidal (preferably) or transcranial approach.

Factors influencing the prognosis in intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas with perimedullary drainage.

OBJECTIVE: Intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas with perimedullary venous drainage (IDAVFPD) are classified as type V dural arteriovenous fistulas. Publications are limited to single case reports and small case series. We conducted a systematic review of the literature for patients with IDAVFPD. The aim of this study is to identify the predictive factors of poor prognosis in patients with IDAVFPD. METHODS: We present the case of a 48-year-old man who underwent surgical interruption of IDAVFPD. A complete MEDLINE search was then undertaken for all articles reporting outcomes data for IDAVFPD. According to the results we have divided the patient population into two groups: I, those patients who showed improvement after treatment, and II: those patients who did not show improvement. We conducted a comparative statistical analysis of the epidemiologic, clinical, radiologic, and therapeutic parameters between the two groups. RESULTS: A total of 37 articles comprising with 58 cases were included for analysis with an average follow-up of 12 months. There were 36 patients in group I and 22 in group II. The average age was 57.8 years in group I and 54.3 years in group II (P=0.32). Onset of symptoms was acute or subacute in 57% of patients in group I, and in 50% of patients in group II (P=0.62). Bulbar signs were present in 28% of cases in group I and in 36% of cases in group II (P=0.49). Hyperintensity of the brainstem on T2-weighted sequence magnetic resonance imaging was more common in patients in group II (78%) compared with patients in group I (45%) (P=0.012). Patients who underwent surgical procedure have shown good outcomes compared to patients treated with endovascular approach (P=0.039). CONCLUSIONS: The poor outcomes were correlated to the presence of brainstem signal abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging, whereas the prognosis does not depend on age, sex, clinical presentation, or anatomic characteristics of the fistula.

Arachnoiditis ossificans of the cauda equina.

A case of post-traumatic arachnoiditis ossificans of the cauda equina is reported. The lesion is a rare pathological entity usually confined to the thoracic and high lumbar regions that can cause progressive spinal cord and cauda equine compression. The pathophysiology and therapeutic strategy of this rare entity are still controversial.

Paraspinal textiloma after posterior lumbar surgery: a wolf in sheep's clothing.

OBJECTIVE: Paraspinal textiloma (ParaTex) is a well-known complication after posterior lumbar surgery. However, there are few articles on this topic, probably because of medicolegal concerns. In addition, patients with ParaTex can remain asymptomatic for months or even years unless it causes complications. The purpose of this study is to review our experience on this "undesirable" topic to increase awareness among spinal surgeons and radiologists and avoid unnecessary morbidity, which is still being encountered. METHODS: This study is a retrospective case series of six patients with ParaTex who underwent posterior lumbar spinal surgery in our neurosurgical department between January 2000 and December 2010. The medical records of each patient were reviewed and demographic data, clinical characteristics, initial diagnosis, surgical procedures, time interval between operation and onset of symptoms, biological and radiologic findings, treatment, and outcome were analyzed. RESULTS: The six patients included four women and two men with a mean age of 48 years. Four patients had a history of lumbar disc herniation, one had undergone a laminectomy for a lumbar spinal stenosis, and a Gill's procedure was performed in one patient with a lumbar spondylolisthesis. The time from the causative operation to presentation ranged from 2 months to 6 years. All patients presented with nonspecific lower back pain and/or surgical site infection without fever or neurological symptoms. Laboratory parameters showed increased blood sedimentation rates and/or C-reactive protein level in four patients. Bacteria were isolated in only one patient. Five patients were evaluated with computed tomography scan, and this showed the spongiform pattern with gas bubbles in three cases. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed in two patients. The signal intensity varies according to stage and fluid content of the lesion. The ParaTex was removed surgically in all patients with a good outcome. CONCLUSIONS: ParaTexs are more common in obese patients, after emergency surgery, and with unplanned changes in surgical procedure. On computed tomography scan, the classic spongiform appearance is highly suggestive. Magnetic resonance imaging findings are variable and less specific, but confrontation of imaging data with the surgical history helps with the preoperative diagnosis. In the early postoperative period symptoms are related to the exudative response; at later times symptoms may be linked to pseudotumor formation clinically and radiologically. Appropriate antibiotic therapy is recommended when a septic complication is present or suspected. Strict measures must be taken to prevent this complication. Surgical sponges should always be counted at least three times (preoperatively, at closure, and at the end), radiopaque markers should be used, and if there is doubt, intraoperative radiography must be performed.

Multiple lytic lesions of the spine: a rare diagnosis of eosinophilic granuloma in an adult: a case report.

Eosinophilic granuloma (EG) is a rare benign osteolytic lesion observed rarely in adults, with only some 18 cases of spinal location reported in the literature. We present an unusual variant of EG in a 23-year-old man with radiological features of multiple spinal lytic lesions which was evocated of metastatic processes. A surgically transpedicular biopsy of the thoracic collapsed vertebrae with posterior stabilization was made. Histological examination of the tissue showed features of eosinophilic granuloma. The clinical and radiological findings of EG present dilemmas of both diagnosis and treatment. The etiology is unclear and the therapeutic approach is still controversial.

Posterior epidural migration of lumbar disk fragments: report of two cases and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Posterior epidural migration of an extruded disk fragment is rare, and posterior migration of the free fragments causing cauda equina syndrome is exceptionally rare. The disk fragment must transgress through numerous anatomical restraints including the nerve roots in such cases. METHODS: Two cases of migration of the sequestrated disk into the posterior epidural space are presented. The first patient complained, over the course of 1 month, of paresthesias and weakness of the lower limbs, with urinary retention. However, in the other case, there was steppage gait and strength score of 3/5 on dorsiflexion of left foot, without bladder or bowel disturbance. RESULTS: Lumbar CT scan with sagittal reconstruction showed a posterior epidural mass, which was isodense to the disk. The preoperative differential diagnosis included epidural abscess, hematoma, and neoplasm. An urgent decompressive lumbar laminectomy was performed. At surgery, the lesion proved to be a massive extruded disk fragment. CONCLUSION: Diagnosis of posterior epidural migration of the sequestrated disks may be difficult. It may present with subtle clinical features. Magnetic resonance images may mimic those of other more common posterior epidural lesions. Early surgery should be the first choice to prevent severe neurologic deficits.

Cavernous hemangioma of the skull: 3 case reports.

BACKGROUND: Intraosseous cavernous hemangiomas of the bone are uncommon tumors, accounting for 0.7% to 1% of all bone neoplasms. The vertebral column is most often affected, followed by the skull. Calvarial cavernous hemangioma is rare, comprising about 0.2% of all benign neoplasms of the skull. CASES REPORTS: We describe 3 patients with calvarial hemangiomas that were localized frontally (2 cases) and parietally. The diameter ranged from 2 to 3 cm. They presented with slowly growing mass, hard to pressure, with freely mobile skin above the cavernoma sites. Cranial CT scan showed osteolytic lesion with erosion of the tabula externa. Magnetic resonance imaging performed in one patient showed hypointense lesion on T1-weighted image and hyperintense on T2-weighted image. Resection and postoperative course were uneventful. Pathological examination revealed a cavernous hemangioma of the diploe. CONCLUSION: Skull cavernous hemangiomas are rare benign tumors. The preferred treatment is complete tumor removal with normal bony margins. Sometimes, the classic radiographic appearances are not evident. Consequently, the diagnosis is most often made during surgical resection.