Treatment of neuropathic deafferentation pain using DREZ lesions; long-term results.

INTRODUCTION: Deafferentation pain secondary to spinal cord injury, brachial plexus avulsion and other peripheral nerve injuries is often refractory to conventional treatments. This study evaluates the long-term efficacy of spinal DREZ (Dorsal Root Entry Zone) lesions for the treatment of neuropathic pain syndromes caused by deafferentation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A series of 18 patients with refractory deafferentation pain treated with radiofrequency DREZ lesions is presented. The immediate and long-term efficacy was measured with the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) before and after treatment, the patient's subjective evaluation, the percentage of patients returning to work and the reduction in pain medication. RESULTS: Pain on the VAS significantly decreased from 8.6 preoperatively to 2.9 (p<.001) at discharge. Over the long-term, with a mean follow-up of 28 months (6-108) pain remained at 4.7 on the VAS (p<0.002). The percentage of patients with moderate to excellent pain relief was 77% at discharge and 68% at the last follow-up. Pain medication was reduced in 67% of the patients and 28% returned to work. The best results were obtained in patients with brachial plexus avulsion, with a significant long-term pain relief in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: Radiofrequency DREZ lesion is an effective and safe treatment for refractory neuropathic pain caused by deafferentation.

[Supratentorial endodermal cyst. Case report]. / Quiste endodérmico supratentorial: caso clínico y revisión de la literatura.

Endodermal cysts (EC) of the central nervous system are very uncommon lesions predominantly located in the spinal canal. Although rare, intracranial EC have been mainly described in the posterior fossa, with the supratentorial location considered exceptional. Apart from the low frequency of these lesions, their pathoembriology still remais unknown. We report a patient with a huge frontal EC and review the literature. A 62-year-old man presented with abnormal behaviour, disorientation and decreased level of consciousness after moderate head injury. Initial cranial CT scan revealed a large cyst in the left frontal region with marked midline shift. Emergency puncture and decompression of the cyst demonstrated a milky fluid with high protein levels. Cranial MRI after patient improvement confirmed the existence of the cystic lesion with less mass effect. Delayed surgery was performed with craniotomy and total removal of the cyst. Pathological examination confirmed the presence of a typical EC. Patient made a complete recovery on follow-up with no recurrence on postoperative MRIs. Differential diagnosis of EC based on radiological data is quite difficult. As aggresive behaviour of this condition has been described following incomplete resections, the treatment of choice is a radical removal of the cyst in one or two stages depending on patient clinical condition.

[Radiation-induced cranial tumors: clinical series and literature review]. / Tumores craneales radioinducidos: serie clínica y revisión de la literatura.

Radiation induced tumors are well-known but rare complications of radiotherapy. Meningiomas are the most common radiation-induced (RI) cranial tumors, followed by gliomas and sarcomas, while other tumors as haemangioblastomas remain extremely exceptional. We present 7 patients with RI brain tumors diagnosed and treated at our institution between 1990 and 2006. Retrospective review of their clinical charts is supplied. All patients were irradiated during childhood as a treatment for another disease, and fulfilled the criteria of RI neoplasia. Four patients developed meningiomas and three developed other tumors (one glioblastoma, one softtissue sarcoma and one hemangioblastoma). In all cases a complete surgical removal was achieved. Preoperative assessment based on MRI supplied the correct diagnosis in six patients. The most important risks factors described in the literature for developing RI tumors are the age at which radiotherapy was administered and the dose of radiation applied. Differential diagnosis of RI tumors includes any tumor appearing after radiotheraphy, especially recurrences of the primary disease, as RI neoplasias are a rare complication. Even in cases with complete surgical resection, prognosis of this clinical entity is basically related to the histology of the RI tumor.