Intracranial papillary endothelial hyperplasia (Masson's tumour) following gamma knife radiosurgery for temporal lobe epilepsy.

We present a rare case of intracranial papillary endothelial hyperplasia, or 'Masson's tumour,' following gamma knife radiosurgery for epilepsy. A 59-year-old woman presented with a 4-month history of escalating headaches and progressive neurological deficit. MR scan of brain showed enlargement of an enhancing right temporal lobe lesion, midline shift and obstructive hydrocephalus. She had previously undergone non-curative gamma knife radiosurgery at the age of 44 years for medically refractory complex partial seizures. Postprocedure imaging had shown signal change and enhancement within the right temporal lobe consistent with radiation necrosis, which remained stable over the next decade. Now, 15 years following radiosurgery, we suspected an intrinsic high-grade neoplasm, but surgical excision instead found a benign pseudoneoplasm. Papillary endothelial hyperplasia should be considered in the differential diagnosis for mass lesions following gamma knife radiosurgery, particularly as resection can be curative. Remarkably, she has become seizure free.

A preliminary controlled study to determine whether whole-plant cannabis extracts can improve intractable neurogenic symptoms.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether plant-derived cannabis medicinal extracts (CME) can alleviate neurogenic symptoms unresponsive to standard treatment, and to quantify adverse effects. DESIGN: A consecutive series of double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled single-patient cross-over trials with two-week treatment periods. SETTING: Patients attended as outpatients, but took the CME at home. SUBJECTS: Twenty-four patients with multiple sclerosis (18), spinal cord injury (4), brachial plexus damage (1), and limb amputation due to neurofibromatosis (1). INTERVENTION: Whole-plant extracts of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), 1:1 CBD:THC, or matched placebo were self-administered by sublingual spray at doses determined by titration against symptom relief or unwanted effects within the range of 2.5-120 mg/24 hours. Measures used: Patients recorded symptom, well-being and intoxication scores on a daily basis using visual analogue scales. At the end of each two-week period an observer rated severity and frequency of symptoms on numerical rating scales, administered standard measures of disability (Barthel Index), mood and cognition, and recorded adverse events. RESULTS: Pain relief associated with both THC and CBD was significantly superior to placebo. Impaired bladder control, muscle spasms and spasticity were improved by CME in some patients with these symptoms. Three patients had transient hypotension and intoxication with rapid initial dosing of THC-containing CME. CONCLUSIONS: Cannabis medicinal extracts can improve neurogenic symptoms unresponsive to standard treatments. Unwanted effects are predictable and generally well tolerated. Larger scale studies are warranted to confirm these findings.