Management of screwdriver-induced penetrating brain injury: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Penetrating brain injury (PBI) can be caused by several objects ranging from knives to chopsticks. However, an assault with long and electric screwdriver is a peculiar accident and is relatively rare. Because of its rarity, the treatments of such injury are complex and nonstandardized. CASE PRESENTATION: We presented a case of a 54-year-old female who was stabbed with a screwdriver in her head and accompanied by loss of consciousness for 1 h. Computer tomography (CT) demonstrated that the screwdriver passed through the right zygomatic bone to posterior cranial fossa. Early foreign body removal and hematoma evacuation were performed and the patient had a good postoperative recovery. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we discussed the clinical presentation and successful management of such a unique injury caused by a screwdriver. Our goal is to demonstrate certain general management principles which can improve patient outcomes.

Traumatic basilar artery entrapment with patency of pontine perforators and absence of significant brainstem infarction: report of an unusual case.

We report a rare case of entrapment of the basilar artery into the sphenoid bone caused by a longitudinal fracture of the clivus. Using high resolution three-dimensional flat panel angiography, we show preservation of the basilar artery perforators in spite of severe stenosis of the entrapped segment of the basilar artery. There were no obvious signs and symptoms of posterior fossa stroke clinically or radiographically as far as could be assessed under given clinical circumstances.

Is the presence of linear fracture a predictor of delayed posterior fossa epidural hematoma?

BACKGROUND: Though traumatic posterior fossa epidural hematoma (PFEDH) is rare, the associated rates of morbidity and mortality are higher than those of supratentorial epidural hematoma (SEDH). Signs and symptoms may be silent and slow, but rapid deterioration may set in, resulting in death. With the more frequent use of computed tomography (CT), early diagnosis can be achieved in patients with cranial fractures who have suffered traumatic injury to the posterior fossa. However, some hematomas appear insignificant or are absent on initial tomography scans, and can only be detected by serial CT scans. These are called delayed epidural hematomas (EDHs). The association of EDHs in the supratentorial-infratentorial compartments with linear fracture and delayed EDH (DEDH) was presently investigated. METHODS: A total of 212 patients with SEDH and 22 with PFEDH diagnosed and treated in Göztepe Training and Research Hospital Neurosurgery Clinic between 1995 and 2005 were included. Of the PFEDH patients, 21 underwent surgery, and 1 was followed with conservative treatment. In this group, 4 patients underwent surgery for delayed posterior fossa epidural hematoma (DPFEDH). RESULTS: Mean age of patients with PFEDH was 12 years, and that of the patients with SEDH was 18 years. Classification made according to localization on cranial CT, in order of increasing frequency, revealed of EDHs that were parietal (27%), temporal (16%), and located in the posterior fossa regions (approximately 8%). Fracture line was detected on direct radiographs in 48% of SEDHs and 68% of PFEDHs. Incidence of DPFEDH in the infratentorial compartment was statistically significantly higher than incidence in the supratentorial compartment (p=0.007). Review of the entire EDH series revealed that the likelihood of DEDH development in the infratentorial compartment was 10.27 times higher in patients with linear fractures than in patients with supratentorial fractures (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: DPFEDH, combined with clinical deterioration, can be fatal. Accurate diagnosis and selection of surgery modality can be lifesaving. The high risk of EDH development in patients with a fracture line in the posterior fossa on direct radiographs should be kept in mind. These patients should be kept under close observation, and serial CT scans should be conducted when necessary.

Transclival injury after routine transnasal rhinological surgery.

OBJECTIVES: Routine transnasal rhinological procedures are widely practiced and are considered as safe, in general. Skull base lesions occur in less than 1% of procedures and typically involve the anterior or middle cranial fossa, while clivus lesions have not been well documented. Here we present a series of three patients with iatrogenic transclival lesions after routine transnasal rhinological procedures. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three patients with penetrating clivus injuries after routine transnasal rhinological procedures were identified. All patients had undergone transnasal rhinological surgery at other hospitals and two of them were referred for emergency treatment. Patients were managed within an interdisciplinary context. RESULTS: There were two women and one man. Mean age at surgery was 35 years. All operations had been performed under general anaesthesia. In only one instance, perforation of the clivus had been noticed during surgery by the ENT physician, while it went unnoticed in the other two patients. In one patient, no intracranial injury occurred secondary to the clivus fracture, while two patients had extensive brainstem lesions. The first patient survived without deficits, but one patient succumbed to the brainstem injury and the other remained with severe deficits. Risk factors including anatomical variants or distorted morphology were present in all patients. CONCLUSION: Transnasal rhinological procedures can result in penetrating clivus injuries, which may not be noticed during surgery, but which can result in permanent morbidity or mortality. These lesions are obviously very rare and their true incidence remains unknown.

Posttraumatic Bilateral Epidural Hygroma of the Posterior Cranial Fossa: Case Report and Brief Review of Literature.

BACKGROUND: Posttraumatic posterior fossa epidural hygroma is a rare entity, and a clear management has not been established in the medical literature. We present 1 case and review the literature relevant to this unusual entity. The mechanism of formation and management of posterior cranial fossa epidural hygroma are also outlined. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 2-year-old child presented after a rooftop fall injury with symptoms of headache, drowsiness, vomiting, and brief loss of consciousness. Computed tomography scan demonstrated swelling in the left occipital region and epidural hygroma. After conservative management failed, surgical repair of the dura mater was performed. The child was discharged postoperative day 11 in stable condition with marked improvement in occipital swelling. CONCLUSIONS: It is imperative to consider epidural hygroma in very small children presenting with occipital injury. As a result of loose adhesion of dura mater and internal cranial lamina layers in younger pediatric patients, potential epidural space may be easily created secondary to injury, and small breaches in meningeal integrity near the cisterna magna may favor cerebrospinal fluid leak. During surgery, if watertight repair of a visible dural tear is performed, duro-periosteal hitching or vacuum drain placement may not be required.

[Endoscopic endonasal treatment of cerebrospinal fluid leak caused by clival fracture--a case report]. / Endoskopické endonazální osetrení nasální likvorey pri zlomenine klivu--kazuistika.

INTRODUCTION: Clivus is a central structure of the skull base located in the vicinity of the brainstem and vital brain vessels. Clival fractures are usually caused by a high-energy trauma. Cerebrospinal fluid leak is one of the most common complications. CASE REPORT: A middle-aged male sustained a mild head trauma, followed by a nasal cerebrospinal fluid leak. CT scan revealed the massive pneumocephalus and the fracture of the clivus in the posterior wall of the sphenoidal sinus. We performed an endoscopic endonasal surgery to seal the defect. DISCUSSION: Pneumatization of a sphenoidal sinus shows high variability. In the presented case, extreme pneumatization of the sinuses was combined with the gracile clivus, which was the predisposing factor for fracture. Traumatic cerebrospinal fluid leak carries the risk of intracranial hypotension and meningitis. Microscopic transseptal management is the classical surgical approach, while endoscopy provides the modern miniinvasive option. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic endonasal treatment of traumatic cerebrospinal fluid leak is the treatment of choice for the clival fractures.

Fracture of the clivus as an unusual complication of LeFort I osteotomy: case report.

LeFort I osteotomy is a standard technique for the surgical correction of dentofacial deformities. Despite its low morbidity, it can lead to various complications at the base of the skull. We report the case of a fractured clivus as an unusual complication.

Hematoma extradural de clivus ? Relato de casos / Clivus extradural hematoma ? Cases report

O clivus é considerado o osso mais forte da base do crânio. Dessa forma, sua lesão sugere trauma de relevante impacto. O hematoma extradural agudo de clivus (HEDAC) é particularmente raro, com poucos casos descritos na literatura. A maioria dos relatos de HEDAC envolve vítimas de colisão com veículos de alta velocidade, sendo comum o acometimento da coluna cervical concomitantemente. Neste artigo, são relatados dois casos de HEDAC. O primeiro envolve um paciente do sexo masculino, 53 anos, com história de queda da própria altura. O segundo também envolve um paciente do sexo masculino, 28 anos, vítima de queda de motocicleta em alta velocidade. Ambos evoluíram com resultados favoráveis.

The clivus is considered the strongest bone of the skull base. Thus, his injury suggests trauma of significant impact. The clivus extradural hematoma (HEDAC) is particularly rare, with few cases reported in the literature. Most accounts of victims HEDAC involves collision with high-speed vehicles, which often affects the cervical spine concurrent. In this paper, we report two cases of HEDAC. The first involves a 53 years old male with a history of fall from height. The second also involves a 28 years old male suffered high speed motorcycle accident. Both evolved with favorable results.

Hematoma subdural agudo infratentorial: relato de caso / Posterior fossa acute subdural hematoma: case report

Os autores relatam o caso de um paciente adulto vítima de traumatismo cranioencefálico e que apresentou uma lesão considerada rara na literatura, o hematoma subdural agudo da fossa posterior. O paciente foi submetido à craniectomia suboccipital com drenagem do hematoma e recebeu alta com escore de 3 pontos na Glasgow Outcome Scale; um bom resultado, pois essa lesão atinge 71% de mortalidade em algumas séries.

The authors report a case of acute subdural hematoma of posterior fossa in an adult male patient secondary to a head trauma. This is considered a rare pathology in literature. The patient was operated and discharged with a score 3 in GOS. This can be considered a good result since some series show a mortality of 71% for this pathology.

Posterior fossa epidural hematomas in children: clinical experience with 40 cases.

OBJECT: Traumatic posterior fossa epidural hematoma (PFEDH) is rare, but among children it may have a slightly higher incidence. With the widespread use of CT scanning, the diagnosis of PFEDH can be established more accurately, leading to an increased incidence of the lesion and possibly to a better patient prognosis. This study presents 40 pediatric cases with PFEDH. METHODS: The authors assessed the type of trauma, clinical findings on admission, Glasgow Coma Scale scores, CT findings (thickness of the hematoma, bone fracture, compression of the fourth ventricle, and ventricle enlargement), type of treatment, clinical course, and prognosis. Early postoperative CT scans (within the first 6 hours) were obtained and reviewed in all surgical cases. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients underwent surgery and 11 patients received conservative therapy and close follow-up. All patients fared well, and there was no surgical mortality or morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the data in this large series, the authors conclude that PFEDH in children can be treated in experienced centers with excellent outcome, and there is no need to avoid surgery when it is indicated.

Traumatic posterior fossa subdural hematomas.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic hematomas in the posterior fossa are rare, especially traumatic posterior fossa subdural hematomas (SDHs), which account for <1% of head injured patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the features of traumatic posterior fossa SDHs. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed clinical and radiologic findings, management, and outcomes of patients with traumatic posterior fossa SDH. RESULTS: Ten patients with traumatic posterior fossa SDHs were admitted to our hospital. There were seven males and three females, with an age range of 3 years to 97 years (mean, 57.5 years). Coagulopathies were observed in five patients. The causes of injury were motor vehicle crash in three patients, falls in six patients, and being hit by an iron plate in one patient. The mean admission Glasgow Coma Scale score was 8.3. Skull fractures were revealed in six patients. Hematoma sizes ranged from 5 mm to 20 mm (mean, 7.7 mm). Two patients presented with isolated posterior fossa SDHs, and eight patients presented with associated intracranial lesions. Only one patient was treated surgically for posterior fossa SDHs associated with intracerebellar hematomas. The poor outcome rate was 90% and the mortality was 50%. CONCLUSIONS: A review of the literature revealed the following characteristics of posterior fossa SDHs: (1) a relatively high frequency of occipital impacts and fractures, (2) a low Glasgow Coma Scale score, (3) a high frequency of associated intracranial lesions, especially supratentorial lesions and intracerebellar hematomas, (4) a potential for lesion evolution, especially within 2 days, and (5) a high poor outcome rate and mortality. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Unrecognized hemangiopericytoma of posterior cervical region with intracranial extension.

Hemangiopericytoma of the posterior cervical space and occipital bone is an uncommon lesion which should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a lumpy and highly vascular lesion of the posterior cervical space. We report the case of a 47-year-old woman who experienced sudden and painful occipital and posterior cervical swelling. She underwent a blind biopsy which was complicated by profuse bleeding. The palpable lesion was not properly diagnosed preoperatively, and the endocranial extension of the lesion was overlooked by her surgeon who performed a blind biopsy without adequate diagnostic imaging who inadvertently invaded the posterior cranial fossa during biopsy. We would like to emphasize the need for appropriate non-invasive diagnostic investigations before any biopsy of head and neck lesions that may extend deeply.

The clivus: anatomy, normal variants and imaging pathology.

The clivus is one of the most central parts of the skull base. As diseases of the clivus evade clinical evaluation imaging plays a pivotal role in establishing a diagnosis. This article combines the description of anatomy and pathology with an extensive pictorial essay. Starting with the development and normal macroscopic anatomy of the clivus the reader is then introduced to a large variety of normal variations and developmental disorders some of them with clinical significance. Typical examples of non-neoplastic and neoplastic masses of the clivus and their differential diagnoses are provided. The article concludes with a review of inflammatory disease and trauma.

Hyperpneumatization of the skull base: case report.

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: Temporal bone and skull base pneumatization is a naturally occurring process that begins before birth and continues into early adulthood. Occasionally this process surpasses normal limits, resulting in hyperpneumatization, which is usually obvious, but on rare occasions may mimic more aggressive skull base disorders. An awareness of this rare anatomical variant may help clinicians avoid more extensive investigations. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 37-year-old man with severe headache and multiple, partially opacified lytic lesions in the skull base noted after minor head trauma. At presentation, a computed tomographic (CT) head scan revealed multiple lucent areas in the skull base after which magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) further suggested the diagnosis of an extensive lytic skull base process associated with a small clival fracture. Needle biopsy revealed nonspecific inflammation. An earlier head CT, not available at the time of admission, demonstrated extensive pneumatized air cells in the basiocciput. During the course of the 2-year follow-up, the originally pneumatized skull base was noted to become permanently opacified with areas of new bone growth. CONCLUSION: We concluded that the skull base abnormality was an anatomical variant associated with a clival fracture and hemorrhage, which led to opacification of the pneumatized air cells. No specific treatment was offered and symptoms resolved completely. Long-term follow-up CT demonstrated opacification of the skull base. This is one of very few cases in the literature reporting the clinical course of a patient with a hyperpneumatized skull base and the subsequent evolution of the disorder after minor head trauma.

Traumatic epidural haematoma of the posterior cranial fossa.

A posterior fossa epidural haematoma (EDH) is uncommon and the diagnosis is difficult because the clinical symptoms are non-specific. Therefore, a computed tomography scan is important for the early diagnosis and management. Thirty-four patients with a posterior fossa EDH were admitted between 2001 and 2008. A retrospective analysis of the clinical and radiographic findings with regard to outcome and prognostic factors was carried out. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score on admission was recorded to be: one in 3-5, five in 6-8, six in 9-12 and 22 patients in 13-15. The admission GCS score was the most valuable prognostic factor. Among the 28 patients with a GCS score of more than 9, 27 patients survived with good results; for the six patients with a GCS score of less than eight, two patients had good recovery and four patients had unfavourable outcome. The 15 patients that were conservatively treated and 14 out of the 19 patients surgically treated had a good recovery. Among the other surgically treated patients, two were moderately disabled, two remained in a vegetative state and one died (overall mortality 2.9%). An occipital fracture was present in 28 cases. Six patients with a diastatic fracture of the lambdoid suture had a more complicated venous sinus injury requiring early surgery compared to those with a simple linear fracture. The patients admitted with associated intracranial injuries, such as a contrecoup injury including subdural haemorrhage or traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage had a poor outcome. The initial GCS score on admission and the presence of associated intracranial injuries were important factors associated with the patient prognosis. A diastatic fracture of the lambdoid suture was associated with complicated venous sinus injuries making surgery more difficult.

Fracturas del clivus / Clivus fractures

Las fracturas de base de cráneo se encuentran entre el 3.5 y el 24 por ciento de los pacientes con trauma craneoencefálico. Las fracturas del clivus, se consideran fracturas de la base craneana posterior y se clasifican en longitudinales, transversas y oblicuas. El diagnóstico de estas fracturas ha aumentado con el uso del TAC de cráneo. Anteriormente su diagnostico se realizaba con mayor frecuencia en autopsias. Las fracturas del clivus con gran frecuencia se asocian a lesión de estructuras neurológicas y vasculares vecinas, tienen un mal pronóstico neurológico aunque se han descrito casos asintomático de fracturas clivales. En este artículo se reportara nuestra experiencia con esta patología traumática y se hará una revisión de la literatura.

Skull base fractures are found in 3.5 to 24 percent of all traumatic brain injury. Clivus fracture is considered a posterior skull base fracture and is classified into longitudinal, transversal and oblique. The finding of these fractures had incremented with the use of CT scans. Previously the diagnosis of clival fractures was made mostly at autopsy studies. Clival fractures are associated with injuries to nervous and vascular structures in its vicinity. These fractures have a bad neurological prognosis although there are cases of asymptomatic patients with clival fractures in the scientific literature. In this article we will repot our experience with this traumatic pathology and we will review the literature.

Traumatic epidural hematomas of the posterior cranial fossa.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic EDHs of the posterior cranial fossa are rare and have a higher mortality than supratentorial localizations. Early diagnosis of TEHPCF and prompt surgical evacuation provide excellent recovery. Active use of cranial CT scanning has taken a major role in the diagnosis, surgical indication, close observation, and strategy planning. As a result, better prognosis is achieved. In this study, we represent our results and experiences in the management of TEHPCF. METHODS: Between 1993 and 2006, 65 patients with TEHPCF were treated in Istanbul University Faculty Of Medicine, Neurosurgery and Emergency Surgery Departments. The hospital records of these patients were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Of 65 patients, whose diagnosis and management decisions were determined by cranial CT scans, 53 were treated through surgery and 12 by conservative methods. Of the 53 surgically treated patients, 2 (3%) patients died, and 2 (3%) other patients remained moderately disabled during their discharge. As a result, 61 (94%) of 65 patients had excellent recovery. CONCLUSION: When compared with the literature, our mortality rate was superior to other previously reported studies. In our opinion, this is a result of extensive use of the cranial CT scan together with aggressive surgery. Patients with occipital trauma should be evaluated using cranial CT scans, and those showing mass effect should be immediately treated surgically. The patients that have no mass effect on CT scans can be closely observed by planned serial control CT scans.

Acute epidural hematoma of the posterior fossa--cases of acute clinical deterioration.

PURPOSE: Posterior fossa epidural hematoma (PFEDH) is an uncommon complication of head injury, which is sometimes associated with acute clinical deterioration (ACD) without significant warning symptoms and may results in death. We investigated clinical characteristics of PFEDH with ACD to identify the process of ACD. METHODS: A retrospective case-control review of all patients admitted with a diagnosis of PFEDH between September 1989 and February 1999 was performed. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients (14 men and 7 women) were admitted for PFEDH to Sendai City Hospital. Four patients suffered ACD. All patients had struck their occipital region and had occipital fracture. Patients were treated conservatively on admission because computed tomography (CT) showed no significant findings in 2 patients and PFEDH with minimal symptoms in the others. All patients suffered acute deterioration of consciousness after vomiting. Follow-up CT showed large PFEDH with severe mass effect. Emergency surgery was performed and identified the bleeding point as the venous sinus. The presence of nausea/vomiting was significant risk factor of ACD (Fisher exact test: P = .021). Of the 4 patients, 2 achieved excellent recovery without deficit, 1 was moderately disabled, and 1 died. The outcome of patients with ACD was worse compared to those without ACD (Fisher exact test: P = .046). CONCLUSIONS: We should note that vomiting itself could be a significant risk factor of ACD for occipital head trauma. The patients with occipital fracture and vomiting must be observed closely and followed up by CT, even if the initial CT is negative. CT performed shortly after the trauma may reveal no evidence of PFEDH but cannot exclude the development of delayed hematoma.

[Longitudinal clival fractures: a report of three cases]. / Longitüdinal klivus kirigi: Uç olgu sunumu.

Fractures of the clivus are often associated with severe head trauma and have high mortality rates due to coexisting injury of the adjacent vessels, brain stem and lower cranial nerves. An early diagnosis is often not possible because of adherent problems, high mortality rate and inadequacy of emergency imaging. Diagnosis has recently become easier with high resolution bone window computed tomography studies. In this study, radiological and clinical findings of three patients with longitudinal clival fractures and severe head trauma have been presented and associated injuries and prognostic issues are discussed with reference to the limited number of similar cases in the English literature.