Cerebellar mutism after embolization of vermian arteriovenous malformation.

BACKGROUND: Cerebellar mutism is usually associated with posterior fossa tumor surgery. CASE REPORT: We report a case of a 17-year-old female, presented with headache and tremor after hemorrhage from a vermian arteriovenous malformation. She was successfully treated by embolization; however, on immediate postoperative, she developed persistent mutism. To the best authors' knowledge, this is the first case of cerebellar mutism after endovascular treatment reported in the medical literature. CONCLUSION: The endovascular approach may have the same potential of complication of conventional surgery; therefore, more study is necessary to clarify the role and limits of this technique to treat cerebellar arteriovenous malformation.

Pediatric Cervical Aneurysmal Bone Cyst Treated by Endovascular Approach.

INTRODUCTION: Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) is a rare, benign, and expansible bone lesion, occurring mainly in childhood. Although most lesions are located at the metaphysis of long bones, they can also be found in flat bones and spine. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 16-year-old boy with cervical ABC treated by endovascular embolization. The afferents were occluded as a preoperative preparation for surgery; however, as the patient became asymptomatic after the procedure, the family refused surgery. Image at 1-year follow-up showed reduction and ossification of the lesion. CONCLUSION: Endovascular treatment decreases surgical morbidity by reducing blood loss, which is particularly important in the pediatric population. This therapeutic option may also halt ABC growth in selected cases.

Endovascular Treatment of a Dural Arteriovenous Fistula after Cerebral Sinovenous Thrombosis in a Child.

BACKGROUND: Dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) is rare in children. Development theories postulate a response to cerebral sinovenous thrombosis (CSVT) or to venous hypertension. The symptoms are highly nonspecific and depend on lesion location. Standard treatment of thrombosis is based on antithrombotic therapy, while the main therapy for DAVF is embolization. CASE REPORT: An 8-year-old boy presented with headache was diagnosed with CSVT and treated with anticoagulant. He developed tinnitus, mental confusion, and lowering of consciousness. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a DAVF draining through a single stenotic venous sinus. Successful endovascular treatment was performed with arterial embolization of multiple feeders and stent and balloon sinus angioplasty. CONCLUSION: Risk factors associated with sinus thrombosis must be always investigated; endovascular treatment is safe and reasonable in a clinical deterioration scenario.

Atypical Presentation of PHACE Syndrome: Hidden Facial Hemangioma.

PHACE(S) syndrome is a neurocutaneous syndrome with a wide array of presentations. The most known and present trait is facial hemangioma > 5 cm. The name is an acronym for Posterior fossa malformations, infantile Hemangiomas, Arterial anomalies, aortic Coarctation, Eye abnormalities, and middle-line malformations of the Sternum. The exact etiopathogenic mechanism of this syndrome is not fully understood, and its treatment depends on detailed and individualized assessment. The aim of this paper is to describe a child with a throat hemangioma, vascular malformations, cognitive delay, and other anomalies to illustrate the neuroimaging found in this syndrome.

Is the Mayfield Head Holder Obligatory for Intracranial Aneurysm Clipping?

Intracranial aneurysm surgery is commonly performed using pinned head holders, which pose a higher risk for the pediatric population. Several authors recommend avoiding the use of this device when it is not strictly necessary, and this is currently possible considering advances in anesthesiology and monitoring. As the literature on microsurgery without skull clamp use is scant, we report the case of a 15-year-old boy presenting with a subarachnoid hemorrhage after rupture of a middle cerebral artery aneurysm. Surgical treatment was performed with the head resting on a gel cushion horseshoe; aneurysm clipping was achieved without wakefulness or awareness and the patient had a good recovery.

Does amantadine improve cognitive recovery in severe disorders of consciousness after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage? A double-blind placebo-controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Severe disorders of consciousness (sDoC) are a common sequela of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhages (aSAH), and amantadine has been used to improve cognitive recovery after traumatic brain injury. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the effect of amantadine treatment on consciousness in patients with sDoC secondary to aSAH. METHODS: This double-center, randomized, prospective, cohort study included patients ≥ 18 years old with sDoC after aSAH from February 2020 to September 2023. Individual patient data of patients were pooled to determine the effect of amantadine, in comparison to placebo. The primary outcomes at 3 and 6 months after the ictus were evaluated using the modified Rankin scale (mRS) and Glasgow outcome scale (GOS). In addition to all-cause mortality, secondary endpoints were assessed weekly during intervention by scores on Rappaport's Disability Rating Scale (RDRS) and Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRSR). RESULTS: Overall, 37 patients with sDoC and initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) varying between 3 and 11 were recruited and randomized to amantadine (test group, n = 20) or placebo (control group, n = 17). The average age was 59.5 years (28 to 81 year-old), 24 (65%) were women, and the mean GCS at the beginning of intervention was 7.1. Most patients evolved to vasospasm (81%), with ischemia in 73% of them. The intervention was started between 30 to 180 days after the ictus, and administered for 6 weeks, with progressively higher doses. Neither epidemiological characteristics nor considerations regarding the treatment of the aneurysm and its complications differed between both arms. Overall mortality was 10.8% (4 deaths). During the study, four patients had potential adverse drug effects: two presented seizures, one had paralytic ileus, and another evolved with tachycardia; the medication was not suspended, only the dose was not increased. At data opening, 2 were taking amantadine and 2 placebo. CONCLUSION: Despite some good results associated with amantadine in the literature, this study did not find statistically significant positive effects in cognitive recovery in patients with delayed post-aSAH sDoC. Further large randomized clinical trials in patients' subgroups are needed to better define its effectiveness and clarify any therapeutic window where it can be advantageous.

Solitaire AB Stent Deployment for Treatment of Basilar Apex Aneurysm via the Posterior Communicating Artery.

AIM: To report the retrograde technique of horizontal stenting through the PCoA using a Solitaire AB stent. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A self-expandable stent was deployed from one posterior cerebral artery to the opposite, across the neck of a ruptured wide-neck basilar apex aneurysm. RESULTS: The technique allowed successful aneurysm embolization with coils in a 53-year-old woman. CONCLUSION: Differently from clipping, where the fetal posterior communicating arteries may represent an obstacle, in endovascular treatment it provides an alternative way to the aneurysm. The Solitaire AB stent is easy to navigate, fully retrievable and repositionable, which enables accurate deployment.

Moyamoya disease and syndrome: a review.

Moyamoya disease is a chronic occlusive cerebrovascular disease that is non-inflammatory and non-atherosclerotic. It is characterized by endothelial hyperplasia and fibrosis of the intracranial portion of the carotid artery and its proximal branches, leading to progressive stenosis and occlusion, often clinically manifesting as ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke with high rates of morbidity and mortality. On cerebral angiography, the formation of collateral vessels has the appearance of a puff of smoke (moyamoya in Japanese), which became more conspicuous with the refinement of modern imaging techniques. When there is associated disease, it is known as moyamoya syndrome. Treatments are currently limited, although surgical revascularization may prevent ischemic events and preserve quality of life. In this review, we summarize recent advances in moyamoya disease, covering aspects of epidemiology, etiology, presentation, imaging, and treatment strategies.

A doença de moyamoya, ou doença cerebrovascular oclusiva crônica, é uma afecção não inflamatória e não aterosclerótica, caracterizada por hiperplasia endotelial e fibrose dos segmentos intracranianos das artérias carótidas internas e da porção proximal de seus ramos. Isso provoca estenose progressiva e oclusão, frequentemente manifestada clinicamente como isquemia cerebral ou hemorragia intracraniana, com alta morbimortalidade. A formação compensatória de vasos colaterais produz, na angiografia encefálica, um aspecto de nuvem de fumaça (moyamoya, em japonês). Quando existe doença subjacente que possa estar relacionada, a doença recebe o nome de síndrome de moyamoya. Embora a incidência esteja aumentando graças aos novos métodos diagnósticos, as estratégias terapêuticas ainda são limitadas. O diagnóstico precoce permite cirurgias de revascularização cerebral que podem evitar novos acidentes vasculares e melhorar a qualidade de vida. Nesta revisão são apresentados os avanços recentes sobre a doença de moyamoya, citando aspectos de epidemiologia, etiologia, apresentação, exames diagnósticos e tratamento.

Women in neurosurgery and interventional neuroradiology in Brazil and other countries: can lightning strike the same place twice?

BACKGROUND: Neurosurgery is historically a specialty with a wide male predominance. Interventional neuroradiology, considered in many countries to be a subspecialty of neurosurgery (but also radiology and neurology), has never been the setting for this discussion, but the even greater gender inequality of professionals working in this area is well known. AIMS: The initial objective of this research was to describe the personal and professional profile of the few women in Brazil who practise neurosurgery and interventional neuroradiology, and the difficulties they encountered throughout their careers just because they are women. However, the shocking stories they experienced led the team to expand searches around the world, obtaining data from some other countries, mainly in South America. Machismo, harassment, misogyny, discrimination and wage inequality go beyond borders. DISCUSSION: Current times do not allow these situations anymore, but which, according to the narrative descriptions of 28 interventional neuroradiology women interviewed, still occur very frequently. A more inclusive vision must be sought by interventional neuroradiology societies, and it is up to the leaders to take care of those who need more attention (which does not mean they are more fragile).

Complications of Endovascular Treatment in Fibromuscular Dysplasia.

BACKGROUND: Fibromuscular dysplasia affects generally renal artery, causing renovascular hypertension. The most classical angiographic pattern, string-of-beads, can be found in cervical and more rarely in other arteries. With the advance of endovascular procedures techniques, the number of open surgeries is decreasing, and complications related to the selective catheterization of diseased vessels are increasing. CASE REPORT: A 37-year-old man presenting with subarachnoid hemorrhage was submitted to angioplasty for dissecting aneurysms of vertebral artery with a good outcome. Several arteries were angiographically diagnosed with the dysplasia (renal, carotid, femoral), and some complications like stenosis, dissection, arteriovenous fistula, and dissecting aneurysm occurred in sequence. CONCLUSIONS: FMD of cervical arteries is usually asymptomatic. There are no guidelines or protocols to cervical FMD treatment, being indicated only for the complications. Because of the vessels fragility, a several spontaneous or post endovascular procedure complications can be disastrous.

Ondine's curse: myth meets reality.

Ondine's curse is one of the most enchanting mythical tales in the field of Medicine. The nymph Ondine was an immortal water spirit who became human after falling in love for a man, marrying him, and having a baby. In one of the versions of the tale, when she caught her husband sleeping with another woman, she cursed him to remain awake in order to control his own breathing. During the 19th century, the rare syndrome characterized by loss of autonomic breath control, while voluntary respiration remains intact, was cleverly named "Ondine's curse". Nowadays, the term Ondine's curse is usually associated with congenital central hypoventilation syndrome; however, in medical literature, it also designates several respiratory disorders. Here, we present a review of the myth focused on history, arts and medicine.

Matas test revisited: carotid compression for embolization of high-flow pediatric pial arteriovenous fistulas.

OBJECTIVE: Cerebral pial arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is a rare vascular malformation and may cause hemorrhage and neurological deficit. The presence of high-flow shunts constitutes a challenge when performing the endovascular technique, due to risk of distal embolization. The authors report a simple maneuver, adapted from the Matas test, that was successfully applied to treat a child with two pial AVFs. METHODS: An 8-year-old boy presented with headache and vomiting due to two single-channel high-flow intracerebral pial AVFs. He was treated with an endovascular approach using brief, gentle compression of the ipsilateral cervical carotid artery. The temporary flow arrest ensured proper placement of the first coil, allowing definitive obliteration of the shunt. RESULTS: There were no complications with the procedure, and the patient recovered uneventfully. Throughout the 9-month follow-up, the patient experienced a stable neurological condition, with both fistulas occluded and improvement of local circulation. CONCLUSIONS: This easy-to-perform maneuver allows precise positioning of embolic material into high-flow shunts to facilitate treatment of pial AVF.

Dural Arteriovenous Fistula Associated with Dental Implant.

BACKGROUND: Dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) are characterized by pathologic shunts between meningeal arteries and venous sinuses, without nidus. Although many lesions are considered idiopathic, there may be an association with inflammatory processes, including sinus thrombosis, venous hypertension, craniotomy, trauma, and infections. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 50-year-old woman with an infectious complication of a dental implant evolved with an occipital DAVF. To our knowledge, this is the first case of a dental implant-related DAVF reported in the medical literature. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians should be aware of the possibility of DAVF formation after craniofacial infections. Better understanding of the etiopathogenesis of this type of lesion is required to avoid and treat potential complications.

Henrique Dumont: how a traumatic brain injury contributed to the development of the airplane.

The life and death of Henrique Dumont (1832-1892) is little known, being usually remembered as Alberto Santos-Dumont's father. This report describes the history of this Brazilian engineer, also known as the King of Coffee, who achieved enormous business success and fortune in the late nineteenth century. In 1890, during the inspection of his farm, the world's largest coffee plantation at that time, he fell from a carriage, which left him a hemiplegic. This forced him to sell the farm and move to France for treatment. Before his death two years later, he gave his 18-year-old son bits of advice, and distributed his inheritance, which allowed Alberto to study in Paris and finance his experiments that would culminate in the development of the airplane. The diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities are also discussed.