Neurosurgery at Kasturba Medical College: Past, present and future.

Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Manipal, is the oldest and one of the most reputed medical institutes in coastal Karnataka, catering to a population of over 4 million, spanning a stretch of over 350 kms along the southwest coast of India from Mangalore to Goa. The Department of Neurosurgery at KMC, established in 1968, continues to be the leading and most preferred referral center providing high quality neurosurgical services in this region. The article provides an insight into the origin of the department, its infancy and teething troubles, its continuous growth and landmark achievements over the years. This brief review also highlights the current area of focus and describes the plans for its future development.

Hemispheric Infarct Following a Cerebellar Hematoma: A Rare Coincidence.

Concomitant cerebral infarction developing soon after a parenchymal intracerebral hemorrhage is a rare occurrence. Usually, these remote site changes follow tumor decompression and are associated with hemorrhagic changes rather than infarcts. We report a case of a fatal malignant internal carotid territory infarct in a hospitalized patient being conservatively managed for a vermian hematoma and discuss the probable pathophysiology. Stroke physicians need to be aware that spontaneous intracerebral hematoma patients have a potential threat of developing large vessel occlusion with malignant cerebral infarcts, especially after surgical decompression. Although the exact pathogenesis is unknown, size of the clot, intraventricular hemorrhage, hydrocephalus, and aggressive reduction of blood pressure appear to be predictive factors.