Middle meningeal artery aneurysm: Case report.

BACKGROUND: Aneurysms of meningeal middle artery (MMA) are extremely rare. These aneurysms are of two types: true aneurysm and pseudoaneurysm. The true type is usually seen with pathologic conditions. Pseudoaneurysms, on the other hand, are associated with a skull fracture. Epilepsy caused by MMA aneurysm has never been described to our knowledge. We report a case of true aneurysm isolated from MMA revealed by epilepsy. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 57-year-old patient with a history of high blood pressure developed epilepsy which was treated by valproic acid. Initial scalp electroencephalography (EEG) showed seizure activity arising from the right temporal area. Epilepsy had become drug-resistant. Cerebral angiography revealed an aneurysm of the right middle meningeal artery without any other intraparenchymal anomaly. The interrogation did not reveal any history of family aneurysm. The patient underwent surgery with coagulation of the aneurysm and the MMA. The aneurysm was intradural in contact with the temporal cortex, and the surrounding brain tissues were preserved. The operative follow-up was favorable with amelioration of convulsions with a single antiepileptic. We planned to stop antiepileptic treatment according to electroencephalograms. CONCLUSIONS: Aneurysms of the MMA are rare. Their mode of revelation by seizures is unusual. The factors of rupture are not known. When isolated, their physiopathology is identical to that of the aneurysms of the Willis polygon. Their management uses the same techniques as for other cerebral aneurysms.

[Lombosacral epidural capillary hemangioma mimicking a dumbbell-shaped neurinoma: A case report and review of the literature]. / Hémangiome capillaire épidural lombosacré mimant un neurinome en sablier : à propos d'un cas et revue de la littérature.

INTRODUCTION: Capillary hemangiomas are benign endothelial cell neoplasms that are believed to be hamartomatous proliferations of vascular endothelial cells. The occurrence of spinal epidural capillary hemangiomas is exceedingly rare. Only 8 epidurally located cases of capillary hemangiomas in the spinal canal have been reported in the literature. CASE REPORT: We report for the first time, to our knowledge, a case of lumbosacral epidural capillary hemangioma revealed by S1 back pain and radicular pain in a 60-year-old patient, caused by an L5-S1 epidural capillary hemangioma. The neurological symptoms of the patient improved after surgery. CONCLUSION: Spinal epidural capillary hemangioma is exceedingly rare. These lesions are benign and can mimic dumbbell-shaped neurinoma. Total removal by surgery is curative.

Unusual cause of non-discogenic sciatica: Foraminal lumbar root schwannoma.

BACKGROUND: Schwannomas are tumors of peripheral nerves that develop from the nerve sheath. Foraminal schwannomas are rare and account for 1-5% of all spinal schwannomas. The lumbosacral root schwannoma is a rare cause of sciatica and may raise confusion in diagnosis with late discovery of the tumor. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report the case of a patient 30 years of age with chronic left sciatica in whom lumbosacral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a tumor involving the S1 nerve root. The excision of the tumor was simple. Histological examination revealed a benign schwannoma. The evolution was favorable postoperative with no neurological deficit, which confirms the good prognosis of this tumor. CONCLUSION: Nerve root schwannomas should be considered in the differential diagnosis of sciatica, especially when signs and symptoms of sciatica cannot be simply explained by prolapsed disc syndrome, which can often delay the diagnosis. Through this case presentation, the authors try to discuss the clinical and radiological features of this condition.