Embolismo cerebral durante vuelo comercial: reporte de caso / Cerebral embolism during commercial flight: case report

RESUMEN Presentamos el caso de un varón de 25 años con antecedentes de consumo de marihuana y tabaco, que durante viaje en vuelo comercial a Cusco presentó disnea, pérdida de conciencia y estado epiléptico. Arribó a esta ciudad presentando hipotensión arterial, murmullo pulmonar abolido, sin recuperación de conciencia. La tomografía de tórax reveló bullas pulmonares y la tomografía mostró neumoencéfalo, diagnosticándose embolia gaseosa cerebral. La hipoxemia asociada a convulsiones y pérdida de conciencia en una persona joven durante el vuelo no es un evento común. La pérdida de la presión en la cabina durante el ascenso parece ser el evento desencadenante en pacientes con enfermedad pulmonar.

ABSTRACT We present the case of a 25-year old man with a history of marijuana and tobacco consumption who, during a commercial flight to Cusco, presented dyspnea, loss of consciousness, and epileptic condition. He arrived in this city presenting arterial hypotension, abolished pulmonary murmur, with no recovery of consciousness. The thorax tomography revealed lung bullae and the tomography showed pneumocephalus. He was diagnosed with cerebral gas embolism. Hypoxemia associated with seizures and loss of consciousness in a young person during a flight is not a common event. Loss of cabin pressure during climb appears to be the triggering event in patients with lung disease.

[Cerebral embolism during commercial flight: case report]. / Embolismo cerebral durante vuelo comercial: reporte de caso.

We present the case of a 25-year old man with a history of marijuana and tobacco consumption who, during a commercial flight to Cusco, presented dyspnea, loss of consciousness, and epileptic condition. He arrived in this city presenting arterial hypotension, abolished pulmonary murmur, with no recovery of consciousness. The thorax tomography revealed lung bullae and the tomography showed pneumocephalus. He was diagnosed with cerebral gas embolism. Hypoxemia associated with seizures and loss of consciousness in a young person during a flight is not a common event. Loss of cabin pressure during climb appears to be the triggering event in patients with lung disease.

Presentamos el caso de un varón de 25 años con antecedentes de consumo de marihuana y tabaco, que durante viaje en vuelo comercial a Cusco presentó disnea, pérdida de conciencia y estado epiléptico. Arribó a esta ciudad presentando hipotensión arterial, murmullo pulmonar abolido, sin recuperación de conciencia. La tomografía de tórax reveló bullas pulmonares y la tomografía mostró neumoencéfalo, diagnosticándose embolia gaseosa cerebral. La hipoxemia asociada a convulsiones y pérdida de conciencia en una persona joven durante el vuelo no es un evento común. La pérdida de la presión en la cabina durante el ascenso parece ser el evento desencadenante en pacientes con enfermedad pulmonar.

Comorbidities, Clinical Features, and Prognostic Implications of Cancer Patients with Cerebrovascular Disease.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to identify and describe the comorbidities, clinical features, and prognostic implications of cancer patients with cerebrovascular disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients with cerebrovascular disease (CVD) seen in the neuro-oncology unit at a cancer referral center from April 2010 to November 2016 were included; demographic, oncologic diagnosis, risk factors, and prognostic considerations were presented as well. RESULTS: We report on 256 patients with CVD and cancer, of whom 66% were women. The mean age at the time CVD occurred was 56 years. The most frequently associated malignancies were gynecologic (including breast cancer), hematologic, head and neck, and urologic. The men had more smoking and alcohol consumption history, hemorrhagic CVD, and urologic and hematologic malignancies. The women, besides gynecologic cancer, had more ischemic CVD. Thrombotic CVD, followed by embolic and hemorrhagic CVDs, was more frequent. A comorbid condition besides cancer was found in 71% of the patients. The most frequent clinical presentation was focal motor weakness, altered mental status, and aphasia. The 10-year mortality was 59%; higher rates were found in men, in those with hemorrhagic CVD, in tobacco users, and in those with altered mental status. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer is a well-known risk factor for stroke, which has been associated with a higher frequency in cancer. We found that ischemic stroke due to thrombosis and cardioembolism was more common, and gender, comorbidities, clinical presentation, and type of CVD, but not cancer type, were elements associated with prognosis.

Cerebral Fat Embolism: Recognition, Complications, and Prognosis.

Fat embolism syndrome (FES) is a rare syndrome caused by embolization of fat particles into multiple organs including the brain. It typically manifests with petechial rash, deteriorating mental status, and progressive respiratory insufficiency, usually occurring within 24-48 h of trauma with long-bone fractures or an orthopedic surgery. The diagnosis of FES is based on clinical and imaging findings, but requires exclusion of alternative diagnoses. Although there is no specific treatment for FES, prompt recognition is important because it can avoid unnecessary interventions and clarify prognosis. Patients with severe FES can become critically ill, but even comatose patients with respiratory failure may recover favorably. Prophylactic measures, such as early stabilization of fractures and certain intraoperative techniques, may help decrease the incidence and severity of FES.

Factors Related to Cardioembolism as Major Predictors of Poor Survival after First-Ever Middle Cerebral Artery Stroke Treated with Thrombolysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Prognostic factors related to mortality rates after stroke have been reported; however, most studies included different treatments and did not focus solely on ischemic stroke. The study aimed to report the short- and long-term survival and predictors of death in patients with first-ever ischemic stroke in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory, submitted to intravenous thrombolysis (IVT). METHODS: A prospective observational cohort study of patients with first-ever ischemic stroke in the MCA territory treated with IVT from March 2010 to February 2015 was conducted, and patients were followed up until May 2015. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the cumulative case fatality rates. The potential prognostic factors were identified using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 169 patients, 51% women of mean age of 64.1 ± 12.9 years were followed up for a median time of 23.6 (8.1-36.2) months. At the end of the study, 53 (31.4%) patients had died. The estimated cumulative case fatality rate was 41.8% for 5 years. Chronic heart failure (hazards ratio [HR] 2.89, 95% CI 1.43-5.84, p = 0.003), atrial fibrillation (HR 3.88, 95% CI 1.30-11.57, p = 0.015), and symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH; HR 7.83, 95% CI 3.43-17.92, p < 0.001) were significant unfavorable independent outcome predictors. The most frequent cause of death was infection (46%). CONCLUSIONS: Stroke in the MCA territory has a high mortality rate, even in patients treated with IVT. SICH, atrial fibrillation, and chronic heart failure are modifiable factors related to cardioembolism that need to be aggressively targeted for improved outcomes after stroke.

Safety and performance of a novel embolic deflection device in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement: results from the DEFLECT I study.

AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate the safety and performance of the TriGuard™ Embolic Deflection Device (EDD), a nitinol mesh filter positioned in the aortic arch across all three major cerebral artery take-offs to deflect emboli away from the cerebral circulation, in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). METHODS AND RESULTS: The prospective, multicentre DEFLECT I study (NCT01448421) enrolled 37 consecutive subjects undergoing TAVR with the TriGuard EDD. Subjects underwent clinical and cognitive follow-up to 30 days; cerebral diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) was performed pre-procedure and at 4±2 days post procedure. The device performed as intended with successful cerebral coverage in 80% (28/35) of cases. The primary safety endpoint (in-hospital EDD device- or EDD procedure-related cardiovascular mortality, major stroke disability, life-threatening bleeding, distal embolisation, major vascular complications, or need for acute cardiac surgery) occurred in 8.1% of subjects (VARC-defined two life-threatening bleeds and one vascular complication). The presence of new cerebral ischaemic lesions on post-procedure DW-MRI (n=28) was similar to historical controls (82% vs. 76%, p=NS). However, an exploratory analysis found that per-patient total lesion volume was 34% lower than reported historical data (0.2 vs. 0.3 cm3), and 89% lower in patients with complete (n=17) versus incomplete (n=10) cerebral vessel coverage (0.05 vs. 0.45 cm3, p=0.016). CONCLUSIONS: Use of the first-generation TriGuard EDD during TAVR is safe, and device performance was successful in 80% of cases during the highest embolic-risk portions of the TAVR procedure. The potential of the TriGuard EDD to reduce total cerebral ischaemic burden merits further randomised investigation.

Role of LA shape in predicting embolic cerebrovascular events in mitral stenosis: mechanistic insights from 3D echocardiography.

OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to assess the role of left atrial (LA) shape in predicting embolic cerebrovascular events (ECE) in patients with mitral stenosis (MS). BACKGROUND: Patients with rheumatic MS are at increased risk for ECE. LA remodeling in response to MS involves not only chamber dilation but also changes in the shape. We hypothesized that a more spherical LA shape may be associated with increased embolic events due to predisposition to thrombus formation or to atrial arrhythmias compared with an elliptical-shaped LA of comparable volume. METHODS: A total of 212 patients with MS and 20 control subjects were enrolled. LA volume, LA emptying fraction, and cross-sectional area were measured by 3-dimensional (3D) transthoracic echocardiography. LA shape was expressed as the ratio of measured LA end-systolic volume to hypothetical sphere volume ([4/3π r(3)] where r was obtained from 3D cross-sectional area). The lower the LA shape index, the more spherical the shape. RESULTS: A total of 41 patients presented with ECE at the time of enrollment or during follow-up. On multivariate analysis, LA 3D emptying fraction (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.92 to 0.99; p = 0.028) and LA shape index (OR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.61 to 0.87; p < 0.001) emerged as important factors associated with ECE, after adjustment for age and anticoagulation therapy. In patients in sinus rhythm, LA shape index remained associated with ECE (OR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.67 to 0.94; p = 0.007), independent of age and LA function. An in vitro phantom atrial model demonstrated more stagnant flow profiles in spherical compared with ellipsoidal chamber. CONCLUSIONS: In rheumatic MS patients, differential LA remodeling affects ECE risk. A more spherical LA shape was independently associated with an increased risk for ECE, adding incremental value in predicting events beyond that provided by age and LA function.

Aporte de la Resonancia Magnética en el diagnóstico del Síndrome de Embolia Grasa Cerebral. Reporte de cuatros casos / Contribution of Magnetic Resonance Imaging to the diagnosis of Cerebral Fat Embolism Syndrome. Report of four cases

El síndrome de embolia grasa (SEG) es una entidad poco frecuente de difícil diagnóstico clínico y una causa importante de morbimortalidad en pacientes con politraumatismos. Es la manifestación clínica de la presencia de glóbulos grasos en la circulación sistémica y se caracteriza, fundamentalmente, por el desarrollo de insuficiencia respiratoria, síntomas neurológicos y exantema petequial. Se asocia principalmente con complicación de fracturas de huesos largos, aunque puede ser causada por otros tipos de patologías. El diagnóstico se ha basado clásicamente en los hallazgos clínicos. Por este motivo, presentamos cuatro casos donde la Resonancia Magnética (RM) de encéfalo tuvo un rol fundamental en el diagnóstico...

Infective endocarditis caused by Streptococcus agalactiae in a native aortic valve, complicated by meningitis and cerebral embolism.

We present a case of infective endocarditis associated with community-acquired Streptococcus agalactiae in an immune competent patient. The endocarditis affected the native aortic valve with perforation of the coronary cusp and was complicated by a cerebral embolism. The use of intravenous ampicillin produced a satisfactory clinical and echocardiographic recovery despite not receiving a valve replacement. In addition to reporting an extremely rare case, this paper confirms that the opportune identification of endocarditis caused by S. agalactiae and the selection of appropriate antibiotics can prevent the necessity of cardiac surgery, usually required in such cases.

Terapia de recanalização endovascular de oclusão da artéria carótida em paciente com acidente vascular cerebral agudo / Percutaneous recanalization of carotid artery occlusion in patient with and acute stroke

Relatamos o caso de uma paciente de 69 anos, que, após a realização de arteriografia carotídea apresentou trombose sintomática da bifurcação carotídea. A paciente foi submetida imediatamente a reperfusão endovascular mecânica, com implante bem-sucedido de stent carotídeo, obtendo reversão completa do déficit neurológivo.

A 69 year-old woman developed symptomatic internal carotid artery thrombosis after carotid angiography. She was immediately submitted to mechanical endovascular reperfusion with successful carotid stent implantation and complete neurological recovery.

Malformación arteriovenosa de la vena de Galeno: reporte de un caso / Vein of galen arteriovenous malformation: a case report

Las malformaciones arteriovenosas de la vena de Galeno comprenden un raro grupo de anomalías congénitas que pueden causar una morbimortalidad importante, especialmente en neonatos, pero también en lactantes y niños mayores. Presentamos un caso de detección prenatal de aneurisma de la vena de Galeno a las 35 + 5 semanas de gestación en el Centro de Referencia Perinatal Oriente. Al examen ultrasonográfico se evidenció una imagen quística supratentorial de 47 por 16 mm, en la línea media del cerebro, asociado a polihidroamnios. El examen con Doppler color demostró el origen vascular de la lesión, con flujo turbulento venoso y arteria. Se realiza resonancia magnética (RM) cerebral fetal que confirma diagnóstico. A las 37 + 2 semanas de gestación se interrumpe el embarazo vía cesárea por inicio de trabajo de parto con monitorización electrónica fetal sospechosa de hipoxia. Evaluado con RM cerebral y angiorresonancia posnatal, en el Instituto de Neurocirugía se declara fuera del alcance terapéutico debido al gran compromiso encefálico. El recién nacido fallece a los siete días de vida. En la presente publicación se realiza una revisión de la literatura referente al tema, destacando la importancia de la consejería prenatal y el manejo multidisciplinario de esta compleja patología.