Tentorial meningioma on follow-up presenting with sudden deterioration due to intra- and peritumoral hemorrhage.

Almost all meningiomas presenting with intracranial hemorrhage in the literature were admitted with symptoms relating to the hemorrhage and there were no prehemorrhage scans which demonstrated the actual size and apperance of the meningioma. This is a very rare report of a case with a tentorial meningioma documented with pre- and posthemorrhage scans.

Cauda-filar paraganglioma with 'silk cocoon' appearance on spinal angiography.

'Silk cocoon' appearance on spinal angiography is pathognomonic to differentiate paragangliomas from several vascular tumors and malformations of cauda-filar region.

A glioma with an arteriovenous malformation: an association or a different entity?

A 58-year-old male was admitted with headache to our neurosurgery clinic. His neurological examination revealed slight left hemiparesis. The radiological evaluation with contrast administred magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan demonstrated a right temporo-parietal ring enhancing mass lesion surrounded by edema which was resembling a typical glioma (Fig. 1). The patient was operated on via a temporo-parietal craniotomy and an arteriovenous malformation surrounded by abnormal glial tissue was observed during the exposure. A nidus supplied by several branches arising from the middle cerebral artery (MCA) was obvious. The venous drainage of the malformation was to the superficial venous system. The observed arterial feeders and the draining vein were coagulated and the nidus was macroscopically totally excised. The frozen examination from surrounding glial tissue revealed a high grade glioma. The tumor was also macroscopically totally excised. Postoperatively, the cerebral angiogram demonstrated a right temporal arteriovenous malformation with a centrally excised nidus. The remaining major feeders involved the angular gyrus and the posterior temporal arteries. The venous drainage was to the straight and sigmoid sinuses (Fig. 2). The final histopathological examination of the specimen revealed an arteriovenous malformation surrounded by a high grade glioma (Fig. 3). The patient refused a second operation for total removal of the AVM. Postoperatively, he is doing well with improvement of his left hemiparesis.

Transtentorial approach to the posterior temporomedial structures.

The supracerebellar transtentorial (SCTT) approach, a modification of the infratentorial supracerebellar approach, facilitates simple and minimally invasive access to posterior temporomedial structures without requiring retraction of the temporal or occipital lobe. The SCTT approach was used in 16 patients over a 3-year period. Eleven patients harbored tumors confined to, or located mainly within, the posterior hippocampal formation, three patients harbored aneurysms (one ruptured posterior cerebral artery [PCA] aneurysm at the P2-P3 junction, one ruptured giant PCA [P2] aneurysm, and one giant basilar artery-superior cerebellar artery aneurysm), one patient had juvenile-type moyamoya disease, and one patient suffered from medically intractable epilepsy. In these patients, the SC

Calvarial metastasis of a paraganglioma. Case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Metastasis of a paraganglioma (PRG) to the calvarium is very rare. In this paper, the case of a 25-year-old male with metastasis of a PRG to the frontoparietal bone is described. CASE DESCRIPTION: The patient presented with bulging on the left side of the head, headache, and weight loss. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a mass lesion in the left frontoparietal region that had destroyed both the external and internal table of the bone, extending under the skin and above the dura mater. After a frontoparietal craniotomy the tumor was removed totally. Histopathological examination revealed the "Zellballen," which are pathognomonic for a PRG. Systemic examination and radiological investigation revealed no primary tumor source. CONCLUSION: Metastasis of a PRG to the calvarium is possible; radical removal of the tumor will provide a cure.

Application of syringosubarachnoid shunt through key-hole laminectomy. Technical note.

The authors describe the key-hole laminectomy technique (KHLT) for application of syringosubarachnoid shunts. This technique was used in 29 patients with noncommunicating syringomyelia. In all cases the shunts were inserted successfully without any peri- or late postoperative complications. The late follow-up magnetic resonance examinations revealed the clear collapse of syrinx in all cases. The authors advocate use of the KHLT because it is associated with less surgery-related trauma, epidural fibrosis, infection, and spinal instability.

Subtonsillar-transcerebellomedullary approach to lesions involving the fourth ventricle, the cerebellomedullary fissure and the lateral brainstem.

We describe the use of the subtonsillar-transcerebellomedullary approach to laterally placed fourth ventricle and brain-stem lesions. The subtonsillar-transcerebellomedullary approach to the fourth ventricle and the lateral brainstem was used in six patients: three patients with tumours of the fourth ventricle and brainstem (two ependymomas and one papillary thyroid carcinoma metastasis), two patients with cavernous angiomas of the brainstem and one patient with a distal posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) aneurysm. The microsurgical anatomy of this approach was studied in five cadaveric head specimens. The tumours and cavernous angiomas were removed and the distal PICA aneurysm was clipped successfully. In all patients the Karnofsky performance scale (KPS) was equal to or better than the preoperative status on follow-up examinations. The anatomical studies also revealed the extensive exposure provided with this approach. The subtonsillar-transcerebellomedullary approach is recommended for lesions occupying the cerebellomedullary fissure, and the lateral aspect of the fourth ventricle.

Migration of the abdominal catheter of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt into the scrotum--case report.

A 3-day-old male neonate presented with migration of the ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt tip through the patent processus vaginalis resulting in scrotal hydrocele. The association of myelomeningocele with hydrocephalus may have been a predisposing factor in this rare complication. Development of scrotal swelling or hydrocele in a child with VP shunt should be recognized as a possible shunt complication.

Cerebral metastasis of a uterine leiomyosarcoma--case report.

A 38-year-old female presented with sudden neurological deterioration 6 years after an operation and chemotherapy for uterine leiomyosarcoma. An extremely rare metastasis of the uterine leiomyosarcoma to the brain was identified and totally resected. Whole brain irradiation (50 Gy) was given. A recurrence of the metastasis was resected 10 weeks later. She ultimately died of a second recurrence. Aggressive surgical management of cerebral metastasis of uterine leiomyosarcoma may achieve an improved outcome.

Variations of the extreme-lateral craniocervical approach: anatomical study and clinical analysis of 69 patients.

OBJECT: The aim of this study was to describe six variations of the extreme-lateral craniocervical approach, their application, and treatment results. METHODS: During a 4-year period 69 patients underwent surgery in which six variations of the extreme-lateral craniocervical approach were performed. The variations included: the transfacetal approach (TFA), performed to treat four lesions in the upper cervical spine anterior or anterolateral to the spinal cord; the retrocondylar approach, to treat five intradural lesions located anterolateral to the medulla oblongata and six vascular lesions to expose the extradural segment of the vertebral artery (VA); the partial transcondylar approach (PTCA), to treat 18 intradural lesions located anterior to the medulla oblongata; the complete transcondylar approach (CTCA), to treat 13 extradural lesions that involved the lower clivus and anterior upper cervical spine; the extreme-lateral transjugular approach, to treat 14 jugular foramen tumors; and the transtubercular approach with or without division of the sigmoid sinus, to treat complex VA and vertebrobasilar junction aneurysms. An anatomical prosection was performed to study the surgical exposure of each of the six variations of the extreme-lateral craniocervical approach. Total removal was achieved in 35 (69%) of the patients with tumor; subtotal resection was achieved in 16 (31%) of those patients. In the 12 patients with VA aneurysms, seven underwent clipping, three underwent trapping and a vein graft bypass procedure, and two underwent trapping without the use of a bypass procedure. In five other patients, different cystic, inflammatory, and other vascular lesions were successfully treated. Fifty percent of the patients who underwent surgery via the TFA, 83% via the of the CTCA, and 11% via the PTCA required an occipitocervical fusion procedure. The mean Karnofsky Performance Scale score was 74.7 preoperatively and 76.4 postoperatively. Major complications were hydrocephalus (nine patients), cerebrospinal fluid leakage (seven patients), worsened cranial nerve function (seven patients), vertebrobasilar vasospasm (one patient), and sigmoid sinus thrombosis (one patient). CONCLUSIONS: To treat lesions in the region of the foramen magnum and surrounding areas, the approach should be tailored to each specific lesion to provide the needed exposure without unnecessary operative steps.

Bilateral vertebral artery occlusion following cervical spine trauma--case report.

A 41-year-old female presented with a rare case of bilateral vertebral artery occlusion following C5-6 cervical spine subluxation after a fall of 30 feet. Digital subtraction angiography showed occlusion of the bilateral vertebral arteries. Unlocking of the facet joint, posterior wiring with iliac crest grafting, and anterior fusion were performed. The patient died on the 3rd day after the operation. This type of injury has a grim prognosis with less than a third of the patients achieving a good outcome.

Surgical management of cavernous malformations of the brain stem.

Different surgical approaches to the brain stem with results of excision of brain stem cavernous malformations are reported. Nine patients with brain stem cavernous malformations were operated with six different approaches. The patients were evaluated neurologically, and by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination. All patients had at least one and often more episodes of haemorrhage. Seven patients underwent the total removal of the malformation, without recurrence. One patient with a large medullary cavernoma had recurrence, but without further growth. One patient with a large pontomesencephalic malformation and partial resection, suffered rebleeding due to residual cavernoma. The mean follow-up period was 49 months (range 3-112). The results of surgery were excellent or good in eight patients, and poor (worsening) in one. It is concluded that surgical resection is recommended for the cavernous malformations of the brain stem which are symptomatic, have bled or are growing, and are approachable through one of the pial surfaces of the brain stem. Different skull base approaches are useful for this procedure. Radiosurgery is not recommended in such cases.

Vertebral artery to common carotid artery bypass in Takayasu's disease with delayed cerebral ischemia.

UNLABELLED: Takayasu's Arteritis is a progressive occlusive disease of the aortic arch and its branches. It may need several bypass procedures along with or without endovascular techniques. CASE DESCRIPTIONS: A twenty-six year old woman who had a history of Takayasu's Arteritis, and had a Gore-Tex Dacron Y-graft from the ascending aorta to the right subclavian and right common carotid arteries 18 years before, is presented. She presented with recurrent hemispheric ischemia and transient ischemic attacks and severe long segment stenosis in the left common carotid artery. She was successfully treated with a saphenous vein graft bypass from the left vertebral artery to the common carotid artery. The stenosis of the brachiocephalic graft was successfully treated by angioplasty. Three months follow up showed stenosis of the left VA immediately proximal to the proximal anastomosis which was managed successfully with angioplasty. CONCLUSIONS: The surgical treatment of Takayasu's Arteritis with bypass procedures needs a complex overview and follow up. A regular follow up is mandatory for evaluation and planning of appropriate management, in view of the progressive nature of the disease process.

The natural history of late diagnosed or untreated growing skull fractures: report on two cases.

Growing skull fractures (GSF) are rare complications of head trauma. Cases after childhood are extremely rare and demonstrate complicated pathological conditions which necessitate extensive treatment. We report on two rare cases of intracranial cysts related to growing skull fractures which are secondary to trauma sustained during childhood, and have been discovered in adolescence.

Persistent trigeminal artery: an anatomic study.

INTRODUCTION: The most frequent embryonic communication between the vertebrobasilar and carotid systems is a persistent trigeminal artery (PTA). It has been observed in 0.1 to 0.2% of cerebral angiograms. We found this variation in an anatomic specimen, and after microscopic dissection, we performed an analysis of the course of the PTA and its relationship with the abducens nerve and the meningohypophyseal trunk. METHOD: A PTA was incidentally encountered in an injected cadaver specimen during a transpetrosal approach. This embryonic variation and its anatomic relationship are discussed. RESULTS: The PTA can take either a lateral or medial course regarding its relationship with the abducens nerve. When the PTA originates from the posterolateral aspect of the posterior bend of the cavernous carotid artery (C4 segment), it crosses underneath and distorts the abducens nerve, continuing between the abducens and trigeminal nerves. When taking a medial course, the PTA arises from the posteromedial aspect of the posterior bend of the cavernous carotid at the same segment and pierces the clival dura at the dorsum sellae. Cranial nerve displacement or distortion is less likely in this variation. In an analysis of carefully described anatomic studies, the PTA and meningohypophyseal trunk were found arising from either common or separated origins. CONCLUSION: The most frequent embryological anastomosis between the carotid and vertebrobasilar system is the PTA. Its course and relationship with the cranial nerves may determine its clinical presentation.