Pineal germinoma in a young adult: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Intracranial germinomas (GN) are rare cancers that primarily affect children, making them rarer still in adults. Standard treatment for this neoplasm includes neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NC) followed by radiotherapy (RT) or RT at a higher dose and larger field. These recommendations are based on studies focused mostly on children; it is currently unclear whether this treatment is applicable to adults. CASE: We present a case of a 23-year-old adult male with no underlying pathologies, drug allergies, or family history of cancer, who presented for medical evaluation with blurred vision, diplopia, forgetfulness, and weight loss starting 3-4 months before the evaluation. Clinical examination indicated Parinaud's Syndrome. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) revealed a pineal tumor with ependymal dissemination in both lateral ventricles, which was causing obstructive hydrocephalus. The patient had surgery consisting of ventriculostomy, Holter shunt insertion, cisternal ventricular intubation, and cisterna magna anastomosis to improve ventricular drainage. Pathology confirmed pineal germinoma. Cerebrospinal fluid cytology and MRI of the axis were negative. Four cycles of NC were given to the patient (carboplatin, etoposide, and ifosfamide), with reduced dosage. Once a partial volumetric response was confirmed, whole-ventricular radiotherapy (WVR) was initiated with a total tumor bed dose of 45 Gy over 25 sessions in 5 weeks. Optimum clinical results were observed, and no short-term (<90 day) radiation toxicity was observed. The patient was able to resume his normal activities soon after treatment. Follow-ups over 2 years post-surgery indicated continued control of the lesion and absence of symptoms except for mild diplopia. CONCLUSION: Although this is a case report, these data suggest that a reduced NC course and WVR may effectively treat adult GN. This protocol likely decreases the risk of undesirable NC and RT secondary effects, while providing excellent local control; however, using a narrower RT field is not recommended.

Herpes simplex virus type 2 meningitis as a manifestation of Good's syndrome.

Good's syndrome is a primary immunodeficiency phenocopy characterized for thymoma and immunodeficiency. The most frequent clinical presentation is recurrent or opportunistic infections, hematological alterations, and chronic diarrhea. We treated a 66-year-old man who consulted for 5 days of headache and diplopia with right sixth cranial nerve palsy at examination. Patient reported chronic diarrhea and prolonged febrile syndrome accompanied by weight loss of 23 kg in the last year. Exhaustive evaluation revealed Herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 2 meningitis, eosinophilic colitis, and type A thymoma. Severe antibody deficiency (hypogammaglobulinemia) associated with thymoma confirmed the diagnosis of Good's syndrome.

Aneurisma gigante de carótida derecha / Giant aneurysm of right carotid

Los aneurismas se definen como dilataciones localizadas y permanentes que suponen un incremento del calibre del vaso mayor del 50%. En la carótida interna son poco frecuentes, de etiología casi siempre aterosclerótica y aparecen con mayor frecuencia en mujeres mayores de 60 años. La porción cavernosa de la arteria carótida interna raramente sufre ruptura y tiene una clínica variada que incluye cefalea, diplopía, parálisis de los nervios oculomotores y dolor facial. Presentamos el caso clínico de un paciente del Hospital Vargas de Caracas con aneurisma gigante de arteria carótida derecha en seno cavernoso, quien inició de forma súbita cefalea holocraneana, acompañada de oftalmoplejía, midriasis, disminución de la agudeza visual y sin signos de irritación meníngea, que se manejó de forma médica conservadora con evolución satisfactoria

Aneurysms are defined as permanent expansions of the artery with an increase of arterial blood of 50 %. The ethiology is mostly atherosclerotic, and they appear more frequently in 60-year old women. The clinical presentation is more frequent with migraine, diplopya, paralysis of the oculomotor nerves and facial pain. We present a case of a patient with a gigantic aneurysm of the cavernous sinus of the carotid artery treated at the Hospital Vargas de Caracas, Venezuela. This patient had a sudden severe migraine, accompanied of ophthalmoplegia, mydriasis, impaired vision, without signs of meningeal irritation. The treatment was medical with satisfactory progress of the patient

Endoscopic management of brainstem injury due to ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement.

INTRODUCTION: We report a patient who suffered from brainstem injury following ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placement in the fourth ventricle. DISCUSSION: A 20-year-old man with complex hydrocephalus and trapped fourth ventricle underwent a suboccipital placement of a VP shunt. Postprocedure patient developed double vision. Magnetic resonance imaging showed that the catheter was penetrating the dorsal brainstem at the level of the pontomedullary junction. Patient was referred to our Neuroendoscopic Clinic. Physical exam demonstrated pure right VI cranial nerve palsy. Patient underwent flexible endoscopic exploration of the ventricular system. Some of the endoscopic findings were severe aqueductal stenosis and brainstem injury from the catheter. Aqueductoplasty, transaqueductal approach into the fourth ventricle, and endoscopic repositioning of the catheter were some of the procedures performed. Patient recovered full neurological function. The combination of endoscopic exploration and shunt is a good alternative for patients with complex hydrocephalus. A transaqueductal approach to the fourth ventricle with flexible scope is an alternative for fourth ventricle pathology.

Otomastoiditis por Tsukamurella tyrosinosolvens, en un paciente HIV positivo / Tsukamurella tyrosinosolvens, otomastoiditis in an HIV positive patient

Tsukamurella spp. es un bacilo gram positivo, aeróbico, catalasa positivo, no móvil, no esporulado, que pertenece al orden de los actinomicetales. Los géneros incluidos en este orden son Nocardia, Gordonia, dietza, Skermania, Williamsia, Turicella, Streptomyces y Rhodococcus. Otros géneros relacionados son Corynebacterium y Mycobacterium. Las infecciones por esos microorganismos se han asociado con neumopatías crónicas, inmunodepresión (leucemia, tumores, infección por el HIV) e infecciones postoperatorias de heridas. Se notificó la presencia de tsukamurella en hemocultivos asociada al uso de sondas o catéteres, otros dispositivos médicos y en casos individuales de tenosinovitis necrosante con abscesos subcutáneos, infecciones óseas y cutáneas, meningitis, peritonitis y conjuntivitis y también como germen colonizante. Se presenta un caso de otomastoiditis en un paciente HIV positivo causado por este germen.

Afección de los oblicuos superiores en la enfermedad de Graves / Superior oblique muscle disorder in Graves'Disease

El objetivo del trabajo es describir las características clínicas y tomográficas de pacientes con estrabismo por Enfermedad de Graves, en quienes se verificó la afección de los músculos oblicuos superiores, hallazgo poco frecuente y escasamente reportado en la bibliografía médica.