Metástasis intramedular de adenocarcinoma gástrico: caso clínico y revisión de la literatura / Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis from gastric adenocarcinoma: Case report and review of literature

Las metástasis intramedulares son entidades infrecuentes relacionadas con el cáncer de pulmón o de mama, siendo excepcional su origen gástrico. Es frecuente que desarrollen clínica más rápidamente que los tumores intramedulares primarios, con déficit motor, dolor, alteraciones esfinterianas, así como trastornos sensitivos de diversa índole, siendo altamente sugestiva la existencia de un síndrome de Brown-Séquard en pacientes con antecedentes oncológicos. El pronóstico de estos pacientes es ominoso, con una supervivencia media aproximada de 4 meses, aunque revisiones recientes postulan que la cirugía puede aportar un leve incremento en la supervivencia, así como una mayor capacidad funcional. Presentamos el caso de un paciente de 61años con una metástasis intramedular cervical de un adenocarcinoma gástrico y revisamos la literatura científica, habiendo 3 casos publicados previamente

Intramedullary spinal cord metastases are very rare and usually associated with lung or breast cancer, with gastric origin being exceptional. Their clinical onset tends to be faster than that of primary intramedullary tumours. The most common early symptoms of intramedullary spinal cord metastasis are motor deficit in one or more limbs, pain, sensory loss, and sphincter disturbances. The appearance of a rapidly progressive Brown-Séquard syndrome in an oncology patient should orientate the diagnosis of this condition. The prognosis is very poor, with a median survival of 4months. However, recent research has shown that surgery could offer a slight benefit in survival and functionality. The case is reported of a 61-year-old man with an intramedullary spinal cord metastasis from a gastric carcinoma, as well as a literature review of this topic. It has been found that this case is the fourth one reported in the literature

Type I spinal arteriovenous fistulae exception: a case for reclassification.

OBJECTIVE: Type I spinal arteriovenous lesions represent dorsal dural arteriovenous fistulae with no spinal artery involvement. We report an exception to this and propose dividing Type I lesions into dorsal and ventral categories. METHODS: A 51-year-old patient presented with a partial Brown-Sequard syndrome. An angiogram revealed a spinal arteriovenous fistula, most prominently being fed a radicular artery arising from the right vertebral artery with only ventral venous drainage. RESULTS: This feeder was selected and embolized with onyx, however residual fistula persisted and the patient subsequently underwent microsurgical disconnection. At six-month follow-up, patient motor deficits have resolved and difficulty with proprioception is improving. CONCLUSION: Type I dural arteriovenous fistulae are associated with dorsal venous drainage. Our case demonstrates an exception to this. Recognizing this exception was crucial, because it allowed for simple microsurgical disconnection. We propose that type I dural arteriovenous fistulae be subdivided into ventral and dorsal based on their drainage pattern. This differentiation is critical because lesions with ventral drainage have traditionally been classified as type IV. These lesions have a different treatment method given involvement of spinal arteries.

Diffusion tensor imaging and tractography in Brown-Sequard syndrome.

STUDY DESIGN: Case report. OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the utility of diffusion tensor imaging and tractography in two patients with Brown-Sequard syndrome after penetrating cervical cord injury. SETTING: Milwaukee, WI, USA. METHODS: Two patients, who presented with features of Brown-Sequard syndrome after sustaining stab wounds to the neck, underwent DTI and tractography of the cervical cord within a week of the injury. DTI metrics were measured within the left and right hemicord around the level of injury. Diffusion tensor tractography was performed to visualize the site of injury and injured fiber tracts. RESULTS: Axial fractional anisotropy maps at the site of injury showed unilateral damage to the cord structure, and FA was significantly reduced within the injured hemicord in both patients. Tractography allowed for visualization of the injured fiber tracts around the level of injury. Both DTI metrics and tractography showed an asymmetry that corresponded to the neurological deficits exhibited by the patients. CONCLUSION: This report illustrates the utility of DTI and DTT in delineating regions of cord injury in two patients with traumatic Brown-Sequard syndrome. Our results indicate that DTI provides clinically relevant information that supplements conventional MR imaging for patients with acute SCI.

[Brown-Sequard syndrom complicating a C6 teardrop fracture associate with an occult vertebral artery dissection: case report]. / Syndrome de Brown-Séquard compliquant une fracture teardrop de C6 associée à une dissection d'une artère vertébrale asymptomatique : à propos d'un cas.

CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 27-year-old man, presenting a C6 tear-drop fracture associated to medullar contusion with a Brown-Sequard syndrome. An asymptomatic right vertebral artery dissection in its V2 portion was also discovered by the radiologic investigations. A surgical treatment and antiplatelet therapy were performed. The patient outcome was quite satisfactory.

The role of MRI in spinal stab wounds compared with intraoperative findings.

INTRODUCTION: Spinal stab wound injuries are quite rare and only few patients have been reported on the basis of MRI scan. METHODS: A 25-year-old man was stabbed at C1/2 and had an incomplete Brown-Sequard syndrome. He underwent surgical exploration because of CSF leakage on the fourth day. RESULTS: After a follow-up period of 32 months, he was left with a remaining loss of the proprioception of the right foot. We show detailed CT and MR images with the focus on the lesions of the dura and myelon and compared them with intraoperative images. In addition, we contrast our findings with a review of literature published over the last three decades. CONCLUSION: MRI gives the most detailed view of soft tissue lesions in SSWs and is in accordance with our intraoperative findings.

Cervical intradural disc herniation and cerebrospinal fluid leak.

Cervical intradural disc herniation (IDH) is a rare condition and only 25 cases of cervical have been reported. We report a 45-year-old male who presented with sudden onset right lower limb weakness after lifting heavy weight. Magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical spine showed C5/6 disc prolapse with intradural extension. The patient underwent C5/6 discectomy through anterior cervical approach. Postoperatively, the patient improved in stiffness but developed cerebrospinal fluid leak and the leak resolved with multiple lumbar punctures.

Pneumocephalus and Brown-Sequard syndrome caused by a stab wound to the back.

This report describes a case of Brown-Sequard syndrome in a man who presented to the ED after a stabbing to the left scapula region. The incidental finding of pneumocephalus found on CT scan during workup lead to cervical MRI that revealed the spinal cord pathology associated with Brown-Sequard syndrome.

Brown-Sequard syndrome revealing intradural thoracic disc herniation.

Brown-Sequard syndrome (BSS) is a rare form of severe myelopathy characterised by a clinical picture reflecting hemisection of the spinal cord. This syndrome is mostly due to a penetrating injury to the spine but many other non-traumatic causes have been described. Intradural thoracic disc herniation (TDH) is one of the rare aetiologies of this syndrome. Despite progress in imaging techniques, diagnosis and treatment remain difficult. We retrospectively reviewed one of the largest reported series of six patients with BSS revealing intradural TDH between 2003 and 2007. There was a marked female predominance and the mean age was 44 years. Before surgery, half of the patients had a severe neurological deficit. The mean duration of symptoms until surgery was 8.5 months (range 0.5-24 months). Spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or spine computer tomography scan showed calcified TDH between T5-T6 and T9-T10. The intradural location of the thoracic herniation was strongly suspected from the clinical data. All the patients underwent posterolateral transpedicular surgery with an operative microscope to open the dura mater. The intradural location of the herniation was overlooked in one case and the patient underwent a second procedure. The dura mater was carefully closed. Two patients' condition worsened immediately after the surgery before slowly improving. All the other patients improved their neurological status immediately after the surgery and at 12 months follow-up. BSS with TDH on the spine MRI scan may be a warning symptom of the intradural location of the herniated disc. In such cases, spine surgeons are advised to use an operative magnification and to open the dura mater to avoid missing this potentially curable cause of severe myelopathy.

Diffusion tensor tractography demonstration of partially injured spinal cord tracts in a patient with posttraumatic Brown Sequard syndrome.

The authors report the utility of diffusion tensor tractography in demonstrating the partially severed spinal cord tracts on one side with normal, intact, distally traceable tracts on the opposite side in a patient with posttraumatic Brown Sequard syndrome. A 30-year-old man presented with typical clinical features of a hemisection injury of the thoracic spinal cord, 2 months after he had sustained a back stab injury. Routine MRI showed T2 hyperintense zones in the thoracic spinal cord at the level of T5. We did axial single shot echo planar diffusion tensor imaging with a 1.5 Tesla MR machine. Tractography effectively depicted the injured spinal cord tracts on the left side with normal intact tracts on the right side, which could be traced distally. The fractional anisotropy and apparent diffusion coefficient values showed significant changes at the level of injury. Tractographic demonstration of human spinal cord injury is reported for the first time.

Pontobulbar palsy and sensorineural deafness (Brown-Vialetto-van Laere syndrome): the first case from Libya.

We report the first case of Brown-Vialetto-van Laere syndrome from Libya. A 27-year-old female patient with progressive pontobulbar palsy, sensorineural deafness and generalized muscle weakness is described. Although she was born to consanguineous first cousin parents, she was the only one affected among five brothers and six sisters. The first symptoms appeared at the age of 18 years with tinnitus, weakness and unsteadiness that progressed over the course of a few weeks to deafness, blurring of vision, dysphagia, and dysarthria. Over the last nine years her symptoms progressed slowly, although interrupted with periods of rapid deterioration. Fifty-eight cases have been reported since the first case was described in 1894.

[MRI features of spinal neurosarcoidosis associed with cervical spondylosis]. / Myélopathie sarcoïdosique associée à un canal cervical rétréci : aspects IRM.

INTRODUCTION: Spinal neurosarcoidosis is rare and exceptionally inaugural. OBSERVATION: A 49-year-old African woman developed a progressive left Brown-Sequard syndrome. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the cervical spinal cord revealed an intramedullary lesion from C2 to T1 with intense pial enhancement after administration of contrast material associated with cervical spondylosis. The diagnostic of sarcoidosis was confirmed by liver biopsy which demonstrated noncaseating granulomas. CONCLUSIONS: MRI features of spinal neurosarcoidosis were reviewed by the authors with focus on differential diagnosis.

Spontaneous cervical epidural hematoma causing Brown-Sequard syndrome: case report.

OBJECTIVE: Spontaneously occurring epidural hematoma without any identified etiology is a rare phenomenon. These are often neurosurgical emergencies; therefore, prompt diagnosis and treatment are paramount. Because of the rarity of this condition, we illustrated its presentation, evaluation and management in this recent case. CASE: A 63-year-old male presented to our emergency room with right-sided hemiparesis and contralateral hypoesthesia, consistent with a C5 Brown-Sequard syndrome. An initial evaluation for cerebral infarction was unremarkable, including a negative brain computerized tomography imaging. Cervical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a cervical epidural hematoma. The patient underwent emergent laminectomy for decompression and evacuation of the hematoma within 24 hours of presentation to the emergency room. The patient's symptoms improved remarkably after surgery and a 4th-month follow-up MRI evaluation was normal. CONCLUSION: This report highlights the various presentations, evaluation, and management options for this rare diagnosis. It emphasizes the necessity of prompt diagnosis for possible emergent intervention.

Idiopathic transverse myelitis presenting as the Brown-Sequard syndrome.

STUDY DESIGN: Case report. OBJECTIVES: To report an unusual case of Brown-Sequard syndrome (BSS) associated with idiopathic transverse myelitis (TM). SETTING: Department of Neurosurgery, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, South Korea. METHODS: A 38-year-old man presented with left leg weakness and right-sided decrease in sensation at the T11 level below. Magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the thoracic spine showed diffuse swelling of the spinal cord spanning the fifth to the eighth thoracic vertebra. The lesion had high signal intensity on T2-weighted images. Eccentric nodular enhancement within the left anterolateral aspect of the spinal cord was appreciated with gadolinium administration. RESULTS: The patient was treated with pulsed methylprednisone and showed marked improvement in neurological function within 3 days. An MRI at 5-month follow-up demonstrated complete resolution of the abnormalities. CONCLUSION: This case illustrates a rare case of BSS caused by idiopathic TM of the thoracic spinal cord. TM should be considered in the differential diagnosis of BSS.

Thoracic cord herniation through a dural defect: description of a case and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Spinal cord herniation through a dural defect is a cause of myelopathy and BSS that may be underdiagnosed. It may occur spontaneously, after trauma, or after surgery. CASE DESCRIPTION: We present the case of a 47-year-old woman who presented with low back pain, progressive myelopathy, right proximal LEW, several episodes of falling, sensory changes below the lower part of the chest wall, and pathologic reflexes. Magnetic resonance imaging of the thoracic spine showed kinking of the spinal cord anteriorly at the level of T6-7. Posterior laminoplasty and intradural exploration revealed an anteriorly displaced spinal cord that was herniating through a ventral dural fold. The defect was repaired, and the spinal cord abnormality was reduced. Postoperatively, the patient's strength, gait, and sensation improved immediately. CONCLUSIONS: We discuss the successful surgical treatment of a thoracic spinal cord tethering from herniation through a ventral dural defect and review the literature regarding the proposed pathogenesis, surgical repair options, and reported outcomes.

Spontaneous herniation of the spinal cord: operative technique and follow-up in 10 cases.

OBJECT: The authors report on a series of 10 patients with spontaneous thoracic cord herniation, provide the longterm follow-up, and propose a surgical strategy. METHODS: All 10 patients had a defect in the ventral dura mater. They were all treated surgically with wide excision of the dura around the defect, repositioning of the cord, and reconstruction with a ventral patch. Five patients were followed up for > 4 years. RESULTS: Surgery improved motor power in 4 patients and pain in 2 patients, although sensory disturbances remained unchanged in all but 1 patient. One patient's condition deteriorated secondarily due to edema and syringomyelia. CONCLUSIONS: Microsurgical treatment may halt the exacerbation of neurological symptoms and should be performed with progressive deficits. Long-term results are good regarding the motor function.

Brown-Sèquard syndrome produced by C3-C4 cervical disc herniation: a case report and review of the literature.

STUDY DESIGN: The article presents a case in which Brown-Sèquard syndrome resulted from a painless C3-C4 disc herniation. OBJECTIVE: To raise spinal surgeons' awareness of this unusual clinical problem. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Brown-Sèquard syndrome involves ipsilateral loss of motor function combined with contralateral loss of pain and temperature sensation. Brown-Sèquard syndrome is commonly seen in the setting of spinal trauma or an extramedullary spinal neoplasm, but rarely it can be caused by a herniated cervical disc. METHODS: A 46-year-old man presented with progressive numbness and weakness in the left arm, mild neck pain, and reduced temperature sensation on the right side of the body. There was weakness in left arm and leg and proximal right lower limb. Magnetic resonance imaging showed large C3-C4 disc herniation compressing the spinal cord at that level. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion with iliac crest bone graft was performed. RESULTS: Follow-up showed complete resolution of the neck pain, normal sensory function, and complete recovery of motor power in the left upper and right lower limb. There was a slight residual weakness in the left leg. CONCLUSION: Brown-Sèquard syndrome is rarely caused by a cervical disc herniation. This etiology may be underdiagnosed but has a more favorable outcome in those cases where rapid diagnosis is followed by spinal cord decompression.