Intrasellar abscess simulating a pituitary tumour

A case of an abscess of the sella turcica discovered during craniotomy for pituitary tumour in a 20-year-old man is presented. The clinical features of this unusual intrasellar lesion are discussed. The importance of early diagnosis, high-dosage antibiotics and surgical intervention in reducing the high mortality associated with abscesses in this location are emphasized. It is suggested that abscess of the sella turcia should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a sella mass in any patient with a recent history of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea, sphenoid sinusitis or meningitis (AU)

Spinal stroke as a presentation of dissecting aneurysm of the aorta

A case of ischaemic spinal cord injury in a 70-year old patient is presented. Autopsy showed a DeBakey type 1 dissecting aneurysm of the thoraco-abdominal aorta with involvement of the intercostal and lumbar arteries on the left side. The zone of spinal cord infarction was extensive. The vascular anatomy of the spinal cord is reviewed, and its vulnerability to ischaemia is emphazied (AU)

Sporadic concurrence of von Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis and marfan syndrome

A unique case of sporadic concurrence of von Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis parentage and normal family background is described. The pathogenetic aspects of this rare phenomenon are discussed. It is suggested that such an unusual concurrence is the result of spontaneous genetic mutation (AU)