Hydrocephalus in children under the age of five from diagnosis to short-/medium-/long-term progression: a retrospective review of 142 children.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical history and prognosis of children with early-onset hydrocephalus. The retrospective study's inclusion criteria were hydrocephalus diagnosis before the age of 5 years, independent of aetiology, and birth details, January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2014. Overall, 142 children were entered into the study, divided into 11 aetiological groups: premature-birth post-intraventricular haemorrhage (16%), brain tumours (16%), spina bifida (15%), aqueductal stenosis (8%), post-meningitis (8%), post-haemorrhage (8%), Dandy-Walker malformation (6%), unknown origin (6%), arachnoid cyst (5%), miscellaneous obstruction (4%), and various causes (8%). In total, 23 patients died, primarily from the tumour group. Ventriculostomy, performed 42 times, was successful in 20 patients. Overall, 226 internal shunts were placed in 99 children. Infectious complications affected 19% of children after shunt placement and 51% after mechanical complications. Mean follow-up was 4 years 10 months, with 61% of children progressing fairly well, especially those with aqueductal stenosis, cysts, and unknown or diverse obstructive causes. Post-meningitis hydrocephalus displayed the poorest outcome. Isolated obstructive hydrocephalus exhibited better prognosis, with most obstructive aetiologies effectively treated via ventriculostomy. Children treated by shunt placement were more at risk of complications. Aetiologies with associated abnormalities and neurological sequelae had poorer outcomes.

Intramedullary holocord abscess secondary to infected dermoid cyst.

In the literature, less than ten cases of holocord intramedullary abscess in children have been described. A 15-month-old girl presented with flaccid paraplegia and dermal sinus in the sacral region. MRI highlighted an infected lumbar dermoid cyst. The child underwent surgery to remove the cyst and purulent collection. Five days after surgery, she developed upper limbs paresis. An MRI showed a holocord abscess. A catheter was inserted through a cervical myelotomy into the abscess for drainage with a good postoperative recovery. A rapid management, even for extended or recurrent intramedullary abscess, can prevent potential severe neurological dysfunctions.

Spinal dural arteriovenous fistula presenting with paraplegia following lumbar puncture.

Spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas are rare lesions with an annual incidence of 1 per 100,000 population. In patients with this disease, an abnormal vascular dural shunt exists between a dural branch of a segmental artery and a subdural radicular vein that drains the perimedullary venous system, leading to venous hypertension and secondary congestive myelopathy. Generally, patients present with progressive paraparesis, urinary disturbances, and gait ataxia. In this report the authors describe a 61-year-old woman with a spinal dural arteriovenous fistula who developed an acute paraplegia after a nontraumatic lumbar puncture. The possible underlying mechanisms and treatment options are discussed.

Motor cortex stimulation in a three-year-old child with trigeminal neuropathic pain caused by a malignant glioma in the cerebellopontine angle: case report.

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: Motor cortex stimulation (MCS) is an accepted treatment in neuropathic pain syndromes. Use of MCS for trigeminal neuropathic pain (TNP) caused by a malignant glioma or in a child has not previously been reported in the literature. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 3-year-old boy presented to our department with a right temporal tumor with extension into the cavernous sinus and along the root of the trigeminal nerve up to the protuberance. Six weeks after removal of the temporal part of the tumor, the patient developed medically refractory trigeminal pain associated with tumor progression into the posterior fossa. We decided to remove the tumor from the cerebellopontine angle and residual tumor in the pericavernous area and then gave postoperative radio- and chemotherapy. Five months later, the patient developed unbearable refractory neuropathic pain characterized by a burning sensation in the first and second trigeminal areas. After a multidisciplinary discussion, MCS was recommended. We performed subdural MCS after localization of the central sulcus via anatomic landmarks, neuronavigation, peroperative sensory evoked potentials, and motor evoked potentials. The mother estimated a 75% reduction in the child's pain at 48 hours postoperatively, which continued until the child was pain-free. CONCLUSION: MCS is a minimally invasive surgical technique that seems to be a potential treatment for carefully selected children experiencing very severe and medically refractory neuropathic pain, even in the context of a neoplasm.

Postoperative spinal adhesive arachnoiditis presenting with hydrocephalus and cauda equina syndrome.

To our knowledge, the association between hydrocephalus and postoperative spinal adhesive arachnoiditis (SAA) has never been reported. Herein we describe an unusual case of a 45-year-old man with spinal adhesive arachnoiditis (SAA) who developed delayed-onset hypertensive hydrocephalus and cauda equina syndrome (CES) after multiple low-back surgeries. The patient's clinical presentation, imaging findings, surgical management, and the possible mechanisms are discussed in the light of the present literature.