Transtentorial spread of glioblastoma multiforme to cerebellopontine angle - A rare case report.

BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common central nervous system malignant tumor in adults with 48.3% of cases. Despite it, the presence of transtentorial spread is uncommon, with few patients reported in the literature. In this study, the authors report a case of GBM transtentorial spread to cerebellopontine angle after resection and adjuvant treatment. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 55-year-old male patient with GBM, previously submitted to surgical resection and adjuvant treatment with radiotherapy and quemotherapy. Fourteen months after the first surgery, he developed headaches associated with dysphagia and dysphonia. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a recurrence of the left parietal lesion and a new mass in the right cerebellopontine angle. The patient underwent successful surgical resection of both lesions. Chemotherapy was maintained after the surgery. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, there are few cases of GBM metastasis to the cerebellopontine angle reported in the literature. Surgical management should be considered in cases of intracranial hypertension and patients with good performance status.

Ventricular empyema associated with severe pyogenic meningitis in COVID-19 adult patient: Case report.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic raised global attention especially due to the severe acute respiratory symptoms associated to it. However, almost one third of patients also develop neurological symptoms. The aim of the present study is to describe the case of a previously health adult that evolved cerebral ventricular empyema in the IV ventricle during COVID-19 infection treatment. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 49-year-old man with COVID-19 developed pneumonia caused by multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. After treating adequate treatment, sedation was switched off without showing appropriate awakening. Brain CT was performed with evidence of communicating hydrocephalus. External ventricular shunt (EVD) was implant with intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid suggestive of meningitis with a positive culture for oxacillin-sensitive Staphylococcus hominis. Twenty days after EVD, meningitis treatment was finished and with 2 negative cultures, conversion to ventriculoperitoneal shunt was performed. In the following week, during the evaluation of the patient in intensive care, quadriplegia and absence of spontaneous respiratory movement were evidenced, just maintaining head movement. Brain MRI was performed with a diagnosis of ventriculitis associated with pus collections on the IV ventricle. The patient underwent microsurgical drainage removal of the shunt, with a positive intraventricular collection culture for Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase and multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, without improvement in the neurological condition. After 14 weeks of hospitalization, the patient died. CONCLUSION: It is well known that COVID-19 has potential to directly attack and cause severe damage to the central nervous system; however, ventricular empyema is an extremely rare life-threatening complication.

Trigeminal Neuralgia Caused by Cerebellopontine Angle Tumors: Surgical Series

Introduction Cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumors represent an important cause of persistent and refractory trigeminal neuralgia (TN). It is believed that between 1 and 9.9% of the cases of patients presenting with TN painful manifestation are caused by space-occupying lesions. Objective The objective of the present study is to describe the clinical and surgical experience of the operative management of patients presenting with secondary type TN associated with CPA tumors. Method An observational investigation was conducted with data collection from patients with secondary type TN associated with CPA tumors who were treated with surgical resection of the space-occupying lesion and decompression of the trigeminal nerve from January 2013 to November 2016 in 2 different centers in the western region of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Results We operated on 11 consecutive cases in which TN was associated with CPA during the period of analysis. Seven (63.6%) patients were female, and 4 (36.4%) were male. Seven (63.6%) patients presented with right-side symptoms, and 4 (36.4%) presented with left-side symptoms. After 2 years of follow-up, we observed that 8 (72.7%) patients showed a complete improvement of the symptoms, with an excellent outcome, and that 3 (27.3%) patients showed an incomplete improvement, with a good outcome. No patient reported partial improvement or poor outcome after the follow-up. There was no operative mortality. Conclusion Cerebellopontine angle tumors represent an important cause of TNandmust be included in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with refractory and persistent symptoms. Surgical treatment with total resection of the expansive lesion and effective decompression of the trigeminal nerve are essential steps to control the symptoms.

Postoperative Dural Arteriovenous Fistula after Clipping of Ruptured Saccular Aneurysm of Pericallosal Artery

Dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) are pathologic dural shunts characterized by meningeal arterial supply, absence of nidus and drainage to dural venous sinuses or cortical veins. They are usually acquired lesions associated with specific disease and inflammatory processes, including craniotomy. We report a case of postoperative DAVF in a 59 year-old male presenting with a ruptured distal right anterior cerebral artery aneurysm. After an uneventful microsurgery for clipping, meningitis occurred on the ninth day, and was successfully treated. The one-year control angiogram showed a left occipital DAVF. The relevant literature on the occurrence of DAVFs is also presented.

Fístulas arteriovenosas durais (FAVDs) são comunicações patológicas caracterizadas por suprimento arterial meníngeo, ausência de nidus e drenagem para seios venosos durais ou veias corticais. As fístulas são geralmente adquiridas, secundárias a processos inflamatórios e doenças específicas, podendo ocorrer após craniotomia. Relatamos um caso de FAVD ocorrido em um homem de 59 anos de idade com aneurisma intracraniano roto em artéria cerebral anterior direita distal, submetido a microcirurgia e clipagem, e evoluindo com meningite pós-operatória. O paciente apresentou boa evolução, mas na angiografia de controle um ano após a cirurgia foi identificada FAVD em seio transverso-sigmoide esquerdo. Uma revisão da literatura focada na etiologia também é apresentada.

Aneurisma dissecante da artéria vertebral e doença de behçet / Disseting aneurysm of the vertebral artery and behçets disease

A doença de Behcet é caracterizada por uma condição inflamatóriacronica, multissistemica e recorrente, que podeapresentar manifestações vasculares e neurológicas duranteseu curso. Raramente encontramos associação desta afecçãocom aneurismas cerebrais e quando presente, o predomínio éna circulação anterior. Descrevemos um caso raro de doençade Behcet associado a aneurisma roto da artéria vertebralsubmetido a tratamento endovascular.