Factors associated with early improvement after intravenous thrombolytic treatment in acute ischemic stroke.

OBJECTIVE: : The aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with early neurological improvement (ENI) in patients who experienced acute ischemic stroke and were treated with intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (IV rt-PA), and determine the relationship with the outcome at the first control. METHOD: : This study included 377 patients who were treated with IV rt-PA in Izmir Dokuz Eylül University Hospital between January 2010 and October 2018. ENI was defined as a 4 or more improvement in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score in the first hour, the twenty-fourth hour and the seventh day when compared to the pretreatment phase. The modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 0-1 score was defined as 'very good outcome'. RESULTS: : The basal NIHSS (p=0.003, p=0.003, p=0.022) was high in the first hour, twenty-fourth hour, and seventh day ENI groups. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level was low in the first- and twenty-fourth-hour ENI groups (p=0.007, p=0.020). Furthermore, admission glucose was low at the twenty-fourth hour and on the seventh day ENI groups (p=0.005, p=0.048). A high infarct volume was observed on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at the twenty-fourth hour and on the seventh day non-ENI groups (p= <0.001, p= <0.001). CONCLUSION: : Management of factors associated with ENI and determination of treatment strategies accordingly are important for obtaining a better clinical outcome. It can help quickly select patients, who, even though they will not respond to rt-PA, may be appropriate candidates for bridging therapy.

Challenges in the Diagnosis of Intraocular Lymphoma

Intraocular lymphomas are among the rare malignancies that present with a wide variety of clinical manifestations. Differential diagnosis can be very troublesome due to its mimicking nature, insidious disease onset, and partial treatment response to steroids. The most important step in diagnosis is a high index of suspicion. Signs of the disease are now easier to detect using multimodal imaging techniques. In this case series, we reviewed the clinical characteristics of two women aged 70 and 71 years and a 72-year-old man with intraocular lymphoma and described their multimodal imaging findings in detail. Bilateral eye involvement was present in all three cases at our first ophthalmological examination. While the disease first presented with ocular involvement in two of the three cases, ocular involvement was detected seven years after initial heart involvement in one patient. All three patients had diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (one diagnosed with retinal biopsy, one with conjunctival biopsy, and the remaining with stereotactic brain biopsy). Intraocular lymphoma should be diagnosed and treated using a multidisciplinary approach, and we share our experience in this case series.

Adult Spinal Primary Leptomeningeal Medulloblastoma Presenting as Pseudotumour Cerebri Syndrome.

A previously well 34-year-old man presented with severe pseudotumour cerebri. Imaging showed that he had a cauda equina tumour which proved to be a medulloblastoma. There was no tumour mass in the posterior fossa so we assume that this was a primary leptomeningeal medulloblastoma. In patients with somewhat atypical pseudotumour, spinal imaging should always be considered.

Unilateral Purtscher-like retinopathy as the presenting feature of a case with spontaneous carotid artery dissection.

Carotid artery dissection should be considered in the differential diagnosis when a clinician faces with a case presenting with a unilateral Purtscher-like retinopathy.

Optic nerve sheath decompression saves sight in severe papilloedema: results from 81 eyes in 56 patients with pseudotumor cerebri.

PURPOSE: To report the outcome of optic nerve sheath decompression (ONSD) for papilloedema in a teaching hospital in western Turkey. METHODS: The charts of 56 patients who had ONSD surgery between April 2007 and September 2019 were collated; and a total of 81 operated and 31 fellow eyes were included. Pre- and postoperative ophthalmologic examination including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), colour vision (CV), visual field (VF) analysis, fundoscopic examination and demographic and medical characteristics of the patients were noted and outcomes after surgery were investigated. RESULTS: Of all study eyes, 49 (43.7%) eyes had BCVA 0.2 or less and 62 (55.3%) eyes had mean deviation (MD) below - 20.0 dB. 62 (55.3%) eyes had Frisen grade 4 or 5 papilloedema. Almost half of the eyes had severe vision loss. After ONSD, BCVA, CV and MD in both operated and fellow non-operated eyes improved significantly (p < 0.001, p = 0.009 and p < 0.001 for operated, p < 0.001, p = 0.007 and p < 0.001 for fellow eyes, respectively). Earlier surgery and higher cerebrospinal fluid opening pressure were related to better outcomes. None of the patients had major operative complications. CONCLUSION: Optic nerve sheath decompression can safely improve vision not only of the operated but also of the non-operated eye, even in cases with severe vision loss from severe bilateral papilloedema. Regardless of initial VA and VF, patients may benefit from ONSD; the earlier it is done the more likely the better outcome.

Multimodal imaging features of a spontaneously resolved unilateral congenital macrovessel-related macular edema in a 13-year-old boy.

Purpose: Congenital retinal macrovessels (CRM) are large aberrant blood vessels that cross the horizontal raphe. Visual acuity may be negatively affected in cases afflicted with CRM due to macular serous detachment, hemorrhage, exudation, foveolar cyst formation and retinal artery occlusion. Even the presence of an anomalous vessel itself running through the foveal avascular zone may compromise the visual acuity. In this case report, we discuss the multimodal imaging characteristics of a case of symptomatic unilateral CRM-related cystoid macular edema and serous macular detachment in a 13-year-old boy. Observations: Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) imaging of the superficial retina revealed the aberrant vessel and anomalous arteriovenous communication between the aberrant vessel and the retinal artery. The foveal avascular zone also appeared partly distorted. Conclusions: The present case reports the second-youngest patient afflicted with unilateral CRM and associated macular edema. There was spontaneous resolution of macular edema within six weeks. In light of the observations in this case and the literature review, the need to refrain from rapid therapeutic intervention in the eyes of patients affected with CRM and macular edema must be emphasized.

Orbital Apex Syndrome Secondary to Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus.

Orbital apex syndrome is a rare complication of herpes zoster ophthalmicus. A patient being followed in our clinic for herpes zoster ophthalmicus developed orbital apex syndrome in the second week of treatment. Clinical diagnosis was supported by magnetic resonance imaging. Treatment with systemic steroid and antiviral therapy resulted in total regression of ophthalmoplegia at 2 months. However, optic neuropathy-induced vision loss was permanent. This case report examines orbital apex syndrome secondary to herpes zoster ophthalmicus, which has rarely been documented in the ophthalmic literature.

Convergence spasm due to aquaporin-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.

A female 27 presented with nausea and diplopia for 1 week. On examination she had normal vertical gaze but would develop convergence with miosis whenever she made horizontal saccades. Pupils were 6 mm and unreactive to light. MRI showed extensive hyperintensity in the dorsal midbrain and thalamus. Spinal MRI and CSF were both normal. Serum aquaporin-4-antibody was positive. She was treated with steroids and plasmapheresis and after 3 months convergence spasm resolved but pupils remained unreactive. Neuromyelitis optica often presents with brainstem signs, rarely a dorsal midbrain syndrome. Convergence spasm is occasionally of organic neurologic origin.

Bilateral Severe Sterile Inflammation with Hypopyon after Simultaneous Intravitreal Triamcinolone Acetonide and Aflibercept Injection in a Patient with Bilateral Marked Rubeosis Associated with Ocular Ischemic Syndrome.

We report the clinical course of a diabetic patient with bilateral cataract and rubeosis in association with ocular ischemic syndrome and initially treated him with simultaneous intravitreal 2 mg aflibercept and 2 mg triamcinolone acetonide injection at the same setting prior to planned cataract surgery and further photocoagulation. However, sterile anterior segment inflammation characterized by hypopyon occurred four days apart in OU. Right eye developed the sterile inflammation at the third postinjection day and the left eye developed the sterile inflammation at the seventh postinjection day (two days after the uneventful cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation) without any pain or significant redness. Vitreous biopsy taken during the right phacovitrectomy was negative for any microbial contamination. Both eyes were treated successfully with intensive topical prednisolone acetate with a relatively good visual outcome. It is likely that underlying ocular ischemic syndrome might have facilitated the formation of sterile inflammation as blood-aqueous barrier disruption and flare have already been present.

Angiocentric Glioma: The Infiltrative Glioma with Ependymal Differentiation.

Angiocentric glioma is an epileptogenic, infiltrative, low grade glial tumor, with ependymal and astrocytic differentiation, most commonly seen in young adults and the pediatric age group. Herein we report a case of 21-year-old male patient who presented with fever and pharmaco-resistant seizures. Computed tomography revealed an iso-dense mass lesion in the gyrus rectus of the left frontal lobe. On magnetic resonance imaging the mass was hyperintense on both T1- and T2-weighted images with no contrast enhancement. Histopathological examination revealed monomorphous tumor cells diffusely infiltrating the neuropil with circumferential, radial, or longitudinal angiocentric alignment and subpial aggregation with perpendicular alignment of the cells to the pial surface. Among central nervous system tumors with ependymal differentiation, this distinct entity is the one with an infiltrating growth pattern. In spite of the infiltrating pattern, it does not seem to have a potential for aggressive behavior.

Unilateral Adult Xanthogranulomatous Infiltration of the Conjunctiva, Limbus and Sclera Leading to a Combined Ophthalmic Artery and Central Retinal Vein Occlusion.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the features of a female patient with a biopsy-proven xanthogranulomatous infiltration of the conjunctiva, limbus and sclera who had an exudative retinal detachment, combined ophthalmic artery and central retinal vein occlusion unilaterally. METHOD: A-53-year old otherwise healthy woman presenting with a painful visual loss in her right eye underwent an ophthalmic examination, meticulous systemic work-up and histopathologic assessment. RESULTS: Ophthalmic examination revealed multiple subconjunctival masses, upper limbal infiltrations, trace cells in the anterior chamber, pale looking posterior fundus, 360 degree scattered retinal hemorrhages and marked exudative retinal detachment in her right eye. Left eye was completely normal.A biopsy taken from one of the subconjunctival masses demonstrated a diffuse infiltration of the histiocytes and this was interpreted as a xanthogranulomatous infiltration with the help of immunohistochemical staining techniques. CONCLUSION: Present case is the only reported adult case with xanthogranulomatous-like infiltration of the eyeball featuring both anterior and posterior segment involvement without any concomitant major systemic disturbances.

Morphometric evaluation of the uncinate process and its importance in surgical approaches to the cervical spine: a cadaveric study.

INTRODUCTION: The uncinate process (UP) has an important role because of its relationship with the vertebral artery and spinal roots. Degenerative diseases cause osteophyte formation on the UP, leading to radiculopathy, myelopathy and vertebral vascular insufficiency, which may require surgical management. This study aimed to evaluate the morphometry of this region to shed light on the anatomy of the UP. METHODS: Morphometric data was obtained from 13 male formaldehyde-fixed cadavers. Direct measurements were obtained using a metal caliper. Computed tomography (CT) morphometry was performed with the cadavers in the supine position. RESULTS: Direct cadaveric measurements showed that the height of the UP increased from C3 (5.8 ± 1.0 mm) to C7 (6.6 ± 0.5 mm). On CT, the corresponding measurements were 5.9 ± 1.2 mm at C3 and 6.9 ± 0.6 mm at C7. The distance between the left and right apex of the UP from C3 to C7 also increased on both direct cadaveric and CT measurements (C3: 20.8 ± 1.0 mm and C7: 28.1 ± 2.4 mm vs. C3: 23.7 ± 3.4 mm and C7: 29.0 ± 3.0 mm, respectively). On CT, the distance between the UP and superior articular process at the C3 to C7 levels were 9.8 ± 1.7 mm, 7.9 ± 1.8 mm, 7.9 ± 1.6 mm, 7.8 ± 1.3 mm and 8.2 ± 1.7 mm, respectively. CONCLUSION: Direct cadaveric and CT measurements of the UP are useful for preoperative evaluation of the cervical spine and may lead to better surgical outcomes.

Optic nerve and dura mater involvement as the first sign of multiple myeloma.

PURPOSE: To report a case of optic nerve and dura mater involvement as the first sign of multiple myeloma. METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: A 43-year-old woman presented with a headache and decreased vision in both eyes. Ophthalmic examination revealed anterior uveitis and subretinal mass around the optic nerves with accompanying disc edema bilaterally. Magnetic resonance imaging showed dural and optic nerve infiltration with tram-track enhancement in the optic nerve sheath. The diagnosis of multiple myeloma was made as a result of systemic investigations. The patient underwent systemic chemotherapy and cranial radiotherapy. After treatment, the patient's headache disappeared, the papilledema regressed, and the ocular findings improved but complete recovery could not be achieved because of fibrous subretinal tissue and degenerative changes of the optic nerve. CONCLUSIONS: Neurologic and ophthalmic involvement in multiple myeloma may appear as the first manifestation of disease. The correct diagnosis is important because it can be life-saving.

Management of free-floating thrombus within the arcus aorta and supra-aortic arteries.

INTRODUCTION: Clinical management strategy and the best treatment option of free floating thrombus (FFT), detected in patients with acute ischemic cerebrovascular diseases is still uncertain due to the rarity of these conditions. Recent studies emphasize that FFT within cerebral vessels may not be a surgical emergency since complete dissolution without any further neurologic progression occurred in 86% of patients treated medically. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of medical treatment on the fate of thrombus and the clinical status in acute cerebrovascular event patients with detected FFT in the artery feeding the compromised brain territory at the time of diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We have retrospectively reviewed the initial and follow up computed tomography angiography, diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging examinations of 37 acute ischemic stroke patients with detected FFT and treated medically. The patients were evaluated for any change of the FFT, residual stenosis after the FFT shrunk or disappeared and neurologic outcome. RESULTS: FFT was located in cervical carotid artery, intracranial artery and arcus aorta in 23, 6 and 5 of the patients respectively. Dissection accompanied the FFT in 3 patients. Recanalization was maintained in 34 patients however, three of them suffered from new infarctions. A total occlusion was detected in three patients. Two of them had new infarcts while one was stable during clinical follow-up period. CONCLUSION: The results of our retrospective study have shown that FFT in the proximal aorta and supra-aortic arteries tend to resolve with anticoagulant and/or antiplatelet treatment without causing recurrent adverse events in most of the cases. Furthermore, resolution of the clot seems to provide a safer ground for a recanalization procedure like stenting or endarterectomy if needed.

Capillary malformation-arteriovenous malformation syndrome with spinal involvement.

Capillary malformation-arteriovenous malformation (CM-AVM) is a recently identified autosomal dominant disorder. Arteriovenous lesions have been reported in the brain, limbs, and face. We report a 7-year-old patient with CM-AVM with spinal AVM, which is a rarely reported association.

Single intravitreal ranibizumab injection for optic disc neovascularisation due to possibly traumatic, direct carotid cavernous fistula.

We report a patient with optic disc neovasculariation due to possibly traumatic direct carotid cavernous fistula treated by a single dose of intravitreal ranibizumab prior to neurointervention. A 25-year-old man had a 10-month history of bilateral proptosis and left sixth nerve paralysis was evaluated. Conjunctival vessels were markedly dilated, especially in the left eye. Clinical examination and fundus fluorescein angiography revealed disc neovascularisation in the left eye with subtle peripheral retinal ischaemia. Magnetic resonance imaging suggested a high-flow carotid cavernous fistula on the left side and this was confirmed by catheter angiography. A single dose of intravitreal ranibizumab was injected prior to neuro-intervention. The disc neovascularisation regressed completely three days later. The left direct carotid cavernous fistula was later treated successfully with coil embolisation. Optic disc neovascularisation is a very rare feature of carotid cavernous fistula and intravitreal ranibizumab may be a useful therapeutic adjunct prior to neuro-interventional techniques to reduce neovascularisation-induced haemorrhage following the intervention.

Branchial cleft cyst with xanthogranulomatous inflammation.

Xanthogranulomatous inflammation (XGI) is a special type of inflammation presenting as mass lesions and mimicking malignant tumors. It is rarely described in the head and neck region, and to the best of our knowledge, there are no cases associated with branchial cleft cyst. A 39-year-old woman with an infiltrative cystic neck mass that radiologically mimicks a malignant tumor is herein presented. The histopathologic diagnosis was a branchial cleft cyst with XGI. XGI may be associated wih branchial cleft cysts. Patients may present with radiologic findings mimicking an invasive malignant tumor, and should be taken into account during the differential diagnosis with cystic squamous cell carcinoma.