Microsurgical anatomy of the Adamkiewicz artery-anterior spinal artery junction.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to describe the anterior spinal artery-Adamkiewicz artery (ASA-AKA) junction and establish a classification allowing defining the neurological risk in either thoracoabdominal aorta aneurysm treatment and in anterior or transforaminal thoracolumbar spine surgery. METHODS: Fifteen spinal cords of fresh cadavers were dissected. Both lumbar arteries and ASA were injected with strongly diluted red-colored silicon. RESULTS: The dural crossing of AKA was located on the left side in 86 % of cases, between T8 and T10 in 73.33 % of cases and L1-L2 in 26.67 % of cases. The average diameter of the ascending branch of AKA was 1.10 mm (range 0.8-1.9 mm), and its average length was 30.27 mm (range 12.3-60 mm). The AKA's arch average diameter was 11.3 mm (range 9-20 mm) with an open downward angle average of 20.1° (range 11°-30°). The descending branch of AKA which was a continuation of ASA had an average diameter of 1.33 mm (range 0.8-1.86 mm). The ASA at the top of the arch had an average diameter of 0.74 mm (range 0.2-1.77 mm). According to these findings, we have proposed a new classification with two types of junctions. The type I and its variant correlated to high neurological risk were present in 93.33 % of cases. The type II, correlated to medium or low neurological risk, was present in 6.67 % of cases. CONCLUSION: These anatomical findings allow a planning of the neurological risk before thoracoabdominal aorta aneurysm or thoracolumbar anterior or transforaminal spine surgery.

Microsurgical Anatomy of the Labyrinthine Artery and Clinical Relevance.

AIM: To describe the origin, the course, and relationships of the labyrinthine artery (LA). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thanks to a colored silicone mix preparation, ten cranial bases were examined using x3 to x40 magnification under surgical microscope. RESULTS: The LA often arose from the meatal loop of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) (90%), or basilar artery (10%). The loop was extra-meatal of the internal auditory meatus (IAM) in 30%, at the opening of the internal auditory meatus in 20%, or intra-meatal in 35%. The AICA coursed in closed relationship to the VII and VIII cranial nerves. It coursed between VII and VIII cranial nerve roots in 85%, or passed over the ventral side of both VII and VIII cranial nerve. The average diameter of the LA was 0.2 +/- 0.05 mm. LA was single trunk in 60%, and bi-arterial in 40%. CONCLUSION: The implication of these anatomic findings for cerebello-pontine angle tumors surgery and neurovascular pathology such as infarction, aneurysm of the LA or the AICA are reviewed and discussed.

A rare third ventricle solitary tuberculoma.

The localization of the tuberculoma at the third ventricle is rare. The authors report a case of third ventricle solitary Tuberculoma which has occurred in a 10 year old patient and revealed by a syndrome of intracranial hypertension without tuberculosis stigma. This lesion appears clinically and radiologically as a primary brain tumor. A total removal using a subchoroidal approach to the third ventricle has been performed. Histological examination showed a tuberculous like granuloma. An adjuvant antituberculous chemotherapy practiced for 6 months brought the complete cure. The authors insist on the diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties in front of a third ventricle solitary tuberculoma.

Les tumeurs intraventriculaires de l'encephale

Objectif Rapporter notre experience des tumeurs intraventriculaires encephaliques Methodes Etude retrospective descriptive et analytique portant sur une serie de 19 patients traites de Janvier 1994 a decembre 2004. L'evaluatio n diagnostique s'est faite a l'aide de la tomodensitometrie cranio-encephalique et de l'etude neuro-pathologique des pieces operatoires. Les tumeurs paraventriculaires prolabees dans les ventricules ont ete exclus. RESULTATS : Il s'agissait de 12 patients de sexe masculin et 7 de sexe feminin (sex ratio: 1.71). L'age moyen des patients a ete de 19 ans variant entre 2 et 52 ans avec un pic de frequence entre 20 et 29 ans. Le syndrome d'hypertension intracranienne a ete la circonstance diagnostique la plus frequente (89.4) et l'hydrocephalie presente chez 78.95des patients. La tomodensitometrie cranio-encephalique a ete realisee dans tous les cas. Les ventricules lateraux ont ete le site anatomique le plus touche (52.63) suivi du troisieme ventricule (26.32) puis du quatrieme ventricule (21.05). L'evaluation de la qualite de l'exerese tumorale a montre 61.11d'exerese complete contre 38.89d'exerese partielle. D'un point de vue neuropathologique l'Ependymome a ete la tumeur la plus frequente (21.05) et la majorite des tumeurs etait benigne ou a faible potentiel evolutif. La mortalite globale liee aux tumeurs intraventriculaires a ete de 21.04(4 cas) avec une mortalite operatoire a 10.52(2 cas). Conclusion Ce travail portant sur les tumeurs intraventriculaires dans leur ensemble semble etre le premier effectue en Afrique subsaharienne. Malgre leur siege ces tumeurs sont souvent curables lorsque le diagnostic est pose precocement. L'exerese tumorale complete doit etre tentee autant que possible