The role of intraoperative ultrasound imaging in the surgical removal of intramedullary cavernous angiomas.

Five intramedullary cavernous angiomas were surgically removed after being localized by intraoperative ultrasound imaging. Two patients were men, and three were women; in three patients, the symptoms had an acute onset, whereas in the other two, it was gradual. The vascular malformation was localized in the dorsal tract in three patients and in the cervical tract in two. Intraoperative ultrasound imaging visualized the lesion, which appeared hyperechogenous in all cases, and showed its relationship with the surrounding anatomical structures. Surgical removal was always total and was confirmed by both intraoperative echography and postoperative magnetic resonance imaging. In our experience, intraoperative ultrasound imaging was useful for localizing intramedullary cavernous angiomas, especially in cases where the lesion did not appear on the posterior surface of the spinal cord. In this way, it was possible to limit posterior myelotomy and confirm radical tumor removal intraoperatively.

Tuberculoma of the ulnar nerve: case report.

A peripheral nerve tuberculoma, the third on record, involved the ulnar nerve, as did the other two. This case report is followed by a discussion of the pathogenesis and diagnosis of this lesion. Its pathogenesis is unclear. Direct infection from a tuberculous sister was disproved, and infection via a local wound is highly unlikely. A previous, silent form of tuberculosis seems to have been the cause.

Aphasia in polyglots: report of two cases and analysis of the literature.

Two cases of aphasia in polyglot patients who experienced different symptoms in each of the languages they knew are reported. The authors discuss the problem and analyze the available literature in an attempt to formulate a pathogenetic hypothesis of the different involvement of the known idioms sometimes observed in aphasic polyglots. In particular, when time has elapsed between the learning of the mother tongue and other languages, and all the known languages are, consequently, functionally independent, it is possible that the two or more known idioms have distinct anatomical representations, probably localized separately in the two hemispheres. This could explain why, in some polyglots, aphasia affects one of the known languages preferentially. In subjects in whom the different known idioms were learned during early childhood, the anatomical representation of the languages is similar, which explains why, in this kind of polyglot, all the known languages can be equally affected by cerebral damage that causes aphasia.

Mutism after posterior fossa surgery in children. Report of three cases.

Three patients aged 5 1/2 to 9 years old with mutism after posterior fossa surgery are presented. The entity is discussed with a review of 15 additional previously reported cases in children aged 2 to 11 years. In all 18 patients, a large midline tumor of the posterior fossa (medulloblastoma in nine cases, astrocytoma in five, and ependymoma in four), often attached to one or both lateral recesses of the fourth ventricle, was removed. Mutism developed 18 to 72 hours after the operation (mean 41.5 hours) in patients with no disturbance of consciousness and no deficits of the lower cranial nerves or of the organs of phonation. All of these children had spoken in the first hours after surgery. The disorder lasted from 3 to 16 weeks (mean 7.9 weeks). Speech was regained after a period of dysarthria in six of the 10 cases for whom this information was available. The various hypotheses advanced to explain the pathogenesis of this speech disorder are analyzed.

Postoperative arachnoidal diverticula of the lumbar spine.

Arachnoidal diverticula are a rare complication of spinal surgery and occur most often at lumbar level, especially after discectomy. We report a case of lumbar arachnoidal diverticulum that arose two years after an L4-L5 discectomy and presented clinically with low back pain and sciatic pain and neurological deficits. We analyze the etiopathogenesis, clinical and radiological features and treatment.

Recurrent cystic meningiomas. Report of two cases.

The Authors report 2 cases of recurrent cystic meningiomas among 22 cases operated on. After a review of the literature, the pathogenesis of the recurrences of these tumors is discussed, concluding that wrong interpretation of neuroradiological examination and/or incomplete extirpation of tumoral capsule are the main factors responsible of recurrences of cystic meningiomas.

Familial meningiomas. Report of two cases.

The Authors report a case of intracranial meningioma in two sisters, with no evidence of neurofibromatosis. A study of the karyotype has been performed; in one patient we have found a pericentric inversion of one chromosome 9. The possible role of the genetical factors in the develop of familial meningiomas is discussed.

Narrowing of thoraco-lumbar spinal canal in achondroplasia.

The incidence of neurological deficits in achondroplastic subject is by no means negligible. We considered the clinico-radiological and therapeutic data of 35 achondroplasic patients (5 personal cases and 30 published in the available literature) harbouring myelo-radicular deficits related to narrowing of thoraco-lumbar canal. There was no significant sex prevalence. The clinical symptoms appear most frequently in the III or IV decades of life. Actually morphological anomalies of the spinal canal are already present at birth in achondroplasic dwarfs, and signs of cervical cord involvement are not uncommon in achondroplasic children. The delayed occurrence of clinical symptoms related to narrow toracho-lumbar canal may be explained by the pathogenetic role of acquired cofactors as prolapse of intervertebral disks and for degenerative spondyloartrosis. The clinical history is usually of insidious onset. Most frequent symptoms are motor weakness of the lower limbs (82.8%) and low-back pain (77.1%). Sensory and/or sphincter disturbances appeared to be less frequent (about 40% of the examined subjects). Plain X-rays, myelography, CT, CT-myelography and MRI are the diagnostic examination of choice. Surgical treatment consists of anterior decompression with fusion, when thoraco-lumbar kyphosis is prevalent, and/or posterior decompression, when the symptoms are mainly caused by canal stenosis. From the prognostic point of view, two groups of patients are recognized, in relationship to the presence of marked dorsal kyphosis. Those with kyphosis showed almost invariably poor functional results. In the remaining ones the results were satisfactory, provided that the clinical history lasted less than 3 years and the symptomatology was not already too advanced.

Occasionally-occurring familial brain tumours (OFBT). Reports of cases and review of the literature.

We use the term "occasionally-occurring familial brain tumours" (OFBT) to designate cases in which more than one member of a family presents a brain tumours outside the range of the clinical syndromes in which CNS cancer heredity is well established. We report our experience of OFBT and review the published work on such cases with special reference to some clinicobiological concordances among affected families. On the evidence we present and on that of several genetic and epidemiologico-statistical studies we are inclined to think that there are genetic factors predisposing to the onset of OFBT.

Cervico-medullary junction hemangioblastomas. Report of two cases and review of the literature.

Reporting two cases of dorsally located cervico-medullary hemangioblastomas the Authors discuss clinico-biological features, diagnosis and therapy of this vascular neoplasms, analyzing the cases reported in detail in the available literature. In this site the tumor has often an exophitic development, adhering more or less extensively to the posterior surface of medulla oblungata, where progressively creates a niche. Transient neurogenic arterial blood hypertension, by possible involvement of the dorsal nucleus of vagal nerve, together with the lack of postoperative respiratory disturbances constitute the main clinical features of differentiation with intraaxial hemangioblastomas of the brainstem. Actually MRI represents the radiological investigation of choice, even if angiography still plays an important role in the correct preoperative diagnosis of hemangioblastomas. The therapy of dorsally located cervico-medullary hemangioblastomas is the total removal of the lesion also in asymptomatic patients, being the late surgical results generally successful.

Primary leptomeningeal melanomatosis: early leptomeningeal enhancement on MRI.

One unusual case of primary leptomeningeal melanomatosis is presented. The patient, 53-year-old male, was admitted to our observation for 1 month history of psychasthenia and amnesia. Despite several polyspecialistic clinical, neuroradiological and cytological examinations, conclusive diagnosis was made only with a biopsy of leptomeningeal nodule. The present case allows as to identify 2 stages in the evolution of primary diffuse leptomeningeal melanomatosis. The initial phase is characterized by slight mental impairment without hydrocephalus; during the later phase there is severe, diffuse neurological impairment and both CT and MRI show hypercaptation of the intracranial leptomeninges and multiple, leptomeningeal tumoral nodules.

Medulloblastoma in adulthood.

Reporting 32 cases of medulloblastoma in patients aged 17 to 65 years and reviewing the major case-series in the literature, we analyze the clinicobiological and diagnostic features and treatment of this tumor in adulthood. We consider some factors that seem to have a favorable bearing on the prognosis: female sex, length of clinical history, tumor size, hemispheric site, and total removal followed by radiotherapy. We then discuss the differences in tumor behavior between adulthood and childhood that emerged from the comparative analysis.

Ultrasound-guided brain biopsy: a personal experience with emphasis on its indication.

Between January 1989 and June 1991, 40 ultrasound-guided biopsies of supratentorial brain lesions exceeding 15 mm in diameter were performed. The apparatus used was Berger's neurobiopsy set, intraoperative 5 = MHz transducer, and a B-mode scanner. In 38 cases (95%) the procedure provided a histological diagnosis at the first attempt; in two patients, early in the present series, biopsy was repeated by computed tomography-guided technique due to insufficient samples. Operative mortality was zero and there were no septic complications. Clinical symptoms were stationary after the procedure in 34 cases; two cases temporarily worsened due to postbiopsy edema and subcortical hemorrhage, respectively; and four other cases showed an improvement as a result of evacuation of neoplastic cysts. Histologically, there were 24 primary malignant tumors, eight low-grade glial tumors, five metastatic tumors, two abscesses, and one lymphoma. The ultrasound method for brain lesion biopsy was found to be a simple, quick, and low-cost method that gave reliable results. It is indicated for supratentorial lesions over 15 mm in diameter that do not demand absolute anatomical accuracy.

Relationship between leukocytosis and ischemic complications following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

The prognostic significance of admission leukocytosis with respect to ischemic complications of subarachnoid hemorrhage was retrospectively investigated in a series of patients with recently ruptured intracranial aneurysms. The present study concerned 47 consecutive cases admitted within 72 hours following the last hemorrhage, in the years 1982-1984. There was no difference in the admission WBC counts between patients who subsequently deteriorated due to ischemic complications and those who did not. However, the cell count rose significantly at the time of the clinical manifestations of ischemia, possibly as a result of structural damage of brain tissue and/or increased sympathetic and adrenocortical activity. The possible contribution of leukocytes to the pathogenesis of ischemic damage following subarachnoid hemorrhage--perhaps through the release of leukotrienes--will require further investigation.

Neurinoma of the third, fourth, and sixth cranial nerves: a survey and report of a new fourth nerve case.

A rare case of trochlear nerve neurinoma is described. Including this case, the number of reported intracranial tumors arising from the sheaths of the third, fourth, and sixth cranial nerves is 38. By site and relationship to the nerve segment, they fall into three groups: cisternal, cisternocavernous, and cavernous. In cisternal tumors of the third and sixth nerves, paresis of the nerve hosting the tumor is the unique nerve deficit; by contrast, in those of the fourth nerve, paresis of the trochlear nerve can be absent and that of the third nerve present. In the latter tumors, a peculiar ataxic hemiparesis syndrome is produced by midbrain compression. Cisternocavernous neurinomas often cause symptoms of intracranial hypertension, while cavernous neurinomas bring about two clinical features: paresis of one or more nerves of the cavernous sinus and a clinicoradiological orbital apex syndrome. At surgery, generally cisternal neurinomas are totally removed and the nerve source of the tumor identified; in cisternocavernous and cavernous neurinomas, total removal of tumor and identification of the parent nerve have been reported in only half of the cases. In the majority of parasellar neurinomas, clinical differences can be found between those arising from the nerves governing eye movement and those arising from the gasserian ganglion.

Posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) aneurysm presenting with SAH and contralateral crural monoparesis: a case report.

A patient with contralateral monoparesis of the leg due to subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) from an aneurysm of the first posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) segment is reported. The monoparesis may well be associated with the close anatomical relationships between the site of the aneurysm and the PICA blood supply of the corticospinal fibers to the contralateral leg.

Spinal cord ischemia diagnosed by MRI. Case report and review of the literature.

The purpose of this paper is to report a case of medullary ischemia diagnosed by MRI and to determine any MRI characteristics that may be useful for the diagnosis in the light of the published data. The patient was a 60 year-old male with hypertension and diabetes, referred to us for flaccid paraparesis and sphincter disorders of acute onset. Physical examination revealed, beside flaccid paraparesis, both superficial and deep hypoesthesia at L1 level and greater on the right. MRI showed a small area of signal hyperintensity on T2 weighted images and in proton density localized in the posterior part of the spinal cord at the level of T12 body. The patient was treated with oral antidiabetic, antiaggregant and antihypertensive drugs as well as neuromotor rehabilitation, and his clinical conditions improved; a control MRI, six months later, showed disappearance of the previous finding and only mild medullary atrophy at the level of the lesion. Medullary ischemia has been observed in a variety of pathological conditions (inflammatory, neoplastic, traumatic degenerative and iatrogenic), and most frequently involves the dorsal portion of the spinal cord. Four clinical-pathological manifestations of medullary ischemia have been described: infarction from occlusion of the anterior spinal artery; "patchy" or "lacunae infarction"; "transverse ischemic infarction"; selective ischemia in the regions of the posterior spinal arteries. A review of the literature yielded 61 cases of spinal ischemia diagnosed by MRI for a total number of 80 MRI scans, 12 of which were long-term controls.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

A case of intraroot cauda equina cavernous angioma: clinical considerations.

STUDY DESIGN: Case report and literature review. OBJECTIVE: Intradural-extramedullary cavernoma is a rare condition with only 23 cases reported in the literature. Most cases described adhere to spinal root or spinal cord. We report an example of this rare entity located within the sheets of one cauda equina nerve root. SETTING: Rome, Italy. METHODS: The authors report clinical, radiological, surgical, and pathological features of intraroot cavernoma with a literature review. RESULTS: Patient was operated. One year after surgery, he was healthy. CONCLUSION: Lumbar intradural cavernous angioma may present with sciatalgia, low-back pain, neurological deficit, or, more rarely with subarachnoid hemorrhage or hydrocephalus. They are treated successfully with surgical resection but preoperative status is a predicting factor for outcome. Sometimes the sacrifice of the spinal root is inevitable because, as in present case, the cavernous angioma is included in the nerve root. These lesions are rare and benign lesions. It is important for neurosurgeons to be aware of the existence of this entity to avoid preoperative misdiagnosis with tumor.