Resection of a rare giant chondromesenchymal hamartoma of the scalp with intracranial blood supply in an adult woman: illustrative case.

BACKGROUND: Nasal chondromesenchymal hamartomas (NCMHs) are benign, slow-growing lesions formed by mesenchymal and cartilaginous components. They occur predominantly in male infants at the nasopharynx and orbit. Rare cases have been reported in adults. Ectopic NCMHs occurring in other head regions without the typical nasopharyngeal or orbital involvement have not been previously described. OBSERVATIONS: The authors presented the case of a 40-year-old woman with a giant mass in the left frontoparietal region that started to enlarge progressively after the patient's first pregnancy at the age of 21 years. The tumor caused intense headaches, nausea, vomiting, asthenia, and syncope. On admission, the neurological examination revealed no abnormalities. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed a solid homogeneous tumor without intraaxial involvement extending inferiorly to the left zygomatic arch, with a significant mass effect on the adjacent bones but no infiltration. Remarkably, digital subtraction angiography demonstrated that the tumor received blood supply from superficial as well as intracranial branches of the left vertebral artery. After tumor resection, histopathological analysis revealed characteristics indistinguishable from an NCMH. LESSONS: The authors described a rare NCMH of the scalp with intracranial blood supply in an adult patient. A case with similar characteristics had not been reported before.

Technical note: In Mexico, the majority of 147 traumatic spinal cord injuries occurred in the thoracic spine for young males.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) is a devastating problem typically associated with multi-organ disorders. Studies regarding TSCI and their attendant comorbidities are scarce from developing countries. METHODS: The electronic files of 147 patients with TSCI (2017-2018) were reviewed; 78% of patients were males averaging 38 years of age. The following variables associated with the TSCI included age, sex, etiology of trauma, vertebral level, fracture classification, Frankel grade, treatment, complications, and mortality. RESULTS: Of interest, most cases involved thoracic injuries with attendant chest trauma resulting from falls from substantial heights. CONCLUSION: In Mexico, the majority of TSCI occur in young males (average age 38) who have sustained falls from significant heights resulting in thoracic fractures with a high frequency of chest injuries. By providing such information for developing countries, we may develop future strategies to TSCI in vulnerable populations.

Pituitary macroadenoma apoplexy in a severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2-positive testing: Causal or casual?

BACKGROUND: In December 2019, in Wuhan, a new virus emerged, causing severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) secondary to infection by a type of coronavirus, causing coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The pandemic caused by the new coronavirus has had implications in the central nervous system. COVID-19 is known to be characterized by coagulation activation and endothelial dysfunction, causing ischemic and hemorrhagic vascular syndromes. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 27-year-old male patient case with progressive decrease in visual acuity, associated with respiratory symptoms and intense headache. Multilobar infiltrate with a reticulonodular pattern is evident on chest CT scan. Brain CT scan with pituitary macroadenoma apoplexy was shown. SARS-Cov2 was confirmed, and respiratory support initiated. However, the patient died shortly afterward, secondary to pulmonary complications. CONCLUSION: The angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) II receptor is expressed in circumventricular organs and in cerebrovascular endothelial cells, which play a role in vascular autoregulation and cerebral blood flow. For this reason, is rational the hypothesize that brain ACE II could be involved in COVID-19 infection. Underlying mechanisms require further elucidation in the future.