RESUMO
Supratentorial cortical ependymoma is an extremely rare malignancy in the pediatric population, especially in very young age groups. Most of the reported cases present with dramatic neurological symptoms like seizures and sudden onset hemiplegia. We hereby report a case of anaplastic supra-cortical ependymoma in a 13-month-old male child, with subtle seizures for four weeks. The child, who was brought for non-neurological complaints to the outpatient clinic, was found to have abnormal staring episodes. An electroencephalogram showed focal epilepsy and an MRI brain showed a large intra-axial lesion in the left frontal area. The child underwent gross total resection of the lesion and histopathology revealed WHO grade 3 cortical ependymoma.
RESUMO
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is increasingly indicated for various malignant and non-malignant diseases. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), patients that could benefit from the procedure commonly need to seek medical care abroad in view of the lack of a comprehensive HSCT facility that could offer the full spectrum of interventions and monitoring protocols. This comes with considerable challenges related to coverage and logistics of travel. It also limits the continuity of clinical care, and presents inconvenience to patients who come from a different cultural background. In this article, we share our experiences and lessons learned during the establishment of the first comprehensive adult and pediatric HSCT unit in the UAE that is designed to cater for local citizens and residents, as well as neighboring countries facing similar availability challenges.