Bacillus anthracic meningitis.

Bacillus anthracis is an uncommon cause of meniningitis. The characteristic hemorrhagic features in two patients who died despite antibiotic treatment are presented and discussed.

Extradural hematoma associated with traumatic middle meningeal artery pseudoaneurysm: report of two cases.

Two new cases of extradural hematoma associated with traumatic middle meningeal artery pseudoaneurysm are presented. Sixteen such cases have previously been reported in the literature. A 22-year-old man and a 17-year-old woman each developed marked neurological deficits after head injury. In each case percutaneous common carotid angiography demonstrated a conspicuous aneurysmatic sac on the middle meningeal artery, as well as displacement of major intracranial vessels and a surrounding avascular area. At operation the extradural clot was removed and the middle meningeal artery sac was verified. Both patients recovered uneventfully. Histological analysis of one of the specimens was performed.

In vivo NMR imaging and T1 measurements of water protons in the human brain.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) proton density images of the human brain have been made by the FONAR method. Spin-lattice relaxation times, T1, of water hydrogen protons have been determined at random positions within frontal and temporal regions of the human brain. The primary purpose of this ongoing research is to accumulate a large data base of normal T1 values for water protons in normal human brain tissue. Our experience to date includes 31 measurements on 18 volunteer subjects, and the mean value +/- standard deviation is 215 +/- 42 msec. In addition, two metastatic lesions of the brain were studied and found to have T1 values longer than those for normal brain tissue.

Coexistence of bilateral aneurysms of the internal carotid arteries and an arteriovenous malformation of the left frontal lobe.

A 44-year-old right-handed man was hospitalized because of a subarachnoid hemorrhage. He was drowsy on admission and exhibited a left partial third nerve palsy, right hemiparesis, and selective motor aphasia. A large subcortical arteriovenous malformation involving the left frontal lobe was demonstrated by angiography. The malformation filled from either carotid system and from the vertebrobasilar system as well. In addition, there were two bilaterally symmetrical (mirror) aneurysms of each internal carotid artery. Computed axial tomography revealed a left intratemporal-intraventricular hematoma. Deterioration of the patient's clinical condition occurred a few days after admission. Improvement was obtained after removal of the hematoma at a left subtemporal craniectomy, at which time the ruptured aneurysm arising from the left internal carotid artery was clipped. Sixteen months later, the intact aneurysm of the right internal carotid artery was clipped, and the arteriovenous malformation was radically excised through a bifrontal (Pool) craniotomy with microsurgical technique and with the aid of intraoperative angiography. The patient remained with a fixed neurological deficit, as observed preoperatively.

Mexican system a mix of public and private providers.

The following article is one of a series that deal with the provision of health care services around the world. Other countries in the series include Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, and the United States. Countries scheduled for coverage in the series include Austria, France, Singapore, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The countries are described using a grid of characteristics so that comparisons may be made more easily. All of the analyses, along with further comparative data, will be gathered into a freestanding book to be published later in the year. Dr. Mendoza serves as the editor for the project.

Computerized axial tomography in brain death.

Two patients with the diagnosis of brain death were evaluated with computerized axial tomography (CAT). After intravenous infusion of 30% Conray there was no visualization of the intracranial vasculature (circle of Willis). The second patient also had an isoelectric EEG. A third patient with an intracerebral lesion similar to the other cases but without diagnosis of brain death, showed good visualization of the circle of Willis. Therefore, contrast-enhanced CAT scans can be used as another diagnostic aid to confirm brain death.