Transcallosal removal of third ventricle tumours

Ten patients with third ventricle tumors were studied clinically and radiologically, the main presenting clinical syndrome was that of increased intracranial pressure with intermittent occurrence in early course of the disease. Hypothalamic and pituitary dysfunction were present in eight cases. CT scan was diagnostic in all patients showing the extent of the tumor and the degree of ventricular dilatation. The transcallosal approach gives satisfactory exposure of the tumor with minimal brain damage. Microdissection of the tumor minimized trauma to the hypothalamus an relatively postoperative complications

Non-discogenic, extradural lumbosacral spinal compression

25 patients with non-discogenic extradural lumbosacral compression were studied and analysed. Spinal secondaries constituted 28% of the cases. T.B. constituted 24%, while 20% were due to post traumatic fracture spine and 8% were caused by chronic granulomatous lesion. Clinical picture and plain X-ray had a big role in diagnosis of most of the cases. Myelography had a major role in diagnosis, localisation of the site of the lesion, its extent and its relation to the nervous structures and the dura

Bilateral anterior cingulectomy in treatment of aggression in mentally retarded patients

Bilateral anterior cingulectomy was done for 30 aggressive mentally retarded patients. Significant improvement of aggressiveness and irritability could be obtained in 70% of patients with no mortality and minimal morbidity. The more radical removal of the cingulum gyri and cingulate gyrus was the better the results obtained

Clinical predictive indicators in the prognosis of severe head injuries

Fifty patients with severe head injuries were clinically and radiologically assessed. They presented 17% of all head injury patients admitted in the same period. 52% of patients were below age of 20 years, mortality and morbidity increased steadily with age. The level of consciousness was the most important outcome predictive indicant. The initial presence of Brain-stem disfunction affected the prognosis gravely. Hyperthermia, hypertension and the occurrence of associated injuries and the presence of previous systemic diseases certainly affected the Outcome

Selective electrocoagulation rhizotomy in treatment of trigeminal neuralgia

Seventy patients with intractable trigeminal neuralgia have been treated by selective percutaneous electrocoagulation rhizotomy. Almost complete relief of pain was obtained in 70% of patients. While 21.4% had fair degree of pain relief and sever pain persisted or recured in 8.6% of cases. Selective destruction of the symptomatising segment of the trigeminal root could be achieved in 67% of patients. No mortality occurred and morbidity was limited to the consequences of damage to the trigeminal nerve

incidence and significance of optic atrophy in cases of pituitary tumours

A study was made on 18 cases with pituitary tumors to ascertain the incidence and significance of optic atrophy. Disc pallor was seen in 13 cases [22 eyes]. It was usually bilateral, but with a distinct difference between the sides. Disc pallor was commonly of the diffuse type [12 eyes]. Temporal pallor was seen in six eyes and in four eyes pallor was associated with atrophic excavation of and optic disc. In five cases ophthalmoscopic examination revealed no changes at the optic disc in spite of visual and field defects. Examination of the retinal fibers by red-free light in these five cases showed atrophy of the retinal fiber layer. Fluorescein anagiography showed signs of optic atrophy before ophthalmoscopic examination in three cases. Disc pallor was present even where the subjective duration of visual symptoms was as short as six months and it became increasingly frequent the longer the history. The optic atrophy usually lagged behind the loss of vision and the degree of disc damage was related to the degree of visual loss and to a less extent to the degree of field defect. The presence of optic atrophy did not preclude the possibility of rapid and full recovery of vision after extirpation of pituitary tumor. The outlook for recovery of visual function was generally good if pallor was not combined with atrophic excavation of the optic disc

Echoencephalography in the diagnosis of ventricular dilatation

Echoencephalographic assessment of the degree of ventricular dilatation was done in 45 patients with suspected hydrocephalus due to various aetiologies. BMI was found to be a reliable indicator for ventricular dilatation [76.92%]. Third ventricular measures are less reliable as third ventricular tumours and midline tumours may produce their own echoes