Effect of Pentoxifylline in the Experimental Acute Focal Cerebral Ischemia

The purpose of this experimental study is to determine the protective effect of pentoxifylline against the acute focal cerebral ischemia. The acute focal cerebral ischemia was induced by postorbital occlusion of the proximal portion of the left middle cerebral artery for 4 hours with reperfusion for 8 hours. The experimental animals were divided into two groups:group I(ischemic group) was the cats without pretreatment and group II(pentoxi group) was given pentoxifylline(15 mg/kg) intravenously 2 hours prior to occlusion of the artery. The total areas of infarction in left cerebral hemisphere were measured by image analysis system. In group I and II the total infracted areas were 4034.274 mm2 and 1385.536 mm2, respectively. The significant reduction of infracted areas in group II suggests that the pretreatment of petoxifylline has a beneficial effect on the acute focal cerebral ischemia in cats and would be applicable in the clinical field in which the ischemia is anticipated during major cerebral artery occlusion.

A Case of Dermoid in the Cerebellar Hemisphere

Dermoid cysts of the posterior fossa are benign, mostly midline, congenital brain neopasm, usually located above or behind the vermis or adjacent meninges2)18)20), Dermoid lesions are slow growing and may become quite large before producing signs and symptoms12). We have recently experienced a case of dermoid which arised in cerebellar hemisphere. A 32-year old woman who had a history of chronic headache at morining was visited in our department and she was also complained of a egg-sized plapable mass which was growing nature, non-tender, soft, and movable on the right occipital area. On admission, there were no specific localizing and lateralizing neurological abnormalities. Unenhanced CT scan shows hypodense mass in the left cerebellar hemisphere and cystic mass at the right occipital scalp(Fig. 1. A). T1-weighted MR image shows hypointense mass in the left cerebellar hemisphere(Fig. 2. A). The Carotid angiography shows non-specific findings. Paramedian suboccipital approach was performed and mass was removed from the lleft cerebellar hemisphere. The cystic scalp mass was removed totally from the left cerebellar hemisphere. The cystic scalp mass was removed totally from the right occipital area. Diagnosis of dermoid cyst was confirmed pathologically by the specimens obtained from two different sites, left cerebellar hemisphere and right occipital ccalp.