Estudo de membrana biológica em ratos na prevenção de fibrose pós laminectomia / Inhibition of peridural fibrosis after laminectomy using biological sheet in rat model

Os autores investigaram a aplicação de uma membrana biológica, constituída de cortical óssea bovina descalcificada, em cirurgias de coluna vertebral de ratos, com o intuito de tratar o defeito ósseo minimizando ou impedindo a herniação do tecido muscular para dentro do canal raquidiano pós laminectomia, inibindo a formação de fibrose pós-operatória e avaliando a biocompatibilidade do material. O estudo foi feito utilizando-se de ratos Wistar-EPM, que após intervalos de 8, 16 e 24 semanas, foram sacrificados, sendo removidas as peças cirúrgicas para análise anatomopatológica. A membrana biológica evitou a herniação do tecido muscular para o canal raquidiano, sendo totalmente reabsorvida em todas as peças analisadas, demonstrando sua biocompatibilidade e favorecendo a neoformação óssea e evitando aderências.

Chordoid meningioma. Report of two cases

We present CT scan, MRI and histopathologic findings of two patients harboring a rare type of meningioma. In the first case, a 52 year-old male patient, a large parasellar mass invading the cavernous sinus, infiltrating the infratemporal fossa and extending as low as C2 was founded. The tumor was isointense on T1, enhanced strongly with gadolinium injection, and was hyperintense on T2. In the second case, a 19-year-old male patient, a large high density temporal right mass was disclosed by CT scan. Both patients were taken to surgery. In the first case, only a partial removal was possible to be accomplished due to a severe intra operative bleeding. In the second case, the tumor was totally removed. Both showed characteristic pathologic findings of a meningioma resembling a chordoma. Meningioma is a relatively common intracranial tumor, occurring most frequently in adults, showing a wide variety of growth patterns. We described a pattern that had a peculiar chordoma-like appearance. The pathological findings and the differential diagnosis from chordoma are discussed

Malignant transformation of pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma. Case report

We report a case of a pleomorphic xantoastrocytoma which manifested itself as a cystic isodense lesion in the right fronto-temporal lobe in a 26 year-old woman. It appeared as a soft yellow tumor with cystic cavities on surgery. Five months after this surgery, the patient was submitted to a new operation, which revealed a friable tumor, easily differentiated from the normal parenchyma, with cystic components. The histopathological examination demonstrated pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma with malignant transformation. Histologically, the tumor at first procedure was composed of pleomorphic astrocytes with multinucleated and foamy cells. A rare case of malignant transformation in pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma is presented, discussed and illustrated in this paper

Supraorbital eyebrow approach to skull base lesions

We report our experience with a supraorbital eyebrow minicraniotomy. This technique is suitable to lesions situated in the region of the anterior fossa, suprasellar cisterns, parasellar region and Sylvian fissure. A 50 mm incision in the eyebrow and a supraorbital minicraniotomy is performed. Sixteem patients harboring different lesions were operated on with good postoperative and cosmetic results. We conclude that this approach is safe and useful in selected cases

Glioma do nervo óptico: aspectos neurocirúrgicos / Optic nerve glioma: neurosurgical aspects

Gliomas do nervo óptico säo lesöes relativamente incomuns e sua história natural e tratamento säo motivos de considerável controvérsia. Muitos sugerem que estes tumores se comportam como hamartomas, concluindo que seu tratamento deva ser conservador. Estudamos nos últimos 10 anos, 11 casos de glioma do nervo óptico do segmento anterior, diagnosticados clinicamente e confirmados posteriormente por exames neurorradiológicos e cirurgias. Em nossos casos, ficou claro que uma importante proporçäo dos membros tem um curso progresivo. Sinais de neurofibramentose estavam ausentes, contrastando fortemente com a literatura que relata incidência variando de 20 a 60 por cento. Com base em nossos achados e na revisäo da literatura, recomendamos o tratamento cirúrgico destes tumores. Descrevemos as técnicas cirúrgicas utilizadas e os resultados obtidos