Endovascular Management of Type III Perimedullary Spinal Arteriovenous Malformations in Pediatric Population.

BACKGROUND: Spinal arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are a cause of 20-30 of all spinal vascular malformation. The treatment option for the AVM depends upon the type of AVM. Here, we present a case series to discuss the type, management, and post-operative conclusion of the spinal AVMs. METHOD: Four patients with spinal AVMs were retrospectively reviewed. All 4 patients were with a nidus-type AVM. Treatment for all patients required embolization. Clinical features, imaging, treatment, and clinical results were observed. All 4 patient's clinical outcome was assessed using the Modified Ranked Scale. RESULT: The follow-up after management showed that all four-patient recovered without any residual deficit. All four-patient scored zero (0) on the Modified Ranked Scale. CONCLUSION: Pediatric spinal AVMs are rare and require complex multimodal approach to achieve favorable outcomes.

Chronic hypertrophic malunion of C2 Fracture causing cervical quadriparesis; Case report and focused literature review.

BACKGROUND: Pseudarthrosis of Type II C2 odontoid fractures typically leads to displacement and subluxation resulting in canal compression/cervical myelopathy. CASE DESCRIPTION: Here, we present a 43-year-old male who sustained cervical trauma 28 years ago. He now presented with an acute 10-day onset of quadriparesis attributed to a chronic malunion of an unstable type II odontoid fracture. He successfully underwent a circumferential decompression and fusion (e.g., warranting a trans-oral odontoidectomy followed by C1-C3 posterior fusion). CONCLUSION: Progressive cervical myelopathy attributed to a chronic malunion of a type II odontoid fracture may require circumferential decompression/stabilization (e.g., an anterior decompression with osteophyte resection and posterior C1-C3 spinal stabilization).

Management of Arachnoid Cysts: A Comprehensive Review.

Arachnoid cysts are non-neoplastic, intracranial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-filled spaces lined with arachnoid membranes. Large arachnoid cysts are often symptomatic because they compress surrounding structures; therefore, they must be treated surgically. As several surgical management options exist, we explore the best approach according to each major type of arachnoid cyst: middle cranial fossa cyst, suprasellar cyst, intrahemispheric cyst, and quadrigeminal cyst.

Orbital dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans with intracranial extension preceded by recurrent leiomyoma of the orbit: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is a rare, locally aggressive cutaneous tumor of intermediate to low-grade malignancy. COL1A1-PDGFß translocation is specific to dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, where the abnormally fused COL1A1-PDGFß gene directs formation of an abnormal combined (fusion) protein that researchers believe to ultimately function like the platelet-derived growth factor-beta protein. CASE PRESENTATION: In this report, we present a case of a 63-year-old Asian man with dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans of the right orbit with intracranial extension. He had a prior history of recurrent leiomyomas at the identical site. He underwent near-total en bloc resection of the tumor through a wide craniectomy with a 6 cm rim of the frontal scalp, allowing the tumor to be resected en bloc, leaving negative margins. Microscopically, the tumor comprised spindle cells with mild nuclear atypia and a low mitotic index embedded in a spiraling pattern of decussating fascicles consistent with dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans. The lesion was positive for CD34 and BCL2. Following resection, the patient was started on imatinib mesylate therapy (800 mg/day). CONCLUSIONS: We propose that platelet-derived growth factor, which has been implicated in the progression of leiomyomas by augmenting mitogenesis, may have acted in an autocrine manner to cause cell division, which may have led to the development of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans in our patient. Further research is imperative to find certain molecular associations between the discussed soft tissue tumors. Also important is the effective utilization of platelet-derived growth factor receptor kinase inhibitors to prevent transformation to any platelet-derived growth factor-driven tumor, which in our patient was a dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans.

Intramedullary dermoid cyst with relatively atypical symptoms: a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Intraspinal dermoid cysts are rare and benign tumors that occur primarily due to the defective closure of the neural tube, an ectodermal derivative, during the process of development. They are slow-growing tumors manifesting in the second and third decades of life. CASE PRESENTATION: We present here a case of a 14-year-old Sindhi boy with a six-month history of paraparesis of the lower limbs and a progressive loss of power of grade 3/5, and hypoesthesia in the L4/L5 dermatomes of his right lower limb. A plain magnetic resonance imaging scan revealed a well-demarcated intraspinal intramedullary cyst containing an abscess at the level of T12 and L1 causing localized cord compression, which was producing the symptoms. Near total excision of the cyst was successfully performed and was sent for biopsy, which revealed keratinocytes and keratin flakes. With one month of follow-up, along with physiotherapeutic management, the patient gradually improved and was able to walk without support. CONCLUSIONS: Critical evaluation of every case with aggravating symptoms should be carried out, and neurological and radiological examinations should be conducted to ensure the well-being of patients.

Delayed diagnosis of post-traumatic C7 vertebra anterior subluxation with an unusual neurological pattern: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Post-traumatic subluxations are potentially devastating injuries to the axial skeleton. Of utmost priority are an expedient and timely diagnosis and realignment because of its association with spinal cord and nerve root trauma, which lead to progressive deleterious neurological deficits. A good radiological study of the occipitocervical joint and first thoracic vertebra is key to a successful early diagnosis. However, cases might still fail to be diagnosed, leading to trouble. A case of post-traumatic subluxation at the C7 vertebral level with an unusual neurological pattern is presented here. CASE PRESENTATION: A 35-year-old farmer from the Sindh province of Pakistan presented to our neurology department after a fall 2 months earlier and complained of lower limb pain and difficulty in walking. He had numbness in both of his lower limbs up to his umbilical region, with sparing of bladder function along with intact strength in the upper extremities bilaterally. CONCLUSIONS: Our case highlights the unusual sparing of upper limbs and intact urinary continence with severe lower limb deficits in a 70% subluxation. Our case is unusual because highly detrimental effects such as quadriplegia are expected with such extreme subluxation, but our patient presented with only lower limb deficits. This case serves as a reminder to emergency medicine doctors, spine surgeons, and even radiologists (a) to evaluate spine injuries by using computed tomography in trauma patients to identify artifact around a suspected injury and (b) to be mindful of negative conventional radiographs.

Intra-medullary tuberculoma of the spinal cord presenting with typhoid and paraplegia: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Intra-medullary spinal tuberculoma is a rare form of tuberculosis, with an incidence of only two in 100,000 patients with tuberculosis. We present a case of intra-medullary tuberculoma from Pakistan, which was diagnosed by radiological findings and analysis of cerebrospinal fluid using polymerase chain reaction testing. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 28-year-old Sindhi male with intra-medullary tuberculoma of the spinal cord at the C3 level. Our patient was treated solely with anti-tubercular drug therapy with no surgical intervention. CONCLUSIONS: We discuss the possible clinical management of such rare cases, considering both chemotherapeutic and surgical options. Additionally, diagnostic procedures and findings are discussed; we suggest cerebrospinal fluid analysis via polymerase chain reaction and gadolinium-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid magnetic resonance imaging as important chemical and radiological tests to be performed in such cases.