Cryptococcal meningitis in an immunocompetent patient with obstructive hydrocephalus: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Cryptococcal infections of the central nervous system are very rare in immunocompetent patients. They usually present as meningitis or as fungal cysts with or without hydrocephalus. Rapid diagnosis and treatment is crucial to the prognosis. CASE REPORT: We report the case of an immunocompetent 40-year-old male patient with no medical or surgical history and no recent travel, who was hospitalized in our neurosurgery department because of a rapidly worsening headache. The neurological examination revealed no focal deficit but worrying signs of increased intracranial pressure. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with contrast showed thick and large-scale cortico-pial cerebellar enhancements, associated with severe obstructive hydrocephalus. This required emergency endoscopic ventriculocisternostomy during which we observed cottony tissues along the ventricular walls. Biopsied tissues and cerebrospinal fluid samples (CSF) were not contributive. A CT scan of the chest and abdomen and blood markers of common primary tumors were all negative. No evidence of HIV infection or any cause of immunosuppression was identified. Symptoms and a second MRI slightly improved with intravenous corticosteroid therapy. The hypothesis of a lymphoma or granulomatous disease was made initially for which direct surgical biopsies were scheduled. The diagnosis of cryptococcal meningitis was obtained later on by simultaneous plasma and CSF Cryptococcus antigen detection. Cryptococcus neoformans (formerly C. neoformans var. grubii [serotype A]) was then identified by PCR. Clinical improvement was obtained with antifungal therapy. CONCLUSION: Cryptococcal meningitis is a well-known condition in immunocompromised patients, often causing hydrocephalus requiring neurosurgical management. The diagnosis is more difficult in patients with no history of HIV or organ transplant. Neurologists and neurosurgeons must consider this possibility in case of diffuse, thick leptomeningeal enhancement on MRI.

[Learning curve for lumbar disc surgery]. / Courbe d'apprentissage pour la chirurgie de la hernie discale lombaire.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Various techniques are available for lumbar disc surgery. But failure and severe adverse events still occur during such procedures. Recent work concluded that the use of microscope was not mandatory for such procedures. METHODS: The first 70 spinal procedures for lower limb radicular syndrome by a surgeon at the beginning of this activity where studied. Particular interest was paid on adverse events, especially complications and failures. RESULT: Average duration of surgery (50min) and rate of reoperation (six reoperations needed out of 65 patients, five of them by the same surgeon) where, as expected, a bit higher than published in experienced hands. But no battered-root syndrome, injury to neighboring structures or other severe complication was observed. Noteworthy is that no patient was neurologically worsened by surgery. CONCLUSIONS: If the use of microscope may not be needed for lumbar disc open surgery in experienced hands, we strongly advice surgeons at the beginning of their practice to use it. At least, to avoid unforgiving mistakes such as picking out the root instead of the herniation.

[Thoracic spine pseudarthrosis treated by transpleural corporectomy and bone morphogenic protein]. / Pseudarthrose du rachis thoracique, traitée par corporectomie transpleurale et protéine ostéo-inductrice.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Traumatic thoracic spine instability is a rare but difficult-to-treat entity, particularly above T5 where pedicle screwing is widely regarded as an unsatisfactory option and anterior surgery is considered difficult because of the anatomic relationship with the shoulder and large vessels. METHODS: A case of T4 and T5 pseudarthrosis after posterior fixation is reported. It was treated with transpleural corpectomy and fixation, with bone morphogenic protein used to obtain rapid arthrodesis between T3 and T6. No bracing or second posterior fixation was used. RESULT: At 45 days of follow-up, the patient was without pain and the neurologic examination was normal. The CT scan showed bony bridges across all fracture lines. Complete cure of this pseudarthrosis was achieved with a single surgery. At the 12-month follow-up, the clinical status was normal. CONCLUSIONS: The use of bone morphogenic proteins might be of great help in rare but challenging cases of spinal pseudarthrosis, with a quick return to normal activity after a single-stage surgery.