De novo formation of cerebral cavernous malformation adjacent to existing developmental venous anomaly - an effect of change in venous pressure associated with management of a complex dural arterio-venous fistula.

This is a case report of de novo development of two cerebral cavernous malformations adjacent to existing developmental venous anomalies. The development of cavernomas was noted over a follow-up period of 10 years. These developments happened during the course of staged endovascular management of a complex dural arterio-venous fistula along the right sphenoid wing. The patient presented with a proptosis secondary to lympho-haemangiomatous lesion of the fronto-orbital region and a high-flow right sphenoid wing dural arterio-venous fistula. During the initial period of conservative management of the dural arterio-venous fistula, he developed de novo cavernous malformations in the left mesial temporal lobe adjacent to a developmental venous anomaly in the temporal lobe, and along with this there was engorgement of deep veins related to another existing developmental venous anomaly in the brainstem. Later during the course of endovascular treatment of the dural arterio-venous fistula, a large brainstem cavernoma developed adjacent to the brainstem developmental venous anomaly. This case report discusses the cause-effect relationship of venous pressure changes related to management of dural arterio-venous fistula and de novo formation of cerebral cavernous malformations adjacent to existing developmental venous anomalies.

Intracerebellar malignant nerve sheath tumor in a child: case report and review of literature.

PURPOSE: Intracerebellar malignant nerve sheath tumor (ICMNST) is an extremely rare entity, only two cases have been reported previously, and this is the first case to be reported in a child. The histogenesis, diagnosis, and management of this entity are very ambiguous, and natural history in a child is unknown. METHODS: The authors report a 7-year-old girl who presented with ataxia and signs of raised intracranial pressure and discuss the challenges in diagnosis, surgical strategy, and treatment. RESULTS: Following gross total resection and radiation to tumor bed, the patient had unremarkable recovery and is recurrence free at 1-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: ICMNSTs are extremely rare tumors of the cerebellum. Preoperative radiological diagnosis is not possible due to its close radiological resemblance to other common posterior fossa tumors. Immunohistochemistry plays a pivotal role in clinching the diagnosis. Though the reported adult counterparts have shown dismal prognosis, the pediatric counterparts may fare better with good surgical resection followed by radiotherapy.

Group G Streptococci in association with brain abscess: a rare occurrence.

Brain abscess is a serious life-threatening infection of the brain parenchyma. We are reporting a rare case of brain abscess caused by Group G Streptococcus in a 12 year-old female child who presented with neurological symptoms. She was diagnosed with congenital anomalies of the heart at birth. She was treated with amoxyclav and ciprofloxacin. The child recovered and was discharged uneventfully.

Unique paradoxical atlantoaxial dislocation with C1-C2 facet diastases and isolated ligamentous injury to the craniovertebral junction without neurological deficits: A case report.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of the case file. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective was to report this rare case and discuss the mechanism of dislocation and technique of manual closed reduction of C1-C2 vertebrae in such scenarios. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Posterior atlantoaxial dislocation (AAD) is extremely rare and a few cases have been reported in English literature. This young man sustained a high speed car accident and survived an extreme hyperextension injury to the craniovertebral junction (CVJ) without any neurological deficits. On evaluation for neck pain he was noted with a dislocated odontoid lying in front of Atlas. There was C1-C2 facet diastases. No bony injury was noted at CVJ. Transverse axial ligament (TAL) was intact. He underwent a successful awake reduction of the dislocation. The joint had to be manually distracted, realigned, and released under the guidance of fluoroscopy. This was followed by single stage C1-C2 Goel's fusion with awake prone positioning. This patient was able to go back to work at the end of 3 months (GOS 5). CONCLUSIONS: This condition is extremely rare, can be carefully reduced manually under adequate neuromonitoring, and requires C1-C2 fusion in the same sitting.

Melanotic cyst of L5 spinal root: A case report and review of literature.

Till date, 85 cases of melanotic schwannoma and 11 cases of spinal root melanoma have been reported in literature. We are reporting a case of a 45-year-old lady who presented with primary low back pain, and magnetic resonance imaging of lumbo-sacral spine showed at left L5-S1 foraminal lesion extending to the para-spinal compartment. Hemi-laminectomy, facetectomy, and excision of the lesion were done. It was primarily a cystic lesion with attachment to the exiting spinal nerve root. Histopathology of the cyst wall showed a fibro-collagenous stroma with no specific cell lining containing melanin pigment suggestive of a melanotic cyst. The patient was completely relieved of the back pain, and had no recurrence over a follow-up period of one and half years. This case is probably the first reported predominantly cystic, pigmented lesion, affecting the spinal root.