ABSTRACT
Eighty five patients with histopathologically confirmed intracranial metastatic lesions were analysed retrospectively. There were 55 males and 30 females. More than half of the patients were in fourth and fifth decades. Headache (69 percent), vomiting (50 percent) and altered sensorium (46 percent) were the common presenting features. Failing vision and epileptic seizures were present in 18 percent and 15 percent of the cases, respectively. Papilloedema was present in 68 percent of patients. Motor weakness and cranial nerve involvement was found in 42 percent and 22 percent of the patients, respectively. In 87 percent of the cases the lesions were located within the cerebral hemispheres. Only 6 percent of the patients had lesions in the cerebellum. Carcinoma of the lung was responsible for 36 percent of all intracranial metastases, followed by malignancy of the gastrointestinal tract (15 percent), genito-urinary tract (7 percent) and breast (6 percent). The primary lesion could not be located in 19 percent of the cases. 80 percent patients underwent surgery and less than half of those received postoperative irradiation and chemotherapy. The immediate postoperative mortality was 21 percent. The overall survival at five years was 6 percent.
ABSTRACT
A thoracic intradural extramedullary enterogenous cyst in association with a syringomeningomyelocele in a 5-year-old boy is presented. The pathogenesis of this rare association is discussed and the pertinent literature reviewed.
Subject(s)
Choristoma/pathology , Cysts/pathology , Intestinal Mucosa , Meningomyelocele/pathology , Spinal Cord Compression/pathology , Spinal Neoplasms/pathology , Syringomyelia/pathology , Thoracic Vertebrae/pathology , Child, Preschool , Choristoma/surgery , Cysts/surgery , Epithelium/pathology , Humans , Male , Meningomyelocele/surgery , Metaplasia , Postoperative Complications/pathology , Postoperative Complications/surgery , Reoperation , Spinal Cord Compression/surgery , Spinal Neoplasms/surgery , Syringomyelia/surgery , Thoracic Vertebrae/surgeryABSTRACT
A large pituitary fossa cavernous haemangioma in a 48-year-old male is presented. The rarity of this lesion is stressed. The relevant literature is reviewed.
Subject(s)
Hemangioma, Cavernous , Pituitary Neoplasms , Hemangioma, Cavernous/diagnostic imaging , Hemangioma, Cavernous/pathology , Hemangioma, Cavernous/therapy , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pituitary Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Pituitary Neoplasms/pathology , Pituitary Neoplasms/therapy , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
Stereotaxic biopsies were performed in a series of 14 patients with clinical and computed tomographic evidence of a brain-stem lesion. Seven of these cases were in the paediatric age group (under 15 years of age). Biopsies were obtained by means of the Leksell stereotaxic system, through the transcerebellar (three cases) or transfrontal route (four cases). A definite tumour diagnosis could be obtained in all cases. No patients were subjected to open biopsy, as the further management of their tumours did not warrant surgery. One patient developed transient oculomotor nerve palsy. There was no mortality related to the biopsy procedure in this series. The biopsy technique and its utility and safety are discussed.
Subject(s)
Astrocytoma/pathology , Biopsy , Brain Neoplasms/pathology , Brain Stem/pathology , Stereotaxic Techniques , Adolescent , Astrocytoma/mortality , Brain Neoplasms/mortality , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , Medulla Oblongata/pathology , Mesencephalon/pathology , Pons/pathology , Survival RateABSTRACT
Herniation of a thoracic disc in an acromegalic giant is reported. Degenerative changes in the spine in association with dorsal kyphosis, and the additional strain, resulted in the disc prolapse.
