ABSTRACT
The cases of a father and his son who were diagnosed with pathologically confirmed colloid cysts of the third ventricle are presented. The familial occurrence of this tumor is rare and suggests that genetic factors may play a role in its formation. Consistent with the concept that the cyst originates as a developmental abnormality, it is associated with a variety of congenital defects. The conditions that are associated with these tumors are discussed.
Subject(s)
Cerebral Ventricles , Cysts/genetics , Adult , Brain Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Brain Diseases/genetics , Brain Diseases/pathology , Cysts/diagnostic imaging , Cysts/pathology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
A 39-year-old man with an extrinsic esophageal lesion was found to have an anterior herniation of a soft degenerated cervical disc. Only two cases of symptomatic anterior cervical disc herniation have been reported previously. Dysphagia produced by anterior cervical osteophytes is more common and is a recognized clinical entity. Asymptomatic anterior cervical disc herniation may play a key role in the pathogenesis of anterior cervical osteophytes.
Subject(s)
Esophageal Neoplasms/diagnosis , Intervertebral Disc Displacement/diagnosis , Adult , Cervical Vertebrae , Deglutition Disorders/diagnosis , Diagnosis, Differential , Humans , Intervertebral Disc Displacement/diagnostic imaging , Intervertebral Disc Displacement/surgery , Male , Postoperative Period , Radiography , Spinal Osteophytosis/etiology , Spinal Osteophytosis/surgeryABSTRACT
We treated an infant who had severe congenital hydrocephalus and a massively enlarged head at birth. Despite extreme attenuation of the cerebral mantle, placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt at 4 weeks of age was followed by essentially normal neurologic development after several months. In addition, there was a striking reconstitution of the cerebral mantle.
Subject(s)
Hydrocephalus/physiopathology , Skull/growth & development , Brain/growth & development , Humans , Hydrocephalus/complications , Hydrocephalus/diagnostic imaging , Hydrocephalus/surgery , Infant, Newborn , Prenatal Diagnosis , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
A massive left intracerebral hematoma was surgically evacuated from a 2-week-old infant. Pathological examination showed that the hemorrhage had developed within a fibrillary astrocytoma. Neonatal intracerebral hemorrhage should raise the question of congenital tumor because such a hemorrhage in this age group is rarely the result of trauma, bleeding diathesis, or vascular malformation.
Subject(s)
Astrocytoma/diagnosis , Brain Neoplasms/diagnosis , Hematoma/diagnosis , Infant, Newborn, Diseases/diagnosis , Astrocytoma/complications , Astrocytoma/congenital , Brain Neoplasms/complications , Brain Neoplasms/congenital , Cerebral Hemorrhage/etiology , Diagnosis, Differential , Female , Hematoma/etiology , Humans , Infant, NewbornABSTRACT
The outcome in 37 adult patients with idiopathic communicating hydrocephalus treated by ventriculoatrial shunting is presented. Only 33% showed definite improvement, and no diagnostic procedures accurately predicted the outcome of surgery. These were compared with a "control" group of 12 patients who were not shunted; 50% of these were stable for up to 36 months. These findings, and the high frequency of serious complications (35%), suggest caution in recommending a shunt procedure.
Subject(s)
Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts , Hydrocephalus/surgery , Aged , Cerebral Hemorrhage/etiology , Cerebral Infarction/etiology , Cerebral Ventriculography , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Gait , Hematoma, Subdural/etiology , Humans , Hydrocephalus/diagnostic imaging , Male , Middle Aged , Neurocognitive Disorders/surgery , Pneumoencephalography , Postoperative Complications/etiology , Prognosis , Seizures/etiologySubject(s)
Hematoma, Subdural/etiology , Hemophilia A/complications , Infant, Newborn, Diseases , Humans , Infant, Newborn , MaleABSTRACT
Acromegaly, the clinical expression of chronic hypersecretion of growth hormone, develops insidiously and is too often not recognized until the disease is advanced. However, a useful screening procedure, the measurement of serum growth hormone after an oral glucose load, is available. Though evidence suggesting that acromegaly may be a disorder of defective hypothalamic regulation of pituitary growth hormone secretion has accumulated, the pathogenesis of the diease is not sufficiently understood to permit consistently effective medical therapy. Current therapy, therefore, is directed toward destruction of growth hormone producing pituitary tissue. Patients with major suprasellar extension and chiasmal compression usually require transfrontal surgery. Patients without major suprasellar extension can be treated with external irradiation or with transsphenoidal surgery. It is our current practice to limit the former to young patients withe relatively modest elevation of the serum growth hormone concentration.
