Anaplasma platys in bone marrow megakaryocytes of young dogs.

Anaplasma platys is an obligate intracellular rickettsial pathogen that infects platelets of dogs, forming basophilic intracellular morulae. In the present report, cellular inclusions were documented in bone marrow thrombocyte precursors of two young naturally infected dogs, indicating that A. platys can infect megakaryocytes and promegakaryocytes.

Evolution of a prolactin-secreting pituitary microadenoma into a fatal carcinoma: a case report.

Pituitary carcinomas are very rare tumors, nearly always presenting as widely invasive masses, although the hallmark of these lesions is the finding of distant metastases. One third of reported cases are prolactin (PRL)-secreting tumors. We report the case of a fatal pituitary carcinoma evolving within 4 years from a PRL-secreting microadenoma. A 22-year-old woman presented because of galactorrhea. Evaluation of the patient disclosed slight hyperprolactinemia and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a 7-mm intrapituitary lesion, which responded to treatment with cabergoline. About 4 years after the first evaluation she developed sudden headache, ptosis, and diplopia in the right eye. MRI disclosed the growth of a large pituitary mass, invading the right cavernous sinus. Despite two trans-sphenoidal surgical procedures followed by gamma-knife radiosurgery, the patient showed rapid local progression of the tumor and the occurrence of new lung lesions, probably of metastatic nature. The patient died 7 months after the development of her first neurological symptoms because of tumor apoplexy and subsequent subarachnoid hemorrhage. This case represents the first documented rapid evolution from a microprolactinoma initially responding to dopamine agonists to a fatal pituitary carcinoma.

Primary intramedullary primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET)--case report and review of the literature.

Spinal primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET) are very rare tumors, and intramedullary localization is even less common. Indeed, amongst the 23 cases of the spinal PNET described in the literature, only eight cases had an intramedullary localization. Following the WHO 2000 classification, PNETs have been considered embryonal tumors composed of undifferentiated neuroepithelial cells with a capacity of differentiation into different cellular lines, such as astrocytic, ependymal, melanotic and muscular. They have been considered to arise from a neoplastic transformation of primitive neuroepithelial cells, thereby making their presence possible in any part of the central nervous system. The optimal treatment for these malignant tumors is not yet clear, although, over the years, radiotherapy has been considered the best treatment for spinal PNETs. The described case is that of a 38-year-old man with a primary intra-extramedullary PNET, treated by laminectomy, open biopsy and chemotherapy. The patient, 18 months after the onset of his symptomatology, died without cerebral tumor involvement.

Surgical decompression and radiation therapy in epidural metastasis from cervical cancer.

Spinal cord compression by epidural metastasis is considered an exceptional complication in patients with cervical carcinoma. We report three patients treated for a cervical carcinoma who developed epidural metastasis with spinal cord compression at 9, 25 and 48 months after primary treatment of the uterine malignancy. All patients had poorly-differentiated adenocarcinomas with lymphovascular space invasion, and two had lymph node metastasis. All patients underwent emergency decompressive laminectomy followed by radiotherapy and a partial recovery of the neurological function was achieved. In two patients the spinal cord was the only site of recurrent disease, whereas the other had lung and brain metastasis at the time of epidural involvement diagnosis. All three patients, however, died of disseminated disease. Surgical decompression followed by radiation therapy may result in a complete preservation of the neurologic functions in patients with spinal cord compression secondary to metastatic carcinoma of the uterine cervix. Considering the propensity for disseminated disease, long term survival might be achieved only with the use of effective chemotherapy.

Surgical resection of a cerebral metastasis from cervical cancer: case report and review of the literature.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: Central nervous system metastasis from cervical carcinoma is uncommon. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 51-year-old woman who developed a solitary cerebral metastasis 29 months after radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy for a stage IB, grade III cervical cancer. The patient suddenly complained of headache, confusion and dizziness; she was submitted to emergency surgical resection of a 2 x 3 cm metastasis in the right frontal lobe. The postoperative course was uneventful and she completely recovered from her neurological deficit. Following surgery the patient underwent careful restaging. Massive bilateral involvement of the pelvic wall was diagnosed, and the patient received three courses of cisplatin-based chemotherapy. She developed liver and lung metastases and died 10 months later of progressive disseminated disease, without, however, any sign of recurrent or persistent cerebral involvement. CONCLUSION: Neurosurgical resection should be considered in cervical cancer patients with solitary brain metastasis in the absence of systemic disease.

Choroid plexus compression of glossopharyngeal nerve in patients with glossopharyngeal neuralgia.

Compression of the glossopharyngeal nerve by the lateral choroid plexus of the 4th ventricle protruding excessively through the foramen of Luschka may be at the basis of some forms of glossopharyngeal neuralgia. This condition was observed in four patients. In one case, an anterior compression of the 9th nerve by a megadolic vertebral artery was also present. The condition was resolved in all patients by separating the nerve from the plexus and transecting it at the level of the foramen of Luschka.

Inhibiting action human glioblastoma extract on haemolytic complement of human and xenogeneic sera.

The action of some extracts of human glioblastoma of the haemolytic complement of human and xenogeneic sera has been examined. The study suggests that the antigenic products of some human glioblastomas may induce an inhibiting effect on the haemolytic complement of human, as well as xenogeneic (rat and rabbit), sera. The inhibiting action on the xenogeneic sera is indicative of the presence of species-specific antigens or tumor cells, comparable to that of normal tissues.

Prediction of the interaction effects Ar+ laser-brain tumours by study of the photoacoustic spectroscopy of cerebral oncotypes.

A preliminary definition of light absorption spectra of brain neoplasm represents a correct approach to the laser therapy of cerebral tumours. The goal should be the identification of those oncotypes more sensive to the laser energy, allowing consequently a dosage of the energy proportional to the light absorption coefficient, reducing any side effects. With this purpose the coefficients of light-absorption of 63 different brain tumours have been analyzed and defined by means of photocoustic spectrometry. The study has been focused at wavelength of the Ar+ laser (4,600-6,000 A). The results show a close relationship between histology, degree of vascularization and/or pigmentation and light absorption: the more immature and/or pigmented oncotypes show the highest coefficients of optical absorption. In the laser therapy of these neoplasms it will be sufficient to use low powers and short exposure time.

Respiratory distress caused by migration of ventriculoperitoneal shunt catheter into the chest cavity: report of a case and review of the literature.

A case is reported in which the peritoneal catheter of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt migrated into the chest cavity causing an hydrothorax. The three similar cases drawn from the literature are reported.

Antigenic properties of fresh and lyophylised human dura mater.

The action of human fresh and lyophylised human dura mater on rat, rabbit and human serum complement has been analyzed with the aim of confirming and comparing the species-specific antigenicity of both substances. The results demonstrate that both fresh and lyophylised human dura mater induce a complement consumption on rat and rabbit serum. The phenomenon is related to the species-specific antigenic activity of the tissue, and it is only partially decreased by the lyophylisation procedure. The residual antigenic activity, however, doesn't limit the use of this material as a graft for dural defects repairs in humans.

Evaluation of the Ar+ laser thermal effect in rabbit brain tissue by means of optical absorption coefficients. Photoacoustic measurements.

In predicting Ar+ laser-neural tissue interaction a determination of the optical absorption properties of brain parenchyma appears indispensable. In this study a determination of absorption spectra of different areas of rabbit brain at the wavelength of an Ar+ laser beam is made. The areas considered in the study are frontal and occipital gray and white substance, thalamus, basal ganglia, cerebellar cortex and choroid plexus. Specimens of these areas measuring 2 X 3 X 3 mm were obtained from coronal sections 1 cm thick of 20 rabbit brains. The analysis of optical properties was made by means of a photoacoustic spectrometer which appears the only suitable technique for testing the optical absorption properties of biological materials. The absorption coefficient results were similar in magnitude and constant in all the areas examined, measuring approximately 50 cm-1. The prediction of lack of any selective effect for the different areas is confirmed by the sizes of lesions made in cerebral specimens of the same areas of the contralateral hemisphere by means of Ar+ laser: the lesions increase in size in proportion to the increase in output power and exposure time, independently of the areas considered. Also the histological examination of the areas shows the same morphology to be independent of the variations of both output power and exposure time. The only differences were the presence for short exposure time and low output power of a carbonized layer inner to the layer of coagulative necrosis.

Malignant chemodectoma of the carotid body causing spinal cord compression.

We present a case of a 19-year-old woman with a malignant chemodectoma of the carotid body invading the cervical spine. The interest in the case is due to the rarity both of the lesion and of the spine invasion causing a medullary compression.

Circulating immune complexes in infected ventriculoatrial and ventriculoperitoneal shunts.

Distinguishing infected from noninfected ventriculoatrial (VA) or ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts is prognostically and therapeutically important. Eighty-seven serum samples from twenty-seven patients with VA or VP shunts were studied for the presence and quantification of circulating immune complexes. Eighty-three percent of the samples from infected shunts presented circulating immune complexes. Mean values of immune complexes in patients with infected shunts were significantly higher than in those without infection. In febrile, septicemic patients with few clinical symptoms, immune complexes were present, and their measurement in serial serum samples was a significant diagnostic aid. If circulating immune complex levels are not detectable, a shunt infection is less likely to be present.

Glossopharyngeal neuralgia due to exuberant choroid plexus.

The case of a 73-year-old woman with a glossopharyngeal neuralgia due to compression of the 9th nerve by the lateral choroid plexus of the 4th ventricle excessively protruding through the foramen of Luschka is reported. No similar cases are described in the literature. Such an eventuality should be suspected and verified in the presence of a glossopharyngeal neuralgia in which no other causal factors can be demonstrated.