Effects of GM1 ganglioside in cerebrovascular diseases: a double-blind trial in 40 cases.

A randomized, double-blind trial on the effects of GM1 ganglioside in cerebrovascular diseases was done on 40 patients; the treatment (40 mg/day i.m. injection) began after the acute phase and lasted 6 weeks. 18 cases took the drug and 16 the placebo. The evaluation of the cases was made by graduating the severity of the clinical signs, and some neurophysiological and morphological parameters, i.e., EEGs, flash-evoked potentials and computer tomography scans. We found that the drug, in comparison with the placebo treatment, improved the clinical signs and also the neurophysiological parameters, whereas it was ineffective for the morphological damage. These data seem of some interest in relation to the action of GM1 ganglioside in the processes of neurotransmission and neuronal plasticity as described in the experimental animal.

Diagnosis of cerebral venous angioma by rapidly enhanced CT scan.

A case is presented of cerebral venous angioma demonstrated by cerebral angiography and by CT scans in the axial and coronal projections after contrast enhancement with high, rapidly administered doses of contrast medium. The respective advantages of the two examinations in the diagnosis of cerebral vascular hamartomas with a slow blood flow are discussed.

Intracerebral venous angiomas as a cause of exophthalmos.

Three cases of an infrequent cerebral vascular malformation, venous angioma, are reported. The first 2 of these cases, with the lesion in a supratentorial location, exhibited exophthalmos as a presenting symptom, together with palpebral or intraobital angiomatous formations, and also impairment of visual function. The first patient was operated upon and the "venous angioma" could be confirmed histologically. An angiographic follow-up of the same patient at an 18 year interval was also possible. The diagnostic work-up to be performed in cases of exophthalmos is discussed and the need for angiography is stressed.

Opto-chiasmatic arachnoiditis: a review of traditional neuroradiological diagnosis (82 cases, 1951--1976).

A retrospective appraisal of traditional neuroradiological techniques (such as direct röntgenograms, cerebral angiography RISA-cisternography, and pneumo-cisterno-encephalography, as opposed to the "new" technique of computer-assisted tomography) was carried out in a series of 82 cases of opto-chiasmatic arachnoiditis, all surgically verified. It is concluded that none of these examinations can provide a reliable diagnosis of opto-chiasmatic arachnoiditis, which preoperatively can only be a tentative diagnosis that becomes final only when confirmed by surgical findings. In the presence of certain progressive neuro-ophthalmological symptoms and signs, a negative neuro-radiological investigation should not deter the neurosurgeon from exploring the chiasmatic region. Computer-assisted tomography, of which the authors have no personal experience in these cases, may hold the future answer to the diagnostic problem.

Treatment of carotid-cavernous sinus fistula by the Fogarty catheter.

Four cases of CCF treated by embolization of the carotid by Fogarty catheter are reported. The results were excellent in three patient and good in one.