[L1-2 lumbar disc herniation: a case report].

A 49-year-old female presented a two-year history of pain in the right thigh and lower back. Neurological examination on admission demonstrated weakness of the right iliopsoas and quadriceps, hypesthesia on the right L1-2 dermatome. Radiological examination including myelography, CT myelography and discography disclosed an L1-2 herniated disc. Sagittal MRI also revealed an L1-2, an L4-5 and L5-S1 protruded disc. A posterior microdiscectomy (Love's method) was performed for the L1-2 disc. A controlateral protruded disc which compressed the L-2 nerve root was identified and partially removed. The postoperative myelography showed residual disc. The patient was free from pain and regained normal sensorimotor function. Love's posterior microdiscectomy has a disadvantage in that the operative field is limited. Careful surgical procedure was needed to avoid injury to nerve roots and the cauda equina in a tight L1-2 lumbar canal.

[Cisplatin-etoposide chemotherapy of an embryonal carcinoma arising in the basal ganglia of the cerebrum: a case report].

Cases of embryonal carcinoma arising in the basal ganglia are rarely reported. According to the literature available, only 5 cases of embryonal carcinoma, arising from the basal ganglia, have been reported to date. This paper reports one such case we recently encountered. The patient was a 15-year-old boy. He was first admitted to another hospital because of occasional headache and vomiting. During the hospital stay, CT scans revealed abnormalities. For this reason, the patient was referred to our critical care center. Upon admission to our center, a physical examination revealed no abnormalities, but neurological examination disclosed left hemiparesis. CT scans revealed a large mass lesion of a low to high density in the right basal ganglia, accompanied by midline shift and ventricular dilatation. Elevation of human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was observed. The tumor with multiple cysts was removed totally by craniotomy. The removed tissue was rated histopathologically as mixed-type germ cell tumor composed of germinoma and embryonal carcinoma. The removed tumor cells were found immunohistologically to contain HCG and AFP. Postoperative CT scans showed complete disappearance of the tumor. Taking into account a recent report that a combined cisplatin and etoposide therapy (PE chemotherapy) was effective in treating intracranial germ cell tumors, we used this chemotherapy for postoperative management of this patient. The patient underwent 3 cycles of PE chemotherapy during the 3 months after surgery. The elevated HCG and AFP levels in serum and CSF returned to their normal range within 2 months after surgery. CT and tumor markers revealed no signs of recurrence.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[A case of cardiogenic shock caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus].

A case of a 53 year old healthy female complaining of diarrhea and abdominal pain after taking raw fish is presented. She immediately went into shock and unconsciousness. Central venous pressure was 8 cmH2O and her ECG showed a first-degree AV block and ST-T changes in almost all leads. After mechanical ventilation and administration of dopamine, dobutamine, cefotiam, ciprofloxacin, she became alert and recovered from her critical condition. V. parahaemolyticus which produces thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH) was cultured from the feces on admission. Kanagawa phenomenon was positive. Arterial blood culture was negative and the titer of serum endotoxin was low. The diagnosis of cardiogenic shock due to exotoxin produced by V. parahaemolyticus was made. Serological examination by ELISA showed elevation of IgG class antibody against TDH and TRH (TDH related hemolysin). And antibody against TDH was normalized after 180 days. By review of literature, there are some case reports of cardiogenic shock complicated with V. parahaemolyticus infection, but few showed elevation of antibody against TDH and TRH in the serum of the survived patient.