Neurosarcoidosis presenting with isolated intracranial mass lesion and communicating hydrocephalus / Neurosarcoidosis con lesión de tipo masa intracraneal aislada e hidrocefalia comunicante

Isolated neurosarcoidosis is a very rare disease, which makes up 5-15% of sarcoidosis cases. Hydrocephalus is a rare clinical feature with a prevalence of 6% among these patients. Considering neurosarcoidosis in the differential diagnosis of a unique parenquimal mass lesion could help in the early identification of this disease. We report the case of a 27-year-old African man who developed with a sole intracranial mass lesion mimicking radiologically a glioma, which finally came out as an isolated neurosarcoidosis. There is a difficulty in diagnosis when isolated neurosarcoidosis appears. In addition, the low prevalence of the disease entails a not standardized medical treatment. Natural outcome is poor even when hydrocephalus is resolved. Multimodal treatments including complete pharmacological treatment do not seem to assure a better outcome in these patients until date

La neurosarcoidosis cerebral aislada es una enfermedad muy rara, que representa entre el 5-15% de los casos de sarcoidosis. La hidrocefalia es una característica clínica poco frecuente, con una prevalencia del 6% entre estos pacientes. Considerar la neurosarcoidosis en el diagnóstico diferencial de una lesión de tipo masa parenquimatosa única puede ayudar en la identificación temprana de esta enfermedad. Presentamos el caso de un varón africano de 27 años de edad, que presenta una lesión de tipo masa única intracraneal que simulaba radiológicamente un glioma, y que finalmente se reveló como una neurosarcoidosis aislada. Es difícil establecer un diagnóstico cuando aparece una neurosarcoidosis cerebral aislada. Además, la baja prevalencia de la enfermedad conlleva un tratamiento médico no estandarizado. El pronóstico natural es malo, incluso cuando se resuelve la hidrocefalia. Hasta la fecha, los tratamientos multimodales, incluido el tratamiento farmacológico completo, no parecen asegurar un mejor resultado en estos pacientes

El manejo conjunto Geriatría-Neurocirugía de pacientes mayores de 75 años reduce la estancia media, la morbilidad, los reingresos hospitalarios y la mortalidad al año / The joint management of Geriatrics-Neurosurgery of patients older than 75 years reduces the average stay, morbidity, hospital readmissions and mortality per year

OBJETIVO: El envejecimiento de la población es una realidad objetivable para la que los sistemas de salud no están adaptados. La Organización Mundial de la Salud ya ha avisado de la importancia de la implementación de medidas específicas, que abarcan desde la formación pregrado hasta la instauración de un número adecuado de geriatras, para seguimiento de los pacientes mayores. Nos proponemos analizar si la intervención del geriatra en el seguimiento del paciente neuroquirúrgico aporta beneficios. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Se lleva a cabo un estudio descriptivo de cohortes, parcialmente prospectivo, analizando a todos los pacientes mayores de 75 años ingresados a cargo del servicio de Neurocirugía y que fueron atendidos en seguimiento compartido por Geriatría desde junio de 2015 hasta febrero de 2017. Se comparan con los pacientes mayores de 75 años ingresados en Neurocirugía entre octubre de 2013 y mayo de 2015 (periodo equivalente) en el que los geriatras solo intervinieron como unidad de valoración sociosanitaria a la hora de derivar al paciente a otro nivel asistencial. Se analizaron edad media, sexo, entidad neuroquirúrgica que motivó el ingreso, estancia media, complicaciones infecciosas, referencia escrita de síndrome confusional, ingreso en unidad de cuidados intensivos, necesidad de interconsulta con otros servicios, reintervención quirúrgica, mortalidad durante el ingreso, derivación a recurso sociosanitario, reingreso al mes y mortalidad al año. RESULTADOS: Se comparó a un total de 173 pacientes en seguimiento conjunto con 189 del periodo previo. Ambas cohortes presentaron características demográficas similares. Durante el periodo de manejo conjunto se redujeron la estancia media hospitalaria, la incidencia de complicaciones infecciosas, la necesidad de ingreso urgente en unidad de cuidados intensivos, la necesidad de interconsulta con otras especialidades, la tasa de readmisión a los 30 días y la mortalidad anual, todas ellas con diferencias estadísticamente significativas. CONCLUSIONES: El seguimiento compartido entre Neurocirugía y Geriatría disminuye la estancia media, la morbilidad, la necesidad de interconsulta con otras especialidades, el reingreso precoz y la mortalidad al año en los mayores de 75 años. Además, prioriza una atención centrada en la persona, disminuye costes y racionaliza los recursos

OBJECTIVE: Population ageing is a reality for which national health systems are not adapted. The World Health Organisation has already raised awareness about the implementation of specific measures, from undergraduate training to dedicated elderly care units, to tackle this situation. In this article, the aim is to analyse the potential benefits of geriatric monitoring on elderly neurosurgical patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive analysis was performed in this medical centre, comparing the information collected from elderly patients (over 75 years of age) admitted into the neurosurgical department during 2periods: June 2015 to February 2017, in which a shared geriatric monitoring was implemented, and between October 2013 and May 2015, equivalent period, in which only the geriatrician performed the evaluation of the patients' general condition, before referring them to other social-healthcare units. A number of factors were considered, including mean age, gender, the neurosurgical condition that led to admission, mean stay, infectious complications, acute confusional syndrome, admission into an intensive care unit, need for support from other medical departments, reoperations, mortality during hospitalisation, referral to social-health units, readmission within a month, and mortality within a year. RESULTS: A total of 173 patients on shared monitoring were compared to 189 patients from the previous period. Both groups had similar demographic characteristics. During the analysis, a significant reduction was observed in shared monitoring as regards, mean hospitalisation, infectious complications, admissions into an intensive care unit, the need for support from other medical departments, readmissions within a month, and mortality within a year. CONCLUSIONS: On patients of over 75 years of age, shared geriatric-neurosurgical monitoring reduces mean hospitalisation, morbidity, the need for support from other medical departments, early readmission, and mortality within a year. This strategy prioritises patient care, reduces costs, and rationalises resources

[The joint management of Geriatrics-Neurosurgery of patients older than 75 years reduces the average stay, morbidity, hospital readmissions and mortality per year]. / El manejo conjunto Geriatría-Neurocirugía de pacientes mayores de 75 años reduce la estancia media, la morbilidad, los reingresos hospitalarios y la mortalidad al año.

OBJECTIVE: Population ageing is a reality for which national health systems are not adapted. The World Health Organisation has already raised awareness about the implementation of specific measures, from undergraduate training to dedicated elderly care units, to tackle this situation. In this article, the aim is to analyse the potential benefits of geriatric monitoring on elderly neurosurgical patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A descriptive analysis was performed in this medical centre, comparing the information collected from elderly patients (over 75 years of age) admitted into the neurosurgical department during 2periods: June 2015 to February 2017, in which a shared geriatric monitoring was implemented, and between October 2013 and May 2015, equivalent period, in which only the geriatrician performed the evaluation of the patients' general condition, before referring them to other social-healthcare units. A number of factors were considered, including mean age, gender, the neurosurgical condition that led to admission, mean stay, infectious complications, acute confusional syndrome, admission into an intensive care unit, need for support from other medical departments, reoperations, mortality during hospitalisation, referral to social-health units, readmission within a month, and mortality within a year. RESULTS: A total of 173 patients on shared monitoring were compared to 189 patients from the previous period. Both groups had similar demographic characteristics. During the analysis, a significant reduction was observed in shared monitoring as regards, mean hospitalisation, infectious complications, admissions into an intensive care unit, the need for support from other medical departments, readmissions within a month, and mortality within a year. CONCLUSIONS: On patients of over 75 years of age, shared geriatric-neurosurgical monitoring reduces mean hospitalisation, morbidity, the need for support from other medical departments, early readmission, and mortality within a year. This strategy prioritises patient care, reduces costs, and rationalises resources.

Neurosarcoidosis presenting with isolated intracranial mass lesion and communicating hydrocephalus.

Isolated neurosarcoidosis is a very rare disease, which makes up 5-15% of sarcoidosis cases. Hydrocephalus is a rare clinical feature with a prevalence of 6% among these patients. Considering neurosarcoidosis in the differential diagnosis of a unique parenquimal mass lesion could help in the early identification of this disease. We report the case of a 27-year-old African man who developed with a sole intracranial mass lesion mimicking radiologically a glioma, which finally came out as an isolated neurosarcoidosis. There is a difficulty in diagnosis when isolated neurosarcoidosis appears. In addition, the low prevalence of the disease entails a not standardized medical treatment. Natural outcome is poor even when hydrocephalus is resolved. Multimodal treatments including complete pharmacological treatment do not seem to assure a better outcome in these patients until date.

Hemorragia cerebelosa distal por fístula dural oculta tras cirugía espina / Remote cerebellar hemorrhage caused by undetected dural tear after lumbar spinal surgery

La hemorragia cerebelosa (HC) distal es una complicación infrecuente pero grave tras cirugía espinal. Aunque el mecanismo de aparición sigue siendo desconocido, sucede tras la pérdida de líquido cefalorraquídeo (LCR) por desgarro dural, no siempre objetivado, lo que produce un sangrado venoso a distancia. El pronóstico depende en gran medida de la gravedad de dicha hemorragia. Se presenta el caso de una mujer de 67 años que sufrió, además de HC, hemorragia subaracnoidea (HSA) y hematoma subdural (HS) tras artrodesis lumbar programada que requirió craniectomía descompresiva

Remote cerebellar haemorrhage is a rare but serious complication after spinal surgery. Although the mechanism is not well known, it always occurs after loss of cerebrospinal fluid due to dural tear, not always identified, which produces remote venous bleeding. Prognosis depends largely on the severity of this bleeding. We report a case of 67-year-old female who suffered a cerebellar and subarachnoid haemorrhage and subdural haematoma after elective lumbar fusion surgery and eventually required decompressive craniectomy

Remote cerebellar hemorrhage caused by undetected dural tear after lumbar spinal surgery. / Hemorragia cerebelosa distal por fístula dural oculta tras cirugía espinal.

Remote cerebellar haemorrhage is a rare but serious complication after spinal surgery. Although the mechanism is not well known, it always occurs after loss of cerebrospinal fluid due to dural tear, not always identified, which produces remote venous bleeding. Prognosis depends largely on the severity of this bleeding. We report a case of 67-year-old female who suffered a cerebellar and subarachnoid haemorrhage and subdural haematoma after elective lumbar fusion surgery and eventually required decompressive craniectomy.