Intracranial Haemorrhage Probably Due to an Angiographically Occult AVM after Carotid Stenting. A Case Report.

SUMMARY: Angiographically occult vascular malformations refer to cerebrovascular malformations that are not demonstrable on technically satisfactory cerebral angiography. Authors herein present a very unusual intracranial bleeding complication related to an angiographically occult vascular malformation after extracranial carotid artery stenting procedure. A 52-year-old male patient admitted to the hospital with 2 episodes of amaurosis fugax in the left eye. Cervical carotid angiography and bilateral carotid Doppler ultrasonography revealed a 98% stenosis of the left internal carotid artery just distal to the bifurcation. Post-stenting control cervical carotid angiography revealed neither any residual stenosis nor a developmental venous anomaly. The patient developed left pupil dilatation with loss of consciousness two hours after the neurovascular intervention. Emergent cranial CT showed acute subdural haematoma, intracerebral and subarachnoid haemorrhage with massive midline shift. He underwent an emergent craniotomy with left temporal lobectomy. Abnormal cortical vascular structures with prominent engorgement were remarkable over the posterior temporal cortex. Histopathological studies confirmed the diagnosis of an occult AVM. Classically, these lesions are not visualized with angiography.Our patient's cerebral angiography and MR investigations were all normal. To our knowledge this is the first case in literature in which intracranial haemorrhage (acute subdural haematoma, intracerebral haematoma, SAH) occurred due to hyperperfusion of angiographically occult vascular malformation.

Restorative neurosurgery.

Restorative neurosurgery currently is the frontier of neuroscientists for the restoration of lost neuronal function especially in neurodegenerative diseases and ischemic and traumatic central nervous system (CNS) disorders. The striking developments in molecular neurobiology and bio-technology are progressively offering new opportunities for a better quality of life to patients suffering from loss of neuronal function. Besides all new and challenging medical therapeutic interventions, great emphasis is also given to transplantation for neuronal restoration as well.

Intraradicular disc herniations in the lumbar spine and a new classification of intradural disc herniations.

STUDY DESIGN: A case report of intraradicular disc herniation. Intraradicular disc herniation is a special type of intradural disc herniations. In this report, we present the tenth case of intraradicular lumbar disc herniation and suggest a new classification for intradural disc herniations. CASE REPORT: A 32-year-old male was admitted to hospital having experienced pain in the lower back and right leg for 1 month prior to admission. Neurological examination revealed weakness of the extensor hallucis longus, positive Laségue's sign, decreased ankle reflex in his right lower extremity, and bilateral paravertebral muscle spasm. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a disc herniation with a posterolateral extruded fragment on the right at the level of the L5-S1 space. He underwent L5 laminectomy. During the operation, the right S1 root was found to be swollen and immobile. A longitudinal incision was made in the dura of the right S1 root and an intradural free disc fragment was removed, and the S1 root was relieved. The patient was free of pain postoperatively. CONCLUSION: We suggest a new classification for intradural disc herniations with this unusual case presentation and review the literature for pathogenesis, clinical picture, diagnosis and treatment.

Cervical tuberculous spondylitis associated with systemic lupus erythematosus.

STUDY DESIGN: A case report of cervical tuberculous spondylitis associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Infection is a frequent problem in SLE, especially in patients hospitalised with the complications of the disease. Tuberculous spondylitis very rarely occurs in SLE patients, and cervical involvement has not been previously reported. CASE REPORT: A 54-year-old female patient was admitted to our hospital with a complaint of neck pain radiating to her shoulder of 2 months' duration. The neurological examination was completely normal and radiological investigations revealed narrowing, angulation and destruction of the end plates of the 5th and 6th cervical vertebrae. She has received corticosteroid and colchicine treatment for the diagnosis of SLE during the last 10 years. The anterior cervical approach was used and pyogenic material was debrided from the C5-6 intervertebral space, and an otogenous bone graft with a Smith Robinson type fusion was performed. CONCLUSION: High doses of corticosteroids are implicated as a risk factor for infection in SLE patients. Early diagnosis and appropriate medical and surgical treatment, as well as increased awareness of higher susceptibility to opportunistic infections, such as tuberculous spondylitis, are keystones for decreasing morbidity and mortality in patients with SLE.

Nimodipine attenuates lipid peroxidation during the acute phase of head trauma in rats.

Oxygen free radical-mediated lipid peroxidation is one of the major mechanisms of secondary damage in traumatic brain injury. We assessed the effects of nimodipine on lipid peroxidation 1 h after head trauma in rats. Nimodipine (1.5 microg/kg IV bolus injection) was given immediately after head trauma by either the carotid artery or the jugular vein. Placebo treated rats received saline by the same routes. Control rats received head trauma only. Sham-operated rats were the group without head trauma. Malondialdehyde (MDA), which is the end product of lipid peroxidation, was measured as an indicator of oxygen free radical formation in the brain tissue. The mean values for MDA in sham operated rats were 92.4 +/- 4.9 nanomoles/gram wet weight (nmol/gww) of brain tissue. In the control group, MDA content of the brain tissue was 120.8 +/- 9.4 nmol/gww. In placebo treated rats, the results were similar. In the groups receiving nimodipine via carotid artery or jugular vein, the mean values were 101.1 +/- 6.9 and 106.5 +/- 6.0 nmol/gww, respectively. These results indicate that nimodipine caused a significant decrease in lipid peroxidation when given in the acute phase of head trauma in rats. This occurred regardless of the route of injection.

Surgical therapy for lumbar spinal stenosis: evaluation of 300 cases.

Although lumbar spinal stenosis syndrome is extremely common, considerable controversy continues to surround its classification, diagnosis, and treatment. In this article, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical, radiological, and surgical characteristics of 300 patients operated on in our clinics with the diagnosis of lumbar spinal stenosis. Surgical therapy and outcome are discussed with respect to the known facts. After clinical and radiological evaluation, 300 patients were diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis. All patients underwent laminectomy and bilateral foraminotomy at the stenotic level. Surgical outcomes were evaluated as very good, good, same, and poor according to the clinical findings. Ninety percent of the surgically treated patients demonstrated very good and good outcomes. Our conclusion in lumbar spinal stenosis diagnosed by objective clinical and radiological findings is that decompressive laminectomy and extensive foraminotomy without instrumentation allow a good outcome.

Effect of pinealectomy on immune parameters in rats with Staphylococcus aureus infection.

It is generally accepted that the pineal gland is a neuroendocrine organ. Several recent experiments have shown that the pineal gland has functional and anatomical connections, particularly with the immune system, and therefore the gland is now recognized as an important immunoneuroendocrine organ in both man and animals. The present study investigates the effect of pinealectomy on some immune parameters, including hematological alterations, and the response of the brain tissue against infection caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Experiments were performed on two different age groups of rats (neonatal and young). The results showed a significant reduction of the plasma zinc level in the third week following pinealectomy, impairment of the hematological parameters including lymphocyte, erythrocyte, and leucocyte, and the deficiency of the brain response to the infective agent, particularly in pinealectomized neonatal rats. In view of these data and as described previously, the pineal gland has a main regulatory function in immune physiology, but our study indicates that only neonatal immune functions are significantly affected by pinealectomy.

Effect of melatonin on cerebral edema in rats.

OBJECTIVE: Melatonin (5-methoxy-N-acetyltrypamine), a chemical naturally produced in the pineal gland, has been suggested to be a free radical scavenger and an antioxidant. In the present study, the effect of melatonin on cold-induced brain edema was evaluated by determination of cerebral water content, blood-brain barrier permeability, and areas of infarct; the effects were also studied histopathologically. METHODS: Brain edema was produced in rats by creating a lesion via cortical freezing. Animals were separated into four groups: sham-operated (craniectomy only); control (cold injury); sham-vehicle (cold injury plus saline); and melatonin treatment (cold injury plus melatonin). Melatonin was administered (50 mg/kg intraperitoneally) 15 minutes after the cold injury was induced. Twenty-four hours later, tissue samples from the core, from the periphery of the cold-injured hemisphere, and from the contralateral hemisphere symmetrical to the cold injury were obtained. RESULTS: Melatonin treatment reduced edema (mean +/- standard deviation; 86.22 +/- 1.54% in the control group versus 80.78 +/- 2.76% in the melatonin treatment group, P < 0.001) and blood-brain barrier permeability (45.34 +/- 2.75% in the control group versus 38.26 +/- 3.40% in the melatonin treatment group, P < 0.001) at the periphery of cold injury. Area of infarct reduced from 5.84 +/- 0.58% in the control group to 3.30 +/- 0.89% in the melatonin treatment group (P < 0.001). The effect of melatonin was also confirmed histopathologically. CONCLUSION: Melatonin was found to be neuroprotective in instances of cold-induced brain edema. Thus, melatonin may be a valuable therapeutic agent in the treatment of cerebral edema.

Traumatic occipital condyle fractures.

Trauma to the brain or calvaria may cause some cranial nerve damage. This may be transitory or permanent. Occipital condyle fracture (OCF) is a rarely encountered pathology not easily diagnosed by routine clinical and radiological evaluation and one of the causes of lower cranial nerve disability. Frequently, the hypoglossal nerve is involved. Here we present two cases of OCF caused by motor vehicle accidents. Both of the patients complained of dysphagia and voice disturbance. After detailed neurologic and radiologic evaluation, they were diagnosed with OCF. They were both treated conservatively. OCF as a cause of lower cranial nerve damage is rarely reported. Since it is hard to diagnose OCF by routine cranial and cervical evaluation, detailed radiological study in suspected cases is a must. Since one of our patients was admitted 6 years after the trauma, this article is also noteworthy as a report on radiological changes of the OCF.

The effect of pinealectomy on immune parameters in different age groups in rats: results of the weekly alteration of the zinc level and the effect of melatonin administration on wound healing.

It is generally accepted that the pineal gland is a neuroendocrine organ. Several recent experiments have shown that the pineal gland has functional and anatomic connections with many organs and systems, particularly with the immune system, and, therefore, the gland is now recognised as an important immunoneuroendocrine organ both in man and animals. The present study investigates the effect of pinealectomy on some immune parameters including zinc pool alterations and wound healing process in different age group in rats and also investigates the effect of melatonin administration on wound healing in different age groups. Experiments were performed on two different age groups of rats (neonatal and young). We have experimentally shown the induction of immune depression by pinealectomy and the restorative competence of melatonin administration in the present study. The results also showed that the plasma zinc level was significantly reduced in the third week after the pinealectomy particularly in pinealectomised neonatal rats and the wound healing process affected only in pinealectomised neonatal rats but restored to normal by melatonin administration. In view of these data, as described previously, the pineal gland has a main regulatory function in immune physiology, but our study indicates that only neonatal immune functions are significantly affected by pinealectomy.

Comparison of the effects of melatonin and methylprednisolone in experimental spinal cord injury.

OBJECT: Melatonin is a very effective antioxidant agent. This study was performed to investigate the effects of melatonin in experimental spinal cord injury (SCI). The authors also compared its effects with those of methylprednisolone, which also protects the spinal cord from secondary injury because of its antioxidant effect on membrane lipids. METHODS: Adult male albino rats were used for the study, and paraplegia was produced using a previously described weight-drop technique. Melatonin and methylprednisolone were given intraperitoneally by bolus injections of 100 mg/kg and 30 mg/kg, respectively, immediately after induction of trauma. The animals were killed, and 1-cm samples of injured spinal cord were obtained at 1, 24, and 48 hours postinjury. Lipid peroxidation was estimated by thiobarbituric acid test. Electron microscopic studies were performed to determine the effects of melatonin on neurons, axons, and subcellular organelles after experimental SCI. A grading system was used for quantitative evaluation. Following SCI, there was significant increase in lipid peroxidation. In melatonin- and methylprednisolone-treated groups, lipid peroxidation was found to decrease to the baseline (preinjury) levels. There was a significant difference between trauma-alone and treatment groups, but no statistical difference was found between the melatonin- and methylprednisolone-treated groups. Electron microscopic findings showed that SCI produced by the weight-drop technique resulted in profound tissue damage. CONCLUSIONS: Both melatonin and methylprednisolone have been shown to protect neuron, axon, myelin, and intracellular organelles including mitochondrion and nucleus. However, this study provides quantitative evidence that this protection of neurons and subcellular organelles of spinal cord after secondary injury is much more obvious in melatonin-treated rats than those treated with methylprednisolone. In view of these data, melatonin has been shown to be very effective in protecting the injured spinal cord from secondary injury.

Intraparenchymal meningioma originating from underlying meningioangiomatosis. Case report and review of the literature.

The authors present the case of a 20-year-old woman with right-sided temporal intraparenchymal meningioma originating from underlying meningioangiomatosis. The patient manifested temporal-type seizures as the initial symptom. She had no stigmata of neurofibromatosis Type 2. Neuroradiological studies revealed an intraaxial, contrast-enhancing lesion in the right temporal lobe. After gross-total removal of the tumor, histological examination revealed a transitional meningioma with surrounding neural parenchyma and features of meningioangiomatosis. Although there were no signs of anaplasia, necrosis, or increased mitosis, tumor islands were observed in the adjacent neuropil. The rare association of meningioangiomatosis and meningioma is discussed, along with radiological and surgical findings.

Clinical and therapeutic properties of Cushing's disease in childhood.

Cushing's disease (CD) in adolescence and childhood is a rare pathology and has some different clinical and therapeutic characteristics than in adults. We report 3 cases treated surgically, with the diagnosis of CD. Their common complaints were short stature and obesity. Endocrinological investigations and radiological evaluation pointed out the diagnosis of CD for all children. They were operated on by the transsphenoidal route, and adenoma resection was performed. Histopathologic and immunohistochemical examination of the tissue specimens confirmed the diagnosis of CD. Long-term follow-up demonstrated weight loss and increase in height.

Melatonin as a free radical scavenger in experimental head trauma.

Head trauma causes two kinds of injury in the neural tissue. One is the primary injury which occurs at the time of impact. The other one is a secondary injury and is a progressive process. Free radicals are produced during oxidative reactions formed after trauma. They have been thought to be responsible in the mechanism of the secondary injury. Some studies have been conducted to demonstrate the role of free oxygen radicals in neuronal injury. The alterations in the free radical level during the early posttraumatic period and the effect of a free radical scavenger on these alterations have not been studied as a whole. We aimed to demonstrate the free oxygen radical level changes in the early posttraumatic period and the effect of melatonin, which is a potent free radical scavenger, on the early posttraumatic free radical level. A two-staged experimental head trauma study was designed. In stage one, posttraumatic free radical level changes were determined. In the second stage, the effect of melatonin on the free radical level changes in the posttraumatic period was studied. Two main groups of rats each divided into four subgroups were studied. Rats in one of the main groups underwent severe head trauma, and malondealdehyde (MDA) levels were measured in the contused cerebral tissue at different time points. Rats in the other main group also underwent the same type of trauma, and melatonin was injected intraperitoneally at different time points after trauma. The MDA level alteration in the tissue was determined after the injection of melatonin. The MDA level increased rapidly in the early posttraumatic period. But in time, it decreased in the groups with only trauma. In the melatonin-treated group, the MDA level decreased after the injection of melatonin, when injected in the early posttraumatic period, compared to the control and trauma groups. However, melatonin increased MDA to a higher level than in the groups with only trauma and the control group when injected later than 2 h after trauma. The MDA level increases in the very early posttraumatic period of cerebral trauma and decreases in time. Melatonin, which is the most potent endogenous free radical scavenger, when injected intraperitoneally to the cerebral traumatized rats in the very early posttraumatic period, causes a significant decrease in the MDA level. But, melatonin, when injected more than 2 h after trauma, increases the MDA level in experimental cerebral trauma in rats.

The neurosurgical aspects of neurofibromatosis 2: diagnosis and management.

NF-2 is an extremely rare form of neurofibromatosis (NF) characterized by central system (CNS) neural crest-derived tumors and frequently cafe au lait spots (CLS). The purpose of this study was to report the clinical and imaging findings of seven patients with this disorder and to stress that value of surgical treatment in its management. Seven patients between 8 and 32 years of age who had NF-2 were included in the study. Clinical charts, surgical and pathological findings, and imaging studies were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were followed up for to 142 months. Clinical evaluation and neuroimaging studies detected the clinical criteria of NF-2 in all patients. Two deaths occurred after surgical intervention in our series. None of the patients suffered from recurrent tumor following surgery. Our results show that NF-2 is an uncommon entity which has a good prognosis after surgical intervention, in spite of the presence of multiple cranial and/or spinal lesions.

Neurotransmitter and amino acid analysis and ultrastructural observations of fetal brain cortex transplantation to adult rat brain under the effect of dexamethasone.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct an investigation of fetal cortical tissue graft survival using transmission electron microscopy and analyzing neurotransmitters and amino acids and their function, with special reference to the effect of dexamethasone. METHODS: Transplantation of fetal cortical brain tissue to 100 adult Wistar albino rats weighing 170 to 220 g was performed. The rats were divided into three groups. Only transplantation of fetal cortical brain tissue was performed in the first group (n=36). In the second group (n=48), dexamethasone was administered in addition to fetal cortical tissue transplantation. The third group (n=16) was used as the surgical control group. The rats were allowed to live for 6 weeks and were then decapitated. The grafts were examined by electron microscopy. Additionally, quantitative analyses of the neurotransmitters and amino acids of the grafts were conducted using high-pressure liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Electron microscopic observations revealed that the grafts were still surviving at the end of the 6th week in both groups. However, in the group that received dexamethasone, neurons and their organelles were better developed than in the group that did not receive dexamethasone. Concommitantly, results of quantitative analysis in the dexamethasone group revealed statistically extremely significant higher amino acid values for glutamic acid, aspartic acid, beta-alanine, and lysine and significantly higher values for gamma-aminobutyric acid, glutamine, glycine, and serine when compared to the nondexamethasone group. CONCLUSION: Dexamethasone is effective in increasing the survival and in developing the ultrastructural and functional outcome of transplanted neurons in fetal grafts.

Giant schwannoma of the trigeminal nerve misdiagnosed as maxillary sinusitis. A case report.

A 24-year-old woman presented with left-sided ptosis, diplopia, sensory impairment on the left side of her face and diminished hearing in her left ear. The neurological findings were hypo-anesthesia in all three divisions of the trigeminal nerve, left-sided facial paralysis of the oculomotor and abducens nerves. Initially the condition was misdiagnosed as maxillary sinusitis and was treated with antibiotics. It seems that this presentation has not been previously described in commonly read English-language journals. In our case, the tumour was removed totally and the neuropathological diagnosis was schwannoma. The case report describes the presentation, investigations, management and outcome in this patient.

Huge ossified crust-like subdural hematoma covering the hemisphere and causing acute signs of increased intracranial pressure.

We report the successful removal of an ossified crust-like chronic subdural hematoma (SDH) covering the hemisphere in a 16-year-old boy. In this article, the importance of the surgical approach is stressed, and the rarity of this condition in the neurosurgical literature is also outlined.