Cross my heart: ventriculoatrial shunt migration into the pulmonary arteries.

We present here a rare complication of ventriculoatrial shunt: migration of the distal catheter into both pulmonary arteries. The patient showed no cardiorespiratory symptoms. The catheter was removed by endovascular technic, the most usual procedure in these cases.

Spontaneous acute bleeding within subdural effusion from dural metastasis of gastric cancer: A case report / Sangrado subdural agudo en el seno de una efusión subdural causada por una metástasis de cáncer gástrico: un caso clínico

Dural metastases are uncommon findings and at diagnosis normally appear in disseminated stages of malignant tumors. Usually clinically silent, these could become symptomatic due to mass effect or after developing subdural collections. We present the case of a young woman recently operated from gastric cancer who presented consciousness deterioration and hemiparesis caused by subdural collection. During examination, the patient drastically worsens his neurological status due to an acute subdural bleeding within the subdural collection, which after pathological analysis was diagnosed of dural metastasis of gastric cancer. In malignancies associated with subdural collections it is important to suspect the coexistence of dural metastases and performing a contrast enhanced CT scan or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) may help in the diagnosis. If surgery is indicated, it is mandatory to evacuate the tumor and involved dura which causes the accumulation of fluid and to coagulate the external tumor membrane to avoid re-bleeding (AU)

Las metástasis durales son hallazgos infrecuentes, y al diagnosticarse, normalmente se encuentran en estadios diseminados de tumores malignos. Generalmente, son clínicamente silentes, pero pueden dar síntomas debido al efecto de masa o tras desarrollar colecciones subdurales. Presentamos el caso de una mujer joven, recientemente intervenida de cáncer gástrico, que presentó deterioro de la conciencia y hemiparesia por colección subdural. Durante la exploración, la paciente empeoró neurológicamente debido a un sangrado subdural agudo dentro de la colección subdural, que tras análisis patológico fue diagnosticada de metástasis dural de cáncer gástrico. En las neoplasias asociadas con colecciones subdurales es importante sospechar la coexistencia de metástasis durales y realizar una tomografía computarizada con contraste o una resonancia magnética puede ayudar en el diagnóstico. Si está indicada la cirugía es obligatorio evacuar el tumor y la duramadre afectada que provoca la acumulación de líquido y coagular la membrana tumoral externa para evitar el resangrado (AU)

Spontaneous acute bleeding within subdural effusion from dural metastasis of gastric cancer: A case report.

Dural metastases are uncommon findings and at diagnosis normally appear in disseminated stages of malignant tumors. Usually clinically silent, these could become symptomatic due to mass effect or after developing subdural collections. We present the case of a young woman recently operated from gastric cancer who presented consciousness deterioration and hemiparesis caused by subdural collection. During examination, the patient drastically worsens his neurological status due to an acute subdural bleeding within the subdural collection, which after pathological analysis was diagnosed of dural metastasis of gastric cancer. In malignancies associated with subdural collections it is important to suspect the coexistence of dural metastases and performing a contrast enhanced CT scan or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) may help in the diagnosis. If surgery is indicated, it is mandatory to evacuate the tumor and involved dura which causes the accumulation of fluid and to coagulate the external tumor membrane to avoid re-bleeding.

Frameless navigation-guided percutaneous rhizotomy of the trigeminal nerve: an appraisal of the literature.

Percutaneous rhizotomy is a cornerstone of trigeminal neuralgia treatment. The procedure is classically performed under intermittent fluoroscopic guidance. While frameless navigation has been advanced to overcome potential difficulties and risks of the technique, literature on the subject is limited, and a gap between actual use and published series is likely. We have assessed all available studies of percutaneous rhizotomy of the trigeminal nerve performed under frameless navigation. Technical and clinical data that has been reviewed included clinical outcome, type of navigation employed, type of rhizotomy performed, types and rate of complications, operative time, cannulation time, and cannulation rate. Reports are heterogeneous, and most of these aspects have been inconsistently described. Comparisons with non-guided procedures are mostly indirect. While no obvious disadvantages are apparent when employing navigation, the ability to draw conclusions is nonetheless limited. Navigation appears as an inviting adjunct to trigeminal rhizotomy, but publication of longer, rigorously evaluated series would be welcomed.

Clinical Practice in Spine Surgery: An International Survey.

BACKGROUND: The availability of diverse and sophisticated surgical options to treat spine conditions is compounded by the scarcity of high-level evidence to guide decision-making. Although studies on discrete treatments are frequently published, little information is available regarding real-world surgical practice. We intended to survey spine surgeons to assess clinical management of common spine diagnosis in day-to-day settings. METHODS: An online survey was distributed among neurosurgeons and orthopaedic surgeons worldwide. The obtained assessment of common surgical practice is contextualized in a review of the best available evidence. RESULTS: The survey was answered by more than 310 members of several European, Australasian, and South African professional societies. The submitted responses translate a surgical practice generally grounded on evidence, favoring well-tried techniques, providing comprehensive treatment for the most severe diagnoses. Such practice comes mostly from neurosurgeons focused on spine surgery, practicing in teaching hospitals. CONCLUSION: We believe that the pragmatic, day-to-day approach to spine conditions captured in the present survey offers an informative insight to involved surgeons.

Spontaneous acute bleeding within subdural effusion from dural metastasis of gastric cancer: A case report.

Dural metastases are uncommon findings and at diagnosis normally appear in disseminated stages of malignant tumors. Usually clinically silent, these could become symptomatic due to mass effect or after developing subdural collections. We present the case of a young woman recently operated from gastric cancer who presented consciousness deterioration and hemiparesis caused by subdural collection. During examination, the patient drastically worsens his neurological status due to an acute subdural bleeding within the subdural collection, which after pathological analysis was diagnosed of dural metastasis of gastric cancer. In malignancies associated with subdural collections it is important to suspect the coexistence of dural metastases and performing a contrast enhanced CT scan or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) may help in the diagnosis. If surgery is indicated, it is mandatory to evacuate the tumor and involved dura which causes the accumulation of fluid and to coagulate the external tumor membrane to avoid re-bleeding.

Glioblastoma multiforme metastases to the masticator muscles and the scalp.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common malignant primary brain tumor. Metastases outside the nervous system are a rare phenomenon. We present a pictographically striking case of GBM with metastases in the masticatory muscles of the infratemporal fossa and the scalp, in the context of a dense intracranial dissemination. Extracranial metastases of GBM have been reported anecdotally, while, to our knowledge, masticatory muscle metastases have been previously reported in only one case.

Anaplastic ependymoma with holocordal and intracranial meningeal carcinomatosis and holospinal bone metastases.

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: Ependymomas are the most frequent intramedullary neoplasms in adult patients. Anaplastic histology, extramedullary location, meningeal dissemination at initial diagnosis, and extraneural metastases are rare findings. We describe a case of extramedullary anaplastic ependymoma that presented with holocordal and intracranial leptomeningeal carcinomatosis and bone metastases in all the vertebral bodies and the sternum. Such an aggressive dissemination at initial diagnosis has not been previously reported. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 36-year-old woman presented with headache, multiple cranial nerve palsies, visual hallucinations, confusion, hemiparesis, hemihipoestesia, episodes of disconnection, and toxic syndrome. Magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography scan revealed leptomeningeal carcinomatosis in the brainstem, the cerebellum, and along the whole spinal cord. Various nodular, intradural extramedullary lesions were present at multiple dorsal and lumbar levels. Metastatic bone disease affected all the vertebral bodies and various extraspinal bones. An intradural and bone biopsy was performed at L4, providing the diagnosis of anaplastic ependymoma (World Health Organization grade III) with focal neuronal differentiation. Despite chemotherapy, the patient's symptoms quickly progressed, and she died 7 weeks after diagnosis. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, there are no previous descriptions of ependymomas with this extensive leptomeningeal, spinal, intracranial, and extraneural dissemination at clinical onset. Bone metastases in spinal ependymoma have not been previously reported.

Decompressive craniectomy for encephalitis with brain herniation: case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Decompressive craniectomy (DC) has been sporadically used in cases of infectious encephalitis with brain herniation. Like for other indications of DC, evidence is lacking regarding the beneficial or detrimental effects for this pathology. METHODS: We reviewed all the cases of viral and bacterial encephalitis treated with decompressive craniectomy reported in the literature. We also present one case from our institution. These data were analyzed to determine the relation between clinical and epidemiological variables and outcome in surgically treated patients. RESULTS: Of 48 patients, 39 (81.25 %) had a favorable functional recovery and 9 (18.75 %) had a negative course. Only two patients (4 %) died after surgical treatment. A statistically significant association was found between diagnosis (viral and bacterial encephalitis) and outcome (GOS) in surgically treated patients. Viral encephalitis, usually caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV), has a more favorable outcome (92.3 % with GOS 4 or 5) than bacterial encephalitis (56.2 % with GOS 4 or 5). CONCLUSIONS: Based on this literature review, we consider that, due to the specific characteristics of infectious encephalitis, especially in case of viral infection, decompressive craniectomy is probably an effective treatment when brain stem compression threatens the course of the disease. In patients with viral encephalitis, better prognosis can be expected when surgical decompression is used than when only medical treatment is provided.