ABSTRACT
The purpose of this article is to describe the clinical and pathological features of metastatic angiosarcoma in the central nervous system. Only a few cases of cerebral metastasis from angiosarcoma of the heart have been recorded in the literature; particularly related to intracerebral hemorrhage. A case of secondary cerebral angiosarcoma of the heart in a 33 years old man is presented. The initial symptoms were headache, vomiting, lethargy and aphasia. There was a mass in the left temporal lobe with hemorrhage and edema on the computerized tomography (CT). After 24 hours the neurological status worsened and another CT scan showed rebleeding on the tumor area. He underwent an emergency craniotomy but died two days after. Considering the longer survival of sarcoma patients with new modalities of treatment, the incidence of brain metastasis may increase, demanding a better preventive and more aggressive approach. Besides, due to the hemorrhagic nature of such lesions, we suggest the immediate surgery to prevent a fast and lethal evolution because rebleeding.
Subject(s)
Brain Neoplasms/secondary , Cerebral Hemorrhage/etiology , Heart Neoplasms/pathology , Hemangiosarcoma/secondary , Adult , Brain Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Fatal Outcome , Hemangiosarcoma/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Male , Temporal Lobe/diagnostic imaging , Temporal Lobe/pathology , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
The cavernous sinus is most frequently involved by septic thrombosis. The common sites of primary infection are the medial face, orbits, tonsils, soft palate, sphenoid and ethmoid sinuses. The usual clinical presentation begins with fever and periorbital edema followed by headache, ptosis and ocular muscles palsy. The diagnosis is usually made on clinical grounds. Treatment consists of eradication of the primary source of infection and the administration of antibiotics and anticoagulants. We report six cases of septic thrombosis of cavernous sinus.
Subject(s)
Bacterial Infections/complications , Cavernous Sinus , Sinus Thrombosis, Intracranial/etiology , Adolescent , Adult , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Bacterial Infections/diagnosis , Bacterial Infections/drug therapy , Child , Female , Humans , Male , Retrospective Studies , Sinus Thrombosis, Intracranial/diagnosis , Sinus Thrombosis, Intracranial/drug therapyABSTRACT
Pseudoaneurysms of the extracranial vertebral artery are extremely rare due to their deep location and the anatomical protection of this artery. They can be caused by cervical traumas (firearm injuries, sports, hyperextension of the neck and iatrogeny). The authors report the case of a patient who developed a giant pseudoaneurysm of the extracranial vertebral artery after surgery for the removal of a tumor of the cerebellopontine angle in which surgical lesion of the artery occurred. Treatment was performed by endovascular approach. Literature is reviewed and comments are made on the physiopathogeny of the lesion and the different forms of treatment.
