[Transcient improvement of extrapyramidal syndrome after general anaesthesia]. / Amélioration transitoire d'un syndrome Parkinsonien après anesthésie générale.

We describe the case of a patient with an untreated Parkinson's disease who underwent surgery for a temporal meningioma. Extrapyramidal syndrome, initially attributed to the meningioma, had improved over the 48 hours following the procedure and then reappeared. This observation raises the question about the impact of drugs used during perioperative days in patients with Parkinson's disease not treated with levodopa.

[Orbital tumors. Neurosurgical activity]. / Tumeurs orbitaires. Activité neurochirurgicale.

In this chapter, we report the results of orbital tumor management in a few neurosurgical departments and compare it to a Paris neurosurgical department that has developed a close relation with an ophthalmological department. These departments' activity is quite low, treating mainly sphenoorbital meningiomas. Other tumor groups are unequally and sporadically managed.

Huge intramedullar neurenteric cyst with intrathoracic development in a 1 month-old boy: excision though the anterior approach. A case report and review of the literature.

Spinal neurenteric cyst is a rare congenital lesion that may occur either alone or in the context of a complex malformative disorder. Our case is unusual because of its rare intramedullary location, the association with an important intrathoracic development, and the age of the child at presentation (1 month). An anterior approach through a right-sided lateral thoracotomy was performed for a total resection of the intrathoracic part and a subtotal resection for the intramedullar portion. During 2 years of follow-up, the child presented no neurological deficit and post-operative magnetic resonance imaging found a small residue fixed on the anterior spinal cord without progression.

[Nocardia brain abscess: features, therapeutic strategies and outcome]. / Abcès cérébraux àNocardia: caractéristiques radiocliniques et prise en charge thérapeutique.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Nocardia species is an aerobic soil-saprophyte bacterium, responsible for rare opportunistic infections, mainly reported in immunocompromised patients. Nocardia brain abscess accounts for 1 to 2% of cerebral abscesses. Prognosis is poor. METHODS: We describe clinical, radiological and bacteriological findings along with therapeutic aspects for five patients and review the literature on Nocardia cerebral abscess. RESULTS: The clinical features of Nocardia brain abscess are insidious and nonspecific, occurring frequently with a medical background of obvious or latent immunodeficiency; fever, if any, is observed subordinate to extracerebral nocardiosis. Computerized tomography scan and conventional magnetic resonance (MR) scan show lesions with a necrotic core and multilobed thick walls enhancing after injection of gadolinium or iodine. Abscesses are mainly located in the brain stem, basal ganglia and cerebral cortex of the frontal, parietal and occipital lobes; cerebellar and spinal locations are uncommon. MR diffusion-weighted imaging with calculation of apparent diffusion coefficient and proton MR spectroscopy can provide additional data for accurate differential diagnosis between abscess and other necrotic lesions, such as tumor and cyst formations. Bacteriological identification has progressed with advances in molecular microbiology: 16S rRNA sequencing, allowing a more rapid routine identification of Nocardia strains from clinical samples. Clinical management of patients with a Nocardia brain abscess relies upon early use of intravenous antibiotics adapted to the strains identified and their susceptibility. Most Nocardia strains display susceptibility to cotrimoxazol, amikacin and linezolid, but develop beta-lactamase activity. CONCLUSIONS: Early pus samples, obtained by biopsy or surgical resection, are needed to establish a certain bacteriological diagnosis and initiate appropriate intravenous antibiotics.

[Dilatation of Virchow-Robin perivascular spaces (types III cerebral lacunae): radio-clinical correlations]. / Dilatation des espaces périvasculaires de Virchow-Robin (Lacunes de type III): corrélations radio-cliniques.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Virchow-Robin spaces are pia-lined extensions of the subarachnoid space surrounding the path of brain vessels. When enlarged, such dilated perivascular spaces are often seen as foci of cerebrospinal fluid signal on MRI or CT scan. These foci are found in patients with miscellaneous clinical status. It is necessary to determine the radiological significance and clinical associations, if any, in such patients in order to give them the appropriate treatment. METHODS: We describe the clinical and radiological findings of five patients and review the literature on perivascular Virchow-Robin spaces. RESULTS: The mechanisms of dilated Virchow-Robin spaces are still not well understood. Such dilated perivascular spaces are found in two locations: typically in the high-convexity white matter of healthy elderly subjects, or surrounding the lenticulostriate vessels as they enter the basal ganglia. On MR images, they may be confused with lacunar infarcts. Most of the patients present with no symptoms: small dilatations located in the high convexity actually represent an anatomic variant, also called "état criblé". Sometimes, giant dilatations, or Poirier's type IIIb "expanding lacunae", found in the basal ganglia and midbrain may result in symptomatic hydrocephalus needing appropriate treatment. For other miscellaneous symptoms as headache, generalized epilepsy, dysmorphy, macrocephaly, there is no reliable correlation with enlarged perivascular spaces seen on MR images. CONCLUSIONS: The real symptomatic dilated perivascular spaces need appropriate and quick treatment. Most of the other patients present with no symptoms and will remain asymptomatic.

[Trans-umbilical access and ventriculoperitoneal shunt in adults: preliminary results]. / Abord transombilical et dérivations ventriculopéritonéales de l'adulte: résultats préliminaires.

In spite of the development of endoscopic surgery in hydrocephalus, ventriculoperitoneal shunt remains indicated in many cases particularly for non obstructive hydrocephalus. The peritoneal cavity is always an excellent receptacle for the LCS at the price of an unaesthetic abdominal scar, which may pose a problem, especially for the young adult. The trans-umbilical approach allows us to avoid the unsightly scar. Thus, between May 2004 and September 2006, a ventriculoperitoneal shunt was fashioned in 14 patients using a trans-umbilical access. Average age was 52 years and average post-intervention follow-up was 17 months. No patient developed infection, in particular in the umbilical area. One patient had to undergo a second operation for ventricular repositioning using the same peritoneal drain that could be repositioned via the trans-umbilical access with no particular problem. In one particular case, a full change of the shunt was necessary because of a sore on the shunt chamber, the material was reinstalled via the conventional umbilical access without any particular difficulty. This is the first preliminary study which confirms the feasibility of the trans-umbilical method for adults with no increase in the infectious risk, and with a very satisfactory aesthetic result in children.

[Unsuccessful surgery of Cushing's disease. Role and efficacy of fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy]. / Echec après chirurgie de la maladie de Cushing: rôle et résultats de la radiothérapie stéréotaxique fractionnée (RSF).

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To optimize and reduce the toxicity of pituitary adenoma irradiation, we evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSR) in 51 patients with functional adenoma; 12 of them had Cushing's disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eleven females and one male, median age: 49 years, 8 of them relapsed and 4 had persistent hormonal secretion after surgery. The delivered dose was 50 grays (Gy) (5 x 1.8 Gy/week) using 5 convergent micro-beams scanning in arc therapy mode. The median planned target volume (PTV) receiving 90 to 100% of the total dose was 2,1 cm(3). We used relocatable non-invasive stereotactic device Brain Lab, and adapted Linac for stereotactic radiotherapy. RESULTS: Nine out of twelve patients (75%) presented with complete remission after a median time of 29 months, 3/12 patients with partial remission. Actuarial probability to have hormonal persistent secretion was 88% at on year, 44% from 3 to 5 years, 22% at 7 years, and 11% to 0% after 7 years. The 12-corticotroph adenomas were significantly (p=0.007) more radiosensitive than 39 non-corticotroph adenomas. Toxicity was significantly lower for corticotrope adenoma, with no radio-induced pituitary deficiency and no neurological or optic injury. CONCLUSIONS: Combined surgery and FSR appears to be safe and effective for treatment of pituitary adenomas. However, long-term follow-up is required to determine the impact in terms of tumor response and hormone deficiency. The focused treated volume obtained by FSR seems more suitable for these benign tumours than standard radiotherapy. In addition to this conformal approach, the use of standard fractionation reduced the risk of severe damage to the optic chiasma, which is sometimes observed after radiosurgery and is inherent in single fraction radiotherapy.

[Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy: results in hypophyseal adenomas, acoustic neurinomas, and meningiomas of the cavernous sinus]. / Radiothérapie stéréotaxique fractionnée: résultats dans les adénomes hypophysaires, les neurinomes de l'acoustique et les méningiomes du sinus caverneux.

PURPOSE: In order to optimize cerebral benign tumor irradiation, fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy allows a focused-volume irradiation (2.1 cm3, 16 mm diameter) under standard fractionation conditions. Results of a retrospective and multicentric analysis are presented. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy uses the ballistic principles of the radiosurgery: stereotactic localization, multi-beam irradiation, secondary collimation, three-dimensional dosimetry. Standard fractionation is possible with a re-locatable non-invasive stereotactic device. The technique has been used for treating pituitary adenomas (86 patients), acoustic neuromas (32 patients) and cavernous meningiomas (26 patients). RESULTS: 1) pituitary adenomas: cumulative tumoral objective-response rates (42 patients) were respectively 42%, 69% and 88% at 24, 48 and 60 months. The cumulative endocrinologic objective-response rates (32 patients) were respectively 53%, 75% and 85% at 24, 48 and 60 months. The cumulative risk of radio-induced hormonal deficiency varied from 18% (growth hormone [GH]) to 42% for TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) at 48 months. No other complication was observed; 2) acoustic neuromas: 33 tumors, < 25 mm in diameter, were treated in 32 patients. Tumor control was observed in 29/33 tumors: 14 were stable, 15 decreased and three progressed. Useful hearing was maintained in 9/10 patients. Only three patients (9%) presented persistent complications; 3) cavernous meningioma: 17/19 clinical responses were noted, 20 tumoral stabilisations, one partial response and one progression (22 magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] evaluable patients). One unilateral radio-induced blindness was observed. CONCLUSION: For these benign tumors, the focused target volume obtained by the fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy seems to be better adapted to the treatment of limited benign tumors than standard radiotherapy. The use of standard fractionation reduces the risk of severe normal tissue damage, sometimes observed for radiosurgery and inherent in the use of single fraction.

[Postoperative spinal extradural hematomas. 14 cases]. / Hématomes extra-duraux rachidiens post-opératoires. Quatorze observations.

We report 14 cases of post-operative spinal epidural hematoma and compare them with 17 cases reported in the literature. These 14 cases have been drawn from a continuous series of 7950 patients operated on at our institution by the posterior route for a non-traumatic spinal pathology. The symptom-free period after initial surgery was shorter than 5 hours in 13 cases out of 14. The clinical picture was characteristic 11 times. It started with a stabbing pain in the operated site, followed by paresthesia, radicular pain and neurologic palsy which were always bilateral even when the operation had been unilateral. The diagnosis was always established rapidly when the compression was cervical or thoracic and with some delay when the lumbar area was concerned. All patients, except one, have been reoperated without any radiological investigation. The source of bleeding was found 12 time out of 14. Full recovery was obtained in all 14 patients but delayed recovery of a few weeks occurred in 3 patients for whom reoperation was delayed. None of the potentiating factors studied in this work were found to be decisive. Post-operative spinal epidural hematoma is a rather uncommon complication of spinal surgery occurring at a rate of 1 to 2 per thousand. The diagnosis is more often obvious because its clinical picture is similar to that of spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma. Early reoperation allows a full recovery. Special attention during the first six post-operative hours for all patients after spinal surgery is essential for early detection of such a complication.

[Changes in systolic pressure and posture in the surgery of the lumbar spine]. / Modifications de pression artérielle systolique et changements de posture pour chirurgie du rachis lombaire.

Anesthetized patients for lumbar disk surgery can be placed in prone or knee chest position which may adversely affect circulation. Augmentation of the delta-down component of the systolic blood pressure variation in ventilated patient is a sensitive indicator of intra operative hypovolemia. According to results, cardiac filling pressure is more affected in the knee chest position than in prone position. Preload state variation between the two positions, evaluated with albumin fluid challenge, seems to be more important than 500 ml.

Cytogenetic changes in 67 cranial and spinal meningiomas: relation to histopathological and clinical pattern.

The cytogenetic analysis of 67 meningiomas (58 intracranial and 9 spinal tumors) identified chromosomal abnormalities in 63% of cases. When chromosomes involved in numerical and structural changes with a frequency of more than one standard deviation above the mean were considered, distinct cytogenetic patterns could be identified according to sex, anatomical location and histology. The chromosomes more frequently affected were 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 14, 15, 19, 22, Y. No conclusion could be drawn regarding the prognostic significance of these karyotypic alterations.

[Comparison of 2 consecutive series of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage with or without nimodipine and study of the temperature curve]. / Comparaison de deux séries consécutives d'hémorragies méningées anévrysmales avec et sans nimodipine et étude de la coubre thermique.

A total of 210 consecutive patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (S.A.H.) of any clinical grade admitted from January 1985 through May 1990 were retrospectively studied to determine the effect of intravenous Nimodipine on survival and functional results and to analyse temperature curve as a prognosis factor. The 106 patients admitted from January 1985 through November 1987 constituted the reference series termed G1. The 104 patients admitted from December 1987 through May 1990 and treated with intravenous Nimodipine constituted the series termed G2. Of the 210 patients, 172 (82%) could be operated on with a similar mean operative delay in both series (G1 = 9.5 days, G2 = 9.8 days). Of the 210 patients, 153 (73%) survived with an average follow-up of 111 weeks for G1 and of 64 weeks for G2. Nimodipine treatment was associated with a significant increase of survival (11.8%, P = 0.05) which was not the result of improved operative technique but of a lower incidence of deaths caused by postoperative vasospasm (G1 = 5 deaths, G2 = 0 deaths, P = 0.05) and by rebleeding (G1 = 15 deaths, G2 = 5 deaths, P = 0.03). No significant difference between the two series G1 and G2 was observed regarding functional results in the 153 survivors, frequency and seriousness of clinical signs of vasospasm during the waiting phase for surgery, radiologic signs of vasospasm on initial and second angiography, cerebral infarctus on second C.T.-Scan. Analysis of temperature curves of the 210 patients revealed that a delayed fever with a plateau pattern was associated with a higher incidence of vasospasm, rebleeding, and deaths.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[No hair shaving]. / Le non rasage.

The author presents an experience with 4,655 operated on neurosurgical patients (except for shunt procedures) without any hair-shaving. He describes the precise technique used to prepare the scalp. Among these patients, twenty (0.43%) experienced infections complications.

[Retro-ocular hydatid cyst. Apropos of a case surgically treated by the trans-facial approach]. / Kyste hydatique rétro-oculaire. A propos d'un cas opéré par voie transfaciale.

The authors report the case of a woman presenting with a hydatid cyst of the left orbit and stress the clinical, CT scan and laboratory findings. They suggest a medico-surgical treatment protocol.

[Synovial cysts and synovialomas of the lumbar spine. Histo-pathologic and neuro-surgical aspects apropos of 8 cases]. / Kystes synoviaux et synovialomes du rachis lombaire. Aspects histo-pathologiques et neuro-chirurgicaux à propos de 8 observations.

Based on 8 personal cases and a 81-cases review of literature, it's authors' opinion that cystic or solid masses issued form posterior lumbar articular process and called according to the cases synovial cyst, ganglion cyst, benign synovialoma, pigmented villonodular synovitis, are a single variety of benign degeneration of soft articular tissues. The cystic or solid feature of these masses depends upon the extent of their histiocytic granulomatous proliferation. They may be asymptomatic, accompany chronic lumbar pain or cause sciatica, seldom cauda equina syndrome. In case of sciatica, clinical picture rather consists of a narrow lateral recess than a discal protrusion. CT scan is the best investigation to get a right preoperative diagnosis. Postoperative prognosis is excellent and no anatomical recurrence has been reported.

[Myelopathies caused by dorsal spinal canal spondylotic stenosis. 3 cases and a review of the literature]. / Myélopathies par sténose arthrosique du canal rachidien dorsal. 3 observations et revue de la littérature.

Thoracic spondylotic myelopathies are exceptional, only 29 observations could be found in the literature; we intend to describe three new cases here. The patients, two women and one man, 64, 69 and 72 years old, complained of weakness of the lower limbs, more marked on one side, which had been progressing slowly from several months to eight years. Examination revealed asymmetrical paraparesis with distal sensitivity deficits without thoracic sensory level. In the first case, the myelography remained virtually unchanged in front of T11, T12; in the second and third cases, there was slight extradural compression at T9 and T10 respectively. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (M.R.I.) performed in two patients was evocative of a thoracic disk herniation. A chest CT scan enabled us to establish correct diagnosis: in the three cases irregular hypertrophy of the posterior elements was evident at T11 and T12, T9 and T10, T10 and T11 respectively, with osteophytes originating in the articular process and deeply embedded in the spinal canal. Decompressive laminectomy associated with medial facetectomy resulted in the gradual improvement of walking in all three patients. Myelography and MRI are both useful in demonstrating the level compression, usually situated in the low thoracic spine, however only the CT allows differential diagnosis with other etiologies, especially anterior compression such as disk herniation.

Single brain metastasis of non-small cell lung carcinoma. Study of survival among 54 patients.

We studied 54 patients treated for non-small cell lung carcinoma with single brain metastasis presenting between 1980 and 1985. Better survival was obtained in cases of patients presenting a fair neurological condition who were treated by surgery. Histological condition and date of onet of metastasis had no significant influence on survival. Combined treatment of both primary lung tumour and brain metastasis was a favourable prognosis element, and surgical resection of both locations led to the best results in terms of duration and quality of survival.

[Cervical spondylotic myelopathies. Apropos of 121 cases. Prognostic value of sensitive symptoms]. / Myelopathies cervicarthrosiques à propos de 121 observations. Intérêt pronostique des troubles sensitifs.

121 patients have been treated for cervical spondylotic myelopathy between 1972 and 1985; 88 patients have been operated on, most of them (84) by laminectomy and 4 cases by anterior approach; 33 patients have been treated conservatively in absence of evolution. We have used a clinical classification based on the different sensitive symptoms, the best predictive factor in our opinion; the typical form (2/3 of all cases) associates numbness and paresthesias of extremities of both hands, difficulties for manipulation, astereognosia, with a moderate pyramidal deficit of the lower limbs; this typical form obtains the best post-operative score with 75% of good results; the more the clinical sensitive form is far from the typical one, the poorest may be the evolution. Our results are similar with large series of literature, using either the posterior or the anterior approach; we have noted the frequency (1/4 of cases) of very late worsening, several years after initial good result, without residual compressive factor; it is supposed that organised intra-medullary lesions, may be of venous origin, continue to evolve for their own. 33 non operated patients have been treated conservatively, because of spontaneous stabilization of their disease, suggesting to try immobilization by cervical collar during few weeks before surgery.

[Spondylodiscitis after surgery of lumbar disk hernia. Apropos of 12 cases in 1796 operations]. / Spondylodiscite après chirurgie de la hernie discale lombaire. A propos de 12 cas sur 1,796 opérés.

Discitis is a rare complication of disc operation. The incidence rate varies from 0.2 to 0.8% according to the series. During a 6 year period (1980-1986) 1,796 patients were operated for lumbar disc protrusion at our institution and twelve of them (0.66%) developed a post operative discitis. Bacteriologic verification due to the infection was ascertained in ten cases. Direct contamination during surgical time is likely far more frequent than hematogenous contamination because the liable germ was staphylococcus in 9 cases. Ascertaining the diagnosis is base upon clinical picture and some selected investigations. It may be earlier than it has been said before. Discitis may be suspected within a week after operation in two cases out of three. The most prominent clinical feature is back pain with muscle spasm but sometimes diagnosis may be misled to a psychiatric condition or a visceral disorder. Among conclusive investigations we range in the first place the needle aspiration of the disc which permitted to isolate a germ nine times out of eleven. Next the bone scan with H.M.D.P. Te 99 (8 Mbq/kg) which revealed a significant uptake pattern in eight cases out of eight. Finally the blood culture which grew five times out of ten. Risks of discitis, i.e septicemia, polysegmental infection or death justify in our opinion an appropriate antibiotherapy during at least 8 weeks. Moreover, in our experience, it is the best antalgic treatment that we can offer and back pain decreases as soon as the second day with antibiotherapy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Meningioma of the optic canal. Diagnostic aspects apropos of 3 surgically treated cases]. / Méningiomes du canal optique. Réflexions diagnostiques à propos de trois cas opérés.

Three cases of meningiomas originated in the optic nerve sheath in its intra-canalicular portion, have been operated on in Reims since we dispose of the TDM; it gave us the opportunity to re-define the way how to explore an area always difficult to investigate; indeed it has been impossible for a long time to clearly isolate meningiomas in the optic canal through the classical neuro-radiologic technics. The anatomic study confirms that the optic canal orientation is fixed, constantly inclined downward and forward with an angle of minus forty degrees with regard to the horizontal line; our work establishes that it is possible to apply it to the CT scan; in this incidence, TDM perfectly allows to visualize the optic canal and the optic nerve, from the anterior clinoid process to the posterior orbital pole. This incidence seems us to be interesting, in addition to classical neuro-ophthalmic planes, for early diagnosis or supervision of tumors of the optic canal.