A Case of a Recurrent Postoperative Discitis

The etiology of the postoperative discitis is not fully known, but most likely, the cause seems to be of a low grade infection and chemical and mechanical injuries. The incidence of these complication is from 0.12% to 2.6% of all cases. The characteristics of this disease are recurrence of severe lower back and gluteal pain, spasm of lumbar paravertebral muscle and elevated E.S.R. following the asymptomatic post-operative period, a roentgenogram showed an early destructive change in the adjacent vertebra, the narrowing of the intervertebral disc space, sclerotic changes in the vertebral bone and occasional fusion of the spine, and relatively good prognosis. We present a case of recurrent postoperative discitis with E.S.R. change and roentgenographic change.

Juvenile Pilocytic Astrocytoma of the Hypohtalamus: Case Report

The juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma has histologically the same features as the adult type one. Contrary to the adult type, the parallel arrangement of fibrils in long thin tapering cells of the tumor is peculiarly independent of the environment in which the tumor is growing and it gives rise to the main tumor mass that is usually well circumscribed. The overall incidence is relatively rare of all the brain tumor, it occurs in children mainly from three to five of age. Its predilection sites are the hypothalamus and the optic chiasm. We are reporting an experience of a juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma in a three years old female patient, involving the hypothalamus, basal ganglia and deep white matter of the temporoparietal lobe of the left side.

Forestier's Disease(Ankylosing Hyperostosis of the Spine): Case Report

The characteristic features of the Forestier's disease, ankylosing hyperostosis of the spine, consist essentially in marginal proliferation at the vertebral edges which are apt to unit their homologues to form bridges and to extend as a bony layer which thickens the vertebral cortex with an overgrowth of bone spreading like a flow. The disease had been long looked upon as vertebral spondylosis or other spinal diseases such as ankylosing spondylitis before Forestier first defined it as a new disease entity. The bony changes could be occurred everywhere on the spinal column, but are mainly confined to the anterior part of the thoracic spine, especially in the right side. It clinically may be of little significance because of little symptoms. Forestier reported 88% of the patients was over 50 years old and 65% was male of 45 cases. Although the pathogenesis is uncertain, a spinal expression of more diffuse ossifying diathesis may be considered. We are reporting a case of the Forestier's disease which was incidentally found on a 55 years old paraplegic patient who had suffered from back trauma.

A Case of Craniopharyngioma in Adult

The craniopharyngima has been known to be congenital origin and primary tumor of childhood. The craniopharyngioma may be found at all ages, though nearly one half in the first twenty years of life and equally in either sex. Important differences exist between younger and older patients. In children, signs of increased intracranial pressure, endocrine Abnormality and radiological calcification are common. In adults, mental disturbance becomes of increasing importance as well as remaining visual failure and endocrine disturbance. Because of slow growing rate of tumor in adult, subtotal excision is recommended. A 39-year-old male patient, suffering from agitation memory disturbance and almost total blindness, was diagnosed craniopharyngioma by neuroradiologic examinations. After surgical treatment, mental symptoms and visual acuity improved much more than before operation.