Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma in a toddler presenting with torticollis: case report and literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH) is a rare entity, especially in toddlers and infants. The nonspecificity of its presenting symptoms in children may be a source of delayed diagnosis. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report the case of a 20-month-old young boy without medical history who presented with irreducible torticollis, worsened a few days later by severe tetraplegia and respiratory distress. Spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a posterior epidural hematoma, extending from C3 to T1 and compressing the spinal cord. An urgent decompressive surgery via an extensive laminectomy and evacuation of the clot was performed. The patient demonstrated a partial neurological recovery on follow-up. CONCLUSION: SSEH is a rare and serious condition that may compromise the functional and vital prognosis of the patient, hence the importance of prompt diagnosis and urgent treatment.

Complex craniosynostosis in the context of Carpenter's syndrome.

Carpenter's syndrome or acrocephalopolysyndactyly type II is a rare genetic autosomal recessive disease, with an incidence estimated at 1 per 1 million births. Common findings of a brachydactyly, polysyndactyly, and a trefoil-like skull with extreme brachycephaly due to fusion of the bilateral coronal, sagittal and lambdoid sutures. We report a 12-month-old male who was referred to our care for evaluation of a craniofacial deformity-a trefoil-like skull, flattened and receding forehead, bulging of temporal bones, hypertelorism, exorbitism, and polysyndactyly in the upper and lower limbs and psychomotor delay. Head computed tomography (CT) with 3D reconstruction revealed craniosynostosis with fusion of the coronal, metopic, and sagittal sutures. Correction of the craniofacial deformity was performed with satisfactory aesthesis of the craniofacial bones at 2 years of follow-up. Early correction of craniofacial deformity in Carpenter's syndrome is usually safe within 6 to 12 months. Venous drainage abnormalities and ectatic emissary veins can lead to significant bleeding and may be detected on MR angiography. Significant skull weakening may lead to bony fragmentation while creating cranial flaps and is best evaluated with 3D CT imaging. Taking these pitfalls into consideration decreases the chances of aborting the surgery and may lead to better overall outcomes.

Arachnoiditis Ossificans of the Lumbar Spine: A Rare Cause of Progressive Cauda Equina Syndrome.

Arachnoiditis ossificans of the spine is a rare entity defined as an ossification of the leptomeninges resulting in neurologic decline. We describe the case of a 42-year-old woman, without any obvious predisposing factor, who presented with a progressive cauda equina syndrome. The imaging findings on magnetic resonance imaging were confusing by showing an atypical intraspinal lesion extending from L1 to S1. The computed tomography scan was more specific by showing suggestive images of a huge arachnoiditis ossificans of the lumbar spine. The patient underwent a large lumbar laminectomy with an incomplete resection of the ossified arachnoid. The histologic study confirmed the bony nature of the lesion. This illustrative case highlights the importance of helical computed tomography scan with multiplanar reconstruction for the diagnosis of arachnoiditis ossificans.

Neuroinvasion, neurotropic, and neuroinflammatory events of SARS-CoV-2: understanding the neurological manifestations in COVID-19 patients.

Respiratory viruses are opportunistic pathogens that infect the upper respiratory tract in humans and cause severe illnesses, especially in vulnerable populations. Some viruses have neuroinvasive properties and activate the immune response in the brain. These immune events may be neuroprotective or they may cause long-term damage similar to what is seen in some neurodegenerative diseases. The new "Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2" (SARS-CoV-2) is one of the Respiratory viruses causing highly acute lethal pneumonia coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with clinical similarities to those reported in "Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus"(SARS-CoV) and the "Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus"(MERS-CoV) including neurological manifestation. To examine the possible neurological damage induced by SARS-CoV-2, it is necessary to understand the immune reactions to viral infection in the brain, and their short- and long-term consequences. Considering the similarities between SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, which will be discussed, cooperative homological and phylogenetical studies lead us to question if SARS-CoV-2 can have similar neuroinvasive capacities and neuroinflammatiory events that may lead to the same short- and long-term neuropathologies that SARS-CoV had shown in human and animal models. To explain the neurological manifestation caused by SARS-CoV-2, we will present a literature review of 765 COVID-19 patients, in which 18% had neurological symptoms and complications, including encephalopathy, encephalitis and cerebrovascular pathologies, acute myelitis, and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Clinical studies describe anosmia or partial loss of the sense of smell as the most frequent symptom in COVID19 patients, suggesting that olfactory dysfunction and the initial ultrarapid immune responses could be a prognostic factor.

Awake Craniotomy with Functional Mapping for Glioma Resection in a Limited-Resource-Setting: Preliminary Experience from a Lower-Middle Income Country.

BACKGROUND: Awake craniotomy with brain mapping aims to maximize resection of gliomas located within eloquent regions while minimizing the risk of postoperative deficits. This technique is common practice in the developed world but has yet to be implemented in most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We assessed the feasibility, safety, and efficiency of functional-based glioma resection using minimal facilities in a limited-resource institution. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of patients harboring gliomas within eloquent regions who underwent awake craniotomy and tumor resection guided by cortico-subcortical mapping at a tertiary hospital of an LMIC. Patient characteristics, surgical results, and functional outcomes were studied. RESULTS: Twenty consecutive patients with a mean age of 37 years were enrolled in the study. Seizure, present in 70% of patients, was the major presenting symptom. Eighteen patients had diffuse low-grade gliomas and 2 patients had high-grade gliomas. Intraoperative events were dominated by seizures, occurring in 5 patients (25%). The average extent of tumor removal was 89.5% and the rate of total and subtotal removal was 85%. New postoperative deficits were observed in 5 patients (25%), and permanent deficits were found in 1 patient (5%). The main hurdles encountered were the difficulties in investigating patients and human resource availability. CONCLUSIONS: Awake craniotomy with brain mapping for functional-based resection of gliomas can be safely achieved in a limited-resource institution with good functional and oncologic results.

Acute Lumbar Spinal Subdural Hematoma Inducing Paraplegia After Lumbar Spinal Manipulation: Case Report and Literature Review.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic spinal subdural hematoma is an extremely rare occurrence that requires urgent investigation and most often prompt intervention. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case related to a spinal manipulative therapy. CASE DESCRIPTION: This report describes a case of traumatic lumbar subdural hematoma after a spinal manipulative therapy without any predisposing factor. A 23-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department for partial cauda equina syndrome after a spinal manipulation performed by a physiotherapist. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an acute spinal subdural hematoma at L2-L3 level with cauda equina compression. The patient underwent an emergency L2 laminectomy with evacuation of the hematoma. He recovered completely his neurologic functions after 1 week. CONCLUSION: Practitioners of spinal manipulations should be aware of spinal subdural hematoma as a possible complication. A rapid diagnosis with magnetic resonance imaging is mandatory, and emergency surgical decompression is usually the optimal treatment for spinal subdural hematomas with severe neurologic deficit.