[Contribution of computerized cisternography using hydrosoluble contrast media or CT transit to the diagnosis of post-traumatic cerebrospinal rhinorrhea]. / Apport de la cisternographie computérisée aux hydrosolubles, ou transit scanner, au diagnostic des rhinorrhées cérébro-spinales post-traumatiques.

Based on a series of 100 cases, the authors present the value of CT transit in craniofacial traumatology. This examination, systematically performed in cases of fistulogenic fracture, is able to confirm or exclude the presence of an osteomeningeal breach, which is often difficult to detect during the immediate post-traumatic period. CT transit also allows precise localisation of the breach, which guides the operative procedure.

Fixaçäo transpedicular da coluna vertebral torácica lombar e sacral com material de Lapresle / Transpedicular fixation of the thoraco-lombo-sacral spine with lapresle's

Nos últimos anos, a terapêutica do neurocirurgiäo, em relaçäo às lesöes da coluna dorso-lombo-sacra, tornou-se muito mais ativa e as possibilidades cirúrgicas ampliaram-se consideravelmente, com o aparecimento de novas técnicas de osteossíntese. A estabilizaçäo posterior da coluna vertebral, em patologia traumática e tumoral, é importante componete no tratamento cirúrgico. Um novo material, desenvolvido pelo Professor Lapresle, que permite uma sólida fixaçäo transpedicular, foi utilizada em 22 pacientes, com bons resultados

[Extramedullary hematopoiesis of thoracic and vertebral intraductal localization. Apropos of a case. Review of the literature]. / Hématopoïèse extra-médullaire de localisation thoracique et intra-canalaire vertébrale. A propos d'un cas. Revue de la littérature.

The authors report a case of extramedullary haematopoiesis, presenting in the form of several tumor masses in the posterior mediastinum and in the vertebral canal. The patient presented with oedema in his lower limbs due to compression of the inferior vena cava by the mediastinal masses. The asymptomatic mass in the vertebral canal was detected by magnetic resonance imaging. The patient was first operated on to avoid spinal cord compression by the tumor and subsequently to relieve compression of the inferior vena cava. The masses removed from the vertebral canal and the mediastinum were found on histologic examination to be extramedullary haematopoiesis. The cause of the disease was unknown in this case. Such disease is often disclosed in the course of hemolytic anaemias or other medullar deficiency diseases as a compensatory phenomenon when the bone marrow fails. An other explanation is that it is a manifestation of a myeloproliferative disorder in which heterotopic pluripotential cells are transformed into haematopoietic cells. The authors review 88 cases reported in the world literature.

[Isolated exertion headache and Chiari's malformation]. / Céphalée d'effort isolée et malformation de Chiari.

A 47 year-old woman had been suffering from exertional headache for 2 1/2 years. Neurological examination was normal. X-rays of the skull and cranio-cervical junction and CT were normal. MRI sagittal sections disclosed a Chiari type I malformation. The headache disappeared after occipital craniectomy and atlas laminectomy.

[Arteriovenous aneurysm of the corpus callosum with normal arteriography 9 years earlier]. / Anévrysme artério-veineux du corps calleux avec artériographie normale 9 ans auparavant.

Some arteriovenous malformations (A.V.M.s) visualized on a first angiography tend to enlarge gradually with time. Others A.V.M.s may decrease in size and even disappear. The authors report the case of a 18 year old woman admitted for a subarachnoid hemorrhage. A complete cerebral angiography was normal. Nine years later, an arteriovenous malformation of the corpus callosum was discovered. The reasons why angiography may fail to demonstrate an A.V.M., and the theories concerning the enlargement of A.V.M.S., are discussed.

[Intracerebellar schwannoma. Apropos of a case. Review of the literature]. / Schwannome intra-cérébelleux. A propos d'un cas. Revue de la littérature.

Intracranial schwannoma represents 8% of all primary brain tumors. It usually develops from the Schwann cells of a cranial nerve. Hemispheric intraparenchymal localisations are quite rare; 15 cases have been reported (3, 5, 12, 10, 14, 15, 18, 19, 23, 26, 28, 29) including one intraventricular localization (8). Intracerebellar localization is even by more exceptional. In 1977, one case was reported by Komminoth (16). Since then only one other case has been published in 1987 by Sarkar (25). In this paper, we report a third case.

Interhemispheric subdural haematomas: seven cases and review of the literature.

Interhemispheric subdural haematoma (ISH) is a rare complication of head injury with only 19 cases reported since 1940, but it may also occur spontaneously (three cases). In both circumstances, clotting disorders are frequent (six cases). We have recorded seven cases (five traumatic, two spontaneous). Classically ISH is due to tearing of bridging veins or cortical contusions. In one of our cases, it was due to arterial bleeding from a pericallosal branch. CT scan shows that ISH may extend above the tentorium and on the hemispheric convexity. Mortality is high (35%). The best operative procedure is parasagittal craniotomy. Chronic interhemispheric subdural haematomas also occur.