Video games and seizures.

Two teenagers had seizures while playing video games. These cases may well have been a variety of photoconvulsive epilepsy. Some patients with seizures may be at risk of precipitating a seizure while playing these games.

Spinal cord involvement in acute bacterial meningitis.

A 25-month-old boy had the development of respiratory arrest and quadriplegia with a T-10 sensory level during the acute phase of Haemophilus influenzae meningitis. The sequelae of spinal cord involvement of bacterial meningitis are reviewed. A possible mechanism of the spinal cord involvement in this case is discussed with reference to known pathology of H influenzae meningitis.

Angiographic demonstration of recanalization of the basilar artery.

This report details the clinical course and angiographic findings of a patient with intermittent vertebrobasilar insufficiency. Recanalization of the basilar artery was demonstrated during anticoagulant therapy. A review of the literature failed to disclose a previous report of this occurrence.

Interhemispheric subdural hematoma.

The clinical presentation and surgical management of an interhemispheric subdural hematoma, a rare entity, is presented and the literature reviewed. Either hemiparesis, worse in the lower than the upper extremity, or lower extremity monoparesis is characteristic of this lesion. Computerized tomography (CT) is the preferred diagnostic procedure. An interhemispheric hematoma, either acute or chronic, is best treated by osteoplastic craniotomy. Specific anatomical considerations, clinical features, and the recommended surgical technique is described.

Neurosurgical procedures in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1970-1974. Neurosurgical needs of a community.

To help determine neurosurgical needs within communities and within the nation, operations and diagnostic procedures performed by neurosurgeons on residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, in the 5 years of 1970 through 1974, were tabulated. This county was studied because its medical records are virtually complete. Annual rates (per 100,000 population) were 42 for lumbar disc removal, six for cervical disc removal, and seven for brain-tumor therapy. Other less frequent occasions for neurological surgery are also tabulated.

Familial hemiplegic migraine.

Ten members of one family had hemiplegic migraine. The typical attack was sterotyped from member to member. Three of the 10 members had hemiplegic migraine attacks associated with minor head trauma. One patient suffered premanent neurologic deficit. Therapy of hemiplegic mirgaine is briefly discussed.

The familial occurrence of glioma.

In a family with four children, an intracranial neoplasm developed in three of the siblings at or before the age of 12 years. Two of the tumors were hitologically verified gliomas and the third was diagnosed on ventriculography but did not have microscopic confirmation. One of the three siblings also had a presacral lipoma, and the fourth sibling developed a mediastinal cystic hydroma. There was no known history of brain tumors in any other family members, nor was there any evidence suggestive of neurofibromatosis. A careful examination of this family and an extensive review of other published cases of similar familial constellations of brain tumors reveal no definite pattern which would suggest a specific mode of inheritance. Careful documentation of familial aggregation of brain tumors is important in order to explore the genetic, environmental, demographic, and clinical features (such as associated extracranial tumors) that could serve to identify groups at high risk for the familial occurrence of brain tumors.