[A meningioma resulting in drastic changes in behavior and life course]. / Een meningeoom als oorzaak van ingrijpende veranderingen in gedrag en levensloop.

Three patients, a 59-year-old woman, a 51-year-old man and a 66-year-old woman presented at a neurological or neurosurgical outpatient clinic after their lives had been drastically affected by behavioural changes. Neither the patients nor their relatives or friends were aware that the behavioural changes may be caused by a medical problem. The cause, a large meningioma, became obvious only after physical symptoms occurred a few years later. The patients recovered after surgery and regretted having made certain decisions with far-reaching repercussions for their lives and families. Behavioural disturbances are seldom due to slowly growing brain tumours, but consultation with a neurologist is recommended if there is any doubt regarding the possibility of somatic causes.

Intradural granulocytic sarcoma: a rare cause of sciatic pain.

Granulocytic sarcoma is a solid tumor associated with acute leukemia and myeloproliferative disorders. In this report we present a patient with a progressive sciatic pain due to an intradural granulocytic sarcoma fixed on the right spinal nerve root S1. The incidence and significance of central nervous involvement by granulocytic sarcoma are discussed.

Elusive tumor of the cauda equina. Case report.

A patient with a mobile schwannoma of the cauda equina is described. There was considerable discrepancy between the localization of the tumor at myelography and the findings at both initial surgery and repeat myelography, confirmed by definitive surgery. Such mobility is rare, but should be kept in mind when surgery is performed for a tumor of the cauda equina.

Spinal epidural abscess. Report of two cases.

The case histories of two patients with an acute spinal epidural abscess are reported. When presented with a patient suffering from a spinal cord syndrome, the physician must keep in mind the possibility of a spinal epidural abscess. A rapid diagnostic procedure, prompt laminectomy, and medical treatment are particularly essential to total recovery in such cases.

Recovery from peripheral nerve transection is accelerated by local application of alpha-MSH by means of microporous Accurel polypropylene tubes.

The peptide hormone alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH), accelerates the return of sensitivity to the rat hindpaw after nerve transection. A marked reduction in the recovery time is observed when alpha-MSH is applied locally to the repair site by means of the microporous Accurel polypropylene tube delivery system. The tubes alone have a significant but smaller beneficial effect. These results have implications for the mode of action of neurotrophic melanocortins and suggest a potential means of improving the outcome of surgical nerve repair in the clinic.

Brown-Séquard syndrome caused by a spinal subarachnoid hematoma due to anticoagulant therapy.

A case is reported of a patient with a pure Brown-Séquard syndrome caused by a spinal subarachnoid hematoma complicating anticoagulant therapy. None of the seven previously reported cases of spinal subarachnoid hematoma had led to this syndrome. The diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and etiology of spinal subarachnoid hematoma are discussed.