Pseudo Primary Abscess of the Cavum Septum Pellucidum due to Pus Entrapment: A Rare Case Report.

The cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) is defined as a crevice-like space of variable width between the left and right transparent septum. In this report, a rare case of pseudo primary abscess formed in the CSP due to ventriculitis is presented.

Spontaneous resolution of ruptured dissecting anterior inferior cerebellar artery aneurysm: A rare case report.

Dissecting anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) aneurysms are extremely rare, and only nine cases are reported till date. We are reporting a case of ruptured dissecting distal AICA aneurysm with spontaneous resolution; first of its kind in the indexed literature.

Lymphoplasmacyte-rich meningioma with invasion of bone: A case report and review of literature.

Lymphoplasmacyte-rich (LPR) meningioma is a rare variant of meningioma, which is characterized by conspicuous infiltration of plasma cells and lymphocytes and a variable proportion of meningothelial elements, and is classified as a grade I tumor in World Health Organization (WHO) classification of tumors of central nervous system. The origin and biological behavior of this rare variant of meningioma is still not clear. Till date, very few cases of LPR meningioma have been reported globally. Here, we are presenting a case of right parietal convexity LPR meningioma with invasion of bone in a 32-year-old male patient, who presented to us with complaints of focal seizures and weakness in left upper limb.

Ganglioglioma of conus medullaris in a patient of neurofibromatosis type 1: A novel association?

Ganglioglioma of the conus region is quite rare with only 12 reported cases. Ganglioglioma shares biologic features with neurofibromatosis leading to suggestions that the co-existence of the two diseases may be more than coincidental. We report a case of ganglioglioma of the conus medullaris in a patient of neurofibromatosis and explore the possible association of the two diseases.

Tiger hide appearance: Impaction and prolapse of brain parenchyma through burr holes after evacuation of bilateral chronic subdural hematoma: A rare case report.

Burr hole evacuation of chronic subdural hematoma (SDH) with or without drainage system is the most common surgical method among various techniques. There are various complications of burr hole drainage evacuation of chronic SDH, but there is no case report regarding impaction and prolapse of brain parenchyma through burr hole as a complication. Herewith, we are reporting a case of bilateral chronic SDH with prolapse of brain parenchyma through burr holes. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of brain showed a characteristic look and we named it "Tiger hide appearance". We failed to find such characteristic appearance in MRI brain on reviewing the available literature.

Nasofrontal dermoid with sinus tract upto the tip of the nose: A case report with review of the literature.

Nasofrontal dermoid with sinus tract extending to the nasal tip is rare in adults. It is unique in its embryological origin, presentation, and management. Pathogenesis involves the incomplete obliteration of the developing neuroectoderm. A sinus opening with intermittent oily discharge is characteristic. Associated intracranial extension may lead to meningitis and brain abscess. We present a case of a 21-year-old adult having a nasofrontal sinus tract with intracranial extension who presented with recurrent episodes of meningitis and discuss the physical findings with relevance to embryology, elaborating on the importance and means of addressing the intracranial as well as extracranial components for complete treatment.

Neuroendocrine dysfunction in acute phase of moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: Most of the retrospective studies have demonstrated that traumatic brain injury mediated hypopituitarism could be more frequent than previously known. Therefore, this study has prospectively investigated pituitary function and their correlation with severity, pressure effect and Glasgow Outcome Scale in the acute phase of moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred consecutive moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury patients from August 2012 to November 2013 formed the study group. Apart from clinical assessment, non-contrast computed tomography of the head was performed on all patients on admission. The hormonal analysis (fT3, fT4, TSH, GH, Cortisol, Prolactin) was performed within 24 hours of traumatic brain injury and was repeated on the 7th day amongst the patients who survived. RESULTS: Growth hormone was the most common hormone to decrease. Cortisol was the most common hormone to increase. Risk of pituitary insufficiency was increased in patients with severe traumatic brain injury, patients with increased intracranial pressure and who had low Glasgow Outcome Scale. CONCLUSION: Neuroendocrine dysfunction occurs often in the acute phase of moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury, more commonly in patients with severe traumatic brain injury, patients with pressure effects and low Glasgow Outcome Scale. Hormonal analysis should be considered in patients with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury, so that appropriate hormonal replacement can be done to optimize the clinical outcome.

Occipital post-traumatic intradiploic arachnoid cyst converted to pseudomeningocele after re-trauma: a rare complication of rare pathology.

BACKGROUND: Growing skull fracture (GSF)/pseudomeningocele is a rare complication of head injury in children. Post-traumatic intradiploic arachnoid cyst (PTIAC) is a variant but it is extremely rare. PTIACs are usually asymptomatic or with mild symptoms like headache. The rupture of PTIAC due to re-trauma leading to pseudomeningocele formation has not been seen or reported before. PATIENT AND METHOD: We present a case of occipital PTIAC where pseudomeningocele developed after re-trauma, and discuss the pathogenesis and management. RESULT: En masse removal of the ruptured PTIAC was performed along with dural-defect repair. The post-operative recovery was good. CONCLUSION: PTIAC is an extremely rare occurrence as a variant of GSF. It is usually asymptomatic, but it may rupture with trivial trauma due to a thinned-out outer table and then converts into pseudomengocele. En masse excision with dural-defect repair gives good results in cases of ruptured PTIAC due to re-trauma.

An institutional experience of 26 patients with Moyamoya disease: A study from Northwest India.

AIM: Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a slowly progressive bilateral stenocclusive process of the distal internal carotid and proximal portions of the anterior and middle cerebral arteries and the formation of an abnormal vascular network at the base of the brain. The purpose of this retrospective study was to identify clinical features, salient features, radiological features and yield of diagnostic cerebral angiography in MMD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the records of 26 patients with MMD evaluated and treated at our institute from August 2010 until March 2013. Diagnosis of MMD was made on the basis of features of angiographic findings. Cerebral angiography showed typically fine network of vessels at the base of the brain with puff of smoke appearance suggestive of MMD. CT angiography (CTA) was done in 25 (96.15%) patients where as Digital substraction angiography (DSA) was done in 18 (69.23%) patients. RESULTS: Out of the 26 patients 13 were in the pediatric age group and 13 were adults. At presentation 14 patients had infarcts and 10 patients had hemorrhages. Among the hemorrhagic group 20% had isolated intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), 50% patients had ICH with intraventricular extension (IVE) and 30% patients had primary intraventricular hemorrhage (PIVH). 50 % of the patients had involvement of the posterior circulation. CONCLUSION: Posterior circulation involvement is frequent in MMD. Though parenchymal bleed with/without intraventricular extension is the usual presentation of hemorrhagic MMD, isolated intraventricular hemorrhage could also be the mode of presentation.

Study of insomnia and associated factors in traumatic brain injury.

OBJECTIVES: This study is designed to investigate prevalence and risk factors of insomnia in TBI. This study has also tried to explore the connection between insomnia with neuroanatomical localization of TBI as well as depression. DESIGN: Prospective study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All eligible participants were evaluated initially after two week interval for first 4 weeks and monthly interval subsequently till one year. Demographic and injury characteristics of the participants were assessed on a self-designed semi structured performa. Interviews focused on assessment of severity of TBI, insomnia and depression using GCS, ISI and PHQ-9 respectively. RESULTS: Total 204 patients were included, mean age was 33.34 years. 40.2% participants were found to have insomnia. None of the demographic variables were associated with insomnia except severity and duration of TBI. Moderate TBI patient (70.73%) had significantly higher occurrence of insomnia than the mild cases (19.67%) (P=0.000, df 1). First three month after TBI witnessed more than half (63.41%) of those patient who had insomnia. This was found statistically significant (P<0.017). Neuroanatomical localization was also correlated with insomnia. Cerebral contusion was the most common (40.24%) site of impact. Almost half (42.42%) of the patients with insomnia had multiple contusions. 32.84% of the study population had depression. No significant correlation could be established between depression and insomnia. CONCLUSION: Insomnia is a prevalent condition after TBI requiring more clinical and scientific attention as it may have important repercussions on rehabilitation.

Role of sertraline in posttraumatic brain injury depression and quality-of-life in TBI.

INTRODUCTION: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of disability. Depression is one of the major squeal of TBI in both in-patient and out-patient populations. Depression is associated with numerous negative outcomes, thus affecting quality-of-life (QOL) adversely in these patients. Addressing depression in treatment regimen of TBI may improve QOL of these patients. OBJECTIVE: The present study is designed to evaluate the role of sertraline in post TBI depression and its impact on QOL. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty male patients with post TBI depression were included in the study among the 250 male patients of mild to moderate TBI recruited for the evaluation. Half of the patients were given sertraline 50 mg PO, whereas other half served as control without sertraline treatment. Participants were assessed on Glasgow Coma scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and World Health Organization QOL (WHOQOL) at regular interval till the end of 6 months. RESULT: Depression was found in 35.6% of total patients recruited. Most of the patients (63.1%) were below 35 years of age. Depression was more common in mild TBI cases than those with moderate TBI (53.7% vs. 46.25%, P = 0.04). Left side brain injury (56.25%) with cerebral contusions was more commonly associated with depression (P = 0.04). Patients in sertraline group responded well to treatment with significant improvement in mod symptoms (PHQ-9 score 14.88 ± 3.603 vs. 5.33 ± 2.98, P = 0.04)). All the four domains of QOL improved significantly in sertraline group than the control group with sertraline treatment. CONCLUSION: Management of TBI should also focus on treatment of associated mood symptoms, which is likely to be associated with poor QOL in these patients. Sertraline has been found to be effective in the treatment of depression with significant improvement in QOL in TBI patients.

Acute traumatic orbital encephalocele: A case report with review of literature.

Orbital roof fractures after a blunt injury are an uncommon complication of trauma. Traumatic encephaloceles in the orbital cavity are even rarer, with only 15 cases published till date. Raised intraorbital pressure leading to irreversible damage to the optic nerve can be prevented by early diagnosis and management. Orbital computed tomography (CT) with thin axial and coronal sections is helpful in trauma patients with a concurrent orbital trauma. Decompression of the orbital roof is the key step in surgical treatment and should be performed in every case. Repairing the orbital roof has to be performed to avoid transmission of variation in the intracranial pressure to the orbit. We present a case of traumatic orbital encephalocele who underwent surgical treatment via a frontobasal approach with evacuation of the contused herniated brain and reconstruction of the orbital roof using temporalis fascia which is readily available in contrast to costly materials like titanium mesh, screws, bone powder, fibrin glue, and so on, which are not easily available in every hospital. Rapid resolution of proptosis and visual symptoms along with excellent cosmetic outcome was seen at follow-ups after three and nine months. We emphasize the early diagnosis of this rare condition and also emergency treatment to prevent permanent visual loss as well as to achieve good cosmetic results.

Rapid thrombosis of middle cerebral artery aneurysm after subarachnoid haemmorhage.

Spontaneous thrombosis of intracranial aneurysm is a rare event but is frequent after subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) and in fusiform or giant saccular aneurysms. We report a case of a 20-year-old man presenting with SAH due to rupture of a giant aneurysm of the middle cerebral artery. Initial CT angiography (CTA) revealed partially thrombosed MCA aneurysm but digital subtraction angiography performed 3 days later revealed complete occlusion of the aneurysm. Rapid thrombosis of aneurysm within 3 days has not been reported in literature so far.

Ischemic lesions in basal ganglia in children after minor head injury.

Twenty-three children under the age of 6 1/2 years developed immediate unilateral weakness after an apparently minor head injury. Computed tomography disclosed a hypodense lesion in the basal ganglia. The lesion appeared to be caused by an infarct in the basal ganglia. All but one of the children recovered completely within 4 months.

Spinal subarachnoid haematoma after stab injury of the cauda equina.

An unusual case of an anterior stab injury, involving the cauda equina, with a progressive neurological deterioration is presented. Myelography showed a filling defect and surgery revealed a subarachnoid clot. Good recovery followed removal of the clot.

Medulloblastoma in adults--clinical observations and results of treatment.

Ten cases of medulloblastomas, in patients above the age of 15 years, were treated during a 11 year period. These constituted 18 percent of all medulloblastomas and 1.2 percent of all primary brain tumours in adults during the same period. The majority of patients (80%) were between 16 and 25 years of age, and 80 percent were male. Half the patients presented within three months of the onset of symptoms. The usual clinical presentation was with features of raised intracranial pressure and cerebellar involvement. A lateral location of the tumour and its desmoplastic variant were common. Three patients survived more than five years. The desmoplastic variant and a gross total resection of the tumour favourably affected the prognosis. Posterior fossa recurrence was the chief cause of therapeutic failures. All the recurrences developed within three years of the initial diagnosis, and were fatal within six months of their detection.