Suprasellar germinoma: an unusual clinical presentation.

A case is described of suprasellar tumor with diabetes insipidus, diminishing visual acuity, inferior bitemporal quadrantanopia, and hypopituitarism in a 19-year-old man. Computerized tomographic scan of the brain after contrast injection demonstrated periventricular enhancement. Diagnosis of germinoma was made on the basis of clinical and radiographic information and a biopsy that revealed malignant cells. The tumor responded well to radiation therapy. Diagnostic difficulties were created by systemic manifestations unrelated to endocrinopathy. Pertinent literature is reviewed.

[Clinical trial with a new anti-epileptic: barbexaclone]. / Ensaio clínico com um novo anti-epiléptico (barbexaclone).

A new anti-epileptic agent (barbexaclone) was tried in 48 patients suffering from epilepsy and presenting a total of 67 types of crises. All the patients were considered "bad cases" because either by the intensity of the epileptic manifestations or by their refractoriness to the usual medications. The results, similar to others already published, could be considered as good for grand mal epilepsy both for those convulsions occurring during either the sleeping or waking hours and suggest further observations in focal crises. Though not considered as a first line medication in petit mal seizuras the drug gave excellent results when used as an adjuvant in the supression of absences and the annulation of convulsant effects of some drugs used in petit mal. No toxic reactions were noted, and the side effects, which were never very intense, tended to disappear in the majority of cases with continued use of the drug.