Cerebral Cavernous Malformation Bleeding Following Cerebrospinal Fluid Diversion Surgery: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Cavernous malformations (CM) are rare intracerebral vascular lesions occurring in the brain, or less commonly in the spine, with an annual bleeding risk of up to 1.1%. These lesions can be occult or present to signs and symptoms based on location or, more frequently, are a result of hemorrhagic events. The most challenging aspect of managing these cases is weighing the risks and benefits of surgical treatment and intervening before the onset of a devastating hemorrhagic event. Here, we present the second case of CM haemorrhage following the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion procedure with a literature review of theories explaining this phenomenon. We present a 37-year-old female who has a known case of brainstem cavernoma and underwent left sub-temporal resection with stable residual since 2011, then was managed conservatively due to patient preference till she had a deterioration in December 2021 manifested as confusion, diplopia, dysarthria, and significant left sided weakness leaving her wheelchair bound. CT showed supratentorial hydrocephalus with extensive periventricular transependymal edema and no clear haemorrhage. A ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt was inserted, with no intraoperative complications. A few hours post-VP shunt insertion, she experienced a worsening in her mental status, hemiparesis, and dysarthria. Subsequent imaging found evidence of acute haemorrhage in the location of the previously noted residual. She was managed by supportive care. Causative factors of CM haemorrhage are poorly understood, and current data only suggest that prior haemorrhage and CM location could increase bleeding risk. Only one case of CM bleeding post-shunt insertion was reported; however, studies on other types of intracranial vascular lesions suggest that alterations in transmural pressure (including cerebrospinal fluid diversion procedures) can increase the risk of haemorrhage by changing the hemodynamic flow in these abnormally formed and weak vascular structures.

Retraction: Bilateral Elastofibroma Dorsi: A Case From General Practice.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.21315.].

Multifocal malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor in patients with neurofibromatosis type I: Report of two cases and review of literature.

Background: Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are one of the rarest soft-tissue sarcomas with a prevalence of 0.001% in the general population. It is closely associated with a unique neurocutaneous stigmata under the spectrum of the dermatological manifestations of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). Almost 81% of MPNST arises from a precursor neuroma, and multifocality of these lesions is extremely rare, making up to 0.001% of cases. Moreover, spinal cases are extremely uncommon with only four cases reported internationally. Here, we present the fifth and sixth spinal MPNST cases with a brief review of literature. Case Description: We describe two unusual cases of multifocal MPNST in relation to NF1 occurring in the spinal cord. Both patients presented with local pain and myelopathic symptoms. The two patients underwent wide surgical resection, followed by neoadjuvant radiotherapy and reported immediate postoperative improvement of the presented complaint; however, one patient suffered from rapid recurrence and metastasis. Conclusion: Due to the scarcity of spinal cases related to MPNST, no clear guidelines regarding the management of these cases are set in the literature. Histopathological diagnosis remains as the most pivotal diagnostic tool as they can mimic other peripheral nerve sheath lesions, such as neuromas and schwannomas, in imaging. Cases that were managed by early surgical intervention in addition to neoadjuvant radiotherapy reported the best outcome. However, cases of MPNST in concomitance with NF1 were found to be resistant to both chemo and radiotherapy and have high recurrence rate.

Vitamin D protects against depression: Evidence from an umbrella meta-analysis on interventional and observational meta-analyses.

Meta-analyses of interventional and observational studies investigating the efficacy and the relationship between vitamin D and depression provided inconsistent results. The current umbrella meta-analysis was conducted to assess the available evidence and provide a conclusive outcome in this regard. The following international databases were systematically searched till March 2022: PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Random-effects model was carried out to calculate the pooled point estimates and their respective 95 % confidence intervals (CI). Ten meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) revealed significant reduction in depression symptoms comparing participants on vitmain D supplements to those on placebo (Pooled standardised mean difference: - 0.40; 95 % CI: - 0.60, - 0.21, p < 0.01: I2 = 89.1 %, p < 0.01). Four meta-analyses of cohort studies (with one having two subgroups) revealed that participants with lower levels of serum vitamin D were at increased odds of depression than those with higher levels of serum vitamin D (Pooled odds ratio: 1.60; 95 % CI: 1.08, 2.36, p < 0.01; I2 = 91.3 %, p < 0.01). The present umbrella meta-analysis confirms the potential benefits of vitamin D supplementation and higher serum vitamin D levels in reducing the development and symptoms of depression.

Isosorbide mononitrate for cervical ripening during labour induction: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 23 randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the efficacy and safety of isosorbide mononitrate (IMN) in promoting cervical ripening during labour induction. METHODS: Six major databases were searched from inception until 22 April 2021. The risk of bias of included studies was assessed. Various endpoints (n = 21) were meta-analysed, and the endpoints were pooled as mean differences (MD) or risk ratios (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: In total, 23 RCTs were included in this review, comprising 26 intervention arms and a total of 4305 patients (2210 and 2095 patients were allocated to the IMN and control groups, respectively). Pertaining to obstetric-related maternal outcomes, the pooled analysis showed that admission to delivery time and rate of caesarean delivery were significantly reduced in the IMN group. Moreover, the mean Bishop score and the mean change in Bishop score were significantly increased in the IMN group. Pertaining to drug-related maternal side effect outcomes, the pooled analysis showed that the rates of headache, palpitations, nausea and flushing were significantly lower in the IMN group. Pertaining to neonatal outcomes, the pooled analysis showed no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the rates of neonatal intensive care unit admission, neonatal death, fetal distress, meconium-stained water, Apgar score < 7 at 1 and 5 min, and mean Apgar score at 1 and 5 min. CONCLUSION: IMN correlated with several obstetric-related maternal outcomes. IMN was not associated with adverse neonatal outcomes, but was associated with substantial drug-related maternal side effects.

Unusual vascular anatomical variant leads to spontaneous hemorrhage in a cavum septum pellucidum in an adolescent: A case report and literature review.

Background: Hemorrhagic lesions of the septum pellucidum are rare and usually occur in neonates. They can be due to a number of etiologies. Here, we report a rare case of adolescent nontraumatic septum pellucidum hemorrhage with a review of literature. Case Description: A 16-year-old girl presented with a 1-month history of gradual visual deterioration in the left eye, intermittent headache, and vomiting. Brain imaging showed hematoma located between the leaflets of the septum pellucidum with obstructive hydrocephalus. Transcallosal resection of interventricular mass was done. The patient was discharged with improved neurological symptoms; however, the left eye vision did not recover. Imaging demonstrated a unique anatomical variant in deep vascular structures. Conclusion: Cavum septum pellucidum hemorrhage is rare in adults. Many theories were constructed to explain its etiology. Bleeding due a vascular anatomical variant was not previously encountered. Understanding the embryological origin and anatomical details are important for proper clinical assessment and management of these patients.

Bilateral Elastofibroma Dorsi: A Case From General Practice.

Elastofibroma is a benign soft tumor that is composed of elastic fibers in a background of collagenous and adipose tissue. However, the presence of multiple elastofibromas is considered a rare occasion. We report the case of a 39-year-old man who presented to our general practice clinic with a complaint of upper back swelling for the last three months. The swelling was completely painless. It was not associated with ulceration of the overlying skin. He reported that the swelling had not been increasing in size. There was no history of anorexia, weight loss, or preceding trauma. On examination, both shoulders had a normal range of motion with no restriction due to the mass lesions. To further characterize the mass lesions, the patient underwent a computed tomography scan of the thorax. It demonstrated bilateral lenticular subscapular mass lesions that were ill-defined but had similar attenuation to that of adjacent skeletal muscle along with the presence of interspersed streaks of fat. Such findings represent the diagnosis of elastofibroma. However, the patient was concerned about the possibility of the malignant nature of these lesions and insisted on having the surgical resection of the mass. The histopathological findings confirmed the diagnosis of elastofibroma. Elastofibroma is a benign soft tissue tumor that is diagnosed incidentally in the majority of cases. However, multiple elastofibroma, as in the present case, is considered unusual. The case demonstrated the radiological and histopathological features of elastofibroma. The imaging findings are characteristics and can prevent unnecessary biopsy or surgical intervention. However, if clinically indicated, surgical resection is considered curative.

Public Awareness about Medicine Information, Safety, and Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) Reporting in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

This study aimed to assess public knowledge about medicine information, safety, and adverse drug reaction reporting (ADR) in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. A cross sectional study was conducted using purposive stratified sampling in different settings of Dammam city for three months (January-March 2020). The target population was identified as consumers who had used the medicines in the last 3 months. The questionnaire was adopted from the literature and was validated. Content and face validities were established, and reliability was assessed. The study was approved by the concerned ethics committee. A total of 915 participants returned completed questionnaires. A total of 54.4% participants aged between 18 and 30 years, 65.8% were females and 53.1% had obtained bachelor level education. The mean score for knowledge of medicines (K1) was 5.46 ± 1.07. The mean score for knowledge regarding medication safety (K2) was 5.94 ± 1.73. The mean score for tendency to report a suspected ADR (T1) was 3.43 ± 1.57. Gender was a determinant of knowledge regarding medication safety (K2) (p < 0.01) and ADR reporting tendency (T1) (p < 0.01). The marital status of patients was a determinant for both knowledge of medicines (K1) (p < 0.01) and, knowledge regarding medication safety (K2) (p < 0.01). The results of this study highlighted that although the scores for knowledge of medicines, and tendency to report ADR were better, the score for knowledge regarding medication safety was unsatisfactory.