Severe headache and seizure free after microscopic fenestration craniotomy of middle Fossa arachnoid cyst: Case series.

INTRODUCTION: Arachnoid cyst in the middle fossa can cause many symptoms include headache and seizure. When drugs therapy can not relieve or control the symptoms, it is necessary to determine whether the surgical procedure can improve patient's outcome. CASE PRESENTATION: First case, 28 years old female suffered from severe headache and sometimes unconsciousness for a few minutes. Magnetic resonance images showed the lesion hypo-intense on T1-weight and hyper-intense on T2-weight images. Left M1 middle cerebral artery lay down inside the cyst. The second case, a man 18 years old had seizures every three months. He took phenytoin 600 mg a day but in the last one month seizures repeated up to five times. The brain MRI results showed a hypointense lesion of T1-weight and hyperintense at T2-weight in the right temporal region measuring approximately 5 × 4 cm and compressing the temporal bone to form a convex shape. The third case, a man 23 years old had complaints of seizures since 6 months. The patient received the drug phenytoin 3x200mg and valproic acid 1 g daily but the seizures still exist. The brain MRI showed hyperintense lesion in the right temporal region. Microscopic fenestration craniotomy was performed in all cases and at one year of follow-up the headache disappeared. Seizure attacks have never occurred again with only low doses of phenytoin. CONCLUSION: The result of microscopic fenestration craniotomy in patients with headaches and seizures due to middle fossa arachnoid cysts is good and can be considered for controlling seizures in selected cases.

The Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended Pediatric Scores of Intracranial Bleeding Patients with Acquired Prothrombin Complex Deficiency Post Craniotomy and Duraplasty.

INTRODUCTION: Surgical evacuation of intracranial bleeding in pediatric patients due to acquired prothrombin complex deficiency (APCD) is a life-saving surgery when conservative treatment insufficient and impending brain herniation. This study aimed to evaluate the Glasgow outcome scale-extended pediatric (GOS-ePed) score of the pediatric intracranial bleeding patients with APCD after craniotomy and duraplasty. METHOD: This was a retrospective study in the last 5 years of our experience. All of the pediatric patients with intracranial bleeding due to APCD who needed surgery were investigated. The data were collected from medical records after their parents have given their written informed concern and approved by the Ethics Review Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Kristen Indonesia. The inclusion criteria were patients who operated on by craniotomy and duraplasty. The patient with a second disease was excluded. Blood tests include hemoglobin, prothrombin time, activated prothrombin time, and platelets were investigated before and after intravenous vitamin K injection, transfusion packed red cells (PRCs), and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) administration. The Glasgow coma scale (GCS) pre- and postoperatively was evaluated using a modified GCS for infants and children. The outcome was evaluated by the GOS-ePed score. All data were analyzed with the normality test and paired t test. RESULTS: There were 5 patients age between 37 and 60 days, and all patients did not get vitamin K prophylaxis after birth. The blood tests of all patients revealed anemia, prothrombin, and activated prothrombin time increased, but platelets were normal. All these values returned to normal after vitamin K injection, transfusion of PRCs, and FFP. The paired t tests were p < 0.05. The GCS of all patients before surgery was 8 or below. After surgery, the GCS of 4 patients was increased become 12 and 15. One patient did not change significantly. The GOS-ePed score showed 4 patients (80%) had upper or lower good recovery, and 1 patient (20%) was in a vegetative state. CONCLUSIONS: The GOS-ePed score of the pediatric intracranial bleeding with APCD after craniotomy and duraplasty was mostly in upper or lower good recovery.

Occipitocervical fixation using Ransford loop for neglected posttraumatic odontoid fracture with atlantoaxial dislocation: A technical note.

BACKGROUND: To relieve the onset of new clinical symptoms, it is important to recognize and treat previously neglected odontoid fractures. However, many hospitals in developing countries do not have the equipment or surgical expertise to adequately manage these lesions. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 31-year-old male presented with paresthesias/quadriparesis attributed to an accident sustained 6 months earlier. The cervical magnetic resonance image revealed atlantoaxial subluxation type 2. Following a laminectomy and occipitocervical fusion with a Ransford loop, the patient's symptoms significantly improved. CONCLUSION: Straight forward laminectomy and occipitocervical fusion with a Ransford loop may adequately treat selected cases of neglected atlantoaxial subluxation in a developing country.

Incidental bleeding meningioma.

The authors present the case of a 46-year-old woman who was admitted to their institution after suffering acute intratumoral hemorrhage. There was no history and evidence of neoplasms, trauma, seizures and coagulopathy in the patient. Surgery was performed for evacuation of the hematoma and tumor excision after brain CT scan. Post operative results her neurologic function recovered completely. The pathology reports revealed angioblastic meningioma. The key to make an early and accurate diagnosis is good radiological examination, and definitive surgery can bring a more favorable outcome, lowering the morbidity and mortality rate.