Pediatric Idiopathic Intervertebral Disc Calcification: Single-Center Series and Review of the Literature.

OBJECTIVE: To review pediatric idiopathic intervertebral disc calcification (PIIVDC) within a single center and within the literature to outline the disease course, management, and outcome. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective chart review was performed spanning the period between January 2001 and February 2016 for diagnoses of PIIVDC. Patient age, sex, symptoms, and history and physical and neurologic findings were reviewed. Laboratory and imaging findings, management, follow-up, and outcome also were studied. RESULTS: Nine cases of PIIVDC were identified; they included 6 male and 3 female patients, with an age range of 23 months to 12 years. Two patients were asymptomatic, and PIIVDC was discovered incidentally. Of the remaining 7 patients, 5 presented with neck and/or back pain, 1 with painless torticollis, and 1 with painful torticollis. One patient reported neurologic symptoms of pain radiating along 1 dermatome. Disc spaces affected were 5 cervical, 4 thoracic, and 2 lumbar, with 2 patients having more than 1 space affected. All patients were managed conservatively. In 1 case, symptoms and lesions persisted after 5 years, but the remainder had complete symptom resolution, generally within 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: The etiology of PIIVDC remains unknown but appears to occur spontaneously, without preceding trauma or underlying medical condition. A conservative approach to patients without severe neurologic deficit with outpatient follow-up is supported.

An observation of massive lumbar disc prolapse.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate whether massive lumbar disc herniations (LDH) can be managed safely with non-operative treatment. Whilst most LDH are treated successfully with analgesia and physiotherapy, there is little literature regarding the treatment of massive LDH. Their impressive size raises the suspicion that they may cause cauda equina syndrome and are therefore often treated surgically. METHODS: Patients were referred to our tertiary unit by either their general practitioner or the musculoskeletal service. To be included in the study, patients had to have a diagnosis of massive LDH on their initial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and opt for non-operative treatment. Seventeen patients with a diagnosis of massive LDH with an average follow-up of 209 days (0 to 1,005 days) were reviewed. RESULTS: One patient was listed for surgery due to persisting radicular pain only. However, they were deemed unfit for surgery and this was therefore cancelled. One patient developed impending cauda equina syndrome and underwent urgent discectomy with no complications. All remaining patients were managed safely non-operatively with no complications. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the massive LDH can be safely managed non-operatively, providing patients are examined for cauda equina syndrome and are fully educated on the need to represent urgently should red-flag symptoms develop.

Bilateral optic disc pathologies as an accompanying feature of comitant strabismus in children.

PURPOSE: To describe and report accompanying bilateral optic disc pathologies in children with comitant strabismus. METHODS: Twenty-eight patients (16 female, 12 male) aged between 1 and 12 years who had comitant strabismus and bilateral optic disc pathologies were included in the study. Visual acuity, refractive errors, amount of deviation and types of optic disc pathologies were all recorded. Each patient underwent complete neurological and ophthalmological examination. RESULTS: Of the 28 patients, 14 (50.0%) had esotropia and 14 (50.0%) had exotropia. The mean age was 4.18 ± 3.03 years. The mean deviation angle was 35.30 ± 13.26 prism diopters (PD) (20-70 PD). Optic atrophy as being the most common pathology was found in nine (32.1%) patients. Six (21.4%) patients had temporal disc pallor, six (21.4%) patients had optic nerve hypoplasia, and seven (25%) patients had other optic disc anomalies (tilted disc, megalodisc, disc coloboma, peripapillary staphyloma). Optic disc pathologies were found to be isolated in 12 patients. Nine of 13 patients with congenital optic disc pathologies had esotropia, whereas 10 of 15 patients with optic atrophy or optic disc pallor had exotropia. CONCLUSION: Comitant strabismus in children can be associated with congenital or acquired optic disc pathologies. It is worthy of note that esotropia was more common in patients with congenital optic disc pathologies, whereas exotropia was more frequent in patients with optic atrophy or optic disc pallor. The findings of the present study show that complete ophthalmological examination including fundus evaluation should be carried out in all patients with strabismus even though the cause of ocular misalignment is obvious.

Diagnóstico e conduta em melanocitoma do disco óptico / Diagnosis and management of optic disc melanocytoma

RESUMO O melanocitoma do disco óptico é um tumor benigno, com pouca predisposição a transformação maligna para melanoma. Geralmente é assintomático, contudo deve ser avaliado periodicamente com exames, sendo um deles a campimetria computadorizada que se encontra alterada em 90% dos casos. Relatamos o caso de um homem de 61 anos sem diagnóstico prévio de melanocitoma do disco óptico. Discute-se a importância de um diagnóstico diferencial com melanoma e acompanhamento seriado do paciente.

ABSTRACT The optic disc melanocytoma is a benign tumor, with little predisposition to become a melanoma. It is usually asymptomatic, nonetheless should be evaluated periodically, most often by computerized perimetry, which in 9 out of 10 cases will show some alteration. In the following paper we report the case of 61 years old man without previous diagnosis of optic disc melanocytoma and discuss the importance of melanoma differential diagnosis and monitoring.

[Pediatric intervertebral disc calcification: A rare cause of acquired torticollis. Case report]. / Discopatía calcificante de la infancia: una infrecuente causa de tortícolis adquirida. Caso clínico.

INTRODUCTION: Pain and cervical muscle spasm are common reasons why parents bring children to the pediatric emergency department. The first steps are the gathering of medical history of the patient and a physical examination. If musculoskeletal damage is suspected, cervical spine x-rays should be obtained. An intervertebral disc calcification finding, in the absence of other radiological lesions should suggest pediatric intervertebral disc calcification. OBJECTIVE: To present a case of intervertebral disc calcification, a rare condition that must be considered in the differential diagnosis of torticollis and neck pain in childhood. CASE REPORT: A seven-year-old male patient without morbid history and no history of trauma or rough sport practice. He consulted the emergency room for pain and cervical contracture for the last six days. C reactive protein and red cell sedimentatio rates were slightly elevated. Imaging studies showed calcification of the C5-C6 intrvertebral disc and anterior disc protrusion. The patient was hospitalized for evaluation and pain management, with good clinical response and continue afterwards with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and a soft collar. At the 6-month-follow up, the patient had resolved symptoms and calcifications. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric intervertebral disc calcification is a rare cause of acquired torticollis, with a benign and self-limited outcome. Conservative management, as well as clinical and imaging follow-up is recommended.

Discopatía calcificante de la infancia: una infrecuente causa de tortícolis adquirida. Caso clínico / Pediatric intervertebral disc calcification: A rare cause of acquired torticollis. Case report

Introducción: El dolor y la contractura muscular cervical son motivos de consulta usuales en los servicios de urgencia pediátrica. El primer enfrentamiento es la anamnesis y examen físico minucioso. Ante la sospecha de etiología musculoesquelética se debe solicitar radiografía de columna cervical. El hallazgo de calcificación de los discos intervertebrales, en ausencia de otras lesiones radiológicas, nos debe hacer sospechar de una discopatía calcificante de la infancia. Objetivo: Presentar un caso de discopatía calcificante de la infancia, enfermedad infrecuente, que se debe tener en cuenta como diagnóstico diferencial de tortícolis y dolor cervical en la infancia. Caso clínico: Paciente varón de 7 años, sin antecedentes mórbidos ni historia de traumatismo o deportes bruscos. Consultó por historia de dolor y contractura cervical de 6 días de evolución. La velocidad de eritrosedimentación y proteína C reactiva estaban discretamente elevadas. La radiografía de columna cervical y la tomografía computarizada mostraron calcificación discal C5-C6 y protrusión discal anterior. Se hospitalizó para estudio y tratamiento del dolor, con buena respuesta clínica, continuando el manejo ambulatorio con antiinflamatorios no esteroidales y collar blando. Evolucionó con resolución de la sintomatología clínica y de las calcificaciones a 6 meses de seguimiento. Conclusiones: El hallazgo de calcificaciones de los discos intervertebrales es una infrecuente causa de tortícolis adquirida, de evolución benigna y autolimitada. Se recomienda manejo conservador por tiempo acotado y seguimiento clínico e imagenológico.

Introduction: Pain and cervical muscle spasm are common reasons why parents bring children to the pediatric emergency department. The first steps are the gathering of medical history of the patient and a physical examination. If musculoskeletal damage is suspected, cervical spine x-rays should be obtained. An intervertebral disc calcification finding, in the absence of other radiological lesions should suggest pediatric intervertebral disc calcification. Objective: To present a case of intervertebral disc calcification, a rare condition that must be considered in the differential diagnosis of torticollis and neck pain in childhood. Case report: A seven-year-old male patient without morbid history and no history of trauma or rough sport practice. He consulted the emergency room for pain and cervical contracture for the last six days. C reactive protein and red cell sedimentatio rates were slightly elevated. Imaging studies showed calcification of the C5-C6 intrvertebral disc and anterior disc protrusion. The patient was hospitalized for evaluation and pain management, with good clinical response and continue afterwards with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and a soft collar. At the 6-month-follow up, the patient had resolved symptoms and calcifications. Conclusions: Pediatric intervertebral disc calcification is a rare cause of acquired torticollis, with a benign and self-limited outcome. Conservative management, as well as clinical and imaging follow-up is recommended.

Comparação entre diversas técnicas de imagem para diagnóstico do glaucoma / Comparison of different imaging techniques to diagnose glaucoma

O objetivo desse estudo foi comparar a habilidade da avaliação subjetiva do disco óptico e da camada de fibras nervosas (CFN) por oftalmologistas generalistas e por um glaucomatólogo com medidas objetivas pela tomografia de coerência óptica (Stratus OCT), oftalmoscopia confocal de varredura a laser (HRTIII), e a polarimetria de varredura a laser (GDxECC) para discriminar olhos glaucomatosos de olhos normais. 61 olhos glaucomatosos e 57 olhos normais de 118 indivíduos foram incluídos nesse estudo. Três oftalmologistas generalistas independentes e um glaucomatólogo avaliaram fotografias estereoscópicas do disco óptico. Curvas ROC (Receiver Operator Characteristic) foram construídas para cada técnica de imagem e a sensibilidade a uma especificidade fixa foi determinada. Comparações das áreas sob essas curvas (AROC) e a concordância (k) foram determinadas entre a graduação das fotografias estereoscópicas e o melhor parâmetro de cada exame de imagem computadorizado. O melhor parâmetro de cada técnica de imagem computadorizada (CFN temporal inferior do Stratus OCT = 0,92; área integrada vertical da topografia do disco óptico pelo Stratus OCT = 0,86; espessura macular do setor inferior externo fornecido pelo Stratus OCT = 0,82; NFI do GDxECC = 0,91; razão área E/D do HRT3 = 0,83) mostrou AROC maior do que a graduação das fotografias estereoscópicas por oftalmologistas generalistas (0,80) para separar olhos glaucomatosos de olhos normais. A graduação por glaucomatólogo forneceu AROC igual ou maior (0,92) do que o melhor parâmetro de exame computadorizado de imagem. A avaliação das fotografias estereoscópicas por glaucomatólogo mostrou melhor concordância com o melhor parâmetro de cada técnica de imagem quantitativa na classificação de olhos como glaucomatosos ou normais comparadas à avaliação de fotografias estereoscópicas por oftalmologistas generalistas. A combinação da avaliação subjetiva do disco óptico por oftalmologistas generalistas com parâmetros...

The purpose of this study was to compare the ability of subjective assessment of optic nerve head and retinal nerve fiber layer by general ophthalmologists and by a glaucoma expert with objective measurements by optical coherence tomography (Stratus OCT, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc.), confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (HRT III; Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany), and scanning laser polarimetry (GDx ECC; Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, CA) in discriminating glaucomatous and normal eyes. 61 glaucomatous and 57 normal eyes of 118 subjects were included in the study. Three independent general ophthalmologists and one glaucoma expert evaluated ONH stereophotographs. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed for each imaging technique and sensitivity at fixed specificity was estimated. Comparisons of areas under these curves (aROC) and agreement (k) were determined between stereophoto grading and best parameter from each technique. Best parameter from each technique showed larger aROC (StratusOCT RNFL = 0.92; StratusOCT ONH vertical integrated area = 0.86; StratusOCT macular thickness = 0.82; GDxECC = 0.91; HRT3 global cup-to-disc area ratio = 0.83) compared to stereophotograph grading by general ophthalmologists (0.80) in separating glaucomatous and normal eyes. Glaucoma expert stereophoto grading provided equal or larger aROC (0.92) than best parameter of each computerized imaging device. Stereophoto evaluated by a glaucoma expert showed better agreement with best parameter of each quantitative imaging technique in classifying eyes either as glaucomatous or normal compared to stereophoto grading by general ophthalmologists. The combination of subjective assessment of the optic disc by general ophthalmologists with RNFL objective parameters improved identification of glaucoma patients in a larger proportion than the combination of these objective parameters with subjective assessment of the optic disc by a glaucoma expert...