Extensive cerebral nocardiosis cured with antibiotic therapy alone

1978 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 924-928 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nigar Kirmani ◽  
Carmelita U. Tuazon ◽  
Jay A. Ocuin ◽  
Anne M. Thompson ◽  
Norman C. Kramer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soft Tissue ◽  
Renal Transplant ◽  
Antibiotic Therapy ◽  
Surgical Drainage ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Cerebral Lesions ◽  
Fatal Disease ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Cerebral Nocardiosis ◽  
Fine Print

✓ A 34-year-old renal transplant recipient developed multiple soft tissue and extensive cerebral nocardiosis. The number and location of the cerebral abscesses and probable areas of cerebritis precluded surgical drainage procedures. Gradual resolution of all the cerebral lesions occurred over a period of 6 months with antibiotic therapy alone. A review of the literature revealed only one previous case of a patient with pulmonary nocardiosis who had a probable secondary brain abscess and who survived without surgical drainage. Thus, if surgical drainage is not possible, antibiotic therapy alone may offer a hope of survival in what otherwise has been considered a uniformly fatal disease.

Intracranial extension of an eccrine porocarcinoma

1999 ◽  
Vol 90 (1) ◽  
pp. 138-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann M. Ritter ◽  
R. Scott Graham ◽  
Barbara Amaker ◽  
William C. Broaddus ◽  
Harold F. Young
Keyword(s):  
Soft Tissue ◽  
Malignant Tumor ◽  
Clinical Presentation ◽  
Intracranial Extension ◽  
Pathological Findings ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Radiographic Evidence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Eccrine Porocarcinoma ◽  
Fine Print

✓ Eccrine porocarcinoma is a rare malignant tumor of the true sweat gland. It commonly presents in the lower extremities with lymphatic metastasis. The authors describe the clinical presentation, radiographic evidence, operative discoveries, and pathological findings in a patient with an eccrine porocarcinoma involving the soft tissue of the occiput, which had eroded through the cranium. A review of the literature failed to reveal any other such case. The discussion includes the epidemiology, pathogenesis, treatment, and outcome of eccrine porocarcinomas. The six reported cases of scalp eccrine tumors are reviewed.

Primary cerebellar nocardiosis

1979 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 408-414 ◽  
Author(s):  
George W. Tyson ◽  
Joseph E. Welsh ◽  
Albert B. Butler ◽  
John A. Jane ◽  
H. Richard Winn
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Therapy ◽  
Fatal Disease ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brain Scans ◽  
Focus Of Infection ◽  
Surgical Cure ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Space Occupying Lesion ◽  
Fine Print

✓ The authors describe two cases of primary cerebellar nocardiosis. Confinement of Nocardia abscesses to a localized, accessible portion of the central nervous system should favor surgical cure of this aggressive and often fatal disease. In our two cases multilocularity, tenuous encapsulation, and proximity to the brain stem prevented complete primary excision. Nevertheless, the infections were effectively treated by intensive postoperative antibiotic therapy and, in one case, a second operation to excise the residual abscess. The need for the latter was suggested by the results of sequential computerized tomographic brain scans that were used to monitor the response to antibiotic therapy. In the absence of any apparent extracranial focus of infection and any overt condition that might impair immunological competence, nocardiosis is likely to be omitted from the preoperative differential diagnosis of a posterior fossa space-occupying lesion.

Progressive neurological deficits with benign intracerebral cysts

1986 ◽  
Vol 65 (5) ◽  
pp. 706-709 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoko Nakasu ◽  
Jyoji Handa ◽  
Kazuyoshi Watanabe
Keyword(s):  
Histological Examination ◽  
Computerized Tomography ◽  
Cyst Wall ◽  
Benign Lesion ◽  
Ct Scanning ◽  
Neurological Deficits ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ct Findings ◽  
Fine Print

✓ Two patients with benign intracerebral cysts are reported and a brief review of the literature is given. Although computerized tomography (CT) scanning is useful in detecting a variety of intracerebral cysts, the CT findings are not specific for any lesion. An exploratory operation with establishment of an adequate route of drainage and a histological examination of the cyst wall are mandatory in the management of patients with a progressive but benign lesion.

Brain-stem hemangioma calcificans

1983 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 150-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Occhiogrosso ◽  
Aristide Carella ◽  
Paola D'aprile ◽  
Giacomo Vailati
Keyword(s):  
Brain Stem ◽  
Cavernous Hemangioma ◽  
Diagnosis And Treatment ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fine Print

✓ A case of brain-stem hemangioma calcificans is described. The few cases reported in the literature prove the rarity of this tumor, which is considered a benign variant of cerebral cavernous hemangioma. Diagnosis and treatment of these tumors are briefly discussed with a review of the literature including 11 previous cases.

Circumferential fracture of the skull base causing craniocervical dislocation

2002 ◽  
Vol 97 (1) ◽  
pp. 118-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ganesh Rao ◽  
Adam S. Arthur ◽  
Ronald I. Apfelbaum
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Unusual Case ◽  
Motor Vehicle ◽  
Neurological Impairment ◽  
Craniocervical Junction ◽  
Motor Vehicle Accidents ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Vehicle Accidents ◽  
Fine Print

✓ Fractures of the craniocervical junction are common in victims of high-speed motor vehicle accidents; indeed, injury to this area is often fatal. The authors present the unusual case of a young woman who sustained a circumferential fracture of the craniocervical junction. Despite significant trauma to this area, she suffered remarkably minor neurological impairment and made an excellent recovery. Her injuries, treatment, and outcome, as well as a review of the literature with regard to injuries at the craniocervical junction, are discussed.

Delayed myelopathy secondary to retained intraspinal metallic fragment

1981 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 979-982 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Douglas Jones ◽  
Ronald E. Woosley
Keyword(s):  
Thoracic Spine ◽  
Stab Wound ◽  
Good Recovery ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stab Wounds ◽  
Fine Print

✓ The authors present a case of delayed myelopathy arising 8 years after a stab wound to the thoracic spine, with intradural retention of the knife tip. Following removal of the knife tip, the patient had a good recovery. A review of the literature documents eight additional cases of delayed myelopathy secondary to retained fragments from spinal stab wounds.

Intradural tuberculomas of the spinal cord

1981 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 289-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamit Z. Gökalp ◽  
Ertuğ Özkal
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Surgical Treatment ◽  
Medical Care ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Antituberculous Treatment ◽  
Fine Print

✓ The incidence of intradural tuberculoma of the spinal cord is rare, and is becoming rarer as medical care improves. Two cases of surgically treated intradural tuberculomas are presented, with a brief review of the literature. The authors recommend surgical treatment, which carries almost no risk of meningitis if antituberculous treatment is given postoperatively.

Gas in a spinal extradural cyst

1989 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 486-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rakesh Kumar ◽  
Charles G. H. West ◽  
James E. Gillespie
Keyword(s):  
Case Report ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Anatomic Distribution ◽  
Extradural Cyst ◽  
Extradural Space ◽  
Fine Print

✓ This case report describes a patient with sciatica resulting from lumbar root compression by a gas-containing cyst in the extradural space. Removal of the cyst provided prompt relief. The origin and anatomic distribution of gas collections in the spine are considered based on a review of the literature.

“Angioglioma” and the arteriovenous malformationglioma association

1991 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
pp. 589-596 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Lombardi ◽  
Bernd W. Scheithauer ◽  
David Piepgras ◽  
Fredric B. Meyer ◽  
Glenn S. Forbes
Keyword(s):  
Low Grade ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Chronic Ischemia ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Pilocytic Astrocytomas ◽  
Neoplastic Lesions ◽  
Grade Malignancy ◽  
Cerebellar Type ◽  
High Grade Malignancy ◽  
Fine Print

✓ The term “angioglioma” denotes a highly vascular glioma, most of which are low-grade lesions associated with a favorable prognosis. The authors encountered an example of this pathology, a cystic oligodendroglioma associated with prominent vasculature which both clinically and histologically mimicked an occult arteriovenous malformation (AVM). This case and reports of the association of AVM and glioma prompted a histological review of 1034 surgically resected AVM's, both angiographically occult and visible, among which no oligodendroglial or astrocytic forms of “angioglioma” were found. Eight cases were observed, however, wherein oligodendroglial cells were increased in number within or about the malformation. Two basic histological patterns of oligodendroglial cell excess were seen; one appeared to be malformative in nature with abnormal disposition of oligodendroglial cells being an integral part of the AVM, whereas in the other an apparent increase in cellularity seemed the result of chronic ischemia with condensation of white matter. It appeared that the areas of increased oligodendrocyte content seen in association with AVM are non-neoplastic lesions that exhibit two rather distinct histological patterns of differing origin. In an effort to determine the frequency of “angioglioma,” the authors examined Tissue Registry data for several glioma groups in which highly vascular examples are prone to occur. Tumors selected for study included 104 cerebellar-type (pilocytic) astrocytomas, 82 oligodendrogliomas, and 51 supratentorial pilocytic astrocytomas. Histological hypervascularity mimicking a vascular malformation (that is, an “angioglioma”) was encountered in 5%, 4%, and 12% of the cases, respectively. Based upon clinical, radiological, and pathological reviews of these cases, as well as a careful review of the literature, it was concluded that 1) “angiogliomas” are neither rare nor represent a distinct clinicopathological entity; 2) in histological but not necessarily angiographic surgical terms, they represent simply highly vascular gliomas, usually of low grade; and 3) the clinicopathological and angiographic features as well as the prognosis of such lesions do not differ from those of similar gliomas without angioma-like vasculature. Finally, “angiogliomas” must not be confused with gliomas of high-grade malignancy which, due to neovascularity, may be highly vascular at angiography and at surgery.

Use of structural allografts in spinal osteomyelitis: a review of 47 cases

2000 ◽  
Vol 93 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
James M. Schuster ◽  
Anthony M. Avellino ◽  
Frederick A. Mann ◽  
Allain A. Girouard ◽  
M. Sean Grady ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Therapy ◽  
Persistent Infection ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Recurrent Infection ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Hardware Failure ◽  
Spinal Osteomyelitis ◽  
Structural Allografts ◽  
Fine Print

Object. The use of structural allografts in spinal osteomyelitis remains controversial because of the perceived risk of persistent infection related to a devitalized graft and spinal hardware. The authors have identified 47 patients over the last 3.5 years who underwent a surgical decompression and stabilization procedure in which fresh-frozen allografts were used after aggressive removal of infected and devitalized tissue. The patients subsequently underwent 6 weeks of postoperative antibiotic therapy (12 months for those with tuberculosis [TB]). Methods. Follow-up data included results of serial clinical examinations, radiography, laboratory analysis (erythrocyte sedimentation rate and white blood cell count), and clinical outcome questionnaires. Of the original 47 patients (14 women and 33 men, aged 14–83 years), 39 were available for follow up. The average follow-up period at the time this article was submitted was 17 ± 9 months (median 14 months, range 6–45 months). In the majority of cases (57%), a Staphylococcus species was the infectious organism. Predisposing risk factors included intravenous drug abuse (IVDA), previous surgery, diabetes, TB, and concurrent infections. During the follow-up period only two patients suffered recurrent infection at a contiguous level; both had a history of IVDA and one also had a chronic excoriating skin condition. No other recurrent infections have been identified, and no patient has required reoperation for persistent infection or allograft/hardware failure. Conclusions. It is the authors' opinion that the use of structural allografts in combination with aggressive tissue debridement and adjuvant antibiotic therapy provide a safe and effective therapy in cases of spinal osteomyelitis requiring surgery.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document