Superficial siderosis of the central nervous system after brachial plexus injury

1994 ◽  
Vol 80 (5) ◽  
pp. 931-934 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginio Bonito ◽  
Cristina Agostinis ◽  
Stefano Ferraresi ◽  
Carlo Alberto Defanti

✓ Superficial siderosis is a rare condition characterized by deposition of hemosiderin in the leptomeninges and in the subpial layers of the brain and spinal cord. It is associated with cerebrospinal fluid abnormalities consistent with recurrent bleeding into the subarachnoid space. The usual symptoms are hearing loss, ataxia, spastic paraparesis, sensory and sphincter deficits, and mental deterioration. A case is presented of severe superficial siderosis of the central nervous system in a 51-year-old man who had suffered a brachial plexus injury at the age of 20 years. The diagnosis was made by means of magnetic resonance imaging 16 years after the initial symptoms, which comprised bilateral hearing loss and anosmia. Subarachnoid bleeding was due to traumatic pseudomeningocele of the brachial plexus, a very unusual cause of superficial siderosis. This case is interesting insofar as the surgical treatment prevented further bleeding and possibly progression of the disease.

1993 ◽  
Vol 79 (5) ◽  
pp. 756-760 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna J. Janss ◽  
Steven L. Galetta ◽  
Andrew Freese ◽  
Eric C. Raps ◽  
Mark T. Curtis ◽  
...  

✓ The authors report a 32-year-old woman who had undergone repair of an occipital encephalocele in infancy and who experienced a 20-year history of progressive hearing loss and intermittent vertigo. After parturition, she developed a rapidly progressive quadriparesis and brain-stem dysfunction associated with persistent intraventricular and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Serial magnetic resonance (MR) images showed progressive deposition of hemosiderin along the surface of the brain, brain stem, and spinal cord, and enhanced thickened membranes at the site of the original encephalocele repair. Posterior fossa exploration disclosed hemorrhagic membranes, which were resected; despite removal of this tissue, the patient deteriorated and died. Postmortem examination confirmed iron-containing pigment along the meninges, cerebral hemispheres, brain stem, spinal cord, and cranial nerves accompanied by atrophy of the superficial cerebellar cortex. It is concluded that superficial siderosis may accompany encephalocele repair. This is believed to be the first report in the literature of superficial siderosis of the central nervous system to correlate in vivo MR images with autopsy results.


1998 ◽  
Vol 88 (5) ◽  
pp. 890-894 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shigeo Matsumoto ◽  
Yoo Kang ◽  
Shinichi Sato ◽  
Yasuto Kawakami ◽  
Yoshifumi Oda ◽  
...  

✓ Meningeal melanocytoma is a benign melanocytic tumor that originates most frequently from the melanocytes in the posterior fossa or along the spinal cord. This tumor generally occurs as an extraaxial mass that compresses adjacent neural structures to produce various neurological signs. The authors describe an unusual case in which a patient with a meningeal melanocytoma located at the thoracic spinal cord presented with superficial siderosis of the central nervous system (CNS). Extensive neuroradiological studies identified the presence of a spinal cord tumor, and postsurgical histological examination revealed the meningeal melanocytoma as a bleeding source. After surgery, lumbar puncture demonstrated normalization of the patient's cerebrospinal fluid; however, no neurological improvement occurred. The neurological deficits seem irreversible. Meningeal melanocytoma is biologically benign and can be cured by complete surgical resection; therefore, this tumor should be included in the differential diagnosis of pigmented lesions of the CNS. The authors reviewed 14 cases of well-documented meningeal melanocytoma in the literature and discuss the clinical, radiological, and pathological features of the present case to emphasize the importance of early diagnosis and identification of the source of bleeding in patients with superficial siderosis.


1990 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 147-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Mitchell ◽  
Bernd W. Scheithauer ◽  
Patrick J. Kelly ◽  
Glenn S. Forbes ◽  
Jon E. Rosenblatt

✓ The tapeworm Spirometra mansonoides infects man worldwide, particularly in Asian countries. Rarely, the central nervous system is involved; such a case is presented here. In the total of 12 reported cases, including the case described, the worm presented clinically as a mass suspicious for neoplasm or chronic abscess cavity. Surgical removal was invariably curative in each case. Although infrequent, the possibility of tapeworm infection should be entertained in the evaluation of intracranial masses in patients who have visited exotic locales.


1984 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 375-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Griffith R. Harsh ◽  
Charles B. Wilson

✓ Local recurrence developed 6 years after the initial resection of an intraspinal meningeal tumor that originally was thought to be an angioblastic meningioma. Histological review of the pathology led to a change of that diagnosis to one of mesenchymal chondrosarcoma. The recurrent vascular tumor was embolized, then totally excised. Because this tumor had malignant features, the patient received irradiation and chemotherapy. No evidence of regrowth has been observed during a period of more than 4 years. Mesenchymal chondrosarcomas of the central nervous system and their treatment are reviewed.


1977 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beniamino Guidetti ◽  
Franco M. Gagliardi

✓ The authors report on the clinical data, operating technique, postoperative complications, and late results in a series of 31 epidermoid and 21 dermoid cysts of the central nervous system.


1982 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 430-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edwin G. Fischer ◽  
Ana Sotrel ◽  
Keasley Welch

✓ Two patients are reported who had intracerebral mass lesions composed of hemangioma and glial neoplasm. After excision, one recurred as an oligodendroglioma, and the remnant of the other remained static over a 5-year period. These lesions may represent a subgroup of cerebral hemangiomas that have the biological potential for future glial neoplastic growth. Reference is made to experimental work with polyoma virus which can induce cavernous hemangiomas in the central nervous system in mice, and which is a papovavirus. Other papovaviruses can induce ependymomas in hamsters.


1981 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 615-619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil A. Martin ◽  
Martha Hales ◽  
Charles B. Wilson

✓ A 31-year-old woman developed a cerebellar metastasis from an invasive prolactin-secreting pituitary adenoma while undergoing treatment with bromocriptine. The metastatic tumor was totally excised. Metastatic spread of pituitary tumors within the central nervous system is reviewed briefly.


2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (10) ◽  
pp. 1861-1865 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Tari-Capone ◽  
Alessandro Bozzao ◽  
Giuliano Sette ◽  
Roberto Delfini ◽  
Giovanni Antonini

1981 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 553-555 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrico Perna ◽  
R. Liguori ◽  
G. Petrone ◽  
E. Mannarino

✓ An unusual case of cerebral actinomycosis of the Gasserian ganglion is reported. The location and the pathological diagnosis of granuloma are both extremely rare. The literature is briefly reviewed with special reference to similar reports. The manner of spread and the course of the disease are described. The present case tends to confirm the opinion that primary cerebral actinomycosis is extremely rare and probably does not exist. The case also definitely indicates that the organism reaches the central nervous system by way of nerve or perineural pathways.


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