Probable Cerebrospinal Fluid Infiltration into the Sacral Nerve Root Sheath and Exudation after Stagnant Retention in It, detected via Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Myelography : A Case Report

Abstract Background Management of postoperative chylothorax usually consists of nutritional regimens, pharmacological therapies such as octreotide, and surgical therapies such as ligation of thoracic duct, but a clear consensus is yet to be reached. Further, the variation of the thoracic duct makes chylothorax difficult to treat. This report describes a rare case of chylothorax with an aberrant thoracic duct that was successfully treated using focal pleurodesis through interventional radiology (IVR). Case presentation The patient was a 52-year-old man with chylothorax after a thoracoscopic oesophagectomy for oesophageal cancer. With conventional therapy, such as thoracostomy tube, octreotide or fibrogammin, a decrease in the amount of chyle was not achieved. Therefore, we performed lymphangiography and pleurodesis through IVR. The patient appeared to have an aberrant thoracic duct, as revealed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); however, after focal pleurodesis, the leak of chyle was diminished, and the patient was discharged 66 days after admission. Conclusions Chylothorax remains a difficult complication. Focal pleurodesis through IVR can be one of the options to treat chylothorax.

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Assessment of Cerebrospinal Fluid Hydrodynamics Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Postcraniospinal Surgery Patients

Indian Journal of Radiology and Imaging ◽

10.1055/s-0041-1734362 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Pankaj Arora ◽

Kanica Rawat ◽

Rajiv Azad ◽

Kehkashan Chouhan

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽

Cerebrospinal Fluid ◽

Magnetic Resonance ◽

Clinical Outcome ◽

Phase Contrast ◽

Flow Dynamics ◽

Resonance Imaging ◽

Csf Flow ◽

Group I ◽

Group Ii

Abstract Objective Aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of craniospinal interventions on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow hydrodynamics and study the correlation of postoperative changes in flow alteration with clinical outcome. Materials and Methods Fifty patients who underwent various craniospinal procedures were studied using conventional and phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PCMRI) protocol. CSF flow quantification was performed at cerebral aqueduct, foramen magnum, C2–3, and D12–L1 vertebral levels with site showing maximal alteration of CSF flow dynamics considered as the region of interest. Velocity encoding was kept at 20 cm/s. Patients with pathology atcraniovertebral junction were considered separately (group I) from others (group II) due to different flow dynamics. Follow-up scans were performed after an interval of 1 month for temporal evaluation of changes in CSF flow dynamics. Results Patients in both groups showed a significant change in peak CSF velocity postoperatively (mean change of 1.34 cm/s in group I and 0.28 cm/s in group II) with bidirectional improvement in flow on cine-phase-contrast qualitative images. Regional pain (82%) and headache (46%) were seen in most of the patients preoperatively. Postoperatively clinical symptoms improved in 59.5%, static in 26.2%, and worsened in 14.3%. In both the groups, an improvement in clinical symptomatology had significant correlation with mean changes in peak CSF velocity postoperatively (p = 0.04 in both groups). Conclusion PCMRI can effectively evaluate changes in CSF flow noninvasively both pre- and postoperatively. This may have potential role in determining clinical outcome and prognosis of patients undergoing procedures in craniospinal axis.

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