Ossified longitudinal ligament causing same level cord contusion in a case of Klippel-Feil syndrome

Klippel-Feil syndrome (KFS) is a congenital fusion of two or more cervical vertebrae due to faulty segmentation of the vertebral axis during gestation. (1-5) These patients present with a constellation of manifes­tations and are typically prone to cervical cord injury after a minor fall or a major traumatic episode. (2, 5-8) 34 years old gentlemen, a plumber by profession presented with a history of slipped and fall about two stairs height while he was working.

Radiological features of the intracranial extra-skeletal mesenchymal chondrosarcoma

Background: Mesenchymal chondrosarcomas are the most malignant form of chondrosarcomas. They have mostly affected bones. Rarely, these tumors can be intracranial extraskeletal (IEMC) that originates from the meninges or parenchyma. Methods and Materials: We presented two IEMC patients who were treated at our institutions and followed up for the long-term. To understand the radiological features of IEMC, we conducted a systematic literature review for previously reported series and cases of IEMCs. Results: We surgically treated two young males with IEMC initially diagnosed at their age of 18 and 20 years. The patients initially treated with gross total resection (GTR) and GTR followed by radiotherapy, and followed-up for 218 and 73 months, respectively. With both patients, we obtained 83 reported IEMC patients from the literature. Among them, only 30 cases were reported with their radiological MRI details. The mean age of the reported cases was 24.5±16.0 years (2 months–71 years). Female predominance was 54.2%. The mean progression-free and overall survivals were 27.9 and 39.0 months, respectively. Most IEMCs showed a partially calcified mass on roentgenography and a highly vascular mass on angiography. On T1WIs, IEMCs almost show hypo- to isointensity and intense heterogeneous enhancement after administering a contrast substance. On T2WIs, IEMCs show iso- to hyperintensity. Conclusions: IEMCs usually show dural attachment without a net dural tail sign and a well-identified brimmed vascular nodule on TOF-MRA. This nodule appears as a prominent blooming on SWI. TOF-MRA and SWI images can help in the radiological diagnosis of IEMCs.

Management of a double basilar tip aneurysm

Complex basilar tip aneurysms are still challenging to secure with coils or stent-assisted coiling. Double aneurysms at the basilar bifurcation and the basilar artery-superior cerebellar artery are a rare particular situation that usually requires more appropriate treatment. This case reports details of our experience with a double basilar tip aneurysm treated in two steps by coiling repair and stent-assisted coiling.

On thin ice

Introduction. Brain vascular malformations (BVMs) are congenital lesions with evolutive properties that possess a considerable chance of causing intracranial haemorrhage. The most common types are arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), aberrant entanglements of deformed vessels that shunt blood from the arteries directly into the veins, and cavernous malformations (CMs), being mulberry-shaped sinusoid spaces filled with blood. The rate of hemorrhagic stroke varies between these two types of lesions, being the most common form of symptomatic presentation for AVMs, but a much rarer occurrence for CMs. The purpose of our pilot study was to test whether the incidence of intracranial haemorrhage from BVMs varies between seasons, as well as examining a possible causality for this event. Material and methods. We performed a retrospective analysis on the cases of ruptured BVMs of the brain operated by the senior surgeon in our department between January 2008 and December 2019. We then divided the patients according to the type of lesion and gender, based on the month of the year when their pathologies caused the hemorrhagic stroke. We performed Pearson’s chi-square test to verify the relationship between season and rate of rupture of AVMs and CMs, individual month and rate of rupture, season and gender, and individual month and gender. Results. There were 87 ruptured vascular malformations, out of which 71 were AVMs and 16 were CMs. There were 51 males (40 AVMs, 11 CMs) and 36 females (31 AVMs, 5 CMs). The majority of hemorrhagic strokes occurred in the months of July (10 AVVMs, 2 CMs) and December (10 AVMs, 1 CM). We obtained a statistically significant correlation between the summer season and presentation with ruptured cavernous malformation, as well as the male sex and presentation with a ruptured AVM in December, whereas the female sex presented a correlation with ruptured AVMs in the month of March. We also obtained a correlation between the male sex and presenting with a ruptured vascular malformation of any kind in December, as well as the female gender and hemorrhagic stroke from any vascular malformation in the months of January and August. Conclusion. Despite promising statistical results, the relatively low number of cases may not be applicable to a larger patient population. It seems probable that meteorological conditions, especially extreme temperatures, might act as an additional risk factor for hemorrhagic stroke from vascular malformations, however, these findings should be corroborated with supplementary case series from other centres or a large prospective trial.

Retrospective study on early outcomes of carotid stenting

Objective: This study is conducted to evaluate the early events after Carotid artery stenting (CAS) among our patients in a single institute. Methods: This study was conducted on 40 patients. These patients underwent stenting of extracranial carotid arteries. Stenting was performed on symptomatic patients with carotid artery stenosis of more than 50 per cent of asymptomatic patients with more than 70 per cent carotid artery stenosis on Doppler ultrasonography. Follow up period for this study was of one month. Results: 40 patients who underwent CAS between August 2018 and June 2019 were included in the study. Self-expandable hybrid stents were implanted in all patients and pre or poststent-dilatation was performed if required after implantation. None of the patients suffered from a stroke, myocardial infarction or death due to CAS during their hospital stay. Only one patient had a minor stroke during follow up, which was managed conservatively. No transient ischemic attack (TIA), myocardial infarction or death during the follow-up period. Re-stenosis was not observed in the follow-up carotid Doppler ultrasonography; flow rates were within normal limits. Conclusions: Carotid stenting is a safe alternative to CEA (carotid endarterectomy) in the treatment of carotid stenosis regardless of age. CAS with cerebral protection can be performed safely in patients who are at high surgical risk, with low perioperative morbidity and mortality. The durability of the procedure must be determined with a longer follow-up. Further high-quality RCTs are required to address other shortcomings and controversies.

Intracranial hydatid disease

Background: Echinococcosis also known as hydatid disease is an endemic zoonotic disease with growing public health concern with an estimated financial burden of US Dollars 193,539,740 annually. Its definitive host being carnivores and man being an accidental intermediate host. The most common organ affected is the liver, the brain is involved in about 2% of cases. Intracranial hydatid carries high morbidity owing to pressure effect and a slow-growing hence the diagnosis is often delayed. Surgery is the mainstay of treatment, medical management being reserved for selected cases. Materials and method: A retrospective analysis of all the cases of intracranial hydatid disease managed at our department was done from 2013 to 2020 and data were analysed. Results: A total of 6 cases were found with an incidence of 1.33% of all intracranial space-occupying lesions during the study period with male to female ratio of 5:1, mean age at presentation 21.2 years, 4 out of 6 patient in the pediatric age group, cyst localised mainly in middle cerebral artery territory, mostly solitary but multiple in one case, all cases managed surgically with preoperative rupture in one case, recurrence noted in another one, Albendazole was given to cases only with rupture or recurrence. Conclusions: Intracranial hydatid disease should be suspected in all non-enhancing cystic brain lesions especially in endemic regions and all patients should have preferably surgical excision using the “Dowling technique” with medical management reserved for inaccessible lesions, patients unfit for surgery, rupture and recurrent cases. Its high time when public health strategies should also be focussed on prevention and control of disease with appropriate measure at the community level.

Primary multiple cerebral hydatid disease in a young patient with surgically-treated intracerebral haemorrhage

Introduction: Cerebral hydatid disease (CHD) is rare and the multiple-cystic variety is even rarer. In this paper, we report a case of multiple CHD and explore a possible link with a preceding spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH). Case presentation: A 27-year old gentleman with a history of surgically-evacuated, spontaneous ICH presented with severe headache, left-sided weakness - Medical Research Council (MRC) grade II - and recurrent tonic-clonic seizures, while on a full dose of anti-epileptic medication. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans showed multiple intra-axial cystic lesions in the right hemisphere. The cysts were removed intact using Dowling’s technique through a large temporoparietal craniotomy. The surgery went uneventful and the patient recovered as expected. Post-operatively, a prophylactic course of albendazole (200 mg) was prescribed. On his one-year follow-up visit, the patient was symptom-free and his weakness had improved (left upper limb: MRC grade IV and full power of the left lower limb). The computed tomography (CT) scan showed no new findings. Conclusion: Primary cerebral hydatid disease is rare and the multiple-cyst variety is even rare. In this case, a peculiar association with a surgically-treated ICH was explored with possible theories to suggest future research directions.

Outcomes of surgical treatment for pituitary metastasis

We analyzed the outcomes of surgical treatment for pituitary metastasis (PM) based on 35 observations. We registered the best estimates of resection radicalism in patients with minor PM, its inconsiderable spread ascending and descending from the diaphragm of the sella turcica, slightly bleeding metastasis, and no invading to the cavernous sinus. Positive changes in the PM patients’ quality of life are chiefly associated with regressed visual impairment, local pain syndrome, and, to a lesser degree, oculomotor disorders. No post-operative regress or intensifying of hormonal impairments, such as diabetes insipidus and hypopituitarism, were seen. The age of patients, the time interval between the cancer diagnosis and the PM occurrence, control of the underlying disease, size of the tumour are the factors determining the life expectancy in PM patients.

Volumetric threshold of pituitary macroadenoma as a predictor to visual impairment

Purpose: In this study, we aimed at correlating the curve of visual impairment against pituitary macroadenoma size. Method: In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the visual correlation between the volume and dimensions of pituitary adenoma and the degree of visual impairment on patients’ examination. 35 patients with no history of eye or refraction disorder were included in the study. Spearman correlation test was used to validate the correlation. Results: 57 % of pituitary macroadenoma patients suffer from visual impairment, even if not the primary presentation. Macroadenomas greater than 5 cm³ in volume and/or 2 cm height are more likely to cause various degrees of visual impairment, this correlation is not linear beyond these values. Conclusion: Visual impairment due to pituitary adenomas is more frequent than the presentation, the threshold volume is 5 cm³ and height is 2 cm, bigger adenomas behaviour is more multifactorial than the only size.

Endoscopic lumbar discectomy using side viewing conical working tube

Objective: The paradigm of surgical therapy for spinal disease especially for lumbar disc herniation has gradually shifted from traditional open surgeries to minimally invasive spinal surgeries. Endoscopic discectomy has been performed widely using various devices and techniques. In this study, we present our experience of endoscopic discectomy using a unique device with separate side viewing channel. Methods: 26 patients of lumbar disc herniation treated between March 2015 to April 2018 using the unique conical working tube with separate side-viewing endoscopic channel have been retrospectively analysed. Their preoperative and postoperative Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Macnab scores were used to evaluate the outcome with a mean follow up of 37.04 months. Results: There were 18 males and 08 females with age ranging from 19-72 years (mean-38.4 years). The follow up ranged from 25 months to 60 months with a mean of 37.04 months. The mean preoperative ODI score was 72.4 which decreased to a mean of 7.6 and the outcome evaluated by Macnab criteria was 65.3% excellent, 19.2 % good, 11.5% fair, 3.8% poor. 1 patient underwent a second surgery. None of the patients had to change their occupation postoperatively. Complications occurred were dural tear in 1 patient and transient foot paresis in 1 which improved spontaneously. Conclusion: Endoscopic discectomy using conical working tube is a safe and effective technique for lumbar disc prolapse. The long term results are comparable to conventional techniques.