Pediatric neurosurgery
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Pediatric neurosurgery · Jul 2004
Case ReportsNeck mass after catheterization of a neck vein in a child with ventriculoperitoneal shunt.
There have been many reports on various mechanical complications after shunt operations in children with hydrocephalus such as catheter fracture, obstruction, disconnection, dislocation and so on. However, there are no previous reports regarding subcutaneous mass formation due to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pseudocyst from direct puncture injury. The authors report with a review of the literature a case of a child with ventriculoperitoneal shunt who developed a neck mass after catheterization of the neck vein. The authors also advocate that percutaneous procedures in the vicinity of shunts be avoided whenever possible to prevent the possibility of CSF leakage resulting in pseudocyst formation.
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Pediatric neurosurgery · Mar 2004
Case ReportsThoracic meningocele, meningomyelocele or myelocystocele? Diagnostic difficulties, consequent implications and treatment.
Spina bifida cystica is a closing disorder of the neural tube which infrequently occurs in the thoracic region. A rare lesion called myelocystocele is a variant of spina bifida cystica and is associated with syringomyelia, Chiari type 2 malformation and hydrocephalus. ⋯ Surgical correction of myelocystocele is not only for cosmetic reasons, but also to untether the spinal cord prophylactically to prevent future neurological deterioration. In this case report, we present a child born with a thoracic myelocystocele, the diagnostic difficulties, consequent implications and surgical treatment.
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Pediatric neurosurgery · Oct 2003
Mutism after posterior fossa tumour resection in children: incomplete recovery on long-term follow-up.
Mutism after posterior fossa tumour resection is generally said to be transient. Our experience suggested that speech did not usually normalise, and that mutism was associated with neurologic deficits that did not recover fully. ⋯ Mutism after posterior fossa tumour resection is associated with other neurologic deficits, particularly ataxia. Whereas speech usually returns, contrary to general opinion, speech rarely normalises. Other associated deficits rarely resolve completely. These findings have significant implications for counselling of family and patients.