World Neurosurg
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Review Case Reports
Neural Crest Cell Failure as Embryogenesis for Fusiform Aneurysm of the Anterior Communicating Artery: Case Report and Review of the Literature.
Pure fusiform aneurysms of the anterior communicating artery (AcomA) are rare. We report a unique case of a patient with an AComA fusiform aneurysm in the setting of several unusual cranial neurocristopathies, including a hypoplastic internal carotid artery (ICA), persistent craniopharyngeal canal, transsphenoidal encephalocele, and ectopic, duplicated pituitary gland. We also review the literature on cranial base neurocristopathies and AComA fusiform aneurysms. ⋯ This case provides evidence that inherent arterial wall defects can contribute to fusiform aneurysm formation in the AComA. We propose that small AComA fusiform aneurysms without sclerotic or symptomatic features can be safely observed by describing the longest reported conservative management for this type of aneurysm. A high degree of suspicion for cerebrovascular anomalies should be maintained in patients who present with cranial neurocristopathy.
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Review Historical Article
History of Integral Fixation for Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (ALIF): The Hartshill Horseshoe.
Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) is a common spinal fusion option for different spinal pathologies. In the early years, implant migrations/expulsions were potential complications of ALIFs due to the lack of integral fixation. We present a historical vignette on the inception and development of the first stand-alone ALIF (SA-ALIF) implant-the Hartshill Horseshoe (HH). ⋯ The HH was the first synthetic SA-ALIF implant developed. Since the HH, multiple SA-ALIF implants have been designed. The benefits of integral fixation in a SA-ALIF device include immediate implant stability, ability to reduce and correct deformity postimplantation, prevention of implant migration, and increased implant-bony endplate contact for early osseointegration.
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A large proportion of the population suffers from chronic back pain. For optimal treatment, the question arises which patients would benefit from conservative therapy and for whom lumbar disc surgery is most appropriate. It seems reasonable to analyze the impact of paraclinical parameters on the operation outcome to identify patients who would benefit less from surgery or need special pre-/postoperative medical care. ⋯ Cortisol reactivity seems to be associated with pain development. The inconsistent findings in empiricism as well as in this investigation are indicative of a complex association of postoperative pain and cortisol reactivity, which needs to be examined further.
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Review Case Reports
Pediatric Rhabdoid Meningioma with extension to the heart, a first case report and literature review.
Meningiomas are the most common benign intracranial neoplasms in adults, but they have a lower incidence in children. Rhabdoid meningioma is a rare subtype of meningioma and is classified as World Health Organization grade III. ⋯ Rhabdoid meningioma is a malignant subtype of meningioma that occurs very rarely in pediatric patients. Additionally, rhabdoid meningioma, when it does occur in pediatric patients, has a high tendency to recur. Radical surgical resection with adjuvant radiotherapy is essential to prolonging survival. This is the first case with extracranial extension to the mediastinal veins and heart.
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Review Case Reports
Herpes Simplex Encephalitis initially erroneously diagnosed as glioma of the cerebellum. Case report and literature review.
Herpes simplex encephalitis caused by herpes simplex has an estimated annual prevalence in the order of 1 in 250,000 to 500,000 patients and is considered to be the most usually encountered nonendemic pathogenic cause of lethal encephalitis in well-developed countries. There are a few cases reported in the literature in which a diagnostic dilemma between was raised between herpes simplex encephalitis and brain glioma and a definitive diagnosis was difficult to obtain. ⋯ The accumulation of data regarding CSF sample analysis, electroencephalography, brain biopsy, and imaging findings, along with the progression of the clinical picture of our patient, verified the diagnosis of HSV encephalitis. When confronted with confounding data that can pose a diagnostic dilemma between HSV encephalitis and glioma, brain biopsy and polymerase chain reaction of CSF samples could be able to verify the definitive diagnosis. When interpreting our results, we always have to consider the evolution of the clinical picture.