World Neurosurg
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Case Reports
Spontaneous Rupture of a Huge Presacral Tarlov Cyst Leading to Dramatic Neurologic Recovery.
This manuscript discusses the case of huge presacral Tarlov cysts (TCs) and the substantial neurologic recovery noted in the patient following spontaneous rupture of the most prominent cyst. Perineural or TCs are nerve root cysts, which are usually incidental findings on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and are most frequently observed in the sacral spine. Symptomatic lesions are rarely encountered. ⋯ To our knowledge, this is the first report of spontaneous cyst rupture and resultant neurologic improvement in a case of symptomatic presacral TCs.
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Subungual melanoma (SUM) is a rare form of melanoma confined to the nailbed and is rarely of the desmoplastic subtype. The often subtle nature of SUM, initially starting as a small dark spot or line in the nailbed, means deeper invasion can occur before a patient seeks clinical evaluation for a large, ulcerated lesion. We report the only known case of perineural spread of SUM of the lower extremity and describe its extensive path of perineural spread from the toe. ⋯ We report the only known case of perineural spread of SUM of the lower extremity and describe the pathoanatomy of perineural spread. A high index of suspicion for recurrent disease should be maintained even many years after completion of treatment.
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Congenital midline spinal hamartoma is a very rare tumor-like proliferation that mostly occurs during childhood. It consists of mature, well-differentiated ectodermal and mesodermal elements that present in an abnormal location and are mostly associated with neurofibromatosis type 1 and spinal dysraphism. ⋯ Congenital midline spinal hamartoma is very rare and seldom addressed. Most patients present with a cosmetic defect and rarely with associated symptoms. Tissue biopsy is still the best modality to definitively diagnose hamartoma and to exclude other diagnoses. Surgical excision of the tumor is still the mainstay treatment, especially for patients who are not neurologically intact and to correct the cosmetic skin defect.
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Case Reports
Spontaneous Spinal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage from a Ruptured Radiculopial Artery Aneurysm.
Spontaneous spinal subarachnoid hemorrhage is an uncommon entity and is even rarer when secondary to intraspinal ruptured aneurysm. The clinical presentation of these cases usually includes back pain and headache; however, we report a unique case in which the patient became acutely paraplegic. ⋯ This unique clinical case highlights a rare cause of spontaneous acute paralysis and further demonstrates the safety of obliterating an intraspinal aneurysm via operative resection.
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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory polyarthropathy that affects many synovial joints favoring the hands, knees, and vertebral articulations. Joint laxity manifests as subaxial instability, atlantoaxial instability, and cranial settling (CS). ⋯ Intracranial rod migration and hemorrhage secondary to CS is a rare complication that must be brought to the attention of surgeons operating on patients with RA.