21/32. Surgical emphysema and Collet-Sicard syndrome after cryoblockade of the inferior alveolar nerve. We present a case of Collet-Sicard syndrome (palsy of cranial nerves IX-XII) together with cervicofacial emphysema after cryoblockade to the mandibular division of the trigeminal nerve. ( info) |
22/32. An unusual cause of reflex cardiovascular syncope: vagal paraganglioma. Vagal paraganglioma is one of the rare tumors of the neuroendocrine system. We are reporting a vagal paraganglioma case presented with uncommon features of the disease: asystole and syncope. syncope episodes occurred 3 years before the major symptoms of the disease. Dual chamber pacemaker failed to prevent syncope attacks because of the vasodepressor component. The patient was treated successfully with en bloc removal of tumor and vagal nerve. syncope episodes disappeared after operation. ( info) |
23/32. Malignant vagal paraganglioma: report of a case treated with embolization and surgery. Approximately 20 cases of malignant vagal paragangliomas (MVP)have been reported in English literature. Malignancy is based on the presence of metastases. A careful preoperative evaluation is necessary to detect multicentricity and/or significant production of catecholamines. A new case of MVP treated with embolization and surgery is presented and the literature discussed. It is concluded, that preoperative embolization followed by radical surgical resection is a rational treatment of patients with unilateral MVP. ( info) |
24/32. Multiple cervical and intrathoracic plexoid neurofibromas. Case report. A 29-year-old male with known von Recklinghausen's disease is presented. The main symptom of the patient was paroxysmal episodes of pain and numbness in the right upper hand for the last 10 years. Cervical and mediastial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed 3 large tumors originating from the right vagus nerve and another of the same origin contralaterally. Surgical resection of the masses in the right hemithorax was performed via right posterolateral thoracotomy. The postoperative course was uneventful and symptoms recessed. Plexoid neurofibromas were diagnosed at histological examination. The mass in the left hemithorax is under surveillance according to the patient's preference. The clinical, radiological, surgical, and histopathological features of this rare case are discussed. ( info) |
25/32. Multicentric metachronous pulmonary and intravagal paraganglioma: a case report with immunohistochemical findings. An unprecedented presentation of multicentric paraganglioma in a 48-year-old man is described. One of the paragangliomas, originally diagnosed as a carcinoid tumor, presented as a lung mass and was removed. Four years later, an intravagal paraganglioma was discovered. The lung and intravagal tumors had identical morphologic and immunoreactive characteristics. Both tumors consisted of chief cells (type 1) and sustentacular cells (type 2). The chief cells were immunoreactive with neuroendocrine markers (synaptophysin and chromogranin), but nonreactive with epithelial markers (CAM 5.2, high- and low-molecular-weight keratins, epithelial membrane antigen, and carcinoembryonic antigen). The sustentacular cells were positive for S100 protein. Although pulmonary carcinoids may mimic paragangliomas and occasionally contain sustentacular cells, the diagnosis was rejected because the tumor cells did not demonstrate reactivity with epithelial markers. ( info) |
26/32. Discordant mental and physical efforts in an autistic patient. We investigated whether there was mental effort in response to verbal commands in a 16-year old girl with autism, a high degree of non-compliance with commands and symptoms of autonomic dysfunction by monitoring the brainstem autonomic tone during an attempt to perform isometric exercise. An index of cardiac vagal tone (CVT), cardiac sensitivity to baroreflex (CSB), heart rate (HR) and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) were measured simultaneously. Physical non-compliance with our commands meant there was no force applied by the patient during the attempted exercise, but CVT and CSB were both reduced and sustained at very low levels throughout the attempt, while MAP and HR were increased concurrently to higher levels in the same period. This vagal withdrawal to allow concurrent increases in HR and MAP is an arousal response appropriate for isometric exercise, which is a sign of a positive mental effort to comply with our commands. These results demonstrate discordant mental and physical efforts in our patient. In this particular case, the physical inabilities in some instances could have been mislabelled as mental non-compliance due to autism. It would be worthwhile to investigate the prevalence of discordant mental and physical efforts in autism. ( info) |
27/32. Stereotactic radiosurgery for recurrent pleomorphic adenoma invading the skull base--case report--. A 38-year-old man presented with a recurrent pleomorphic adenoma in the parapharyngeal space invading the skull base 19 years after the first operation for a parotid gland tumor. Stereotactic radiotherapy was performed to control the tumor growth using a marginal dose of 8 Gy and maximum dose of 18 Gy with care taken to minimize the dose to nearby structures. The symptoms were reduced within a few months. magnetic resonance imaging over 5 years showed that the tumor was controlled with no regrowth. Stereotactic radiotherapy is a therapeutic option for the treatment of pleomorphic adenomas. ( info) |
| PURPOSE: To describe skull base osteomyelitis, an uncommon complication of chronic otitis media in the post-antibiotic era, as a cause for diplopia. DESIGN: Case report. methods: The records of a patient with skull base osteomyelitis were reviewed. RESULTS: A patient presented with a sixth nerve palsy and tenth nerve palsy. magnetic resonance imaging, bone scan, and gallium scan were helpful in establishing the diagnosis. Cultures grew pseudomonas. The treatment required long-term intravenous antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: pseudomonas skull-based osteomyelitis can produce a sixth nerve palsy as a result of the involvement of the clivus. Although uncommon in the post-antibiotic era, early recognition, appropriate diagnostic testing, and aggressive systemic antibiotic treatment might prevent permanent neurologic sequel. ( info) |
29/32. Intractable hiccup as the initial presenting feature of systemic lupus erythematosus. An infarctus of medulla oblongata was discovered in a 44-year old man with an intractable hiccup and 10, 11th and 12th right cranial nerves palsies. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with antiphospholipid syndrome was subsequently diagnosed. hiccup has withdrew with corticosteroid therapy and low-dose aspirin. The other cases of literature and pathophysiologic hypotheses are briefly reported. ( info) |
30/32. Internal carotid artery dissection presenting with ipsilateral tenth and twelfth nerve palsies and apparent mass lesion on MRI. We report the case of a 47-year-old man who presented with a few months' history of right-sided headache and dysphagia, with ipsilateral tenth and twelfth cranial nerve palsies on examination. The initial MRI showed an enhancing mass lesion in relation to the right carotid sheath and jugular foramen, and was reported as a possible paraganglioma. Subsequent angiography performed to assess tumour vascularity demonstrated a dissection involving a tonsillar loop of the right internal carotid artery (ICA). Imaging findings at MRI and angiography and the presentations and mechanisms of ICA dissection are briefly discussed. ( info) |