1/3. Traumatic intracranial aneurysms complicating anterior skull base surgery.Traumatic cerebral aneurysm formation following closed head injury is uncommon, although well documented in the literature. Aneurysmal development following surgical procedures on the anterior skull base is extremely rare. This article reports successful neurosurgical management of 3 cases of anterior circulation aneurysms that developed following relatively straightforward rhinological procedures. These cases illustrate the vulnerability of the vessels of the anterior circle of willis; they also document the sites of penetration of the anterior skull base. As reported in the literature, most such aneurysms occur following transsphenoidal surgery. The clinical procedures, radiological follow-up, and the surgical management are outlined; three cases are utilized to illustrate this complication. The causes of such iatrogenic injury are discussed, with emphasis on strategies for the avoidance of such injuries.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = vessel (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/3. zygomycosis involving lungs, heart and brain, superimposed on pulmonary edema.zygomycosis is an uncommon but frequently fatal infection and occurs mostly in immunosuppressed hosts, whereas approximately 50% of zygomycosis occurs in diabetic patients. The current patient initially presented with persistent pulmonary edema secondary to renal failure. This was the last of four admissions within 1 year for this 68-year-old woman, for whom the chief complaints were shortness of breath and chest pain. Her past medical history included insulin-requiring type 2 diabetes and hypertension for 10 years, and chronic heart and renal failure. She was previously admitted to the hospital for what appeared to be pulmonary edema secondary to renal failure. In the last admission the patient developed pulmonary hemorrhage and metabolic acidosis. Transbronchial biopsy was performed, showing irregular fungal hyphae in the blood vessels, morphologically consistent with zygomycosis. central nervous system computed tomography also revealed a large infarct in the cerebral hemisphere. The patient died on the seventh hospital day. At autopsy three organs were extensively involved by zygomycosis: (i) lungs were diffusely hemorrhagic with acute infarcts; (ii) pericardium had fibrotic inflammation; and (iii) the left cerebral hemisphere, cerebellum and pons had large hemorrhagic infarct by zygomycosis infection. Corticosteroid medication and hemodialysis triggered increasing hyperglycemia, metabolic acidosis and iron overload, which contributed to zygomycosis infection that subsequently spread to the heart and brain as a rare consequence.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = vessel (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/3. A mediastinal mass resembling lymphoma: an unusual manifestation of probable case of invasive zygomycosis in an immunocompetent child.A 2-year-old girl presented with prolonged fever and progressive dyspnea for 3 weeks. A chest radiograph revealed a left lung infiltrate and associated pleural effusion. echocardiography revealed a large posterior mediastinal mass extending to the left atrial wall and massive pericardial effusion. The presumptive diagnosis was lymphoma. At operation, a large brownish-yellow mass was noted at the posterior mediastinum, with matted hilar, and subcarinal lymph nodes. Pericardial and pleural effusions with left lung consolidation were also noted. Histopathological examination of biopsy specimens revealed a granulomatous inflammatory reaction with a diffuse eosinophilic infiltrate and broad septated fungal hyphae with right angle branching compatible with zygomycosis. Surgical removal of the mass could not be performed due to the adjacent great vessels and carina. She subsequently died from airway obstruction and respiratory failure ten days later.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = vessel (Clic here for more details about this article) |