• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.57 no.4
• /
• pp.298-302
• /
• 2015

This case report describes the symptoms and clinical course of a 35-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with a temporo-sphenoidal encephalocele. It is characterized by herniation of cerebral tissue of the temporal lobe through a defect of the skull base localized in the middle fossa. At the time of first presentation the patient complained about recurrent nasal discharge of clear fluid which had begun some weeks earlier. She also reported that three months earlier she had for the first time suffered from a generalized seizure. In a first therapeutic attempt an endoscopic endonasal approach to the sphenoid sinus was performed. An attempt to randomly seal the suspicious area failed. After frontotemporal craniotomy, it was possible to localize the encephalocele and the underlying bone defect. The herniated brain tissue was resected and the dural defect was closed with fascia of the temporalis muscle. In summary, the combination of recurrent rhinorrhea and a first-time seizure should alert specialists of otolaryngology, neurology and neurosurgery of a temporo-sphenoidal encephalocele as a possible cause. Treatment is likely to require a neurosurgical approach.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.58 no.3
• /
• pp.301-303
• /
• 2015

We report on a case of an 87-year-old woman who showed spontaneous resolution of a large chronic subdural hematoma which required surgical decompression. She had suffered from confused mentality and right side weakness of motor grade II for 10 days. The initial brain CT scan showed a 22 mm thick low density lesion located in the left fronto-temporo-parietal region with midline shift (12 mm) which required emergency decompression. However, because she and her family did not want surgery, she was followed up in the outpatient clinic. Five months later, follow up brain CT showed that the CSDH had disappeared and the patient became neurologically normal. The reasons for spontaneous resolution of CSDH remain unclear. We discuss the possible relation between mechanisms of physio-pathogenesis and spontaneous resolution of a large chronic subdural hematoma (CSH) in an elderly patient.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.52 no.3
• /
• pp.246-249
• /
• 2012

Intracranial extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma is extremely rare, with only seven patients previously reported. We present a case report of a 21-year-old woman admitted for weakness in her right extremities and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed hydrocephalus and a well-enhanced large mass around her left thalamus. A left parietal craniotomy and a cortisectomy at the superior parietal lobule were performed. Total surgical resection was also performed, and pathology results confirmed an extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma. Postoperative MRI showed no residual tumor, and the patient underwent radiotherapy. After six months of radiotherapy, the patient's headache and weakness had improved to grade IV. This malignant tumor showed high rates of recurrence in previous reports. We here report another occurrence of this highly malignant and rare tumor in a patient treated using total surgical excision and adjuvant radiotherapy.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.55 no.2
• /
• pp.89-91
• /
• 2014

Chronic encapsulated intracerebral hematoma (CEIH) is a rare cerebrovascular disease that behaves as a slowly expanding lesion with a gradual onset. It is well established that CEIH is associated with arteriovenous malformations; however, CEIH associated with cavernous malformation (CM) is extremely rare. We herein report a case of CEIH associated with CM, and discuss its pathogenesis. A 12-year-old female was admitted to our hospital because of a one week history of progressive headache and nausea. Brain computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging showed an intracerebral hematoma surrounded by edema in the right frontal lobe. One week later, her headache and nausea worsened, and a brain computed tomography scan revealed the enlargement of hematoma. A right frontal craniotomy was performed. The capsule, mass, and hematoma were totally removed. Histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of CEIH associated with CM. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the VEGF receptor-1 in the endothelium and fibroblasts. Our findings suggest that the activated VEGF pathway might have positively contributed to development of CEIH in the present patient.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.43 no.6
• /
• pp.307-310
• /
• 2008

Limited therapeutic options are available for vancomycin intermediate-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (VISE) infections and no optimum therapy has been established. We report a case of VISE skull osteomyelitis that was successfully treated with linezolid. The patient was a 53-year-old man who presented with headache, nausea and dysphasia. Brain computerized tomography (CT) demonstrated a subdural hematoma in the left hemisphere. Craniotomy and hematoma evacuation was performed and he showed good recovery despite a scalp wound infection caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The organism isolated from the scalp wound was sensitive to vancomycin. The patient was treated with intravenous vancomycin for 44 days. However, he showed a high fever, persistent positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE) blood cultures, and a deteriorating clinical status. He underwent infected skull bone flap removal and linezolid treatment for 35 days. During one year of follow up, he has not had any further episodes of osteomyelitis or fever. Linezolid has shown to be effective agent to eradiate osteomyelitis caused by VISE.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.239-246
• /
• 1988

Pure red cell aplasia is uncommon disorder characterized by finding of anemia, absence of nucleated red blood cell in the marrow, absence of reticulocytes in the peripheral blood and normal peripheral platelet and leukocytes counts. We experienced one case of pure red cell aplasia associated with hemolytic anemia characterized by hemoglobinuria, reticulocytopenia, and erythroid hypoplasia of the bone marrow. The cause of the illness was not definitely identified, but we concluded that this patient had simultaneous occurence of PRCA and hemolytic anemia following administration of diphenylhydan. toin after craniotomy rather than virus or bacteria induced. The simultaneous occurance of PRCA and hemolytic anemia is uncommon and the mechanism for diphenylhydantoin induced PRCA and hemolytic anemia is unclear.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.42 no.3
• /
• pp.191-194
• /
• 2007

Objective : Homeless patients probably have epidemiologic features that are different from those of general population. However, there have been no published articles about clinical characteristics of neurosurgical homeless patients. The authors tried to assess the clinical characteristics and treatment outcome of homeless neurosurgical patients. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and radiological films of 76 homeless patients and 72 non-homeless patients following head trauma who were admitted to our neurosurgical department between June 2001 and June 2005. We compared two groups of the patients with the demographics, the clinical and laboratory characteristics. Also, 3D-day mortality was determined according to Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score. Results : Age of homeless patients was younger than that of non-homeless patients. Homeless patients had previous craniotomy evidences in skull x-rays more frequently (10.5% vs. 1.4%). Acute subdural hematoma was the most common type of head injury in the two groups. Moderate and severe head injury, based on GCS score on admission was more frequent in homeless patients (64% vs. 39%). Fifty percent of homeless patients underwent operation for traumatic head injury. However, 3D-day mortality according to GCS score was not significantly higher in homeless patients. Conclusion : Most homeless neurological patients were relatively young men. Also, moderate or severe brain injuries were observed more frequently. However, mortality rate of homeless patients in neurosurgical field is not significantly higher in the present study.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.55 no.1
• /
• pp.51-53
• /
• 2014

Mild traumatic brain injury is common in elderly patients, many of whom are on anticoagulant. The common practice is to discharge these patients from the emergency room if the computed tomography (CT) of the brain is normal. However, a very small proportion of these patients may develop a life threatening intracranial haematoma in the following days. We present here a case of a 66-year-old male on anticoagulant therapy that developed a subdural haematoma 48 hours after a mild head injury, with a normal initial CT scan of the brain. The patient underwent a craniotomy with evacuation of a large subdural clot. Postoperatively he had progressively improved and six months later has a Glasgow Outcome Score of three. This case is characterized by the delayed onset of a subdural haematoma in a patient on anticoagulation and we discuss here the possible pathogenesis related to this phenomenon. We also briefly review the pertinent literature and the current guidelines for the management of this type of head injuries.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.40 no.3
• /
• pp.189-192
• /
• 2006

Spontaneous dissection of the anterior cerebral artery is an unusual cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage. We present a case of a dissecting aneurysm of the anterior cerebral artery presenting with subarachnoid hemorrhage. A 51-year-old woman presented to our hospital with severe headache. Neurological examination demonstrated neck stiffness, decreased visual acuity of the left eye, and left ankle weakness. Computed tomographic scans showed subarachnoid hemorrhage. The initial cerebral angiogram demonstrated a slightly narrowed caliber and mild poststenotic dilation of the right A1 segment. A second cerebral angiogram 14 days later revealed no change in the focal narrowing of the proximal A1 segment but marked progression of the dilatation of the distal A1 segment. Right pterional craniotomy was performed. A sausage-like dilation of the right A1 segment was found with no definite mural hematoma. This abnormal right A1 segment was wrapped with a Sundt clip. A postoperative computed tomographic scan revealed Infarction of the right head of the caudate nucleus and the anterior limb of the right internal capsule. If a dissecting aneurysm is suspected, serial angiographic studies should be performed because of the possibility of dynamic changes over a short period.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.384-388
• /
• 2001

A 51-year-old woman presented with sudden severe headache, vomiting, and right hemiparesis at first admission. Computed tomography(CT) scans revealed an hemorrhagic density at left basal ganglia. Preoperative cerebral angiography showed no vascular lesion. Under the diagnosis of hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage(ICH), total extirpation of hematoma was done. The postoperative neurological condition improved gradually and discharged without any neurological sequelae. Two months later, she revisited with headache, vomiting and progressive right hemiparesis. CT scans at second admission showed an irregular rim enhanced mass with central low density with surrounding edema at the initial bleeding area. Repeated craniotomy was performed and the mass was partially removed. The histopathological diagnosis of the specimen was confirmed as glioblastoma. The authors report a glioblastoma, which occurred at initial ICH site and regarded as a brain abscess with literature review.