• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.525-527
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• 2013

Upward migration of the peritoneal catheter of a subgaleo-peritoneal (SP) shunt and coiling into the subgaleal space is an extremely rare complication of a SP shunt. A 32-year-old male patient visited our hospital presenting with a large skull defect due to a prior craniectomy performed elsewhere. The patient underwent a cranioplasty with methylmetacrylate, but subsequently developed progressive pseudomeningocele and subgaleal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection. The patient underwent CSF diversion via a SP shunt. After SP shunting, the pseudomeningocele disappeared completely. Six months later, the patient presented with progressive scalp swelling. Skull X-ray showed migration and coiling of the distal catheter of the SP shunt. The patient was treated by removing the entire shunt catheter and the dura was covered with a subgaleal flap. We would like to report our experience with a very rare complication of subgaleo-peritoneal shunting.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.60 no.1
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• pp.94-97
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• 2017

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are rare, but are the most common mesenchymal neoplasm of the gastrointestinal tract. The most common sites of metastasis are liver and peritoneum, while bone metastasis is rare. We report on a patient with skull metastasis after seven years of treatment with imatinib for metastatic GIST. She underwent metastasectomy consisting of craniectomy with excision of the mass, and cranioplasty and continued treatment with imatinib and sunitinib, without evidence of cranial recurrence. She died of pneumonia sepsis one year after metastasectomy. Skull metastasis of GIST is a very rare presentation, and an aggressive multidisciplinary approach should be considered whenever possible.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.668-674
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• 2000

Objective : The classic and accepted surgical method of compound comminuted depressed skull fractures (FCCD) involves total resection of all the contaminated bone and fragments at the fracture site. A second operation for cranioplasty is then performed at a later date. However, we have believed that primary repair of these bony defects can be achieved by the replacement of bone fragments at the time of the initial debridement, and this can be accomplished without danger to patient. The authors retrospectively reviewed the surgical results to assess the advantages and disadvantages, and also propose the selection criteria of replacement of fractured bone fragments as a primary procedure in FCCD. Materials and Methods : The authors analyzed the data extracted from medical records, and radiological findings in 22 of 71 patients with FCCD, who underwent immediate replacement of fractured bone fragments between April 1993 and October 1998. The mean follow-up period was 13.7 months. The selection criteria for the operation included the patients with mild to moderate severity, regardless of the degree of contamination or dural violation, which presented in hospital within 24 hours of injury. Results : The ages of the patients varied from 4 to 63 years, and there were 20 males and 2 females. Seventeen of 22 patients were fully conscious on admission and the others also had relatively good Glasgow coma scales. Sixteen fractures were located in the frontal area, 9 with involvement of the frontal sinuses, and 6 in the parietal and temporoparietal areas. Of the 22 patients, 8(36.3%) had dural lacerations with 3 of these requiring patching with pericranium, and 12(54.5%) had intracranial hematoma requiring wide craniotomy. The degree of wound contamination was also variable. Fifteen patients had relatively clean wounds, while seven(31.8%) had seriously contaminated wounds with soil, sand, hair, and wood. Only one patient(4.5%) developed infection, and the bone fragments were removed. All wounds healed primarily without pulsatile defect, the skull has remained solid, and no complications have occurred, except the infected case. Conclusion : It is proposed that bone fragments removal for FCCD, regardless of the degree of contamination or dural violation, is not necessary and that primary bone fragments replacement avoids a second operation for cranioplasty.

• Archives of Reconstructive Microsurgery
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.23-26
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• 2009

Purpose: Artificial dura maters are commonly used in cranioplasty, but sometimes they can result in serious postoperative infection. Once complications such as epidural abscess or chronic draining ulcer arise, they are very difficult to treat. In this case, reclosure of dura defect using artificial dura mater may give rise to recurrence of infection. We experienced a case of intractable epidural abscess caused by use of artificial dura. To avoid repeated infection, we decided to use autologous tissue for the coverage of dura and soft tissue defect. Therefore, autologous tensor fascia lata graft and anterolateral thigh free flap were harvested at the same donor site incision to cover composite defect on the scalp and dura mater. Methods: A 13 year old male patient, who underwent the decompression cranioplasty and duroplasty, suffered from the intractable infection lesion. Twice, the epidural abscess was removed, both times the infection recurred. And eventually dura mater was exposed through the infected open wound. Nine months after dura exposed, infected aritificial dura mater was removed and extensive debridement was performed. Through a surgical incision on donor thigh, first, tensor fascia lata graft was harvested in process of the anterolateral thigh flap elevation. After the fascia lata graft was fixed over the dural defect, the anterolateral thigh flap was used to fill the dead space as well as the scalp defect. Results: Postoperatively, no recurrent infection and cerebrospinal fluid leakage are observed for a year. After the surgery, on the first and second day, venous congestion of the flap was observed, this problem was solved by thrombectomy and vein reanastomosis. And partial necrosis of flap occurred, but completely healed as conservative treatment for two weeks. Conclusion: Using the autologous tensor fascia lata graft and anterolateral thigh flap, we could obtain satisfactory results as treatment for the intractable infection lesion after duroplasty. Autologous tensor fascia lata in conjunction with anterolateral thigh flap is useful method for covering composite defect of scalp and dura mater.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.105-109
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• 2001

Lymphangioma is a rare benign developmental vascular tumor that may be found in orbit, skull and elsewhere in head and neck. Few cases of extension of this benign but insidious tumor posteriorly out of the bony orbital cavity have been reported. The patient was 40-year-old man complaining of proptosis of right eye for one month. Physical examination revealed severe right exophthalmus, impairment of eyeball movement in all directions. Visual acuity was much impaired and he could percept only light with right eye. CT and MRI scans showed intraconal and extraconal involvement of ill-defined, heterogenous mass with extension of the tumor posteriorly beyond the orbital cavity involving right frontal and temporal lobe, skull and subcutaneous tissue. The tumor was subtotally removed via orbito-frontal approach without damaging vital neural and orbital component. Then, orbital roof reconstruction and cranioplasty were done with resin. Successful surgical removal of lymphangioma is very difficult due to its severe infiltration to surrounding tissue and tendency to bleed during debulking. We report a rare case of orbital cavernous lymphangioma with intracranial extension treated with surgical decompression, with review of literatures.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.474-478
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• 2005

Craniosynostosis is a congenital anomaly characterized by premature closure of cranial sutures. Surgical intervention should be performed during infancy. However, surgical correction of craniosynostosis remains bone defect and secondary angle occasionally. Currently, publications investigating solutions to bone defect and secondary angle created by cranioplasty are getting much interest. We have used $BoneSource^{(R)}$ which is relatively safe as an implantable substance for providing solutions for this problem. From June 2002 to January 2004, five children with craniosynostosis underwent frontocalvarial contouring using $BoneSource^{(R)}$ and concurrent cranial vault remodeling. The patient ages ranged from 8.0 months to 4.9 years(mean, 2.5 years). The quantity of $BoneSource^{(R)}$ implanted ranged from 10 to 25g, with a mean of 13g. This paper presents the first series of children treated with $BoneSource^{(R)}$ for frontocalvarial contouring in the surgical correction of craniosynostosis. No patients experienced any complications. Our results shows excellent retention of contour without causing asymmetry or irregularity. No visible evidence of interference with craniofacial growth were observed. Through our experiences, $BoneSource^{(R)}$ is found to be very useful for frontocalvarial contouring in children undergoing correction of craniosynostosis.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.242-246
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• 2016

Craniosynostosis is the premature fusion of calvarial sutures, resulting in deformed craniofacial appearance. Hence, for a long time, it has been considered an aesthetic disorder. Fused sutures restrict growth adjacent to the suture, but compensatory skull growth occurs to accommodate the growing brain. The primary goal for the management of this craniofacial deformity has been to release the constricted skull and reform the distorted shape of the skull vault. However, the intellectual and behavioral prognosis of affected children has also been taken into consideration since the beginning of the modern era of surgical management of craniosynostosis. A growing body of literature indicates that extensive surgery, such as the whole-vault cranioplasty approach, would result in better outcomes. In addition, the age at treatment is becoming a major concern for optimal outcome in terms of cosmetic results as well as neurodevelopment. This review will discuss major concerns regarding neurodevelopmental issues and related factors.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.55-57
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• 2012

Alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) with skull and brain metastases is extremely rare. A 53-year-old patient diagnosed as skull metastasis of ASPS visited our clinic complaining of an outgrowing scalp mass in spite of radiation therapy. Past medical history revealed that the patient had been diagnosed and treated for ASPS of the thigh 4 years ago. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a hyperintense ovoid mass on the T2-weighted image, an isointense on the T1-weighted image, and a homogeneous enhanced mass with gadolinium. Another small-sized enhanced mass with mild peritumoral swelling was found at the deep white matter of the left frontal lobe. A gross total resection of the skull lesion with cranioplasty was performed for the surgical defect. A histologic examination of the specimens revealed metastatic ASPS involving the skull. Surgery with a total removal of the lesions may be effective for improving a patient's symptoms especially from neurological dysfunction.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.48-51
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• 2012

Intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia (IPEH) is a rare vascular benign lesion that rarely involves the central nervous system with or without skull invasion. We report a rare case of IPEH on the skull bone, which displayed destructive radiologic development associated with hemorrhage. A 14-year-old male presented with an incidentally detected a small enhancing, left frontal osteolytic lesion. Previously, he underwent operation and received adjuvant chemoradiation therapy for cerebellar medulloblastoma. Follow-up magnetic resonance imaging revealed a left frontal bone lesion, which expanded to an approximately 2 cm-sized well-circumscribed osteolytic lesion associated with hemorrhage for 20 months. Frontal craniectomy and cranioplasty were performed. Destructive change was detected on the inner table and diploic space of the skull. The mass had a cystic feature with hemorrhagic content without dural attachment. Pathologic examination showed the capsule consisted of parallel collagen lamellae representing a vascular wall, vascular lumen, which was pathognomonic for IPEH. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that the capsule was positive for CD34 and factor VIII, which favor the final diagnosis of IPEH. This was the first case of intracalvarial IPEH.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.85-87
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• 2010

We experienced a rare case of solitary syphilitic osteomyelitis of the skull without any other clinical signs or symptoms of syphilis. A 20-year-old man was referred due to intermittent headache and mild tenderness at the right parietal area of the skull with a palpable coin-sized lesion of softened cortical bone. On radiological studies, the lesion was a radiolucent well enhanced mass (17 mm in diameter). The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (52 mm/h) and C-reactive protein (2.24 mg/dL) were elevated on admission. Serum venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL) and Treponema pallidum haemagglutination assay (TPHA) tests were positive. There were no clinical signs or symptoms of syphilis. After treatment with benzathine penicillin, we removed the lesion and performed cranioplasty. The pathologic finding of the skull lesion was fibrous proliferation with lymphoplasmocytic infiltration forming an osteolytic lesion. In addition, a spirochete was identified using the Warthin-starry stain. The polymerase chain reaction study showed a positive band for Treponema pallidum. Solitary osteomyelitis of the skull can be the initial presenting pathological lesion of syphilis.