No abstract available.
Cisterna Magna*

No abstract available.
Cisterna Magna*

The authors report two cases of radiologically documented transaqueductal migration of intraventricular neurocysticercus cysts. The patients had suffered from symptomatic hydrocephalus caused by neurocysticercosis. The migration of the cysts from third to forth ventricle and cisterna magna were clearly demonstrated on serial radiological studies. Since the exact route of the subarachnoid type of the neurocysticercosis has not been defined, these cases may provide a valuable clue in verifying the pathogenic pathway. The possibility of the cyst migration before surgery also should be kept in mind. The radiological appearance and the clinical significance of this condition are discussed with brief review of literatures.
Cisterna Magna ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Neurocysticercosis

Cysticercosis is a hardly manageable parasitic infestation of the central nervous system because of its diversity in clinical manifestation and unsatisfactory result in treatment. Leptomeningeal cysticercosis, less frequent clinically than parenchymatous or ventricular type has rarely been diagnosed preoperatively with conventional diagnostic procedures. We have recently experienced a case of cysticercosis in a large cisterna magna diagnosed with an aid of CT scan.
Central Nervous System ; Cisterna Magna* ; Cysticercosis* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed*

OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed at confirming whether the previously reported rabbit vasospasm models are suitable to investigate the mechanisms of vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage(SAH) in human. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty rabbits were divided into 3 groups. The first one was the control group receiving no operation, and the second was the sham operation group, which received injection of 0.5ml/kg normal saline into cisterna magna, and the third was the SAH group, which received injection of 0.5ml/kg autologous arterial blood into the cisterna magna. Vertebrobasilar angiographies were followed up in the 12 rabbits that survived on the 2nd, 9th, and 16th days following the operation(9 rabbits in the SAH group, and 3 rabbits in the sham operation group). Baseline angiograms were obtained two days before the operation. The diameters of basilar artery on each days following the operation were measured and expressed as the percentage reduction compared with the initial basilar artery diameter. In 3 rabbits of the control group, vertebrobasilar angiographies were followed up on the same days as in the operation groups. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant differences in the size of the basilar artery among groups at sixteen days after cisternal injection(p=0.0450). On the second and ninth day after the operations, there was only the trend of the vasospasm of basilar artery(p=0.0687 and p=0.0812). The patterns of vasospasms were quite variable among rabbits. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that vasospasm developed with the injection of 0.5ml/kg autologous blood injection into the cisterna magna but the pattern of vasospasm did not follow those demonstrated in the previous reports of vasospasm in rabbit models. The mortality rate was lower than previously reported results of other experimental SAH models. These results suggested that studies of the rabbit model should be conducted individually. In order to improve the model for the application to human, the functional study of the spasmodic basilar artery after the injection of autologous blood into the cisterna magna seems mandatory in the rabbits.
Angiography ; Basilar Artery ; Cisterna Magna ; Humans ; Mortality ; Rabbits*

The effect of the calcium antagonist nimodipine on the feline cerebral cortical blood flow in experimentally induced subarachnoid hemorrhage(SAH) was studied. Cerebral cortical blood flow was measured in the middle cerebral territory at specified intervals by the hydrogen clearance method. SAH was induced in 25 cats by a slow injection of fresh autogenous arterial blood into the cisterna magna. Twenty-five cats were divided into 5 groups of 5 cats each according to the timing of the cerebral cortical blood flow measurements after SAH ; immediate(Group la, lb), 24 hours(Group 2), 48 hours(Group 3) and 7 days (Group 4). Cerebral cortical blood flow dereased by 55.5%, 39.2%, 41.4%, and 38.3% from pre-SAH levels in each group respectively. During nimodipine infusion(1 microgram/kg/min) cerebral cortical flow increased by 89.0%, 51.8%, 87.5% and 24.5% from pre-nimodipine infusion levels in each group respectively. Mean arterial blood pressure(MABP) after cisternal blood injection increased by 6.5% from pre-SAH levles, and MABP during nimodipine infusion decreased by 15.4% from pre-Nimodipine infusion levels. The calcium antagonist nimodipine increased cerebral cortical blood flow significantly in experimentally induced SAH without considerable changes of MABP. Results are considered promising for trials in the treatment and prevention of cerebral by vasospasm following SAH.
Animals ; Calcium* ; Cats ; Cisterna Magna ; Hydrogen ; Nimodipine* ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage*

The size of the cisterna magna is still detatable. Robertson13) stated that the cisterna magna varies greatly in capacity and described the large cisterna magna as a separate entity. He also found that in most cases the cisterna magna extended approximately 2.5cm above the foramen magnum and was usually 5mm deep with a variable width. Liliequist8) proposed a mean heigh of 28mm for the normal cisterna magna with a wide variation of 15 to 60mm, and a depth of 6mm at the foramen magnum with a variation of 2 to 10mm:however, he did not quote measurements for the width. Gonsette, et al.5) reported 28 cases of enlarged cisterna magna diagnosed by ventriculography and coined the phrase "mega grande citerne" or mega cisterna magna. All of these cases, however, had symptoms of posterior fossa disease. Our study of the syndrome of the mega cisterna magna without specific syndrome is presented nystagmus, transient syncope in the first & third cases were operated under suboccipital craniectomy and was confimed the large cisterna magna. This paper presents the clinical diagnosis with vertebral angiogrraphy, pneumoencephalography and computed tomography.
Cisterna Magna* ; Diagnosis ; Foramen Magnum ; Numismatics ; Pneumoencephalography ; Syncope

Acupuncture is one of the most popular complimentary therapies these days not only in Asia, but also in USA and Europe. Acupuncture is generally regarded as a safe procedure in the general public. However, acupuncture is not free of risk; complications of acupuncture have been repeatedly reported in the medical literatures. The authors report a rare case of hemorrhage in the cisterna magna after acupuncture. Acute frontal headache, dizziness, neck pain, neck stiffness, and paresthesia or tingling discomfort at arms and legs developed immediately after an acupuncture treatment that had been performed to treat her chronic posterior neck pain. Computerized tomography scans and magnetic resonance images(MRI) showed a 1.2x0.8cm-sized high density and high signal mass within the cisterna magna. It is probable that the acupuncture needle had been inserted deep enough to enter the cisterna magna and provoked a small hemorrhage in the cistern. She gradually recovered from the symptoms. Physicians and acupuncture therapists should be aware of the adverse events associated with acupuncture.
Acupuncture* ; Arm ; Asia ; Cisterna Magna* ; Dizziness ; Europe ; Headache ; Hemorrhage* ; Leg ; Neck ; Neck Pain ; Needles ; Paresthesia

Studies of the pathophysiology of intracranial artery following vasospasm remains yet incomplete. The present investigation was undertaken for the purpose of elucidating ultrastructural changes in the cerebral arterial wall sequentially from 1 hour to 24 hours following subarachnoid hemorrhage. Experimental vasospasm was induced by injecting autogenous blood into the cisterna magna of cats. The following observations were made : 1) One hour after the induction of subarachnoid hemorrhage, endothelial cells in the intima became more round and their cellular surface was markedly corrugated, these changes culminated at 7 to 24 hours with intimal thickening(due to subendothelial tissue). 2) In the media, the smooth muscle cells were most consistently and severly affected showing degeneration of mitochondria and vacuoles containing fine particles. 3) Twelve hours following SAH, some endothelial cells in the intima were displaced or seemed to have partially broken apart from the adjoining cells. On the basis of the above findings, it was concluded that the ultrastructural changes in the cerebral arterial wall was observed after the induction of SAH with normal cat's blood occurred as a consequence of vasospasm of the intracranial arteries.
Animals ; Arteries* ; Cats ; Cisterna Magna ; Endothelial Cells ; Mitochondria ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage* ; Vacuoles

The reactions of cerebral pial vessels following the injection of normal saline(0.05cc, at 37 degrees C, pH7.4) and autogenous hemolytic blood(0.05cc, 0.1cc 0.2cc) into the cisterna magna of rabbits were tested in vivo. This experiment was performed in order to observe the effect of intravenous nimodipine(30 microgram/kg) injection at the maximally constricted time of the pial vessels, about 6 hours after intracisternal injection of autogenous hemolytic blood. The diameter changes of the pial vessels were measured under operating microscope through a cranial window on craniectomized area. Pial vessels were not significantly changed after an intracisternal injection of normal saline. But after intracisternal injection of autogenous hemolytic blood(0.05cc, 0.1cc, 0.2cc), pial vessels were maximally constricted at 6 hours and the constriction was continued during the experiments. Percentile constriction was increased as the amount of subarachnoid hemolytic blood increased. According to the results, pial vessels, especially small pial artery, were constricted by autogenous hemolytic blood containing oxyhemoglobin. Nimodipine, calcium antagonist, showed dilating effect on vasospasm after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage with autogenous hemolytic blood in rabbits.
Administration, Intravenous* ; Arteries ; Calcium ; Cisterna Magna* ; Constriction ; Nimodipine* ; Oxyhemoglobins ; Rabbits* ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage