The concepts of hydrocephalus can be applied at all conditions in which the intracranial volume of the cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) is abnormally large in relation to the volume of the brain. The pathology of progressive hydrocephalus can only be understood on the basis of the anatomy of the CSF pathway, the sites of its production and absorption. Whatever are the causes, these seem to be five distinct ways in which hydrocephalus may occur 1) by an overproduction of CSF 2) by an obstruction to the out-flow of CSF 3) by obstruction in the communicating channels 4) by failure in development of or obstruction in the main absorption mechanism 5) by an increase in the protein content of the CSF. Neuroradiological investigations in the form of ventriculography and angiography are valuable before the introduction of computed tomography of brain(CSF). Nowdays, brain CT is available as a non-invasive and accurate diagaostic method.
Absorption ; Angiography ; Brain ; Hydrocephalus* ; Pathology

In the past many authors have contributed most of the fundamental observations of alteration in the sella turcica resulting from raised intracranial pressure and hydrocephalus, and some authors have attempted to distinguish different types of sella change specific to particular pathology. The author has observed upon the change of sella with proved hydrocephalus in 57 patients(45 cases of obstructive hydrocephalus and 12 cases of communicating hydrocephalus) during the period from Jan. 1967 to July 1973 at the Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University Hospital. Results are as follows: 1. Among 57 cases in total; no evident abnormalities were seen in 18 cases(32%); erosion and circular expansion at the posterior portion of sella turcica in 36 cases(63%); erosion of the posterior clinoid processes in 31 cases(53%). These changes were more often observed in the cases over 15 years of age than under 15 years of age as well as in the cases of obstructive hydrocephalus than communicating one. 2. The changes of sella related to the site of lesion in obstructive hydrocephalus were as follows; radiologically normal sella were more often observed in the 3rd ventricular lesion than posterior fossa lesion, erosion and circular expansion of the posterior portion of sella in the posterior fossa lesion, and thinning and pointing of dorsum sella in the 3rd ventricular lesion. These changes of sella were not relevant to the age. 3. The changes of sella related to the duration of symptoms of raised intracranial pressure in the obstructive pattern were that the severity of changes was relatively proportionate to the duration; most of the changes were observed around the 6 months of duration regardless of the age. 4. The evident sellar enlargement was observed in 19 out of 36 cases with erosion and circular expansion of the posterior portion of sella, and sellar elongation in 4 cases. 5. Among 27 cases of the obstructive pattern being studied by ventriculogram, cases with anterior end of 3rd ventricle apart from the dorsum showed sellar changes in 40%, those touching the dorsum in 58%, and those extending into sella in 100%. The main findings in the latter two groups were the erosion and circular expansion of the posterior portion of the sella turcica. 6. The raised intracranial pressure did not produce the sellar changes without the change of vault in those cases below 15 years of age.
Hydrocephalus* ; Intracranial Pressure ; Neurosurgery ; Pathology ; Sella Turcica* ; Seoul

Cysticercosis, like other parasitic disease, is still endemic in many parts of the world, and is not infrequently found in Korea. The authors reviewed CT findings of 54 cases of the cysticercosis involving the centralnervous system which were proven by pathology and clinical findings. The resuls are as follows; 1. Male to femaleratio is 3:1 and the most prevalent age group is the fifth decade. The most common symptom is seizure(56%). 2.Involved areas in the brain are parenchymal (66%), intraventricular (15%), leptomeningeal (40%) and the mixed(15%). 3. Pre-contrast CT findings are the round low density in 46 cases (85%), multiple pin-point calcificationin 18 cases (33%), variable degrees of hydrocephalus in 20 cases (37%) and peripheral edmatous change in 8 cases(15%). 4. Post
Brain ; Cysticercosis ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Korea ; Male ; Parasitic Diseases ; Pathology

Hydrocephalus is a common medical condition characterized by abnormalities in the secretion,circulation or resorption of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), resulting in ventricular dilatation. The pathogenetic mechanism for the hydrocephalus is attributed to: the overproduction of CSF by the choroid plexus; the defect in CSF absorption and obstruction of CSF flow in the cerebral ventricles. However, the underlying etiology is poorly understood. With the development of genetic engineering, a growing body of evidence indicates that genetic factors play an essential role in the pathogenesis of hydrocephalus. It is the aim of this review to summarize these findings.
Animals ; Cerebral Ventricles ; pathology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Hydrocephalus ; genetics ; pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout

A congenital neoplasm arising in the central nervous system is rarely encountered, and the majority of case reports that have dealt with intracranial tumors have been divided almost equally between teratomas and various gliomas. We experienced a rare case of congenital glioblastoma multiforme encountered in a three day-old male infant who presented with hydrocephalus since birth. Post-mortem examination revealed that the tumor seemed to have originated from the right thalamic region extending centrifugally to the cerebral cortex and through the brain-stem down to the cerebellum.
Autopsy ; Brain Neoplasms/*congenital/pathology ; Glioblastoma/*congenital/pathology ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus/*etiology/pathology ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Neoplasm Invasiveness

A 9-month-old male child was brought with complaints of increasing head size for 2 months, increasing lethargy and vomiting for the last 2 days. Radiology revealed a heterogeneously enhancing, globular lesion in the pineal region with hydrocephalus. Near total excision of the tumor was carried out. The histopathological examination of the lesion showed heterogenous elements in the form of mature neuroepithelial and ectomesenchymal tissue. The pathology and radiology of this unusual lesion is discussed with relevant review of literature.
Cartilage ; Child ; Head ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Infant* ; Lethargy ; Male ; Melanins ; Pathology ; Pinealoma ; Vomiting

OBJECT: It is well known that infratentorial surgery is more difficult to approach to the lesion and may result in poorer outcome than supratentorial surgery. The prognostic factors and outcome were analyzed for one hundred forty-five consecutive patients who underwent surgical treatment for infratentorial tumor between 1989 and 1997. METHODS: Neurilemmoma was the most common tumor(41 cases), followed by astrocytoma(19 cases), hemangioblastoma(19 cases), medulloblastoma(18 cases), meningioma(17 cases) respectively. We studied the relationship between postoperative outcome known various factors retrospectively: age at surgery, pathology, duration of symptoms, tumor size, location of tumor, presence of hydrocephalus, and extent of resection. A statistical analysis of clinical characteristics was conducted to evaluate the significance of associations by student t-test. Surgical results were evaluated by Ojemann's method. RESULTS: Of 145 cases, excellent were in 25 patients, good in 60 patients, fair in 41 patients, poor in 9 patients, and dead in 10 patients. Large size of tumor(p<0.01) and presence of hydrocephalus(p<0.05) were factors that indicate poor outcome. Surgical results of tumors in the cerebellopontine angle(CPA) or clival area were poorer than those in cerebellum(p<0.05). Age, duration of symptom, pathology, and extent of resection did not influence postoperative outcome significantly. The most common postoperative complication was facial palsy(21 cases). The operative mortality was 6.9% and sepsis was the leading cause of death. CONCLUSION:Large size(p<0.01), presence of hydrocephalus(p<0.05), and location in CPA and clival region(p<0.05) were factors that indicate poor outcome after infratentorial tumor surgery.
Cause of Death ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Infratentorial Neoplasms* ; Mortality ; Neurilemmoma ; Pathology ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Sepsis

An encepholocele is defined as a herniation of cranial contents through a defect in the skull. Encephaloceles are classified accroding to their contents and location. Encephalocele is a useful general term to refer to common features of the various forms of anomaly, but considerable differences exist in the pathology, treatment and prognosis of encephaloceles at each anatomical location. Improved neuroimaging facilities, especially MRI, make it easy not only to detect the encephalocele including its contents and location, but also to get preoperative informations. We have reviewed a total of 22 patients with encephalocele whom we have experienced from 1986, July to 1990, June. Twelve were at occipital location, six at cranial vault, three at cranial base, one at frontoethmoidal location. The size of cranium bifidum and herniating sac of the cranial vault and occipital location is larger than that of frontobasal location. The incidence of associated hydrocephalus is in order of occipital, cranial vault, frontobasal form, and its prognosis is also better in frontobasal form than in occipital of cranial vault form.
Encephalocele* ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Incidence ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neuroimaging ; Pathology ; Prognosis ; Skull ; Skull Base

Four children, with histopathologically confirmed posterior fossa primitive neuroectoderrnal tumors, were examined by plain radiography, computed tomography (CT) and cerebral angiography. The homogeneously well enhanced solid mass in the midline of the posterior fossa and hydrocephalus of various degree were seen on all CT scans. One case had calcifications and another case had low density areas in the tumor mass. Three cerebral angiograms showed vascular displacement without tumor vascularities. Unfortunately, these CT and angiography findings are and other tumors. when a well enhanced solid mass in the midline posterior fossa is seen on CT scan in children.
Angiography ; Cerebral Angiography ; Child ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Medulloblastoma* ; Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive* ; Pathology* ; Radiography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

A retrospective analysis of brain metastasis with respect to the pathology, hydrocephalus, cause of death, survival time and therapeutic modality was carried out in 47 cases. The duration of survival after CNS metastasis far less depends on the primary tumor than the latent interval between the onset of first symptom from primary tumor and CNS metastasis dose. And death was attributable to the CNS metastases in at least 5.3% of these cases. Surgery and radiotherapy but chemotherapy were included in this study. Radiotherapy had significant effects on prolongation of survival. The surgery plus postoperative whole brain radiotherapy had the longest survivals than the other treatment modalities. The authors recommend guidelines for surgical resection, usually followed by radiotherapy:in cases which have good general condition enough to tolerate general anesthesia without any acute general morbidness, (1) single surgically accessible brain metastasis, (2) an incapacitating or large metastasis even when the tumor is not solitary, (3) uncertain primary cancer, (4) posterior fossa, especially cerebellar hemispheric metastasis. It seems that the presence of metastasis else where in the body should not exclude the case as a surgical candidate.
Anesthesia, General ; Brain* ; Cause of Death ; Drug Therapy ; Hydrocephalus ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Pathology ; Prognosis* ; Radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies*