Proliferating trichilernmal tumor is a rare benign solitary tumor that may be histopathologically misinterpreted as squarnous cell carcinoma. It affects frequently the scalp of elderly women. We present herein a case of proliferating trichilemmal tumor in an 87-year-old male who had had a slowly growing tumor on the scalp for 30 years.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Scalp

In this article, the statement of ethical statement about animal experiment was omitted.

OBJECTIVE: Radiation injury includes radiation necrosis and apoptosis. The purpose of this study is whether steroids and calcium channel blockers are effective for the prevention of single high dose irradiation-induced apoptosis in the rat brain. METHODS: Eighty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four experimental groups: Control(nontreated, n=20), Dexamethasone-treated(0.1mg/kg, n=20), Prednisolone-treated(2mg/kg, n=20), Nimodipine-treated (0.5mg/kg, n=20). After drug was administered, the right hemisphere of rat's brain was exposed to a single 10Gy dose of gamma rays using Ir-192. All brains underwent histological examination at 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks after irradiation to evaluate cortical thickness and number of apoptotic cells. Apoptotic cells were detected by TUNEL assay. RESULTS: In nimodipine-treated group, apoptotic cell count was reduced significantly, compared to that of control(non treated) group at 4 and 8 weeks after irradiation(p<0.05). The decrease of cortical thickness was reduced significantly in nimodipine-treated group, compared to that of control group(p<0.05). There was no significant changes in the number of apoptotic cells and cortical thickness in prednisolone and dexamethasone-treated groups compared with those of control. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that nimodipine treatment may have effects on the prevention of radiation-induced apoptosis. If it could be established that calcium channel blockers inhibit radiation injury, they might be useful in radiation therapy. Further investigation of calcium channel blockers including dosage effectiveness, intracellular calcium ion concentration and effects on tumor tissue are necessary to clarify the usefulness of nimodipine.
Animals ; Apoptosis* ; Brain* ; Calcium Channel Blockers ; Calcium Channels* ; Calcium* ; Cell Count ; Dexamethasone ; Gamma Rays ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Necrosis ; Nimodipine ; Prednisolone ; Radiation Injuries ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Steroids

OBJECTIVE: Whereas fusion with pedicle screw fixation has shown satisfactory clinical results, solid fusion has been reported to accelerate degenerative changes in adjacent unfused levels. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of bone/ligament/bone integrity after subtotal or total laminectomies on the development of adjacent segment instability (ASI). The hypothesis that total laminectomy would increase ASI more than would subtotal laminectomy was analyzed. Material and METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 316 patients who were treated with posterior fusion and pedicle screw fixation between 1996 and 2001. After attempts to review all 316 patients and radiologic files, 36 patients who were diagnosed with ASI were carefully reviewed, including follow-up periods of 2-8 years. The medical records were carefully reviewed for recurrence of low back pain or neurologic symptoms after a period of postoperative relief, and the radiologic files were evaluated to determine instability. All patients had undergone single-level or multilevel instrumented posterior lumbar interbody fusion for intractable pain related to degenerative conditions of the spine. RESULTS: Patients over the age of 60 were at a higher risk of developing clinical ASI however,fusion length, level and gender were not associated with ASI. The ASI was noted to occur most commonly in the cranial segment prior to fusion. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed more frequent ASI after total laminectomy than after subtotal laminectomy, especially in elderly patients. The ideal procedure will be one combining maximal canal and foraminal decompressions with minimal resection of bony structures and supporting ligaments.
Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Laminectomy ; Ligaments ; Low Back Pain ; Medical Records ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Pain, Intractable ; Recurrence ; Retrospective Studies ; Spine

SAPHO syndrome is an acronym for an increasingly recognized syndrome of synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, and osteitis. Most of the previously reported case are from Japan and Europe. The authors report a case of SAPHO syndrome in Korean female who presented with extrasternal neurologic symptoms. A 60-year-old female with thoracic and right chest wall pain presented with the sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis, and recurrent aseptic osteitis. Previously, she had hystrectomy and thyroidectomy due to uterine malignancy 25 years ago. Also, she started to take medications for palm and sole pustulosis 7 days prior to admission. Through evaluation of clinical, radiological, serological studies, studies was done along with bone needle biopsy for the biological reassessment. The hyperostosis was found in the pedicles of thoracic 8, 9, 10 vertebrae and sternoclavicular joint. Radio-isotope bone scan showed an accumulation of tracer in thoracic vertebra. The bone biopsy from these site showed increased osseous turnover, thickening of trabeculae accompanied by mild acculuation of granulation tissue and round cell infiltration, compatible with mild chronic inflammation with marrow fibrosis. The patient showed good response to conservative management. The authors report a case of SAPHO syndrome with thoracic radiculopathy. It is considered that SAPHO syndrome is related to spondyloarthropathy, and appears to have benign disease process with good prognosis.
Acne Vulgaris ; Acquired Hyperostosis Syndrome* ; Biopsy ; Biopsy, Needle ; Bone Marrow ; Europe ; Female ; Fibrosis ; Granulation Tissue ; Humans ; Hyperostosis ; Hyperostosis, Sternocostoclavicular ; Inflammation ; Japan ; Middle Aged ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Osteitis ; Prognosis ; Radiculopathy* ; Spine ; Spondylarthropathies ; Sternoclavicular Joint ; Synovitis ; Thoracic Wall ; Thyroidectomy

OBJECTIVE: Ruptured intracranial aneurysms usually present as a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), but are sometimes associated with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), or subdural hematoma (SDH). However, the presentation of a ruptured aneurysm without a SAH is quite unusual. We describe nine such cases and highlight some easily overlooked, but important clinical features. METHODS: Among 341 patients diagnosed with ruptured cerebral aneurysms during the past 4 years, 9 patients exhibited non-SAH bleeding on admission, as revealed by brain computed tomograms (CT). On these 9 patients, the characteristic features were reviewed using medical charts, emergency room notes, and radiographic findings. RESULTS: The incidence of aneurysmal rupture without SAH was 2.6%. Eight patients exhibited ICH, and among them, an IVH occurred in one patient and a SDH in two patients. The initial clinical grade was grave in 8 patients, and a favorable outcome occurred in 4 patients. All of these aneurysms arose from the anterior circulation (the circle of Willis in two patients, and distal aneurysms in seven patients). The causes of the aneurysms were spontaneous in four patients, trauma in two patients, infective endocarditis in two patients, and moyamoya syndrome with a history of craniotomy and clipping in one patient. In three patients, additional intervention was required because the initial radiographic images did not reveal a ruptured aneurysm. CONCLUSION: Ruptured aneurysms should be suspected in cases of unexplained intracranial bleeding, even if SAH is not present on the initial CT scan, because most patients exhibit a poor neurologic grade. Therefore, careful interpretation of the clinical and radiologic culprits and timely management should be provided to achieve total occlusion.
Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, Ruptured ; Angiography ; Brain ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Circle of Willis ; Craniotomy ; Emergencies ; Endocarditis ; Hematoma, Subdural ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Moyamoya Disease ; Rupture ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

The present study was designed to observe the expression patterns of NF-kappa B and AP-1, redox-sensitive transcription factors, and Bcl-2 and Bax, apoptosis repressing and promoting factors, respectively, upon repetitive cycles of short ischemia and reperfusion. Nine and thirty five weeks old Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to the 3, 6, and 10 cycles of the ischemic process for 5 minutes followed by reperfusion for 5 minutes. The rats were divided by 5 groups, according to the time after treatment, such as 0, 3, 6, 24 and 72 hours. For short ischemia and reperfusion, left common iliac artery was occluded 3, 6, and 10 times for 5 minutes of ischemia followed by 5 minutes of reperfusion using rodent vascular clamps and left rectus femoris muscles were removed. The expression profiles and distribution of NF-kappa B, AP-1, Bcl-2, and Bax which were observed using immunohistochemical staining methods with 6 microgram thick paraffin sections of the rectus femoris tissue were as follows: The distribution of NF-kappa B was increased as the cycles of ischemia and reperfusion increased up to 3 hours after treatment. This phenomenon was prominent in 35 weeks-old rats. The distribution of AP-1 was increased as the cycles of ischemia and reperfusion increased up to 3 hours after treatment. This phenomenon was prominent in 9 weeks-old rats. The distribution of Bcl-2 was decreased as the cycles of ischemia and reperfusion increased up to 3 hours after treatment. The extent of such reduction was more prominent in 35 weeks-old rats than 9 weeks-old rats. The distribution of Bax was increased as the cycles of ischemia and reperfusion increased up to 3 hours after treatment. After 3 hours of treatment, Bax positivity was gradually decreased in 9 weeks-old rats, but increased in 35 weeks-old rats to reach a peak at 24 hour after reperfusion. The extent of enhancement in 9 weeks-old rats was higher than that in 35 weeks-old rats. In summary, multiple episodes of short ischemia and reperfusion altered the expression profiles of NF-kappa B, AP-1, Bcl-2, and Bax in the rectus femoris muscle at the similar extents in 9 and 35 weeks-old rats. Such alterations were more more increased when the episodes were more repeated.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Iliac Artery ; Ischemia* ; Muscles* ; NF-kappa B* ; Paraffin ; Quadriceps Muscle* ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reperfusion* ; Rodentia ; Transcription Factor AP-1* ; Transcription Factors

Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage is one of the most devastating forms of cerebrovascular disease in the field of neurosurgery, and is most frequently associated with the hypertension in the distribution of the penetrating vessels, or can be secondary to other factors, like aneurysm, arteriovenous malformation, glial tumor, metastasis, infarction, anticoagulation therapy, coagulation disorders such as leukemia or thrombocytopenia. Although many cases of recurrent hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage have been reported, bilateral simultaneous hemorrhage has not been reported. The authors report a case of bilateral simultaneous hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage in a 62-year-old male, which was treated by conservative management.
Arteriovenous Fistula ; Basal Ganglia* ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Infarction ; Intracranial Hemorrhage, Hypertensive* ; Leukemia ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neurosurgery ; Thrombocytopenia

We study the predictive power of Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) and Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II) in neurosurgical intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Retrospective investigation was conducted on 672 consecutive ICU patients during the last 2 yr. Data were collected during the first 24 hours of admission and analyzed to calculate predicted mortality. Mortality predicted by two systems was compared and, multivariate analyses were then performed for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. Observed mortality was 24.8% whereas predicted mortalities were 37.7% and 38.4%, according to APACHE II and SAPS II. Calibration curve was close to the line of perfect prediction. SAPS II was not statistically significant according to a Lemeshow-Hosmer test, but slightly favored by area under the curve (AUC). In SAH patients, SAPS II was an independent predictor for mortality. In TBI patients, both systems had independent prognostic implications. Scoring systems are useful in predicting mortality and measuring performance in neurosurgical ICU setting. TBI patients are more affected by systemic insults than SAH patients, and this discrepancy of predicting mortality in each neurosurgical disease prompts us to develop a more specific scoring system targeted to cerebral dysfunction.
*APACHE ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Area Under Curve ; Brain Injuries/diagnosis/*mortality/surgery ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; *Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; *Intensive Care Units ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Predictive Value of Tests ; ROC Curve ; Retrospective Studies ; Severity of Illness Index ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/diagnosis/*mortality/surgery ; Time Factors

We study the predictive power of Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) and Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II) in neurosurgical intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Retrospective investigation was conducted on 672 consecutive ICU patients during the last 2 yr. Data were collected during the first 24 hours of admission and analyzed to calculate predicted mortality. Mortality predicted by two systems was compared and, multivariate analyses were then performed for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. Observed mortality was 24.8% whereas predicted mortalities were 37.7% and 38.4%, according to APACHE II and SAPS II. Calibration curve was close to the line of perfect prediction. SAPS II was not statistically significant according to a Lemeshow-Hosmer test, but slightly favored by area under the curve (AUC). In SAH patients, SAPS II was an independent predictor for mortality. In TBI patients, both systems had independent prognostic implications. Scoring systems are useful in predicting mortality and measuring performance in neurosurgical ICU setting. TBI patients are more affected by systemic insults than SAH patients, and this discrepancy of predicting mortality in each neurosurgical disease prompts us to develop a more specific scoring system targeted to cerebral dysfunction.
*APACHE ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Area Under Curve ; Brain Injuries/diagnosis/*mortality/surgery ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; *Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; *Intensive Care Units ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Predictive Value of Tests ; ROC Curve ; Retrospective Studies ; Severity of Illness Index ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage/diagnosis/*mortality/surgery ; Time Factors