No abstract available.
Pregnancy*

A 31-year-old man presented with dull headache and memory disturbance lasting for one week. Computed tomographic scans revealed acute hydrocephalus. The cerebrospinal fluid contained 53 leukocytes/mm3, with a mononuclear preponderance and no erythrocytes. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed hydrocephalus and leptomeningeal enhancement. Magnetic resonance angiography and digital subtraction angiography showed supraclinoid occlusion of the right internal carotid artery, which resembled unilateral moyamoya disease. Neuroendoscopic biopsy of a lesion in the septum pellucidum revealed noncaseating granulomas, which was consistent with sarcoidosis. The patient was successfully managed with intravenous methylprednisolone and ventriculoperitoneal shunting. To our knowledge, this is the first case of moyamoya-like vasculopathy associated with neurosarcoidosis.
Adult ; Angiography, Digital Subtraction ; Biopsy ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Central Nervous System Diseases ; Erythrocytes ; Granuloma ; Headache ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Memory ; Methylprednisolone ; Moyamoya Disease ; Sarcoidosis ; Septum Pellucidum ; Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt

The authors describe a case of intradural epidermoid tumor in which the patient presented with low back pain and weakness of right lower extremity. The magnetic resonance imaging study showed intraspinal mass lesion at L2-3. The patient had no history of previous lumbar puncture. It was removed totally through laminectomy of L2 and L3 without any injury of the neural structure. The pathological findings were compatible with epidermoid tumor. The postoperative course was uneventful without any neurologic deficit. Characteristics of this lesion with a pertinent literature is reviewed.
Humans ; Laminectomy ; Low Back Pain ; Lower Extremity ; Lumbosacral Region* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Spinal Puncture

A 57-year-old man presented with a 2-day history of left oculomotor palsy. Digital subtraction angiography revealed a pseudoaneurysm of the left cavernous internal carotid artery (ICA) measuring 37x32 mm. The pseudoaneurysm was treated with a balloon expandable graft-stent to occlude the aneurysmal neck and preserve the parent artery. A post-procedure angiogram confirmed normal patency of the ICA and complete sealing of the aneurysmal neck with no opacification of the sac. After the procedure, the oculomotor palsy improved gradually, and had completely resolved 3 months after the procedure. A graft-stent can be an effective treatment for a pseudoaneurysm of the cavernous ICA with preservation of the parent artery.
Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, False ; Angiography, Digital Subtraction ; Arteries ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Caves ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; Paralysis ; Parents

OBJECTIVE: The anatomy of middle cerebral artery (MCA) bifurcation aneurysms has been noted to be unfavorable for endovascular treatment. Our purpose was to analyze the clinical and angiographic results of coiling of the MCA bifurcation aneurysms. METHODS: From January 2004 to April 2007, 26 patients harboring 29 MCA bifurcation aneurysms were treated with coils. Of these patients, 16 had subarachnoid hemorrhages (SAH). The bleeding source was a ruptured MCA bifurcation aneurysm in 11 patients and a ruptured aneurysm in a different location in 5 patients, respectively. Treatment-related complications, clinical outcomes, and postprocedural and follow-up angiography results were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS: 29 MCA bifurcation aneurysms (11 ruptured, 18 unruptured) were occluded with coils in 26 patients. Occlusion was complete for 24 (82.8%) of the 29 aneurysms, incomplete for 3 (10.3%), and partial for 2 (6.9%) aneurysms. Procedural complications included thromboembolism in 6, a small nonocclusive thrombus formation in 1, and intraprocedural aneurysmal rupture in 1. All of symptomatic complications were thromboembolic events that occurred 3 patients with unruptured aneurysm and they discharged with moderate disability state. Follow-up angiograms were available on 16 patients with 18 aneurysms and 1 patient with an initial complete occlusion had a slight neck recanalization. CONCLUSION: Coiling of MCA bifurcation aneurysm could be achieved without treatment-induced neurologic deficit in 88.5% (23/26) of the patients while at the same time obtaining favorable anatomic results. Improvements in device technology and technique will certainly greatly increase the safety of coiling of MCA bifurcation aneurysm, widening its indications.
Aneurysm ; Aneurysm, Ruptured ; Angiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Neck ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Thromboembolism ; Thrombosis

We present a rare case of massive intracerebral hemorrhage resulting from a small, superficially-located supratentorial cavernous malformation, or cavernoma. These lesions rarely lead to massive, life-threatening intracerebral hemorrhages. A 17-year-old female presented with a 3-week history of declining mental status. Brain computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a sizable intracranial hemorrhage, within the right occipital region, associated with a small nodule at the hematoma's posterior margin. An emergency operation removed the entire hematoma and nodule. Histological examination of the nodule was compatible with a diagnosis of cavernous malformation. The patient's post-operative course was uneventful.
Adolescent ; Brain ; Caves ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Emergencies ; Female ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

OBJECTIVE: Vasospasm of cerebral vessels remains a major source of morbidity and mortality after an aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of transluminal balloon angioplasty (TBA) for SAH-induced vasospasm. METHODS: Eleven patients with an angiographically confirmed significant vasospasm (>50% vessel narrowing and clinical deterioration) were studied. A total of 54 vessel segments with significant vasospasm were treated by TBA. Digital subtraction angiography was used to confirm the presence of vasospasm, and TBA was performed to dilate vasospastic arteries. Medical and angiographic reports were reviewed to determine technical efficacy and for procedural complications. RESULTS: TBA using Hyper-Glide or Hyper-Form balloons (MicroTherapeutics, Irvine, CA) was successfully accomplished in 88.9% vasospastic segments (48 of 54), namely, in the distal internal carotid artery (100%, n=7), the middle cerebral artery (100%), including the M1 (n=10), M2 (n=10), and M3 segments (n=4), in the vertebral artery (100%, n=2), basilar artery (100%, n=1), and in the anterior cerebral artery (ACA), including the A1 (66%), A2 (66%), and A3 segments (100%). Vessel diameters significantly increased after TBA. There were no cases of vessel rupture or thromboembolic complications. GCS at one day after TBA showed an improvement in all patients except one. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that TBA using Hyper-Glide or Hyper-Form balloons is a safe and effective treatment for subarachnoid hemorrhage-induced cerebral vasospasm.
Aneurysm ; Angiography, Digital Subtraction ; Angioplasty, Balloon ; Anterior Cerebral Artery ; Arteries ; Basilar Artery ; Carotid Artery, Internal ; Endovascular Procedures ; Glycosaminoglycans ; Humans ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Rupture ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Vasospasm, Intracranial ; Vertebral Artery

We describe a case of an unruptured basilar top aneurysm that was associated with early rupture after incomplete coiling. A 62-year-old woman with a history of several small infarctions has undergone coiling of unruptured basilar top aneurysm. Two weeks after initial coiling the patient presented with Hunt and Hess grade IV subarachnoid hemorrhage consistent with a ruptured basilar top aneurysm. Repeat angiography revealed a rupture of recanalized basilar top aneurysm. Second embolization with additional coils resulted in complete occlusion. However, her neurological status was not improved afterward and she was transferred to department of rehabilitation one month after hemorrhage with comatous state. To our knowledge, this is the first case of fatal early rupture after coiling of unruptured aneurysm. It has been speculated that coiling could cause injury to aneurysmal wall and facilitate rupture.
Aneurysm* ; Angiography ; Female ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infarction ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Middle Aged ; Rehabilitation ; Rupture* ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE: It has been known that the prognosis of aneurysm rupture is depend on the preoperative clinical state, presence of rebleeding, vasospasm, hydrocephalus, but the direction of aneurysm might be one of the important prognostic factors in the anterior communicating artery (ACOM) aneurysm. METHODS: One hundred forty three cases of ACOM aneurysms, operated from 1996 to 2005, were analysed retrospectively according to the surgical outcomes and directions of aneurysms. RESULT: The results of analysis were summarized as follows 1) The direction of ACOM aneurysms were as follows; anterior-superior direction in 33.6%, anterior-inferior 30.1%, posterior-superior 10.5%, anterior 7.7%, superior 7.0%, inferior 7.0% and posterior-inferior in 4.2%. 2) There was no significant relationship between the direction of aneurysm and the preopertive clinical state, but the incidence of Hunt-Hess grade IV and V was high in the posterior-superior and anterior-superior direction groups. 3) Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) or intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) was accompanied in 28.7%. In posterior-superior and anterior-superior direction group, there is statistically significance between direction and IVH or ICH (p < 0.05). 4) Vasospasm was observed in 23.8% and cerebral infarction in 17.5%. The incidence was increased in the posterior-superior group. 5) Superior and posterior-superior direction group showed high mortality rate (20.0%). CONCLUSION: Although there was no statistic significance, we found that the direction of aneurysm might affect the clinical characteristics and prognosis in the patients underwent clipping surgery of ACOM aneurysm. Especially, posterior-superior and anterior-superior direction groups revealed the high incidence of ICH, IVH, vasospasm and cerebral infarction. Therefore, we should pay more careful attention to the patients with the superiorly directed ACOM aneurysms.
Aneurysm ; Arteries ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Cerebral Infarction ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Incidence ; Intracranial Aneurysm ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Rupture