Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) usually occurs due to aneurysmal rupture of intracranial arteries and its typical computed tomography (CT) findings are increased attenuation of cisterns and subarachnoid spaces. However, several CT findings mimicking SAH are feasible in diverse conditions. They are so-called as pseudo-SAH, and this report is a case of pseudo-SAH which is misdiagnosed as aneurysm rupture accompanied by bilateral chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH). A 42-year-old male with severe headache visited our institute. Non-contrast brain CT images showed increased attenuation on basal cistern, and cSDH on both fronto-temporo-parietal convexity with midline shifting. Trans-femoral cerebral angiography was done and we confirmed small aneurysm at right M1 portion of middle cerebral artery. Under diagnosis of SAH, we planned an operation in order to clip aneurysmal neck and remove cSDH. cSDH was removed as planned, however, there was no SAH and we also couldn't find the rupture point of aneurysm. Serial follow-up CT showed mild cumulative cSDH recurrence, but the patient was tolerant and had no neurologic deficit during hospitalization. We have checked the patient via out-patient department for 6 months, there are no significant changes in volume and density of cSDH and the patient also have no neurologic complications.
Adult ; Aneurysm ; Arteries ; Brain ; Brain Edema ; Cerebral Angiography ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Headache ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic ; Hemorrhage ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Intracranial Hypertension ; Male ; Middle Cerebral Artery ; Neck ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Outpatients ; Recurrence ; Rupture ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Subarachnoid Space

A 26-year-old male presented with a 6-day history of paroxysmal headache which was worsen with nausea and vomiting for 1 day. Head CT on admission revealed left chronic subdural hematoma with midline shift. An emergency Burr hole drainage for hematoma was performed. Headache recurred 6 days later. MRI of the brain revealed a diffuse thickening and a gadolinium-enhancement of the falx, cranial dura mater and tentorium cerebelli on the left side with pia mater involved. Lumber puncture showed increased intracranial pressure and elevated IgG level in cerebrospinal fluid. Histological examination of the biopsy specimen showed thickened, fibrotic dura with a sterile chronic inflammation. According to pathological examination, idiopathic hypertrophic cranial pachymeningitis was considered as the final diagnosis. Symptoms were improved with steroid pulse therapy.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Brain ; pathology ; Drainage ; Dura Mater ; pathology ; Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic ; etiology ; surgery ; Humans ; Hypertrophy ; diagnosis ; Immunoglobulin G ; cerebrospinal fluid ; Intracranial Hypertension ; etiology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Meningitis ; diagnosis ; Steroids ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (S-SNHL) occurs abruptly, developing rapidly within 3 days. The criteria for the diagnosis of S-SNHL are idiopathic hearing loss of at least 30 dB over at least three serial test frequencies. This study estimated whether S-SNHL increases the risk of stroke using Korean National Health Insurance Service National Sample Cohort (NHIS-NSC 2002-2013) data. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Among NHIS-NSC 2002-2013, we excluded the patients diagnosed as S-SNHL or stroke in 2002. The patients who were diagnosed and treated as S-SNHL (n=2510) and the comparison group (n=12550) extracted using propensity score matching were enrolled. During an 11-year follow-up period until December 2013, the incidence of stroke among two groups was analyzed and the result was adjusted for the impact of comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease with Cox proportional hazard regression. RESULTS: According to our data, 10.8% of S-SNHL patients (among 2510) and 7.8% of the comparison group (among 12550) had strokes. Stroke incidence was reported higher in patients with history of S-SNHL compared to the comparison group [hazard (HR), 1.15; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01-1.32] followed by patients with hypertension (HR, 2.51; 95% CI, 2.22-2.84), diabetes mellitus (HR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.43-1.85). In terms of the type of strokes, S-SNHL increased the risk of ischemic stroke (HR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.02-1.37). CONCLUSION: S-SNHL appeared to be associated with an increased risk of developing stroke after adjusting for other risk factors.
Brain Ischemia ; Cohort Studies ; Comorbidity ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural* ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Incidence ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Methods ; National Health Programs ; Propensity Score ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Risk Factors ; Stroke*

Lateral ventricular meningiomas (LVMs) are especially rare, and they often remain "silent" until they become very large. Several surgical approaches exist, but the optimal surgical strategy for them remains a challenge. The incidence, clinical features, radiological manifestations, pathological findings, and especially the surgical strategy in 21 patients with LVMs were analyzed retrospectively. The mean age of patients was 42.7 years (range, 17 to 78 years). Raised intracranial pressure was the main presenting symptom. The definite diagnosis of LVMs in most cases was made by computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Six patients were subjected to plain CT scans, 15 to contrast MR scans, and 4 to a magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA). Large tumors were seen in most cases with an average diameter of more than 4.3 cm. Of the 21 cases of LVMs in our series, LVMs were resected in 16 cases via a posterior parieto-occipital transcortical approach, 2 cases via a transcallosal approach, and 3 cases via a posterior middle temporal gyrus approach. In 8 out of 21 cases, the tumors were located in the left lateral ventricle. The gross total surgical excision was achieved in 18 (86%) patients, and all LVMs were pathologically confirmed to be benign. Nine patients were followed up (range: 11 months-4.6 years). Eight (88.9%) cases obtained good recovery and one (11.1%) obtained moderate disability. Four approaches are available for the surgical treatment of LVMs. The choice of surgical approaches depends on tumor location, laterality, size and extension, and the function of the brain must be taken into account. Intracapsular resection and piecemeal resection of LVMs can be safely and easily performed. Preoperative MRA scan is important to know the feeder of LVMs and peripheral blood supply.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Intracranial Hypertension ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Lateral Ventricles ; blood supply ; pathology ; surgery ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Meningeal Neoplasms ; blood supply ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Meningioma ; blood supply ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Neurosurgical Procedures ; Retrospective Studies ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tumor Burden

Intracranial infections are one of the most common neurological diseases in children and are associated with high mortality and morbidity. Intracranial hypertension and hydrocephalus are the common, fatal complications of intracranial infections, so early diagnosis and timely treatment are the keys to saving patients' lives and reducing neurological sequelae. This paper introduces the progress in the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of intracranial hypertension and hydrocephalus in children with intracranial infections.
Central Nervous System Infections ; complications ; Child ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy ; Intracranial Hypertension ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical characteristics and regular patterns of subacute 1, 2-dichloroethane poisoning patients for providing evidences to it's diagnosis, treatment and prognosis.

METHODS51 cases of subacute 1, 2-dichloroethane poisoning analyzed. They were divided into 3 groups according to their main clinical manifestation: group A mainly with intracranial hypertension (n = 25), group B with limbs tremor (n = 18), group C with mental and behavior disorder (n = 8). All cases' clinical symptoms, cranial computer tomography, cerebrospinal pressure (Group A) were observed, the durations of the onset, deterioration, improvement, recovery and whole course of the disease were compared between groups and in each group.

RESULTSIn all of 51 cases, only the differences between the deterioration duration of cranial CT and symptom was significantly (t = 2.555, P<0.05), which indicate the deterioration of symptom was earlier than radiological change. The symptom deterioration of group C was the fastest than group A and group B (P<0.00). As to the change of symptom duration, group B's improvement, recovery and whole course was the longest comparing with group A and group C (P<0.05). As to the change of cranial CT duration, group B's recovery duration was the shortest and group A's recovery duration was the longest (P<0.01); group B's whole course was also the shortest and group A's whole course was the longest (P<0.05). The clinical course of symptoms, cranial computer tomography, cerebrospinal pressure (Group A) was compared in each group, in group A, the duration of improvement and whole course of the cranial CT and cerebrospinal pressure change was longer than that of the symptom change (P<0.01), this indicated that group A has longer asymptomatic intracranial hypertension and their cranial radiography recover slowly. In group B, their symptoms (3.94 ± 4.31 days) deteriorated is earlier than cranial CT changes (P<0.05), the recovery (92.39 ± 55.04 days) and whole course of symptom was longer than cranial CT change (all P<0.01). In group C, symptom deterioration was earlier than CT deterioration (P< 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe clinical characteristic of subacute 1, 2- dichloroethane poisoning is central nervous system damage, it differs according to the different stage of course, the regions and severity of pathology lesions.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure ; Disease Progression ; Ethylene Dichlorides ; poisoning ; Humans ; Intracranial Hypertension ; Mental Disorders ; Poisoning ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Prognosis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tremor

Benign primary headaches are common during the postpartum period. However, there are several other kinds of headaches caused by specific underlying pathologies like post-dural puncture headache (PDPH), pregnancy induced hypertension, cortical vein thrombosis, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES), subarachnoid hemorrhage, intracranial hemorrhage, brain tumor, and so on. These headaches are rare but each can be life threatening conditions when diagnosis is delayed. If a patient was treated for another type of headache, like a PDPH, the diagnosis would be even more difficult. We report on the case of a 24 year-old woman who suffered with PDPH followed by postpartum eclampsia with PRES.
Diagnosis ; Eclampsia ; Female ; Headache ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced ; Intracranial Hemorrhages ; Pathology ; Post-Dural Puncture Headache ; Posterior Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome* ; Postpartum Period ; Pregnancy ; Seizures ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Thrombosis ; Veins

OBJECTIVE: Resorption of autologous bone flap grafts is a known long-term complication of cranioplasty following decompressive craniectomy (DC). We analyzed our data to identify risk factors for bone flap resorption (BFR) following cranioplasty. METHODS: A total of 162 patients who underwent cranioplasty following DC due to life-threatening elevated intracranial pressure between October 2003 and December 2012, were included in our investigation. Follow-up exceeded one year. RESULTS: BFR occurred as a long-term complication in 9 of the 162 patients (5.6%). The affected patients consisted of individuals who had undergone DC for traumatic brain injury (TBI; n=4), for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH; n=3), for cerebral infarction (n=1), and intracerebral hemorrhage (n=1). Logistic regression analysis identified no significant risk factors for BFR. CONCLUSION: TBI and SAH as initial diagnoses are more often associated with BFR than other diagnoses. This finding may influence future surgical decision making, especially in patients with possible risk factors for BFR. A prospective study with a large number of patients is needed to identify potential predictors of BFR such as bone flap sterilization and preservation.
Bone Resorption ; Brain Injuries ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Cerebral Infarction ; Decision Making ; Decompressive Craniectomy* ; Diagnosis ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Intracranial Hypertension ; Logistic Models ; Risk Factors ; Sterilization ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ; Transplants

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cerebral venous flow obstruction (CVFO) is a fatal complication of traumatic brain injury. To compare the outcomes of patients with CVFO secondary to traumatic-brain-injury-induced transsinus fracture who were diagnosed early versus those diagnosed late in the therapeutic course. METHODS: In total, 403 patients with transsinus fracture were reviewed retrospectively. The patients were divided into an early-diagnosis group (n=338) and a delayed-diagnosis group (n=65). The patients submitted to 2D time-of-flight magnetic resonance venography (2D-TOF MRV) and/or CT venography (CTV), depending upon the findings of intracranial pressure monitoring, in order to identify potentially complicated CVFO. These examinations took place within 3 days of the onset of malignant intracranial hypertension symptoms in the early-diagnosis group, and after an average of 7 days in the delayed-diagnosis group. Once diagnosed, patients received intravenous thrombolytic therapy with low-dose urokinase. Patients with massive transsinus epidural hematoma, depressed fracture, or cerebral hernia were treated surgically to relieve the compression and repair any damage to the venous sinuses. RESULTS: Cerebral venous flow obstruction was much more severe in the delayed-diagnosis group than in the early-diagnosis group (p<0.001), and hence patients in the former group were given a higher dose of urokinase (p<0.001) for thrombolytic therapy. They were also significantly more likely to need surgery (48.1% vs. 20.6%, p=0.003) and had a higher mortality rate (37.0% vs. 4.1%, p<0.001). However, patients in both groups experienced a similarly favorable prognosis, not only with regard to functional outcome but also with respect to neuroradiological improvement, as evaluated by 2D-TOF MRV/CTV at the final follow-up (p=0.218). CONCLUSIONS: Delayed diagnosis can result in increased risk of surgery and death in the acute phase. Thrombolytic therapy with low-dose urokinase resulted in promising improvements in both functional and neuroradiological outcomes in all of the patients in this study, regardless of the time to diagnosis.
Brain Injuries* ; Delayed Diagnosis ; Early Diagnosis* ; Encephalocele ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematoma ; Humans ; Intracranial Hypertension ; Intracranial Pressure ; Magnetics ; Magnets ; Phlebography ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator

Bedside ultrasonographic examination is known to be a quick, noninvasive, cost-effective, repeatable, and harmless diagnostic modality. It can be a powerful tool for clinicians, especially in time-dependent situations including trauma. Focused assessment with sonography in trauma (FAST) has been established as a protocol especially specifically for hemodynamically unstable patients with blunt abdominal trauma. The physiologic priority of airway, breathing, circulation, and disability (ABCD) of injured patients should be assessed using a multi-systemic, multi-focused, problem-based, and point-of-care ultrasound as an extension of physical examination. This ultrasound-enhanced trauma life support, so called FAST-ABCD, can provide a great deal of important information for helping the primary physician in critical decision-making by systemically combining the airway, lung, cardiovascular, abdominopelvic, orbital, and transcranial ultrasound. Additionally, it can provide information on airway patency, guidance of endotracheal intubation and cricothyroidotomy, lung contusion, limited hemodynamics, differential diagnosis of shock, intracranial hypertension, and even more extensively on a secondary survey from head to toe. The indications for the utility of ultrasound in trauma continue to evolve beyond FAST. FAST-ABCD could be incorporated into advanced trauma life support by obtaining more evidence through more studies worldwide.
Advanced Trauma Life Support Care ; Contusions ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Head ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Intracranial Hypertension ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Lung ; Orbit ; Physical Examination ; Respiration ; Shock ; Toes