Dural arteriovenous malformation of the transverse and sigmoid sinus with special reference to its pathological features

A case of posterior fossa dural arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is reported. In the surgical specimen the internal elastic lamina of the dura mater around the sinus was defective in places where nests of dural vascular anomalies protruded into the sinus lumen, suggesting that the AVM was congenital in origin.     

Unusual clinical presentation of a presumed pineal germinoma with two disseminated lesions

We report a case of a presumed pineal germinoma in a 28-year-old man. Although the pineal body, the presumed primary lesion, was small, there were two disseminated tumors, one in the posterior fossa and the other in the left parietal region. The initial symptom was cerebellar ataxia. These two disseminated tumors had attachments to the inferior surface of the cerebellar tentorium and the dura mater of the parietal convexity, respectively, and they were fed by external carotid artery branches, like meningiomas. Neither angiography nor magnetic resonance imaging could provide the differential diagnosis between germinoma and meningioma. Computed tomographic scanning revealed slight enlargement of the pineal body suggestive of a germinoma.     

Extraneural metastasis of cerebellar glioblastoma multiforme

The case of a 7-year-old girl with a cerebellar glioblastoma and extraneural metastases has been presented. The dura mater was left open at the time of tumor resection. Postoperative hydrocephalus caused prolonged bulging of the incision. We believe that an open dura mater facilitates continuous exposure of extrameningeal tissue to glioma cells that are capable of invading local lymphatics and extracerebral veins, enhancing the probability of widespread dissemination. We suggest that every effort should be made to close the posterior fossa dura mater after resection of a malignant tumor.     

Metastasis of a rectal carcinoid to the posterior fossa.

We report the metastasis of a rectal carcinoid to the dura mater of the posterior fossa. The clinical presentation was unusual because of a 10-year latent period between resection of the primary rectal tumor and symptoms and signs of the posterior fossa metastasis; the radiological findings were atypical of a metastasis. Gastrointestinal carcinoids, apudomas, and the concept of the APUD endocrine cell family are reviewed.     

颅骨及硬膜恶性淋巴瘤的CT和MRI表现(附6例报告)

目的观察颅骨及硬膜恶性淋巴瘤的CT及MRI影像特征。方法回顾性分析病理证实的6例颅骨恶性淋巴瘤患者的CT及MR影像资料。结果6例中累及左侧顶骨及硬膜2例,双侧顶骨及大脑镰后部1例,额骨及硬膜1例,右侧颅骨及右侧脑膜1例,枕骨、天幕及幕上下凸面脑膜1例。3例CT检查表现为局限性颅骨内外软组织肿块,平扫呈等密度,增强后较明显强化;MRIT1WI上呈等低信号,T2WI呈等信号,4例增强后病灶显著均匀强化,2例呈不均匀强化,4例相邻的脑实质见中度水肿带,6例颅骨改变均较轻微,CT骨窗位上呈虫蚀样改变,颅骨外形尚完整,MRI上仅表现为局限性颅骨信号减低,术前4例误诊为脑膜瘤。结论颅骨恶性淋巴瘤的CT和MRI表现易与脑膜瘤相混淆,颅骨改变轻微可能提示恶性淋巴瘤,但确诊有赖于病理诊断。     

硬脑膜补丁修补法与普通硬脑膜缝合在关于后颅窝手术术后并发症的比较

目的探讨硬脑膜补丁修补法与普通硬脑膜缝合在预防后颅窝手术术后皮下积液、脑脊液漏中的优势。方法对2016年10月至2019年4月采用硬脑膜补丁修补法修补缺损硬脑膜40例,同期常规修补方式修补缺损硬脑膜60例患者资料进行分析。结果硬脑膜补丁修补的40例中,术后2例(5%)出现皮下积液,1(2.5%)例出现脑脊液漏,1例(2.5%)出现颅内感染。普通硬脑膜缝合的60例中,15例(25%)出现皮下积液,7例(11.6%)出现脑脊液漏,4例(6.6%)出现颅内感染。结论硬脑膜补丁法修补法在预防后颅窝手术术后皮下积液明显优于常规修补法。     

Two cases of spinal arteriovenous malformation presenting with subarachnoid hemorrhage

Two cases of spinal arteriovenous malformation (AVM) with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) are reported. The first case is that of a 14-year-old boy who was transferred to our hospital with a sudden onset of headache. Neurological examination revealed no motosensory deficit, but a brain CT showed a slight diffuse SAH. A left vertebral angiogram demonstrated intramedullary AVM in the cervical region of the spinal cord. This AVM was therefore occluded using a solid embolization material. The patient was then discharged without neurological deficit. The second case is that of a 67-year-old man who visited our hospital with a sudden onset of headache. Neurological examination revealed no motor or sensory deficit, but a brain CT showed SAH, which was dominant in the posterior fossa. Initial cerebral angiography demonstrated no abnormality such as cerebral aneurysm or AVM except for laterality of the C1 radiculo-meningeal artery. A second angiogram on day 11 demonstrated spinal arteriovenous fistula (AVF), which was fed by the left radiculo-meningeal artery and drained to the posterior spinal vein. Embolization for the AVF was performed using liquid material. He was then discharged without neurological deficit. These two cases revealed non-specific SAH symptoms and were indistinguishable from other ruptured aneurysms. Although the brain CT can show a slight SAH or posterior fossa dominant SAH, repeated angiography may be necessary to verify and conclude the diagnosis of spinal AVM.     

Posterior fossa arteriovenous malformation associated with persistent primitive trigeminal artery--case report

A 21-year-old female presented with an unusual case of posterior fossa arteriovenous malformation (AVM) associated with ipsilateral persistent primitive trigeminal artery (PPTA), manifesting as intraparenchymal hemorrhage involving both the brain stem and the left cerebellar hemisphere. The presenting symptoms were compatible with Wallenberg's syndrome and Foville's syndrome on the left side. She was initially treated conservatively, and subsequently with transarterial embolization followed by stereotactic radiosurgery. This case combined the rare association of posterior fossa AVM and PPTA, with the clinical presentation of intraparenchymal hemorrhage causing both Wallenberg's syndrome and Foville's syndrome.     

Granulocytic sarcoma (chloroma) of the cerebellum and meninges

Summary A 7-year-old boy, having had headache and vomiting for one month, was operated for a tumour in the left side of the posterior fossa. The tumour, weighing 52 g, infiltrated the dura mater, leptomeninges, and also, superficially, the left cerebellar hemisphere. The patient died five weeks after operation.Light and electron microscopical examination revealed a granulocytic sarcoma (chloroma). Pre- and postoperative blood examinations, together with post-operative and autopsy bone marrow examinations, showed no sign of acute myelogenous leukaemia. This is the second reported case of primary intracranial chloroma with no preceding sign of acute myelogenous leukemia, and the first case with cerebellar infiltration.     

Combined chronic subdural and acute epidural hematoma secondary to metastatic hepatocellular cancer: case report]

We report a case of combined chronic subdural and acute epidural hematoma caused by metastatic hepatocellular cancer of the dura mater. A 44-year-old woman, who had been under treatment for hepatic cancer for one year, presented with right hemiparesis. MRI revealed a chronic subdural hematoma on the left fronto-parietal region with subgaleal and epidural metastasis. The patient was found comatose 7 days later. A huge epidural hematoma in the left parietal region was disclosed with CT scan. She died of hepatic failure despite the evacuation of the hematoma. This is the first reported case with a combined subdural and epidural hematoma secondary to metastatic brain tumor of the dura mater.     

Bilateral retro-auricular dermal sinus tracts with intradural extension. Case report

The authors describe a previously unreported malformation involving paired, bilaterally symmetrical dermal sinus tracts in the retro-auricular area, both of which passed through the asterion and posterior fossa dura mater to end intracranially. Cranial dermal sinus tracts are congenital lesions that virtually always originate from the midline scalp posteriorly at the external occipital protuberance, anteriorly at the nasion or along the nasal dorsum, or in the posterior parietal midline. A lateral origin is extremely rare, and intracranial extension of a lateral dermal sinus tract has not been reported previously. The authors propose an embryological mechanism to explain the origin of this rare malformation and discuss its management.     

钛网椎管成形在脊柱融合术中的应用

目的　介绍一种治疗椎体爆裂性骨折椎板减压后脊柱融合的方法。方法　椎体爆裂性骨折病人 3 4例 ,均有不同程度的脊柱不稳及硬膜囊或神经根压迫。在进行后路椎板减压、经椎弓根内固定后 ,采用钛网椎管成形脊柱后路融合重建脊柱的稳定性。结果　全部病例经 1 2～ 1 8个月随访 ,内固定物无断裂 ,钛网在位 ,椎管成形良好 ,硬膜囊及神经根无压迫。 3 1例神经功能有不同程度的恢复。结论　钛网椎管成形脊柱融合术治疗椎体爆裂性骨折效果良好。此方法操作简单 ,安全 ,能够在恢复椎管形状、免除硬膜囊及神经根压迫的同时 ,进行植骨融合 ,增加脊柱的稳定性 ,易于推广应用。     

Intraosseous meningioma of the posterior fossa--Case report

A 62-year-old male presented with a rare intraosseous meningioma with intradural extension manifesting as frequent vomiting and floating sensation that had persisted for 3 months. Neuroimaging detected a mass lesion that was mainly located extradurally in the right posterior fossa with a daughter lesion inside the dura. He underwent surgical excision of the mass lesion. Craniectomy exposed the main lesion of the tumor just beneath the thinned outer table of the skull, and in the extradural space, with the daughter lesion penetrating the dura. Both portions of the tumor were resected. There was no attachment to the adjacent dura mater. Histological examination showed meningotheliomatous meningioma containing scattered bony tissue. This intraosseous meningioma probably originated from the occipital bone with a small intradural extension caused by mechanical compression.     

Different endogenous threshold levels of Fibroblast Growth Factor-ligands determine the healing potential of frontal and parietal bones

In the skull vault, neural crest derived frontal bones have an increased healing capacity and higher expression levels of Fibroblast Growth Factor-ligands as compared to mesoderm-derived parietal bones. Thus, we asked whether Fibroblast Growth Factor-ligands are responsible for the superior healing potential of frontal bones. Parietal defects in juvenile and adult mice treated with Fibroblast Growth Factor-2, -9 and -18 showed increased bone regeneration, comparable to frontal defects. Immunohistochemistry revealed increased recruitment of osteoprogenitors and activation of FGF-signaling pathways in FGF-treated parietal defects. Conversely, calvarial defects in Fgf-9^+/? and Fgf-18^+/? mice showed impaired calvarial healing which could be rescued by exogenous Fibroblast Growth Factor-ligands. Moreover, by utilizing Wnt1Cre/R26R mice, the migration and contribution of dura mater and pericranium cells to calvarial healing could be demonstrated. Taken together our results demonstrated that different endogenous threshold levels of Fibroblast Growth Factor-ligands in frontal and parietal bones have a profound impact on calvarial regeneration. The present study thereby opens new avenues for translational medicine.     

Choroid plexus papilloma in the posterior fossa

Choroid plexus papillomas in the posterior fossa can present with different clinical signs and symptoms. The tumors in the patients we discuss in this article originated from different sites of the choroid plexus. One patient, who had a fourth ventricle papilloma, experienced unsteady gait and episodes of dizziness over many years. The tumor was cystic an calcified, and adherent to the brain-stem. The second patient had only signs of increased intracranial pressure. A soft tumor was located in the cerebellomedullary cistern. The third patient, with a papilloma in the cerebellopontine angle, complained of hearing loss. This tumor was firmly adherent to the dura mater and looked exactly like a meningioma. The appearance on computed tomography scan, the macroscopic aspect, and the vascular supply of a papilloma in the posterior fossa can vary considerably.     

Enhanced bone regeneration by electrical polarization of hydroxyapatite

We examined osteogenic cell responses and new bone formation on electrically polarized hydroxyapatite (HAp) plates implanted into calvarial bone defects in rats. In the first group of rats, test pieces were placed with their positively charged surfaces face down on the dura mater. In a second group, test pieces were placed with their negatively charged surfaces facedown on the dura mater. A third group received noncharged test pieces. Histological examination was carried out to characterize the newly formed bone as well as quantification. Enzyme histochemistry involving the detection of alkaline phosphatase and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase was performed to quantify osteogenic cell activity. Bone growth was enhanced in the groups that received polarized HAp plates, both at the negatively and positively charged surfaces. In addition to the electrostatic force that attracts Ca2+ to the negatively charged surfaces, the suppressive effects on osteoclasts proliferation on the positively charged surfaces may enhance bone formation.     

A case of intraosseous meningioma with extracranial progression having difficulty in making a preoperative diagnosis

Intraosseous meningioma is very rare and is often confused preoperatively with a primary bone tumor of the skull. We report a case of intraosseous meningioma with hyperostosis for which preoperative diagnosis was difficult. A 78-year-old female with a slowly growing hard mass in the left parietal bone was admitted. Neurological findings were normal. Plain skull radiograph showed a 6 x 6 cm hyperostotic lesion in the left parietal bone. Bone window CT scan showed thickening and hyperostosis in the same area. MRI using Gd-DTPA showed heterogeneous enhancement of the intraosseous mass, and homogenous enhancement of the dura matter. And angiogram showed a tumor stain fed by the bilateral superficial temporal artery and the It-occipital artery. The tumor and the underlying dura mater were totally removed. Preoperative diagnosis was an osteogenic tumor, but histological examination revealed a transitional meningioma. We discussed the development and the classification of an ectopic meningioma and the mechanism of hyperostosis. We should be aware of the existence of intraosseous menigiomas mimicking osteogenic tumors.     

Acute effects of calvarial damage on dural mast cells, pial vascular permeability, and cerebral cortical histamine levels in rats and mice

Neurological complications after mild head injury can include vasogenic edema and/or subsequent development of epilepsy, conditions associated with elevated histamine. In the present study we assessed the potential of mast cells located in the dura mater to contribute to elevated cortical histamine and breakdown of the blood-brain barrier after minor head injury, modeled by either a parietal craniectomy or producing a groove in (scoring) the parietal bone surface to model a grazing head injury. We measured the following effects at 5-20 min after a unilateral parietal craniectomy (rats) or unilateral scoring of the parietal bone (mice): (1) mast cell integrity in subjacent dura mater; (2) subjacent vs. contralateral histamine in dura mater and cerebral cortex; (3) vascular permeability of cerebral cortical blood vessels subjacent to the injury, and; (4) the effects of an H(2)-receptor antagonist on cerebral cortical vascular permeability. RESULTS: Dural mast cells subjacent to the craniectomy became activated (degranulated) concomitant with (1) decreased histamine in dura mater subjacent to the craniectomy; (2) increased histamine in the subjacent cerebral cortex; and (3) extravasation of Evans blue-albumin which stained the subjacent cerebral cortex, indicating a localized breakdown of the blood-brain barrier. Similar results were observed in mice after scoring the parietal bone surface and, additionally, pretreatment with the histamine H(2)-receptor antagonist zolantadine (1 h before injury) dose-dependently inhibited extravasation of Evans blue-albumin. We conclude that even a minor grazing injury of the skull, in the absence of penetrating brain injury or concussion, can activate dural mast cells and elevate cortical histamine, a novel mechanism with potential contributions to neurotraumatic complications arising from a relatively minor or grazing head wound.     

Acute epidural hematoma of the posterior fossa caused by forehead impact

A rare case of acute epidural hematoma of the posterior fossa caused by forehead impact is reported. This 36-year-old man fell from a truck and hit his face. He was conscious and was brought to our center 30 minutes after the injury. On admission, a contused wound of the right forehead was noticed. He was restless and had severe pain in the neck and upper extremities. Skull X-ray showed a linear fracture of the frontal bone and computed tomography (CT) scan was normal. He continued to be restless and sudden respiratory arrest and pupillary dilation occurred 10 hours after the admission. A CT scan revealed a lenticular high density area in the left posterior fossa which extended to the supratentorial region. The 4th ventricle was compressed and displaced to the right and also the quadrigeminal and ambient cisterns were not visualized at all. Immediate surgery disclosed a 30 g epidural hematoma of the left posterior fossa and the supratentorium and the clot was completely evacuated. The source of bleeding could not be identified. Opening of the dura revealed contusion in the occipital lobe. He died on the 17th postoperative day. The possible mechanism in the production of the posterior fossa hematoma in this case is discussed.