Sagittal sinus thrombosis associated with thrombocytopenia: a report of two patients.

Reported are two patients presenting with both thrombocytopenia and sagittal sinus thrombosis. The first patient is a 42-month-old male with no identified thrombophilic risk factors who developed acute neurologic symptoms after an acute infection. The second patient is a 22-month-old female with no history of preceding infection but had a positive lupus anticoagulant test. She also developed deep venous thrombosis and was treated with intravenous heparin. Both patients are currently doing well without neurologic deficits. To the authors' knowledge the second patient is the youngest reported patient with cerebral vein thrombosis associated with thrombocytopenia and lupus anticoagulant. These observations call attention to the need for a thorough investigation of thrombophilic risk factors in pediatric patients with thrombotic complications.     

Serum lubricin levels in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

ObjectivesLubricin, encoded by the proteoglycan 4 (PRG4) gene, is mainly responsible for lubricating joints. However, there is expanding evidence on its involvement in inflammatory pathways. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a heterogeneous group of chronic arthritides with an unknown origin in children aged below 16 years. It is characterized by chronic joint inflammation, including synovial inflammation, and may result in cartilage destruction. We aimed to determine whether serum lubricin levels are affected in JIA patients.Material and methodsThis cross-sectional study included children diagnosed with JIA and 28 healthy controls. The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of remission at the time of study. Lubricin protein analysis was performed by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Serum samples were obtained at the study enrollment, and lubricin levels were measured once, and compared between JIA patients and healthy controls, and between JIA patients with active disease and remission.ResultsThe study included 52 JIA patients (28 female, 24 male) and 28 healthy controls (18 female, 10 males). The mean age at study enrollment was 11.66 ±4.41 years and 12.72 ±4.52 years in the JIA patient and control groups, respectively. Although median serum lubricin level did not differ between JIA patients (median: 0.66 ng/μl, range: 0.02–3.85 ng/μl) and healthy controls (median: 0.52 ng/μl, range: 0.06–3.84 ng/μl), it was statistically significantly higher in patients with active disease (median: 1.58 ng/μ, range: 0.08–3.85 ng/μl) than both patients in remission (median: 0.57 ng/μl, range: 0.02–3.57 ng/μl) and healthy controls. A low degree positive correlation was also found between serum lubricin levels and erythroid sedimentation rate of the JIA patients (r = 0.383 and p = 0.011).ConclusionsThis is the first study investigating serum lubricin levels in JIA patients, and we found elevated serum lubricin levels in JIA patients with active disease. Further studies are needed to clarify our results.     

Tumoral mass presenting in the nasomalar region arising from the lateral nasal wall: pleomorphic adenoma

Pleomorphic adenoma is the most common benign salivary gland tumor. Although the major salivary glands are the most common sites of its origin, it can also occur in the minor salivary glands of the oral cavity and rarely in the neck, ear, nasal cavity and larynx. We report a rare case of intranasal pleomorphic adenoma arising from lateral nasal wall and discuss the clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment approaches with the review of the literature.     

Temporal bone measurements on high-resolution computed tomography

The distances between the important neural and vascular structures in normal temporal bones were measured by using high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). We examined 100 normal ears in 50 subjects ranging in age from 15 to 72 years (mean age 39 years). We measured the distances from the medial lip of the posterior wall of the internal auditory canal to the medial wall of the vestibule (mean 9.7 mm), from the cochlea to the tympanic segment of the facial canal (mean 1.76 mm), from the medial wall of the vestibule to the lateral aspect of the lateral semicircular canal (mean 8.03 mm), and from the external auditory canal to the lateral sinus (mean 13.2 mm). HRCT examination is the best method for defining the morphology of temporal bone.     

Early-postoperative magnetic resonance imaging in glial tumors: prediction of tumor regrowth and recurrence

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the value of early-postoperative magnetic resonance (EPMR) imaging in the detection of residual glial tumor and investigated the role of EPMR for the prediction of tumor regrowth and recurrence. METHODS AND MATERIALS: We retrospectively analyzed pre- and post-operative magnetic resonance imaging results from 50 adult patients who underwent surgical treatment for supratentorial glial tumor. There were glioblastoma multiforme in 25 patients, astrocytoma (grades II and III) in 11 patients, oligodendroglioma (grades II and III) in 9 patients, and oligoastrocytoma (grades II and III) in 5 patients. EPMR imaging was performed within 24 h after surgery. EPMR findings were compared with the neurosurgeon's intraoperative estimation of gross tumor removal. Patterns of contrast enhancement at the resection site, in residual and developing tumor tissue and blood at the resection site were evaluated on EPMR and in follow-up studies. 'Residual tumor' was defined as contrast enhancing mass at the operative site on EPMR. 'Regrowth' was defined as contrast enhancing mass detected on follow-up in the same location as the primary tumor. 'Recurrence' was defined as appearance of a mass lesion in the brain parenchyma distant from the resection bed during follow-up. RESULTS: Nineteen patients showed no evidence of residual tumor, regrowth, or recurrence on EPMR or any of the later follow-up radiological examinations. EPMR identified 20 cases of residual tumor. Follow-up showed tumor regrowth in 10 patients, and tumor recurrence in 1 case. EPMR showed contrast enhancement of the resection bed in 45 of the 50 patients. Four of the 20 residual tumors showed a thick linear enhancement pattern, and the other 16 cases exhibited thick linear-nodular enhancement. No thin linear enhancement was observed in the residual tumor group. Nine of the 10-regrowth tumors showed a thick linear-nodular enhancement pattern, and one exhibited thin linear enhancement in EPMR. For predicting regrowth tumor EPMR sensitivity was 91%, specificity was 100%, positive predictive value 1; negative predictive value was 0.9375. CONCLUSION: EPMR, depending on the surgical site enhancement pattern, is a valuable means of demonstrating residual tumors, and can be used to predict possible regrowth after surgery.     

Chemical sympathectomy by 6-OH dopamine during fetal life results in inguinal testis through altering cremasteric contractility in rats

Background/Purpose:

Androgens are proposed to influence testicular descent through modulating sympathetic tone. An experimental study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of prenatal chemical sympathectomy on testicular location associated with the alterations in contractile properties of cremaster muscles in rats.

Methods:

Time-mated pregnancies were started in 10 rats. Two groups, each receiving saline or 6-hydroxydopamine from day 15 to day 19 of intrauterine life were established. At 2 months of age, localization of testes were evaluated, cremaster muscles were removed, and contractile properties were studied. Twitch and tetanic contractions were recorded isometrically at 37°C. Effects of verapamil, isoprenaline, and L-NNA were investigated. Results were compared through analysis of variance (ANOVA), and P values less than .05 were considered to be significant.

Results:

Both testes of all male offspring in the control group (n = 19) were in the scrotum. Six offspring among 17 subjected to 6-hydroxydopamine had undescended testes. Treatment with 6-hydroxydopamine had no effect on force-frequency relationship of cremaster muscle strips. Cremaster muscles of rats exposed to 6-hydroxydopamine had lower sensitivity to voltage-sensitive Ca⁺⁺ channel blockade by verapamil (3 × 10⁴ mol/L; P < .05). These muscles displayed greater contractile response to isoprenaline (10⁻⁵ mol/L; P < .05) but not to nitric oxide synthase inhibition by N^ω-nitro-l-arginine. Alterations in contractile properties of the muscles did not differ according to localization of testes among rats subjected to 6-hydroxydopamine.

Conclusions:

Administration of 6-hydroxydopamine resulted in suprascrotally located testes. This localization has been associated with less exposure at sympathetic tonus. These findings support that sympathetic activity plays an important role in localization of testis.     

Repeated unintentional transthoracic needle aspiration of a pulmonary hydatid cyst

Transthoracic needle aspiration is not a recommended diagnostic modality in hydatid disease. Percutaneous aspiration of a suspected hydatid cyst is believed to be associated with the risk of allergic reactions which can result in systemic anaphylaxis and possible spreading of the cyst contents. We present herein a illustrative case of pulmonary hydatid cyst and multiple mediastinal lymphadenopathies which was diagnosed after repeated transthoracic fine needle aspirations.