Developmental patterns of expected consequences for simulated bicycle injury events

Three patients with shunt malfunction, who had previously undergone a shunting procedure for noncommunicating hydrocephalus of adolescent and adult onset, successfully underwent a percutaneous flexible neuroendoscopic ventriculostomy. This procedure was performed as an alternative treatment for shunt revision by the use of our newly developed flexible fiberoptic ventriculoscope. All patients were able to remain independent of the shunt system after the ventriculostomy. These results thus suggest that a percutaneous flexible neuroendoscopic ventriculostomy can be effective for the treatment of shunt-dependent patients with shunt malfunction in adolescents and adults.     

The role of endoscopic third ventriculostomy in the management of shunt malfunction

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of third ventriculostomy as an alternative to shunt revision in the management of shunt malfunction and infection in obstructive hydrocephalus. METHODS: All of the clinical notes of 30 patients treated with third ventriculostomy for malfunctioning or infected shunts between January 1, 1974, and December 31, 1996, were retrospectively reviewed. Third ventriculostomy was performed under fluoroscopic control in the first seven patients and endoscopically in the remainder. A successful outcome was achieved if further shunt revision surgery was avoided. The median follow-up duration was 8.7 years RESULTS: Twenty-three patients (76.7%) experienced successful outcomes, resulting in shunt independence. Of the seven failures, three were technical failures at the time of surgery and the remaining four were manifest within a median of 10 days, resulting in shunt revision. There have been no delayed failures. CONCLUSION: Third ventriculostomy is a valuable alternative to shunt revision in patients affected by obstructive hydrocephalus presenting with shunt malfunction or infection. It should be considered in all suitable cases as the first-line treatment for obstructive hydrocephalus of all causes. Because all failures were manifest within a short time, it is likely that these successes will be durable.     

Preoperative cardiac evaluation

Four cases (3 children and one adolescent) are presented in which Parinaud's syndrome developed in the course of progressive non-tumorous hydrocephalus. The vertical gaze palsy completely disappeared in all cases some days after raised intracranial pressure had been successfully treated. Neuroradiological findings indicate that Parinaud's syndrome can be elicited by a dorsal midbrain compression due to a markedly dilated suprapineal recess. Other contributing factors as distortion and compression of distal branches of the posterior cerebral artery in the cisterna ambiens region and an axial caudal displacement of the oral brain stem may be involved. According to the few cases published in the literature, the vertical gaze palsy seems to occur predominantly in benign connatal aqueduct stenosis and may then be regarded as a relatively early symptom of decompensating hydrocephalic intracranial pressure.     

Relapsed chronic myeloid leukemia in accelerated phase 10 years after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation: full chimera reconversion with donor peripheral blood stem cells infusion

The authors calculated the shunt revision rate for 77 consecutive patients with tumoural obstructive hydrocephalus. At a mean follow up of 23.7 months, the annual revision rate was 0.06 which is significantly lower than the annual revision rate of 0.39 for other hydrocephalic patients treated during the same period. Shunted patients who had total excision of their lesions had a significantly lower revision rate than patients who had a partial excision or a biopsy. It is therefore, suggested that cases with tumoural obstructive hydrocephalus may represent a subset of hydrocephalic patients who are associated with a relatively low risk of shunt complications. The observation has to be addressed when the role of endoscopic third ventriculostomy in these patients is being considered.     

Ipsilateral oculomotor nerve palsy and contralateral downbeat nystagmus due to unilateral paramedian thalamopenduncular infarction--a case report

A case of midbrain and thalamic infarction which showed complete oculomotor nerve palsy of the ipsilateral eye and monocular downbeat nystagmus, ptosis, upward movement disturbance and adduction disturbance of the contralateral eye was reported. The patient is a 53-year-old woman who was admitted to our hospital because of sudden onset of double vision. Head magnetic resonance imaging showed unilateral midbrain and thalamic infarction. The midbrain lesion was located in the paramedian area and the bilateral ptosis, bilateral upward gaze palsy and adduction disturbance of the contralateral eye were considered to be caused by the lesion involving the unilateral oculomotor nucleus. This case is considered to be important because the association of contralateral monocular downbeat nystagmus is very rare.     

The effect of different porcelain conditioning techniques on shear bond strength of stainless steel brackets

A 51-year-old man was admitted because of bilateral fatigable blepharoptosis with diurnal fluctuation. He had a tendency to take much instant foods before onset. On admission, he showed symmetrical bilateral ptosis, supranuclear upward gaze palsy and vertical diplopia. Ptosis mildly improved on lateral or upward gaze. Bell's phenomenon and pupillary response were intact. Intravenous edrophonium infusion test and serum antiacetylcholine receptor antibody were negative. Cranial MRI and CT demonstrated the lesion in the periaqueductal gray (PAG) region from superior colliculus to upper pontine level, which was remarkably enhanced by Gd-DTPA infusion. He was diagnosed as midbrain ptosis, probably due to atypical Wernicke's encephalopathy. It was conceivable that the PAG lesion might be contributory to fatigable blepharoptosis (pseudomyasthenia) and supranuclear upward gaze palsy in the present case, because the PAG controls levator palpebrae neurons of central caudal nucleus in oculomotor nucleus complex and receives afferents from the limbic system., reticular formation and posterior commissure.     

Alternative medicine: where''s the evidence?

Third ventriculocisternostomy was performed in 23 patients for management of hydrocephalus. The procedure was offered as the first treatment in 18 cases and in lieu of a shunt revision in 4 cases. Median follow-up was 17 months (range 7-44 months). In 16 patients the operation was successful in treating their symptoms (73%). Cine MRI was helpful in evaluating patients with persistent ventriculomegaly. Resolution of symptoms in association with decreased ventricular size correlated best with outcome following this procedure. Third ventriculocisternostomy is technically safe and minimally invasive and should be offered as the first procedure in the management of noncommunicating hydrocephalus.     

Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus-induced alterations of T helper-mediated responses in mice developing autoimmune hemolytic anemia during the course of infection

A slit-like ventricle is one of the serious complications which can occur after a shunting operation. Low pressure valve systems are usually applied for hydrocephalus during infancy. As a result the shape of the ventricle often becomes slit-like after the operation. Many shunt dependent children with slit-like ventricles have to undergo shunt revisions repeatedly. From April 1995 to February 1997 the authors used the Medos programmable Hakim valve system for 20 hydrocephalic children with slit-like ventricles who had been suffering from multiple shunt problems. The patients ages at the operation were between 3-16 Male:Female was 12:8. Follow up periods were 10-20 months. In 12 of 20 patients the shunt revisions were performed at the time of shunt dysfunction and the valve pressure levels were able to be set at the highest levels without the appearance of any symptoms. In this group the size of all the ventricles had become slightly enlarged. In the other 8 patients the operations were performed for fear of other troubles arising if shunt revisions were neglected. In this group the valve pressure levels were set with reference to the intraoperative ICP. It took a relatively long period to elevate the valve levels. Shunt dysfunction due to obstruction of the ventricular catheter was seen in one case but the symptom was not so severe and the catheter which had firmly adhered to the choroid plexus was removed endoscopically. In 2 cases of this series the shunt systems were successfully eliminated. The authors report the method and efficacy of their series using the Medos programmable Hakim valve system and a newly developed ventriculofiberscope for the slit-like ventricle of children.     

The Sophy valve and the el-Shafei shunt system for adult hydrocephalus

A selected series of 22 adult patients with hydrocephalus were treated by a shunt system incorporating a variable pressure Sophy valve or by ventriculojugular shunting against the direction of blood flow using the El-Shafei system. One patient had insertion of two Sophy valves and an El-Shafei shunt. Patient selection was reserved to those with hydrocephalus thought to be at high risk when shunted with systems containing a conventional unipressure valve. None of the eight patients who had ventriculojugular shunting by the El-Shafei method demonstrated any notable clinical or radiological improvement subsequent to shunt insertion. Of the 16 Sophy devices inserted only seven produced a satisfactory result. The current evaluation of shunt malfunction could be improved by support for a national register.     

Effects of heparin-induced non-esterified free fatty acid on minimal model-derived insulin sensitivity in individuals with varying degrees of glucose intolerance

We report a case of pineocytoma associated with an unusually large cyst. A 15-year-old boy was admitted with a complaint of intermittent headache. Neurological examination was normal except for bilateral papilledema. CT scan showed triventricular hydrocephalus and a large mass. A solid portion of the tumor in the pineal and retrothalamic areas was isodense, and contained massive calcification on CT. A huge cystic portion extended far into the infratentorial, supracellebellar area. On MR, the solid tumor showed isointensity on T1-WI and iso- to high intensity on T2-WI, and was enhanced by Gd-DTPA. After a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt, the tumor was partially removed through an occipital supratentorial approach. Histological examination revealed a pineocytoma with neuronal and astrocytic differentiations. Reviewing the literature, it is most unusual to find a pineocytoma associated with a huge cyst as was seen in this case.     

Nephritis following shunt operation for hydrocephalus

The ventriculo-atrial (VA) and ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunts implanted due to hypertensive hydrocephalus might get infected and be complicated by shunt nephritis. We reviewed the morphological changes in kidney retrospectively in the autopsy materials of our institute for the last 15 years after shunt implantation. Histological examination of the kidney was performed in 26 of these cases having 7 cases with glomerular morphological changes. Thus, the shunt nephritis is a relatively frequent complication of VA or VP shunts implanted due to hydrocephalus. Monitorization and follow-up of kidney function in case of any dysfunction of the shunt may suggest the possibility of shunt infection, and the removal of the infected shunt may protect the development of more severe, septic complications.     

Syringomyelia following lumboureteral shunting for communicating hydrocephalus. Report of three cases

Three patients are described in whom syringomyelia was identified long after the treatment of communicating hydrocephalus by a lumboureteral shunt. The reason for syrinx formation in these cases could not be determined. In two there was either autopsy-proven or presumed evidence for arachnoiditis, and in the third patient the symptoms of syringomyelia were acutely aggravated by temporary obstruction of shunt. The development of a pressure drop from the intracranial compartment to the spinal compartment with crowding at the foramen magnum is also a suggested mechanism.     

The radiodensity of medications seen on x-ray films

A 44-year-old Japanese man was diagnosed as having late adult-onset dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA), whose CAG repeats in the DRPLA gene were 60 and 15. He developed gait disturbance, limb ataxia, pyramidal tract signs, dementia, and psychiatric symptoms including character changes within a few years of the above diagnosis. His T 2-weighted brain MRI showed symmetric high-signal lesions in the cerebral white matter and brain stem, in addition to cerebellar, brain stem, and cerebral cortical atrophy. Since the results of RI cisternography indicated that he manifested the clinical features of normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), V-P shunt operation was done. In a week after the operation, his gait disturbance, pyramidal tract signs, dementia and psychiatric symptoms were remarkably improved. White matter lesions have been thought to be concomitant with late adult-onset DRPLA patients, but some of these patients may have characteristics of NPH pathophysiology.     

Progressive supranuclear palsy

Progressive supranuclear paly (PSP) was firstly reported by Steel in 1964. This condition was separated from Parkinsonism by both clinical symptoms and neuropathological findings. Recently, in an attempt to improve diagnostic accuracy to give appropriate informed concepts and to select correct cases for drug studies or other research purpose, diagnostic criteria for PSP have been developed. PSP begins in the presenile period and duration of illness is 5.9 years (1.2-10.3 years; Maher and Lees, 1986). Cardinal clinical symptoms of PSP are supranuclear gaze palsy, neck dystonia, parkinsonism, pseudobulbar palsy, gait imbalance with frequent falls and subcortical dementia. Supranuclear gaze palsy and bradykinesia are essential for diagnosis. MR-imaging of PSP shows dilatation of the third ventricle. Other laboratory examinations show no specific findings. Neuropathologically, marked dilation of the third ventricle and volume loss of periaqueductal area of the midbrain are noted in macroscopic view. Microscopical examination reveals neuronal loss and gliosis in the tegmentum, the tectum, periaqueductal gray, the dentate-rubro-pallido-luysial area, and the inferior olivary nucleus. Neuropathological hallmarks of PSP are neuronal loss, presence of the globose typed neurofibrillary degeneration, and glial tangles (so called tuft shaped astrocyte and coiled body). Atypical cases of PSP are reported. Such cases are reported as pure akinesia, PSP without ophthalmoplegia, dementia predominant PSP, pathologically diagnosed pallido-nigro-luysial atrophy (PNLA), pathologically diagnosed corticobasal degeneration which showed no laterality, and so on. Reported cases as pure akinesia was diagnosed as PSP or PNLA by neuropathological findings. Improvement of diagnostic accuracy in PSP is expected to ithrapeutic trials, to investigate the etiology, and to separate the other clinical entity from PSP.     

The tentorium in axial section. II. Lesion localization

Most juxtatentorial lesions may be localized accurately on contrast-enhanced axial section CT scans by use of the opacified tentorial bands. Lesions that lie lateral edge of the diverging bands are supratentorial. Lesions that lie medial to the V-shaped tentorial bands are infratentorial and/or incisural. Flattening of the tentorial border of a lesion helps to identify its location. Use of the tentorial bands identifies transincisural extension of meningioma reliably, but does distinguish well between true transtentorial growth of meningioma and marked upward bulging of the tentorium from purely infratentorial meningioma.     

How occupational therapists teach older patients to use bathing and dressing devices in rehabilitation

PURPOSE: Brown's syndrome is a form of anatomical strabismus, or retraction syndrome. It is defined by active and passive limitation of upward gaze in adduction in the field of action of the inferior oblique muscle. The etiology of Brown's syndrome remains unknown. The defect lies at the level of the superior oblique's tendonis trajectory via the trochlea. We studied the frequency of clinical signs and results after surgery in patients presenting congenital Brown's syndrome. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Our study involved 18 children. They all underwent complete ophthalmological examination with orthoptic testing, pre and postoperatively. RESULTS: Neither sidedness nor predominance of sex was noted. Compensatory head posture was noted in 7 of 18 cases. Limitation of upward gaze in adduction was a constant finding, with a positive duction test. Eleven cases underwent superior oblique recession. Results of surgery were satisfactory, with resolution of compensatory head posture in over 80% of cases. CONCLUSION: The etiology of congenital Brown's syndrome remains unknown. The different surgical techniques give inconstant results. Operative indication is decided only when in the presence of well defined clinical manifestations: CHP, deviation in primary position with alteration of binocular vision.     

Epilepsy in children with shunted hydrocephalus

OBJECT: The incidence of epilepsy among children with hydrocephalus and its relation to shunts and their complications, raised intracranial pressure (ICP), and developmental outcome are explored in a retrospective study. METHODS: The authors studied a series of 802 children with hydrocephalus due to varying causes, who were treated by ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement between 1980 and 1990, with a mean follow-up period of 8 years. Patients who had tumoral hydrocephalus and those whose files lacked significant data were excluded. Data extracted from medical records, including history of the hydrocephalus and history of seizures, if any, were analyzed. Thirty-two percent of the children had epilepsy, the onset of which frequently occurred at approximately the same time that the diagnosis of hydrocephalus was made. The majority of the affected children had severe uncontrolled epilepsy. The incidence of epilepsy was significantly affected by the original cause of the hydrocephalus. The presence of radiological abnormalities was also found to be a significant predictor of epilepsy. Similarly, shunt complications predisposed to epilepsy. Episodes of raised ICP related to hydrocephalus or in association with shunt malfunction may also predispose to epileptic seizures. Furthermore, the presence of a shunt by itself seems able to promote an epileptogenic focus. Finally, epilepsy appears to be an important predictor of poor intellectual outcome in hydrocephalic children with shunts. CONCLUSIONS: A prospective study is needed to identify clearly and confirm avoidable factors predisposing to seizures in these children so that we can strive to reduce the incidence of these seizures and, subsequently, improve these children's quality of life.     

Transcutaneous pressure adjustable valve for the treatment of hydrocephalus and arachnoid cysts in adults. Experiences with 75 cases

The authors report a series of 75 adults treated over the last four years for hydrocephalus (69 cases) or arachnoid cysts (6 cases) by using a transcutaneous pressure adjustable valve (Sophy SU 8), the mechanism of which is recalled. The shunt was ventriculo-atrial 46 times, ventriculo-peritoneal 23 times and cysto-peritoneal 6 times. The opening pressure of the valve was initially adjusted 56 times to the medium, 9 times to the high, and 10 times to the low position, according to each particular patient's needs. Following the evolution of the neurological status and/or the CT findings, the opening pressure was secondarily modified in 27 patients (i.e., in 36%), and in some of them several times. It was raised 16 times: 10 times because of subdural hygroma(s) (complicated by a subdural haematoma which required surgical removal, in one case), and 6 times because of clinical symptoms of intracranial hypotension associated with hyperdrainage signs on CT. It was diminished 20 times because of the absence of clinical improvement and persistence of dilated ventricles on CT. In these 27 patients the Sophy SU 8 valve allowed modification of its opening pressure according to the clinical and CT evolution, without need for re-operation. It is concluded that the patients who can benefit most from this valve system are patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus or with arachnoid cysts.     

Use of carbidopa-levodopa in a patient with hydrocephalus and frozen movement

While movement disorders are frequently encountered after brain injuries, and may create a host of complicated problems for the clinician, only a few cases of Parkinsonism associated with hydrocephalus have ever been described in the literature. Parkinsonism-like syndrome complicating hydrocephalus is a rare disorder, especially when associated with nontumoral aqueductal stenosis. Yet as this case report discusses, hdyrocephalus-induced Parkinsonism may be responsive to levodopa-carbidopa administration. This report describes a perplexing case of persistent akinesis following corrective surgery for aqueductal stenosis and the subsequent response to levodopa-carbidopa administration. We present the case of a 28-year-old male with a history of non-tumoral aqueductal stenosis diagnosed at age 12. As a child, he underwent a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt placement for obstructive hydrocephalus followed by multiple shunt revisions over the next several years. Sixteen years after his initial shunt placement, the patient presented with a decline in mental status. A third ventriculocisternostomy was performed rather than another shunt revision. Following surgery, the patient remained obtunded, and displayed profound hypokinesis, best described as freezing in movement. Upon admission to a rehabilitation unit 2 weeks later, he had made only minimal progress. A SPECT (single-photon emission computed tomography) brain scan revealed decreased basal ganglia perfusion. Levodopa/carbidopa therapy was initiated and within 2 weeks, the patient showed improvement in speed of movement, facial expression and verbal output. Eight weeks later, the patient could independently complete his basic activities of daily living and demonstrated little, if any, disordered movement. This report illustrates how dopaminergic agents may be useful in cases of hypokinesis following corrective surgery for aqueductal stenosis. SPECT may further aid in the diagnosis and management of Parkinsonism-like syndromes in brain injuries.