Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Cerejo

Publications and source records attributed to A Cerejo.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

[Reconstruction of the anterior cranial base with a frontal muscle flap in cerebrospinal fluid fistulae].

Craniofacial infection is a major problem for the plastic and neurosurgical team. Previous successful experiences with free muscle and omentum flaps and the galea frontalis myofascial flap have been reported, avoiding disastrous complications after frontofacial advancements and the resection of skull base tumors. The authors report the clinical use of the galea frontalis myofascial flap in the treatment of anterior fossa CSF leaks. This flap provides an adequate sized and vascularized barrier between the cranial and nasal cavities through which the cells of the inflammatory response reach the target area. This technique was used in 11 cases with complete success; in-6 patients, repair of the anterior cranial base bone defect was performed with split calvarium bone grafts, harvested from craniotomy bone. In all the patients, neither the recurrence of the CSF leakage nor post-operative meningitis or its recurrence were observed.

Adult↗

The galea frontalis myofascial flap in anterior fossa CSF leaks.

We report the clinical use of galea frontalis myofascial flaps in the treatment of anterior fossa cerebrospinal fluid leaks after trauma. This flap provides an adequately sized and vascularised barrier between the cranial and nasal cavities through which the cells of the inflammatory response reach the target area. This technique was used in 9 cases with complete success; in 5 out of 9 patients, repair of an anterior cranial base bone defect was also performed with split calvarial bone grafts, harvested from the frontal craniotomy bone. In all patients, neither recurrence of the CSF leakage nor postoperative meningitis or its recurrence were observed.

Adult↗

HM-PAO spect in head trauma.

Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) after intravenous administration of Technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene-amine oxime (Tc-99m HM-PAO) makes possible the evaluation of cerebral perfusion. We have been assessing the diagnostic accuracy of SPECT in some groups of head trauma patients: the preliminary results of this study are presented. Fourteen patients have been selected, all of them showing some kind of focal neurological deficit; the Computed Tomography (CT) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) were normal, or showed lesions that could not be responsible for the neurological deficits. In all of the patients Tc-99m HM-PAO SPECT has been performed, showing changes in cerebral perfusion in areas correlated with the abnormalities elicited on clinical examination. These results show that Tc-99m HM-PAO SPECT is a better technique than CT or NMR in demonstrating the organic basis of some neurological deficits observed after head trauma.

Adolescent↗

Traumatic interhemispheric subdural haematomas.

According to reports in the literature traumatic interhemispheric subdural haematomas (I.S.H.) are supposed to present acutely or subacutely with contralateral monoparesis of a lower extremity or hemiparesis or in bilateral haematomas even with paraparesis, and to need early operative evacuation. In our series of 5 cases none of them followed this "classical" clinical picture, and three of them recovered without operation. We conclude that the indication for operative evacuation depends on the clinical course and that in patients with spontaneously improving symptomatology non-surgical management under close supervision may be the better solution. Also the C.T. finding of open convexity cisterns may be possible indication for conservative management.

Adolescent↗

Spinal cord hemangioblastoma with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

A case of subarachnoid hemorrhage caused by a cervical hemangioblastoma is presented. The clinical picture was indistinguishable from that of a subarachnoid hemorrhage from an intracranial lesion. The diagnosis was established by angiography and water-soluble contrast myelography followed by cervical computed tomographic scan. At surgery, the tumor was completely removed, and no neurological deficit was observed after the operation.

Adult↗

[Craniopharyngiomas. Clinicopathological aspects in different age groups].

Craniopharyngiomas are rare brain tumors of the hypothalamo-pituitary region, developing from embryonic remnants of Rathke's pouch and sac. Their overall incidence is 0.13 per 100,000 person years. Most frequently, they are suprasellar, start growing in childhood and originate neurological and hormonal symptoms. We retrospectively studied patients treated in our institution for craniopharyngioma in the last 10 years, in order to evaluate their clinical, imaging and pathological characteristics. Of the 32 patients analysed, 18 were females and 14 males with ages ranging between 6 and 81 years (early onset group--EOG aged 5-14 years: 7 patients; middle age onset group--MAOG aged 15-49 years: 15 patients; late age onset group--LOG aged > or = 50 years: 10 patients). Visual impairment was the most frequent presenting clinical feature in EOG (71.4%) and MAOG (86.6%), while in the LOG personality and cognitive changes including memory loss predominated (60%). Headaches were very frequent in all groups (EOG 42.8%, MAOG 60%, LOG 40%). Meningitis and seizures were presenting features, each in one patient. Regarding endocrine symptoms and signs, growth failure was present in 57.2% of the EOG. Amenorrhea was present in 5 of 10 female patients of the MAOG. Preoperatively, TSH was deficient in 25%, ACTH in 15.6% and gonadotropin in 25% of the patients. There were no cases of diabetes insipidus. Preoperative CT and MR revealed a calcified mass in 12 (37.5%), a partially cystic mass in 20 (62.5%) and a lesion involving or extending into the third ventricle in 7 (21.9%) patients. Twenty seven (84.4%) patients were treated primarily by surgery. In 4 (12.5%) cases the tumour was considered inoperable and 1 (3.1%) patient refused surgery; all were in the LOG. Surgical approach was transsphenoidal in 2/27 (7.4%) (all of them in the LAOG) and by craniotomy in the others. The tumour removable was considered complete in 10 (37%--EOG 2/7, MAOG 6/15, LOG 2/5) and subtotal in 17 (62.9%) patients. Eight (29.6%) patients were reoperated for recurrent tumour. Postoperative radiotherapy was administered in 12 cases with residual tumor, and 3 inoperable tumors were treated primarily by conventional external radiotherapy. Pathological study revealed the adamantinomatous type in 25 (92.6%) and the papillary type in 2 (7.4%--all men in the MAOG) tumors. The average follow-up was longer in the EOG (82.6 +/- 40.7 months) than in MAOG (57.2 +/- 48.5 months) and in LOG (48 +/- 92 months). Four (12.5%) patients died, 1 during the follow-up period due to a radiation-induced astrocytoma and 3 in the postoperative period because of cerebral hemorrhage and hydrocephalus (1 in the EOG and 2 in the LOG). In summary, we found the clinical presentation to be different in the 3 age groups, with a large number of patients in the MAOG. In this group were the only examples of the papillary form. Better prognosis was associated with a total resection at initial surgery.

Adolescent↗