NMC Case Report Journal最新文献

The causes of spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) have been attributed to coagulopathy, trauma, vascular anomalies, and so forth. The incidence of vascular anomalies shown by digital subtraction angiography has been reported to be 15%, and most cases have been reported to be spinal epidural arteriovenous fistulae. SEH has rarely been caused by venous congestion. We report a case of SEH in a 78-year-old male who presented to our emergency department with sudden-onset back pain, followed by complete paraplegia with bladder and rectal disturbance. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a dorsally placed extradural hematoma extending from T10 to L1. An urgent laminectomy from T11 to L2 was performed. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) performed 1 week after the operation showed compression of the left renal vein between the aorta and superior mesenteric artery with dilation of the surrounding veins, including the spinal epidural venous plexus, at the same level as the hematoma. This was diagnosed as Nutcracker syndrome (NCS), which was consistent as a cause of SEH. The patient's symptoms gradually improved, and after 6 months, he regained normal strength in his lower extremities, but bladder and rectal disturbance remained and required intermittent self-catheterization. We chose conservative treatment for NCS, and SEH did not recur until the patient died of a cause unrelated to SEH or NCS. SEH could occur secondary to venous congestion including NCS. We emphasize the importance of investigating venous return to evaluate the etiology of SEH, which can be clearly visualized using CTA.

Tufted angioma is a benign vascular tumor in which immature endothelial and pericyte cells and lymphatic vascular endothelium grow. It manifests as a flat, painful erythema that gradually expands mainly on the trunk and extremities. Although tufted angiomas can also occur in other areas of the body and may be more locally invasive, they rarely occur intracranially. A 63-year-old man underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for a brain check-up 8 years before his visit to our institute, which detected a mass lesion with surrounding cerebral edema in the left frontal lobe. The patient was followed up with annual MRI analysis, which indicated slow tumor growth and gradual development of peritumoral edema. The tumor was treated by gross-total resection. Histological analysis showed a slightly dilated microvascular core surrounded by many capillary aggregates in the brain parenchyma. Immunohistochemical findings indicated that the vascular endothelial cells were positive for CD34 and Brahma-related gene-1 and were surrounded by smooth muscle actin-positive pericytes. These findings were consistent with tufted angioma. Intracranial tufted angioma is uncommon, but it should be considered in the differential diagnosis for intracranial tumorous lesions. Long-term follow-up is necessary to unravel the natural history of the disease.

Aneurysms of the A1 segment of the anterior cerebral artery tend to develop in combination with various vascular anomalies of the A1 segment. Arterial branches that originate from the A1 segment and perfuse cortical regions are known to be rare. In this report, we describe a 48-year-old woman who presented with a ruptured aneurysm at the origin of an anomalous cortical artery arising from the A1 segment, for which microsurgical neck clipping was performed. Intraoperatively, the anomalous artery was seen to originate from the A1 segment, running into the interhemispheric fissure. An aneurysm was located at the bifurcation of the anomalous artery and the A1 segment. Postoperative angiography showed that the anomalous artery has branched into the fronto-orbital artery and the frontopolar artery and terminated as the anterior internal frontal arteries. We report a rare case of an aneurysm arising from an anomalous callosomarginal artery that arose from the A1 segment and perfused the cortical region. It is of significance to recognize that an aneurysm can develop at the origin of an anomalous artery that arises from the A1 segment.

We report a rare case of hypoglossal canal meningioma in a 65-year-old woman who presented with dysphagia. Neurological examination revealed left hypoglossal nerve palsy. Head computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a lesion around the left hypoglossal canal. She underwent a total resection with a midline suboccipital transcondylar approach. There were no postoperative complications, and the hypoglossal nerve palsy improved. There was no recurrence nine months after the surgery. Choosing a surgical approach that considers the site of origin and extent of tumor extension is important.

Tentorial dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) is an aggressive vascular lesion causing progressive neurological deficits. Venous congestive cervical edema is a rare phenomenon caused by tentorial DAVF. Obliteration of the fistula and venous drainage should be the goal of treatment. A 62-year-old man was admitted with lower limb weakness and numbness. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed extensive edema of the upper cervical cord with signal flow void at the anterior spinal cord. Internal carotid angiography revealed a tentorial arteriovenous shunt near the superior petrosal sinus fed mainly by the tentorial artery. The petrosal vein was dilated, with the transverse pontine vein, medial medullary vein, and anterior spinal vein as the main drainage route. This suggests that venous hypertension triggered the upper cervical cord edema. MRI with gadolinium enhancement showed that the varix was located just distal to the shunt. Microsurgical obliteration of the fistula and venous drainage were achieved via a suboccipital approach. A postoperative evaluation showed the disappearance of the cervical cord edema with improved clinical symptoms. Tentorial DAVF with spinal venous drainage presents with mild and slow progression of symptoms. Differential diagnosis and definite treatment are mandatory to avoid a delayed diagnosis and irreversible symptoms.

Gelatin-based hemostatic agents are widely used in neurosurgery. This is a case of postoperative aphagia strongly suspected to be caused by an allergic reaction to a gelatin-based hemostatic agent after anterior cervical decompression and fusion for central cervical cord injury. A 55-year-old man underwent cervical anterior decompression and fusion at the C3/4 and 4/5 levels for central cervical cord injury. Immediately after the surgery, he could not swallow saliva at all, but his voice was not hoarse. Postoperative cervical computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed significant edema from the post-hypopharynx wall to the front of the vertebral body. The retropharyngeal space was remarkably enlarged to 15.8 mm with cervical spine X-rays. Without neurological symptom improvement, his condition was diagnosed as marked edema of the area where Surgiflo (porcine-derived gelatin-based hemostatic agent; Johnson & Johnson Wound Management, Somerville, NJ, USA) had been applied during the operation. It was strongly suspected to be caused by an allergic response to the porcine-derived gelatin. When methylprednisolone 1000 mg was administered for 3 days from the 5th postoperative day, swallowing became almost normal within a few hours after the initial administration, and his neurological symptoms improved. The patient left the hospital on the 12th day after the operation. Before using porcine-derived gelatin products during surgery, special consideration should be given to patients with an allergy history before surgery.

Endovascular embolization of the middle meningeal artery (MMA) has been reported as an effective method for treating chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH); however, its preventive effect on CSDH following craniotomy is unknown. We present a case in which MMA embolization was ineffective in preventing CSDH following craniotomy. A 56-year-old man who complained of diplopia was diagnosed with sphenoid ridge meningioma with a 3-cm diameter. MMA embolization prior to the operation and total surgical removal of the tumor were performed. Two months postoperatively, the patient complained of headache and hemiparesis of the left side. CSDH with a 15-mm thickness and a midline shift was observed. MMA embolization before inflammation may not play a role in preventing CSDH development because MMA embolization is considered effective in CSDH because it is associated with the blood supply of neovessels that are newly formed due to inflammation. Therefore, MMA embolization might not be effective in preventing the occurrence of CSDH following craniotomy.

Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) typically develops in the supratentorial region in elderly patients. We treated a case of unilateral supratentorial and bilateral infratentorial CSDH, whereby the patient had a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection combined with disseminated intravascular coagulation 2 months earlier. The patient had not experienced any head trauma before the onset of the CSDH. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient experienced no neurological deficit. We propose that we should be aware not only of acute ischemic or hemorrhagic diseases after COVID-19 infection but also of chronic subdural hematoma caused by coagulopathy after a COVID-19 infection.

Penetrating neck injury by a crossbow bolt is extremely rare and can be life-threatening. When removing a crossbow bolt from the neck, it is necessary to protect against fatal bleeding from the carotid vessels. We report removing a crossbow bolt penetrating the neck, with an endovascular approach. A 49-year-old woman was shot in the neck by a crossbow and was transferred to our hospital. On presentation, the crossbow bolt totally penetrated the neck from right to left. Her level of consciousness was clear, with no significant neurological deficits except for right peripheral facial palsy. Neck contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed the crossbow bolt in contact with bilateral external and internal carotid arteries and that the bolt caused dissection of the left main trunk of the external carotid artery. Under general anesthesia, the crossbow bolt was removed under fluoroscopy with the assistance of an endovascular approach. First, we performed coil embolization for the dissected external carotid artery. Second, we prepared for fatal bleeding from the carotid arteries during crossbow bolt removal under protection using guiding catheters placed in bilateral common carotid arteries. The bolt was removed successfully without significant bleeding, and no complications occurred during the procedure. We report the successful removal of a crossbow bolt penetrating the neck. When removing a crossbow bolt penetrating the neck, endovascular assistance may be feasible to protect against fatal bleeding from the carotid arteries.