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Biomedical subjects

J Cophignon

Publications and source records attributed to J Cophignon.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Reversible hearing loss in a patient with cryptococcosis.

A 16-year-old girl had hearing loss, paroxysmal tremor, gait disorders, and psychiatric disturbances as the initial manifestations of a cryptococcal meningoencephalitis. Imaging demonstrated an obstructive hydrocephalus, and neuro-otological explorations showed a retrocochlear deafness and diffuse brainstem involvement. Emphasis is on the deafness, which rarely occurs as a presenting symptom in this condition, and on its dramatic improvement following antimycotic therapy.

Adolescent↗

Esthesioneuroblastoma with intracranial extension.

The authors present five cases of olfactory neuroblastoma with intracranial extension operated on in the Department of Neurosurgery in collaboration with otorhinolaryngologists. This tumor is most frequently reported as growing inside the nasal cavities, and it can extend to the paranasal sinuses. Cases presenting initially as intracranial tumors have been infrequently reported. At present, histological diagnosis of this tumor is aided by the use of electron microscopy and immunocytochemistry. Total resection combined with radiation therapy remains the most satisfactory treatment.

Adolescent↗

[Endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms. Value and prospects based on a series of 92 cases].

Endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms is a recent technique which needs to be evaluated in large series. From 1978 to 1988, 92 cases of aneurysms were balloon-treated at Lariboisière Hospital either by parent vessel occlusion (O.V.P.) (N = 48) or by selective obliteration (O.S.A.). Treatment in all but 5 cases was performed 3 weeks after S.A.H. since the main reason for choosing endovascular technique was contraindication of early surgery. Giant aneurysms account for 31 cases, vertebro-basilar for 38 and cavernous carotid for 27. In O.V.P. group, there were 17 patients referred after subarachnoid hemorrhage and 30 after tumoral symptoms, while in O.S.A. group, 30 bled and 5 presented with oculomotor palsies. Results in the O.V.P. group are good with 8% morbidity and mortality. In O.S.A., they are worse: 16% (morbidity and mortality) and 22% of secondary balloon deflation; however, because of the features of these aneurysms (size and location), the results seem quite acceptable. Endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms is a promising technique which should already replace parent vessel ligation when indicated, and progressively supplant surgical clipping when the remaining technical problems are resolved.

Catheterization↗

Spinal dural arteriovenous malformations with perimedullary drainage. Indications and results of surgery in 30 cases.

70 patients were treated for spinal dural arteriovenous fistula in the same centre, during a period of 10 years. Conus medullaris and cauda equina syndromes were observed in all patients as the clinical stereotyped presentation. Diagnosis was based on myelography in the first instance and then on angiography. 40 patients were treated by intravascular neuroradiological embolization, whereas the other 30 were operated on. Surgery was proposed because embolization was contraindicated (7 cases of hazardous catheterisation) of inefficient (23 cases = 38%). The results of the operative series are presented, and compared with those of embolization. Improvement was observed in 50% of the 20 patients with follow up, but a complete recovery to an asymptomatic state was never obtained. For the other patients (47%) complete stabilization of the disease could be obtained, whereas in one of the patients (3%), who was operated upon because of failure of embolization, surgery was also completely ineffectual. The long-term results of patients treated surgically are comparable with those patients efficiently embolized. 5 patients of the operative series were submitted to MRI before and after surgery: the results and the place of MRI are discussed.

Adult↗

The effect of somatostatin analogue on chiasmal dysfunction from pituitary macroadenomas.

The long-acting somatostatin analogue SMS 201-995 has been shown to be efficient in the treatment of somatotropic and thyrotropic adenomas. In some cases, it can suppress adenoma secretion and lead to tumor shrinkage. Pituitary macroadenomas are often associated with a vision-threatening chiasmal syndrome. In this series, SMS 201-995 was administered subcutaneously to eight patients with pituitary macroadenomas of various types responsible for severe long-lasting visual defects. An obvious improvement of both visual fields and acuity occurred in six patients, in two of these during the first 4 to 6 hours of treatment; in two patients, gonadotropic adenomas were unresponsive. Maximal improvement (normalization of visual fields in three cases) occurred within 6 to 45 days and was sustained during the 1- to 12-month follow-up period. This effect seems independent of the type of adenoma since the adenomas secreting growth hormone (GH) and thyroid-stimulating hormone and silent corticotropic-secreting adenomas responded as well as did two of the non-functioning adenomas. In one acromegalic patient visual improvement was obtained while the abnormal GH secretion remained unaltered. In all cases but one, no tumor shrinkage could be demonstrated. These data demonstrate that SMS 201-995 can rapidly improve the chiasmal syndrome due to pituitary macroadenoma, and suggest that this effect might be independent of a reduction in tumor volume.

Adenoma↗

[Clinical tolerance of CY 216 (Fraxiparin) in the prevention of thromboembolic accidents after neurosurgery].

Clinical tolerance of CY 216 was assessed on 97 patients in two neurosurgical departments (Hopital Lariboisière and Hopital Beaujon, Paris). All the 97 patients were operated on by different cranial approaches, but always including bone flap. No thrombo-embolic event could be detected in this series. Post-operative intracranial hemorrhage was observed in 19 cases on the basis of CT scan performed on the first and seventh post-operative day. Among these 19 patients, 8 presented an increase of the hemorrhagic aspect between the 2 CT scan. However, clinical state of these patients improved and no reoperation was necessary to treat these hemorrhages. From this study, we consider that CY 216 is an effective mean of thrombo-embolism prevention with little hemorrhagic side-effect. Therefore, it can be recommended in the aftermath of intracranial surgical procedures.

Adolescent↗

[Criteria for brain death: cessation of cerebral circulation demonstrated by Doppler ultrasonography of the carotid arteries].

If human death is defined by brain death, its diagnosis needs medicolegal criteria based on clinical examination and EEG. However, this evaluation could be difficult because technical or physiological limitations might impair the interpretation, especially after barbiturates and/or hypothermia. Since brain death is characterized by an intracranial circulatory arrest, methods assessing this phenomenon are warranted. Among these methods, conventional or isotopic cerebral angiography appears the most promising, but it cannot be easily performed everywhere. Because superficial blood flow in arteries is now accurately measured by the pulsed Döppler technique, this prompted us to test the specificity and sensitivity of common carotid blood flow data for brain death diagnosis. Two series of age-matched patients (36 yrs in mean) were studied. Series 1 (n = 28) was used to define the discriminant parameters between 14 severe coma patients and 14 brain-dead patients diagnosed by the classical criteria. Then these parameters were prospectively tested in a blind manner on a second series of 28 patients suffering from severe coma. The parameters allowing us to classify patients as brain dead or not with a 100% specificity and sensitivity were: end diastolic blood flow (QED in ml/min), end diastolic blood flow velocity (VED), and cerebral metabolic index (CMI = QED x AV D 02). The most powerful discriminant parameter was QED, allowing a strictly non-invasive diagnosis of brain death.

Adult↗

Lateral approach to the anterior portion of the foramen magnum. Application to surgical removal of 14 benign tumors: technical note.

In surgery, better access to the anterior part of the foramen magnum with less risk to the lower brainstem can be obtained by lateral enlargement of the usual posterior opening. This requires exposure and control of the vertebral artery (VA) and the sigmoid sinus (SS) and, for further enlargement, medial transposition of the VA and section of the SS with inferior petrosal resection. This technique has been applied fully or partially in 14 cases of anteriorly located tumors of the foramen magnum. It widens exposure on the anterior aspect of the neural axis and allows work in a nearly frontal plane.

Adolescent↗

[Value of the measurement of cerebral blood flow in choosing the operative time of ruptured intracranial aneurysm].

The authors report a series of 135 patients treated between 1984 and 1987, for a ruptured intracranial saccular aneurysm in the Department of Neurosurgery at the Lariboisiere Hospital. The value of C.T. scan and cerebral blood flow measurements (C.B.F.) in predicting the development of vasospasm was studied on 99 cases. The analysis confirmed that the C.T. Scan findings are closely related to vasospasm. A low C.B.F. between the fourth and the eight day following the bleeding was significantly associated with the development of delayed cerebral ischaemia. On the contrary, no relation was found between vasospasm and the C.B.F. measured during the three days following the bleeding. The authors propose to operate without delay on clinical grounds on patients referred during the first three days after the hemorrhage and to decide, on clinical and C.B.F. data, the timing of the intervention for patients admitted after this data, i.e. 35% of their patients.

Cerebral Hemorrhage↗

[Orbital localization of clear-cell sarcoma of tendons and aponeuroses. Apropos of a case report].

Clear cell sarcoma of tendons and aponeuroses actually is a well identified soft tissue tumor. A primary orbital involvement is presented, with an optical and electron microscopic study. The orbital topography of such a tumor seems to be an exceptional opportunity. The histological study showed the typical pattern of this clear cell tumor. Ultrastructurally, there are not absolute specific features to establish the diagnosis, except the finding of intra-cellular melanosomes. Histogenesis has been debated for a long time between a melanotic or a synovial origin. According to present knowledge, this tumor may be attributed to a neural crest origin.

Adult↗

[Intracranial arterial aneurysm. Differences in origin and prognosis in men and women].

A statistical model was defined from a series of 144 patients referred for a subarachnoid hemorrhage due to intracranial aneurysm rupture, occurred less than 3 days before admission. This model was then prospectively applied on a second series of 70 patients and allowed to find out four datas predicting the final functional result: age (p = 0.02), clinical status (p = 0.001), angiographic evidence of spasm (p = 0.01) and sex (p = 0.001). Concerning sex, functional result appears worse in women than in man. This more severe prognosis of aneurysmal rupture in woman is explained by the higher frequency of spasm (p less than 0.0005). This fact and the predominance of multiple aneurysms and localizations on the supraclinoid internal carotid artery (38.3% in females and 17.7% in males) suggest a different origin of intracranial aneurysms according to sex. Fibromuscular dysplasia might correspond to the datas here observed, and is currently explored.

Adolescent↗

[5 cases of epidermoid cyst (or primary cholesteatoma) of the petrous pyramid. Clinical, radiologic, pathogenic and therapeutic aspects. Value of nuclear magnetic resonance in the diagnosis and postoperative monitoring].

Five cases of epidermoid cyst (or primary cholesteatoma) of petrous bone are described and the criteria necessary to consider these tumors as truly primary outlined. The most plausible theories appear to be either congenital: embryonic inclusions or, to a lesser degree, acquired: papillary proliferation. Emphasis is placed on facial signs, even minimal, associated with progressive perception or mixed unilateral deafness. Advantages and indications for different surgical approaches are discussed and the value of NMR imaging emphasized, both for diagnosis and postoperative follow up review, especially when a closed technique had been selected.

Adult↗

Extradural and hourglass cervical neurinomas: the vertebral artery problem.

Eleven cases of cervical neurinomas with an extradural component were operated on with control of the vertebral artery as the first step of the surgical procedure. The lateral anterior approach was used first in each case with excellent results. In the case of hourglass tumors (seven cases), a complementary posterior approach was performed to remove the intradural portion. Primary control of the vertebral artery in cases of extradural or hourglass neurinoma is a logical and safe procedure in the attempt to achieve complete and bloodless tumor removal.

Adult↗