PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Acqui

Publications and source records attributed to M Acqui.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Stenosis of the spinal canal in achondroplasia.

Stenosis of the spinal canal is a very frequent finding in achondroplastic patients. It is secondary to abnormalities of endochondrial ossification, which is responsible for formation of the vertebral bone structures, and, subsequently, to bone degeneration. Cervical stenosis (most frequently involving the first metameres and the craniospinal junction) is more common in children while thoraco-lumbar stenosis favors adults. The surgical indications for cervical stenosis depend mainly on the clinical evolution but also on neurophysiological data. In thoraco lumbar stenosis too, clinical data determine the surgical indications and the route of attack depends on the type of anatomical alteration affecting the spine.

Achondroplasia↗
PubMed1991

Aphasia in polyglots: report of two cases and analysis of the literature.

Two cases of aphasia in polyglot patients who experienced different symptoms in each of the languages they knew are reported. The authors discuss the problem and analyze the available literature in an attempt to formulate a pathogenetic hypothesis of the different involvement of the known idioms sometimes observed in aphasic polyglots. In particular, when time has elapsed between the learning of the mother tongue and other languages, and all the known languages are, consequently, functionally independent, it is possible that the two or more known idioms have distinct anatomical representations, probably localized separately in the two hemispheres. This could explain why, in some polyglots, aphasia affects one of the known languages preferentially. In subjects in whom the different known idioms were learned during early childhood, the anatomical representation of the languages is similar, which explains why, in this kind of polyglot, all the known languages can be equally affected by cerebral damage that causes aphasia.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Mutism after posterior fossa surgery in children. Report of three cases.

Three patients aged 5 1/2 to 9 years old with mutism after posterior fossa surgery are presented. The entity is discussed with a review of 15 additional previously reported cases in children aged 2 to 11 years. In all 18 patients, a large midline tumor of the posterior fossa (medulloblastoma in nine cases, astrocytoma in five, and ependymoma in four), often attached to one or both lateral recesses of the fourth ventricle, was removed. Mutism developed 18 to 72 hours after the operation (mean 41.5 hours) in patients with no disturbance of consciousness and no deficits of the lower cranial nerves or of the organs of phonation. All of these children had spoken in the first hours after surgery. The disorder lasted from 3 to 16 weeks (mean 7.9 weeks). Speech was regained after a period of dysarthria in six of the 10 cases for whom this information was available. The various hypotheses advanced to explain the pathogenesis of this speech disorder are analyzed.

Astrocytoma↗
PubMed1990

On a case of early-onset post-traumatic facial hemispasm.

In a 49 year old woman an injury to the right frontotemporal region was quickly followed first by paresis and then by spasm of the right side of the face. The early onset of the spasm prompts a critical review of current views on the pathogenesis of facial spasm.

Brain Concussion↗
PubMed1989

Cerebral cavernous angioma in children.

Cerebral cavernous angioma is a rare vascular malformation at any age and is very rare in childhood. In the literature available to us, we have been able to trace only 50 cases, to which we have added the 6 cases from our own series. The incidence in pediatric group is higher at 0-2 years (26.8%) and at 13-16 years (35.7%). The clinical onset shows epilepsy in 45.4% of cases, hemorrhagic syndrome in 27.3%, intracranial hypertension in 16.4%, and focal neurological deficits in 10.9%. Furthermore, we discuss the neuroradiological features (CT, angiography, and MRI) and the therapy of pediatric cavernous angioma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Cerebral meningiomas in children.

Cerebral meningiomas are rare tumors in children that represent 1.4% of CNS tumors and 1.5% of intracranial meningiomas. We have analyzed 197 cases of cerebral meningiomas under 16: 178 cases were taken from the available literature and 19 from our series. When comparing pediatric meningiomas with those of adults, we noted some differences. Before the age of 16 there is a slight preference for males; the intraventricular variety is more frequent; cystic meningiomas and the absence of dural attachment are more frequent findings; the neuroradiological diagnosis is more difficult.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Paediatric intracranial meningiomas.

Intracranial meningiomas are rare before the age of 16 years. Of 1397 intracranial meningiomas operated on by our service up to 1987, 19 (1.3%) were diagnosed before this age. In the literature accessible to us we have found another 274 cases. An analysis of the literature shows that intracranial meningiomas in paediatric patients differ from those in adults in the following respects: a slight predilection for males, a high frequency within the ventricular system, more frequent presence of intra- and peri-lesional cysts and more frequent absence of dural attachment. In addition, the neuroradiologic diagnosis of nature is more difficult in paediatric patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Cystic meningiomas.

Twenty-two cases of unusual intracranial meningioma associated with a cyst are reported and 144 published cases reviewed. The complex mechanisms leading to the formation of the cyst within the meningioma are analyzed on the basis of the surgical and histopathological evidence. The neuroradiological features (Computed Tomography and Angiography) which supply a correct preoperative diagnosis are discussed. It is clear from the literature how difficult preoperative diagnosis is, being possible only in 38% of cases with CT scanning and in 13% with angiography. It is necessary to remove not only the solid portion of the meningioma but also the cyst wall in order to prevent a recurrence. This is technically difficult for the type II intratumoural variety of Nauta's classification.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Alteration of the collagen type III/type I ratio and intracranial saccular aneurysms in GH-secreting hypophyseal adenomas.

In reporting a case of GH-secreting hypophyseal adenoma associated with a carotid-ophthalmic aneurysm we discuss the possible relevance of an alteration of the type III to type I ratio in arterial wall collagen to the formation of intracranial aneurysms, known to be multifactorial in mechanism. The increased turnover of collagen and the type III collagen deficiency in the vessel wall present in acromegaly suggest that this secondary connective tissue change may have a role in the formation of intracranial aneurysms in patients with GH-secreting hypophyseal adenoma.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1988

Endaural extracranial repair for cerebrospinal otorrhoea with human fibrin glue: technical note.

A simple surgical procedure for the repair of cerebrospinal otorrhoea using human fibrin glue has proved safe and successful in two patients with post-surgical fistula. The procedure, which requires only mild sedation, is recommended for open or closed cerebrospinal otorrhoea accompanied by severe neurosensory hearing loss, as long as the fistula has not been caused by chronic inflammatory processes or given rise to intracranial infectious complications.

Aprotinin↗
PubMed1988

Tension pneumocephalus after CSF shunting procedures.

We report a case of tension pneumocephalus following the insertion of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt for hydrocephalus secondary to aqueduct stenosis and discuss the possible genesis of the complication, diagnosis and treatment.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts↗
PubMed1988

Tuberculoma of the ulnar nerve: case report.

A peripheral nerve tuberculoma, the third on record, involved the ulnar nerve, as did the other two. This case report is followed by a discussion of the pathogenesis and diagnosis of this lesion. Its pathogenesis is unclear. Direct infection from a tuberculous sister was disproved, and infection via a local wound is highly unlikely. A previous, silent form of tuberculosis seems to have been the cause.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Supratentorial hemangioblastoma. Report of a case and review of the literature.

Hemangioblastoma is a benign tumor of vascular origin that develops usually in the posterior cranial fossa and only very rarely in the supratentorial region. A case of supratentorial hemangioblastoma is reported and the 71 published cases are reviewed. The features that distinguish this tumor from angioblastic meningioma are discussed, the clinical and biological features of supratentorial and subtentorial hemangioblastoma are compared, the neuroradiological findings examined and the results of treatment assessed.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Relationship between leukocytosis and ischemic complications following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

The prognostic significance of admission leukocytosis with respect to ischemic complications of subarachnoid hemorrhage was retrospectively investigated in a series of patients with recently ruptured intracranial aneurysms. The present study concerned 47 consecutive cases admitted within 72 hours following the last hemorrhage, in the years 1982-1984. There was no difference in the admission WBC counts between patients who subsequently deteriorated due to ischemic complications and those who did not. However, the cell count rose significantly at the time of the clinical manifestations of ischemia, possibly as a result of structural damage of brain tissue and/or increased sympathetic and adrenocortical activity. The possible contribution of leukocytes to the pathogenesis of ischemic damage following subarachnoid hemorrhage--perhaps through the release of leukotrienes--will require further investigation.

Female↗
PubMed1987

Association between intracranial aneurysms and pituitary adenomas. AEtiopathogenetic hypotheses.

Of 144 cases of pituitary adenoma operated on in the period 1981-1985, 53 underwent angiography and two of these had an associated intracranial aneurysm. The aetiological hypotheses are viewed in the light of these two cases and of the 60 published cases of this association. The most convincing hypotheses involve mechanical, microcirculatory and hormonal factors. On the hormonal front, GH seems to have a predisposing influence on intracranial aneurysm formation.

Adenoma, Acidophil↗
PubMed1986

Subarachnoid haemorrhage of unknown origin.

This study concerns 64 patients with angiographically negative subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) hospitalized in the period 1970-1982. Requisites for inclusion in the study were adequate angiographic demonstration of the carotid and vertebrobasilar systems and no clinical signs of spinal SAH or spontaneous intracerebral haematoma. The clinical data on the 64 cases confirm the close similarity, except for the prognostic factors, between angiographically negative SAH and SAH secondary to rupture of an intracranial saccular aneurysm. The study underlines the benign character of the clinical course and of the medium and long-term prognosis of the condition under study. In view of this, the hypothesis advanced sometime ago relating angiographically negative SAH to the rupture of microaneurysms (phi less than 2 mm) of the large cerebral arteries with subsequent complete repair of the artery wall, or to the spontaneous thrombosis of intracranial saccular aneurysms, with the possibility of subsequent recanalization and risk of fresh rupture, would appear to be a reasonable one.

Brain Neoplasms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Coagulation study in patients who had undergone surgery for meningioma.

Abnormal fibrinolysis and thrombotic complications have been often observed in patients who had undergone surgery for meningioma. Fourteen patients, affected by meningioma, were studied before surgery, during surgery and 24 h after surgery in order to evaluate the modifications of the fibrinolysis system and the coagulation physiological inhibitors. Before surgery, no patient showed hyperfibrinolysis and/or modifications of coagulation physiological inhibitors. During surgery, an activation of fibrinolysis with pathological levels of tissue plasminogen activator activity (mean = 6.33 U/dl, SD = 7.9, p = 0.02) and increased levels of fibrin degradation products (mean = 0.21, SD = 0.18, p = 0.002) was noted. Modifications of the fibrinolysis parameters occurred only in 9/14 patients (64%). These patients presented a more vascularized tumour, revealed before surgery by computerized tomography scan and cerebral arteriography and directly confirmed during the resection. Twenty-four hours after surgery no patient presented fibrinolysis activation. There was no evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation in our patients. None of them presented pathological decrease of the physiological coagulation inhibitors or thrombotic complications. In conclusion, during surgery, fibrinolysis parameters show important modifications in patients with vascularized meningioma suggesting an ongoing tumour-host interaction. These variations must be taken in account, in order to plan timely a correct therapeutic approach.

Adult↗