No abstract

An unusual type of dermoid cyst is reported in 10 African infants. In these cases a soft, cystic mass located over the anterior fontanel was noted shortly after birth and gradually enlarged. The cyst had no intracranial extension and was easily excised intact. The clinical and x-ray findings of the cyst are described and compared with the usual dermoids. The histology and the contents of the cyst are detailed and some peculiarities of this lesion pointed out.

Five patients surgically treated for unusual intracranial foreign bodies are presented. They include representative cases of the three most commonly encountered types of these injuries: industrial accidents, suicidal attempts and the result of criminal assault. Immediate radiological examination is mandatory because the deceptively small entrance wound is usually in no way commensurate with the large size of the foreign body the presence of which is frequently not suspected. The surgical removal of these foreign bodies requires careful pre-operative assessment to avoid hemorrhages and undue injury to the surrounding normal brain tissue.

Twenty-five cases of carpal tunnel syndrome in 20 patients were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively by electromyography. Clinical improvement resulted in all cases following decompression of the median nerve, and only in a few instances did mild symptoms persist. Distal motor conduction time im proved postoperatively in 24 cases studied, 19 of which returned to normal range. Most of the obvious improvement occurred within the first 3 months and further improvement could be observed as late as 36 months. Although no definite correlation could be established between the preoperative severity of the carpal tunnel syndrome and the postoperative clinical and electrical im provement, there was a definite evidence of better recovery in the younger age group. There was a greater range of improvement and a return closer to normal postoperatively in cases with severe preoperative distal latency. All cases ex amined after 24 months had reached normal values.

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a well-de®ned symptom complex and is frequently associated with sleep disturbance and a recognized family history. It occurs either as idiopathic RLS or in association with many medical, neurological or vascular disorders. The neurological examination and routine investigations in idiopathic RLS are normal. Polysomnography supports the diagnosis of RLS by documenting the associated sleep disturbances and periodic limb movements in sleep (PLMS). Although MRI studies disclose no intracerebral lesions, recent Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) studies point to some involvement of the basal and red nuclei and the cerebellum. No de®nitive etiology is known for this condition, but several pathophysiological mechanisms have been proposed. There is supportive evidence that RLS is a Central Nervous System (CNS) dysfunction, suggesting widespread involvement of the descending dopaminergic (DA) pathways, possibly originating in the diencephalon or upper brainstem. This is corroborated by the successful treatment of RLS with DA agents, sedatives, and neurotransmitters. However, RLS can also occur with spinal disorders and spinal cord lesions implying the existence of a spinal generator. The incidence of RLS in pregnancy is well known and its association with vascular disorders supports another mechanism in some patients. The primary treatment of RLS is largely symptomatic and quite eective with DA agents, DA agonists, opioids and other neurotransmitters. The treatment of RLS associated with various diseases is aimed at the correction of the underlying pathological or de®ciency states. Antidepressant medications frequently precipitate or worsen the condition of RLS. Spinal Cord (2001) 39, 125 ± 133