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CT scan with contrast enhancement was a highly reliable imaging modality for the diagnosis of IAAA.

Objective To evaluate Sylvian fissure development by assessing Sylvian fissure angles in fetuses with malformation of cortical development (MCD). Methods This was a retrospective study of 22 fetuses with MCD. Cases with a stored three‐dimensional (3D) brain volume acquired at 18 + 0 to 30 + 6 weeks of gestation at an ultrasound‐based research clinic between January 2010 and December 2017 were identified through a database. Of the 22 fetuses, seven had an extracranial abnormality, such as cardiac, renal, gastrointestinal and/or digital anomalies, and five had a minor abnormality such as micrognathia, low‐set ears and/or single umbilical artery. To confirm the final clinical diagnosis of brain abnormality, postmortem histological findings or prenatal or postnatal magnetic resonance images were used. For measurement of Sylvian fissure angle, an anterior coronal plane of the fetal brain on transvaginal 3D volume multiplanar imaging was visualized as a single image from the three orthogonal views. The right and left Sylvian fissure angles were measured between a horizontal reference line (0°) and a line drawn along the upper side of the respective Sylvian fissure. The Sylvian fissure angle on both sides was plotted on the graphs of the reference ranges for gestational age in weeks. Results In 21 (95.5%; 95% CI, 86.8–100.0%) of 22 fetuses with MCD, the Sylvian fissure angle on one or both sides was larger than the 90th percentile of the normal reference. There was one case with apparent focal MCD in the parietal lobe, but the Sylvian fissure angles were normal. A case with apparent unilateral cortical dysplasia and one with apparent unilateral schizencephaly had conspicuous discrepancies between the left and right Sylvian fissure angles. Abnormal genetic test results were obtained in six cases, including four cases with a mutation in a single gene. Conclusions This study has shown that the Sylvian fissures, as defined by the Sylvian fissure angle, have delayed development in most MCD cases prior to the diagnosis of the condition. The Sylvian fissure angle may potentially be a strong indicator for the subsequent development of cortical malformation, before the time point at which the gyri and sulci become obvious on the fetal brain surface. Further research is required to validate these findings. © 2018 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

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Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a rare systemic necrotizing arteritis that involves small- and medium-sized arteries in various organs. Although aneurysm formation in visceral arteries is a typical finding in PAN, intracranial aneurysms are much less common, and only a few cases of aneurysm rupture associated with this disease have been documented. In this paper, the authors report on a ruptured PAN aneurysm of the anterior cerebral artery; the lesion was trapped and resected. On histological examination, extensive fibrinoid necrosis and an inflammatory infiltration of leukocytes were seen in the aneurysm wall. To the authors' knowledge this is the first report of subarachnoid hemorrhage from a histologically confirmed PAN aneurysm.

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We reviewed the cases of 66 patients who underwent 67 tricuspid valve replacements with Carpentier-Edwards pericardial xenografts between April 1985 and January 1994. Average patient age at time of operation was 52 years (range 8 to 71 years). Concomitant mitral or aortic valve replacements were performed in 46 patients. There were 10 operative deaths and 6 late deaths. Actuarial survival at 9 years was 75.4% +/- 5.7%. Prosthetic valve endocarditis occurred twice in one patient. Reoperations for tricuspid regurgitation and for concomitant procedures (maze operation and repair for leak of the mitral prosthesis) were performed in two patients. In both cases, examination of the explanted prostheses showed that the tricuspid regurgitation was the result of nonstructural dysfunction caused by fibrous pannus formation on the cusps of the ventricular side. Among the survivors, 47 patients (92%) were in functional class I or II. Prosthetic valve function was studied by color Doppler echocardiography. Among 38 patients, tricuspid regurgitation more than grade 3/4 or transprosthetic gradient more than 5 mm Hg was found in 11. One patient had right heart failure and the others had no symptoms. In 10 years of experience with the Carpentier-Edwards pericardial xenograft, mortality and morbidity after tricuspid valve replacement were satisfactory. Echocardiographic examination revealed subclinical prosthetic dysfunction in 35% of patients who were followed up for longer than 5 years, however, and we believe that these patients should receive careful follow-up.

In a study of duration of brain death, granular layer autolysis (GLA) of the cerebellar cortex was analyzed in 45 patients who died of acute cerebrovascular diseases (CVDs). Twelve patients who died of causes other than intracranial disease served as controls. Tonsillar herniation occurred in all who died of acute CVDs. More advanced GLA was seen in the central folia adjacent to the central white medullary body of the cerebellum as compared with the peripheral folia. Widespread GLA involving the most of the peripheral folia was found solely in patients in whom brain death had been present over 18 h. Of the 12 control patients, 4 showed GLA only in the central folia. Although GLA of the central folia might develop during immersion fixation of the brain, the alteration of the peripheral folia is assumed to develop in the period of brain death. Widespread GLA extending to the peripheral folia could be a pathological finding characteristic of brain death, where intracranial blood flow could be absent or significantly reduced. Brain death for little less than 1 day would be necessary for GLA to develop.