We report the exceptional case of an encapsulated solid non-organized chronic subdural hematoma (SDH) in a 67-year-old woman that was admitted with acute hemiplegia followed by rapid deterioration in consciousness 5 months after a minor head trauma. Computed tomography (CT) showed an extracerebral biconvex shaped hyperdense mass that led to the misdiagnosis of an acute epidural hematoma. Urgent craniotomy revealed an encapsulated mass filled with solid fresh clot in the subdural space. Complete evacuation of this SDH, including both its inner and outer membranes, was achieved, and the patient recovered successfully. Histological analysis confirmed that the content of the hematoma corresponded to a newly formed clot that was enclosed between an inner membrane, composed of two collagen layers, and an outer membrane with a three layered structure. Chronic SDH may seldom present as an encapsulated solid non-organized lesion that consists of a fibrous capsule enclosing a fresh clot and lacking the thick fibrous septations that typically connect the inner and outer membranes of organized chronic SDH. This entity mimics the clinical course and radiological appearance of acute epidural hematomas and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of extracerebral hyperdense biconvex shaped lesions.
We present the case of a 30-year-old man who developed an acute hydrocephalus secondary to an obstruction of the cerebral aqueduct by a midbrain cystic lesion. After a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt was placed to relief symptoms of intracranial hypertension, the patient underwent a neuronavigation-assisted endoscopic fenestration of the cyst. A careful immunohistochemical staining confirmed the diagnosis of an ependymal cyst. An extensive review of the literature has revealed that this is the first report of a periaqueductal ependymal cyst with definite histological diagnosis. This is a rare cause of acute non-communicating hydrocephalus but an important entity in the differential diagnosis.
Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) are usually well-to-moderately differentiated neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) that most often metastasize to the liver and lymph nodes with other locations being uncommon. We present a case of intradural pNET metastasis and conduct a review of the literature. Forty-five cases, including the case presently reported, of spinal cord compression due to well-differentiated NETs were found: carcinoid (80%), pNET (13.3%), and NETs of unknown primary (6.7%). Seventy-eight percent of cases consisted of extradural compressions from vertebral bone metastases, whereas there were only 5 cases of intradural extramedullary spinal cord compression. Most cases were managed with surgery and/or radiotherapy with a good clinical outcome in the majority. We report the first case of a pNET intradural extramedullary metastasis and conduct the largest review to date of an infrequent complication of well-differentiated NETs such as malignant spinal cord compression. Aggressive local treatment is warranted in most cases because it usually achieves neurologic improvement and symptomatic relief in patients who may still have a long life expectancy.
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