We report a case of a 31-year-old woman with an intramedullary thoracic dermoid, who had progressive spastic paraparesis in her lower extremities over a period of three years, as well as loss of bowel and bladder control. She had been operated for "spina bifida" at three days of age but had no neurologic deficit. MRI of the thoracic spine showed an intramedullary hypointense lesion at T7-T8, associated with an intramedullary lipoma at a higher level. Intracapsular resection of an intramedullary dermoid cyst was performed. We review the literature on intramedullary dermoids differentiating them from the more common, but still rare, lumbosacral subdural juxtamedullary dermoids. We discuss the associated malformations with these lesions, as well as their pathophysiology and treatment. Although uncommon, dorsal intramedullary dermoids should be suspected and treated in a timely manner, especially in presence of other congenital anomalies.
✓ The authors report their experience with embolization of unresectable cerebral arteriovenous malformations in 10 patients; seven showed clinical improvement, two no change, and one became worse. Follow-up studies for up to 9 years suggest that partial obliteration of a lesion that shunts blood away from normal brain alleviates the clinical syndrome by enhancing cerebral perfusion. Thus, satisfactory results may be obtained without occlusion of malformations causing symptomatology on the basis of a cerebral steal.
Two patients with xanthogranuloma of the 3rd ventricle are described. In each instance the tumor obstructed the interventricular foramina and caused dilatation of the lateral ventricles and signs of increased intracranial pressure; computerized tomography demonstrated the dense, nonenhancing lesion in the anterior 3rd ventricle. The pathogenesis of these rare tumors is discussed. These cases affirm the need to consider xanthogranuloma in the differential diagnosis of anterior 3rd ventricle tumors in adults.
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