A series of 75 children with traumatic extradural haematomas operated on at our Department between 1982 and 1988 were analysed in detail. The overall mortality rate was 17%. CT scan constituted a valuable tool for an early and correct diagnosis, and the mortality rate declined to 9% in the post-CT era. The outcome was found to be predominantly affected by the preoperative neurological status, by the duration of the time interval between onset of coma and surgical intervention, and mainly by the presence of associated brain lesions.

Four cases of migration of the ventriculoperitoneal (V-P) shunt tip through patent processus vaginalis resulting in scrotal hydrocele are presented. These cases are considered a rare complication of V-P shunts and causal mechanisms are discussed with a review of the literature.

Pulmonary nocardiosis is the major clinical manifestation of human nocardiosis and disseminated infection can be seen in immunocompromised patients. N. asteroides is the predominant pathogen associated with disseminated diseases. We report 2 cases of pulmonary nocardiosis admitted with disseminated infection, caused by rare species of Nocardia: Nocardia transvalensis and Nocardia cyriacigeorgica.

No abstract

Marginal resection remains the best treatment for osteoblastoma of the spine. If tumor tissue surrounds the vertebral artery, the vertebral artery should be mobilized and the surrounding tumor mass excised.