Transorbital penetrating injury (TPI), an uncommon subset of head trauma, requires prompt multidisciplinary surgical intervention. While numerous case reports appear in the literature, there is a lack of discrete recommendations for initial evaluation, surgical intervention, and postoperative care of patients with TPI. A retrospective review of 4 cases of TPI at the University of Michigan Health System was undertaken to assess for diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. In addition, a PubMed search using the terms "penetrating orbital trauma," "penetrating orbital injury," "transorbital penetration," and "transorbital penetrating injury" were used to search for articles discussing the presentation and management of penetrating orbital trauma. All 4 of the patients at the University of Michigan underwent focused physical examination performed by a multidisciplinary trauma team followed by dedicated maxillofacial and head CT scanning. The patients' treatments varied, depending on the mechanism and extent of the injury. An analysis of the case series presented here as well as other published cases suggests an algorithm for diagnosis and treatment for patients with TPI, which includes focused evaluation, diagnostic imaging with maxillofacial CT scanning, and management of the injury that focuses on the path of penetration and the presence of the foreign body in situ at the time of presentation. Magnetic resonance imaging is indicated in patients who have indwelling wooden foreign bodies. Angiography should be performed in patients with suspected vascular injury. Treatment decisions should be made by a multidisciplinary team with input from neurosurgery, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, and maxillofacial surgery.

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Diabetes insipidus (DI) after endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery (ETSS) can lead to increased morbidity, longer hospital stays, and increased medication requirements. Predicting which patients are at high risk for developing DI can help direct services to ensure adequate care and follow-up. The objective of this study was to review our institution's experience with ETSS and determine which clinical/laboratory variables are associated with DI in this patient population. The authors wanted to see if there was an easily determined single value that would help predict which patients develop DI. This represents the largest North American series of this type. We retrospectively reviewed the charts of patients who had undergone ETSS for resection of sellar and parasellar pathology between 2006 and 2011. We examined patient and tumor characteristics and their relationship to postoperative DI. Out of 172 endoscopic transsphenoidal surgeries, there were 15 cases of transient DI (8.7%) and 14 cases of permanent DI (8.1%). Statistically significant predictors of postoperative DI (p < 0.05) included tumor volume and histopathology (Rathke's cleft cyst and craniopharyngioma). Significant indicators of development of DI were postoperative serum sodium, preoperative to postoperative change in sodium level, and urine output prior to administration of 1-deamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin. An increase in serum sodium of ≥2.5 mmol/L is a positive marker of development of DI with 80% specificity, and a postoperative serum sodium of ≥145 mmol/L is a positive indicator with 98% specificity. Identifying perioperative risk factors and objective indicators of DI after ETSS will help physicians care for patients postoperatively. In this large series, we demonstrated that there were multiple perioperative risk factors for the development of DI. These findings, which are consistent with other reports from microscopic surgical series, will help identify patients at risk for diabetes insipidus, aid in planning treatment algorithms, and increase vigilance in high risk patients.

Therapeutic moderate hypothermia is as effective, or more effective, than most other treatments for ICH. If used for 2-3 days or less there is no evidence that it causes clinically significant adverse events. The lack of consistent evidence that hypothermia improves long-term neurologic outcome should not preclude consideration of its use for the primary treatment of ICH since no other ICP therapy is held to this standard.

Lymphocytic hypophysitis is an uncommon autoimmune condition that often results in significant morbidity. Although most cases resolve spontaneously or after a short course of steroids, rarely, refractory cases can cause persistent neurological deficits despite aggressive medical and surgical management. A 41-year-old woman presented with progressive visual loss in the left eye and was found to have a sellar mass. She underwent transsphenoidal surgery because of lesion enlargement. Histopathology was consistent with adenohypophysitis with B-cell predominance. Despite steroid treatment, her neurological condition worsened and she experienced loss of vision in the right eye. Craniotomy with decompression of the right optic nerve was performed. Her condition improved initially, but she continued to have progressive visual compromise over the following months. She was therefore treated with rituximab, a monoclonal antibody against B cells. Her vision improved significantly within a few weeks. There was no clinical or radiographic exacerbation 2 years after starting immunotherapy. Rituximab, an anti-CD20 antibody that specifically depletes B lymphocytes, can be an effective treatment strategy for patients with steroid-refractory, B cell-predominant lymphocytic hypophysitis.

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