Microvascular Decompression of the VII/VIII Cranial Nerve Complex for the Treatment of Intermediate Nerve Neuralgia: A Retrospective Case Series

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 378-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Goulin Lippi Fernandes ◽  
Tristan van Doormaal ◽  
Sander de Ru ◽  
Kai Miller ◽  
Kuo Sen Han
Keyword(s):  
Microvascular Decompression ◽  
Cranial Nerve ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Csf Leak ◽  
Complete Relief ◽  
Pathophysiological Mechanism ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Retrospective Case ◽  
Root Entry Zone

Abstract BACKGROUND Intermediate nerve neuralgia (INN) is a rare and often overlooked form of primary otalgia. The pathophysiological mechanism is unknown, although one of the possible contributing factors is a neurovascular conflict at the root entry zone of the intermediate nerve. The pain can be severely debilitating, and the palette of treatment options is small. OBJECTIVE To assess the outcome of microvascular decompression (MVD) of the VII/VIII cranial nerve complex for treating INN. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the records of a group of 8 consecutive patients with INN who underwent MVD of the VII/VIII cranial nerve complex in the period 1994 to 2015. RESULTS In total, 7 of the 8 patients experienced almost immediate and complete relief of pain, which remained at long-term follow-up (mean 35 mo ± 24 mo, range 8-84 mo). Postoperatively, 1 patient had a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak, 3 patients experienced permanent ipsilateral hearing loss, and 3 patients had temporary complaints associated with excessive drainage of CSF. CONCLUSION This study suggests MVD as a valid treatment for medically refractory INN. MVD carries surgical risk, but given the severity of complaints of these patients, we believe the treatment benefits outweigh the associated complications.

The Medially-Invasive Cholesteatoma: An Aggressive Subtype of a Common Pathology

2020 ◽  
Vol 130 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-46
Author(s):  
Geoffrey Casazza ◽  
Matthew L. Carlson ◽  
Clough Shelton ◽  
Richard K. Gurgel
Keyword(s):  
Skull Base ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Hearing Preservation ◽  
Csf Leak ◽  
Petrous Apex ◽  
Otic Capsule ◽  
Retrospective Case ◽  
Presenting Symptoms ◽  
Subtotal Petrosectomy

Objective: Describe the outcomes of treatment for patients with cholesteatomas that are medially invasive to the otic capsule, petrous apex, and/or skull base. Study Design: Retrospective case series Setting: Two tertiary care academic centers. Patients: Patients surgically managed for medially-invasive cholesteatoma at two tertiary care institutions from 2001 to 2017. Interventions: Surgical management of medially-invasive cholesteatomas. Main Outcome Measures: The presenting symptoms, imaging, pre- and post-operative clinical course, and complications were reviewed. Results: Seven patients were identified. All patients had pre-operative radiographic evidence of invasive cholesteatoma with erosion into the otic capsule beyond just a lateral semicircular canal fistula. Five patients had a complex otologic history with multiple surgeries for recurrent cholesteatoma including three with prior canal wall down mastoidectomy surgeries. Average age at the time of surgery was 41.3 years (range 20-83). Two patients underwent a hearing preservation approach to the skull base while all others underwent a surgical approach based on the extent of the lesion. Facial nerve function was maintained at the pre-operative level in all but one patient. No patient developed cholesteatoma recurrence. Conclusions: The medially-invasive cholesteatoma demonstrates an aggressive, endophytic growth pattern, invading into the otic capsule or through the perilabyrinthine air cells to the petrous apex. Surgical resection remains the best treatment option for medially-invasive cholesteatoma. When CSF leak is a concern, a subtotal petrosectomy with closure of the ear is often necessary.

scholarly journals Neurosyphilis and ocular syphilis clinical and cerebrospinal fluid characteristics: a case series

2018 ◽  
Vol 76 (6) ◽  
pp. 373-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Conrado Regis Borges ◽  
Sérgio Monteiro de Almeida ◽  
Karen Sue ◽  
Jéssyca Luana Alves Koslyk ◽  
Mario Teruo Sato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cerebrospinal Fluid ◽  
Cranial Nerve ◽  
Cranial Nerve Palsy ◽  
Nerve Palsy ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
White Blood Cells ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Transverse Myelitis ◽  
Retrospective Case ◽  
Ocular Syphilis

ABSTRACT Background During the first decade of this century, a significant increase in the incidence of syphilis was documented. Objective To study clinical and laboratory characteristics of central nervous system and ocular syphilis. Methods A retrospective case series of 13 patients with a clinical and laboratory diagnosis of neurosyphilis and/or ocular syphilis who had been admitted to the Neurology and Neuro-ophthalmology Service of the Hospital de Clínicas, Federal University of Paraná. Results Nine patients had a diagnosis of neurosyphilis and two of them also had ocular syphilis. Four patients had a diagnosis of ocular syphilis alone. Among the patients with a diagnosis of neurosyphilis, six had symptomatic syphilitic meningitis, of whom one manifested as cranial nerve palsy alone, one as cranial nerve palsy plus ocular syphilis, two as transverse myelitis (syphilitic meningomyelitis), one as meningitis worsening the patient’s myasthenia gravis symptoms and one as meningitis plus ocular syphilis. Additionally, we diagnosed three patients with meningovascular neurosyphilis. In the univariate analysis, patients without ocular syphilis showed greater levels of total protein and white blood cells in the cerebrospinal fluid than patients with ocular syphilis. Conclusion This Brazilian case series of patients with neurosyphilis and ocular syphilis highlights the wide variability of this disease. A high degree of diagnostic suspicion is necessary when facing neurological and ocular symptoms for rapid diagnosis and appropriate management of patients.

Management of feline carpal injuries: What are the options and when is arthrodesis indicated?

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (9) ◽  
pp. 809-823 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel M Basa ◽  
Kenneth A Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Options ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Careful Examination ◽  
Current Evidence ◽  
Collateral Ligament ◽  
Retrospective Case ◽  
Radial Collateral Ligament ◽  
Current Evidence Base ◽  
Direct Extrapolation

Practical relevance: Feline carpal injuries are usually caused by falls from a height that result in hyperextension injury or antebrachiocarpal luxation or subluxation. Isolated ligamentous damage or fracture of the carpus is unusual; it is more common to have a combination of both in the cat. These injuries can be debilitating since cats climb and jump from great heights, and have a greater range of antebrachial pronation and supination than dogs. Anatomy: There are differences in the anatomy of the feline and canine carpus. In particular, cats only have a single short radial collateral ligament, also known as the medial collateral ligament. This means that, in the cat, antebrachiocarpal subluxation is possible with rupture of the dorsal joint capsule and short radial collateral ligament alone. Clinical challenges: Many feline carpal injuries can be treated without performing pancarpal arthrodesis. However, determining which ligaments and joint levels are affected requires careful examination and often stress radiography. When pancarpal arthrodesis is performed in the cat, it has been reported to reduce the height of jumping and to increase reluctance to climb. This is speculated to be due to reduced pronation and supination movement of the carpus. Evidence base: The current evidence base for management of feline carpal injuries is grade III or IV, with most of the studies being retrospective case series involving cadaveric dissection or direct extrapolation from published information about the dog. There are few guidelines regarding the optimal treatment options for carpal injuries in the cat.

scholarly journals Hydranencephaly treatments: retrospective case series and review of the literature

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 228-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace M. Thiong’o ◽  
Susan S. Ferson ◽  
A. Leland Albright
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Primary Outcome Measure ◽  
Head Size ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
Retrospective Case ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
One Year ◽  
Improving Patient Care

OBJECTIVEThe objective of this study was to review treatment options for infants with hydranencephaly and to consider the pros and cons of each treatment modality.METHODSThis paper is a review of hydranencephaly as well as a retrospective analysis evaluating the outcomes of 52 infants with hydranencephaly who were treated at the Kijabe Hospital, Kijabe, Kenya, in one of four ways: ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) insertion, endoscopic choroid plexus coagulation (CPC), open choroid plexectomy (CPlx), and palliative care. The primary outcome measure was control of head size, with the aim of improving patient care. One-year mortality was a secondary outcome.RESULTSOf the 52 patients analyzed, 11 underwent VPS insertion, 17 CPC, 14 CPlx, and 10 were treated palliatively. Head size was controlled at the 3-month evaluation interval in 5 of 7 infants treated with VPS, 10 of 16 of those treated with CPC, 6 of 9 of those treated with CPlx, and 1 of 4 treated palliatively. The number of infants in each category with complete follow-up data that were needed to analyze change in head size was lower than the total number of patients included in each category. Mortality at 1 year of age was 9 of 11 in the VPS group, 14 of 17 in the CPC group, 6 of 14 in the CPlx group, and 7 of 10 in the palliative group.CONCLUSIONSHead size decreased by 1 cm or more in similar proportions (62%–71%) of infants with hydranencephaly who were treated by VPS insertion, CPC, and CPlx, and progressed in those who received palliative care. Mortality at 1 year of age was similar in infants treated by a VPS, CPC, and palliative care (70%–82%), but lower (43%) in those treated with CPlx.

scholarly journals Malignant Vascular Tumors of the Head and Neck—Which Type of Therapy Works Best?

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (24) ◽  
pp. 6201
Author(s):  
Susanne Wiegand ◽  
Andreas Dietz ◽  
Gunnar Wichmann
Keyword(s):  
Head And Neck ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Age Distribution ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma ◽  
Current Data ◽  
Vascular Tumors ◽  
Retrospective Case ◽  
Standard Medical Therapy ◽  
New Treatment

Malignant vascular tumors of the head and neck are rare neoplasms with variable clinical presentation, wide age distribution, and variable clinical courses. The heterogeneous presentation of angiosarcomas and epithelioid hemangioendothelioma often leads to misdiagnosis and unsuitable treatment. While risk factors for angiosarcomas are previous radiation, chronic lymphedema, and exposure to arsenic, thorium oxide, or vinyl chloride, there are only limited and retrospective data available on prognostic factors in EHE. In both angiosarcomas and EHE, surgery is the mainstay of treatment. There is limited evidence regarding the role of radiotherapy in EHE, although EHE is considered relatively radiosensitive. In angiosarcomas, adjuvant radiotherapy is recommended according to retrospective case series. A standard medical therapy for metastasized malignant vascular tumors is lacking. Chemotherapy, which is effective in angiosarcoma, is mostly ineffective in EHE. Targeted therapy, antiangiogenetic drugs and immunotherapy have been studied as new treatment options. The goal of this review is to summarize the current data regarding malignant vascular tumors along with their diagnosis and management.

scholarly journals A systematic review on conservative and non-operative treatment options for Osgood-Schlatter disease

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cornelia Neuhaus ◽  
Christian Appenzeller-Herzog ◽  
Oliver Faude
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Operative Treatment ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Outcome Data ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Retrospective Case ◽  
Review Articles ◽  
Knee Pathology

Background: Osgood-Schlatter disease (OSD) is a sport- and growth-associated knee pathology with painful osteochondrosis around the tibial tuberosity. Up to 10% of adolescents are affected by OSD. Treatment is primarily conservative or non-operative and includes injections, ice, braces, casts, tape and/or physiotherapy. However, treatment outcomes are often insufficiently described and there is lack of evidence for current best practice.Objective: The aims of this systematic review are to comprehensively identify conservative or non-operative treatment options for OSD, to compare their effectiveness in selected outcomes, and to describe potential research gaps. and to describe potential research gaps.Methods: This systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement. CENTRAL, CINAHL, EMBASE and MEDLINE via Ovid, and PEDro were searched through to January 6, 2020. In addition, ongoing and unpublished clinical studies, dissertations, and other grey literature on OSD were retrieved. We included prospective, retrospective, case control, randomised, and non-randomised studies reporting on the effectiveness of any conservative or non-operative treatment of 6- to 28-year-old OSD patients. Studies written in English, German, or French were included. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the PEDro scale and extracted outcome data were narratively synthesized. In addition, we also systematically retrieved review articles for extraction of treatment recommendations.Results: Of 767 identified studies, thirteen were included: two randomised controlled trials (RCTs), two prospective and eight retrospective observational studies, and one case series. Eight studies had no control group. The included studies were published from 1948 to 2019 and included 747 patients (563 male, 119 female, 65 sex not reported) with 937 affected knees. The study quality was poor to moderate. The two included RCTs examined the effectiveness of surplus dextrose-injection in OSD patients treated with local anaesthetics injection and came to opposite conclusions. Other than that, inter-study heterogeneity prohibited any descriptive cumulative analyses. Among the 15 review articles, the most prevalent treatment recommendations were activity modification (15/15), quadriceps and hamstring stretching (13/15), medication (11/15), ice (11/15), strengthening of the quadriceps (9/15), and knee straps or brace (8/15).Conclusion: Conflicting evidence exists to support the use of dextrose injections. Certain therapeutic approaches, such as stretching, seem to work, but no RCT comparing specific exercises with sham or usual care treatment exists. Carefully controlled studies on well- described treatment approaches are needed to establish which conservative or non-operative treatment options are most effective for patients with OSD.

scholarly journals Initial experience in Mexico with convalescent plasma in COVID-19 patients with severe respiratory failure, a retrospective case series

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michel F. Martinez-Resendez ◽  
Fernando Castilleja-Leal ◽  
Alejandro Torres-Quintanilla ◽  
Augusto Rojas-Martinez ◽  
Gerardo Garcia-Rivas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Viral Load ◽  
Respiratory Failure ◽  
Troponin I ◽  
Therapeutic Option ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Case Series ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Retrospective Case ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Chest X Ray

Introduction: Hospital mortality due to COVID-19 in Mexico is high (32%) and as of today, effective treatment options are limited. More effective treatments that shorten hospital stay and reduce mortality are needed. Initial reports for the use of convalescent plasma (CP) therapy for COVID-19 appear promising. We describe a case series of eight patients with impending respiratory failure, who underwent CP therapy. Methods: Six male and two female (ages 31 to 79) patients that were admitted to the intensive-care unit for severe COVID-19 were transfused with two doses of CP (250 mL per dose, anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG titers > 1:100). Donors were six SARS-CoV-2 infected males who remained asymptomatic for > 7 days and were negative for two nasopharyngeal RT-PCR tests. Clinical characteristics, inflammatory and cellular injury markers, chest X-ray findings and viral loads were analyzed before and after CP administration. Viral load association to disease severity was further analyzed on a separate cohort of asymptomatic vs hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Results: Eight patients with respiratory failure were successfully discharged with a median length of stay of 22.5 (IQR 18.25-29.00). After CP therapy, we observed a reduction of C-reactive protein (CRP) (median, 22.80 mg/dL vs. 1.63 mg/dL), and of procalcitonin (median, 0.27 ng/mL vs. 0.13 ng/mL). High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin I (hs-cTnI), Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) and Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) were lower, and a mild reduction of pulmonary infiltrates by chest X-ray was observed. Lastly, a reduction of viral load was after CP therapy was found. (log, median [IQR], 1.2 [0.70-2.20] vs. 0.25 [0.00-1.78]). We observed no adverse effects. Conclusions: CP could potentially be an effective therapeutic option for patients with severe COVID-19. Clinical benefit needs to be studied further through randomized controlled trials.

scholarly journals Current Treatment Options for Patulous Eustachian Tube: A Review of the Literature

2020 ◽  
pp. 014556132093280
Author(s):  
Petros Koltsidopoulos ◽  
Charalampos Skoulakis
Keyword(s):  
Eustachian Tube ◽  
Therapeutic Option ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Current Treatment ◽  
Case Control Studies ◽  
Retrospective Case ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Surgical Interventions ◽  
Patulous Eustachian Tube

Objective: Patulous Eustachian tube (PET) is a clinical condition that is associated with troublesome aural symptoms and is difficult to be treated successfully. The purpose of this review is to examine the published literature regarding the therapeutic value of the current treatment options for PET. Methods: We searched Web of Science, PubMed and Medline from 1999 to 2019. The search focused on papers concerning the clinical evaluation of treatment methods in PET patients. Statistical techniques were not used. Results: Prospective and retrospective case series were the types of trials available for review. We included 28 articles that evaluated the efficacy of various conservative and surgical therapeutic options. The recovery rates ranged from 50% to 100%. In most studies the assessment of efficacy was based on the subjective improvement of patient symptoms as there is no validated outcome tool available. No severe adverse events were observed in any study. Conclusion: On the basis of the available literature, it seems that conservative treatments can be considered as a primary therapeutic option for PET. Concerning the surgical interventions they seem to be a safe and valuable solution in patients with refractory disease. Finally, given the low level of evidence, prospective case–control studies with long follow-up and robust setting looking into the therapeutic approach of PET are required. The need for establishment of standard criteria of PET recovery should be underlined.

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