Publications by authors named "Eliezer Villanueva-Castro"

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) and spinal cavernoma (SC) represent distinct yet challenging conditions. CSM manifests as progressive neurological dysfunction, whereas SC denotes a benign vascular lesion. The need for documented cases featuring CSM and SC highlights the absence of evidence-based management guidelines for such scenarios.

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  • Brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are often asymptomatic but can lead to serious complications like severe headaches or bleeding; this case describes a woman who experienced a ruptured AVM causing intracerebral hemorrhage.
  • During her surgery, doctors found and removed a non-functioning pituitary adenoma alongside the AVM, revealing various vascular and inflammatory changes in both tissues.
  • Unfortunately, the patient tested positive for COVID-19 and died three days later, marking this as a rare instance of dual pathologies linked to the virus, including AVM rupture and brain infarcts.
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In this study, we report surgical management combined with radiotherapy in two patients with typical chordoma. Different types of radiation have varied effects on chordomas when they are radiated. Classical cases display cellular atypia and fibrosis following irradiation, while necrosis and fibrosclerosis are observed after carbon ion therapy, implying that it is possible to control the tumor more effectively using carbon ion therapy with minimal side effects.

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  • Early treatment of intracranial lesions is crucial but challenging to differentiate, as each type requires different treatment strategies; Cerebral computed tomography perfusion (CTP) imaging is effective in visualizing and quantifying brain lesions' vascularity.
  • This study evaluated the effectiveness of Hounsfield units (HU) and CTP in distinguishing various intracranial space-occupying lesions over a five-year period, involving 244 patients with conditions including glioblastomas, primary central nervous system lymphoma, metastases, and abscesses.
  • Results indicated that combining rCBV and HU measurements enhances diagnostic accuracy for differentiating lesions, and the simplicity and availability of CTP make it a valuable tool for diagnosing and managing brain tumors.
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  • * Four cases were analyzed where patients showed symptoms like headaches, seizures, and vision problems due to blocked fluid flow in the brain (obstructive hydrocephalus).
  • * Although surgery and biopsies confirmed PTPR diagnoses, the underlying causes of this tumor are still not well understood, highlighting the need for more research for better treatment options.
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Objective: This study aimed to identify clinical and surgical features associated with poor long-term postoperative outcomes in patients diagnosed with Type I Chiari Malformation (CMI) treated with posterior fossa decompression with duroplasty (PFDD), with or without tonsillar coagulation.

Methods: This retrospective, single-center study included 107 adult patients with CMI surgically treated between 2010 and 2021. The surgical technique involved a midline suboccipital craniectomy, C1 laminectomy, durotomy, arachnoid dissection, duroplasty, and tonsillar coagulation until 2014, after which tonsillar coagulation was discontinued.

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  • - A case study of a 48-year-old male with spinal epithelioid hemangioendothelioma showed symptoms like lower limb weakness, back pain, and urinary issues, which led to a safe maximum surgical resection and subsequent radiotherapy due to residual disease.
  • - A review of literature on thoracic spinal epithelioid hemangioendothelioma highlighted a mean presentation age of 41 years, with pain being the primary symptom in all cases, and most patients undergoing wide surgical procedures or radiation therapy.
  • - The authors emphasize the importance of follow-up studies like PET/CT scans after surgery to monitor for residual or metastatic disease, suggesting that this can help in deciding appropriate adjuvant treatments for improved
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We report the case of a 33-year-old male patient with no past medical history presenting to our tertiary referral center with progressive (two years) deficit of lower limb motor impairment (2/5 Medical Research Council [MRC] scale) and sensory impairment. T2- and T1-weighted MRI images clarified the nature of the cyst from T3 to T8. In our case, surgical management was warranted to relieve tension over the spinal cord, thus improving symptoms.

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We presented an unusual case of a teratoma in a 76-year-old female who began four years ago with paresthesias and hypoesthesias in the sacral and gluteal regions. She denied weakness or gait instability. The magnetic resonance imaging showed an intradural lesion within the cauda equina at levels L2-L3.

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Transsphenoidal resection of growth hormone-secreting pituitary neuroendocrine tumors remains the first-line treatment for acromegaly. This can be performed through microsurgery or endoscopic surgery. For the past decades, endoscopic surgery has become the preferred technique in an increasing number of centers worldwide.

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Mature spinal teratoma is a rare type of germ cell tumor that arises from any of the three germ cell layers (ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm) and consists of differentiated tissues and structures that reflect the cellular organization and morphology of normal adult tissues. It has the ability to grow independently and cause compressive symptoms when found in this rare location. In this article, we present the case of a 29-year-old male patient with the onset of neurological symptoms beginning with pelvic limb paresthesias and progressing to back pain.

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Pilocytic astrocytoma (PA), recognized as the most prevalent central nervous system (CNS) tumor, has long been associated with calcifications, a characteristic often attributed to benign or indolent growth patterns. In this study, we explored the calcified attributes in these tumors that beckon a deeper understanding. This is a retrospective study, on a set of seven cases, with a histopathological diagnosis of pilocytic astrocytoma with calcifications and psammoma bodies (PB).

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We present the case of a 32-year-old woman with a diagnosis of lumbar root syndrome and spondylolisthesis, which is why she underwent surgery. Anterior discectomy and intersomatic box placement plus posterior fixation were performed with percutaneous transpedicular screws in L5-S1. At 24 hours of the procedure, the patient presents sustained hypotension, adding sudden and intense chest pain with neck irradiation, dyspnea, and diaphoresis, as well as electrocardiographic abnormalities and elevation of cardiac enzymes suggestive of an acute coronary syndrome, subsequently evidence of basal hypokinesis in the echocardiogram.

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This case report details the case of a 57-year-old male who initially manifested low back pain radiating from the lumbar region to the left leg. Progressive symptoms included paresthesia on the plantar surfaces of both feet and gait instability attributed to weakness in the pelvic limbs. Computed tomography imaging revealed osteolytic lesions in the T9, T10, and T11 vertebral bodies, resulting in compression of the spinal cord.

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Ependymomas are neuroepithelial tumors that develop from ependymal cells found in the brain parenchyma and can spread to any part of the spinal cord. Three to six percent of all malignancies affecting the central nervous system (CNS) are ependymomas. Even the most talented surgeons are challenged by spinal cord ependymomas; as a result, research into this clinical phenomenon should continue.

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Background: Glioblastoma is one of the most common brain tumors in adult populations, usually carrying a poor prognosis. While several studies have researched the impact of anti-angiogenic therapies, especially anti-VEFG treatments in glioblastoma, few have attempted to assess its progress using imaging studies.

Purpose: We attempted to analyze whether relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) from dynamic susceptibility-weighted contrast-enhanced MRI (DSC-MRI) could predict response in patients with glioblastoma undergoing Bevacizumab (BVZ) treatment.

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  • Foix-Alajouanine syndrome is a rare spinal condition caused by an arteriovenous malformation, leading to myelopathy in the thoracic and lumbar regions.
  • A case study focused on a 46-year-old woman who experienced symptoms like lower limb weakness, sensory loss, back pain, urinary incontinence, and constipation, with imaging revealing abnormal signals from enlarged arteries.
  • Diagnosis can be tricky, often leading to misdiagnosis, but dilated vessels in the posterior epidural space visible on MRIs help in identification; treatments include surgery or endovascular embolization.
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Hemangioendotheliomas are highly vascularized lesions, and their intracranial presentation is extremely rare. We present the case of a 65-year-old female patient who was evaluated for cranial deformity, headache, and left hemiplegia. Two bone lesions that were destroying and expanding the bone diploe with intracranial extension were identified in the fronto-temporal and parietal regions.

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Background: Unruptured incidental intracranial aneurysm can coexist with pituitary adenoma, however, the occurrence is extremely rare. Timely diagnosis of asymptomatic intracranial aneurysms with pituitary adenoma may lead to planning a tailored surgical strategy to deal with both pathologies simultaneously. A case of a patient who underwent transcranial resection of a pituitary adenoma with clipping of two mirror aneurysms is reported.

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Objective The purpose of this study was to analyze and discuss the clinical characteristics, long-term outcome, and prognostic factors of cerebellar strokes treated in a single health care facility in Mexico. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of adult patients admitted to our hospital with diagnosis of cerebellar ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke between 2018 and 2020. Baseline data included sociodemographic and radiological variables, treatment (surgical versus conservative), and Glasgow Coma Scale on arrival (GCSOA).

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Tumors involving the pineal gland include germinomas, non-germinomatous, and parenchymal tumors. Sometimes these tumors can be differentiated into rhabdomyosarcoma, which is an aggressive and rapidly recurring sarcoma but is a rare event. We present the case of a 23-year-old male, with an eight-year-long history of a non-treated brain tumor compatible with a teratoma.

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Background and objective Alternative chemotherapy regimens, including cisplatin, carmustine, or other agents, have been shown to be effective; however, the use of carboplatin plus vincristine (C/V) has not been studied before. In this study, we aimed to determine the survival rates in patients treated with C/V, by comparing our findings with treatments based on temozolomide (TMZ), and to explore a possible relationship with the methylation status of the methylguanine methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter in patients with glioblastoma (GB). Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted involving 45 surgically treated patients diagnosed with GB.

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  • A 58-year-old man received bilateral proximal forearm transplants in 2012 and was monitored for 7 years to assess long-term functional outcomes.
  • After the transplant, he experienced some complications, including hypertriglyceridemia and systemic hypertension, but managed to maintain a significant level of grip strength and overall function in his arms.
  • By the end of the study, while he had improved limb strength and functional use of his elbow and wrist, he experienced some loss of fine motor skills and sensation, suggesting that proximal forearm transplantation can be beneficial for selected patients.
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Angiosarcomas are neoplasms of blood or lymphatic vessels with aggressive behavior. We report the coexistence of this malignancy within soft tissue of the breast in a 49-year-old woman who was diagnosed with Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome (KTW-S) during childhood. The patient has no previous history of radiation therapy on the chest and does not have any known risk factor for developing angiosarcoma, except for her congenital disease.

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