Spinal ectopic recurrence of craniopharyngioma in a pediatric patient.

Craniopharyngiomas are rare, benign lesions that can be treated with surgery, radiation therapy, or a combination of these modalities. They have a propensity for local recurrence, but there have also been rare cases reported of ectopic recurrence. Here, we present the case of a 15-year-old girl with a recurrence of craniopharyngioma in the spine, which is the second-ever reported case of recurrence outside of the brain in a pediatric patient, and review the 19 reported cases of ectopic recurrence in pediatric patients due to cerebrospinal fluid dissemination.

Prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder in caregivers of pediatric neurosurgical patients.

Background: Having a child receive a neurosurgical diagnosis creates significant stress and anxiety in caregivers. The stress of these life-threatening and emotionally charged diagnoses may put caregivers at risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While PTSD has been studied in a variety of caregivers of pediatric populations, to the best of our knowledge, it has yet to be examined in caregivers commonly seen in general pediatric neurosurgical practices.