Cerebral meningioangiomatosis: case report.

We discuss the clinical, neuroradiologic and histopathologic features of a case not apparently associated with neurofibromatosis (type 2), reviewing the relevant literature.

Outcome and prognostic factors in the surgical treatment of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas. A long-term study.

From a total of 78 patients surgically treated for a spinal dural arteriovenous fistula, in whom long-term follow-up was available, 25 have been reviewed. Their outcome at different postoperative stages and the long-term prognostic factors is discussed. Excision or coagulation of the nidus, as well as disconnection of the draining vein offers better results in the long-term than clipping of the draining vein alone.

Central neurocytoma: a clinico-pathological study of five cases.

Central neurocytoma (CN) is a rare, benign tumour of neuronal differentiation which affects young patients and is generally found in the lateral or third ventricles. Its radiological features are non-specific and, in the past, these tumours were confused with other intraventricular lesions. Only recently, thanks to their characteristic features on immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy, have they been recognized as a separate entity.

Changes in extracellular acid-base homeostasis in cerebral ischemia.

The purpose of this study was to examine the changes in extracellular CO32- and lactate concentration produced by ischemia, especially in relation to the occurrence of anoxic depolarization, and how some of these changes are altered by the inhibition of organic acid transport systems with probenecid. These data demonstrate that (i) the transmembrane mechanisms contributing to intracellular acid-base regulation (Na+/H+ and HCO3-/Cl- exchanges, and lactate/H+ cotransport) are markedly activated during ischemia; (ii) the efficacy of these mechanisms is abolished as the cellular membrane permeability to ions, including H+ and pH-changing anions, suddenly increases with anoxic depolarization; and (iii) efflux of intracellular lactate during ischemia, and its reuptake with reperfusion, mainly occur via a transporter. These findings imply that residual cellular acid-base homeostasis persists as long as cell depolarization does not occur, and strengthen the concept that anoxic depolarization is a critical event for cell survival during ischemia.

Spinal epidural abscess--review of 10 cases.

Abscess formation in the spinal epidural space is a very rare lesion, occurring once in 10,000 admissions to a tertiary centre and often requiring emergency neurosurgical treatment commonly presenting late. We present our experience of ten cases of spinal epidural abscess treated at our institution between January 1984 and July 1994 and review the most recent literature.