A rare case of intramedullary solitary juvenile xanthogranuloma of the lumbar spine in the adult: a case report.

Solitary juvenile xanthogranuloma (SJX) of the spine is an extremely rare proliferative histiocytic disorder with only few cases reported in literature. We present the first case of intramedullary spinal SJX. A 22-year-old male presented with a nine-month history of progressively worsening sphincteric disturbances and saddle hypoesthesia.

Calvarial metastasis from endometrial carcinoma: Case report and review of the literature.

Hematogenous bone metastases from endometrial carcinoma are not frequent and their treatment is a matter of debate. We describe an extremely rare case of calvarial metastasis from endometrial carcinoma in an 80-year-old woman treated by means of one-step surgical radical resection and heterologous cranioplasty, along with a review of the literature regarding epidemiology, clinico-radiological features, prognosis, and management of skull metastases.

Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma: long-term results of surgical treatment and analysis of prognostic factors.

Background: Pleomorphic Xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) is a rare brain tumour, most commonly affecting children and young adults. To date, only few data regarding the long-term follow-up of these patients after surgery are available. The aim of this study is to describe our single-institution experience in the surgical management of this particular glioma over a period of over 18 years.

Cerebral metastasis from a previously undiagnosed appendiceal adenocarcinoma.

Brain metastases arise in 10%-40% of all cancer patients. Up to one third of the patients do not have previous cancer history. We report a case of a 67-years-old male patient who presented with confusion, tremor, and apraxia.

Cystic dilation of the ventriculus terminalis.

Object: The ventriculus terminalis, an embryological remnant consisting of the ependymal-lined space of the conus medullaris, can occasionally become symptomatic after cystic dilation. In the existing literature, consisting of 32 cases, the preferred type of management (conservative vs surgical) is still debated. The object of this study was to report the surgical results in a consecutive series of 10 adult patients with cystic dilation of the ventriculus terminalis (CDVT), to match them with data retrieved from the relevant literature, and specifically to validate a new recent clinical classification.

Late deterioration of neurologic function in patients surgically treated for spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas.

Background: A limited number of reports on the long-term neurologic outcome of patients with SDAVFs treated by surgery and/or embolization are available in the literature. The aim of our study is to neurologically evaluate these patients at 2 different follow-up stages, after surgery, to demonstrate a possible late neurologic deterioration after an initial improvement.

Methods: Between January 1987 and May 2002, 29 patients with SDAVFs were operated on at the Verona Department of Neurosurgery.

Atypical meningioma of the sylvian fissure.

Meningiomas are meningothelial cell neoplasms that account for approximately 25% of all primary intracranial tumors. Most meningiomas are slow-growing benign lesions, and they are usually attached to the inner surface of the dura mater. Nevertheless, since the first description by of Cushing and Eisenhardt, many meningiomas without dural attachment have been reported.

Primary high-grade B-cell lymphoma of the choroid plexus.

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is an extranodal non-Hodgkin lymphoma arising from and confined to the neuraxis. It represents about 3-4% of all primitive brain neoplasms and is mainly located in deep supratentorial regions. A ventricular involvement is quite frequent, but in the vast majority of cases it is secondary to an extension from a subependymal location.

Intraneural cavernous malformation of the cauda equina.

Spinal cavernous angiomas are rare vascular malformations occurring mainly in the vertebral body with or without an extradural extension. Only 3-5% of these lesions are entirely located in the spinal canal where they can occupy an extradural, intradural-extramedullary or intramedullary position. We present a 75-year-old woman with signs and symptoms of multiple lumbar radiculopathy.

Conservative treatment of an atlantoaxial degenerative articular cyst: case report.

Background: Atlantoaxial degenerative articular cysts are rare lesions that can cause extradural compression of the cervicomedullary junction. When symptomatic, they usually require surgical treatment. We report an unusual case of spontaneous regression of an atlantoaxial degenerative articular cyst after conservative treatment with an external cervical brace along with a systemic therapy with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and steroids.