Publications by authors named "Sherri Birchansky"

Introduction: The posterior fossa is the most common intracranial location for pediatric ependymoma. While ependymoma usually arises from the ventricular lining of the fourth ventricle as a solid mass, it rarely originates from the brainstem. Grade II ependymomas also infrequently appear as a cavitary ring-enhancing lesion.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

PARN encodes poly(A)-specific ribonuclease. Biallelic and monoallelic PARN variants are associated with Hoyeraal-Hreidarsson syndrome/dyskeratosis congenita and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), respectively. The molecular features associated with incomplete penetrance of PARN-associated IPF have not been described.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A case of a 19-year-old female with low-risk acute myeloid leukemia is presented who was diagnosed with idiopathic hyperammonemic encephalopathy following the development of abrupt neurologic decline, respiratory alkalosis, and elevated plasma ammonia levels of unknown etiology. Delayed symptom recognition of this exceedingly rare condition contributes to the often fatal outcomes of idiopathic hyperammonemic encephalopathy. As illustrated by this case, prompt diagnosis and utilization of a variety of ammonia-modulating treatment modalities can result in remarkable clinical recovery.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The integration of genome-scale studies such as whole-exome sequencing (WES) into the clinical care of children with cancer has the potential to provide insight into the genetic basis of an individual's cancer with implications for clinical management. This report describes the results of clinical tumor and germline WES for a patient with a rare tumor diagnosis, rosette-forming glioneuronal tumor of the fourth ventricle (RGNT). Three pathogenic gene alterations with implications for clinical care were identified: somatic activating hotspot mutations in FGFR1 (p.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Lymphocytic hypophysitis (LH) is a rare inflammatory disorder of the pituitary gland and infundibulum most often observed in the setting of autoimmune disease with a variety of clinical and endocrine presentations. The association between lymphocytic hypophysitis and multiple sclerosis has not been reported.

Patient And Results: We describe an adolescent boy with polyfocal neurological signs including optic neuritis as well as hypopituitarism and diabetes insipidus related to lymphocytic hypophysitis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Object: Upper cervical spine injuries in the pediatric age group have been recognized as extremely unstable from ligamentous disruption and as potentially lethal. Few measurement norms have been published for the pediatric upper cervical spine to help diagnose this pathological state. Instead, adult measurement techniques and results are usually applied inappropriately to children.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Osteomyelitis is a common pediatric musculoskeletal infection. This infection can weaken the normal bone structure, resulting in the risk of a pathologic fracture. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the risk factors for pathologic fracture in children with Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP) is an uncommon diagnosis that should be considered in patients with multiple compressive neuropathies. We present the case of a woman who presented with bilateral hand numbness and weakness. Electrodiagnostic testing revealed bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral ulnar neuropathy at the elbow, left peroneal neuropathy at the fibular head, and a primarily demyelinating generalized sensorimotor neuropathy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We describe a case of Möbius syndrome in a 3-month-old infant. Striking imaging findings of pontine hypoplasia in the region of the 6th and the 7th nerve complexes were noted. In addition, absence of the middle cerebellar peduncles was noted, a finding that, to our knowledge, has never been reported before in the literature.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Lymphangiomatosis of the bone is rare. The axial as well as appendicular skeleton may be affected. Neurosurgical consultation may be called for several reasons: (1) lesions involving the calvarium and/or spine; (2) nondiagnostic biopsies from more accessible and less morbid locations, and (3) persistent CSF leak and/or recurrent meningitis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We report a case of solitary intracranial childhood Castleman's disease (CD) presenting with a sudden onset of partial seizures due to a meningeal and cortical mass lesion. The patient was a previously healthy 8-year-old girl who developed a new onset of simple partial seizures with motor signs. On physical examination, she was neurologically intact.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The association of cervicothoracic extradural arachnoid cysts and obstetric brachial plexus palsy has not previously been reported. We report two patients with this association. The first patient is a 9-month-old boy with left obstetric brachial plexus palsy that developed bilateral leg weakness at 6 months of age owing to compression of the spinal cord by a C6 to T8 left cervicothoracic extradural arachnoid cyst.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF