Primary optic nerve sheath schwannoma: A case report and literature review

Schwannomas are benign tumors of the peripheral nervous system that arise from Schwann cells. Intracranial schwannomas most commonly arise from the vestibulocochlear nerve, followed by the fifth nerve. However, optic nerve sheath schwannomas are very rare due to the lack of Schwann cells on it. A few exceptional cases of optic nerve sheath schwannoma have been described in the literature. In this article, we report a rare case of primary optic nerve sheath schwannoma in a 48-year-old woman who presented with progressive visual loss and left-sided proptosis. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a well-demarcated intraconal orbital mass with cystic appearance and rim enhancement. The diagnosis of optic nerve schwannoma was proposed and confirmed histologically after surgical resection.

Ossifying skeletal muscle metastasis as an initial manifestation of colorectal adenocarcinoma

Skeletal muscle metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC) are very rare. They have usually been described in patients with known CRC and as a well-defined mass. In this case report, we present a unique case of diffuse and ossifying skeletal muscle metastasis as the first manifestation of CRC. A 36-year-old man presented with progressive left thigh swelling and left hip pain of 6 months duration. He denied any gastrointestinal complaints. CT and MRI of the thigh showed diffuse muscular swelling, signal abnormalities with linear calcifications involving the muscles of the posterior and medial compartments of the left thigh and both gluteal regions. Histology confirmed the metastatic nature of a colorectal adenocarcinoma. The patient was treated with chemotherapy and showed a good evolution after 6 months of follow-up.

Intraosseous Meningioma of Spheno-Orbital Localization: A Case Report

Intracranial meningiomas are benign extra-axial brain tumors. Their etiology is undetermined and several hypotheses have been proposed to explain their genesis. The clinical symptomatology of intracranial meningiomas is atypical and varies according to the location of the lesion, its size, and its relationship with neighboring organs. Imaging is essential for establishing a positive diagnosis, but the way to a diagnosis of certainty remains histological. In this article, we describe the CT and magnetic resonance imaging aspects of an intraosseous meningioma discovered in a patient in her forties that presented with right proptosis, and whose brain MRI revealed a cranial lesion with adjacent meningeal involvement; the CT scan subsequently performed allowed a better analysis of the bone lesion, the appearance of which suggested an intraosseous meningioma. This diagnosis was confirmed by a histological exam. The purpose of this article is to illustrate the CT and MRI aspects of this entity by reporting a case of intraosseous meningioma of spheno-orbital location.

Spontaneous external jugular vein pseudoaneurysm: A rare cause of neck swelling

Pseudoaneurysm of the external jugular vein is a relatively unusual cause of a neck mass caused by the low pressure venous system. Regardless of etiology, spontaneous pseudoaneurysms are extremely rare, and only few cases have been described in literature. They require surgery; however, most patients can be safely discharged with close follow-up with a vascular surgeon. This case demonstrates a 30-year-old man who presented with a non-tender, compressible, left-sided neck mass that enlarged with Valsalva, and intermittent paresthesias. Ultrasound confirmed a cystic mass of unknown etiology containing doppler flow suggesting the diagnosis of an external jugular vein pseudoaneurysm, confirmed by a CT angiogrphy. The patient refused the surgery, and we agreed he was safe for discharge at that time and could follow up with vascular surgery as an outpatient.

Ureteral Hematoma: A Case Report on Complications During Anticoagulant Therapy

Ureteral hematoma is a rare complication occurring during anticoagulant therapy, with fewer than 10 cases reported in the literature. Bleeding complications are underestimated. They affect about 10% of patients treated with long-term anti-vitamin K (AVK). The appearance of macroscopic hematuria may indicate the presence of underlying organic damage. Clinically, ureteral hematoma is manifested by lumbar or abdominal pain often associated with macroscopic hematuria. Imaging plays a major role in its diagnosis. Clinical and radiological evolution is always rapidly favorable after the correction of coagulation disorders and the immediate discontinuation of anticoagulant treatment. We report in this work the case of a patient in her 50s who presented a ureteral hematoma during her anticoagulant treatment.

Gayet Wernicke's encephalopathy with cortical damage following a subtotal gastrectomy: An uncommon association

Wernicke's encephalopathy is a pathological entity caused by Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) deficiency in malnourished individuals, especially alcoholics, patients operated for digestive surgery or suffering from gastrointestinal tract's diseases or incoercible vomiting. Classically it manifests by confusion with oculomotor disorders and ataxia. However, other neurological manifestations are possible. Magnetic resonance imaging is the gold standard imaging technique for diagnosis. It shows signal abnormality on periventricular area around the third and fourth ventricles and on mammillary bodies in the most common cases, however other localizations are possible, in particular the cerebral cortex, which can explain the occurrence of epileptic seizures in some patients. Early administration of Thiamine, intravenously or intramuscularly, allows ad-integrum recovery, while delayed treatment is associated with serious consequences in terms of mortality and morbidity with debilitating neurological sequelae. The presence of cortical lesions is of poor prognosis despite a well-managed treatment. In this article, we report a nonalcoholic Wernicke's encephalopathy case, following a subtotal gastrectomy. Epileptic seizures were the major clinical manifestation, related to the associated cortical lesions. Despite early and well-managed treatment, the patient had a poor prognosis, with progression, after one month, to a persistent chronic vegetative state.

[Poland syndrome: about a case and review of the literature]

Le syndrome de Poland est une malformation congénitale rare associant à des degrés divers des anomalies thoraciques et du membre supérieur homolatéral. Nous rapportons le cas d'une fillette de 7 ans, explorée pour dépression de l'hémithorax gauche avec masse sous claviculaire homolatérale. La tomodensitométrie a montré que la déformation de la paroi thoracique était liée à l'absence des chefs à insertion sterno-costale du muscle pectoralis major gauche avec agénésie du pectoralis minor et hypoplasie des arcs antérieurs des six premières côtes correspondantes. Ces anomalies étaient rapportées à un syndrome de Poland. Un bilan général fait d'échographie abdominale, radiographies des deux mains, a été réalisé chez la patiente n'ayant révélé aucune malformation associée. Le syndrome de Poland résulte d'un défaut d'approvisionnement sanguin des éléments musculosquelettiques de la paroi thoracique pendant la vie fœtale. Il existe de nombreuses variantes du syndrome de Poland qui peuvent être mieux détectées par la TDM qui doit être réalisée chaque fois qu'il est disponible, sans omettre le rôle de la radiologie général dans la détection des malformations associées. La caractéristique de ce syndrome est l'agénésie des faisceaux sternocostaux du muscle pectoralis major. Son étiologie reste inconnue et discutée. Une anomalie vasculaire en serait la cause, sans que le primum movens de cette anomalie vasculaire soit connu.