Flow-cytometric DNA analysis of intracranial tumors in children.

The objective of this study was to investigate flow-cytometric DNA values of pediatric intracranial tumors, and to establish DNA analysis as a potential prognostic parameter. Twenty-nine brain tumor specimens from 26 pediatric patients were cryo-preserved within a 3-year period. The DNA content was measured by flow cytometry. Six of the tumor specimens had aneuploid DNA patterns. The median of the proliferation index was lower in the survivor group compared with the non-survivor group (36.4% and 47.5%, respectively). Ten of the 26 patients are still alive, eight were lost to follow up, and eight died. Flow-cytometric DNA analysis may be a helpful tool for examining brain tumors in children.…

Organisation and maturation of the human thalamus as revealed by CD15

The distribution of the CD15 antigen (CD15, 3-fucosyl-N-acetyl-lactosamine, Lewis x) has been studied immunohistochemically in the fetal human thalamus. Its changing patterns could be related to three successive, but overlapping, periods primarily due to its association with radial glial cells, neuropil, and neural cell bodies, respectively. From 9 weeks of gestation (wg), a subset of CD15-positive radial glial cells distinguished the neuroepithelium of the ventral thalamus, a characteristic also seen in the developing mouse. Distal processes of the radial glial cells converged at the root of the forebrain choroid tenia, which was also CD15 positive. From 13 wg until approximately 20 wg, CD…

Pathomorphology of hereditary sensory neuropathies

Currently, the hereditary sensory neuropathies (HSN) — because of the involvement of the autonomic system recently called HSAN — comprise types I–V predicated on clinical differences. This classification of HSAN I–V seems to be uncontested, at the present time. Morphologically, individual forms I–V only differ in the non-specific loss or lack of myelinated and unmyelinated nerves in varying degrees in that in HSAN II large myelinated axons are most affected, in HSAN IV unmyelinated axons are almost absent; but each HSAN is considered an axonal type of neuropathy. Early onset, slow or no progression of the neuropathic process, and little or no evidence of ongoing degeneration suggest maldeve…

Confluens-sinuum-Obstruktion durch Langerhanszell-Histiozytose

Die Langerhanszell-Histiozytose, bis vor wenigen Jahren als Histiozytose X bezeichnet, umfast 3 verschiedene Syndrome, namlich das eosinophile Granulom, die Hand-Schuller-Christian-Krankheit sowie die Abt-Letterer-Siwe-Krankheit, und gehort zu den seltenen Erkrankungen des Kindesalters. Wir berichten uber einen 10 jahrigen Jungen, der mit einer Schwellung am Hinterkopf und beginnender Hirndrucksymptomatik zur stationaren Aufnahme kam. Klinik, konventionelle radiologische Diagnostik und Computertomographie liesen differentialdiagnostisch ein eosinophiles Granulom als wahrscheinlich erscheinen. MRT und MRT-Angiographie zeigten jedoch die akute Bedrohung des Patienten durch das intrakraniale W…

The influence of long-term dietary choline deficiency on choline metabolites in the rat brain

Behandlung eines extraneural metastasierten Medulloblastoms

We report a patient with a history of a previously treated medulloblastoma, now presenting with generalized osseous metastases. Currently there is a complete remission under continuous therapy with VP-16. Since the frequency of systemic metastases in patients with medulloblastoma is approximately 5%, we recommend a more extensive initial evaluation in these patients.

Transcatheter embolization of the kidney with butyl-2-cyanoacrylate: Experimental and clinical results

The technique and efficacy of therapeutic catheter embolization of the kidney with butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (Histoacryl) were studied in 80 rabbits (including control groups) and in 10 dogs. A mixture of butyl-2-cyanoacrylate, 50% glucose, and tantalum powder was used for the embolization. Complete and permanent vascular occlusion was found in nearly all cases. The main complication observed was a reflux of embolizing material into the lumbar arteries, which occurred in seven rabbits. Clinically, therapeutic embolization was performed in six patients with hypernephroma. The indication for embolization in these patients, as well as in two others with iatrogenic lesions, was pronounced hematuria…

Komplikationen nach Zelltherapie

Nach wie vor durfen tierische Frischzellpraparationen zur sog. Zellulartherapie verabreicht werden unter der Vorstellung einer allgemeinen Vitalisierung und Roborierung des Organismus, insbesondere des Immunsystems. Die Verwendung von Trockenzelltherapeutica hat das Bundesgesundheitsamt bereits 1987 vorlaufig verboten, nicht ohne darauf hinzuweisen, das auch gegen die sog. Frischzelltherapie schwerwiegende Bedenken bestunden, das ein generelles Verbot auch dieser Behandlungsweise jedoch nicht in seiner Kompetenz lage. Wiederholt waren z.T. lebensbedrohliche und auch todliche Komplikationen im Verlauf dieser Therapie beobachtet und beschrieben worden. Den bereits publizierten Beobachtungen w…

Transrenal ureteral occlusion using a detachable balloon

Percutaneous transrenal ureteral occlusion using a detachable balloon filled with silicone was performed in 20 patients. The main indications were palliation of large urinary fistulas and as a treatment of last resort for severe dysuria in patients with advanced pelvic malignancies. In 6 patients the contralateral kidney was rendered nonfunctional to obviate the need for bilateral nephrostomy. Due to frequent obstruction of the tube, ureteral blockage in 3 became insufficient. Two dislocated balloons were extracted percutaneously and replaced. In order to achieve effective interruption of urinary flow down the ureter, well-functioning external nephrostomy drainage is necessary.

Congenital intracranial tumors

Tumors that are diagnosed already at birth or during the first or second week of life are called congenital tumors. They represent a special challenge to pediatric oncologists and to surgeons, and are relatively rare. From 1956 to August 1983 in the Pediatric Department of the University Hospital of Mainz, 1.027 children with tumors were observed and treated, 16 of them with congenital tumors. Among 479 tumor patients from 1956 to 1972 there was only one child with a congenital tumor; but from 1973 to 1983 there were 15 cases. Possibly, the absolute number of congenital tumors is increasing!

Quantitative investigations on the human entorhinal area: left-right asymmetry and age-related changes

The total nerve cell numbers in the right and in the left human entorhinal areas have been calculated by volume estimations with the Cavalieri principle and by cell density determinations with the optical disector. Thick gallocyanin-stained serial frozen sections through the parahippocampal gyrus of 22 human subjects (10 female, 12 male) ranging from 18 to 86 years were analysed. The laminar composition of gallocyanin (Nissl)-stained sections could easily be compared with Braak's (1972, 1980) pigmentoarchitectonic study, and Braak's nomenclature of the entorhinal laminas was adopted. Cell-sparse laminae dissecantes can more clearly be distinguished in Nissl than in aldehydefuchsin preparati…

Giant aneurysm of the vertebral artery causing compression of the lower medulla oblongata

Es wird ein Fall geschildert, bei welchem durch ein Riesenaneurysma am Abgang der Arteria cerebellaris posterior inferior von der linken A. vertebralis zu einer Kompression der Oblongata mit rasch progredienter Tetraparese gefuhrt hatte. An der analogen Stelle an der rechten Vertebralis wurde ein zweites kleineres Aneurysma gefunden.

Psychic Stress as a Trigger of the Spontaneous Development and Rupture of an Aneurysm?: A Case Report

We present angiographical and neuropathological data of a 51-year-old woman, who primarily suffered from a recurrent glomus tempo-rale tumour on the left side and who finally died after a spontaneous rupture of a distal basilar aneurysm which developed during angiography. As a second important finding the existence of a vasospasm at the time of the rupture is also confirmed.

Correlation of virus replication, cytokine (TNF-? and IL-1) producing cells, neuronal necrosis and inflammation after intranasal infection of mice with herpes simplex virus strains of different virulence

The number of TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta producing cells was investigated during the acute replication phase of herpes simplex virus (HSV) in trigeminal ganglia after intranasal infection with strains of different virulence. The highly virulent strain WAL replicated strongly and induced many cytokine producing cells early in the ganglia. The low virulent strain HFEM replicated less, only few cytokine producing cells were detected late. The thymidine-kinase negative (TK-) virus 1301 did not replicate but produced some lymphocytic inflammation. The higher the virulence of strains of HSV-1 or -2 was, the stronger was the extent of histopathological lesions; moreover, a dissociation in time betwee…

Beidseitige progrediente Hörminderung als Erstmanifestation eines metastasierenden Pankreaskopfkarzinoms - Kasuistik -

We report the history of a patient who presented first with a progressive unilateral hearing loss and later with a bilateral deafness and an unilateral facial nerve palsy as first and only symptoms of a pancreatic adenocarcinoma. By means of magnetic resonance tomography tumor-suspect lesions in both internal auditory canals were detected. Referring to the results of further examinations these intracanalicular lesions are most probably due to rarely seen bilateral metastasis of a pancreatic adenocarcinoma in the temporal bone. In addition to this rarely diagnosed localisation of metastasis it is rather uncommon that this kind of primary malignoma had not been detected because of gastrointes…