Giant Cerebriform Nevus Cell Nevus of the Scalp: A Case Report

Giant cerebriform nevus cell nevus of the scalp is an extremely rare form of congenital melanocytic nevus. Giant cerebriform nevus of the scalp has a major psychosocial impact because of its unsightly appearance with fetid maceration. We report the case of a 35-year-old woman who had a painless, malodorous swelling of the cerebriform scalp measuring 20 × 17 cm in diameter with a wide base of insertion at the occipital level adhering to the deep planes. The excision associated with a skin plasty was carried out. Histology concluded that there was a giant cerebriform naevo-cellular nevus of the scalp.

The Outcome of Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy in a Mixed Population of Adult and Pediatric Patients

Background: Endoscopic third ventriculocisternostomy (ETV) is the most common neuroendoscopic technique in the treatment of noncommunicating hydrocephalus. Since its introduction, ETV has been a safe alternative to ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VP shunt), which has a high complication rate with significant socio-economic consequences. The authors report the results of ETV performed in the neurosurgical department of FANN teaching hospital in Dakar. Methods: This retrospective study presents the results of ETV performed in 513 patients with hydrocephalus of various etiologies, ranging from February 2010 to February 2018. We have included in our series from 2010 to 2016, all patients with clinically revealed non-communicating hydrocephalus followed by a brain computed tomography (CT) scan or brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and who have benefited from an ETV, in which the ETV Success Score was evaluated. Results: The mean age of our patients was 14.10 years, with 298 (58%) males. The clinical symptomatology varied in both children and adults and manifested in children as macrocrania in 67.8% of the patients, while in adults, it manifested as raised intracranial pressure (ICP) in 87.5% of patients. A brain CT scan was performed in 461 (89.86%) of patients. The causes of hydrocephalus were dominated in 49% of patients by malformative pathologies, followed by tumors in 41% of patients, infections in 2.33% of patients, and normal-pressure hydrocephalus in 3.8% of patients. During the postoperative period, we found 21.41% of various complications. Conclusions: The findings in our series were compared to those in the literature and were satisfactory, thus proving the effectiveness and safety of ventriculocisternostomy in our department. In resource-limited countries, ETV can be performed with good results and less mortality and morbidity.

Spinal Cord Injuries without Visible Bone Lesions: Analysis of Four Consecutive Cases

Objectives: Interest of this study is to report four cases of spinal cord injuries without bone lesion. Evolution of the injured patients according to the initial clinic assessment at admission and the treatment performed are discussed. Materials and Methods: From January to December 2016, we performed a retrospective study at the Neurosurgery Department of Hospital General Grand Yoff of Dakar. Four patients were followed for spinal cord injury without visible bone lesions. We analyzed the clinical, radiological, therapeutic and evolutionary data. Trauma caused by stabbing was excluded. Results: In a year, 83 cases of spinal trauma with neurological deficit were hospitalized in the department. Among them, 4 had spinal cord injuries without visible bone lesions. The average age was 31.7 years with extremes ranging from 14 to 47 years. The sex ratio of male/female was 3. We have recorded 2 cases of road traffic accidents, 1 case of fall from height and 1 case of sports accident. On the neurological level, we found 3 cases of tetraplegia, and 1 brachial monoplegia. Computed tomography in all patients was normal. All of them benefited from magnetic resonance imaging that showed spinal cord injury. All patients were under conservative treatment. One patient fully recovered, two partially and one passed away. Conclusion: In presence of any post traumatic myelopathy case, the absence of disco-vertebral lesions should bring to mind the SCIWORA as well as indicate the realization of magnetic resonance imaging.