Anirudh Srinivasan

Serum lipid profile spectrum and delayed cerebral ischemia following subarachnoid hemorrhage: Is there a relation?

Background: Serum lipid abnormalities are known to be important risk factors for vascular disorders. However, their role in delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI), the major cause of morbidity after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) remains unclear. This study was an attempt to evaluate the spectrum of lipid profile changes in SAH compared to matched controls, and their relation with the occurrence of DCI. Methods: Admission serum lipid profile levels were measured in patients of SAH and prospectively studied in relation to various factors and clinical development of DCI. Results: Serum triglyceride (TG) levels were significantly lower among SAH patients compared to matched controls (mean [±standard deviation (SD)] mg/dL: 117.3 [±50.4] vs. 172.8 [±89.1], P = 0.002), probably because of energy consumption due to hypermetabolic response. Patients who developed DCI had significantly higher TG levels compared to those who did not develop DCI (mean [±SD] mg/dL: 142.1 [±56] vs. 111.9 [±54], P = 0.05). DCI was noted in 62% of patients with TG >150 mg/dL, compared to 22% among the rest (P = 0.01). Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and lipoprotein (a) neither showed a significant difference between SAH and controls and nor any significant association with DCI. Multivariate analysis using binary logistic regression adjusting for the effects of age, sex, systemic disease, World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies grade, Fisher grade, and clipping/coiling, revealed higher TG levels to have significant independent association with DCI (P = 0.01). Conclusions: Higher serum TG levels appear to be significantly associated with DCI while other lipid parameters did not show any significant association. This may be due to their association with remnant cholesterol or free fatty acid-induced lipid peroxidation.

Contiguous triple spinal dysraphism associated with Chiari malformation Type II and hydrocephalus: an embryological conundrum between the unified theory of Pang and the unified theory of McLone

Triple spinal dysraphism is extremely rare. There are published reports of multiple discrete neural tube defects with intervening normal segments that are explained by the multisite closure theory of primary neurulation, having an association with Chiari malformation Type II consistent with the unified theory of McLone. The authors report on a 1-year-old child with contiguous myelomeningocele and lipomyelomeningocele centered on Type I split cord malformation with Chiari malformation Type II and hydrocephalus. This composite anomaly is probably due to select abnormalities of the neurenteric canal during gastrulation, with a contiguous cascading impact on both dysjunction of the neural tube and closure of the neuropore, resulting in a small posterior fossa, probably bringing the unified theory of McLone closer to the unified theory of Pang.

Sclerosing cholangitis and intracranial lymphoma in a child with classical Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome.

Patients with Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome (WAS) are predisposed to malignancy and autoimmunity in addition to infections. We report a male child with WAS, who had presented with recurrent pneumonia, eczema, thrombocytopenia, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, and vasculitic skin lesions. Genetic analysis revealed a classical genotype WAS 155C>T; R41X. At 2 years of follow‐up, he developed persistent headache and progressive hepatomegaly. Brain imaging showed a mass in the right frontal region, which on histopathology was shown to be high‐grade non‐Hodgkin lymphoma. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography showed features of sclerosing cholangitis. This report extends the clinical spectrum and highlights unusual manifestations of sclerosing cholangitis and intracranial lymphoma in a patient with WAS.

Pupil sparing oculomotor nerve paresis after anterior communicating artery aneurysm rupture: False localizing sign or acute microvascular ischemia?

Background: We describe a rare case of solitary pupil sparing oculomotor nerve paresis following rupture of anterior communicating artery (ACom) aneurysm and discuss the pertinent literature. Oculomotor nerve paresis caused by an ACom aneurysm rupture is an uncommon occurrence. Also, partial paresis affecting only fibers of superior division of oculomotor nerve is never reported before. Case Description: A 55-year-old female, known hypertensive presented 5 days after an episode of acute severe headache, with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of E2V2M5, left ptosis, normal pupils, paraparesis, and computed tomography (CT) scan showed diffuse subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). CT angiography revealed ACom aneurysm pointing antero-superiorly toward right. Patient later underwent endovascular coiling of the aneurysm. Subsequently there was partial improvement of ptosis in 3 weeks. Conclusion: Though pupil sparing oculomotor nerve paresis may not have much localizing value, it helps to understand acute microvascular spasm with potential therapeutic implications.

Impact of transsphenoidal surgery on asymptomatic cardiomyopathy in patients with acromegaly. A single-blinded study

Background: Patients with acromegaly have 2–3 times the expected mortality rates primarily due to cardiovascular risks. Echocardiographic studies showing improvement of cardiac function following transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) are limited. Materials and Methods: All patients with acromegaly underwent preoperative echocardiography and tissue Doppler (Philips i33, 3D ECHO) for assessment of cardiac indices. In the prospective group of patients, echocardiography was repeated after 6 months of surgery. In the retrospective group of patients, echocardiography was performed for left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and ejection fraction. Biochemical cure was confirmed at least after 6 months by glucose-suppressed plasma growth hormone (GH) concentrations (GH-OGTT) of less than 0.4 ng/ml, random GH of less than 1 ng/ml, and normal age-corrected insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) values. Results: In the prospective group (38 patients), there was a significant decrease in the left ventricular mass (LVM) and LVM index (LVMI) in patients who were cured as well as in patients with postoperative growth hormone (GH) 1–5 ng/ml. In the prospective group, LVMI completely normalized in 2 and a new-onset deterioration was detected in 1 patient (who was not cured) and improved in 8 others. Left ventricular systolic function was abnormal at baseline in 18 (47.3%) patients, which normalized in 11 (61.1%) patients postoperatively, and in 7 patients, it improved significantly although it did not normalize completely. There was also a significant improvement in the left ventricular ejection fraction (P = 0.01). Post TSS, in patients with GH-OGTT >5 ng/ml, there was no significant decrease in the LVM, LVMI and ejection fraction (EF). In the retrospective group, 62 patients were analyzed for a change in the EF with a mean follow-up of 20.3 months. There was a significant improvement in the left ventricular EF in patients who were cured (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Reduction in growth hormone levels and insulin-like growth factor type 1 can decrease the LVM and LVMI, which directly or indirectly contributes to the improvement in diastolic as well as systolic function and probably mortality.

Frontal lobe signs after posterior fossa surgery: Is hypoperfusion ignored?

Sir, Behavioral manifestations constitute major burden of patients suffering from brain tumors.[2] Cerebellar mutism syndrome, known to occur following surgery for posterior fossa tumors, is not commonly associated with behavioral symptoms. A 12-year-old boy, diagnosed with posterior fossa mass lesion underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunt followed by definitive surgery. He developed acute mutism symptoms after the surgery and presented with hyperactivity, inattention, and inappropriate social behavior in the form of soiling and urinating in public. Single-photon emission computed tomography was performed 15 days after surgery for these symptoms and it showed cerebral hypoperfusion in right frontal and thalamoganglionic regions [Figure 1]. Figure 1 Brain single-photon emission computed tomography showing moderately reduced perfusion in right inferior orbitofrontal region, right lateral temporal, right thalamic, right basal ganglia, and bilateral occipito-parietal regions (right > left) Altered speech and other manifestations after posterior fossa surgery are often secondary to edema or hypoperfusion adjacent to the surgical trauma.[4] Remote localized deficits after posterior fossa surgery are however not common, though crossed cerebello-cerebral diaschisis due to involvement of dentato-thalamo-cortical pathway has been occasionally reported.[1] Some of these atypical remote presentations were described possibly due to vascular phenomena.[3] However, extensive remote hypoperfusion as described above have not been reported much. Perfusion deficits in these atypical presentations indicate the impact of surgery on brain is more generalized than the operated area similar to the systemic nature of head injury.[4] In addition, perfusion tests may not only help to evaluate patients with atypical postoperative symptoms, but also open up therapeutic avenues as well as for prognosis. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.