Jean Retif

Occlusion of the basilar artery in young patients

SummaryReport of two new cases of occlusion of the basilar artery in young patients, one of which was verified by post-mortem examination to be caused by a dissecting aneurysm; the other patient is still alive three months after the onset.

Inferior red nucleus syndrome (Benedikt's syndrome) due to a single intramesencephalic metastasis from a prostatic carcinoma

SummaryThe authors describe a case of inferior red nucleus syndrome due to a solitary intramesencephalic metastasis from a glandular epithelioma of the prostate. They emphasize the rarity of cerebral metastases of prostatic origin, particularly at the level of the brain stem, and the exceptional features of a red nucleus syndrome originating from a tumour.

Late occurrence of additional ocular and intracranial pathologies in the linear naevus sebaceous (Feuerstein-Mims) syndrome.

SummaryThe linear naevus sebaceous syndrome of Feuerstein-Mims belongs to the phacomatoses and classically is composed of a linear cutaneous lesion associated with mental retardation and epilepsy, sometimes also with ocular dystrophies.During an unusually long follow-up of 32 years of such a case, which is reported here, the late occurrence of additional ocular and intracranial pathology are demonstrated: conjunctival and bulbar tumours with progressive deterioration of visual acuity, bilateral intracranial arachnoidal cysts, dilatation and torstuosity of the middle cerebral artery.As a consequence of these observations the prognosis in cases with this syndrome has to be given with special caution.

Staphylococcal meningitis and abscess associated with intracranial Foreign body, as a late complication of cranial trauma

SummaryReport of the case of a patient who presented a meningitis associated with a brain abscess as the result of a head injury which occurred several months beforehand and which, although it seemed trivial at the time, resulted in the penetration into the brain of an unsuspected foreign body. The possibilities of prevention and treatment of such complications are discussed and the necessity for a careful exploration of any penetreting wound of the face even after a trivial head injury is stressed.