Mohamed Oukabli

Posterior ring apophysis separation combined with lumbar disc herniation in adults: a 10-year experience in the surgical management of 87 cases

OBJECT The association of posterior ring apophysis separation (PRAS) with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is uncommon and represents a true subgroup of disc herniation mainly seen in the adolescent population. The objective of this study was to describe a decade of experience in the care of adult patients with PRAS with LDH, giving particular attention to its diagnosis, surgical treatment, and outcome. METHODS This retrospective study focuses on a case series of adult patients with PRAS associated with LDH who underwent surgery for lumbar disc disease in the authors neurosurgical department between 1999 and 2008. Posterior ring apophysis separation was diagnosed in 87 (5.35%) of 1625 patients surgically treated for LDH; these patients made up the PRAS group. During a 6-month period in 2005, LDH without PRAS was diagnosed in 89 consecutive patients at the same facility; these patients constituted the control group. Presenting symptoms, physical examination findings, and preoperative imaging results were obtained from medical records. Immediate operative results were assessed, as were complications, long-term outcome, and the need for repeat surgery. RESULTS This study is the first to document the distinguishing features between adult patients with and those without PRAS. The difference in average age was statistically significant (p < 0.001) between the study group (36.22 years) and the control group (44.30 years), as was the incidence of male patients (86.20% vs 71.91%, p = 0.020), incidence of military patients (74.71% vs 57.30%, p = 0.015), average duration of symptoms (16.13 vs 8.4 months, p = 0.016), and incidence of reactive scoliosis (19.54% vs 4.49%, p = 0.002). The most common anatomical location of disc herniation in the PRAS group was L5-S1 (51.72%) versus L4-L5 (53.93%) in the control group (p = 0.017). In terms of previous injury, motor deficits, back and/or leg pain, lateral or central location of LDH, mean anteroposterior diameter of disc herniation, hard or soft discs, and surgical complications, there was no statistical difference between the 2 patient groups. Similarly, there was no difference in recurrence rates and clinical outcomes between the patients with or without PRAS. CONCLUSIONS Posterior ring apophysis separation with LDH is probably more common in adults than is generally recognized. It must be suspected when young male patients with persistent sciatic scoliosis and no history of injury show signs of calcified LDH. Computed tomography scanning with sagittal reconstructions is the procedure of choice for diagnosing. The L5-S1 intervertebral disc level is most commonly affected, especially the superior endplate of S-1. This condition needs more extensive surgical exposure and resection to relieve the nerve impingement. The occurrence of an apophyseal lesion was not associated with recurrent disc herniation or a fair outcome.

Is there any advantage to combined trastuzumab and chemotherapy in perioperative setting her 2neu positive localized gastric adenocarcinoma

We report here a 44-year-old Moroccan man with resectable gastric adenocarcinoma with overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) by immunohistochemistry who was treated with trastuzumab in combination with chemotherapy in perioperative setting. He received 3 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy consisting of trastuzumab, oxaliplatin, and capecitabine. Afterwards, he received total gastrectomy with extended D2 lymphadenectomy without spleno-pancreatectomy. A pathologic complete response was obtained with a combination of trastuzumab and oxaliplatin and capecitabine. He received 3 more cycles of trastuzumab containing regimen postoperatively.We conclude that resectable gastric carcinoma with overexpression of the c-erbB-2 protein should ideally be managed with perioperative combination of trastuzumab with chemotherapy. Further research to evaluate trastuzumab in combination with chemotherapy regimens in the perioperative and adjuvant setting is urgently needed.

Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome with a Sertoli-Leydig Cell Tumor

BACKGROUND The complete androgen insensitivity (testicular feminization) syndrome was described in phenotypic females with 46XY karyotype, presenting with primary amenorrhea, adequate breast development, and absent or sparse pubic or axillary hair. Gonads consist usually of seminiferous tubules without spermatogenesis. CASE We report the case of a 15-year-old girl with testicular feminization since age 4. She was admitted to surgically remove the testes from the inguinal canal. Microscopic examination of the left testis revealed a Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor and the draft of fallopian tube with adjacent seminiferous tubules. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION These patients have a 5%-10% risk of developing germ cell tumors. Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors are uncommon neoplasms, usually benign in testicular feminization syndrome.

Diagnostic challenge for ovarian malignant melanoma in premenopausal women: Primary or metastatic?

BackgroundIn the ovary, metastatic malignant melanoma may be confused with primary malignant melanoma and presents a diagnosis challenge. Most cases are associated with disseminated diseases and poor prognosis. We present this case report of a metastatic ovarian malignant melanoma simulating primary ovarian cancer.Case reportA 45-year-old premenopausal woman was incidentally found to have an abdominal mass, 3 years after removal of a cutaneous melanoma lesion. Ultrasound and CT scan revealed left two solid masses, which were found to be an ovarian tumor at laparotomy. Left oophorectomy was performed. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry showed melanoma metastasis to the ovary. Nine months later, the patient developed epilepsy and confusion. Magnetic Resonance Imaging showed unique Wright frontal lobe lesion. She underwent stereotactic radio surgery and dacarbazine monotherapy. For months later, the patient is died from disseminate disease progression.ConclusionOvarian metastasis is an unusual presentation of cutaneous melanoma and the prognosis was dismal. As illustrated by this case report, a differential diagnosis of a metastatic malignant melanoma must be considered.

Acute postpartum paraplegia caused by spinal extradural capillary hemangioma

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Multiple lytic lesions of the spine: a rare diagnosis of eosinophilic granuloma in an adult: a case report

Eosinophilic granuloma (EG) is a rare benign osteolytic lesion observed rarely in adults, with only some 18 cases of spinal location reported in the literature. We present an unusual variant of EG in a 23-year-old man with radiological features of multiple spinal lytic lesions which was evocated of metastatic processes. A surgically transpedicular biopsy of the thoracic collapsed vertebrae with posterior stabilization was made. Histological examination of the tissue showed features of eosinophilic granuloma. The clinical and radiological findings of EG present dilemmas of both diagnosis and treatment. The etiology is unclear and the therapeutic approach is still controversial.

Benign chondroid syringoma of the orbit: a rare cause of exophtalmos

Chondroid syringoma (CS) of the orbit is an extremely rare benign neoplasm. To the best of our knowledege, this is the second case reported in the english litérature.We report a case of a 41-year-old woman with orbital CS. This tumor developed slowly over 8 years causing indolor, no axil, exophtalmos of the left eye. Computed tomography demonstrated an isodense intraorbital tumor with homogeneous enhancement without bony erosion. On Magnetic resonance imaging the tumor was isointense on T1-weighted imaging, slightly hyper intense on T2-weighted imaging, and enhanced after Gadolinium administration. The patient was operated via left lateral orbitotomy. At surgery the mass was well circumscribed, extraconal, very firm and did not invade or adhere to other structures. The tumor was removed in toto. The diagnosis was confirmed by histopathological examination, the lesion was nodular, and there was differentiation toward the adnexal ductal epithelium with chondromyxoid and adipocytic differentiation in the stroma. No recurrence was seen with one year follow-up.CS should be included in the differential diagnosis of intra-orbital tumors. Complete resection remains the best therapeutic option to prevent recurrence. Close followup is recommended because malignant transformation, although rare, is possible.

Gliosarcome secondaire : à propos d’un cas

Gliosarcoma is a rare tumor of the central nervous system, consisting of gliomatous and sarcomatous elements. The glioblastoma can undergo a change in phenotype, transforming into a gliosarcoma, especially when the tumor has been treated with radiotherapy. Features unique to gliosarcoma compared to glioblastoma include their potential to appear similar to a meningioma at macroscopy, repeated reports of metastases and infrequency of EGFR mutations. We present a case of secondary gliosarcoma to emphasize on the specificities, essentially diagnostical of this rare entity.

Le ganglioneurome de l’os zygomatique

Introduction Le ganglioneurome est une tumeur benigne rare, se developpant a partir des cellules ganglionnaires du systeme nerveux sympathique. Elle constituerait moins de 1 % de tous les neoplasmes des tissus mous. Observation Nous rapportons une localisation a l’os zygomatique chez un jeune homme de 22 ans, aux antecedents de traumatisme orbitaire dans l’enfance. La tumeur se manifestait par une simple tumefaction asymptomatique. Le diagnostic a ete pose sur l’analyse de la piece operatoire apres osteotomie modelante. Discussion Les sites preferentiels du ganglioneurome sont l’abdomen et le thorax, la localisation osseuse est exceptionnelle avec moins de dix cas rapportes dans la litterature, dont six cas mandibulaires. Nous discutons les causes possibles de cette localisation exceptionnelle.

An Unusual Cause of Intestinal Obstruction in a Young Adult Patient: Inflammatory Fibroid Polyp

Inflammatory fibroid polyps are uncommon benign lesions that originate in the submucosa of the gastrointestinal tract. The stomach and the ileum are the most commonly affected sites. Although inflammatory fibroid polyp is one of the rare conditions leading to intestinal obstruction in adults, it should be considered as a possible diagnosis in obstructive tumors of the small bowel causing intussusceptions. We present one case of inflammatory fibroid polyp as a rare cause of intussusception in a young adult patient.