[Syringomyelia due to arachnoiditis. Clinical-radiological description of 5 patients]

Five patients (mean age 44 years--range 21-67 years) with arachnoiditis of different origin who posteriorly developed syringomyelia are presented. The etiopathogenic mechanism of the arachnoiditis was post injury in one case, 2 patients had history of meningitis (tuberculous and pneumococcic) and in the other two no related factor was found. The period of latency among the causes which originated arachnoiditis and the diagnosis of syringomyelia oscillated between 10 months and 16 years. The localization of the cavity was dorsal in 3 cases, cervical in another and in the last it was extended along the whole spine. No patient demonstrated the Arnold-Chiari malformation nor basilar impression. Analyzing the clinical history, radiologic studies and surgical findings the most probable etiopathogenic mechanism involved in each case is discussed.

[Neuro-Behçet. Clinical study of 9 patients]

The authors evaluated the type of neurological involvement existing in patients with Behçet's syndrome over a 10 year period. Nine patients presenting several bouts with neurological symptomatology were studied with headache being clinically predominant followed in order of frequency by sensitive and/or motor ictal pictures. Suspected localization was both hemispheric and brain stem. No diagnostic test was able to clear up the origin of the lesions in the first stages of the disease, however the authors were able to observe, upon performing visual and/or brain stem evoked potentials and nuclear magnetic resonance at the time of the control, that several asymptomatic patients showed alterations in both tests. Thus, the value of the above mentioned tests must be emphasized in the follow up and control of neuro-Behçet's disease.

[Brucellosis with nervous system involvement]

Cases of brucellosis with involvement of the nervous system which was diagnosed in the Miguel Servet Hospital during the period 1985-1987 are retrospectively studied. The total quantity of affected patients of brucellosis was 132. Of this quantity, 9 patients (6.8%) had neurological complications under the following clinical forms: epidural abscess (2), meningoencephalitis (1), meningitis (2), encephalitis (1), myelitis (1) and polyradiculitis (2). The most important epidemiological and clinical characteristics are analysed, pointing out the diagnostic difficulties we found when the neurological manifestations are predominant in the brucella infection.

[Anterior spinal artery syndrome caused by cervical disc protrusion. Diagnosis by magnetic resonance]

The syndrome of the anterior spinal artery is a rare disease with a diagnosis based an its characteristic clinical features. Until the widespread use of the Magnetic Resonance (MR) the lesional confirmation required an anatomopathological study. We report a 49-years-old male with lacinating interscapular pain and sudden asymmetrical tetraparesia, in whom MR scan disclosed a plurisegmental anterior spinal lesion and a posterolateral disk protrusion at C6-C7 level. We discuss the etiological and pathogenetical relation between degenerative vertebral disk disease and spinal infarctions.

[Primary intraventricular hemorrhage in the adult]

Forty two instances of primary intraventricular hemorrhage (PIVH) out of overall 592 cases of intracerebral hemorrhages diagnosed by CT in 1980-1989, to evaluate the general prognosis attributable to PIVH and its factors. The mortality rate was 23.8%, and persistent residual disability was small or absent in 59.5% of patients. The prognosis was influenced by the clinical status at admission and the magnitude of ventricular bleeding. We conclude that PIVH is comparatively benign.