Unusual Cause of Cord Compression-A Pressing Issue for Neurosurgeons

Spontaneous Pneumorachis - A Case-Based Review

Pneumorachis is characterized by the presence of free air in the spinal canal. It is referred by different names in literature such as epidural emphysema, intraspinal air, intraspinal pneumoc(o)ele, spinal epidural and subarachnoid pneumatosis, spinal and epidural emphysema, aerorachia, pneumosaccus, air myelogram, etc. Pneumorachis can be broadly classified as traumatic, iatrogenic, or spontaneous. In this case-based review, we present a case of spontaneous pneumorachis secondary to asthma exacerbation. This is followed by a systematic review of all cases of spontaneous pneumorachis identified in PubMed. The aim of this review is to understand the pathophysiology, common causes and the management of spontaneous pneumorachis.

Isolated retro-orbital granulocytic sarcoma relapse of Acute Myeloid Leukemia after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a case report

BACKGROUND

Granulocytic sarcoma (GS) is rare as an isolated presentation of relapse after allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), particularly in adult patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). We report here the case of a 37-year-old man who developed a GS of the retro-orbital as an isolated manifestation of AML relapse 27 months after allo-HSCT.

CASE REPORT

A 37-year-old man was diagnosed with AML and subsequently received allo-HSCT after clinical chemical remission. The patient suddenly presented with painless exophthalmos of the left eye twenty-seven months after allo-HSCT. Orbital magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed left retro-orbital masses. Histopathology revealed diffused infiltration of leukemic blasts. Further systemic investigation showed no leukemic involvement of his other organs. Isolated retro-orbital relapse of AML was diagnosed. Despite treatment using retro-orbital irradiation, the patient died 6 months after presentation.

CONCLUSION

Our patient had a poor survival prognosis, even with timely diagnosis and proper treatment. Although the ophthalmologist has a secondary role in the diagnosis and treatment of leukemia, a prompt recognition of the ocular manifestations and their significance as a sign of possible extramedullary lesion is crucial.

Testicular Myeloid Sarcoma: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Myeloid sarcoma usually involves lymph nodes, and head and neck regions. Uncommon sites like testis and ovary are rarely involved and pose a diagnostic challenge. Nonspecific findings, difficulty in retrieving biopsy specimens, and associated infertility are few of the hurdles faced during diagnosis and treatment of testicular myeloid sarcoma. Our review is an attempt to study myeloid sarcoma involving testis.

Cardiac Myeloid Sarcoma: Review of Literature

Granulocytic Sarcomas (GS) also called as Myeloid Sarcomas (MS) or chloromas are the representatives of extramedullary infiltrates of immature myeloid cells including myeloblasts, promyelocytes and myelocytes. Primary cardiac malignancies per se are rare and infiltration of cardiac muscles by secondary malignant cells is also an uncommon finding. Out of these cardiac tumors, contribution of Cardiac Myeloid Sarcoma (CMS) is even more smaller thereby limiting our knowledge about this rare entity. Because of its very lower incidence, an exact guideline for diagnosis and management is still missing and usually haematologists around the world are treating CMS based on their clinical acumen. Aim of this review is to briefly discuss the presenting clinical feature, differential diagnosis, diagnostic workup and management based on published articles related to CMS till date.