ARACHNOID CYSTS DESCRIPTION Arachnoid cysts are relatively common lesions that may occur both within the intracranial compartment (most common) as well as within the spinal canal. Arachnoid cyst contain cerebrospinal fluid and are covered by arachnoidal cells and collagen that may develop between the surface of the brain and the cranial base or on the arachnoid membrane, one of the three membranes that cover the brain and the spinal cord. These cysts may occur at birth (congenital) but remain undiagnosed. In such cases it is known as primary arachnoid cyst. Cysts that develop later in life is known as secondary arachnoid cyst. CAUSES • The exact cause of arachnoid cysts is not known. Researchers believe that most cases of arachnoid cysts …show more content…
The exact role that temporal lobe abnormalities play in the development of middle fossa arachnoid cysts is unknown. • There are some cases where hereditary disorders have been connected with arachnoid cysts. • Some complications of arachnoid cysts can occur when a cyst is damaged because of minor head trauma. Trauma can cause the fluid within a cyst to leak into other areas (e.g., subarachnoid space). • Blood vessels on the surface of a cyst may tear and bleed into the cyst (intracystic hemorrhage), increasing its size. • If a blood vessel bleeds on the outside of a cyst, a collection of blood (hematoma) may result. In the cases of intracystic hemorrhage and hematoma, the individual may have symptoms of increased pressure within the cranium and signs of compression of nearby nerve (neural) …show more content…
• Headaches. • Hydrocephalus (excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid) • Increased intracranial pressure • Developmental delay • Behavioral changes • Nausea DIAGNOSIS Diagnosis is principally by MRI. Frequently, arachnoid cysts are incidental findings on MRI scans performed for other clinical reasons. In practice, diagnosis of symptomatic arachnoid cysts requires symptoms to be present, and many with the disorder never develop symptoms. Additional clinical assessment tools that can be useful in evaluating a patient with arachnoid cysts include the mini-mental state examination (MMSE), a brief questionnaire-based test used to assess cognition. Treatment Most arachnoid cysts are asymptomatic and do not require treatment. Treatment may be necessary when symptomatic. A variety of procedures may be used to decompress (remove pressure from) the cyst. • Surgical placement of a cerebral shunt. • An internal shunt drains into the subdural compartment. • A cystoperitoneal shunt drains to the peritoneal cavity. • Fenestration: Craniotomy with excision • Drainage by needle aspiration or burr hole. • Capsular
Cholesteatoma is a growth of excess skin or a skin cyst (epithelial cyst) that contains desquamated keratin and grows in the middle ear and mastoid (Thio, Ahmed, & Bickerton, 2005). A cholesteatoma can grow and spread, destroying the ossicles, tympanic membrane and other parts of the ear. They appear on the pars flaccida and pars tensa sections of the tympanic membrane. A cholesteatoma can occur when a part of a perforated tympanic membrane is pushed back into the middle ear space, debris and skin cells can build up forming a growth. It can obstruct tympanic membrane movement and movement of the ossicles. As the layers grow, the amount of hearing loss can increase. A cholesteatoma can be congenital (present at birth) or be acquired as a result of another disease. They can also be formed as a result of a surgery, trauma, chronic ear infection, chronic otitis media, or tympanic membrane perforation. It can develop beyond the tympanic membrane and cause intracranial and extracranial complications. Due to this patients can experience permanent hearing loss as a result of an infection of the inner ear as well as other serious health concerns. These include dizziness, facial nerve weakness and infections of the skull (Hall, 2013). Patients may present chronically discharging ear, hearing loss, dizziness, otalgia (ear pain), and perforations (marginal or attic).
Although your doctor may diagnose it in accordance with the symptoms that you complain, usually they are made:
Mrs. Kelly is a 42-year-old female here today complaining of a lump in her left armpit.
Other structures that are involved and were mainly effected in this assignment’s patient is the cervical lymph nodes. These lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped masses that allows the storage of lymphocytes, and filter the lymph fluid for pathogens and malignant cells (Marieb & Hoehn, 2007). Another structure in the nasopharynx are the cranial nerves. They control swallowing, vision, hearing, eye movement, and such would have to be given more attention when exploring
Many may wonder if nodules are cancerous, the answer is that they're not. They are just simply growths that affect the voice. Treating these nodules is simply stated. A specialist will first tell a person with a nodule to completely rest their voice. Rest is just the first step and will not get rid of them by that alone. If you are a speaker then speech therapy is recommended and if you're a singer than receive singing exercises from professional help. Surgery is that last result and is very uncommon. It is rarely necessary and is only for nodules that are extremely large or if six weeks of training and help left with no result at all. It is mainly an issue for children who are of the age of 10 or under. There are known to be some logical reasons why surgery is rarely recommended for them. Usually if a child has a nodule removed, it will most likely re-occur or come back and there would have been no point of removing it in the first place. Another thing is that children abuse their voice much more often than adults. This is just because they scream and carry on more often than adults ever would which results in possibilities of seeing the nodules resolve around the time the children hit puberty. For girls who are in their teens and becoming something like a cheerleader who constantly has to yell, future problems can occur. Schools rarely recommend speech therapy because most often it doesn't help.
A serious brain injury could lead to bleeding in or around your brain, causing symptoms that may develop right away or later.
Although there is no early detection test for mesothelioma, there are several tests that can be used to help in making the diagnosis of mesothelioma, including a chest x-ray, a CT scan, or an MRI scan. A chest x-ray yields an image of the lungs that will show many types of abnormal changes. A CT scan is a type of x-ray, but it uses a computer rather than film to create detailed images. An MRI scan uses magnetism, radio waves, and a computer but does not utilize radiation to create a clear image. These tests help your doctor differentiate mesothelioma from other lung tumors as well as determine where the tumor is and its size. Your doctor may need to remove a tissue sample from the tumor or draw fluid from it to confirm it to confirm the diagnosis.
For closed head injury, it is a trauma in which the brain is injured as a result of a blow to the head, or a sudden, violent motion that causes the brain to knock against the skull. A closed head injury is different from an open head injury, in that no object actually penetrates the brain. Closed head injuries can be diffuse or focal which mean that they affect cells and tissues throughout the brain or the damage just occur in one area of the head. Closed head injuries can range from mild to severe. Common causes of closed head injury include automobile accidents, assault,
In order to evaluate the tumor location you have to use Neuro-imaging, which is scanning, with a CT or MRI (Brain Tumor Primer 50). In order to have full access to the meningioma, the neurosurgeon has to open the skull through a craniotomy. A craniotomy is a surgical operation in which a bone flap is temporarily removed from the skull to access the brain. The goal of surgery is to remove the meningioma completely; however, complete removal can carry potential risks that may be significant, especially when the tumor has invaded brain tissue or surrounding veins (American Association of Neurological Surgeons Patient Information).... ...
Brain aneurysms can also be referred to as cerebral aneurysms or intracranial aneurysms (IA). A brain aneurysm is formed when there is a bulging spot on the wall of an artery that supplies blood to the brain. As time passes, the blood flow within the artery begins to pound against the thinned portion of the wall. The aneurysm begins to form from the wear and tear on the artery. As the artery wall becomes thinner from the pounding, the blood causes the already weakened wall to swell outward. This built up pressure may cause the artery to break and allow blood to leak into the brain. There are two main
This is extremely important, especially for individuals who are experiencing pain and/or discomfort. The only way an individual can benefit from treatment is with an accurate diagnosis.
Due to the brain being protected by the skull, brain tumors have very little room for growth “without pressing on other parts of the brain,” which may cause damage to the nervous system and be life threatening and life altering (Abrahams 120). Some of the possible symptoms to abnormal growths are headaches, intellectual impairment, loss of memory, impaired judgement, confusion, and personality and behavior changes, but on countless occasions the symptoms may go undetected by the carrier (Abrahams
A brain tumor is abnormal growth of tissue in the brain or central spine that can disrupt proper brain function. Doctors refer to a tumor based on where the tumor cells originated, and whether they are cancerous (malignant) or not (benign). Benign: The least aggressive type of brain tumor is often called a benign brain tumor. They originate from cells within or surrounding the brain, do not contain cancer cells, grow slowly, and typically have clear borders that do not spread into other tissue. Malignant: Malignant brain tumors contain cancer cells and often do not have clear borders. They are considered to be life threatening because they grow rapidly and invade surrounding brain tissue
... usually detected when someone goes into the doctor for a head injury or some kind of pain completely unrelated to the aneurysm. A computed tomography (CT) scan may be used to help identify any bleeding in the brain. Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), being similar to a CT, uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to provide pictures of blood vessels inside the body. A dye is often used during the procedure to make blood vessels appear more clear. Lastly, a cerebral angiogram may be done. This is an x-ray test, where a catheter is inserted into a blood vessel, usually in the groin or arm and moved from the vessel into the brain. A dye is also injected. The dye used allows any problem areas in the artery, to be viewed by a radiologist on their x-ray. Although this test is more invasive, it is the best way to locate a small brain aneurysm (Nisacara).
Pheochromocytoma is a rare tumor which is formed in chromaffin cells of the adrenal glands. Pheochromocytomas are also known as adrenal chromaffin tumors (1). Chromaffin cells are found in the medulla of the adrenal glands (Figure 1). The adrenal glands located just above the kidneys. These cells receive neuronal messages from the brain via neurotransmitters and, as a result of these messages, release hormones in to the bloodstream (Figure 2). The main catecholamines produced in the adrenal glands are dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) (1). Pheochromocytomas cause the adrenal glands to make too much of these hormones, which are called catecholamines. Adrenal glands with pheochromocytomas produce excess catecholamines, which can cause high blood pressure or hypertension (1). High blood pressure that goes untreated can lead to a variety of severe health problems including heart disease and stroke. Typical symptoms of pheochromocytomas include headaches, excessive sweating, pounding of the heart, pain in the chest, and a feeling of anxiety (1).