Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 13, 2026
05:55
Induction of Leptomeningeal Cells Modification Via Intracisternal Injection
Published on: May 7, 2020
Disseminated enterogenous cells at the cervicomedullary junction causing communicating hydrocephalus
Sohum Desai1, Jonathan A Friedman, Joseph Hlavin
1Department of Neuroscience and Experimental Therapeutics, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, College Station, TX, USA.
Journal of Neurosurgery
|May 4, 2010
Summary
A rare case of communicating hydrocephalus was treated with radiation therapy due to recurrent shunt obstructions caused by mucin-secreting cell deposits. This approach successfully stabilized the patient
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery
- Neuropathology
- Radiation Oncology
Background:
- Communicating hydrocephalus presents challenges, particularly with recurrent ventriculoperitoneal shunt obstructions.
- Mucin-secreting enterogenous cell deposits are an unusual cause of neurological compromise and shunt failure.
Observation:
- A patient experienced repeated ventriculoperitoneal shunt obstructions attributed to mucin-secreting cell deposits at the cervicomedullary junction.
- Pathological analysis confirmed these deposits lacked typical cystic features, and there was no prior history of cysts.
Findings:
- Surgical resection was not feasible for the entire lesion.
- Radiation therapy was administered to the cervicomedullary junction, targeting the observed radiological abnormality.
- The patient maintained neurological stability post-treatment without further shunt revisions.
Implications:
- Radiation therapy offers a viable alternative for managing complex cases of hydrocephalus with obstructive lesions where surgery is contraindicated.
- This case highlights the importance of considering rare etiologies for shunt dysfunction.
- Further research may explore the efficacy of radiation in similar challenging neurosurgical conditions.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Cerebral Edema ll: Pathophysiology
Vasogenic edema is a major form of cerebral edema characterized by abnormal accumulation of fluid in the brain’s extracellular space due to disruption of the blood–brain barrier (BBB). The BBB is a specialized structure composed of endothelial cells connected by tight junctions, supported by astrocytic endfeet and a basement membrane. Under normal conditions, it tightly regulates the movement of ions, proteins, and solutes between the bloodstream and brain parenchyma. When this barrier loses...
01:19Cerebral Edema l: Introduction
Cerebral edema is a pathological increase in brain water content that disrupts intracranial pressure regulation and impairs neurological function. Because the cranial vault is rigid, even modest increases in tissue volume can compromise cerebral perfusion, distort neural structures, and initiate secondary injury. Cerebral edema develops through four principal mechanisms: vasogenic, cytotoxic, interstitial, and ionic.Vasogenic EdemaVasogenic edema arises from disruption of the blood–brain...
01:18Viral Meningitis
Viral meningitis is the most common form of meningitis and is often referred to as aseptic meningitis to indicate the absence of bacterial involvement. It is generally milder than bacterial meningitis, with symptoms including fever, headache, stiff neck, drowsiness, nausea, photophobia, and vomiting. Rarely, more severe manifestations or death may occur. Common causative agents include enteroviruses, particularly coxsackie A and B viruses and echoviruses, all members of the Enterovirus genus...
01:21Cytotoxic Edema: Pathophysiology
Cytotoxic edema is a form of cerebral edema characterized by intracellular swelling of neurons, astrocytes, and other glial cells. It develops when the mechanisms responsible for maintaining ionic gradients across the cell membrane become impaired. Under normal physiological conditions, the sodium–potassium ATPase actively transports sodium ions out of the cell and potassium ions into the cell, preserving osmotic balance and enabling electrical signaling. This pump requires a continuous supply...
01:27Cryptococcal Meningitis
Cryptococcal meningitis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection predominantly associated with HIV/AIDS, accounting for over 100,000 deaths annually worldwide. However, it also affects individuals with other forms of immunosuppression, including those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, organ transplant recipients, patients with innate immunodeficiencies, and individuals with hematological disorders. The infection is caused mainly by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii,...
01:26Bacterial Meningitis II: Pathophysiology
Bacterial meningitis typically begins when pathogens such as Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae colonize the nasopharynx and invade the bloodstream. This process is facilitated by bacterial virulence factors, such as polysaccharide capsules, which resist phagocytosis and complement-mediated killing. Less commonly, bacteria reach the central nervous system via contiguous spread from infections like otitis media or sinusitis, through congenital or acquired dural defects, or...