Hypertrophic Neuropathy Secondary to Hansen's Disease. A Case Report

We present the case 49-year-old unmarried woman treated at the hospital of Cienfuegos. The patient complained of weakness in the lower limbs and "numbness" (paresthesia) of all four extremities, which improved slightly after treatment. A year later, the muscle weakness and paresthesia worsened, particularly in the upper limbs. She also developed hypopigmented skin lesions on the chest and abdomen. The investigation was initiated due to suspicion of hypertrophic polyneuropathy. A biopsy of the hypochromic lesions was performed, which led to the conclusion that the patient suffered from a hypertrophic polyneuropathy secondary to tuberculoid Hansen's disease. We decided to present this case since a neuropathy is usually slow, insidious and has a long course in these patients; however, leprosy reactions can lead to acute nerve damage, resulting in disabilities and deformities. Consequently, it is important to act quickly in order to avoid them

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus. Case Presentation

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, also known as Adult Chronic Hydrocephalus is usually produced in elder people due to an increase of cerebrospinal fluid in brain cavities, in general without an increase of intracranial pressure, but which can damage the brain. For such reasons, the case of a 67 year old mestizo, married patient is presented. She is an inveterate smoker who started suffering frequent falls without apparent cause, motor apraxia, sphincter disorders and perseverance. After consulting various specialties during a period of four years without diagnosis, she came to the Neurology consultation office reporting a deterioration of walking disturbances, sphincter disorders and very frequent falls. A research protocol was started due to the clinical suspect of normal pressure hydrocephalus which was confirmed by simple CT scan. It showed a dilation of the third ventricle without visualizing the fourth with effacement of convolutions and furrows. Through a Magnetic Resonance hydrocephalus was corroborated. She was admitted was medical and surgical treatment. An adequate valve was selected considering the hydrodynamic characteristics of the derivative system. Normal pressure hydrocephalus was corrected. This presentation is aimed at updating clinical diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of this gnoseological entity

Hemimegalencefalia. Presentación de caso

La hemimegalencefalia es un trastorno de la proliferación neuronal que produce un excesivo crecimiento de todo o parte de un hemisferio cerebral. Su patogenia aún se desconoce. Se presenta el caso de un paciente adulto, con antecedentes de epilepsia desde la infancia temprana, rebelde a tratamiento farmacológico, asociada a retraso mental moderado, el cual fue ingresado para control de crisis epilépticas. La resonancia magnética nuclear de cráneo mostró asimetría de hemisferios cerebrales con corteza derecha ensanchada y escasa diferenciación de la sustancia gris y blanca. Es objetivo de esta presentación exponer una causa infrecuente de epilepsia, cuyo diagnóstico por lo general se hace en la infancia. La hemimegalencefalia debe sospecharse en epilepsias de inicio precoz y difícil manejo, sobre todo cuando se asocian a macrocefalia y retardo del desarrollo psicomotor. La indicación oportuna de la neuroimagen permite establecer el diagnóstico y brindar otras opciones terapéuticas

Ethiologic diagnosis of dementia syndrome.

Dementia prevalence is between 4,5 and 18,5%, the inferior numbers are in the underdeveloped countries. Studies carried out in Cuba, shows approximately a 10% for more than 60 year old persons, what makes consider dementia as a health problem of huge importance. That is why the existence of a practical guide for its etiological diagnosis is of supreme necessity. This study engulfs diverse criteria to reach the diagnosis of dementia syndrome, as well as the diseases that may cause it, foretell it or accelerate it. Numbers are presented, and a series of valuations about dementia, the slight cognitive aggravation, Alzheimer disease, vascular dementia, dementia by Lewy bodies, and front temporal dementia, as well as other kinds of dementia. <strong><br /></strong

Diagnosis and behavior in autonomic trigeminal headaches

Autonomic trigeminal headaches are primary headaches which include: cluster headaches, paroxistical hemicranea, and syndrome of unilateral headache in a neuralgic way, of short duration, accompanied by cojunctival injection and tearing and the continuous hemicranea. It is also accompanied by autonomic manifestations such as: palpebrate ptosis, tearing, nasal congestion, rhinorrhea, Horner syndrome (palpebrate ptosis, miosis, and enophthalmos) and changes in the coloration of the periocular skin and in the cheek. In this paper we propose the most likely diagnosis and therapeutic to this nosologic entit

Venous Thrombosis in the Puerperal Period. Case presentation.

La trombosis de los senos y venas cerebrales es una enfermedad infrecuente y tiene un amplio espectro de síntomas y signos que van desde cefalea con náuseas, hasta grandes infartos hemorrágicos con focalización neurológica, crisis convulsivas y toma de conciencia. Se describe el caso de una puérpera de 38 años, con antecedentes de hipertensión arterial durante el embarazo, motivo por el que se le realizó cesárea. A las 48 horas de puerperio comenzó con cefalea aguda, asociada a trastornos visuales, entumecimiento del lado izquierdo del cuerpo, disminución de la fuerza muscular en brazo izquierdo e hipertensión arterial. El diagnóstico presuntivo fue un infarto lacunar versus hipertensión puerperal complicada. Luego fue valorada en unidad de cuidados progresivos por servicio de neurología para un diagnóstico presuntivo de infarto venoso, confirmado posteriormente por estudios tomográficos. La trombosis venosa cerebral postparto es una entidad infrecuente. Debido al difícil diagnóstico, sobre todo en los estadios iniciales, se necesita un alto índice de sospecha, que requiere siempre ser confirmado por estudios imaginológicos

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus. Case Presentation

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, also known as Adult Chronic Hydrocephalus is usually produced in elder people due to an increase of cerebrospinal fluid in brain cavities, in general without an increase of intracranial pressure, but which can damage the brain. For such reasons, the case of a 67 year old mestizo, married patient is presented. She is an inveterate smoker who started suffering frequent falls without apparent cause, motor apraxia, sphincter disorders and perseverance. After consulting various specialties during a period of four years without diagnosis, she came to the Neurology consultation office reporting a deterioration of walking disturbances, sphincter disorders and very frequent falls. A research protocol was started due to the clinical suspect of normal pressure hydrocephalus which was confirmed by simple CT scan. It showed a dilation of the third ventricle without visualizing the fourth with effacement of convolutions and furrows. Through a Magnetic Resonance hydrocephalus was corroborated. She was admitted was medical and surgical treatment. An adequate valve was selected considering the hydrodynamic characteristics of the derivative system. Normal pressure hydrocephalus was corrected. This presentation is aimed at updating clinical diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of this gnoseological entity