Tuberculosis (TB) of the spine (Pott's disease) is both the most common and most dangerous form of TB infection. Delay in establishing diagnosis and management cause spinal cord compression and spinal deformity. This study investigated the data on all cases of Pott's disease reported in Turkey from 1985 to 1996. A total of 694 cases were included. Out of the patients evaluated, 19% were reported in the first half of the period (1985-1990) and 81% in the second half (1991-1996). Tuberculosis affecting the spine was commonly localized in the thoracic region and involved the vertebral body. The presenting symptoms were leg weakness (69%), gibbus (46%), pain (21%), and palpable mass (10%). Decompressive surgery plus anti-TB chemotherapy remains the best mode of therapy for Pott's disease. Follow-up information was available in 414 of the 694 patients and there were ten deaths (2%), one occurring intraoperatively and the other nine postoperatively. This meta-analysis demonstrates that in Turkey Pott's disease remains a serious problem, causing paraplegia. It should be considered when patients present with neurological findings suggesting spinal cord compression and spinal deformity. In the present study, it was concluded that the neurological involvement due to Pott's disease is relatively benign if urgent decompression is performed at the onset of the disease.

Based on an overview of 186 cases of apoplectic pituitary adenoma presenting with monocular or binocular blindness, we highlight the importance of correct diagnosis and an early, but not necessarily emergency, surgery within the first week of admission to optimize visual outcome of such patients. The illustrative case further exemplifies the value of close interaction between members of the management team for optimal outcome.

Spinal hydatid disease is rare, even in rural areas where echinococcosis is endemic. Although the liver and lungs are commonly involved, spinal hydatid disease, either primary or secondary, represents an uncommon but significant manifestation of the disease. This survey study reviews 28 reports of spinal hydatid disease from Turkey during the past 5 decades. Only 14 patients also had pulmonary or some other organ infestation. The cysts affecting the spine were commonly in the thoracic region. Most patients had intraspinal extradural hydatid-cysts associated with vertebral involvement. The presenting symptoms were mostly atypical, and it was interesting that most of the patients were misdiagnosed preoperatively as Pott's disease during the first decades, suggesting that new imaging techniques such as CT and MRI are the diagnostic procedures of choice for this disease. Surgery remains the best therapy for spinal hydatid disease, although adjuvant antihelminthic therapy may be necessary. There were only 15 cases of recurrence (18%); surgical intervention was palliative in all these patients and it was followed by chemotherapy. Operative mortality was very low (two patients died in the early postoperative period) and there were no complications related to treatment with antihelminthic drugs. The study indicates that hydatid disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis when radiological findings suggest spinal infections or tumors, and that surgical decompression in association with chemotherapy is the treatment of choice.

Angiolipomas of the spinal canal are extremely uncommon benign neoplasms composed of mature lipomatous and angiomatous elements. A case of thoracic spinal extradural angiolipoma producing progressive spinal cord compression in a 54-year old housewife is presented and 74 previously reported cases in the world literature over a period spanning nearly one century from 1890 to the present are analysed. The 75 total cases (46 females and 29 males) ranged in age from 6 to 73 years (mean 42.7, SD 15.9; median 43). The angiolipomas were located in the extradural compartment in 72 patients and intradural compartment in 3; 14 of the extradural lesions infiltrated the surrounding bone (infiltrating subgroup). Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed the fat-density lesions in all the cases that we studied. The findings indicate that spinal angiolipomas predominantly affect women. Their preponderance in peri- or postmenopausal women, and their fluctuating clinical course during the pregnancy support a role of hormonal influence on the development of the lesion. They often involve the thoracic region, and produce symptoms and signs of spinal compression and, in some cases, bone involvement. MRI is the investigation of choice for the diagnosis of these lesions. Non-infiltrating angiolipomas can usually be removed easily through a laminectomy, but infiltrating angiolipoma can be only partially resected. However, outcome is not worse in the infiltrating than in the non-infiltrating lesions and appears to be relatively independent of the completeness of the surgical removal. Subtotal resection usually provides substantial symptomatic relief, because these lesions are slow growing and do not undergo malignant transformation. The results of this review show that angiolipomas of the spinal canal have a good prognosis after surgical removal, even if infiltrating.

Hydatid disease is still a major health problem in the infested areas of the world, especially in rural areas. Two hundred seventy-six Turkish cases with intracranial hydatidosis have been published since 1960. Based on the records of these cases, the clinical data, neuroradiological findings, treatment, and outcome of intracranial hydatidosis are reviewed. Demographically seen, there was a substantial prevalence of male patients--167 cases (61%). Most of the patients with intracranial hydatidosis were from rural areas and the cysts were generally located in the cerebral hemispheres. In 100 patients, two or three lobes were affected and the cysts were multiple in 53. This infestation was also reported in rare locations such as the ventricular system, extradural space, posterior fossa, pons, sella turcica, parasellar area, and cavernous sinus. Only 49 patients (18%) had other organ infestation. The majority were operated on immediately after diagnosis was established. Operative mortality was 9% and postoperative complications developed in 26 patients. In my reference studies, only 16 cases of recurrence have been seen. This study confirms that hydatid disease is a difficult health problem in Turkey and demonstrates that surgery plus chemotherapy has considerably improved the prognosis, but local disinfectant application is not useful to devitalize the cystic contents. The dimensions, localization and numbers of the cysts are important determinants of the outcome.