Search

Gradenigo syndrome comprises a clinical triad: retro-orbital pain, sixth cranial nerve palsy, and purulent otorrhea. This clinical syndrome often arises secondary to petrous apicitis, which is an infection of the petrous apex that may result from the contiguous spread of infection from the ear or mastoid. This syndrome is very rare, and based on the existing literature, the initial approach for treatment involves long-term administration of IV antibiotics, which may resolve the underlying infection related to petrous apicitis, mastoiditis, and/or otitis media. In this case, the patient, a 69-year-old male, had a progression of several symptoms, including recurrent headaches, diplopia, hearing loss, and dysphagia, despite long-term antibiotic therapy and a prior mastoidectomy. Thus, the neurosurgical team decided to intervene via anterior petrous bone resection via the Kawase approach, which unfortunately did not result in the resolution of the patient's symptoms. The patient continued to have symptoms of Gradenigo syndrome, including sixth cranial nerve palsy and was subsequently referred to outpatient follow-up for further management. In this report, we present the patient's case and a brief review of the literature concerning various treatment modalities for Gradenigo syndrome., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Rifai et al.)

This article discusses the prevalence of depression in patients with intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) and the relationship of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) use with bleeding risk. A detailed account of the patient's psychiatric history and current hospital admission is also provided. This article then further explores the pathophysiological mechanisms that contribute to depression in ICH patients, the effect of SSRIs on outcomes in patients with ICH, and ways to treat depression in ICH patients. Based on the literature, the conclusion is that practitioners should avoid SSRIs in ICH patients with certain genetic markers and treat depression as seriously as one would treat a physical ailment. Ultimately, more research is necessary to explore how to treat depression in this patient population., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Rifai et al.)