Intraventricular Taenia solium Cysts Presenting with Bruns Syndrome and Indications for Emergent Neurosurgery

Lokesh Shahani Laboratory of Clinical Parasitology and Diagnostics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas

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Natalie Dailey Garnes Laboratory of Clinical Parasitology and Diagnostics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas

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Rojelio Mejia Laboratory of Clinical Parasitology and Diagnostics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas

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Bruns syndrome is an unusual phenomenon, characterized by attacks of sudden and severe headache, vomiting, and vertigo, triggered by abrupt movement of the head. The presumptive cause of Bruns syndrome is a mobile deformable intraventricular mass leading to an episodic obstructive hydrocephalus. Intraventricular tumors have been associated with Bruns syndrome; however, few cases of intraventricular neurocysticercosis have been reported to present with Bruns syndrome. We report the first series of fourth ventricular neurocysticercosis presenting with Bruns syndrome in the United States and review the other published cases where surgery was indicated.

Author Notes

* Address correspondence to Rojelio Mejia, Laboratory of Clinical Parasitology and Diagnostics, National School of Tropical Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030. E-mail: rojelio.mejia@bcm.edu

Authors' addresses: Lokesh Shahani, Natalie Dailey Garnes, and Rojelio Mejia, Baylor College of Medicine, National School of Tropical Medicine, Houston, TX, E-mails: lokesh.shahani@bcm.edu, natalie.daileygarnes@bcm.edu, and rojelio.mejia@bcm.edu.

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