Cell transplantation is a promising experimental treatment for spinal cord injury. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of mononuclear cells from human umbilical cord blood in promoting functional recovery when transplanted after a contusion spinal cord injury. Female Wistar rats (12 weeks old) were submitted to spinal injury with a MASCIS impactor and divided into 4 groups: control, surgical control, spinal cord injury, and one cell-treated lesion group. Mononuclear cells from umbilical cord blood of human male neonates were transplanted in two experiments: a) 1 h after surgery, into the injury site at a concentration of 5 x 10(6) cells diluted in 10 µL 0.9% NaCl (N = 8-10 per group); b) into the cisterna magna, 9 days after lesion at a concentration of 5 x 10(6) cells diluted in 150 µL 0.9% NaCl (N = 12-14 per group). The transplanted animals were immunosuppressed with cyclosporin-A (10 mg/kg per day). The BBB scale was used to evaluate motor behavior and the injury site was analyzed with immunofluorescent markers to label human transplanted cells, oligodendrocytes, neurons, and astrocytes. Spinal cord injury rats had 25% loss of cord tissue and cell treatment did not affect lesion extension. Transplanted cells survived in the injured area for 6 weeks after the procedure and both transplanted groups showed better motor recovery than the untreated ones (P < 0.05). The transplantation of mononuclear cells from human umbilical cord blood promoted functional recovery with no evidence of cell differentiation.

Purpose: To show the utility of optic coherence tomography (OCT) in the follow up of the idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) in childhood. Methods: Three girls, aged between 4 and 11 years, were diagnosed and subsequently followed with the help of OCT for an episode of idiopathic intracranial hypertension. All of them had presented with non-specific symptoms such as visual disturbance, headache, stomach ache, and in one case diplopia and torticolis. Brain imaging studies were normal, however lumbar puncture found an elevated intracranial pressure. Visual fields were tested using Octopus automated perimetry and the optic nerve fiber layer (ONF) was measured by OCT at each of the attendances. Results: The visual acuity was normal in all cases, but two girls had evidence of an abducens nerve palsy. Fundus biomicroscopy revealed marked papilledema. The thickness of the ONF was increased 2-3 times over normally expected levels. The follow up and the treatment with prednisone and azetazolamide was monitored by OCT, with a good outcome and return of the ONF levels to normal. In one case, however, a recurrence was detected after three months without treatment. Conclusion: IIH in childhood is an uncommon condition, often with a different presentation from what is seen in teenagers and adults. OCT is a useful technique helping in both the diagnosis and the follow-up of this disorder in children.

Objetivo: Mostrar la utilidad de la tomografía de coherencia óptica (OCT) en el seguimiento de la hipertensión intracraneal idiopática (HII) en la edad pediátrica. Métodos: Se ha realizado el diagnóstico y posterior seguimiento, del episodio agudo de HII en tres niñas con edades entre 4 y 11 años. Todas acudieron con síntomas inespecíficos: Alteraciones visuales, cefalea, abdominalgia, visión doble y tortícolis. Los estudios de neuroimagen fueron normales. Tras la punción lumbar, la presión intracraneal estaba elevada. Se realizó campo visual (CV) mediante perímetro Octopus y medida de la capa de fibras nerviosas (CFN) con OCT en todas las revisiones. Resultados: La agudeza visual fue normal en todas ellas, con paresia de VI par en dos casos. El estudio de fondo de ojo reveló siempre un gran edema de papila. La medida inicial de la CFN con OCT se halló elevada, duplicando o triplicando los valores normales. El seguimiento y tratamiento con prednisona y acetazolamida vía oral se realizó de acuerdo a las medidas del OCT. La evolución fue buena con progresiva normalización de los valores de grosor en el OCT. Si bien en un caso, tras 3 meses sin tratamiento, se detectó mediante OCT una recurrencia asintomática. Conclusiones: La HII en edad pediátrica es una entidad poco frecuente y diferente de la afectación típica del adolescente y el adulto. El OCT es una técnica objetiva y reproducible que puede ayudar a completar el diagnóstico y, sobre todo, el posterior seguimiento clínico y terapéutico de estos cuadros en niños.