Abstract Introduction Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established treatment for Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, there is little evidence regarding the effect of DBS on dysphagia. Objective To assess the swallowing and quality of life of individuals with PD before and after DBS surgery. Methods Our sample consisted of people who had undergone DBS surgery in a referral hospital in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of PD and having undergone DBS surgery. A cognitive screening, through a questionnaire about depression and quality of life, was conducted. Evaluations of each patient’s swallowing were performed before and after surgery. The assessment consisted of anamnesis, clinical assessment, the Functional Oral Intake Scale, clinical evaluation of swallowing, and the Hoehn and Yahr scale. Results The sample included 10 individuals, all male, with a mean age of 57.3 years (±4.7), a mean disease duration of 13.0 years (±2.4), and mean level education of 8.1 years (±4.0). In the clinical evaluation of the swallowing, a significant improvement after DBS was not observed. However, little changes in the signs and symptoms of dysphagia that had a positive impact on the quality of life were observed. Furthermore, there was no relation between the patients’ motor subtype and swallowing pre- and post-DBS. Conclusion There was an improvement in the quality of life of the patients after DBS. However, the improvement in the clinical signs and symptoms of dysphagia did not cause an overall improvement in the swallowing function.

Sabe-se que o deslocamento caudal das tonsilas cerebelares pode ocorrer em associação com condições clínicas tais como: lesão expansiva intracraniana ou malformação de Chiari I e II. Pode ainda ser adquirido após repetidas punções lombares ou lomboperitoniostomia. A ocorrência de herniação cerebelar após derivação de cisto aracnóide intracraniano é evento extremamente raro, existindo apenas três casos relatados na literatura médica. O caso de menino de 9 anos de idade, com puberdade precoce e cisto aracnóide supra-selar, que desenvolveu herniação sintomática das tonsilas cerebelares três anos após cistoperitoniostomia. O paciente foi submetido a craniectomia suboccipital com plástica dural e tonsilectomia parcial, apresentando remissão dos sintomas. Discutimos a patogênese sugerida na literatura.

It is known that the caudal dislocation of the cerebellar tonsils may occur associated with clinical conditions such as an intracranial mass lesion or Chiari I and II malformation. It may also be acquired after repeated lumbar punctures or lumboperitoneostomy. The occurrence of cerebellar herniation after derivation of intracranial arachnoid cyst is extremely rare, and there are only three cases reported in the medical literature. We present the case of a 9-year-old boy with precocious puberty and suprasellar arachnoid cyst who developed a symptomatic herniation of the cerebellar tonsils three years after a cystoperitoneostomy. The patient underwent a suboccipital craniectomy with duraplasty and partial tonsilectomy, showing afterwards, remission of the symptoms. We discussed the pathogenesis suggested in the literature.

Os autores descrevem três casos de síndrome de Landry-Guillain-Barré-Strohl tratados com sucesso pela plasmaferese - os únicos do Rio Grande do Sul - precedidos por breve revisão e detendo-se no procedimento, fixando critérios para sua indicação.

The authors report three cases of Landry-Guillain-Barre-Strohl syndrome succesfully treated by plasma exchange - the only cases in the Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Sul. The authors go through a brief literature revision and discuss more thoroughly the plasma exchange, procedure, establishing criteria for its indication.