Coats disease is also known as: Coats’ Retinitis, Coats’ syndrome, Exudative Retinitis, and Retinal Telangiectasis. It is unknown what causes the disease, but it is possible that it is due to a genetic mutation. Coats’ disease is a very uncommon disease which occurs mostly in young males during under the age of ten. This disease causes the capillaries in the eyes to bust open and leak serum from the blood into the posterior portion of the eye.
The disease gradually worsens and in most cases only occurs unilaterally. Coats’ disease can be diagnosed with the use of Flouroscein Angiography which involves injecting the eye with dye and watching its circulatory system. There are five different stages of Coats’ disease which are classified according to the severity of the disease. The first stage is treatable with laser therapy which allows most of the patient’s vision to be saved. Unfortunately it is extremely uncommon to diagnose Coats’ disease in the first stage. Stage Two can still be treated. Usually photocoagulation and/or cryotherapy are used. At this stage vision can sometimes be restored. Most damage occurs to the central vision of the eye which cause difficulty in reading, watching television, and driving. Sometimes a dense nodule becomes visible during this stage which causes the patient’s eye to appear yellow. During Stage Three the retina of the eye can become totally detached. This can be fixed by having surgery to reattach the retina to the eye. In these cases, some vision may be recovered although the initial prognosis is not very good. At this point, damage to the retina is very severe and sometimes requires complete removal of the eye due to the severe pain that the disease sometimes causes. Stage five involves total blindness which is completely irreversible. This is only in rare cases. Coats’ disease often stops on its own and causes mild symptoms. If the patient’s pain is severe an enucleation of the affected eye is required.
All information used to create this blog can be found at:

http://www.coatsdisease.org/index.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Empty Sella Syndrome (ESS) is a disease that involves an enlarged sella turcica and in turn affects the pituitary gland and its functions. It is important to note that the pituitary gland itself is usually of normal size although it may be slightly smaller. Primary ESS occurs most often in obese women and women with high blood pressure. This form of ESS is caused by an anatomical defect that is superior to the pituitary gland and puts pressure along the sella turcica in turn squashing the pituitary along the walls of the sella turcica. This also involves a problem in the barrier that separates the sella turcica from the CSF around the brain. When these patients have ESS, the sella turcica will fill up with CSF causing it to look empty. Secondary ESS is caused by a complication of injury, surgery or radiation therapy. In this case, the pituitary gland shrinks within the sella turcica. Secondary ESS symptoms often include amenorrhea, infertility, and overall fatigue while primary ESS causes headaches and vision problems. In rare cases, CSF can leak from the nose or the patient will experience a chronic runny nose. Most often ESS is diagnosed on accident with the patient experiencing no symptoms. Patients presenting with symptoms will be tested with either a CT or MRI. Most often a pituitary function test is run in order to rule out any other hormone excess of deficiency. Most symptoms of ESS are mild and usually do not require any type of treatment. In more severe cases surgery can be done to reduce the pressure put on the sella turcica. More information on ESS can be found at the following websites:
http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/uvahealth/adult_endocrin/sella.cfm
http://www.medic8.com/neurological-disorders/emptysella.htm
http://endocrine-disorders.health-cares.net/empty-sella-syndrome.php

Otosclerosis involves an abnormal growth of bone which occurs in the middle ear. Otosclerosis most often manifests on the last bone of the inner ear, the stapes. Depending on which structures are involved, this disease can cause varying symptoms. The most common is hearing loss. Balance issues and tennitis are also often noted. In order to understand exactly what happens with otosclerosis, we must first understand how our hearing works. Our ears take sound waves and transfer them into electrical signals which in turn cause different nerve impulses. These two nerves, the vestibulocochlear nerve and the facial nerve, take these impulses and send them to our brains, which then gives us the impression of sound. Specific parts of our inner ear react to specific sounds which allow us to hear differing tones and pitches. When otosclerosis occurs, the ossicles are unable to vibrate correctly and transmit correct impulses to our brain. This is the specific reason why one experiences difficulty in hearing. Most people who have otosclerosis have the most difficulty in hearing low pitches and whispers. Otosclerotic hearing loss is most often experienced gradually over time. There is no known cause of otosclerosis, although there is a genetic predisposition to the disease. There is a higher chance of otosclerosis in white, middle-aged women, and possibly an increase during pregnancy or with a history of measles. There are a few options for patients who suffer from otosclerosis. If the symptoms are mild, many people are able to live fully with the disease. Others may choose to wear a hearing aid or get a cochlear implant, which does not get rid of the hearing loss but can improve it. Surgery can also be performed. This involves removal of the stapes and replacing it with a prosthetic. This surgery is known as a stapedectomy. Although no proof exists as to its effectiveness, some patients find relief by taking fluoride tablets, a type of dietary supplement. This is thought to cause the ossicles to harden more quickly and cause less symptoms as the disease progresses. This practice is not accepted by most health care professionals due to its unproven effects.

All information for this blog and any addition information on otosclerosis can be found at:
http://www.american-hearing.org/disorders/hearing/otosclerosis.html
www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing/otosclerosis.asp

Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumors (PNETs) are tumors that primarily affect the soft tissue. It was first believed that these specific tumors came from stem cells although there is now evidence that shows they may also come from specialized cells as well. PNETs are a specific type of medulloblastoma, a highly malignant tumor of the brain. Medulloblastomas are the most common type of malignant brain tumor that occurs in children, representing about thirty percent of all cases. These types of tumors occur in only one percent of the adult population. Most of these tumors appear in the midline of the brain, although they are quite often found in the lateral portion of the cerebellum as well. PNETs often appear in children under the age of fifteen. There are also slightly higher rates in Caucasians and males as compared to African-American and females.
Unfortunately there are no pathognomonic signs or symptoms related to PNETs. Most symptoms are specific to the area where the tumor manifests or are caused by excess pressure on the brain. Some symptoms include irritability, loss of energy, vomiting, headaches, and vision, hearing, and balance changes. Some children, specifically under the age of two, also have an increased head circumference. Depending on the size and location of the tumor, most people will not die from a PNET. Although it is not often seen, it is possible that sudden death could occur due to obstructions caused by hydrocephaly (water on the brain).


All information used in this blog was obtained through the following websites:
http://www.thedoctorsdoctor.com/diseases/pnet.htm
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1157440-overview