Petroclival Meningioma: Management Strategy and Results in 21st Century.

BACKGROUND: Petroclival meningioma (PCM) is considered among the most difficult tumors to be treated by microneurosurgery because of its location and its relation to critical structures. The authors report on the outcome in a series of patients with PCM treated in the new millennium with a tailored approach of gross total excision or subtotal removal and adjuvant Gamma Knife Radiosurgery (GKR) depending on the particular case. METHODS: Between 2001 and 2017, 72 consecutive PCMs were operated in a single center by the senior surgeon. Clinical presentation, operative approaches, intraoperative findings, complications, and imaging findings were retrospectively analyzed. Postoperative outcome, adjuvant Gamma knife, and follow-up findings were reviewed. RESULTS: The average age was 47.95 years, and female-to-male ratio was 52:20. Cavernous sinus extension was present in 21 patients. The mean duration of follow-up was 66.65 months. Gross-total resection, near-total resection (NTR), and subtotal resection (STR) resection was achieved in 30, 24, and 18 (42.8%, 34.28%, and 25%) patients, respectively, with recurrences of 10%, 33%, and 50%, respectively. Twenty-two patients (18 STR and 4 NTR) had received postoperative GKR. Only four patients had recurrences following GKR. New cranial nerve deficits were more common in patients in whom a total resection was performed. There was no mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Gross total excision had the best recurrence free rate though with a higher morbidity. Upfront GKR is advisable in patients with residual tumor, if the preoperative temporal course had a rapid symptomatology, to reduce recurrence. Wait and watch for a small intracavernous residue and radiosurgery on growth is also a valid option as long as follow-up is not suspect. A flexible approach of individualizing the treatment protocol for a given patient goes a long way toward optimal outcome.

Compound Elevated Skull Fracture Presented as a New Variety of Fracture with Inimitable Entity: Single Institution Experience of 10 Cases.

BACKGROUND: Compound elevated Skull fracture (CESF) is a rare variety of fracture with rare presentation in comparison to other type of skull fracture. The mechanical force being applied is tangential causing high impact over skull as comparison to structure underlying the cranium. OBJECTIVE: Aims of this study are bring attentiveness and management to deal this rare type of fracture and its outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we demonstrated 10 cases of CESF in adult patients from January 2014 to January 2018 in the Department of Neurosurgery at RNT Medical College and M. B. Hospital, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. Recorded documents were prospectively studied for age of distribution, sex, mode of injury, mechanism of injury, clinical profile, radiological investigations, neurosurgical management, and outcome asses by Glasgow outcome scale. RESULTS: Totally 10 patients had CESF. Six are males and four are females. Male to female ratio was 3:2. Their age range was 20-45 years. The most common mode of injury was Road traffic accident in 60%. Wound exploration, cleaning, debridement, and reduction of fracture segment was done in eight cases, frontal bone craniotomy with evacuation of pneumocephalus done one case, frontal bone craniotomy, and extradural hematoma evacuation was done in one case. The postoperative course was uneventful, and outcome was good (GOS 5) in 8 (80%) cases. CONCLUSION: In compound elevated fracture, early recognition and immediate surgical intervention should be done to avoid related morbidity and mortality. Any delay in surgery may lead to a high possibility of wound infection and poor outcome.

Nonvestibular Schwannoma Tumors in the Cerebellopontine Angle: A Single-Surgeon Experience.

BACKGROUND: The most common cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumor is a vestibular schwannoma. Schwannomas account for 8.5% of all intracranial tumors and more than 90% of the tumors originate from the eighth cranial nerve, but one in five CPA tumors are not vestibular schwannoma. These tumors may have different manifestations and require different management strategies. METHODS: We report 224 consecutive NVCPAT operated in the Department of Neurosurgery, P.D. Hinduja National Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Mumbai, by the senior author between 2001 and 2014 and discuss the different approaches and outcomes in NVCPAT. RESULTS: The age range was 20-60 years and there were 129 females and 95 male patients. The clinical material consisted of 81 cases of meningioma (36.1%), 44 cases of epidermoid (19.64%), 34 cases of trigeminal schwannoma (15.17%), 26 cases of jugular foramen schwannoma (11.60%), and 39 cases of other tumors (17.41%). In nonvestibular schwannoma (NVS), symptoms and signs from cranial nerve VIII are less frequent and other cranial nerves and cerebellar symptoms and signs predominate. CONCLUSION: Symptoms and signs are different in NVCPAT from those found in patients with vestibular schwannoma. Hearing loss is not the predominant symptoms. Cerebellar signs and trigeminal dysfunction are more common. The most common approach used in the current series was retrosigmoid craniotomy. Gamma knife radiosurgery was a useful adjunct in a subset of these patients.

Outcome of Posttraumatic Delayed Intracerebral Tension Pneumatocele: Prospective Study of Four Cases: Single Institutional Experience.

AIM: Delayed intracerebral tension pneumatocele (DITP) is an uncommon cause of raised intracranial pressure following trauma. However, it can cause herniation syndrome due to a sudden increase in intracranial pressure which requires emergent intervention. Pneumocephalus is a complication of head injury in 3.9%-9.7% of the cases. The accumulation of intracranial air can be acute (<72 h) or delayed (≥72 h). METHOD: When intracranial air causes intracranial hypertension and has a mass effect with neurological deterioration, it is called tension pneumocephalus. In our case series, we demonstrated four cases of DITP in adult patients from January 2012 to January 2017 in the Department of Neurosurgery at R. N. T. Medical College and M. B. Hospital, Udaipur, Rajasthan. RESULT: During this period, a total number of patients admitted of head injury are 1768 and hence, the incidence of DITP in our series is 0.226% which is very less as compared to previous literature. All patients are male; age ranging from 17 years to 55 years (mean age was 31.75 years). All patients have a history of head injury, and mode of injury had road traffic accidents. Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) at readmission were 12-13 (mean GCS 12.75). Duration of developed DITP 1 month to 2½ months (mean 1.375 months), all patients had gone to surgical intervention, and outcome assessed using Glasgow outcome score. All patients had a good outcome and average follow-up was 12.5 months. CONCLUSION: long term observation of patients with simple pneumocephalus following trauma is beneficial as there is an expected risk of developing delayed tension pneumocephalus which may manifest with raised intracranial pressure.

Posttraumatic delayed tension pneumocephalus: Rare case with review of literature.

Pneumocephalus is commonly seen after head and facial trauma, ear infections, and tumors of the skull base or neurosurgical interventions. In tension pneumocephalus, the continuous accumulation of intracranial air is thought to be caused by a "ball valve" mechanism. In turn, this may lead to a mass effect on the brain, with subsequent neurological deterioration and signs of herniation. Tension pneumocephalus is considered a life-threatening, neurosurgical emergency burr-hole evacuation was performed and he experienced a full recovery. However, more invasive surgery was needed to resolve the condition. Delayed tension pneumocephalus is extremely rare and considered a neurosurgical emergency. Pneumocephalus is a complication of head injury in 3.9-9.7% of the cases. The accumulation of intracranial air can be acute (<72 h) or delayed (≥72 h). When intracranial air causes intracranial hypertension and has a mass effect with neurological deterioration, it is called tension pneumocephalus. We represent a clinical case of a 30-year-old male patient with involved in a road traffic accident, complicated by tension pneumocephalus and cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea on 1 month after trauma and underwent urgent surgical intervention. Burr-hole placement in the right frontal region, evacuation of tension pneumocephalus. Tension pneumocephalus is a life-threatening neurosurgical emergency case, which needs to undergo immediate surgical intervention.

Traumatic bilateral basal ganglia bleed: A report of rare two cases and review of the literature.

Traumatic basal ganglia hemorrhage (TBGH) is relatively uncommon. Bilateral basal ganglia hematoma after trauma is extremely rare and is limited to case reports. We report two cases of traumatic bilateral basal ganglia hemorrhage and review the literature in brief. Both cases were managed conservatively. The general incidence of TBGH is reported between 2.4% and 3% of closed head injury. However, the incidence is higher in postmortem studies (9.8%). Bilateral traumatic basal ganglia hematoma is extremely rare. Descriptions are limited to case reports.

Outcome of ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery, without prior placement of external ventricular drain in Grades III and IV patients of tubercular meningitis with hydrocephalus: A single institution's experience in the pediatric population and review of literature.

OBJECTIVE: Hydrocephalus is a most common complication of tubercular meningitis (TBM). Relieving hydrocephalus by ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) placement has been considered beneficial in patient in Palur Grades II or III. The role of VPS placement in those of Grades III and IV is controversial, and general tendency is to avoid its use. Some authors have suggested that patient in Grades III and IV should receive a shunt only if their condition improves with a trial placement of external ventricular drain (EVD). However, recent studies suggest that VPS may be undertaken without the trial of an EVD. Our study prospectively evaluates the role of direct VPS placement in patient in Grades III and IV TBM with hydrocephalus (TBMH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was carried out on 50 consecutive pediatric patients of TBMH in Palur Grades III and IV from July 2013 to December 2014 in R.N.T. Medical College and M.B. Hospital, Udaipur, Rajasthan. All patients underwent direct VPS placement, without prior placement of EVD. The outcome was assessed at the end of 3 months using Glasgow Outcome Score. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 3.25 years (range, 3 months-14 years). Forty (80%) patients were in Grade III, and 10 (20%) were in Grade IV. Good outcome and mortality in Grade IV patients were 30% (3/10) and 10% (1/10), respectively; whereas in Grade III patients, it was 77.5% (31/40) and 0% (0/40), respectively. Twenty-five patients presented with focal neurological deficit at admission, which persisted in only 14 patients at 3 months follow-up. VPS-related complications were observed in 5 (10%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that direct VPS surgery could improve the outcome of Grades III and IV TBMH. Despite poor grade at admission, 80% patients in Grade III and 20% patients in Grade IV had a good outcome at 3 months follow-up. Direct VPS placement is a safe and effective option even in a patient in Grades III and IV grade TBMH with a low complication rate.

Congenital extra calvarial plexiform neurofibroma in occipito-cervical region with Occipital bone defect with neurofibromatosis type 1 and segmental neurofibromatosis: Case report and review of literature.

Plexiform neurofibroma (PNF) of the scalp is an extremely rare lesion reported in association with neurofibromatosis (NF). Occipital location of PNF is even more infrequent; we reported one pediatric case of PNF in occipito-cervical region with multiple small occipital bone defects and associated with NF-1.