Surgical occlusion of middle meningeal artery in treatment of chronic subdural haematoma: anatomical and technical considerations.

BACKGROUND: The primary aim of chronic subdural haematoma (CSDH) treatment is to relieve pressure to improve neurological symptoms. The secondary aim is to avoid recurrence. The blood supply from the middle meningeal artery (MMA) to the haematoma membranes has recently become a research target, to enhance our understanding of the processes leading to growth and re-growth of a CSDH. Several studies indicate that endovascular embolization of the MMA (eMMA) reduces recurrence rates, but this effect must be confirmed in a randomized controlled setting. Endovascular embolization is an advanced and costly procedure carrying a significant risk of embolism in the elderly. The aim of this study was to assess anatomical and technical aspects of surgical occlusion of the MMA (soMMA) via a single same-procedure burr hole, as an alternative to eMMA. METHOD: Technical aspects of soMMA were assessed using cadaver head dissection. MMA anatomy was examined by mapping the branching pattern and distribution of MMA in dry skulls, and CSDH position was investigated by analysis of computed tomography (CT) of CSDHs. Finally, we evaluated the possibility of CT-guided navigation to mark the branching point of the anterior MMA division on the skin. RESULTS: We established anatomical landmarks to locate the MMA and found that particularly the anterior MMA branch can be occluded through a single burr hole at the pterion during the same procedure as haematoma decompression. CT of 1454 CSDHs in 1162 patients showed that the CSDH was anteriorly located in 57.5% compared with posteriorly in only 3%. This correlated with the anterior branch of the MMA being dominant in 58% of dry skull samples examined. We further confirmed that the MMA can be localized by neuronavigation as an alternative to using anatomical landmarks and average measurements. CONCLUSION: A CSDH is mainly anteriorly located and supposedly primarily supplied by the anterior MMA branch. In a simulated setting, soMMA can be performed during the same procedure as haematoma decompression. A few reservations notwithstanding, we find that soMMA may be a viable alternative to eMMA in most CSDH cases and that soMMA should be further evaluated in a clinical setting.

Unusual intracranial suppuration: illustrative cases.

BACKGROUND: Intracranial suppuration (ICS) is a rare complication that can arise from various disease processes and is composed of brain abscess, extradural empyema, and subdural empyema. Although significant progress has been achieved with antibiotics, neuroimaging, and neurosurgical technique, ICS remains a serious neurosurgical emergency. An uncommon presentation of ICS is sterile ICS, which has yet to be fully elucidated by clinicians. The authors present 2 cases of unusual sterile ICS: a sterile subdural empyema and a sterile brain abscess. OBSERVATIONS: Both patients underwent surgical treatment consisting of craniotomy to evacuate the pus collection. The blood cultures from both the patients, the collected empyema, and the thick capsule from the brain abscess were sterile. However, the necrotic brain tissue surrounding the abscess contained inflammatory cells. The authors' review of the literature emphasizes the rarity of sterile ICS and substantiates the necessity for additional studies to explore this field. LESSONS: Sterile ICS is a disease entity that warrants further investigation to determine appropriate treatment to improve patient outcomes. This study highlights the paucity of data available regarding sterile ICS and supports the need for future studies to uncover the etiology of sterile ICS to better guide management of this condition.

Stroke Burden in Rwanda: A Multicenter Study of Stroke Management and Outcome.

BACKGROUND: Cerebrovascular accidents or stroke constitute the second leading cause of mortality worldwide. Low- and middle-income countries bear most of the stroke burden worldwide. The main objective of this study is to determine the burden of stroke in Rwanda. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study in 2 parts: 6 months baseline data collection and outcome assessment sessions at 1 year. RESULTS: A total of 96 patients were enrolled in our series. Stroke constituted 2100 per 100,000 population. Of all patients, 55.2% were male and most (60%) were 55 years and older. Of all patients and/or caretakers, 22% were not aware of their previous health status and 53.5% of hypertensive patients were not on treatment by the time of the event. Median presentation delay was 72 hours for patients with ischemic stroke and 24 hours for patients with hemorrhagic stroke. Most patients had hemorrhagic stroke (65% vs. 35%), and more patients with hemorrhagic stroke presented with loss of consciousness (80% vs. 51%). Many patients (62% ischemic group and 44% hemorrhagic group) presented with severe stroke scores, and this was associated with worst outcome (P = 0.004). At 1 year follow-up, 24.7% had no or mild disability, 14.3% were significantly disabled, and 61% had died. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that stroke is a significant public health concern in Rwanda. Risk factor awareness and control are still low and case fatality of stroke is significantly high. The significant delay in presentation to care and presentation with severe stroke are major contributors for the high mortality and severe disability rates.

Missed or Delayed Cervical Spine or Spinal Cord Injuries Treated at a Tertiary Referral Hospital in Rwanda.

OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed at 1) reporting cases of missed cervical spine injuries treated at a tertiary-level hospital, King Faisal Hospital, Rwanda (KFH-R), and 2) identifying the causes of delaying the diagnosis. METHODS: We prospectively collected data from patients with a missed or delayed cervical spine and/or cord injury treated at King Faisal Hospital, Kigali for a 12-month period (January 2012 to December 2012). The total number of cervical spine injury patients treated at our center was retrieved from the hospital admission registry. RESULTS: Forty-two patients with cervical spine or spinal cord injuries were treated at KFH-R in 2012, and 4 of them had a missed or delayed diagnosis. Clinical and radiologic findings of all 4 patients are presented, and the reasons for delaying diagnosis are identified. CONCLUSION: This study found that the cervical spine injuries were missed in 9.5% of the cervical spine trauma patients and resulted in a longer hospital stay for all 4 patients and severe disability in 1 patient (25%). The reasons for missed diagnoses in this study were 1) lack of cervical spine radiographic evaluation, 2) inadequate cervical spine radiographs to show the level of injury, 3) poor sensitivity of cervical spine plain radiography, 4) poor physical examination, 5) the presence of a distracting injury, and 6) poor sensitivity of radiographs and computed tomography scans for soft tissue injuries.