Enhancing Surgical Safety: Microbiological Air Control in Operating Theatres at University Medical Centre Maribor.

BACKGROUND: the aim of the study was to assess microbiological air quality in operating theatres by determining the level of microbiological contamination of the air and critical surfaces using the passive air sampling method and compliance of the operating theatre staff with infection control measures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The prospective study was conducted in the surgical block of the University Medical Centre Maribor. For two months continuously, ten operating theatres were assessed for microbial contamination of air and surfaces during quiet and active times of the day. A passive air sampling method with Petri dishes on an agar specially adapted for this purpose (plate count agar) was used. In addition, ten surgical procedures were observed to assess staff compliance with recommended practises. RESULTS: Air samples met microbiological standards in all operating theatres. In both sampling sessions of the day (quiet and active periods), microbial contamination of the air was always within the limit of 10 CFU/m3. The average number of bacterial colonies was zero to two during quiet phases and one to four during active phases. Approximately 60% of the isolates from the operating theatres belonged mainly to the genus Staphylococcus: S. epidermidis (36% of the isolates), S. hominis (17.5%) and S. haemolyticus (5.5%). The rest were identified as Streptococcus anginosus (23%) and Bacillus sp. (18%). Pathogenic bacteria and moulds were not present. In regard to staff compliance with good surgical practise, the former varied by behaviour and function, with non-compliance in pre-operative skin preparation and operating theatre congestion being notable. The cleanliness of the environment was satisfactory. CONCLUSIONS: Microbiological air control is extremely important for the safety and success of both surgical and postoperative practises. In spite of good results obtained in the study, further improvements in surgical staff compliance with good surgical practise are essential to reduce surgical site infections.

Case series: Intraoperative neuromonitoring and angiography in the surgical treatment of vascular malformations.

In the surgical treatment of cerebral vascular malformations, e.g., aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations, the risk of ischemic complications is 6.7%, and a residual aneurysm is possible in 5.2% of these cases. Ischemic lesions can result in permanent neurological deficits, and a residual aneurysm can lead to the recurrence of the aneurysm in 2% of cases. In this article, we present five cases (two cases of ruptured aneurysms, two cases of non-ruptured aneurysms, and a case of arteriovenous malformation) in which we reduced the aforementioned risks with the use of intraoperative neuromonitoring and angiography. Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) is used to measure motor and sensory-evoked potentials to detect brain hypoperfusion. Intraoperative angiography with the dye indocyanine green (ICG-A), which fluoresces in a vessel under a microscope after intravenous administration, helps to identify residual aneurysm sacs and distal blood flow. With the use of IONM and ICG-A, we identified abnormalities and adjusted our interventions and treatments. IONM and ICG-A can lead to a better outcome after surgical treatment of cerebral vascular abnormalities.

Various manifestation of Chiari I malformation in children and improvement after surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Chiari I malformation is defined as caudal displacement of the cerebellar tonsils into the foramen magnum. The most commonly associated finding is cervical syringomyelia. The most common presenting symptom is occipital and upper cervical pain. The incidence of syringomyelia is between 30% and 70%. Surgery is recommended for symptomatic patients. The main purpose of the study is to present the data of children with Chiari type I malformation that were treated surgically in low-volume center and to describe some atypical presentations in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: At University Medical Centre Maribor, Slovenia, we performed a retrospective study of children with Chiari type I malformation that were treated surgically in the period from 2012 until 2021. The indication for surgery was symptomatic Chiari type I malformation. Suboccipital decompression with laminectomy of at least C1 (in one case also C2) with splitting of dura or duraplasty was performed. In a few cases coagulation of both tonsillar tips was necessary to achieve sufficient decompression and restoration of adequate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow. RESULTS: Ten children (under 18 years of age) underwent surgery for Chiari I malformation. Four patients had atypical presentation. In nine patients there was improvement after surgery. Complication rate was zero with no revision surgery. In one case suboccipital headache persisted. In all cases with preoperative syringomyelia it improved after surgery. Scoliosis improved in two out of three cases. There was no mortality after the procedure. DISCUSSION: When patients with Chiari I malformation become symptomatic, it is recommended to perform surgery as soon as possible. Comparing the techniques; dura-splitting technique has advantages of lesser operation duration, lesser intraoperative bleeding and lower complication rates than duraplasty. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients with Chiari I malformation improve after surgery. Surgical procedure is safe with very low morbidity and mortality. Surgical technique must be an individualized patient tailored choice.

The Endplate Role in Degenerative Disc Disease Research: The Isolation of Human Chondrocytes from Vertebral Endplate-An Optimised Protocol.

BACKGROUND: Degenerative disc disease is a progressive and chronic disorder with many open questions regarding its pathomorphological mechanisms. In related studies, in vitro organ culture systems are becoming increasingly essential as a replacement option for laboratory animals. Live disc cells are highly appealing to study the possible mechanisms of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. To study the degenerative processes of the endplate chondrocytes in vitro, we established a relatively quick and easy protocol for isolating human chondrocytes from the vertebral endplates. METHODS: The fragments of human lumbar endplates following lumbar fusion were collected, cut, ground and partially digested with collagenase I in Advanced DMEM/F12 with 5% foetal bovine serum. The sediment was harvested, and cells were seeded in suspension, supplemented with special media containing high nutrient levels. Morphology was determined with phalloidin staining and the characterisation for collagen I, collagen II and aggrecan with immunostaining. RESULTS: The isolated cells retained viability in appropriate laboratory conditions and proliferated quickly. The confluent culture was obtained after 14 days. Six to 8 h after seeding, attachments were observed, and proliferation of the isolated cells followed after 12 h. The cartilaginous endplate chondrocytes were stable with a viability of up to 95%. Pheno- and geno-typic analysis showed chondrocyte-specific expression, which decreased with passages. CONCLUSIONS: The reported cell isolation process is simple, economical and quick, allowing establishment of a viable long-term cell culture. The availability of a vertebral endplate cell model will permit the study of cell properties, biochemical aspects, the potential of therapeutic candidates for the treatment of disc degeneration, and toxicology studies in a well-controlled environment.

Neurosurgical Approaches to Brain Tissue Harvesting for the Establishment of Cell Cultures in Neural Experimental Cell Models.

In recent decades, cell biology has made rapid progress. Cell isolation and cultivation techniques, supported by modern laboratory procedures and experimental capabilities, provide a wide range of opportunities for in vitro research to study physiological and pathophysiological processes in health and disease. They can also be used very efficiently for the analysis of biomaterials. Before a new biomaterial is ready for implantation into tissues and widespread use in clinical practice, it must be extensively tested. Experimental cell models, which are a suitable testing ground and the first line of empirical exploration of new biomaterials, must contain suitable cells that form the basis of biomaterial testing. To isolate a stable and suitable cell culture, many steps are required. The first and one of the most important steps is the collection of donor tissue, usually during a surgical procedure. Thus, the collection is the foundation for the success of cell isolation. This article explains the sources and neurosurgical procedures for obtaining brain tissue samples for cell isolation techniques, which are essential for biomaterial testing procedures.

Rosette-forming glioneuronal tumor of the fourth ventricle; A case report and review of the literature.

Despite mostly indolent course and favorable postoperative outcome long-term follow-up studies are needed to identify the most appropriate therapeutic strategies to minimize surgical morbidity and neurologic injury in patients with RGNT.

Brain aggregoma with clonal B-cell perivascular proliferation detected by next-generation sequencing. A case report and review of the literature.

Light-chain deposition disease (LCDD), a rare type of monoclonal immunoglobulin deposition disease, can be presented as systemic or localized, very rarely affecting central nervous system (CNS). Only 10 cases of CNS-LCDD have been described so far. We present an eleventh case of cerebral tumour-like LCDD, called aggregoma, and compare it with previously reported cases. A 49-year-old patient was admitted to the hospital due to a first generalized epileptic seizure. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed focal lesion in the right occipital lobe. Abundant parenchymal aggregates of pale eosinophilic material were observed, Congo red negative, Thioflavin T moderately positive, and l-light chain positive, but k negative in immunofluorescence with mild perivascular lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates in the intervening brain tissue. Clonality testing by next-generation sequencing showed the monoclonal nature of B-lymphocytes. Electron microscopy showed a finely granular ultrastructure of the aggregates without deposition in the vessel walls. A whole-body workup did not show any extra-cerebral immune dyscrasias.

Extensive Posterolateral Approach for Giant Spinal Epidural Tumors.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to determine the safety, efficacy, and surgical outcome of an extensive posterolateral approach for giant spinal epidural tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our clinical study included 12 patients with various giant primary tumors and metastases of the spine, who underwent surgery between 2008 and 2019. The surgical procedure consisted of costotransversectomy, laminectomy, corpectomy, tumor resection, spinal column stabilization, and reconstruction. Neurological status examination and pain assessment were recorded at the time of admission, upon discharge and at outpatient check-up. RESULTS: In our clinical sample, there were no major perioperative complications. All patients were discharged from the intensive care unit back to the hospital department within a week after the surgery. Postoperative follow-up showed no deterioration of neurological status. Furthermore, there was a moderate to significant improvement of paraparesis in all patients for weeks after surgery. The most notable improvement was significant pain relief in all the patients. None of the patients had issues with failure of the implanted hardware. Two patients died less than six months after the surgery due to the progression of the primary malignant process. CONCLUSION: An extensive posterolateral approach to giant spinal epidural tumors is an effective one-step approach. It presents a good compromise between invasiveness and sufficient exposure for both tumor resection and spinal column reconstruction. Good short-term clinical improvement can be achieved, but the long term results depend on the advancement of the initial disease. Careful evaluation and selection of patients are necessary to achieve clinical improvement and prolonged life expectancy, and the best results are achieved with a multidisciplinary approach.

Endoscopic Endonasal Approaches to the Clival Region.

OBJECTIVE: Our main objectives were to analyze and determine the safety, risk of post-operative complications, and surgical outcome of the endoscopic endonasal approach to the clival region. METHODS: From May 2011 to May 2019, we operated on 19 patients using the endoscopic endonasal approach to the clival region. Their pathologies were diverse: pituitary macroadenoma, craniopharyngioma, metastasis, and a prepontine neurenteric cyst. The first operations were supervised by an experienced center using telementoring. We explained our surgical technique and analyzed the patients' data, which were included in our study. RESULTS: We managed to achieve complete removal of the pathological process in 14 patients. There were no deaths in the perioperative and early post-operative period. The most common complication was a cerebrospinal fluid leak, which was successfully managed in all of the cases. There were no deaths or significant morbidities in the post-operative period. CONCLUSION: An endoscopic transnasal approach to the clival region is safe and effective. It provides better visualization of that region compared to other transcranial approaches. The risk of post-operative complications is significantly lower with the help of modern reconstructive techniques. CSF leak is the most frequent complication.

May Heading in Soccer Result in Traumatic Brain Injury? A Review of Literature.

BACKGROUND: Globally, soccer is the most popular team sport, unifying many fans all around the world. The epidemiological studies so far have confirmed that head playing and hitting the ball with head may cause minor head injuries, which exert their effects in a cumulative way. METHODS: Literature search for this review was conducted and data about traumatic brain injury collected from various sources. RESULTS: The consequences of head injury are evident as chronic changes in cognition, including disturbances in concentration and slowing of mental and physical agility. CONCLUSION: Various recommendations have been issued for the prevention of chronic negative cumulative effects of soccer ball head playing. In addition, the professional soccer players are also exposed to more intense craniocerebral trauma, such as concussions and contusions. These patients require treatment of skilled sports physicians, neurologists and neurosurgeons and some may need long to return to the sport scene again.

Hypophyseal metastases: A report of three cases and literature review.

Metastatic tumours to the pituitary gland are rare. The most frequent are metastases from breast and lung. We describe three patients with metastatic tumours: (I) a 54-year-old patient with metastatic renal clear-cell carcinoma and consequent disturbances in visual acuity, cranial nerve paresis and panhypopituitarism, (II) a 60-year-old patient with a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with panhypopituitarism and diabetes insipidus and (III) a 57-year-old patient with metastasis of breast cancer and panhypopituitarism, visual impairment and cranial nerve paresis. A transnasal endoscopic biopsy and resection of the tumour was performed in all patients, followed by the oncological treatment. Despite the rarity of the disease, it is important to suspect a metastatic pituitary tumour especially in the case of diabetes insipidus, ophthalmoplegia, rapid course of the disease and headaches. In 20-30% of patients, a metastasis to the pituitary is the first manifestation of a tumour of unknown origin. Surgical and adjuvant therapy may improve the quality of life. The survival is not affected, however, and the prognosis of the disease is usually poor.

Surgical telementoring: A new model for surgical training.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To assess the efficacy of a surgical telementoring program for endoscopic skull base surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective case series with surveys of surgeons. METHODS: A surgical telementoring program was established for mentoring of a skull base team at the University of Maribor in Slovenia by an experienced skull base team at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pennsylvania. Two-way video and audio streaming provided real-time communication with the surgical team. Over a period of 3 years, 10 endoscopic endonasal surgeries of the skull base were mentored preoperatively and during the key part of the procedure. Following each procedure, an evaluation form was used to document the mentoring interventions and rate the experience. RESULTS: Procedures included endoscopic endonasal approaches to the sella, anterior cranial fossa, posterior cranial fossa, and orbit. Diagnoses included benign and malignant neoplasms, cerebrospinal fluid leak, and inflammatory disease. In nine of 10 cases, adequate audio and video communications were maintained. The most frequent mentoring interventions were for identification of anatomy, extent of exposure, extent of resection, and surgical technique. The median perceived value by the junior surgical team was 9.5 (range 8-10). A model for surgical telementoring is proposed. CONCLUSION: Surgical telementoring provides the ability to help surgeons develop their surgical skills to a greater level of proficiency for complex surgeries when experienced mentors are not available locally. The technology is reliable and available at most institutions. Perceived benefits of surgical telementoring include improved surgical exposure, increased extent of tumor resection, and decreased duration of surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A. Laryngoscope, 126:1334-1338, 2016.

Endovascular versus operative treatment of cerebral aneurysms: a comparison of results from a low-volume neurosurgical centre.

BACKGROUND: Subarachnoid haemorrhage is a debilitating disease. The treatment options include surgical clipping or endovascular embolisation. Still, many controversies exist about which method is more convenient. METHODS: In the retrospective study from January 2006 to December 2013, 129 patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage were analysed. They were classified according to the WFNS grade and Fisher scale. The diagnosis of intracranial aneurysms was based on computerised tomographic angiography and digital subtraction angiography. All patients received the standard therapy against vasospasm. The treatment outcome was evaluated with Glasgow Outcome Scale. RESULTS: Of 129 patients, surgery was employed in 40, endovascular obliteration in 86 patients and 3 patients received both forms of treatment. Four factors were statistically significant for worse results in the univariate analysis: the age, WFNS grade, Fisher grade and the presence of clinical vasospasm. In the multivariate analysis, only the age, WFNS grade and the presence of clinical vasospasm remained statistically significant for the outcome. There was a trend towards better outcome for the patients that had endovascular treatment compared with patients who were treated surgically, although the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Although the endovascular embolisation in relation to the surgical clipping is becoming a more popular treatment method for ruptured cerebral aneurysms it cannot offer reliable endovascular exclusion in all types of aneurysms. Based on our experience, it is therefore necessary to look at these two methods as complementary that may both be used separately or in combination for the well-being of the patient.

Metastasis of an occult pulmonary carcinoma into meningioma: a case report.

Tumour-to-tumour metastasis is an infrequent pathological phenomenon. Meningioma is the most common intracranial tumour where metastatic deposits may be found, the majority of which arise from breast and lung cancers. We describe an unusual case of occult pulmonary carcinoma metastasis into the intracranial meningioma. A 77-year old lady presented with acutely deteriorating hemiparesis. Her previous medical history was unremarkable. Radiological imaging revealed an expansive lesion, classified as meningioma, which was located parasagittally in the right premotor area. A well-capsulated tumour attached to the dura was removed surgically. The pathological examination demonstrated a mixture of angiomatous meningioma and pulmonary adenocarcinoma. Possible explanations for the development of a composite tumour and pathophysiology are described.

Partial skull base tumour resection in combination with radiosurgery: an escape procedure or a reasonable solution of treatment?

Despite advancement in microsurgical techniques for skull base tumour surgery, approaches of this kind still represent a significant challenge for neurosurgeons due to the size of the tumour and its interference and proximity to important neural and vascular structures. After incomplete resection, gamma knife radiosurgery is becoming an alternative or adjunctive treatment option. In this article, some examples of our experience in combined treatment of the skull base tumours with surgical procedure and gamma knife therapy for the remaining tumour tissue are presented.

Colloid cysts of the third ventricle exhibit various clinical presentation: a review of three cases.

Colloid cysts are benign intracranial tumours usually occurring in the front part of the third ventricle. Clinical presentation may be non-specific and heterogeneous. The problems are frequently associated with development of hydrocephalus, these cysts may cause. We describe three cases of patients with diverse clinical symptoms, who underwent surgery for colloid cysts of the third ventricle. In the first patient, the colloid cyst caused a sudden deterioration of consciousness due to an acute hydrocephalus. The cyst in the second and third patient was discovered accidentally, during the course of epileptic seizures treatment and due to chronic headache with quanti- and qualitative deterioration of consciousness in the setting of chronic hydrocefalus, respectively. Surgery improved health in all three patients.

Resolution of blepharospasm after chronic subdural haematoma evacuation: A case report.

Blepharospasm in connection with chronic subdural haematoma is an uncommon pathology and usually subsides after treatment of the haematoma. Different mechanical and vascular factors may play a role by affecting domapinergic transmission in basal ganglia. A case of a 72-year-old patient is presented, who developed transient blepharospasm as a result of a chronic subdural haematoma and whose symptoms regressed after surgical management.

Variable presentations of Currarino syndrome in three members of the same family.

The article presents an autosomal dominant Currarino syndrome with incomplete penetrance in three out of four members of the same family. The mother had only a bony sacral defect and no other signs. In the older daughter, the syndrome was completely developed with presacral cystic teratoma, a sacral defect and abdominal discomfort. The younger daughter had no clinical or imaging features of the disease. The only son harboured presacral meningocele, urinary stenosis and a sacral defect. The daughter and son with developed variants of the syndrome were successfully operated on and are now symptom free.

Preoperative total serum cholesterol as a prognostic factor for survival in patients with resectable non-small-cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Coexisting hypocholesterolemia in cancer has been known for a very long time but its relationship to cancer is still controversial. Hypocholesterolemia has been reported in patients with lung cancer, although its association with survival has not been explored. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study was to determine whether preoperative total serum cholesterol is a prognostic factor for survival after lung cancer resection. METHODS: The retrospective study comprised 198 patients (162 men, 36 women) operated upon for resectable non-small-cell lung cancer (clinical stages I-IIIB) between January 1992 and April 1994. Total serum cholesterol concentration was determined preoperatively in each patient. The effects of sex, age, stage, histological type and preoperative total serum cholesterol concentration on survival were tested in univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Preoperative total serum cholesterol was a significant prognostic factor in both univariate and multivariate analysis. The median value for total serum cholesterol was 5.3 mmol/l and patients below that cut-off had significantly shorter overall survival times than patients in the high cholesterol group (5-year survival 41% vs. 56%, P < 0.05). In a multivariate Cox proportional-hazard regression model, only stage and preoperative total serum cholesterol were found to be of significance for survival (relative risk 0.84 for each mmol/l increase in concentration, CI 0.71-1.00, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that preoperative total serum cholesterol may be an important prognostic factor for overall survival after lung cancer resection. It may prove to be a valuable tool in the follow-up of patients with lung cancer and in detection of high-risk cases.