Quality of Life for Patients with Sporadic Small Vestibular Schwannomas Following Middle Fossa Craniotomy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate quality-of-life outcomes for patients with vestibular schwannomas (VS) undergoing a middle cranial fossa (MCF) approach. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective study from 2018 to 2023. SETTING: Tertiary academic institution. PATIENTS: Adults with sporadic VS. INTERVENTIONS: MCF. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was the change in preoperative and 1-year postoperative Penn Acoustic Neuroma Quality-of-life (PANQOL) scores. Secondary outcome measures included hearing preservation and facial nerve function. RESULTS: Of the 164 patients who underwent MCF for sporadic VS, 78 patients elected to voluntarily complete preoperative PANQOL assessments prior to surgery. Seventy-one (91%) of those 78 patients completed postoperative PANQOL surveys. Fifty (70%) of the respondents were female and the median age was 48 years (range, 27-71 years). Overall, at 1-year postsurgery, a minimal clinically important difference (MCID) was obtained in the hearing (mean difference, 10.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.3-16.7) and anxiety (mean difference, 18.8; 95% CI, 11.7-25.9) domains. For patients with hearing preservation (n = 48, 68%), MCIDs were reached in the hearing (mean difference, 13.4; 95% CI, 6.3-20.6), anxiety (mean difference, 20.8; 95% CI, 11.8-29.9), energy (mean difference, 13.7; 95% CI, 3.6-23.8), pain (mean difference, 13.7; 95% CI, 3.6-23.8) domains, and overall PANQOL scores (mean difference, 12.7; 95% CI, 7.1-18.3). Postoperatively, 64 (90%) patients maintained a House-Brackmann I. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the largest study examining disease-specific QOL for VS patients undergoing MCF. Based on our institution's experience, MCF approach for small VS is associated with clinically meaningful improvements in QOL, hearing preservation, and excellent facial nerve outcomes.

Adjuvant proton beam therapy in patients with grade 2 meningiomas.

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) grade 2 meningiomas behave aggressively with a high proclivity toward recurrence despite maximal surgical resection. Our institution, a pioneer of proton therapy, uses exclusively proton beam radiation, and thus, we present a retrospective cohort analysis of patients with WHO grade 2 meningiomas treated with adjuvant proton beam therapy (PBT) at our institution between 2007 and 2019. The effects of adjuvant PBT were evaluated. Methods: Data collected include diagnosis, gender, histological subtype, WHO grade, the extent of surgical resection, adjuvant PBT radiation, details of the PBT radiation, recurrence, any additional PBT radiation, systemic medical therapy, and disease-specific survival. Results: Among the WHO grade 2 meningiomas (n = 50) recommended PBT, 80% and 78% of patients with gross-total resection (GTR) and subtotal resection (STR), respectively, followed through with PBT. The median radiation dose of PBT was 59.5 Gy and 59.92 Gy for patients with GTR and STR, respectively, with a median of 33 fractions delivered in 1.8 Gy doses for both groups. Combined 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 96%, and 5-year PFS was 92%. Combined overall survival was 95% at five years. Minimal radiation side effects were reported with no grade 3 or higher toxicities. Conclusion: Our results suggest that adjuvant PBT is well tolerated with minimal radiation toxicity. Alternative to photon radiation, PBT may be considered at least as safe and effective for adjuvant treatment of WHO grade 2 meningiomas when it is available.

Cloacal Dysgenesis Sequence in a Preterm Neonate.

BACKGROUND Cloaca malformations result from a disproportion of apoptosis, cell growth, and maturation. The range of cloacal malformations is extensive and diverse, with a lack of a straightforward classification system. Cloacal dysgenesis sequence (CDS), also known as urorectal septum malformation sequence, is a rare cloaca variant described as the absence of a perineal orifice. Prenatal magnetic resonance imaging and antenatal ultrasounds may reveal a cloacal malformation; however, many patients are not diagnosed with cloacal malformation until birth. CASE REPORT We present a case of a female neonate delivered by a 23-year-old G2P1T1A0L0 mother who had received comprehensive prenatal care. During pregnancy, bilateral multicystic dysplastic kidneys were identified prenatally, leading to the in utero placement of a vesicoamniotic shunt. The physical exam revealed a distended abdomen with reduced abdominal musculature and laxity, ascites, a vesicoamniotic shunt in place, absent urethra, ambiguous genitalia with no vaginal opening, no perineal opening, and clubfoot. Abdominal radiograph showed findings consistent with significant abdominal ascites. An exploratory laparotomy was performed that included diverting colostomy, mucous fistula creation, tube vaginostomy, removal of the vesicoamniotic shunt, and suprapubic tube placement. The patient recovered well from this operation with no complications. CONCLUSIONS CDS is an uncommon condition in pediatric patients, and although sonographic findings can reveal urinary tract abnormalities, prenatal imaging might not always identify CDS. Our case underscores the uniqueness of the case and the significance of early detection and immediate medical and surgical intervention.

Iatrogenic Hypoxemia and Atrial Septal Defect Due to Electrical Storm Ablation After Left Ventricular Assist Device: A Case Report.

A 59-year-old male with an implantable cardiac defibrillator, left ventricular assist device, and refractory ventricular tachycardia presented with hypoxemia due to a post-ablation iatrogenic atrial septal defect. Left ventricular assist devices generate pressure gradients that may exacerbate intracardiac shunts and can precipitate significant hypoxemia.

The Elusive Sarcoidosis, an Eight-Year Journey to the Diagnosis of Sarcoidosis: A Case Report.

We present a unique case of a patient coming to our internal medicine clinic with intermittent diffuse lymphadenopathy and non-specific symptoms for the past eight years. Initially, the patient was thought to have carcinoma of unknown primary origin, given the abnormalities seen in her imaging. The diagnosis of sarcoidosis was also dismissed, given that the patient had not responded to steroids with negative laboratory support. The patient was referred to several specialists, and only after a pulmonary biopsy was a non-caseating granuloma revealed after multiple prior failed biopsies. The patient was placed on infusion therapy and responded positively. This case demonstrates a challenging diagnosis and treatment which emphasizes the importance of considering alternative treatments if the initial therapy fails.

Retrospective Study of the Safety and Efficacy of Intraoperative Methadone for Pain Management in Patients Undergoing Elective Intracranial Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing intracranial surgery experience significant perioperative pain and are typically treated with short-acting opioids. Methadone, with its prolonged half-life and multimodal central nervous system effects, presents a promising option for managing postcraniotomy pain. Despite its proven efficacy in other types of surgeries, the use of methadone in patients undergoing craniotomy has not yet been explored. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted for 60 adult patients ranging in age from 18 to 81 years who received methadone during intracranial surgeries. The primary outcome of interest was the total opioid consumption in oral morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) and patient-reported pain scores within 24 hours and up to 72 hours postoperatively. RESULTS: The methadone dosage varied from 5 to 20 mg. In the infratentorial group, the median total MME on postoperative day 1, 2, and 3 was 30.5, 17, and 0.8, respectively, with mean pain scores of 3.56, 3.91, and 2.71. In the supratentorial group, the median total MME on postoperative day 1, 2, and 3 was 17.85, 15.4, and 1.2, with mean pain scores of 2.31, 1.68, and 2.21, respectively. Patients who were chronic opioid users had significantly higher pain scores and average opioid use (P < 0.05). None of the patients required administration of naloxone or airway interventions. Comparison with the historical control showed that our study patients had lower pain scores and MME. CONCLUSIONS: The single intraoperative dose of methadone is well tolerated by adult patients undergoing various types of intracranial surgeries, with minimal side effects, including elderly patients aged 65 years or older.

Multimodal Pain Control Utilizing Buprenorphine for Robotic-assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy: A Quality Improvement Comparison to Conventional Opioid Management.

INTRODUCTION: This study investigated the effectiveness of buprenorphine as an alternative to the use of conventional opioids perioperatively in an effort to help mitigate the impact of the use of perioperative conventional opioids for patients undergoing robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy. METHODS: Outcomes of patients with localized prostate cancer undergoing robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy were examined before and after implementation of novel quality improvement study that included receiving buprenorphine compared to conventional opioids for pain control intraoperatively and postoperatively. The primary end point was adequate pain control with secondary end points being analgesic consumption at home, opioid-related side effects, and patient satisfaction. RESULTS: When analyzing the secondary end point of oral morphine milligram equivalents, the buprenorphine group received significantly less morphine milligram equivalent compared to the conventional opioid group (15.19 vs 47.91, P = .006). The buprenorphine group also had lower reported pain scores at discharge (4.3; scale 1-10) compared to the conventional opioid group (5.4), though this did not reach significance (P = .069). In the buprenorphine group, 76.9% strongly agreed that their pain was adequately controlled in the hospital compared to 57.5% of the conventional opioid group (P = .223). There was no difference in overall satisfaction at postoperative day 5 (P = .358). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates buprenorphine's analgesic capabilities to maintain adequate pain control and patient satisfaction compared to conventional opioids during robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy, while decreasing perioperative opioid use.