Brain AVM surgery without endovascular embolization in a low to middle income country.

We treated a 20-year-old woman in Paraguay with a ruptured intraventricular Spetzler-Martin Grade 3 AVM, and illustrate microsurgical resection without embolization in this video.

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension imaging approaches and the implications in patient management.

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) represents a clinical disease entity without a clear etiology, that if left untreated, can result in severe outcomes, including permanent vision loss. For this reason, early diagnosis and treatment is necessary. Historically, the role of cross-sectional imaging has been to rule out secondary or emergent causes of increased intracranial pressure, including tumor, infection, hydrocephalus, or venous thrombosis. MRI and MRV, however, can serve as valuable imaging tools to not only rule out causes for secondary intracranial hypertension but can also detect indirect signs of IIH resultant from increased intracranial pressure, and demonstrate potentially treatable sinus venous stenosis. Digital subtraction venographic imaging also plays a central role in both diagnosis and treatment, providing enhanced anatomic delineation and temporal flow evaluation, quantitative assessment of the pressure gradient across a venous stenosis, treatment guidance, and immediate opportunity for endovascular therapy. In this review, we discuss the multiple modalities for imaging IIH, their limitations, and their contributions to the management of IIH.

Nickels and tines: the myth of nickel allergy in intracranial stents.

BACKGROUND: Most intracranial stents contain nickel alloy, and nickel allergy or hypersensitivity is common. Neurological injury following endovascular treatment with a nickel containing intracranial stent has been reported in patients with purported nickel allergy, but it is unclear whether these reactions represent true nickel hypersensitivity. We quantified nickel release from commonly used intracranial stents to investigate whether such stents should be avoided in patients with nickel allergy. METHODS: We examined nickel release from seven commonly used intracranial stents: Enterprise, LVIS Jr, Neuroform, Wingspan, Zilver, Pipeline Flex Embolization Device, and Surpass Evolve. We incubated each stent in human plasma-like media for 30 days. Dimethylglyoxime (DMG) spot testing was performed on each stent to detect released nickel at 0 and 30 days. Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) was then used to quantify the nickel concentration of the media at 30 days. Nickel currency and nickel standard for atomic absorption spectrometry were used as positive controls. RESULTS: DMG spot tests indicated nickel release only from nickel currency at 0 and 30 days of incubation. No nickel release was detected from any stent at 30 days using ICP-OES. CONCLUSIONS: Nickel release from commonly used intracranial stents is negligible. These results suggest that previously reported hypersensitivity to these stents may be misattributed to nickel allergy, and that patients with nickel allergy may be safely treated with select nickel-containing stents.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cerebrovascular disease.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes a systemic disease that affects nearly all organ systems through infection and subsequent dysregulation of the vascular endothelium. One of the most striking phenomena has been a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-associated coagulopathy. Given these findings, questions naturally emerged about the prothrombotic impact of COVID-19 on cerebrovascular disease and whether ischemic stroke is a clinical feature specific to COVID-19 pathophysiology. Early reports from China and several sites in the northeastern United States seemed to confirm these suspicions. Since these initial reports, many cohort studies worldwide observed decreased rates of stroke since the start of the pandemic, raising concerns for a broader impact of the pandemic on stroke treatment. In this review, we provide a comprehensive assessment of how the pandemic has affected stroke presentation, epidemiology, treatment, and outcomes to better understand the impact of COVID-19 on cerebrovascular disease. Much evidence suggests that this decline in stroke admissions stems from the global response to the virus, which has made it more difficult for patients to get to the hospital once symptoms start. However, there does not appear to be a demonstrable impact on quality metrics once patients arrive at the hospital. Despite initial concerns, there is insufficient evidence to ascribe a causal relationship specific to the pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 on the cerebral vasculature. Nevertheless, when patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 present with stroke, their presentation is likely to be more severe, and they have a markedly higher rate of in-hospital mortality than patients with either acute ischemic stroke or COVID-19 alone.

Awake Mapping of the Auditory Cortex during Tumor Resection in an Aspiring Musical Performer: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Preoperative functional MRI (fMRI) and intraoperative awake cortical mapping are established strategies to identify and preserve critical language structures during neurosurgery. There is growing appreciation for the need to similarly identify and preserve eloquent tissue critical for music production. CASE REPORT: A 19-year-old female musician, with a 3- to 4-year history of events concerning for musicogenic seizures, was found to have a right posterior temporal tumor, concerning for a low-grade glial neoplasm. Preoperative fMRI assessing passive and active musical tasks localized areas of activation directly adjacent to the tumor margin. Cortical stimulation during various musical tasks did not identify eloquent tissue near the surgical site. A gross total tumor resection was achieved without disruption of singing ability. At 9-month follow-up, the patient continued to have preserved musical ability with full resolution of seizures and without evidence of residual lesion or recurrence. CONCLUSION: A novel strategy for performing an awake craniotomy, incorporating preoperative fMRI data for music processing with intraoperative cortical stimulation, interpreted with the assistance of a musician expert and facilitated gross total resection of the patient's tumor without comprising her musical abilities.

Case of Esophageal Perforation and Repair with a Supraclavicular Artery Island Fascial Flap 15 Years After Anterior Spine Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal perforation represents a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of an anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion (ACDF). Delayed presentations of esophageal perforation more than 10 years following surgery are exceedingly rare and difficult to diagnose. Here, we discuss the case of an 80-year-old man who presented to the emergency department with progressive dysphagia 15 years after his ACDF. CASE DESCRIPTION: While prior outpatient workup was suggestive of a diverticulum, there was no evidence of esophageal perforation. Progressive symptoms and repeat imaging on admission were suggestive of retropharyngeal phlegmon. Operative esophagoscopy revealed that the spinal hardware had eroded through the posterior wall of the esophagus, creating a traction diverticulum. The hardware was removed, and the esophageal perforation was closed primarily and buttressed with vascularized tissue from a supraclavicular artery island fascial flap. CONCLUSIONS: This case emphasizes the importance of considering an esophageal perforation in patients who present with dysphagia at any interval following an ACDF, even in the extremely delayed setting. Furthermore, this is the first report, to the best of our knowledge, using a supraclavicular artery island fascial flap to reconstruct an esophageal perforation following an ACDF, and we introduce a novel strategy for managing these complicated injuries.

Left transradial access for cerebral angiography.

INTRODUCTION: Transradial access is increasingly used among neurointerventionalists as an alternative to the transfemoral route. Currently available data, building on the interventional cardiology experience, primarily focus on right radial access. However, there are clinical scenarios when left-sided access may be indicated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the technical feasibility of left transradial access to cerebral angiography across three institutions. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed for patients who underwent cerebral angiography accessed via the left radial artery at three institutions between January 2018 and July 2019. The outcome variables studied were successful catheterization, vascular complications, and fluoroscopic time. RESULTS: Nineteen patients underwent a total of 25 cerebral angiograms via left transradial access for cerebral aneurysms (n=15), basilar occlusion (n=1), carotid stenosis (n=1), arteriovenous malformation (n=1), and cervical neurofibroma (n=1). There were 12 diagnostic angiograms and 13 interventional angiograms. The left transradial approach was chosen due to left vertebrobasilar pathology (n=22), right subclavian stenosis (n=2), and previous right arm amputation (n=1). There was one instance of radial artery spasm, which resolved after catheter removal, and one conversion to transfemoral access in an interventional case due to lack of distal catheter support. There were no procedural complications. CONCLUSIONS: Left transradial access in diagnostic and interventional cerebral angiography is a technically feasible, safe, and an effective alternative when indicated, and may be preferable for situations in which pathology locations or anatomic limitations preclude right-sided radial access.

Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography in neurological surgery and neurocritical care.

Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography is an inexpensive, noninvasive means of measuring blood flow within the arteries of the brain. In this review, the authors outline the technology underlying TCD ultrasonography and describe its uses in patients with neurosurgical diseases. One of the most common uses of TCD ultrasonography is monitoring for vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage. In this setting, elevated blood flow velocities serve as a proxy for vasospasm and can herald the onset of ischemia. TCD ultrasonography is also useful in the evaluation and management of occlusive cerebrovascular disease. Monitoring for microembolic signals enables stratification of stroke risk due to carotid stenosis and can also be used to clarify stroke etiology. TCD ultrasonography can identify patients with exhausted cerebrovascular reserve, and after extracranial-intracranial bypass procedures it can be used to assess adequacy of flow through the graft. Finally, assessment of cerebral autoregulation can be performed using TCD ultrasonography, providing data important to the management of patients with severe traumatic brain injury. As the clinical applications of TCD ultrasonography have expanded over time, so has their importance in the management of neurosurgical patients. Familiarity with this diagnostic tool is crucial for the modern neurological surgeon.

Standard Free Versus Osteoplastic Craniotomy: Assessment of Complication Rates During Intracranial Electroencephalogram Electrode Placement for Seizure Localization.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with medically intractable epilepsy often undergo sequential surgeries and are therefore exposed to an elevated risk for infection, resulting in unanticipated returns to the operating room. The goal of our study was to determine whether use of an osteoplastic bone flap technique would reduce the infection rate in these patients. METHODS: A single-institution, retrospective chart review of patients with medically intractable epilepsy for grid placement was performed. Univariate analyses and linear regression were used to assess primary outcomes, including infection and hematomas requiring surgical evacuation. Secondary outcomes included duration of treatment and other, unanticipated surgeries. RESULTS: A total of 199 patients were identified, 56 (28%) with osteoplastic flaps. Standard free flaps were associated with an increased rate of infection at the craniotomy site (n = 24, 17%, vs. 0, 0%, P = 0.003), whereas osteoplastic flaps were associated with more returns to operating room for hematoma evacuation (n = 5, 9% vs. 3.2%, P = 0.024). Overall, the rate of return to operating room for unanticipated surgeries was similar, but infectious complications prolonged the duration of treatment (median: 17 days vs. 2 days, χ2 = 13.97, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Osteoplastic bone flaps markedly decreased the risk of craniotomy infections compared with free flaps in patients undergoing sequential surgeries. This decrease is offset, however, by an increase in intracranial hematoma requiring return to the operating room. Infection appeared to be a more significant complication as it was associated with increased duration of treatment. The osteoplastic technique is especially appealing in those patients likely to undergo multiple surgeries in short succession.

Thoracic lateral extracavitary corpectomy for anterior column reconstruction with expandable and static titanium cages: clinical outcomes and surgical considerations in a consecutive case series.

OBJECTIVE: Many surgical interventions have emerged as effective means of restoring mechanical stability of the anterior column of the spine. The lateral extracavitary approach (LECA) allows for broad visualization and circumferential reconstruction of the spinal column. However, early reports demonstrated significant complication rates, protracted operative times, and prolonged hospitalizations. More recent reports have highlighted concerns for subsidence, particularly with expandable cages. Our work seeks to describe a single-surgeon consecutive series of patients undergoing LECA for thoracic corpectomy. Specifically, the objective was to explore the surgical considerations, clinical and radiographic outcomes, and complication profile of this approach. METHODS: A retrospective study examined data from 17 consecutive patients in whom single or multi-level corpectomy was performed via a LECA by a single surgeon. Vertebral body replacement was achieved with either a static or expandable titanium cage. The Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) was utilized to assess patient functional status before and after surgery. Radiographic outcomes, particularly footplate-to-body ratio and subsidence, were assessed on CT imaging at 6 weeks after surgery and at follow-up of at least 6 months. RESULTS: The majority of patients had post-operative KPS scores consistent with functional independence (≥70, 12/17 patients, 71%). Fourteen patients had improved or maintained function by last follow-up. In both groups, all patients had a favorable footplate-to-body ratio, and rates of subsidence were similar at both time points. Notably, the overall complication rate (24%) was significantly lower than that published in the literature, and no patient suffered a pneumothorax that required placement of a thoracostomy tube. CONCLUSION: The LECA approach for anterior column reconstruction with static or expandable cages is an important surgical consideration with favorable surgical parameters and complication rates. Further, use of expandable cages may allow for reconstruction over a larger segment without increased risk of subsidence.