Predicting the need for retreatment in venous sinus stenting for idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension is a disease of raised intra-cranial pressure of unknown etiology. Lateral cerebral venous sinus stenosis (VSS) has been increasingly reported in these patients, and stenting has emerged as an alternative treatment for medically refractory symptoms. Treatment efficacy on meta-analysis appears promising, but identifying which patients are likely to benefit most, and which are likely to require repeat procedures, is currently unclear. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed a prospectively collected database of 79 patients treated with venous sinus stenting at a single academic center with minimum follow-up of 18 months. We extracted baseline clinical data, as well as manometry at lumbar puncture and during angiography, and used logistic regression to identify parameters that could predict stent failure. RESULTS: Retreatment rate after successful VSS was 13.9%. Lumbar puncture opening pressure (OP) was shown to significantly predict treatment failure (ß=0.06; OR=1.064 (1.003-1.135); P=0.039). This effect remained significant when age, sex and body mass index were added to the model (ß=0.06; OR=1.066 (1.002-1.140); P=0.043). OP was correlated with venous sinus manometry readings in the superior sagittal and transverse sinus pre-stent placement, as well trans-stenotic gradient (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Higher lumbar puncture OP was associated with an increased risk of stent failure in transverse sinus stenting for idiopathic intracranial hypertension, although the performance of this model as a linear discriminator was poor. Further studies are required to better assess which patients are at greatest risk of treatment failure.

Venous sinus stenting lowers the intracranial pressure in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

AIMS: We report the cerebrospinal fluid opening pressure (CSF-OP) measurements obtained before and after venous sinus stenting (VSS) in 50 patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension. METHODS: The CSF-OP was measured with a spinal tap 3 months before and 3 months after treatment. All data were prospectively collected and included patient demographics, weight (kg), body mass index (BMI), acetazolamide daily dosage (mg), procedural details, complications, venous sinus pressures (mm Hg), trans-stenotic pressure gradient (mm Hg), transverse sinus symmetry, and type of venous sinus stenosis. RESULTS: The average pretreatment CSF-OP was 37 cm H2O (range 25-77) and the average post-treatment CSF-OP was 20.2 cm H2O (range 10-36), with an average reduction of 16.8 cm H2O (P<0.01). The post-treatment CSF-OP was less than 25 cm H2O in 40/50 patients. The average acetazolamide daily dose decreased from 950 mg to 300 mg at the time of 3-month follow-up (P<0.01). No patient required an increase in acetazolamide dose 3 months after VSS. The average weight before treatment was 95.4 kg with an average BMI of 35.41. There was an average increase in body weight of 1.1 kg at the 3-month follow-up with an average increase in BMI of 0.35 (P=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: We provide evidence that there is a significant decrease in CSF-OP in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension 3 months after VSS, independent of acetazolamide usage or weight loss.

Ultra-delayed lumbar surgical wound hematoma.

BACKGROUND: There exists an inherent risk of increased venous thromboembolism (VTE) in surgical spine patients, which is independent of their existing risk factors. Prophylaxis and treatment of VTE is an imprecise practice and may have serious complications even well after the initial surgery. Furthermore, there are no clear guidelines on how to manage postoperative spine patients with regards to the timing of anticoagulation. CASE DESCRIPTION: Here, we present the case of a middle-aged male, status post L2/3 laminectomy and discectomy who developed bilateral below the knee deep venous thrombosis. He was started on Enoxaparin and transitioned to Warfarin and returned with axial back pain, and was found to have a postoperative hematoma almost 3 weeks later in a delayed fashion. CONCLUSION: Delayed surgical wound hematoma with neural compression is an important complication to identify and should remain high on the differential diagnosis in patients on warfarin who present with axial spinal pain.