Direct Hemi-Hypoglossal Nerve and Hypoglossal Nerve for Suprascapular Nerve/Proximal Brachial Plexus Neurotization: A Cadaveric Feasibility Study.

Introduction Partial restoration of shoulder function is important in upper brachial plexus lesions, and the suprascapular nerve is often the target for such neurotization procedures. Although there is an extensive history of peripheral nerve surgeons using the hypoglossal nerve for various local nerve transfers, some have reported using this nerve as a donor for upper brachial plexus grafting procedures. We discuss our anatomical findings for the use of a direct hypoglossal to suprascapular nerve transfer. Materials and methods Fifteen adult cadavers (30 separate sides) were dissected to reveal the hypoglossal nerve in the neck and the supraclavicular brachial plexus in the supraclavicular region. On 15 sides, the hypoglossal nerve was dissected anteriorly to the midline, cut, and transposed toward the supraclavicular region in half of the dissections. On the remaining sides, the nerve was hemisected longitudinally into two equal parts, and the cut inferior portion also swung inferiorly toward the supraclavicular region. The cut end of the hypoglossal nerve was brought toward the proximal suprascapular nerve, the fifth (C5) and sixth (C6) cervical nerve roots, and the upper trunk. Measurements included the length and diameter of the cervical portion of the hypoglossal nerve and the diameter of the suprascapular nerve. Results The mean diameter and length of the hypoglossal nerve were 2.1 millimeters (mm) and 72.8 mm, respectively. The mean diameter of the proximal suprascapular nerve was 2.7 mm. Successful, tension-free transposition to the C5 and C6 nerve roots was achieved on all sides. The average extra length of the hypoglossal nerve for a C5 root transposition was 8 mm and 5.2mm for a C6 root transposition. The distal hypoglossal nerve reached the upper trunk on all but two sides (6.7%). The distal hypoglossal nerve reached the proximal suprascapular nerve on all but four sides (13.3%). Of the 87% of sides (n=26) where the hypoglossal nerve reached the proximal suprascapular nerve, 58% of these (n=15) required some manipulation of the suprascapular nerve from its origin at the upper trunk. This technique resulted in a mean additional length to the suprascapular nerve of 35 mm. No differences were found between the completely cut hypoglossal nerves and hemisected nerves in regard to working length. Conclusions To our knowledge, the use of the hypoglossal nerve as a transpositional graft for direct suprascapular nerve neurotization has not been previously described. Based on our study, we propose that the hypoglossal nerve, or hemi-hypoglossal nerve, should be considered as a donor nerve to restore suprascapular nerve function in the majority of patients. Additionally, the hypoglossal nerve may be transferred to the C5 and C6 roots and upper trunk of the brachial plexus for direct neurotization.

The Sphenoparietal Sinus Revisited: Anatomical and Histological Study With Application to Interventional Procedures and Skull Base Surgery.

Background The sphenoparietal sinus (SPS) is implicated in various clinical pathologies, specifically arteriovenous fistulas and venous sinus thrombosis. This study is aimed to better understand this venous structure of the skull base via histological examination. Methods Ten embalmed and latex-injected adult body donors' heads (20 sides) underwent microdissection of the SPS using a surgical microscope. The entire dura on the underside of the lesser wing of the sphenoid bone encompassing the region known as the groove for the SPS was harvested from each body donor and submitted for histological analysis (H&E, Periodic acid-Schiff [PAS], Masson's Trichrome). Five left and five right transverse sinuses were harvested and analyzed histologically as controls. Results A definitive SPS was identified in 14/20 (70%) of the latex-injected body donors. When present, the sinuses were classified as small, medium, or large. Tributaries included the middle meningeal veins, superficial Sylvian vein, and anterior temporal veins. All sinuses drained medially into the cavernous sinus. For the body donors analyzed histologically, 17 (85%) were consistent with a dural venous sinus and not a vein and were observed to have a rich nerve and arterial supply within their walls. The histological findings of the SPS were similar to those seen for the transverse sinus. The combined prevalence for the SPS in gross and histological body donors was 78%. Conclusions Our findings support the presence of SPS in the majority of body donors. To our knowledge, this is the first histological study of the SPS.

Papillary tumor of the pineal region in pediatric populations: An additional case and systematic review of a rare tumor entity.

Papillary tumors of the pineal region (PTPR) are a rare tumor entity first described in 2003, later codified in the 2007 WHO tumor classification system. PTPRs most commonly occur in the third and fourth decades, with exceedingly rare presentations in pediatric populations. Herein, we present an additional case of a 10-year-old female found to have PTPR in conjunction with Trisomy 21 managed successfully with cerebrospinal fluid diversion and gross total resection (GTR). Three years after resection she has returned to baseline without recurrence. We also performed a comprehensive review of the current literature discussing the diagnosis, treatment, and pathophysiologic correlations in children. Diagnosis and management of PTPRs is a topic that is increasingly garnering attention in the literature given the recent characterization of this tumor entity. However, relatively little is known about the presentation of PTPRs in pediatric populations. In adults, PTPRs have been linked with several chromosomal and genetic abnormalities; however this correlation is limited in pediatric literature. Although GTR is the mainstay for treatment, the application of adult treatment protocols may not be advisable due to age and the developmental changes of the CNS in children.

Cerebellar pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma in the setting of neurofibromatosis type-I: Does it portend a different prognosis? A case report and systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) is a rare brain tumor occurring supra- and infra-tentorially in both young adults and children. PXA is a benign tumor with a favorable prognosis. It is not traditionally considered as a neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1)-associated lesion, and its prognosis remains largely unknown, on the contrary to non-NF-1 PXA tumors. OBJECTIVE: Herein, we present a rare case of cerebellar PXA in a patient with NF-1 and performed systematic review of NF-1-associated PXA. METHOD: We present a case of NF-1-associated PXA arising in the cerebellar region. We also reviewed the literature in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines to identify published cases of cerebellar vs. non-cerebellar NF-1-associated PXA and NF1 vs. non-NF1 PXAs, highlighting their management paradigm, prognosis, and outcomes. RESULT: Our systematic review yielded only four previously reported cases of NF-1-associated PXAs in the cerebellar region. Our review suggests that infratentorial PXAs have a higher recurrence and lower survival rates than non-cerebellar NF-1-associated PXAs and non-NF1 PXAs in general. CONCLUSION: Early and precise diagnosis is important for these lesions with the aid of imaging features, histology, immunohistochemistry, and genetic markers. Surgical resection with goal of GTR remains the mainstay management strategy for PXA, with adjuvant therapy usually reserved for anaplastic or malignant lesions. The identification of BRAF-V600E mutation and role of BRAF inhibitors hold promise as a diagnostic tool and treatment modality, respectively, for PXAs, and their relationship to NF-1 is worth further exploration.

Cholangiocarcinoma Metastasis to the Spine and Cranium.

Background: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCC), a rare tumor arising from the viscera, has a poor prognosis. Although CCC is prone to metastasis, spread to the cranium and spine is exceedingly rare. Treatment for metastatic disease is palliative, with total resection of the primary lesion the only cure. We describe a case of metastatic CCC to the spine and cranium treated with surgical resection. Case Report: A 61-year-old male with a history of hepatitis C with liver transplant and incidental discovery of CCC presented with gradually increasing back pain. Physical examination revealed a palpable nontender mass in the parieto-occipital area. Computed tomography survey of the spine and head revealed mixed sclerotic and lytic lesions of the T9, T11, L2, and L5 vertebral bodies, a lytic lesion on the T6 vertebral body, and a 1.4-cm lesion in the right occipital calvarium. The patient underwent right occipital craniotomy for excisional biopsy of the calvarial mass with gross total resection and immunohistochemical confirmation of CCC. The patient was started on gemcitabine chemotherapy and radiation therapy for spinal metastases. Three months later, the patient died from metastatic disease complications. Conclusion: To our knowledge, only 6 cases of cranial CCC have been reported, and only 2 reported mixed cranial/spinal involvement. We report a rare case of CCC metastasis to the spine and cranium that was treated with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. CCC should be considered an exceedingly rare etiology with treatment options aimed solely at palliation. This case supplements the existing literature to inform medical and surgical decision-making.

Pleomorphic Xanthoastrocytoma of the Pineal Region in a Pediatric Patient With Neurofibromatosis Type 1.

Background: Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) is a rare and often focal glioma that most commonly affects children and young adults. Lesions are preferentially supratentorial and superficial, although infratentorial masses have been described, along with occasional involvement of the leptomeninges. The World Health Organization (WHO) categorizes these tumors as grade II, with surgical resection carrying a favorable prognosis. However, these tumors may undergo malignant degeneration and must be identified for appropriate treatment and prognosis. PXA has been associated with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), although it is not the classic phenotype of NF1. We present a novel report of PXA, atypically located in the pineal region of a patient with a history of NF1. Case Report: A 17-year-old male with a history of NF1 presented with 1 month of bifrontal headaches. Magnetic resonance imaging was significant for a heterogeneous tectal mass, suspicious for a glioma extending to the fourth ventricle and causing displacement of the cerebral aqueduct without obstructive hydrocephalus. Following an infratentorial-supracerebellar approach for tumor resection, histopathology confirmed a low-grade variable neoplasm consistent with PXA. Postoperative imaging confirmed gross total resection with no evidence of recurrence at 9 months postoperatively. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this case is the fifth report of pineal PXA and the first associated with NF1. Because PXA presents similarly to other NF1-related intracranial tumors, careful diagnosis via immunohistochemistry is imperative. Gross tumor resection is usually curative; however, PXA has the propensity to undergo malignant degeneration and may require adjuvant treatment.

Iatrogenic spinal cord injury with tetraplegia after an elective non-spine surgery with underlying undiagnosed cervical spondylotic myelopathy: Literature review and case report.

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) can predispose to acute spinal cord injury and post-operative quadriparesis during non-spine procedures, although few accounts of this phenomenon exist within the literature. To the best of our knowledge, there are only 18 cases reported in the literature including ours with spinal cord injury following elective non-spine surgery with undiagnosed CSM. Due to multifactorial pathophysiology, the maintenance of cervical cord neutrality is not sufficient to ensure that these patients will not sustain cord injury intraoperatively as this solely addresses the role of static factors. Vigilance to factors affecting cord perfusion and vascular compromise, such as the mean arterial pressure (MAP), is imperative. Additionally, further studies should evaluate the role of positioning in the myelopathic patient and whether the steep Trendelenburg position, commonly used in robotic surgeries, contributes to spinal cord venous congestion and resultant cord ischemia in these patients given their baseline stenotic canal. This review illustrates the importance of having a heightened awareness of this common degenerative condition in our aging patient population, often a forgotten underlying medical comorbidity.

Surgical Approaches in the Treatment of Intracranial Complications of Paranasal Sinus Disease: A Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND: Intracranial extension of frontal or ethmoid sinusitis carries a high morbidity and mortality if not treated aggressively. With the emergence of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), we questioned whether these approaches have supplanted traditional transcranial procedures for intracranial extension of sinus disease, and whether ESS approaches had a difference in patient outcomes. METHODS: Studies reporting surgical management and outcomes of frontal sinus disease with intracranial extension were queried using the United States National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health PubMed database. We also queried common internet search engines. We included studies regarding sinogenic intracranial suppurative infections treated surgically with ESS and neurosurgical approaches. Studies with insufficient data regarding specific treatment methods and studies that included populations of medically treated infections were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 108 cases were identified in which patients with intracranial sinogenic disease were treated via ESS alone (morbidity: 43.5%, mortality: 0.9%), 47 cases via transcranial intervention alone (morbidity: 33.2%, mortality: 7.8%), and 43 cases via simultaneous neurosurgical and ESS approaches (morbidity: 16.3%, mortality: 6.4%). Complex sinus disease with posterior table compromise in the absence of intracranial extension treated via ESS alone was reported in 164 cases with a morbidity and mortality of 3.8% and 0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Combined ESS and transcranial approaches achieve definitive control of sinogenic and intracranial disease, whereas either modality alone carries a potential risk for higher morbidity and mortality. The use of ESS alone may have use in the treatment of sinusitis with posterior table erosion prior to intracranial extension.

Comparison of elderly and young patient populations treated with deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease: long-term outcomes with up to 7 years of follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is the procedure of choice for Parkinson's disease (PD). It has been used in PD patients younger than 70 years because of better perceived intra- and postoperative outcomes than in patients 70 years or older. However, previous studies with limited follow-up have demonstrated benefits associated with the treatment of elderly patients. This study aims to evaluate the long-term outcomes in elderly PD patients treated with DBS in comparison with a younger population. METHODS: PD patients treated with DBS at the authors' institution from 2008 to 2014 were divided into 2 groups: 1) elderly patients, defined as having an age at surgery ≥ 70 years, and 2) young patients, defined as those < 70 years at surgery. Functional and medical treatment outcomes were evaluated using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part III (UPDRS III), levodopa-equivalent daily dose (LEDD), number of daily doses, and number of anti-PD medications. Study outcomes were compared using univariate analyses, 1-sample paired t-tests, and 2-sample t-tests. RESULTS: A total of 151 patients were studied, of whom 24.5% were ≥ 70 years. The most common preoperative Hoehn and Yahr stages for both groups were 2 and 3. On average, elderly patients had more comorbidities at the time of surgery than their younger counterparts (1 vs 0, p = 0.0001) as well as a higher average LEDD (891 mg vs 665 mg, p = 0.008). Both groups experienced significant decreases in LEDD following surgery (elderly 331.38 mg, p = 0.0001; and young 108.6 mg, p = 0.0439), with a more significant decrease seen in elderly patients (young 108.6 mg vs elderly 331.38 mg, p = 0.0153). Elderly patients also experienced more significant reductions in daily doses (young 0.65 vs elderly 3.567, p = 0.0344). Both groups experienced significant improvements in motor function determined by reductions in UPDRS III scores (elderly 16.29 vs young 12.85, p < 0.0001); however, reductions in motor score between groups were not significant. Improvement in motor function was present for a mean follow-up of 3.383 years postsurgery for the young group and 3.51 years for the elderly group. The average follow-up was 40.6 months in the young group and 42.2 months in the elderly group. CONCLUSIONS: This study found long-term improvements in motor function and medication requirements in both elderly and young PD patients treated with DBS. These outcomes suggest that DBS can be successfully used in PD patients ≥ 70 years. Further studies will expand on these findings.

Short- and Long-Term Outcomes of Deep Brain Stimulation in Patients 70 Years and Older with Parkinson Disease.

BACKGROUND: Parkinson disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease in elderly patients that may be treated with deep brain stimulation (DBS). DBS is an accepted surgical treatment in PD patients <70 years that demonstrates marked improvement in disease symptomology. Patients ≥70 years historically have been excluded from DBS therapy. Our objective is to evaluate the short- and long-term outcomes in patients with PD ≥70 years who underwent DBS at our center. METHODS: In our single-center study, we retrospectively assessed a prospective registry of patients with PD treated with DBS who were ≥70 years old at the time of their procedure. Univariate analyses and 1-sample paired t test were used to evaluate data. Motor scores were evaluated with the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale III, and the effects on medication requirements were evaluated with levodopa equivalence daily doses (LEDD). RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients were followed for an average of 42.2 months post-DBS. The average ages at diagnosis and at the time of DBS surgery were 63.05 years and 72.45 years, respectively. Significant reductions in the average Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale III score were observed (preoperative 31.8; postoperative 15.6; P < 0.0001). Significant reductions in the average LEDD (preoperative 891.94 mg; postoperative 559.6 mg; P = 0.0008) and medication doses per day (preoperative 11.54; postoperative 7.97; P = 0.0112) also were present. CONCLUSION: DBS is effective in treating elderly patients with PD. Patients experienced improvement in motor function, LEDD, and medication doses per day after DBS. Our results suggest that DBS is an effective treatment modality in elderly patients with PD.

Comparing depression screening tools in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS).

OBJECTIVE: Depression is more common among persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) than the general population. Depression in MS is associated with reduced quality of life, transition to unemployment, and cognitive impairment. Two proposed screening measures for depression in MS populations are the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Beck Depression Inventory-Fast Screen (BDI-FS). Our objective was to compared the associations of the BDI-FS and the HADS-D scores with history of depressive symptoms, fatigue, and functional outcomes to determine the differential clinical utility of these screening measures among persons with MS. METHOD: We reviewed charts of 133 persons with MS for demographic information; scores on the HADS, BDI-FS, a fatigue measure, and a processing speed measure; and employment status. RESULTS: Structural equation modeling results indicated the HADS-D predicted employment status, disability status, and processing speed more effectively than did the BDI-FS, whereas both measures predicted fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests the HADS-D is more effective than the BDI-FS in predicting functional outcomes known to be associated with depression among persons with MS. (PsycINFO Database Record