Psychiatric changes after stereotactic laser amygdalohippocampotomy for medial temporal lobe epilepsy.

PURPOSE: Stereotactic laser amygdalohippocampotomy (SLAH) is a minimally invasive surgical treatment for drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) that has comparable rates of seizure freedom to traditional open resective TLE surgery. The objective of this study was to determine psychiatric outcome (i.e., depression and anxiety changes, psychosis) after SLAH, to explore possible contributory factors to these changes, and to determine the prevalence of de novo psychopathology. METHODS: We explored mood and anxiety in 37 adult patients with TLE undergoing SLAH using the Beck psychiatric symptoms scales (i.e., Beck Depression Inventory-II [BDI-II] and Beck Anxiety Inventory [BAI]) preoperatively and 6 months following surgery. Multivariable regression analysis was conducted to identify predictors of worse depression or anxiety symptoms following SLAH. The prevalence of de novo psychopathology following SLAH was also determined. RESULTS: We found a significant decrease in BDI-II (mean decline from 16.3 to 10.9, p = 0.004) and BAI (mean decline from 13.3 to 9.0, p = 0.045) scores following SLAH at the group level. While the rate of resolution of depression (from 62% to 49%) did not achieve statistical significance (p = 0.13, McNemar's), the rate of resolution of anxiety (from 57% to 35%) was statistically significant (p = 0.03, McNemar's). The de novo rate of psychopathology (i.e., new onset depression or anxiety) following SLAH was 1 of 7 (14%). Using a metric of meaningful change rather than complete symptom resolution, 16 of 37 (43%) patients experienced improvement in depression and 6 of 37 (16%) experienced worsening. For anxiety, 14 of 37 (38%) experienced meaningful improvement and 8 of 37 (22%) experienced worsening. Baseline performance on the Beck Scales was the only factor contributing to outcome status. DISCUSSION: In one of the first studies to evaluate psychiatric outcomes after SLAH, we found promising overall trends toward stability or significant improvement in symptom burden at the group level for both depression and anxiety. There was also a significant improvement in clinical anxiety, though the decrease in clinical depression was not significant, likely owing to the limitations of sample size. SLAH may improve overall psychiatric symptoms, similarly to traditional resective TLE surgery, but de novo psychopathology and postoperative psychiatric morbidity remain significant issues, and larger samples are necessary to determine causal contributory factors.

Impact of ambulatory pharmacist on hospital visits in older adults with epilepsy: A case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: Older adults have the highest prevalence of epilepsy of any age group. Care in this group is complex because of comorbidities, polypharmacy, and cognitive impairment. We aimed to assess the impact of an ambulatory pharmacist in decreasing hospital visits in this group. METHODS: We performed a case-control study at a tertiary care center. The study group was seen in a multi-disciplinary older adult epilepsy clinic with the services of an ambulatory pharmacist to help with medication reconciliation, assessment, and adherence. The control clinic also cared for older adults with epilepsy but lacked a pharmacist. The occurrence and factors related to hospital visits were compared three months post-clinic visit. Demographic data were reported using descriptive statistics. A multinomial regression analysis was conducted to assess how well hospital visits could be predicted by pharmacist presence and other relevant variables. RESULTS: Over 19 months, 58 and 74 patients were seen in the study and control groups, respectively. 26.6% and 18.4% of study and control group clinic visits were associated with a hospital visit, respectively (nonsignificant difference). The study group had significantly more patients with cognitive impairment (53.4% vs. 16.2%; p < 0.001), a higher burden of comorbidities as measured by Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) (mean 3.5 vs. 2.9; p = 0.02), and a greater number of patients with >1 seizure per month (17.2% vs. 6.8%) as compared to the control group. Hospital visits unrelated to epilepsy were associated with a higher CCI. Hospital visits related to epilepsy were associated with >1/month seizure frequency (>3 times risk). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the multifactorial complexity of older adults with epilepsy. While the presence of a pharmacist resulted in similar hospital visits as the control group, the study group had a much more complex patient population. More studies are required to assess the best use of a pharmacist in older adults with epilepsy outpatient care.

Superior Verbal Memory Outcome After Stereotactic Laser Amygdalohippocampotomy.

Objective: To evaluate declarative memory outcomes in medically refractory epilepsy patients who underwent either a highly selective laser ablation of the amygdalohippocampal complex or a conventional open temporal lobe resection. Methods: Post-operative change scores were examined for verbal memory outcome in epilepsy patients who underwent stereotactic laser amygdalohippocampotomy (SLAH: n = 40) or open resection procedures (n = 40) using both reliable change index (RCI) scores and a 1-SD change metric. Results: Using RCI scores, patients undergoing open resection (12/40, 30.0%) were more likely to decline on verbal memory than those undergoing SLAH (2/40 [5.0%], p = 0.0064, Fisher's exact test). Patients with language dominant procedures were much more likely to experience a significant verbal memory decline following open resection (9/19 [47.4%]) compared to laser ablation (2/19 [10.5%], p = 0.0293, Fisher's exact test). 1 SD verbal memory decline frequently occurred in the open resection sample of language dominant temporal lobe patients with mesial temporal sclerosis (8/10 [80.0%]), although it rarely occurred in such patients after SLAH (2/14, 14.3%) (p = 0.0027, Fisher's exact test). Memory improvement occurred significantly more frequently following SLAH than after open resection. Interpretation: These findings suggest that while verbal memory function can decline after laser ablation of the amygdalohippocampal complex, it is better preserved when compared to open temporal lobe resection. Our findings also highlight that the dominant hippocampus is not uniquely responsible for verbal memory. While this is at odds with our simple and common heuristic of the hippocampus in memory, it supports the findings of non-human primate studies showing that memory depends on broader medial and lateral TL regions.

Predictive Outcome Modeling of Preoperative Clinical Symptoms and Electrodiagnostic Data in Tarsal Tunnel Surgery.

Background The relationship between tarsal tunnel syndrome (TTS), electrodiagnostic (Edx) findings, and surgical outcome is unknown. Analysis of TTS surgical release outcome patient satisfaction and comparison to Edx nerve conduction studies (NCSs) is important to improve outcome prediction when deciding who would benefit from TTS release. Methods Retrospective study of 90 patients over 7 years that had tarsal tunnel (TT) release surgery with outcome rating and preoperative tibial NCS. Overall, 64 patients met study inclusion criteria with enough NCS data to be classified into one of the following three groups: (1) probable TTS, (2) peripheral polyneuropathy, or (3) normal. Most patients had preoperative clinical provocative testing including diagnostic tibial nerve injection, tibial Phalen's sign, and/or Tinel's sign and complaints of plantar tibial neuropathic symptoms. Outcome measure was percentage of patient improvement report at surgical follow-up visit. Results Patient-reported improvement was 92% in the probable TTS group ( n = 41) and 77% of the non-TTS group ( n = 23). Multivariate modeling revealed that three out of eight variables predicted improvement from surgical release, NCS consistent with TTS ( p = 0.04), neuropathic symptoms ( p = 0.045), and absent Phalen's test ( p = 0.001). The R 2 was 0.21 which is a robust result for this outcome measurement process. Conclusion The best predictors of improvement in patients with TTS release were found in patients that had preoperative Edx evidence of tibial neuropathy in the TT and tibial nerve plantar symptoms. Determining what factors predict surgical outcome will require prospective evaluation and evaluation of patients with other nonsurgical modalities.

Withdrawal of antiepileptic drugs after stereotactic laser amygdalohippocampotomy for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE: This retrospective study investigated the success rate of withdrawal of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) following stereotactic laser amygdalohippocampotomy (SLAH) for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE), and identified predictors of seizure recurrence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively assessed 65 patients who underwent SLAH for MTLE (59 lesional). Patients' demographics, disease characteristics and post-surgical outcomes were evaluated for their potential to predict seizure recurrence associated with withdrawal of AEDs. RESULTS: The mean period of observation post SLAH was 51 months (range 12-96 months) and the mean period to initial reduction of AEDs was 21 months (range 12-60 months). Reduction of AEDs was attempted in 37 patients (57 %) who were seizure free post SLAH and it was successful in approximately 2/3 of them. From the remainder 1/3 who relapsed, nearly all regained seizure control after reinstitution of their AEDs. The likelihood of relapse after reduction of AEDs was predicted only by pre-operative seizure frequency. At the end of the observation period, approximately 14 % of all SLAH patients were seizure free without AEDs and approximately 54 % remained seizure free on AEDs. Compared with preoperative status, the number of AEDs were reduced in 37 % of patients, unchanged in 51 % of them and increased in 12 % of them. CONCLUSIONS: Successful SLAH for MTLE allows for reduction of AEDs in a significant portion of patients and complete withdrawal of AEDs in a subset of them. Patients with higher pre-operative seizure frequency exhibit a greater chance of relapse post reduction of AEDs.

A Chemical-Biological-Radio-Nuclear (CBRN) Filter can be Added to the Air-Outflow Port of a Ventilator to Protect a Home Ventilated Patient From Inhalation of Toxic Industrial Compounds.

OBJECTIVES: Chemical-biological-radio-nuclear (CBRN) gas masks are the standard means for protecting the general population from inhalation of toxic industrial compounds (TICs), for example after industrial accidents or terrorist attacks. However, such gas masks would not protect patients on home mechanical ventilation, as ventilator airflow would bypass the CBRN filter. We therefore evaluated in vivo the safety of adding a standard-issue CBRN filter to the air-outflow port of a home ventilator, as a method for providing TIC protection to such patients. METHODS: Eight adult patients were included in the study. All had been on stable, chronic ventilation via a tracheostomy for at least 3 months before the study. Each patient was ventilated for a period of 1 hour with a standard-issue CBRN filter canister attached to the air-outflow port of their ventilator. Physiological and airflow measurements were made before, during, and after using the filter, and the patients reported their subjective sensation of ventilation continuously during the trial. RESULTS: For all patients, and throughout the entire study, no deterioration in any of the measured physiological parameters and no changes in measured airflow parameters were detected. All patients felt no subjective difference in the sensation of ventilation with the CBRN filter canister in situ, as compared with ventilation without it. This was true even for those patients who were breathing spontaneously and thus activating the ventilator's trigger/sensitivity function. No technical malfunctions of the ventilators occurred after addition of the CBRN filter canister to the air-outflow ports of the ventilators. CONCLUSIONS: A CBRN filter canister can be added to the air-outflow port of chronically ventilated patients, without causing an objective or subjective deterioration in the quality of the patients' mechanical ventilation. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:739-743).

Better object recognition and naming outcome with MRI-guided stereotactic laser amygdalohippocampotomy for temporal lobe epilepsy.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) experience significant deficits in category-related object recognition and naming following standard surgical approaches. These deficits may result from a decoupling of core processing modules (e.g., language, visual processing, and semantic memory), due to "collateral damage" to temporal regions outside the hippocampus following open surgical approaches. We predicted that stereotactic laser amygdalohippocampotomy (SLAH) would minimize such deficits because it preserves white matter pathways and neocortical regions that are critical for these cognitive processes. METHODS: Tests of naming and recognition of common nouns (Boston Naming Test) and famous persons were compared with nonparametric analyses using exact tests between a group of 19 patients with medically intractable mesial TLE undergoing SLAH (10 dominant, 9 nondominant), and a comparable series of TLE patients undergoing standard surgical approaches (n=39) using a prospective, nonrandomized, nonblinded, parallel-group design. RESULTS: Performance declines were significantly greater for the patients with dominant TLE who were undergoing open resection versus SLAH for naming famous faces and common nouns (F=24.3, p<0.0001, η2=0.57, and F=11.2, p<0.001, η2=0.39, respectively), and for the patients with nondominant TLE undergoing open resection versus SLAH for recognizing famous faces (F=3.9, p<0.02, η2=0.19). When examined on an individual subject basis, no SLAH patients experienced any performance declines on these measures. In contrast, 32 of the 39 patients undergoing standard surgical approaches declined on one or more measures for both object types (p<0.001, Fisher's exact test). Twenty-one of 22 left (dominant) TLE patients declined on one or both naming tasks after open resection, while 11 of 17 right (nondominant) TLE patients declined on face recognition. SIGNIFICANCE: Preliminary results suggest (1) naming and recognition functions can be spared in TLE patients undergoing SLAH, and (2) the hippocampus does not appear to be an essential component of neural networks underlying name retrieval or recognition of common objects or famous faces.

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy and relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a comparative study.

OBJECTIVE: To identify clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features that distinguish progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) from relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). DESIGN: Retrospective medical record review. SETTING: Two urban teaching hospitals in Detroit, Michigan. Patients Forty-five confirmed PML cases and 100 patients with RRMS. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical and MRI features distinguishing PML from RRMS. RESULTS: Overall, monosymptomatic presentations were more common in multiple sclerosis (MS) than PML (85% vs 47%; P < .01). However, patients with PML presented more often with hemiparesis (24% vs 5%; P = .001) and altered mentation (19% vs 0%; P < .0001), whereas brainstem (2% vs 18%; P = .007) presentations were more common in patients with RRMS. Spinal cord and optic neuritis presentations were seen in 18% and 33% of patients with RRMS, respectively, but not in patients with PML (m < .0001). Brain MRI scans, available in 35 (78%) PML cases, revealed 7 lesion types. Large, confluent T2-weighted lesions (74% vs 2%; P < .0001) and deep gray matter lesions (31% vs 7%; P < .001) were more frequent in patients with PML than patients with RRMS. Crescentic cerebellar lesions (23% vs 0%; P < .001) were seen only in patients with PML. Gadolinium-enhancing (23%), transcallosal (9%), and periventricular (9%) lesions were noted in patients with PML. Brain magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) was low in both PML and MS lesions. However, normal-appearing brain tissue MTR in PML was higher than normal-appearing brain tissue MTR in RRMS (44.15% vs 41.04%; P = .002), suggesting that PML may be relatively more focal than MS. CONCLUSIONS: There appear to be differences between the clinical and MRI characteristics of PML and RRMS, which may help distinguish new MS activity from PML. Magnetization transfer ratio studies may provide additional clues in improving early detection of PML in patients with preexisting MS and warrant further investigation.

The role of abnormal congenitally displaced ureteral orifices in causing reflux following spinal cord injury.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the role of congenitally displaced ureteral orifices in causing vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. PARTICIPANTS: Men and women with (UMN) neurogenic bladders secondary to SCI. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Position of the ureteral orifice and urodynamic parameters in association with VUR. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed to identify SCI participants with and without reflux who had evaluation with cystoscopy, cystogram, and urodynamics. The position of ureteral orifice was compared in individuals with SCI who did and did not have ureteral reflex. All cystogram studies were interpreted by board-certified radiologists. The International Classification system was used to grade the severity of the reflux. Fisher exact test was used to evaluate the association of the posterior ureteral orifice and reflux. Analysis also was performed to evaluate the association of reflux with posterior-placed ureteral orifices and urodynamic parameters in the reflux group and nonreflux group. RESULTS: Fifteen participants were found to have reflux--11 had posterior-placed ureteral orifices, whereas 4 had normally positioned orifices. The 11 individuals with posterior-placed ureteral orifices had no bladder wall trabeculation. However, all 4 individuals with normally positioned ureteral orifices had severe trabeculation. Seventeen participants did not exhibit reflux--2 had posteriorly placed ureteral orifices and 15 had normally positioned orifices. Association of posterior position and reflux (P = 0.004). No differences were found with regard to bladder capacity, bladder wall compliance, or voiding pressures between the reflux group and nonreflux group. CONCLUSION: Congenitally displaced ureteral orifices are an important cause of VUR in individuals with SCI. Participants with normally positioned ureteral orifices only had reflux in the presence of severe trabeculation. This study suggests that annual screening with cystograms may not be necessary in individuals with normally positioned ureteral orifices and no significant trabeculation.

Rehabilitation needs of an inpatient medical oncology unit.

OBJECTIVE: To identify prospectively functional impairments and rehabilitation needs in an acute care medical oncology unit. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Inpatient medical oncology unit at a Veterans Affairs hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-five patients admitted over a 6-month period. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: FIM instrument, functionally based physical examination, Rehabilitation Needs Assessment, and Recreational Needs Assessment. RESULTS: On admission, the mean FIM total score was 105 out of 126, the FIM motor score was 72 out of 91, and the FIM cognitive score was 34 out of 35. The functionally based physical examination did not generally correlate with scores obtained on the FIM. Forty-eight (87%) patients had rehabilitation needs on admission. Forty-six (84%) patients had rehabilitation needs on discharge. Rehabilitation Needs Assessment on admission showed deconditioning in 42 (76%) patients; mobility impairment in 32 (58%) patients; a significant decrease in range of motion in 23 (42%) patients; deficits in activities of daily living in 12 (22%) patients; a need for recreational therapy in 7 (13%) patients; potential for benefit from patient education in 30 (55%) patients; and a need for modalities, edema control, or wound care in fever than 5% of patients. The most commonly requested recreational activity was reading. CONCLUSIONS: Patients admitted to inpatient medical oncology units have many unmet, remediable rehabilitation needs that may not be recognized by nonrehabilitation physicians and other clinical staff. These findings suggest that assessment of medical oncology patients may be enhanced by consultation with rehabilitation medicine specialists.

Measuring change: a commentary on Keith et al. (2002).

A study by J. R. Keith et al. (2002) purported to find postoperative changes in attention in a sample of patients who underwent cardiopulmonary bypass surgery. Detecting differential patterns of neuropsychological change following treatment presents formidable methodological and statistical challenges. This commentary examines the findings of J. R. Keith et al. with regard to (a) the feasibility of randomizing research participants into treatment and control groups, (b) the handling of missing data, (c) the selection of statistical techniques to measure change, and (d) the measurement of differential neuropsychological deficit. Alternative strategies are discussed.