Decompressive craniectomy in symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage after ischemic stroke: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) after stroke is a devastating neurological complication. Current guidelines support a "possible benefit" of decompressive craniectomy (DC) for large supratentorial sICH with significant mass effect. METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective study of 8 comprehensive stroke centers. They included all patients who sustained an sICH after acute ischemic stroke (AIS), as defined by the Safe Implementation of Thrombolysis in Stroke-Monitoring Study (SITS-MOST), from January 2016 to December 2020. They compared patients who underwent DC to those who were treated with standard medical treatment to measure functional outcome at 90 days, primarily as defined by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and secondarily by the Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOS-E). RESULTS: Eighty-five patients were identified, 26 of whom (30.5%) underwent DC. Patients who underwent DC were younger (58 years [DC] vs 76 years [no DC], p < 0.001). No patient with a previous history of cancer underwent DC (n = 14, p = 0.004). Twenty-five patients (96.2%) in the DC group underwent thrombectomy versus 54 (91.5%) in the non-DC group (p = 0.443). Patients who underwent DC had a longer ICU stay (median [IQR] 240 [38-408] hours vs 24 [5-96] hours in non-DC patients, p = 0.002). At 90 days, 3 patients (4.1%) had obtained an mRS score of 0-2 and 10 patients (11.7%) an mRS score of 0-3. Patients who had improved functional outcome were younger (mRS score, OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.01-1.10, p = 0.012). Patients with a history of cancer had worse 90-day mRS scores (OR 8.49, 95% CI 1.54-159, p = 0.046). The rate of in-hospital mortality or discharge to hospice was significantly higher in the non-DC cohort (10 [38.5%] patients in the DC cohort vs 38 [64.4%] in the non-DC cohort, p = 0.026). Ninety days later, patients who underwent DC were more likely to have improved outcome (mRS mean rank 30.0 vs 40.0, p = 0.027). In multivariable analysis, history of cancer (OR 12.2, 95% CI 1.26-118, p = 0.031) and older age (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.02-1.13, p = 0.011) increased the odds of worse mRS outcomes while DC did not (OR 1.34, 95% CI 0.357-5.03, p = 0.665). CONCLUSIONS: DC after sICH did not improve functional outcome at 90 days according to multivariable analysis, although younger age and absence of previous cancer history were associated with improved outcomes.

Percutaneous Vertebroplasty and Upper Instrumented Vertebra Cement Augmentation Reducing Early Proximal Junctional Kyphosis and Failure Rate in Adult Spinal Deformity: Case Series and Literature Review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: One of the risks involved after long-segment fusions includes proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) and proximal junctional failure (PJF). There are reported modalities to help prevent this, including 2-level prophylactic vertebroplasty. In this study, our goal was to report the largest series of prophylactic cement augmentation with upper instrumented vertebra (UIV) + 1 vertebroplasty and a literature review. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed our long-segment fusions for adult spinal deformity from 2018 to 2022. The primary outcome measures included the incidence of PJK and PJF. Secondary outcomes included preoperative and postoperative Oswestry Disability Index, visual analog scale back and leg scores, surgical site infection, and plastic surgery closure assistance. In addition, we performed a literature review searching PubMed with a combination of the following words: "cement augmentation," "UIV + 1 vertebroplasty," "adjacent segment disease," and "prophylactic vertebroplasty." We found a total of 8 articles including 4 retrospective reviews, 2 prospective reviews, and 2 systematic reviews. The largest cohort of these articles included 39 patients with a PJK/PJF incidence of 28%/5%. RESULTS: Overall, we found 72 long-segment thoracolumbar fusion cases with prophylactic UIV cement augmentation with UIV + 1 vertebroplasty. The mean follow-up time was 17.25 months. Of these cases, 8 (11.1%) developed radiographic PJK and 3 (4.2%) required reoperation for PJF. Of the remaining 5 patients with radiographic PJK, 3 were clinically asymptomatic and treated conservatively and 2 had distal fractured rods that required only rod replacement. CONCLUSION: In this study, we report the largest series of patients with prophylactic percutaneous vertebroplasty and UIV cement augmentation with a low PJK and PJF incidence of 11.1% and 4.2%, respectively, compared with previously reported literature. Surgeons who regularly perform long-segment fusions for adult spinal deformity can consider this in their armamentarium when using methods to prevent adjacent segment disease because it is an effective modality in reducing early PJK and PJF that can often result in revision surgery.

Nasofrontal meningiomas: retrospective series and review of literature.

INTRODUCTION: Lesions affecting the anterior skull base and involving the paranasal sinuses (PNS), nasal cavity (NC), and orbit are infrequent and include predominantly a wide variety of sinonasal malignancies. Less than 3% of intracranial meningiomas extend extracranially and involve PNS and NC. Given their relatively low incidence, little is known about the treatment outcome of this subset of meningiomas. METHODS: Systematic literature and retrospective review of own institutional series of midline anterior skull base meningiomas with significant PNS and NC involvement were performed. RESULTS: Overall, 21 patients-16 in the literature review group and 5 of our institutional series-were included. Eleven (52.4%) patients had had a prior surgery for midline anterior skull base meningioma. Of patients having reported WHO grade, two were WHO II. Gross total resection was achieved in 16 (76.2%) of patients, utilizing solely transcranial approach in 15 patients, combined endoscopic and transcranial in five patients and purely endoscopic in one patient. Postoperative radiotherapy was administered in three (14.3%) patients, all after total resection via transcranial route, without a history of prior treatment. A postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak was reported in four (10%) patients, requiring surgical repair in two. There were no reports of postoperative meningitis. No neurological complications were observed except of a reported worsening of vision in one patient. CONCLUSION: Midline anterior skull base meningiomas infrequently extend significantly into the PNS and NC. Despite their significant involvement, along with concomitant involvement of orbit, gross total resection is possible in the majority of cases with low morbidity using either purely transcranial or combined endoscopic/transcranial approach.

Factors associated with hardware failure after lateral thoracolumbar fusions - A ten year case series.

OBJECTIVE: Thoracolumbar lateral interbody fusions (tLLIF) are one tool in the spine surgeon's toolbox to indirectly decompress neuroforamina while also improving segmental lordosis in a biomechanically distinct manner from posterior fusions. When part of a concomitant posterior construct, hardware failure (HF), sometimes requiring revision surgery, can occur. We sought to study the relationship between tLLIF and HF. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study on consecutive patents who underwent tLLIF at a single academic center between January 2012 and December 2021 by seven unique neurosurgeons. Patients were excluded if they had no posterior instrumentation within their construct or if they had less than six months of follow-up. Hardware failure was defined as screw breakage or rod fracture seen on postoperative imaging. RESULTS: 232 patients were identified; 6 (2.6 %) developed HF throughout a mean follow-up of 1182 days (range =748-1647 days). Adjacent segment disease was the most common pathology addressed (75 patients (32.3 %)). The amount of posterior instrumentation both in the surgery in question and in the total construct were significantly higher in the HF cohort (4.33 ± 1.52 levels, 5.83 ± 3.36 levels) versus the non-HF cohort (2.08 ± 0.296 levels, p = 0.014; 2.86 ± 0.316 levels, p = 0.003, respectively). The number of interbody devices added in the index surgery and in the entire construct were both significantly higher in the HF cohort (3.33 ± 0.666 interbody devices, 3.33 ± 0.666 devices) than in the non-HF cohort (1.88 ± 0.152 interbody devices, p = 0.002; 2.31 ± 0.158 devices, p = 0.036, respectively). Higher amounts of lateral levels of fusion approached significance for association with HF (HF: 2.67 ± 0.844 levels, no HF: 1.73 ± 1.26 levels, p = 0.076). On multivariate analysis, only the number of interbody devices added in the index surgery was predictive of HF (Odds ratio=2.3, 95 % confidence interval=1.25-4.23, p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: Greater levels of posterior fusion, and greater numbers of interbody devices in an index surgery and in a construct as a whole, were associated with higher rates of HF in our cohort of patients with tLLIF. Greater numbers of lateral segments fused in this population may also be related to HF.

Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging signal changes in middle cerebral peduncle after vestibular schwannoma surgery.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Preoperative compression of middle cerebellar peduncle (MCP) is often observed in vestibular schwannomas. Its re-expansion is expected after tumour resection, however, frequently its thickness remains unchanged or undergoes further atrophy. Similarly, increased MCP FLAIR signal is often observed and thought to be associated with intraoperative MCP injury. This study investigates the dynamics of MCP FLAIR signal changes over time and their implications in long-term MCP atrophy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of patients operated between 2011 and 2019 was performed. Measurements of FLAIR signals and MCP thickness were performed preoperatively, postoperatively and at follow-up. RESULTS: 28 patients (15 females, mean age 51.94 years) were included. The mean follow-up was 23.98 months. The mean tumour size was 2.99 cm. The MCP FLAIR signal was elevated preoperatively in 10 (35.7%) patients and further increased postoperatively in 22 (78.6%), followed by its decrease at follow up (7 patients, 25%). An immediate postoperative re-expansion of middle cerebellar peduncle was observed in 24 (85.7%) patients. No association between tumour size and preoperative FLAIR was established, however tumour size was negatively associated with the MCP thickness. A significant negative association between a postoperative FLAIR and follow-up thickness (p < 0.001) was noted, even if controlling for tumour size and both tumour size and preoperative MCP thickness. CONCLUSION: In patients with vestibular schwannomas undergoing surgical resection, the middle cerebellar peduncle FLAIR signal seems to associated with long term thickness of MCP, regardless of its initial size, however does not seem to correlate with the clinical outcome.

Prevention of Neurological Deficit With Intraoperative Neuromonitoring During Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion.

STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE: While intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) has been increasingly used in spine surgery to have a real-time evaluation of the neurological injury, we aim here to assess its utility during anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) and its association with postoperative neurological deficit. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: ALIF is a beneficial surgical approach for patients with degenerative disease of the lower lumbar spine who would benefit from increased lordosis and restoration of neuroforaminal height. One risk of ALIF is iatrogenic nerve root injury. IONM may be useful in preventing this injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 111 consecutive patients who underwent ALIF at a tertiary care academic center by 6 spine surgeons. We aimed to describe the association between IONM, postoperative weakness, and factors that predispose our center to using IONM. RESULTS: The 111 patients had a median age of 62 years [interquartile range (IQR): 53-69 y]. Neuromonitoring was used in 67 patients (60.3%) and not used in 44 patients. Seven neuromonitoring patients had IONM changes during the surgery. Three of these patients' surgeries featured intraoperative adjustments to reduce iatrogenic neural injury. The IONM cohort underwent significantly more complex procedures [5 levels (IQR: 3-7) vs. 2 levels (IQR: 2-5), P=0.001]. There was no difference in rates of new or worsened postoperative weakness (IONM: 20.6%, non-IONM: 20.5%). CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate evidence of the potential benefits of IONM for patients undergoing ALIF. Intraoperative changes in neuromonitoring signals resulted in surgical adjustments that likely prevented neurological deficits postoperatively. IONM was protective so that more complex surgeries did not have a higher rate of postoperative weakness.

Predicting neurosurgical clearance in the polytrauma patient with concomitant traumatic brain injury.

The goal of this study is to develop a model based on previously used prognostic predictors in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients with polytrauma, which will facilitate the decision-making of whether to clear these patients for non-cranial surgery. Data of eligible patients was obtained from a trauma database at a Level I trauma and academic tertiary referral center in the United States. The number of days seen by the neurosurgical service prior to clearance, injury severity score (ISS), post-trauma day 0 (PTD 0) of Glasgow Coma Score (GCS), intracranial pressure (ICP) score and computed tomography (CT) score, as well as the changes in GCS, ICP score and CT score between PTD 0 and day of clearance were the variables used in developing the model. The Neurosurgical Clearance Model (NCM) was developed using data from 50 patients included in the study. Patients were cleared by neurosurgeons 1.6 days later than it would appear possible based on a retrospective review of the patients' clinical conditions. A single model equation was developed, the ultimate result of which is a clearance probability value. The best cutoff clearance probability value was found to be 0.584 (or 58.4%) using Receiver Operator Characteristic curve analysis. Our data suggests that neurosurgeons are risk-averse in clearing polytrauma patients for non-cranial surgery. This pilot NCM, if reproduced and validated by other groups and in larger prospective studies, may become a useful tool to assist clinicians in this often-difficult decision-making process.

Sacroiliac joint arthropathy in adult spinal deformity patients with long constructs to the pelvis.

OBJECTIVE: Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) arthropathy is an increasingly recognized problem in adult spinal deformity patients undergoing long construct surgery. S2-alar-iliac (S2AI) screw instrumentation is thought to reduce morbidity from pelvic fixation in these patients. The goal of this study is to assess the overall incidence of SIJ arthropathy in patients with long constructs to the pelvis as well as compare SIJ outcomes of partially threaded (PT) versus fully threaded (FT) S2AI screws. METHODS: Data of eligible patients were collected from a prospectively maintained database with retrospective review of electronic records at an academic institution between 2016 and 2019. RESULTS: 65 consecutive patients who underwent S2AI screw instrumentation (40 in PT group, 25 in FT group) were enrolled. The rate of postoperative SIJ pain was higher in the PT (52.5 %) compared to FT (32 %) group. There was a significantly shorter time-to-pain development in the PT compared to FT group (11.8 versus 20.1 months, respectively). Of those who developed SIJ pain in the PT group, the pain worsened in 80.9 % versus only 25 % of those in the FT group despite conservative treatment. Cox regression found the PT group more likely to develop SIJ pain at any point during follow-up compared to the FT group (Hazard Ratio = 7.308). SIJ fusion was not detected on imaging of any patient during follow-up. CONCLUSION: FT S2AI screws are associated with better SIJ outcomes compared to PT screws. However, our data suggest that S2AI screw instrumentation is not sufficient to achieve fusion or prevent development of SIJ pain. Concurrent SIJ fusion may be necessary in patients with long constructs to prevent SIJ arthropathy.

The Safety and Efficacy of Stand-Alone Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion for Adjacent Segment Disease in a Cohort of 44 Patients.

BACKGROUND: A mainstay of treatment for symptomatic adjacent segment disease (ASD) has consisted of revision with posterior decompression and fusion. This carries significant morbidity and can be technically difficult. An alternative is stand-alone lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF), which may avoid complications associated with revision surgery. We describe the largest cohort of patients treated with LLIF for ASD to our knowledge. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study on all patients who underwent transpsoas LLIF for ASD at a single academic center between 2012 and 2019. Postoperative improvement was measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). RESULTS: Forty-four patients who underwent LLIF for ASD were identified. Median age was 65 years. Median time from index surgery to ASD development was 78 months. Median levels fused via LLIF was 1. Our median follow-up was 358 days. At follow-up, the median VAS back pain score was 0 (mean, 0.884), median VAS leg pain score was 1 (mean, 0.953), and median ODI was 8. The median improvement for VAS back pain was 8, for VAS leg pain was 6, and for ODI was 40. No patients suffered new neurologic symptoms postoperatively. Of the 17 patients who initially presented with non-pain neurologic symptoms, 8 (47.1%) experienced complete resolution of symptoms, and 5 (29.4%) experienced only some improvement. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the largest cohort study of patients to date evaluating stand-alone LLIF for ASD. Our patient outcomes show it is safe and effective with low risk of morbidity.

Rhabdomyolysis after spinal fusion surgery: management schema and prevention of a catastrophic complication.

PURPOSE: Rhabdomyolysis is a clinical syndrome with the potential to cause cardiac arrhythmias, renal failure, and even death. Currently, there are no studies regarding risk factors for developing post-operative rhabdomyolysis (POR) after spinal fusion surgeries. Our objective was to study risk factors associated with, and to develop a decision-making framework for post-operative rhabdomyolysis after spinal fusion surgery. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of all spinal fusions of three or more levels over 2.25 years by a single surgeon at two centers. POR was defined as a creatine phosphokinase (CPK) greater than 2000 IU/L. RESULTS: 76 surgical procedures on 72 patients were identified. Rate of POR in our cohort was 22% (17/76). Male sex was associated with POR (p < 0.05). Previously validated risk factors: younger age, lower ASA score, elevated BMI, higher pre-operative creatinine, increased intraoperative blood loss, specific surgical positions, and length of surgery, were not associated with POR. In a logistic regression model, male gender increases the odds of POR in all patients 5.82-fold (p = 0.047). In patients without a second surgery within seven days, a logistic regression model suggests each additional level fused via transpsoas approach, and male gender, increases the risk of POR 1.81-times (p = 0.015), and 6.26-times (p = 0.047), respectively. In patients with posterior fusions, a logistic regression model suggests increasing the number of lateral levels fused via transpsoas approach in the same surgery, and male gender, increases the risk of POR 1.68-times and 6.34-times, respectively. In these same subgroups, increased thickness of the psoas major in lateral transpsoas fusions increased risk of POR (p = 0.023, p = 0.046, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In spinal fusions, increasing the number of lateral levels fused via transpsoas approach, and male gender, predispose patients to increased risk of POR in those without a second surgery within seven days, and in those with a simultaneous posterior fusion.

Nuisance bleeding complications in patients with cerebral aneurysm treated with Pipeline embolization device.

BACKGROUND: Patients with cerebral aneurysms treated with the Pipeline embolization device (PED) are maintained on dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) to prevent thromboembolic complications. Rates of minor, "nuisance" bleeding in these patients remain unknown. We sought to evaluate the frequency and factors associated with this bleeding and its effect on DAPT compliance. METHODS: We performed a multicenter retrospective cohort study on consecutive cases of intracranial aneurysms treated with PED. Patient characteristics, aneurysm characteristics, and bleeding complications were analyzed. Severity of bleeding was defined according to a previously published classification defining nuisance bleeding as easy bruising, bleeding from small cuts, petechia, and ecchymosis. RESULTS: 245 PED aneurysm procedures on 243 patients were retrospectively collected from three academic centers over a 4.25-year period. Sixty-seven patients (27%) had nuisance bleeds. Patients with a higher risk of nuisance bleeding were older (59.1±3.4 vs . 54.7±2.2, P=0.032). Patients with nuisance bleeds were more likely to have their DAPT regimen changed or dose lowered (29% vs 8.3%, P<0.001), were on DAPT for less time (10.0 months±2.60 vs. 14.6 months±1.95, P=0.005) and were more likely to have aneurysm occlusion at 6 months (P<0.001). Stepwise logistic regression found age predictive of a nuisance bleed (OR=1.033) CONCLUSIONS: Nuisance bleeding was a common complaint of PED-treated aneurysm patients maintained on DAPT. Increasing age and aneurysmal occlusion at 6 months were the only factors predictive of nuisance bleeds. Clinicians were more likely to adjust antiplatelet regimens or stop DAPT early given a nuisance bleed.

Teflon versus Ivalon in Microvascular Decompression for Trigeminal Neuralgia: A 2-Center 10-Year Comparison.

BACKGROUND: Trigeminal neuralgia features jolts of pain along the distribution of the trigeminal nerve. If patients fail conservative management, microvascular decompression (MVD) is typically the next step in treatment. MVD consists of implanting a separating material, often Teflon, between the nerve and compressive lesions. A review found similar success and complication rates between Teflon and Ivalon, another commonly used material. The aim of this study was to analyze outcomes and complications associated with Teflon and Ivalon in MVD. METHODS: We conducted a 2-center retrospective cohort study of trigeminal neuralgia treated with MVD between 2005 and 2019. Patients with no postoperative follow-up were excluded. Postoperative pain was graded using the Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) pain intensity score. Relapse was defined as a BNI score of 4-5 during follow-up after initial pain improvement or an initial BNI score of 1-3. RESULTS: The study included 221 MVD procedures in 219 patients. Ivalon was implanted in 121 procedures, and Teflon was implanted in 100 procedures. Multivariate analysis found that implant type had no effect on final BNI score (P = 0.305). Relapse rates were similar at 5- and 10-year follow-up (5-year: Ivalon 10.7%, Teflon 18.0%, P = 0.112; 10-year: Ivalon 11.6%, Teflon 19.0%, P = 0.123). There was no difference in postoperative immediate facial numbness (P = 0.125). Postoperative hearing difficulty was higher in the Ivalon cohort (8.4% vs. 1.0%; P = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: We found no significant difference in final BNI score or risk of relapse between Ivalon and Teflon. Complications were similar, although Ivalon was more associated with temporary postoperative hearing loss.

The Return Back to Typical Practice from the "Battle Plan" of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic: A Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND: Every aspect of the medical field has been heavily affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and neurosurgical services are no exception. Several departments have reported their experiences and protocols to provide insights for others impacted. The goals of this study are to report the load and variety of neurosurgical cases and clinic visits after discontinuing the COVID-19 Battle Plan at an academic tertiary care referral center to provide insights for other departments going through the same transition. METHODS: The clinical data of all patients who underwent a neurosurgical intervention between May 4, 2020, and June 4, 2020 were obtained from a prospectively maintained database. Data of the control group were retrospectively collected from the medical records to compare the types of surgeries/interventions and clinic visits performed by the same neurosurgical service before the COVID-19 pandemic started. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-one patients underwent neurosurgical interventions, and seven-hundred one patients were seen in clinic appointments, in the 4-week period following easing back from our COVID-19 "Battle Plan." Discontinuing the "Battle Plan" resulted in increases in case load to above-average practice after a week but a continued decrease in clinic appointments throughout the 4 weeks compared with average practice. CONCLUSIONS: As policy-shaping crises like pandemics abate, easing back to "typical" practice can be completed effectively by appropriately allocating resources. This can be accomplished by anticipating increases in neurosurgical volume, specifically in the functional/epilepsy and brain tumor subspecialties, as well as continued decreases in neurosurgical clinic volume, specifically in elective spine.

Minimally Invasive Lateral Retropleural and Retroperitoneal Approaches in Patients with Thoracic and Lumbar Osteomyelitis: Description of the Techniques and a Series of 14 Patients.

BACKGROUND: The growing interest in minimally invasive approaches to the thoracic and lumbar spine is mostly secondary to the high surgical morbidity and complication rates associated with conventional open approaches. The objective was to report the largest series of patients with thoracic and lumbar vertebral osteomyelitis who underwent multilevel corpectomies using the minimally invasive lateral (MIL) retropleural and retroperitoneal approaches. METHODS: The surgical techniques of the MIL approaches are illustrated and described in detail. The MIL retropleural approach was performed in 9 patients, MIL retroperitoneal approach in 3 patients, and combined MIL retropleural/retroperitoneal approach in 2 patients with thoracic, lumbar and thoracolumbar vertebral osteomyelitis, respectively. RESULTS: Multilevel corpectomies were successfully accomplished in all 14 patients using the MIL approaches (11 patients with 2-level corpectomy, 2 patients with 3-level corpectomy, and 1 patient with extension of a 3-level corpectomy to 6 levels). Correction of kyphotic deformity was achieved postoperatively in all 14 patients and remained stable with no proximal junctional kyphosis for a median of 10 months of follow-up on 10 patients; 4 patients were lost to follow-up after discharge from the hospital. Posterior instrumentation was performed in 12 patients to further support the spinal alignment. CONCLUSIONS: The MIL retropleural and retroperitoneal approaches described in this manuscript are feasible and safe in achieving multilevel corpectomies, anterior column reconstruction, and spinal deformity correction in patients with thoracic, lumbar, and thoracolumbar vertebral osteomyelitis.

Teflon™ or Ivalon®: a scoping review of implants used in microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia.

BACKGROUND: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is characterized by jolts of pain along the distribution of the trigeminal nerve. If patients fail conservative management, microvascular decompression (MVD) is the next step in treatment. MVD is largely done by placing implant pads between the nerve and compressing vessels. We conducted a literature review to assess effectiveness and safety of Teflon™ and Ivalon® sponges for treatment of TN with MVD. METHODS: In January 2019, PubMed was searched for manuscripts published in English using permutations of "Microvascular decompression", "Teflon", "Ivalon", "Granuloma", "Polytetrafluoroethylene", "Trigeminal Neuralgia", and "Exploration". Success and relapse rates, causes of relapse, and complication rates were analyzed. We analyzed for relationships with ANCOVA at an alpha threshold of .05. RESULTS: Thirty-six studies representing 4273 patients fit inclusion criteria. Twenty-five dealt with initial MVD, 12 with re-do MVD. Initial MVD initial success rates were 85% in patients receiving Teflon™ (57-100%*) and 91% in patients receiving Ivalon® (79-100%*). Recurrence rates were 12% in Teflon™ patients (0*-30%) and 9.1% in Ivalon® patients (0*-19%). In patients with relapses, implants were the cause in 49% of Teflon™ patients (0*-100%*) and 50% of Ivalon® patients (0*-100%*). Complication rates for patients receiving Teflon™ were 12% (0*-34%) and 19% for patients receiving Ivalon® (0*-40%). CONCLUSION: Teflon™ and Ivalon® are two materials used in MVD for TN. It is an effective treatment with long-term symptom relief and recurrence rates of 1-5% each year. Ivalon® has been used less than Teflon™ though is associated with similar success rates and similar complication rates.

Intracranial Hemorrhage from Meningioma: 2 Novel Risk Factors.

BACKGROUND: Meningiomas are the most common benign intracranial tumor. Although meningiomas are slow growing and potentially highly vascularized, hemorrhage of these tumors is rare. We propose 2 novel modifiable risk factors that may provoke intratumoral hemorrhage of a World Health Organization grade I meningioma. CASE DESCRIPTION: We outline the clinical presentation of a 56-year-old female with spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage with intraventricular extension in a coma from a petroclival meningioma taking escitalopram for depression and high-dose estrogen replacement therapy for menopause. Pathology confirmed the diagnosis of World Health Organization grade I meningioma. Postoperatively, the patient declined neurologically and developed vasospasm of the basilar artery, as well as seizures, fever, and new-onset atrial fibrillation. CONCLUSIONS: Spontaneous hemorrhage of meningiomas is a rare event. Known risk factors are age older than 70 or younger than 30; intraventricular or convexity location; malignant, fibrous, or angioblastic histopathology; and presence of hypertension, anticoagulation therapy, and traumatic brain injury. We propose 2 new risk factors to be considered that may predispose to hemorrhage of a meningioma: serotonin-modulating therapy and high-dose estrogen-replacement.

Arterial Sling Decompression for Hemifacial Spasm.

Hemifacial spasm is a cranial nerve compression syndrome caused by impingement on the facial nerve most frequently by the anterior inferior cerebellar artery or the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. It can be treated with microvascular decompression (MVD) to separate the nerve from the offending artery. Rarely, a large-caliber vessel such as a dolichoectatic vertebrobasilar system may be implicated, requiring more than an MVD. One technique involves placing a sling around the offending vessel to decompress the facial nerve. We find our "neck-tie" technique to be unique and present it in this detailed video. A 36-year-old-woman presented with a 3-month history of severe left hemifacial spasm refractory to medical management. Imaging demonstrated compression of the left facial nerve and its root entry zone by a dolichoectatic vertebrobasilar complex and anterior inferior cerebellar artery. A left retrosigmoid craniotomy was performed. A Dacron sling was placed around the offending vertebral artery in a "neck-tie" fashion. This sling was used to displace the vertebral artery off of the facial nerve and the sling was then sutured in its final position to the petrous dura. In addition, MVD was performed around the facial nerve's root entry zone. Following sling placement and MVD, neuromonitoring demonstrated absence of abnormal motor responses. Postoperative course was uneventful, she remained neurologically intact, and she remained free of symptoms at 6 months' follow-up. This video highlights the decision making for selecting the appropriate case of hemifacial spasm for sling decompression, the key technical nuances, and complication avoidance in these challenging cases.

Indications and Safety of the Zygomatic Osteotomy in Middle Cranial Fossa Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Review.

Background Zygomatic osteotomy, an adjunct to middle cranial fossa (MCF) surgical approaches, improves the superior-inferior angle of approach and minimizes temporal lobe retraction. However, a decision-making algorithm for selective use of the zygomatic osteotomy and the impact of the zygomatic osteotomy on surgical complications have not been well documented. Objective We described an algorithm for deciding whether to use a zygomatic osteotomy in MCF surgery and evaluated complications associated with a zygomatic osteotomy. Methods A retrospective review of MCF cases over 11 years at our academic tertiary referral center was conducted. Demographic variables, tumor characteristics, surgical details, and postoperative complications were extracted. Results Of the 87 patients included, 15 (17%) received a zygomatic osteotomy. Surgical trajectory oriented from anterior to posterior (A-P) was significantly correlated with the use of the zygomatic osteotomy. Among the cases approached from A-P, we found (receiver-operating characteristic curve) that the cut-off tumor size that predicted a zygomatic osteotomy was 30 mm. Of the 87 cases included, 15 patients had a complication. The multivariate logistic regression model failed to reveal any significant correlation between complications and zygomatic osteotomies. Conclusions We found that the most important factor determining the use of a zygomatic osteotomy was anticipated trajectory. A-P approaches were most highly correlated with zygomatic osteotomy. Within those cases, a lesion size cut-off of 30 mm was the secondary predicting factor of zygomatic osteotomy use. The odds of suffering a surgical complication were not significantly increased by use of zygomatic osteotomy.