Surgical strategies for older patients with glioblastoma.

OBJECTIVE: While adjuvant treatment regimens have been modified for older patients with glioblastoma (GBM), surgical strategies have not been tailored. METHODS: Clinical data of 48 consecutive patients aged 70 years or older, who underwent surgical resection for GBM with intraoperative ultrasonography (IoUS) alone or combination with intraoperative MRI (IoMRI) at Yale New Haven Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Variables were analyzed, and comparative analyses were performed. RESULTS: The addition of IoMRI was not superior to IoUS alone in terms of overall survival (OS) (P = 0.306), Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) at postoperative 6 weeks (P = 0.704) or extent of resection (P = 0.263). Length of surgery (LOSx), however, was significantly longer (P = 0.0002) in the IoMRI group. LOSx (P = 0.015) and hospital stay (P = 0.025) were predictors of postoperative complications. Increased EOR (GTR or NTR) (P = 0.030), postoperative adjuvant treatment (P < 0.0001) and postoperative complications (P = 0.006) were predictive for OS. Patients with relatively lower preoperative KPS scores (<70) showed significant improvement at postoperative 6 weeks (P<0.0001). Patients with complications (P = 0.038) were more likely to have lower KPS at postoperative 6 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Aggressive management with surgical resection should be considered in older patients with GBM, even those with relatively poor KPS. The use of ioMRI in this population does not appear to confer any measurable benefit over ioUS in experienced hands, but prolongs the length of surgery significantly, which is a preventable prognostic factor for impeding care.

Effect of Visible Light on Vasospasticity of Post-Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Cerebrospinal Fluid.

Background and Objective Cerebral vasospasm (CV) is a serious complication of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) with high morbidity and mortality rates. The mechanism of CV has not been determined. There are many theories related to this unsolved issue, one of which supports CV as a two-stage phenomenon from a pathophysiologic perspective. The first stage consists of inhibition of neuronal nitric oxide synthase by oxyhemoglobin, which results in a decrease of nitric oxide (NO) production. The second stage consists of an increase in the levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine through bilirubin oxidation products (BOXes), which are oxidized by-products of hemoglobin metabolism. These in turn inhibit endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), which results in the blockage of the second NO production mechanism. BOXes are sensitive to visible light, as is their precursor bilirubin. The hypothesis of CV prevention using the photosensitivity of BOXes was tested in this study. Material and Methods Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) obtained from two patients with SAH was divided in half and either exposed to a standard dose of visible light or not exposed to any light. The CSF was spectrophotometrically investigated and the concentration of BOXes was measured. A comparison between CSF samples exposed to light and not exposed to light was made. Using two groups of 16 rats each, the vasospastic effect of the CSF exposed and not exposed to light on arteries of the cortical surface was measured. The cortex was exposed using the cranial window. Results Spectrophotometric analysis revealed that the concentration of BOXes in the CSF decreased significantly after being exposed to visible light (p < 0.001). There was a significant difference of the vasospastic effect of CSF on exposed cortical arteries (p < 0.001). Conclusion The concentration of BOXes and the vasospastic effect of CSF taken from patients with SAH were significantly reduced after being exposed to visible light if compared with CSF not exposed to light.

Destructive stereotactic surgery for treatment of dystonia.

BACKGROUND: This study is a retrospective review of the results of stereotactic destructive surgery in selected cases of drug-resistant dystonia. METHODS: Fifty-eight patients with drug-resistant dystonia were treated with stereotactic surgery between 1991 and 1999 in our institution. These patients' charts were retrospectively analyzed. The timing of the conducted evaluations was as follows: preoperatively, postoperatively, in the postoperative 1st week, 6th month, 12th month, and also thereafter every year. RESULTS: Symptoms of dystonia occurred before the age of 10 years in 30 patients (51.8%) and after the age of 10 years in 28 patients (48.2%). Generalized dystonia was detected in 41 patients, whereas 11 patients had hemidystonia, 5 patients had focal dystonia, and 1 patient had segmental dystonia. The most common etiologic factor was CP (n = 34). A total of 103 ablative lesions were created in 86 surgical sessions. Thalamotomy, pallidotomy, subthalamotomy, and the region of Forel lesions were performed either separately or in combination. In this series, the mean follow-up time was 102.2 months. Except for 2 cases of temporary hemiparesis, no other complications were observed. Minor improvement was obtained in 17 patients (19.7%), improvement of a medium degree was obtained in 17 patients (19.7%), high-degree improvement was obtained in 11 (12.8%), and very high degree improvement was obtained in 16 (18.6%) patients. A final evaluation revealed permanent improvement in 32 patients (55.2%). CONCLUSION: Production of stereotactic destructive lesions in certain specified targets is a safe method that improves quality of life and aids ambulation in patients with dystonia resistant to medical therapy.

Effect of magnesium, MK-801 and combination of magnesium and MK-801 on blood-brain barrier permeability and brain edema after experimental traumatic diffuse brain injury.

OBJECTIVE: Glutamate antagonists are very attractive drugs in laboratory works to protect neural tissue against ischemia. In this work, the effects of magnesium, MK-801 and combination of magnesium and MK-801 on blood-brain barrier (BBB) and brain edema after experimentally induced traumatic brain injury are evaluated. METHODS: A standard closed head injury was induced on the rats by a controlled impact device using a 450-g free falling mass from a height of 2 m onto a metallic disc fixed to the intact skull. One of the following was injected to animals intraperitoneally 30 minutes after injury: saline, magnesium, MK-801 and magnesium plus MK-801. To quantify the brain edema, the specific gravity of the brain tissue was determined. To demonstrate the alteration of the BBB permeability, Evans blue dye was used as a tracer. RESULTS: In all treatment groups, the specific gravity of brain tissue values was significantly higher compared with the control group. Evans blue dye content in the brain tissue was significantly reduced in all three treatment groups with respect to the control group. There was no significant difference of effect between the groups of magnesium alone and MK-801 alone when compared with each other and when compared with their combination. CONCLUSION: The present data demonstrate that treatment with magnesium, MK-801 and combination of magnesium and MK-801 can reduce formation of brain edema and can help restore BBB permeability after experimental diffuse brain injury.