CyberKnife for the management of Cushing's disease: our institutional experience and review of literature.

INTRODUCTION: Surgery is the primary treatment for Cushing's disease(CD). In cases with no biochemical remission after surgical resection or when recurrence occurs after a period of remission stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is used as alternative/adjuvant treatment. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the effectiveness of SRS and FSRS(Fractionated stereotactic radiosurgery) for the treatment of CD in a long term follow up. METHODS: This is a retrospective study in which 41 patient (36 females and 5 males) who underwent surgery for CD from 2009 to 2019 were included. Out of 41 cases, 34 cases had microadenomas while 7 had macroadenomas. These patients had recurrence or persistence of hypercortisolism post-operatively. After multidisciplinary evaluation, these patients were treated by CyberKnife (SRS & FSRS). RESULTS: Remission rate in our study was 60.97% with a median follow up period of 79.03 months. The median time to biochemical remission was 14 months. Tumour growth control was achieved in 95.12%. Hypopituitarism of different axes was seen in 34.14% patients. Secondary hypothyroidism was the most common pituitary insufficiency (34%) followed by secondary hypogonadism in 17%. CONCLUSION: CyberKnife radiosurgery and hypofractionated radiosurgery can be used as an adjuvant treatment in patient with active disease and no biochemical remission after one or multiple surgical resections. Risk of radiation induced hypopituitarism and other complication is relatively low 34.14% and tumour growth control is significantly higher.

Internal Carotid Artery Injury in Transsphenoidal Surgery: Tenets for Its Avoidance and Refit-A Clinical Study.

One of the most serious/potentially fatal complications of transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) is internal carotid artery (ICA) injury. Of 6230 patients who underwent TSS, ICA injury occurred in 8 (0.12%). The etiology, possible treatment options, and avoidance of ICA injury were analyzed. ICA injury occurred at two different stages: (1) during the exposure of the sella floor and dural incision over the sella and cavernous sinus and (2) during the resection of the cavernous sinus extension of the tumor. The angiographic collateral blood supply was categorized as good, sufficient, and nonsufficient to help with the decision making for repairing the injury. ICA occlusion with a balloon was performed at the injury site in two cases, microcoils in two patients, microcoils plus a single barrel extra-intracranial high-flow bypass in one case, stent grafting in one case, and no intervention in two cases. The risk of ICA injury diminishes with better preoperative preparation, intraoperative navigation, and ultrasound dopplerography. Reconstructive surgery for closing the defect and restoring the blood flow to the artery should be assessed depending on the site of the injury and the anatomical features of the ICA.

Modern Methods of Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Radiotherapy for the Treatment of Cushing Disease.

Cushing's disease is caused by a pituitary tumor causing increased production of adrenocorticotropic hormone, which leads to chronic hypersecretion of cortisol through adrenal cortices. Endoscopic trans-sphenoidal adenomectomy is the first choice of treatment with greatest efficiency for the treatment of the disease. However, in the absence of remission or recurrence of hypercortisolism after neurosurgical resection (adenomectomy), as well as in cases when surgical intervention cannot be carried due to medical contraindications to surgical intervention, radiation treatment is used as an alternative or adjoining therapy. In this literature review the efficiency of different radiation techniques (the conventional and the modern techniques), as well as possible complications of modern methods of radiosurgery and radiotherapy have been looked for.

Nasal Cerebrospinal Leaks in the Milieu of COVID-19 Pandemic / Vazamentos nasais cerebroespinhais no meio da pandemia de COVID-19

Background The unintentional ingestion of oropharyngeal or gastric contents into the respiratory tract is known as aspiration. Rhinorrhea can cause aspiration pneumonia (cerebrospinal fluid leakage). Objective There are only a few reports in the literature about pneumonia as a complication of rhinorrhea. There are no reports on how to handle such cases if they present to the clinic at the peak of COVID-19 disease and distinguish between these two conditions. Methods We reviewed the literature and retrospectively analyzed the clinical information and treatment protocols used to treat the two clinical cases. Results By screening the COVID-19 PCR and antibodies more than twice, surgery was postponed for 10­14 days in both cases to rule out COVID-19-induced pneumonia. Chest CT scans still revealed ground glass opacities. In both cases, the skull base defect was repaired. In both cases, radiological signs of rhinorrhea-induced pneumonia had completely resolved at the 24- and 30-day follow-ups. Conclusion CSF aspiration causes radiological changes in the lungs in rhinnorhea. This is a short-term local decrease in lung tissue airness (partial filling of alveoli with fluids), which is visible radiographically (ground-glass opacities). To rule out COVID-19 infection, surgery should be postponed for 10­14 days, and PCR and antibodies (IgG, IgM) should be performed at least twice. If the COVID-19 screening test is negative, repair surgery can be scheduled.

Introdução A ingestão não intencional de conteúdo orofaríngeo ou gástrico no trato respiratório é conhecida como aspiração. A rinorréia pode causar pneumonia por aspiração (vazamento de líquido cefalorraquidiano). Objetivo Existem poucos relatos na literatura sobre pneumonia como complicação da rinorréia. Não há relatos sobre como lidar com esses casos se eles se apresentarem à clínica no pico da doença COVID-19 e distinguirem entre essas duas condições. Métodos Revisamos a literatura e analisamos retrospectivamente as informações clínicas e os protocolos de tratamento utilizados para tratar os dois casos clínicos. Resultados Ao rastrear a PCR e os anticorpos da COVID-19 mais de duas vezes, a cirurgia foi adiada por 10 a 14 dias em ambos os casos para descartar pneumonia induzida pela COVID-19. A tomografia computadorizada de tórax ainda revelou opacidades em vidro fosco. Em ambos os casos, o defeito na base do crânio foi reparado. Em ambos os casos, os sinais radiológicos de pneumonia induzida por rinorréia foram completamente resolvidos nos acompanhamentos de 24 e 30 dias. Conclusão A aspiração do LCR causa alterações radiológicas nos pulmões na rinorreia. Esta é uma diminuição local de curto prazo na leveza do tecido pulmonar (preenchimento parcial dos alvéolos com fluidos), que é visível radiograficamente (opacidades em vidro fosco). Para descartar infecção por COVID-19, a cirurgia deve ser adiada por 10 a 14 dias e a PCR e anticorpos (IgG, IgM) devem ser realizados pelo menos duas vezes. Se o teste de rastreio da COVID-19 for negativo, pode ser agendada uma cirurgia reparadora.