Cerebral aneurysm treatment in India: Results of a national survey regarding practice patterns in India.

BACKGROUND: The management of intracranial aneurysms (IAs) varies widely depending upon a number of factors. OBJECTIVE: To understand the variations in practice patterns in the treatment of IAs in India. METHODS: The survey consisted of 23 questions. Two group emails were sent to members of the Neurological Society of India and the Neurological Surgeons Society of India. Uni- and multivariate analysis was performed where appropriate. RESULTS: The response rate was 10.13% (150/1480). Fifty percent of the respondents used steroids in subarachnoid hemorrhage and 64% initiated triple-H therapy prophylactically. There was no significant difference in the use of steroids, antifibrinolytics, mannitol, or hypertonic saline and the choice of therapeutic intervention (clipping or endovascular therapy [EVT]) for anterior circulation aneurysms between physicians working at teaching and nonteaching hospitals. However, physicians in teaching and government hospitals were less likely to choose EVT for middle cerebral artery aneurysms as the first line of treatment (odds ratio [OR] 0.6 and 0.1, respectively). Physicians working at private hospitals were more likely to have EVT facilities than those working in government-owned hospitals. On multivariate analysis, physicians working in teaching hospitals preferred surgical clipping to EVT for posterior circulation aneurysms (OR = 0.7) and physicians at teaching hospitals performed >50 cases/year. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates the prevailing practice patterns in the management of IAs in India. Surgical clipping is the preferred treatment of choice for anterior circulation aneurysms and EVT for aneurysms along the posterior circulation. Corticosteroids and prophylactic "triple-H" therapy are still used by a large proportion of physicians.

Factors predictive of improved overall survival following stereotactic radiosurgery for recurrent glioblastoma.

The currently accepted standard of care for primary glioblastoma (GBM) consists of maximal surgical resection followed by fractionated external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) with concomitant temozolomide chemotherapy. The role of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) in the treatment of GBM is not well defined, but SRS has typically been applied as a salvage therapy for GBM recurrence. This paper reviews our single institution experience using gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) for the treatment of GBM. Thirty-six patients treated with GKRS for pathologically proven GBM at LSU Health in Shreveport from February 2000 to December 2013 were identified and analyzed. Patient characteristics, treatment variables, and survival were correlated. Seven patients received GKRS in the immediate postoperative period for an average tumor volume of 10.9 cm(3), and 29 patients were treated for a recurrent average tumor volume of 11.4 cm(3) with a prescribed dose ranging from 10 to 20 Gy at the 50 % isodose line. The median overall survival was significantly higher in recurrence group compared to up-front group [7.9 months (0.77-32.1 months) vs. 3.5 months (range 0.23-11.7 months) respectively, (p = 0.018)]. The predictive factors for improved survival in the patients with GBM were as follows: Karnofsky performance scale (KPS) > 70 (p = 0.026), age ≤ 50 years (p = 0.006), absence of neurodeficits (p = 0.01), and initial postoperative treatment with EBRT (p = 0.042). Adjuvant therapy with GKRS following GBM recurrence demonstrates statistical superiority over immediate postoperative boost therapy.

Treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms-Current perspective.

Unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) present a unique challenge due to the lack of a clear understanding of their natural history and outcome. As the treatment of UIAs is aimed at preventing the possibility of rupture, the immediate risk of treatment must be weighed against the risk of rupture in the future. As such, no specific guidelines exist for a large proportion of UIAs, and treatment is currently individualized. It is also of paramount importance that the physicians be aware of the recent advances in the therapy of UIAs. The present article focuses on the recent advances in the understanding of UIAs.

A to Z in neurointerventional surgery: A primer for residents.

Neurointerventional surgery has evolved rapidly over the last two-and-a-half decades. It is now the treatment of choice for many neurovascular conditions, and its techniques and indications are rapidly expanding. It is the need of the hour that residents in training programs should familiarize themselves with the basic concepts of neurointerventional surgery. There are no set guidelines regarding neuroendovascular training of residents in India. The current article provides an insight into the basic concepts of neurointerventional surgery for residents in training.

Retrosigmoid approach for resection of petroclival meningioma.

This video describes the classic retrosigmoid approach for the resection of petroclival lesions. In this procedure, a careful dissection of the tumor within the arachnoid plane from the neurovascular structures is described. The key steps in the procedure are outlined, and include positioning, tumor devascularization, decompression, dissection from lower cranial nerves, IV, V cranial nerves and the VII-VIII complex and from the brainstem and closure of the dura, bone flap and the incision. The video can be found here: http://youtu.be/DmutL7dBOxI .

Odilon Marc Lannelongue (1840-1911) and strip craniectomy for craniosynostosis.

In the 19th century, Dr. Odilon Marc Lannelongue was a pioneering French surgeon who introduced a surgical technique for the treatment of craniosynostosis. In 1890, Dr. Lannelongue performed correction of sagittal synostosis by strip craniectomy. From his procedure, multiple techniques have been developed and endorsed for this condition, ranging from simple suturectomies to extensive calvarial vault remodeling. In addition, even today, endoscopically aided strip craniectomy is performed as a surgical treatment of craniosynostosis. This article describes the life and works of the surgeon who revolutionized the management of craniosynostosis.

Surgical management of middle cerebral artery aneurysms.

OBJECTIVES: Treatment of middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms remains controversial because of their morphological characteristics. The aim of our study was to analyze the morbidity, mortality, and outcome of patients who underwent clipping of MCA aneurysms and compare with that of endovascular therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patient and aneurysm characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients treated by the senior author from 1992 through 2012 were analyzed. Various factors associated with good outcome were analyzed. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-five patients with 132 aneurysms were included in the study. Seven patients had bilateral MCA bifurcation aneurysms, and 11 were giant aneurysms. Ninety-two point four percent aneurysms were located at MCA bifurcation, others being at pre- or post-bifurcation segments of M1. Intraoperative rupture was encountered in 4.8%. The overall perioperative morbidity and mortality was 8% and 0.8%, respectively. At a mean follow-up of 19.3 months, 83.8% patients had good outcome (mRS 0 and 1). The angiographic obliteration rate at one-year follow-up was 98%. Good preoperative Hunt and Hess grade and unruptured aneurysm were significantly associated with good outcome, whereas presence of hematoma was associated with poor outcome following surgery (P less than 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results of clipping of MCA aneurysms are superior to that of published endovascular therapy. Surgical clipping remains the standard of care for MCA aneurysms with good clinical and angiographic outcome.

Trends in intracranial meningioma surgery and outcome: a Nationwide Inpatient Sample database analysis from 2001 to 2010.

The objective of the present study was to analyze the risk of in-patient mortality, adverse outcome, practice patterns and regional variations in patients who underwent intracranial meningioma surgery in the United States between 2001 and 2010. We performed a retrospective cohort study using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database. In-patient mortality and adverse outcome at discharge were the outcome predictors. Multivariate analyses were done to analyze the patient, hospital and physician characteristics. The annual case-volume of patients with meningioma increased from 2001 to 2010 by 40 %. The in-patient mortality rate remained the same at 1.3 % and the rate of adverse discharge disposition remained at 35 % between 2001 and 2010. Caucasian female patients in younger age group with private insurance who underwent treatment at a high case-volume center had the best outcomes. In older patients (≥70 years), the in-patient mortality rate decreased by 25 % whereas the adverse discharge disposition rate increased by 19 %. Patients treated at high case-volume centers and by high case-volume physicians had lower rates of in-patient mortality (P < 0.05) and adverse outcome at discharge (P = 0 < 0.05). There was a 54 % decrease in the number of hospitals performing one surgery/year through the decade. A 2 % relative decrease in mortality was observed in lowest volume hospitals. Though the highest increase in admission charges through the decade was seen in hospitals located in the north-east (165 % relative increase), the highest relative decrease in mortality and morbidity was observed in hospitals located in the mid-west and the south (67.6 and 22 % respectively).

Technical nuances in the management of tuberculum sellae and diaphragma sellae meningiomas.

OBJECT: Tuberculum sellae meningiomas (TSMs) and diaphragma sellae meningiomas (DSMs) are challenging lesions to treat due to their proximity to neurovascular structures. METHODS: The authors reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent surgical excision of TSMs and DSMs from 1990 to 2013. They also describe the technical strategies used to minimize injury to the optic apparatus, vascular structures, and pituitary stalk. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients with TSM and 6 patients with DSM were included in the study. Seventy percent of the tumors were large (≥ 5 cm). The pterional approach was employed in most cases. Optic canal involvement was observed in 4 patients. Twenty-one patients (70%) had visual dysfunction before surgery. At follow-up (median 18 months), visual improvement was noted in 10 (47.6%) of 21 patients. Gross-total excision was achieved in 22 patients (91.6%) with TSM and 5 (83.3%) with DSM. At last follow-up, 28 patients (93.3%) had a Glasgow Outcome Scale score of 5. There were no deaths in this series. CONCLUSIONS: Tuberculum and diaphragma sellae meningiomas present a unique subset of tumors due to their location. They can be safely excised with minimal morbidity and mortality using microsurgical techniques. Attention to technical details during surgery leads to greater respectability and superior visual outcome.

Regional trends and the impact of various patient and hospital factors on outcomes and costs of hospitalization between academic and nonacademic centers after deep brain stimulation surgery for Parkinson's disease: a United States Nationwide Inpatient Sample analysis from 2006 to 2010.

OBJECT: The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence of adverse outcomes, complications, inpatient mortality, length of hospital stay, and the factors affecting them between academic and nonacademic centers after deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery for Parkinson's disease (PD). The authors also analyzed the impact of various factors on the total hospitalization charges after this procedure. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) from 2006 to 2010. Various patient and hospital variables were analyzed from the database. The adverse discharge disposition and the higher cost of hospitalization were taken as the dependent variables. RESULTS: A total of 2244 patients who underwent surgical treatment for PD were identified from the database. The mean age was 64.22 ± 9.8 years and 68.7% (n = 1523) of the patients were male. The majority of the patients was discharged to home or self-care (87.9%, n = 1972). The majority of the procedures was performed at high-volume centers (64.8%, n = 1453), at academic institutions (85.33%, n = 1915), in urban areas (n = 2158, 96.16%), and at hospitals with a large bedsize (86.6%, n = 1907) in the West or South. Adverse discharge disposition was more likely in elderly patients (OR > 1, p = 0.011) with high comorbidity index (OR 1.508 [95% CI 1.148-1.98], p = 0.004) and those with complications (OR 3.155 [95% CI 1.202-8.279], p = 0.033). A hospital with a larger annual caseload was an independent predictor of adverse discharge disposition (OR 3.543 [95% CI 1.781-7.048], p < 0.001), whereas patients treated by physicians with high case volumes had significantly better outcomes (p = 0.006). The median total cost of hospitalization had increased by 6% from 2006 through 2010. Hospitals with a smaller case volume (OR 0.093, p < 0.001), private hospitals (OR 11.027, p < 0.001), nonteaching hospitals (OR 3.139, p = 0.003), and hospitals in the West compared with hospitals in Northeast and the Midwest (OR 1.885 [p = 0.033] and OR 2.897 [p = 0.031], respectively) were independent predictors of higher hospital cost. The mean length of hospital stay decreased from 2.03 days in 2006 to 1.55 days in 2010. There was no difference in the discharge disposition among academic versus nonacademic centers and rural versus urban hospitals (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Elderly female patients with nonprivate insurance and high comorbidity index who underwent surgery at low-volume centers performed by a surgeon with a low annual case volume and the occurrence of postoperative complications were correlated with an adverse discharge disposition. High-volume, government-owned academic centers in the Northeast were associated with a lower cost incurred to the hospitals. It can be recommended that the widespread availability of this procedure across small, academic centers in rural areas may not only provide easier access to the patients but also reduces the total cost of hospitalization.

Unruptured intracranial aneurysms: comparison of perioperative complications, discharge disposition, outcome, and effect of calcification, between clipping and coiling: a single institution experience.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to compare the perioperative complications, obliteration rates, discharge dispositions, clinic-radiological outcomes, and the role of calcification between the microsurgical and endovascular treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective data of the patients treated with microsurgical clipping and those treated by endovascular coiling from January 2007 to August 2012 was collected from the database. RESULTS: Intraoperative rupture was not different in both the treatment groups (4.05% vs. 1.5% clip vs. coil). A total of 9.4% of the patients in the clipping group and 4.5% of the patients in the coiling group suffered postoperative stroke. At last follow up, 89% of the patients in the clipping group and 93% of the patients in the coiling group had favorable outcomes. The mean length of stay was more in clipping group (6.1 vs. 2.7, clip vs. coil, P < 0.05). Patients discharged to home without assistance/rehabilitation services were more in coiling ( P = 0.001). A total of 28.4% (23/81) of the coiled aneurysms were found to have residue neck on postoperative angiograms as compared with 12.6% (10/79) of the clipped aneurysms ( P = 0.01). Calcification within the aneurysm was strongly correlated to the size, perioperative complications, and the outcome ( P < 0.05). However, on excluding the calcified cases the size and outcome do not show a significant correlation. CONCLUSION: With appropriate patient selection, the majority of the UIAs can be managed by either of the treatment modalities with very low mortality and morbidity. Both the treatment modalities should be employed synergistically.

Intraoperative assessment of STA-MCA bypass patency using near-infrared indocyanine green video-angiography: a preliminary study.

BACKGROUND: Bypass patency is critical for patients undergoing superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) anastomosis. Near-infrared indocyanine green video-angiography (ICGA) is an excellent method to assess vessels during cerebrovascular surgery. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study is to analyze the effectiveness of ICGA in patients undergoing STA-MCA anastomosis for moyamoya disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a retrospective review of case records and operation records of patients who underwent STA-MCA bypass for moyamoya disease at our institute. Concordance of ICGA with intraoperative micro-Doppler and postoperative angiography, whenever available, was assessed. RESULTS: In all, 22 STA-MCA anastomoses were performed in 13 patients. ICGA was used to assess patency in 14 surgeries (10 patients). No patient required revision of anastomosis following ICGA. Postoperative angiography was done in five anastomoses (three patients) at three months follow-up and correlated well with ICGA findings in all cases. CONCLUSION: ICGA is an effective technique to assess bypass patency during cerebrovascular surgery. Routine use of ICGA in cerebral bypass surgery improves graft patency and minimizes complications due to graft occlusion.

Isolated cranio-spinal involvement of Rosai-Dorfman disease: case report.

Rosai-Dorfman disease is a rare non-neoplastic lymphoproliferative condition. It commonly affects individuals between third and fifth decades, most common presentation being in the form of massive painless cervical lymphadenopathy with fever, weight loss and malaise. Isolated intracranial involvement is rare seen in less than 5% of patients with extranodal involvement. We present a patient with isolated contiguous cranio-spinal involvement who presented to us with remitting symptoms.

Pediatric intracranial subdural empyema caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis--a case report and review of literature.

INTRODUCTION: Intracranial subdural tubercular empyema is an extremely rare entity. To our knowledge, only one such case has been previously reported in the pediatric population (Cayli et al. J Neurosurg 94(6):988-991, 2001). We report a case of intracranial tubercular subdural empyema in a child, with both convexity and interhemispheric fissure involvement. CASE MATERIAL: A 12-year-old boy with history of exposure to an active case of pulmonary tuberculosis (his father) presented to our institution with features of raised intracranial pressure and fever for 1 month and altered sensorium for 2 days. Computerized tomography (contrast enhanced) revealed a left fronto-parietal and interhemispheric subdural space abscess. A left fronto-parietal craniotomy was performed and the subdural empyema was evacuated, and adjacent calvarium was normal. Ziehl-Neelsen staining revealed acid-fast bacilli and the subsequent polymerase chain reaction test was positive. Histopathological examination showed granulation tissue including scattered multinucleated giant cells and caseation. Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacilli were the sole organisms cultured after 6 weeks. Anti-tuberculous treatment was given in appropriate doses for 18 months at the end of which the patient was doing well with no deficits. CONCLUSION: Intracranial tubercular subdural empyema in the pediatric age group is an extremely rare but curable entity.

Association of Menopausal Age with Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysm Morphology.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) increases rapidly in aging women compared with younger women. The impact of menopausal age on UIAs and treatment outcomes with endovascular therapy has not been well studied. We hypothesized that premenopausal age may have a protective effect on presentation size and treatment outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of menopause with UIA size and outcome with endovascular therapy. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of consecutive female patients with UIAs treated with endovascular therapy at our academic tertiary care center. UIA characteristics, complications, and outcomes were recorded and compared. RESULTS: 117 patients were included: 23 patients in the premenopausal age (PRM) group and 94 in the postmenopausal age (POM) group. 93.6% of all aneurysms in the PRM group were in the internal carotid artery (ICA) segments (p < 0.05). Hence only ICA segment aneurysms were further studied. A total of 21 patients in the PRM group and 60 in the POM group were found to have ICA segment aneurysms. Baseline characteristics were similar between the 2 groups. The mean size of the aneurysms in the PRM group was 8.6 ± 3.9 versus 10.8 ± 5.6 mm in the POM group (p = 0.055). There was a trend to higher aneurysm neck size seen in the POM group (4.7 ± 2.5 vs. 3.7 ± 1.7 mm; p = 0.07). The number of aneurysm lobes was higher in the PRM group (1.23 ± 0.54 vs. 1.07 ± 0.31; p = 0.18). In multivariate analysis, the PRM group had a significantly higher number of UIA lobes. Complications and endovascular therapy outcomes were similar between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: A trend to increased UIA maximal diameter and neck size was seen in the POM group compared to the PRM group. The PRM group had a significantly higher number of UIA lobes. Larger prospective trials are needed to confirm these findings.

Frontal intraparenchymal Schwannoma--case report and review of literature.

Intracranial intraparenchymal Schwannomas are very rare. Twenty-eight cases of frontal intraparenchymal Schwannomas have been reported so far. These generally present with seizures, raised intracranial pressure, nasal stuffiness and epistaxis. We present a patient with frontal intraparenchymal Schwannoma who underwent frontal craniotomy and excision. At follow-up the patient is seizure free and is relieved of his symptoms.