The spinal cord injury-induced immune deficiency syndrome: results of the SCIentinel study.

Infections are prevalent after spinal cord injury (SCI), constitute the main cause of death and are a rehabilitation confounder associated with impaired recovery. We hypothesize that SCI causes an acquired lesion-dependent (neurogenic) immune suppression as an underlying mechanism to facilitate infections. The international prospective multicentre cohort study (SCIentinel; protocol registration DRKS00000122; n = 111 patients) was designed to distinguish neurogenic from general trauma-related effects on the immune system. Therefore, SCI patient groups differing by neurological level, i.e. high SCI [thoracic (Th)4 or higher]; low SCI (Th5 or lower) and severity (complete SCI; incomplete SCI), were compared with a reference group of vertebral fracture (VF) patients without SCI. The primary outcome was quantitative monocytic Human Leukocyte Antigen-DR expression (mHLA-DR, synonym MHC II), a validated marker for immune suppression in critically ill patients associated with infection susceptibility. mHLA-DR was assessed from Day 1 to 10 weeks after injury by applying standardized flow cytometry procedures. Secondary outcomes were leucocyte subpopulation counts, serum immunoglobulin levels and clinically defined infections. Linear mixed models with multiple imputation were applied to evaluate group differences of logarithmic-transformed parameters. Mean quantitative mHLA-DR [ln (antibodies/cell)] levels at the primary end point 84 h after injury indicated an immune suppressive state below the normative values of 9.62 in all groups, which further differed in its dimension by neurological level: high SCI [8.95 (98.3% confidence interval, CI: 8.63; 9.26), n = 41], low SCI [9.05 (98.3% CI: 8.73; 9.36), n = 29], and VF without SCI [9.25 (98.3% CI: 8.97; 9.53), n = 41, P = 0.003]. Post hoc analysis accounting for SCI severity revealed the strongest mHLA-DR decrease [8.79 (95% CI: 8.50; 9.08)] in the complete, high SCI group, further demonstrating delayed mHLA-DR recovery [9.08 (95% CI: 8.82; 9.38)] and showing a difference from the VF controls of -0.43 (95% CI: -0.66; -0.20) at 14 days. Complete, high SCI patients also revealed constantly lower serum immunoglobulin G [-0.27 (95% CI: -0.45; -0.10)] and immunoglobulin A [-0.25 (95% CI: -0.49; -0.01)] levels [ln (g/l × 1000)] up to 10 weeks after injury. Low mHLA-DR levels in the range of borderline immunoparalysis (below 9.21) were positively associated with the occurrence and earlier onset of infections, which is consistent with results from studies on stroke or major surgery. Spinal cord injured patients can acquire a secondary, neurogenic immune deficiency syndrome characterized by reduced mHLA-DR expression and relative hypogammaglobulinaemia (combined cellular and humoral immune deficiency). mHLA-DR expression provides a basis to stratify infection-risk in patients with SCI.

Changes in frailty among patients hospitalized for spine pathologies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany-a nationwide observational study.

PURPOSE: In spine care, frailty is associated with poor outcomes. The aim of this study was to describe changes in frailty in spine care during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and their relation to surgical management and outcomes. METHODS: Patients hospitalized for spine pathologies between January 1, 2019, and May 17, 2022, within a nationwide network of 76 hospitals in Germany were retrospectively included. Patient frailty, types of surgery, and in-hospital mortality rates were compared between pandemic and pre-pandemic periods. RESULTS: Of the 223,418 included patients with spine pathologies, 151,766 were admitted during the pandemic and 71,652 during corresponding pre-pandemic periods in 2019. During the pandemic, the proportion of high-frailty patients increased from a range of 5.1-6.1% to 6.5-8.8% (p < 0.01), while the proportion of low frailty patients decreased from a range of 70.5-71.4% to 65.5-70.1% (p < 0.01). In most phases of the pandemic, the Elixhauser comorbidity index (ECI) showed larger increases among high compared to low frailty patients (by 0.2-1.8 vs. 0.2-0.8 [p < 0.01]). Changes in rates of spine surgery were associated with frailty, most clearly in rates of spine fusion, showing consistent increases among low frailty patients (by 2.2-2.5%) versus decreases (by 0.3-0.8%) among high-frailty patients (p < 0.02). Changes in rates of in-hospital mortality were not associated with frailty. CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the proportion of high-frailty patients increased among those hospitalized for spine pathologies in Germany. Low frailty was associated with a rise in rates of spine surgery and high frailty with comparably larger increases in rates of comorbidities.

Spontaneous ankylosis of the sacroiliac joint: prevalence and risk factors.

PURPOSE: Evidence on spontaneous sacroiliac joint (SIJ) ankylosis is lacking. The aim of this analysis was to assess the prevalence of spontaneous SIJ ankylosis and examined different ankylosis patterns and risk factors for spontaneous SIJ ankylosis. METHODS: Pelvic computed tomography (CT) data of 102 consecutive patients with spinal pathologies were compared to CT of a control group consisting of 102 consecutive patients without spinal pathologies. SIJ ankylosis patterns and risk factors for SIJ ankylosis, such as age, sex, and previous spinal fusion surgery were examined. RESULTS: Overall, 117 men and 86 women were examined between 2019 and 2020. Non-spinal patients were significantly older (mean age 70.5 years, standard deviation [SD] 11.4) than those in the spinal group (mean age 65.3 years, SD 14.3; p = 0.005). The prevalence of SIJ ankylosis was 24.5% in the non-spinal group and 23.5% in the spinal group. The anterior ankylosis type prevalence was 91.7% in the spinal group, compared to 48.0% in the non-spinal group. Factors associated with SIJ ankylosis were older age (odds ratio [OR] 1.04, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.07, p = 0.004) and male sex (OR 5.14, 95% CI 2.29-11.55, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Spontaneous ankylosis of the SIJ was a frequent phenomenon in patients with and without spinal pathologies and more likely with older age and male sex. Anterior type SIJ ankylosis was substantially more frequent in patients with spinal pathologies. This may be due to strain exerted on the anterior SIJ aspects in patients with compromised posture due to spine degeneration.

The rationale and development of a CyberKnife© registry for pediatric patients with CNS lesions.

BACKGROUND: CyberKnife© Radiosurgery (CKRS) is a recognized treatment concept for CNS lesions in adults due to its high precision and efficacy beside a high patient comfort. However, scientific evidence for this treatment modality in pediatric patients is scarce. A dedicated registry was designed to document CyberKnife© procedures in children, aiming to test the hypothesis that it is safe and efficient for the treatment of CNS lesions. METHODS: The CyberKnife© registry is designed as a retrospective and prospective multicenter observational study (German Clinical Trials Register ( https://www.drks.de ), DRKS-ID 00016973). Patient recruitment will be ongoing throughout a 5-year period and includes collection of demographic, treatment, clinical, and imaging data. Follow-up results will be monitored for 10 years. All data will be registered in a centralized electronic database at the Charité-Universitätsmedizin. The primary endpoint is stable disease for benign and vascular lesions at 5 years of follow-up and local tumor control for malign lesions at 1- and 2-year follow-up. Secondary endpoints are radiation toxicity, side effects, and neurocognitive development. CONCLUSION: The CyberKnife© registry intends to generate scientific evidence for all treatment- and outcome-related aspects in pediatric patients with treated CNS lesions. The registry may define safety and efficacy of CKRS in children and serve as a basis for future clinical trials, inter-methodological comparisons and changes of treatment algorithms.

Radiofrequency denervation for treatment of sacroiliac joint pain-comparison of two different ablation techniques.

The radiofrequency treatment (RFD) for sacroiliac joint pain (SIP) is well-established, but there is still scarce evidence on its clinical outcome. The classical monopolar RFD is limited by a high recurrence rate. This might be caused by an incomplete denervation of the dorsal rami. The Simplicity III probe was invented to optimise pain fibre recruitment by its multi-electrode design. However, the clinical superiority of this procedure was never proven. The aim of this study was to illustrate the effectiveness of RFD and to compare both denervation techniques. One hundred twenty-one patients were included, and their clinical course was analysed. Fifty-seven patients received conventional treatment with multiple percutaneous monopolar RFDs (monolesion probe group, MoLG) and 64 patients with the Simplicity III probe (multilesion probe group, MuLG). All patients were followed 1, 3, 6 and 12 s after RFD. Clinical outcome scores were analysed (numeric pain rating scale (NPRS), Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Odom's criteria, Short Form 36 score). The MuLG showed a clearly advanced improvement concerning the clinically relevant pain relief (≥ 50%) (1 month/3 months /6 months/12 months = 72%, 55%, 36%, 27% vs. 1 month/3 months/6 months/12 months = 39%, 28%, 16%, 11%) as well as an advanced improvement of pain-associated disability and a higher satisfaction rating compared to the MoLG (NPRSMuLG_preop = 8,3; NPRSMuLG_12months = 5.8; NPRSMoLG_preop = 7,7; NPRSMoLG_12months = 5.8; ODIMuLG_preop = 52; ODIMuLG_12months = 42; ODIMoLG_preop = 52; ODIMoLG_12months = 47; ODOMSMuLG_good/excellent = 54%; ODOMSMoLG_good/excellent = 28%). RFD of the SIP with the Simplicity III probe is effective and delivers a distinct pain reduction even after 1 year of treatment. This technique shows clear advantages compared to the conventional monolesion technique and is a useful treatment for patients with recurrent SIP.

Diagnostic reliability of the Berlin classification for complex MCA aneurysms-usability in a series of only giant aneurysms.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The main challenge of bypass surgery of complex MCA aneurysms is not the selection of the bypass type but the initial decision-making of how to exclude the affected vessel segment from circulation. To this end, we have previously proposed a classification for complex MCA aneurysms based on the preoperative angiography. The current study aimed to validate this new classification and assess its diagnostic reliability using the giant aneurysm registry as an independent data set. METHODS: We reviewed the pretreatment neuroimaging of 51 patients with giant (> 2.5 cm) MCA aneurysms from 18 centers, prospectively entered into the international giant aneurysm registry. We classified the aneurysms according to our previously proposed Berlin classification for complex MCA aneurysms. To test for interrater diagnostic reliability, the data set was reviewed by four independent observers. RESULTS: We were able to classify all 51 aneurysms according to the Berlin classification for complex MCA aneurysms. Eight percent of the aneurysm were classified as type 1a, 14% as type 1b, 14% as type 2a, 24% as type 2b, 33% as type 2c, and 8% as type 3. The interrater reliability was moderate with Fleiss's Kappa of 0.419. CONCLUSION: The recently published Berlin classification for complex MCA aneurysms showed diagnostic reliability, independent of the observer when applied to the MCA aneurysms of the international giant aneurysm registry.

Clinical implications and radiographic characteristics of the relation between giant intracranial aneurysms of the posterior circulation and the brainstem.

BACKGROUND: Giant intracranial aneurysms of the posterior circulation (GPCirA) are rare entities compressing the brainstem and adjacent structures. Previous evidence has shown that the amount of brainstem shift away from the cranial base is not associated with neurological deficits. This raises the question whether other factors may be associated with neurological deficits. METHODS: All data were extracted from the Giant Intracranial Aneurysm Registry, an international multicenter prospective study on giant intracranial aneurysms. We grouped GPCirA according to the mass effect on the brainstem (lateral versus medial). Brainstem compression was evaluated with two indices: (a) brainstem compression ratio (BCR) or diameter of the compressed brainstem to the assumed normal diameter of the brainstem and (b) aneurysm to brainstem ratio (ABR) or diameter of the aneurysm to the diameter of the compressed brainstem. We examined associations between neurological deficits and GPCirA characteristics using binary regression analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-eight GPCirA were included. Twenty GPCirA showed medial (71.4%) and 8 lateral compression of the brainstem (28.6%). Baseline characteristics did not differ between the groups for patient age, aneurysm diameter, aneurysm volume, modified Rankin Scale (mRS), motor deficit (MD), or cranial nerve deficits (CND). Mean BCR was 53.0 in the medial and 54.0 in the lateral group (p = 0.92). The mean ABR was 2.9 in the medial and 2.3 in the lateral group (p = 0.96). In the entire cohort, neither BCR nor ABR nor GPCirA volumes were associated with the occurrence of CND or MD. In contrast, disability (mRS) was significantly associated with ABR (OR 1.94 (95% CI 1.01-3.70; p = 0.045) and GPCirA volumes (OR 1.21 (95% CI 1.01-1.44); p = 0.035), but not with BCR. CONCLUSION: In this cohort of patients with GPCirA, neither the degree of lateral projection nor the amount of brainstem compression predicted neurological deficits. Disability was associated only with aneurysm volume. When designing treatment strategies for GPCirA, aneurysm laterality or the amount of brainstem compression should be viewed as less relevant while the high risk of rupture of such giant lesions should be emphasized. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The registry is listed at clinicaltrials.gov under the registration no. NCT02066493.

Cranial nerve deficits in giant cavernous carotid aneurysms and their relation to aneurysm morphology and location.

BACKGROUND: Giant cavernous carotid aneurysms (GCCAs) usually exert substantial mass effect on adjacent intracavernous cranial nerves. Since predictors of cranial nerve deficits (CNDs) in patients with GCCA are unknown, we designed a study to identify associations between CND and GCCA morphology and the location of mass effect. METHODS: This study was based on data from the prospective clinical and imaging databases of the Giant Intracranial Aneurysm Registry. We used magnetic resonance imaging and digital subtraction angiography to examine GCCA volume, presence of partial thrombosis (PT), GCCA origins, and the location of mass effect. We also documented whether CND was present. RESULTS: We included 36 GCCA in 34 patients, which had been entered into the registry by eight participating centers between January 2009 and March 2016. The prevalence of CND was 69.4%, with one CND in 41.7% and more than one in 27.5%. The prevalence of PT was 33.3%. The aneurysm origin was most frequently located at the anterior genu (52.8%). The prevalence of CND did not differ between aneurysm origins (p = 0.29). Intracavernous mass effect was lateral in 58.3%, mixed medial/lateral in 27.8%, and purely medial in 13.9%. CND occurred significantly more often in GCCA with lateral (81.0%) or mixed medial/lateral (70.0%) mass effect than in GCCA with medial mass effect (20.0%; p = 0.03). After adjusting our data for the effects of the location of mass effect, we found no association between the prevalence of CND and aneurysm volume (odds ratio (OR) 1.30 (0.98-1.71); p = 0.07), the occurrence of PT (OR 0.64 (0.07-5.73); p = 0.69), or patient age (OR 1.02 (95% CI 0.95-1.09); p = 0.59). CONCLUSIONS: Distinguishing between medial versus lateral location of mass effect may be more helpful than measuring aneurysm volumes or examining aneurysm thrombosis in understanding why some patients with GCCA present with CND while others do not. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NO: NCT02066493 ( clinicaltrials.gov ).

Six-month outcomes from a randomized controlled trial of minimally invasive SI joint fusion with triangular titanium implants vs conservative management.

PURPOSE: To compare the safety and effectiveness of minimally invasive sacroiliac joint fusion (SIJF) using triangular titanium implants vs conservative management (CM) in patients with chronic sacroiliac joint (SIJ) pain. METHODS: 103 adults with chronic SIJ pain at nine sites in four European countries were randomly assigned to and underwent either minimally invasive SIJF using triangular titanium implants (N = 52) or CM (N = 51). CM was performed according to the European guidelines for the diagnosis and management of pelvic girdle pain and consisted of optimization of medical therapy, individualized physical therapy (PT) and adequate information and reassurance as part of a multifactorial treatment. The primary outcome was the difference in change in self-rated low back pain (LBP) at 6 months. Additional endpoints included quality of life using EQ-5D-3L, disability using Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), SIJ function using active straight leg raise (ASLR) test and adverse events. NCT01741025. RESULTS: At 6 months, mean LBP improved by 43.3 points in the SIJF group and 5.7 points in the CM group (difference of 38.1 points, p < 0.0001). Mean ODI improved by 26 points in the SIJF group and 6 points in the CM group (p < 0.0001). ASLR, EQ-5D-3L, walking distance and satisfaction were statistically superior in the SIJF group. The frequency of adverse events did not differ between groups. One case of postoperative nerve impingement occurred in the surgical group. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with chronic SIJ pain, minimally invasive SIJF using triangular titanium implants was safe and more effective than CM in relieving pain, reducing disability, improving patient function and quality of life.

Outcome of Surgical or Endovascular Treatment of Giant Intracranial Aneurysms, with Emphasis on Age, Aneurysm Location, and Unruptured Aneuryms--A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Designing treatment strategies for unruptured giant intracranial aneurysms (GIA) is difficult as evidence of large clinical trials is lacking. We examined the outcome following surgical or endovascular GIA treatment focusing on patient age, GIA location and unruptured GIA. METHODS: Medline and Embase were searched for studies reporting on GIA treatment outcome published after January 2000. We calculated the proportion of good outcome (PGO) for all included GIA and for unruptured GIA by meta-analysis using a random effects model. RESULTS: We included 54 studies containing 64 study populations with 1,269 GIA at a median follow-up time (FU-T) of 26.4 months (95% CI 10.8-42.0). PGO was 80.9% (77.4-84.4) in the analysis of all GIA compared to 81.2% (75.3-86.1) in the separate analysis of unruptured GIA. For each year added to patient age, PGO decreased by 0.8%, both for all GIA and unruptured GIA. For all GIA, surgical treatment resulted in a PGO of 80.3% (95% CI 76.0-84.6) compared to 84.2% (78.5-89.8, p = 0.27) after endovascular treatment. In unruptured GIA, PGO was 79.7% (95% CI 71.5-87.8) after surgical treatment and 84.9% (79.1-90.7, p = 0.54) after endovascular treatment. PGO was lower in high quality studies and in studies presenting aggregate instead of individual patient data. In unruptured GIA, the OR for good treatment outcome was 5.2 (95% CI 2.0-13.0) at the internal carotid artery compared to 0.1 (0.1-0.3, p < 0.1) in the posterior circulation. Patient sex, FU-T and prevalence of ruptured GIA were not associated with PGO. CONCLUSIONS: We found that the chances of good outcome after surgical or endovascular GIA treatment mainly depend on patient age and aneurysm location rather than on the type of treatment conducted. Our analysis may inform future research on GIA.

Referred leg pain originating from the sacroiliac joint: 6-month outcomes from the prospective randomized controlled iMIA trial.

BACKGROUND: The first results from the randomized, controlled iFuse Implant System Minimally Invasive Arthrodesis (iMIA) trial showed that minimally invasive surgical management (MISM) of low back pain originating from the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) by placing transarticular triangular titanium implants reduced pain more effectively than conservative management (CM). We now conducted a separate analysis of the iMIA data to assess whether the referred leg pain (RLP) component of SIJ-associated pain may also be affected by MISM or CM. METHODS: Data from 101 patients, recruited between June 2013 and May 2015 at nine European spine care centers, were included. Forty-nine patients were randomized to CM and 51 patients to MISM. RLP was defined as pain below the gluteal fold and assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS). Changes in RLP over 6 months were the primary endpoint. RESULTS: The prevalence of clinically significant RLP was 76.2 %. Over 6 months of follow-up, CM produced no significant change in RLP, which was 51.0 VAS points (interquartile range (IQR) 17.0-75.0) at baseline. In contrast, in the MISM cohort, we found a significant decrease in RLP from VAS 58.0 (IQR 24.5-80.0) at baseline to VAS 13.5 (IQR 0.0-39.3) after 6 months (p < 0.01). Improvement of RLP was associated only with the type of treatment (OR 5.04, p < 0.01), but not with patient age, sex, or different patterns of pain referral. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis shows that RLP is a frequent phenomenon in patients with SIJ-associated pain. At 6 months of follow-up, MISM helped relieve RLP more effectively than CM. Clinical Trial Registration-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT01741025.

Interobserver variability in the characterization of giant intracranial aneurysms with special emphasis on aneurysm diameter and shape.

BACKGROUND: The Giant Intracranial Aneurysm Registry is a multicenter observational trial exclusively focusing on giant intracranial aneurysms (GIA). As no data exist on the interobserver variability in the radiological description of GIA, there is some uncertainty concerning the reliability of the GIA characteristics included in the registry. We have therefore designed a study to test the interobserver variability in the description of the specific GIA characteristics that are examined in the GIA registry. METHODS: Six different raters analyzed imaging of five GIA concerning GIA location, GIA size, GIA shape, GIA thrombosis, and the presence of perianeurysmal edema. Interobserver variability was examined using intraclass correlation and Fleiss' kappa analysis. RESULTS: The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.99 (95 % CI 0.97-1.0) for the largest GIA diameter and 0.98 (95 % CI 0.94-1.0) for the largest GIA diameter in an axial imaging slice. We found perfect interobserver agreement (Fleiss' kappa 1.00) in the characterization of GIA location and the presence of perianeurysmal edema and almost perfect interobserver agreement for GIA thrombosis (Fleiss' kappa 0.86, 95 % CI 0.63-1.00). Only moderate interobserver agreement was found in the description of GIA shape (Fleiss' kappa 0.50, 95 % CI 0.27-0.73). CONCLUSIONS: While GIA size, location, thrombosis, and the presence of perianeurysmal edema showed excellent interobserver agreement, the description of GIA shape was achieved with only moderate agreement. Data on GIA shape in multicenter studies, like the GIA registry, should therefore be discussed with caution and potentially reassessed in a centralized fashion.

Changes in volume of giant intracranial aneurysms treated by surgical strategies other than direct clipping.

BACKGROUND: Giant intracranial aneurysms (GIA) are often not eligible for direct clip occlusion. Surgical alternatives include partial clip occlusion or the placement of a cerebrovascular bypass or the combination of both. These alternative indirect strategies are expected to lead to a decrease in GIA volume over time rather than instantaneously. To examine whether this is the case, we analyzed follow-up imaging results 1 year after surgery. METHODS: We retrospectively screened the prospective GIA Registry's imaging database for anterior circulation GIA treated by surgical strategies other than direct clipping. We measured pre- and 1-year post-treatment GIA volume, lateral ventricle volume (LVV), and mid-line shift (MLS) in 19 cases. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 466 days (standard deviation ±171) GIA volumes decreased from 9.6 cm(3) (interquartile range (IQR) 6.1-14.1) to 4.3 cm(3) (IQR 2.9-5.7; p < 0.01). Ipsilateral LVV increased from 8.6 cm(3) (IQR 6.4-24.9) to 16.0 cm(3) (IQR 9.1-27.2; p < 0.01) while contralateral LVV increased from 10.3 cm(3) (IQR 7.3-20.1) to 11.7 cm(3) (IQR 8.2-19.4; p = 0.02). MLS changed from 0.1 mm (IQR -1.9 to 2.0) to -0.9 mm (IQR -1.8 to 0.4; p = 0.03). The decrease in GIA volume correlated with the increase in ipsilateral LVV (rs = 0.60; p = 0.01) but not with the changes in MLS (rs = 0.41; p = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS: In our patient cohort, surgical strategies other that direct clipping for the treatment of anterior circulation GIA lead to a significant decrease in GIA volume over time. The resulting decrease in mass effect was more sensitively monitored by the measurement of changes in ipsilateral LVV than changes in MLS. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT02066493.

Quantifying unruptured giant intracranial aneurysms by measuring diameter and volume--a comparative analysis of 69 cases.

BACKGROUND: Intracranial aneurysms (IA) are usually quantified according to their largest diameter. However, volumetry has recently been increasingly conducted as well, especially in giant intracranial aneurysms (GIAs). Since so far the true value of GIA volumetry is unknown, we designed a trial to examine correlations between GIA diameter and volume with special focus on clinical implications. METHODS: Magnetic resonance imaging of 69 unruptured GIAs in 66 patients was retrospectively evaluated. The largest diameter and volume were measured. Also, potential associations to the patients' clinical conditions were examined. RESULTS: Comparing GIA sizes of our patient cohort produced different results depending on whether GIA diameter or volume was measured. Measuring the diameter identified posterior circulation GIAs as the largest ones (39.2 mm, IQR 37.3-48.3), while measuring the volume found GIAs of the MCA to be the largest ones (12.3 cm(3), IQR 7.2-27.8). A correlation of GIA diameter and volume was only found in anterior circulation GIAs, which were predominantly saccular in shape, but not in those of the posterior circulation, of which most were fusiform. Neither GIA diameter nor GIA volume but only GIA location was associated with neurological deficits. CONCLUSION: Diameter and volume measurements are not interchangeable modes of GIA quantification. Our data suggest that the idea of distinguishing different sizes of GIA may be clinically less relevant than examining their location, shape or mass effect.

The SCIentinel study--prospective multicenter study to define the spinal cord injury-induced immune depression syndrome (SCI-IDS)--study protocol and interim feasibility data.

BACKGROUND: Infections are the leading cause of death in the acute phase following spinal cord injury and qualify as independent risk factor for poor neurological outcome ("disease modifying factor"). The enhanced susceptibility for infections is not stringently explained by the increased risk of aspiration in tetraplegic patients, neurogenic bladder dysfunction, or by high-dose methylprednisolone treatment. Experimental and clinical pilot data suggest that spinal cord injury disrupts the balanced interplay between the central nervous system and the immune system. The primary hypothesis is that the Spinal Cord Injury-induced Immune Depression Syndrome (SCI-IDS) is 'neurogenic' including deactivation of adaptive and innate immunity with decreased HLA-DR expression on monocytes as a key surrogate parameter. Secondary hypotheses are that the Immune Depression Syndrome is i) injury level- and ii) severity-dependent, iii) triggers transient lymphopenia, and iv) causes qualitative functional leukocyte deficits, which may endure the post-acute phase after spinal cord injury. METHODS/DESIGN: SCIentinel is a prospective, international, multicenter study aiming to recruit about 118 patients with acute spinal cord injury or control patients with acute vertebral fracture without neurological deficits scheduled for spinal surgery. The assessment points are: i) <31 hours, ii) 31-55 hours, iii) 7 days, iv) 14 days, and v) 10 weeks post-trauma. Assessment includes infections, concomitant injury, medication and neurological classification using American Spinal Injury Association impairment scale (AIS) and neurological level. Laboratory analyses comprise haematological profiling, immunophenotyping, including HLA-DR expression on monocytes, cytokines and gene expression of immune modulators. We provide an administrative interim analysis of the recruitment schedule of the trial. DISCUSSION: The objectives are to characterize the dysfunction of the innate and adaptive immune system after spinal cord injury and to explore its proposed 'neurogenic' origin by analyzing its correlation with lesion height and severity. The trial protocol considers difficulties of enrolment in an acute setting, and loss to follow up. The administrative interim analysis confirmed the feasibility of the protocol. Better understanding of the SCI-IDS is crucial to reduce co-morbidities and thereby to attenuate the impact of disease modifying factors to protect neurological "outcome at risk". This putatively results in improved spinal cord injury medical care. TRIAL REGISTRATION DRKS-ID: DRKS00000122 (German Clinical Trials Registry).

Multiple reimplantation technique for treatment of complex giant aneurysms of the middle cerebral artery: technical note.

BACKGROUND: Giant middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms are among the most challenging neurovascular lesions, especially when the M2 and M3 branches are incorporated into the aneurysm. Here we report on two cases with complex MCA aneurysms, in which double and triple arterial reimplantation of the efferent vessels into a saphenous vein graft (SVG) was applied to reconstruct the MCA tree, allowing final trapping of the aneurysm. METHODS: In the first case, a 41-year-old woman presented with a partially thrombosed giant MCA aneurysm including three efferent branches. Two superior trunks were disconnected and reimplanted onto an SVG fed by the external carotid artery (ECA). Following anastomosis between the SVG and the inferior trunk, the aneurysm was trapped. The second case is a 67-year-old man with recurrent giant MCA aneurysm incorporating two efferent M2 branches. First, the superior trunk was reimplanted onto an SVG, then the SVG was anastomosed to the inferior trunk. Finally the afferent M1 was clipped. Intraoperative indocyanine green (ICG) videoangiography (FLOW 800) was used for studying bypass patency. RESULTS: In both cases, successful bypass patency was demonstrated by ICG videoangiography. Postoperative digital subtraction angiography (DSA) confirmed bypass patency. The first case was discharged without any neurological deficit. The second case suffered from bleeding due to refilling of the aneurysm via the inferior M2. An additional clip was placed on the inferior M2 in a second step. The patient was discharged with weakness of the left arm. CONCLUSION: Reconstructing an MCA bifurcation or trifurcation combining multiple arterial reimplantation is effective for treatment of selective cases of complex MCA aneurysms.

The oxygen reactivity index and its relation to sensor technology in patients with severe brain lesions.

BACKGROUND: The oxygen reactivity index (ORx) has been introduced to assess the status of cerebral autoregulation after traumatic brain injury (TBI) or subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Currently, there is some controversy about whether the ORx depends on the type of PbrO2-sensor technology used for its calculation. To examine if the probe technology does matter, we compared the ORx and the resulting optimal cerebral perfusion pressures (CPPopt) of simultaneously implanted Licox (CC1.SB, Integra Neuroscience, France) and Neurovent-PTO (Raumedic, Germany) probes in patients after aneurysmal SAH or severe TBI. METHODS: Licox and Raumedic probes were implanted side by side in 11 patients after TBI or SAH. ORx and CPPopt were recorded continuously. The equivalence of both probes was examined using Bland-Altman analyses. RESULTS: The mean difference in ORx was 0.1, with Licox producing higher values. The limits of agreement regarding ORx ranged from -0.6 to +0.7. When both probes' ORx values were compared in each patient, no specific pattern in their relationship was seen. The mean difference in CPPopt was 0 mmHg with limits of agreement between -16.5 and +16.4 mmHg. CONCLUSIONS: Owing to the rather limited number of patients, we view the results of this study as preliminary. The main result is that Licox and Raumedic showed consistent differences in ORx and CPPopt. Therefore, ORx values of both probes cannot be interchanged and should not be viewed as equivalent. This should be taken into consideration when discussing ORx data generated by different PbrO2 probe types.

Neurosurgical care for patients with high-grade gliomas during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: Analysis of routine billing data of a German nationwide hospital network.

Background: Little is known about delivery of neurosurgical care, complication rate and outcome of patients with high-grade glioma (HGG) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. Methods: This observational, retrospective cohort study analyzed routine administrative data of all patients admitted for neurosurgical treatment of an HGG within the Helios Hospital network in Germany. Data of the Covid-19 pandemic (March 1, 2020-May 31, 2022) were compared to the pre-pandemic period (January 1, 2016-February 29, 2020). Frequency of treatment and outcome (in-hospital mortality, length of hospital stay [LOHS], time in intensive care unit [TICU] and ventilation outside the operating room [OR]) were separately analyzed for patients with microsurgical resection (MR) or stereotactic biopsy (STBx). Results: A total of 1763 patients underwent MR of an HGG (648 patients during the Covid-19 pandemic; 1115 patients in the pre-pandemic period). 513 patients underwent STBx (182 [pandemic]; 331 patients [pre-pandemic]). No significant differences were found for treatment frequency (MR: 2.95 patients/week [Covid-19 pandemic] vs. 3.04 patients/week [pre-pandemic], IRR 0.98, 95% CI: 0.89-1.07; STBx (1.82 [Covid-19 pandemic] vs. 1.86 [pre-pandemic], IRR 0.96, 95% CI: 0.80-1.16, P > .05). Rates of in-hospital mortality, infection, postoperative hemorrhage, cerebral ischemia and ventilation outside the OR were similar in both periods. Overall LOHS was significantly shorter for patients with MR and STBx during the Covid-19 pandemic. Conclusions: The Covid-19 pandemic did not affect the frequency of neurosurgical treatment of patients with an HGG based on data of a large nationwide hospital network in Germany. LOHS was significantly shorter but quality of neurosurgical care and outcome was not altered during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Spinal Fusion Procedures for Spinal Infections in a Nationwide Hospital Network in Germany.

BACKGROUND: The full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on surgical spine care is difficult to assess due to a lack in nationwide evidence from more recent phases of the pandemic. We aimed to describe changes in in-hospital processes associated with spinal fusion procedures in the treatment of spinal infections (SI) during different phases of the pandemic. METHODS: In this retrospective observational study, we examined the in-hospital prevalence and outcomes of spinal fusion procedures for SI (along with patient characteristics, rates of transfer to intensive care units, and mortality rates) during the first four waves of the pandemic compared with the corresponding prepandemic periods in 2019. We used administrative data from a nationwide network of 76 hospitals managing 7% of all in-hospital cases in Germany. RESULTS: We observed no significant change in the prevalence of SI fusion procedures during the pandemic, neither in total numbers (349 vs. 373) nor for each wave separately. On a patient level, we found no differences in age, sex, and the prevalence of paresis, and no relevant differences in associated comorbidities. The rate of mechanical ventilation did not change during any of the examined pandemic waves: it ranged between 9.5 and 18.6% during the pandemic and 3.1 and 16.0% during the corresponding prepandemic control periods. The rate of transfer to intensive care changed only during wave 4 (from 70.4 to 54.8%; p = 0.046) but not in any other pandemic phases. We observed no changes in in-hospital mortality rates (range: 2.9-9.7% vs. 6.2-11.3%) or in duration of hospital stay (range: 26.2-30.8 days vs. 20.8-29.2 days). CONCLUSIONS: The main finding of our study is that within this nationwide network of spine care centers in Germany, the delivery of surgical treatment of SI by means of spinal fusion procedures was maintained throughout the first four waves of the pandemic. Furthermore, there were no relevant changes in patient demographics, in-hospital processes, and mortality rates.

Trends in frailty in brain tumor care during the COVID-19 pandemic in a nationwide hospital network in Germany.

PURPOSE: Among brain tumor patients, frailty is associated with poor outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased frailty in the general population. To date, evidence on changes in frailty among brain tumor patients during the pandemic is lacking. We aimed to compare frailty among brain tumor patients in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic to the pre-pandemic era and to assess potential effects on brain tumor care. METHODS: In this retrospective observational study, we compared frailty among brain tumor patients hospitalized during the COVID-19 pandemic in years 2020 through 2022 to pre-pandemic years 2016 through 2019 based on administrative data from a nationwide network of 78 hospitals in Germany. Using the Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS), frailty was categorized as low, intermediate, or high. We examined changes in frailty, patient demographics, the burden of comorbidity, rates of surgery, and mortality rates for different frailty groups during the pandemic and compared them to pre-pandemic levels. RESULTS: Of the 20,005 included hospitalizations for brain tumors, 7979 were during the pandemic (mean age 60.0 years (± 18.4); females: 49.8%), and 12,026 in the pre-pandemic period (mean age: 59.0 years [± 18.4]; females: 49.2%). Average daily admissions decreased from 8.2 (± 5.1) during pre-pandemic years to 7.3 (± 4.5) during the pandemic (p < 0.01). The overall median HFRS decreased from 3.1 (IQR: 0.9-7.3) during the pre-pandemic years to 2.6 (IQR: 0.3-6.8) during the pandemic (p < 0.01). At the same time, the Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI) decreased from 17.0 (± 12.4) to 16.1 (± 12.0; p < 0.01), but to a larger degree among high compared to low frailty cases (by 1.8 vs. 0.3 points; p = 0.04). In the entire cohort, the mean length of stay was significantly shorter in the pandemic period (9.5 days [± 10.7]) compared with pre-pandemic levels (10.2 days [± 11.8]; p < 0.01) with similar differences in the three frailty groups. Rates of brain tumor resection increased from 29.9% in pre-pandemic years to 36.6% during the pandemic (p < 0.001) without differences between frailty levels. Rates of in-hospital mortality did not change during the pandemic (6.1% vs. 6.7%, p = 0.07), and there was no interaction with frailty. CONCLUSION: Even though our findings are limited in that the HFRS is validated only for patients ≥ 75 years of age, our study among patients of all ages hospitalized for brain tumors in Germany suggests a marked decrease in levels of frailty and in the burden of comorbidities during the COVID-19 pandemic.