Azithromycin reduces hemoglobin-induced innate neuroimmune activation.

Neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) releases blood products into the lateral ventricles and brain parenchyma. There are currently no medical treatments for IVH and surgery is used to treat a delayed effect of IVH, post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus. However, surgery is not a cure for intrinsic brain injury from IVH, and is performed in a subacute time frame. Like many neurological diseases and injuries, innate immune activation is implicated in the pathogenesis of IVH. Innate immune activation is a pharmaceutically targetable mechanism to reduce brain injury and post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus after IVH. Here, we tested the macrolide antibiotic azithromycin, which has immunomodulatory properties, to reduce innate immune activation in an in vitro model of microglial activation using the blood product hemoglobin (Hgb). We then utilized azithromycin in our in vivo model of IVH, using intraventricular blood injection into the lateral ventricle of post-natal day 5 rat pups. In both models, azithromycin modulated innate immune activation by several outcome measures including mitochondrial bioenergetic analysis, cytokine expression and flow cytometric analysis. This suggests that azithromycin, which is safe for neonates, could hold promise for modulating innate immune activation after IVH.

Applications of a robotic stereotactic arm for pediatric epilepsy and neurooncology surgery.

OBJECTIVE The ROSA device is a robotic stereotactic arm that uses a laser system to register the patient's head or spine with MR or CT images. In this study, the authors analyze their experience with this system in pediatric neurosurgical applications and present selected cases that exemplify the usefulness of this system. METHODS The authors reviewed all cases that utilized the ROSA system at their institution. Patient demographics, pathology, complications, electrode placement, laser ablation, and biopsy accuracy were analyzed. Patient disposition and condition at follow-up were also analyzed. RESULTS Seventeen patients underwent 23 procedures using the ROSA system. A total of 87 electroencephalography electrodes were placed, with 13% deviating more than 3 mm from target. Six patients underwent stereotactic needle biopsy, and 9 underwent laser interstitial thermotherapy (LITT). One patient who underwent LITT required a subsequent craniotomy for tumor resection. Another patient experienced an asymptomatic extraaxial hematoma that spontaneously resolved. No patient suffered neurological complications during follow-up. Follow-up from the last procedure averaged 180 days in epilepsy patients and 309 days in oncology patients. CONCLUSIONS The precision, ease of use, and versatility of the ROSA system make it well suited for pediatric neurosurgical practice. Further work, including long-term analysis of results and cost-effectiveness, will help determine the utility of this system and if its applications can be expanded.