Clinical outcomes and complications of eyelid versus eyebrow approaches to supraorbital craniotomy: systematic review and indirect meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Eyebrow supraorbital craniotomy is a versatile keyhole technique for treating intracranial pathologies. The eyelid supraorbital approach, an alternative approach to an eyebrow supraorbital craniotomy, has not been widely adopted among most neurosurgeons. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to perform a pooled analysis of the complications of eyebrow or eyelid approaches for the treatment of aneurysms, meningiomas, and orbital tumors. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature in the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Review databases was conducted for identifying relevant literature using keywords such as "supraorbital," "eyelid," "eyebrow," "tumor," and "aneurysm." Eyebrow supraorbital craniotomies with or without orbitotomies and eyelid supraorbital craniotomies with orbitotomies for the treatment of orbital tumors, intracranial meningiomas, and aneurysms were selected. The primary outcomes were overall complications, cosmetic complications, and residual aneurysms and tumors. Secondary outcomes included five complication domains: orbital, wound-related, scalp or facial, neurological, and other complications. RESULTS: One hundred three articles were included in the synthesis. The pooled numbers of patients in the eyebrow and eyelid groups were 4689 and 358, respectively. No differences were found in overall complications or cosmetic complications between the eyebrow and eyelid groups. The proportion of residuals in the eyelid group (11.21%, effect size [ES] 0.26, 95% CI 0.12-0.41) was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that in the eyebrow group (6.17%, ES 0.10, 95% CI 0.08-0.13). A subgroup analysis demonstrated significantly higher incidences of orbital, wound-related, and scalp or facial complications in the eyelid group (p < 0.05), but higher other complications in the eyebrow group. Performing an orbitotomy substantially increased the complication risk. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first meta-analysis that quantitatively compared complications of eyebrow versus eyelid approaches to supraorbital craniotomy. This study found similar overall complication rates but higher rates of selected complication domains in the eyelid group. The literature is limited by a high degree of variability in the reported outcomes.

Treatment of complex intracranial pathologies with transcirculation endovascular approaches / Tratamiento de enfermedades intracraneales complejas con enfoques endovasculares de transcirculación

OBJECT: The breadth and complexity of neurovascular pathologies treated with endovascular neurosurgery has expanded dramatically in recent years. Many aneurysms remain difficult to treat safely. Transcirculation (contralateral and/or retrograde) approaches through the circle of Willis are useful alternatives for treating challenging lesions endovascularly. Here, we present a series of patients treated with unconventional transcirculation techniques. METHODS: A total of six patients were treated: four patients with five aneurysms, one patient with an MCA stroke, and one patient with a meningioma requiring preoperative embolization were initially thought not to be amenable to endovascular treatment. The decision was made to treat these patients with transcirculation approaches. All patients were treated by one interventionist. One aneurysm was located in the cavernous internal carotid artery (ICA), one in the vertebral artery, two in the paraclinoid ICA, and one in a cerebellar AVM feeder vessel were treated. RESULTS: Five of six patients (83%) made a full neurologic recovery. Three aneurysms were treated to complete occlusion, one aneurysm was left with small residual neck filling, and one aneurysm was not able to be treated. One patient underwent mechanical thrombectomy of a middle cerebral artery (MCA) embolus and MCA filling was restored after treatment. One patient underwent complete embolization of the deep vascular supply of a meningioma. CONCLUSIONS: Although many neurovascular pathologies remain unsuitable for endovascular treatment, transcirculation approaches can allow for safe, successful treatment of challenging lesions in select patients

OBJETIVO: La variedad y la complejidad de las enfermedades neurovasculares tratadas con neurocirugía endovascular ha aumentado drásticamente en los últimos años. Muchos aneurismas continúan siendo difíciles de tratar de forma segura. Los enfoques de transcirculación (contralateral y/o retrógrada) a través del círculo de Willis son alternativas útiles para el tratamiento endovascular de lesiones difíciles. Presentamos una serie de casos de pacientes tratados con técnicas de transcirculación no convencionales. MÉTODOS: Se trató a un total de 6 pacientes que inicialmente se creía que no eran aptos para el tratamiento endovascular: 4 pacientes con 5 aneurismas, un paciente con un ictus de la arteria cerebral media (ACM) y un paciente con un meningioma que requería embolización preoperatoria. Se tomó la decisión de tratar a estos pacientes con métodos de transcirculación. Todos los pacientes fueron tratados por un solo especialista. Se localizaron y trataron un aneurisma en el segmento cavernoso de la arteria carótida interna (ACI), otro en la arteria vertebral, 2 en el segmento paraclinoideo de la ACI y otro en una malformación arteriovenosa cerebelosa de un vaso nutriente. RESULTADOS: Cinco de los 6 pacientes (83%) alcanzaron una recuperación neurológica completa. Se trataron 3 aneurismas hasta una oclusión completa, un aneurisma se dejó con un pequeño relleno de cuello residual y otro aneurisma no pudo ser tratado. Un paciente fue sometido a una trombectomía mecánica de un émbolo en la ACM y el relleno de la ACM se restauró después del tratamiento. Un paciente se sometió a embolización completa del riego vascular profundo de un meningioma. CONCLUSIONES: Aunque muchas enfermedades neurovasculares siguen sin ser adecuadas para el tratamiento endovascular, los enfoques de transcirculación pueden permitir el tratamiento seguro y exitoso de lesiones difíciles en pacientes seleccionados