Salvage craniotomy for treatment-refractory symptomatic cerebral radiation necrosis.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of symptomatic radiation necrosis (RN) has risen as radiotherapy is increasingly used to control brain tumor progression. Traditionally managed with steroids, symptomatic RN can remain refractory to medical treatment, requiring surgical intervention for control. The purpose of our study was to assess a single institution's experience with craniotomy for steroid-refractory pure RN. METHODS: The medical records of all tumor patients who underwent craniotomies at our institution from 2011 to 2016 were retrospectively reviewed for a history of preoperative radiotherapy or radiosurgery. RN was confirmed histopathologically and patients with active tumor were excluded. Preoperative, intraoperative, and outcome information was collected. Primary outcomes measured were postoperative KPS and time to steroid freedom. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients with symptomatic RN were identified. Gross total resection was achieved for all patients. Patients with metastases experienced an increase in KPS (80 vs 100, P < .001) and required a shortened course of dexamethasone vs patients with high-grade gliomas (3.4 vs 22.2 weeks, P = .003). RN control and neurological improvement at 13.3 months' follow-up were 100% and 66.7%, respectively. Adrenal insufficiency after rapidly tapering dexamethasone was the only morbidity (n = 1). Overall survival was 93.3% (14/15) at 1 year. CONCLUSION: In cases of treatment-refractory symptomatic RN, resection can lead to an overall improvement in postoperative health status and neurological outcomes with minimal RN recurrence. Craniotomy for surgically accessible RN can safely manage symptomatic patients, and future studies assessing the efficacy of resection vs bevacizumab may be warranted.

The Role of Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy in Surgical Neuro-Oncology: Series of 100 Consecutive Patients.

BACKGROUND: Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is an adjuvant treatment for intracranial lesions that are treatment refractory or in deep or eloquent brain. Initial studies of LITT in surgical neuro-oncology are limited in size and follow-up. OBJECTIVE: To present our series of LITT in surgical neuro-oncology to better evaluate procedural safety and outcomes. METHODS: An exploratory cohort study of all patients receiving LITT for brain tumors by a single senior neurosurgeon at a single center between 2013 and 2018. Primary outcomes included extent of ablation (EOA), time to recurrence (TTR), local control at 1-yr follow-up, and overall survival (OS). Secondary outcomes included complication rate. Outcomes were compared by tumor subtype. Predictors of outcomes were identified. RESULTS: A total of 91 patients underwent 100 LITT procedures; 61% remain alive with 72% local control at median 7.2 mo follow-up. Median TTR and OS were 31.9 and 16.9 mo, respectively. For lesion subtypes, median TTR (months, not applicable [N/A] if <50% rate observed), local control rates at 1-yr follow-up, and median OS (months) were the following: dural-based lesions (n = 4, N/A, 75%, 20.7), metastases (n = 45, 55.9, 77.4%, 16.9), newly diagnosed glioblastoma (n = 11, 31.9, 83.3%, 32.3), recurrent glioblastoma (n = 14, 5.6, 24.3%, 7.3), radiation necrosis (n = 20, N/A, 67.2%, 16.4), and other lesions (n = 6, 12.3, 80%, 24.4). TTR differed by tumor subtype (P = .02, log-rank analysis). EOA predicted local control (P = .009, multivariate proportional hazards regression); EOA > 85% predicted longer TTR (P = .006, log-rank analysis). Complication rate was 4%. CONCLUSION: Our series of LITT in surgical neuro-oncology, 1 of the largest to date, further evidences its safety and outcomes profile.

Diagnosis of primary central nervous system lymphoma: a systematic review of the utility of CSF screening and the role of early brain biopsy.

BACKGROUND: Because less-invasive techniques can obviate the need for brain biopsy in the diagnosis of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), it is common practice to wait for a thorough initial work-up, which may delay treatment. We conducted a systematic review and reviewed our own series of patients to define the role of LP and early brain biopsy in the diagnosis of PCNSL. METHODS: Our study was divided into 2 main sections: 1) systematic review assessing the sensitivity of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis on the diagnosis of PCNSL, and 2) a retrospective, single-center patient series assessing the diagnostic accuracy and safety of early biopsy in immunocompetent PCNSL patients treated at our institution from 2012 to 2018. RESULTS: Our systematic review identified 1481 patients with PCNSL. A preoperative LP obviated surgery in 7.4% of cases. Brain biopsy was the preferred method of diagnosis in 95% of patients followed by CSF (3.1%). In our institutional series, brain biopsy was diagnostic in 92.3% of cases (24/26) with 2 cases that required a second procedure for diagnosis. Perioperative morbidity was noted in 7.6% of cases (n = 2) due to hemorrhages after stereotactic brain biopsy that improved at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic yield of CSF analyses for PCNSL in immunocompetent patients remains exceedingly low. Our institutional series demonstrates that early biopsy for PCNSL is safe and accurate, and may avert protracted work-ups. We conclude that performing an early brain biopsy in a suspected case of PCNSL is a valid, safe option to minimize diagnostic delay.

Stimulated Raman histology for rapid and accurate intraoperative diagnosis of CNS tumors: prospective blinded study.

OBJECTIVE: In some centers where brain tumor surgery is performed, the opportunity for expert intraoperative neuropathology consultation is lacking. Consequently, surgeons may not have access to the highest quality diagnostic histological data to inform surgical decision-making. Stimulated Raman histology (SRH) is a novel technology that allows for rapid acquisition of diagnostic histological images at the bedside. METHODS: The authors performed a prospective blinded cohort study of 82 consecutive patients undergoing resection of CNS tumors to compare diagnostic time and accuracy of SRH simulation to the gold standard, i.e., frozen and permanent section diagnosis. Diagnostic accuracy was determined by concordance of SRH-simulated intraoperative pathology consultation with a blinded board-certified neuropathologist, with official frozen section and permanent section results. RESULTS: Overall, the mean time to diagnosis was 30.5 ± 13.2 minutes faster (p < 0.0001) for SRH simulation than for frozen section, with similar diagnostic correlation: 91.5% (κ = 0.834, p < 0.0001) between SRH simulation and permanent section, and 91.5% between frozen and permanent section (κ = 0.894, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: SRH-simulated intraoperative pathology consultation was significantly faster and equally accurate as frozen section.

Brain Tumor Surgery is Safe in Octogenarians and Nonagenarians: A Single-Surgeon 741 Patient Series.

OBJECTIVES: Elderly patients with surgically accessible brain tumors are often not offered clinically indicated brain tumor surgery (BTS) because of to assumptions of greater risk for perioperative morbidity and mortality. Because brain tumor incidence is highest in the geriatric population, and because the global population is aging, accurate understanding of BTS risk in elderly patients is critical. We aimed to compare safety of BTS in elderly patients with younger counterparts to better understand the risk-benefit profile of BTS for elderly patients. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of young (20-29 years), senior (60-79 years), and elderly (80+ years) patients who underwent BTS with a single neurosurgeon. Differences between pre- and postoperative modified Rankin score (ΔmRS), length of hospitalization (LOH), complication rate, and 30-day readmission rates (30DRR) were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 741 patients (83 elderly, 570 senior, and 88 young) were identified. No significant difference in preoperative mRS between different age groups, χ2 = 0.269, P = 0.874. Elderly complication rate was 6.0%, not significantly different from young (4.5%, P = 0.667) or senior (7.2%, P = 0.696) complication rate. Elderly LOH was 1.93 ± SD 0.176 days; not significantly different from young (3.01 ± 0.384 days, P = 0.081) or senior (2.47 ± 0.144 days, P = 0.881). Statistical equivalence testing showed with 95% confidence that there was equivalence in ΔmRS among age groups. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly patients did not have significantly different ΔmRS, LOH, 30DRR, or complication rates after BTS compared with younger counterparts. Therefore, in healthy patients, advanced age alone should not prevent patients from being offered BTS.

Machine Learning in Neuro-Oncology: Can Data Analysis From 5346 Patients Change Decision-Making Paradigms?

BACKGROUND: Machine learning (ML) is an application of artificial intelligence (AI) that gives computer systems the ability to learn data, without being explicitly programmed. Currently, ML has been successfully used for optical character recognition, spam filtering, and face recognition. The aim of the present study was to review the current applications of ML in the field of neuro-oncology. METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature review using the PubMed and Cochrane databases using a keyword search for January 30, 2000 to March 31, 2018. The data were clustered for neuro-oncology scope of ML into 3 categories: patient outcome predictors, imaging analysis, and gene expression. RESULTS: Data from 5346 patients in 29 studies were used to develop ML-based algorithms (MLBAs) in neuro-oncology. MLBAs were used to predict the outcomes for 2483 patients, with a sensitivity range of 78%-98% and specificity range of 76%-95%. In all studies, the MLBAs had greater accuracy than the conventional ones. MLBAs for image analysis showed accuracy in diagnosing low-grade versus high-grade gliomas, ranging from 80% to 93% and 90% for diagnosing high-grade glioma versus lymphoma. Seven studies used MLBAs to analyze gene expression in neuro-oncology. CONCLUSIONS: MLBAs in neuro-oncology have been shown to predict patients' outcomes more accurately than conventional parameters in a retrospective analysis. If their high diagnostic accuracy in imaging analysis and detection of somatic mutations are corroborated in prospective studies, the use of tissue diagnosis or liquid biopsy might be curtailed. Finally, MLBAs are promising to help guide targeted therapy, can lead to personalized medicine, and open areas of study in the cancer cellular signaling system, not otherwise known.

Perioperative Risk Factors for Thirty-Day Morbidity and Mortality in the Resection of Extradural Thoracic Spine Tumors.

OBJECTIVE: Resection of epidural thoracic spine tumors is uniquely challenging owing to the dangers posed by the surrounding anatomy and the unforgiving nature of the thoracic spinal cord. We assessed the preoperative and postoperative risk factors for 30-day morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing resection of these tumors. METHODS: Adults who underwent laminectomy for excision of thoracic spine tumors from 2011 to 2014 were included. The demographic data and medical comorbidities and major morbidities and mortalities within 30 postoperative days were collected and assessed using multivariate binary logistic analysis. RESULTS: The database search yielded 616 patients, of whom 232 (37.7%) were female. Overall, complications within 30 days of surgery occurred in 322 patients (52.3%). Of the 616 patients, 64 (10.4%) died within 30 days of surgery. Smoking history was associated with significantly greater 30-day morbidity (P = 0.019), as was preoperative anemia for females (P = 0.003) and preoperative hypoalbuminemia (P < 0.0001), with the need for preoperative blood transfusion also leading to greater morbidity (P = 0.001). The presence of preoperative dyspnea and congestive heart failure increased the risk of complications (P = 0.001). Preoperative hypoalbuminemia (odds ratio [OR], 3.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8-7.0), dependent functional status (OR, 3.6; 95% CI, 1.7-7.6), and bleeding disorder (OR, 7.1; 95% CI, 2.5-20.1) were significantly associated with 30-day mortality. Deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism, nonthrombotic pulmonary complications, and blood transfusions were common post- and perioperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: Excision of epidural thoracic spinal tumors carries a high complication rate. The present series has revealed distinct preoperative and postoperative factors that contribute to 30-day morbidity and mortality for tumors in this region, many of which are amenable to careful preoperative management.

The Effect of Parkinson's Disease on Patients Undergoing Lumbar Spine Surgery.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective Database Analysis. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess characteristics and outcomes of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) undergoing lumbar spine surgery for degenerative conditions. METHODS: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample was examined from 2002 to 2011. Patients were included for study based on ICD-9-CM procedural codes for lumbar spine surgery and substratified to degenerative diagnoses. Incidence and baseline patient characteristics were determined. Multivariable analysis was performed to determine independent risk factors increasing incidence of lumbar fusion revision in PD patients. RESULTS: PD patients account for 0.9% of all degenerative lumbar procedures. At baseline, PD patients are older (70.7 versus 58.9, p < 0.0001) and more likely to be male (58.6% male, p < 160.0001). Mean length of stay (LOS) was increased in PD patients undergoing lumbar fusion (5.1 days versus 4.0 days, p < 0.0001) and lumbar fusion revision (6.2 days versus 4.8 days, p < 180.0001). Costs were 7.9% (p < 0.0001) higher for lumbar fusion and 25.2% (p < 0.0001) higher for lumbar fusion revision in PD patients. Multivariable analysis indicates that osteoporosis, fluid/electrolyte disorders, blood loss anemia, and insurance status are significant independent predictors of lumbar fusion revision in patients with PD. CONCLUSION: PD patients undergoing lumbar surgery for degenerative conditions have increased LOS and costs when compared to patients without PD.

Risk Factors for Thirty-Day Morbidity and Mortality in Extradural Lumbar Spine Tumor Resection.

BACKGROUND: Epidural tumors in the lumbar spine represent a unique cohort of lesions with individual risks and challenges to resection. Knowledge of modifiable risk factors are important in minimizing postoperative complications. OBJECTIVE: To determine the risk factors for 30-day morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing extradural lumbar tumor resection. METHODS: A retrospective study of prospectively collected data using the American College of Surgeons National Quality Improvement Program database was performed. Adults who underwent laminectomy for excision of lumbar spine tumors between 2011 and 2014 were included in the study. Demographics and medical comorbidities were collected, along with morbidities and mortalities within 30 postoperative days. A multivariate binary logistic analysis of these clinical variables was performed to determine covariates of morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: The database search yielded 300 patients, of whom 118 (39.3%) were female. Overall, complications within 30 days of surgery occurred in 102 (34%) patients. Significant risk factors for morbidity included preoperative anemia (P < 0.0001), the need for preoperative blood transfusion (P = 0.034), preoperative hypoalbuminemia (P = 0.002), American Society of Anesthesiologists score 3 or 4 (P = 0.0002), and operative time >4 hours (P < 0.0001). Thirty-day mortality occurred in 15 (5%) patients and was independently associated with preoperative anemia (odds ratio 3.4, 95% confidence interval 1.8-6.5) and operative time >4 hours (odds ratio 2.6, 95% confidence interval 1.1-6.0). CONCLUSIONS: Excision of epidural lumbar spinal tumors carries a relatively high complication rate. This series reveals distinct risk factors that contribute to 30-day morbidity and mortality, which may be optimized preoperatively to improve surgical safety.

Optical Coherence Tomography in the Management of Skull Base Fibrous Dysplasia with Optic Nerve Involvement.

BACKGROUND: Fibrous dysplasia (FD) of the skull base can manifest with optic nerve compression. As most patients initially do not experience vision loss, controversy exists whether to proceed with prophylactic surgical decompression or elect for conservative observation. Optical coherence tomography (OCT), a physiologic imaging modality widely used to assess the condition of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), has been useful in monitoring compressive tumors on the optic nerve. This study evaluated potential use of OCT in management of patients with fibrous dysplasia and optic nerve involvement. METHODS: Six patients with suspected optic nerve compression who underwent OCT imaging as part of a neuro-ophthalmic examination were reviewed over a 2-year period. Patient records were evaluated for visual examination measures, most notably the presence of optic neuropathy, and radiographic measures on computed tomography. Measures were compared by age-adjusted RNFL thickness (above or below fifth percentile) on OCT imaging. RESULTS: Two patients were found to have mild optic neuropathy in 1 eye each. Three of 12 eyes fell below the age-adjusted fifth percentile of RNFL thickness. Presence of optic neuropathy was associated with abnormal age-adjusted RNFL thickness but not with optic nerve compression (P = 0.45). CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal RNFL thickness as measured by OCT better predicted the presence of optic neuropathy than computed tomography alone. OCT may be a valuable imaging modality to monitor patients with fibrous dysplasia for development of optic neuropathy during periods of conservative watchful waiting.

A step-down unit transfer protocol for low-risk aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE Patients who have experienced subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) often receive care in the setting of the ICU. However, SAH patients may not all require extended ICU admission. The authors established a protocol on January 1, 2015, to transfer select, low-risk patients to a step-down unit (SDU) to streamline care for SAH patients. This study describes the results of the implemented protocol. METHODS In this retrospective chart review, patients presenting with SAH between January 2011 and September 2016 were reviewed for inclusion. The control group consisted of patients admitted prior to establishment of the SDU transfer protocol, while the intervention group consisted of patients admitted afterward. RESULTS Of the patients in the intervention group, 79.2% (57/72) were transferred to the SDU during their admission. Of these transferred patients, 29.8% (17/57) required return to the neurosurgical ICU (NSICU). There were no instances of morbidity or mortality directly related to care in the SDU. Patients in the intervention group had a mean reduced NSICU length of stay, by 1.95 days, which trended toward significance, and a longer average hospitalization, by 2.7 days, which also trended toward significance. In-hospital mortality and 90-day readmission rate were not statistically different between the groups. In addition, early transfer timing prior to 7 days was associated with neither a higher return rate to the NSICU nor higher 90-day readmission rate. CONCLUSIONS In this retrospective study, the authors demonstrated that the transfer protocol was safe, feasible, and effective in reducing the ICU length of stay and was independent of transfer timing. Confirmation of these results is needed in a large, multicenter study.

Contemporary spinal oncology treatment paradigms and outcomes for metastatic tumors to the spine: A systematic review of breast, prostate, renal, and lung metastases.

Metastatic spinal disease most frequently arises from carcinomas of the breast, lung, prostate, and kidney. Management of spinal metastases (SpM) is controversial in the literature. Recent studies advocate more aggressive surgical resection than older studies which called for radiation therapy alone, challenging previously held beliefs in conservative therapy. A literature search of the PubMed database was performed for spinal oncology outcome studies published in the English language between 2006 and 2016. Data concerning study characteristics, patient demographics, tumor origin and spinal location, treatment paradigm, and median survival were collected. The search retrieved 220 articles, 24 of which were eligible to be included. There were overall 3457 patients. Nine studies of 1723 patients discussed parameters affecting median survival time with comparison of different primary cancers. All studies found that primary cancer significantly predicted survival. Median survival time was highest for primary breast and renal cancers and lowest for prostate and lung cancers, respectively. Multiple spinal metastases, a cervical location of metastasis, and pathologic fracture each had no significant influence on survival. Survival in metastatic spinal tumors is largely driven by primary tumor type, and this should influence palliative management decisions. Surgery has been shown to greatly increase quality of life in patients who can tolerate the procedure, even in those previously treated with radiotherapy. Surgery for SpM can be used as first-line therapy for preservation of function and symptom relief. Future studies of management of SpM are warranted and primary tumor diagnosis should be studied to determine contribution to survival.

Academic Productivity of US Neurosurgery Residents as Measured by H-Index: Program Ranking with Correlation to Faculty Productivity.

Engagement in research and academic productivity are crucial components in the training of a neurosurgeon. This process typically begins in residency training. In this study, we analyzed individual resident productivity as it correlated to publications across all Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited neurosurgery training programs in an attempt to identify how programs have developed and fostered a research culture and environment. We obtained a list of current neurosurgery residents in ACGME-accredited programs from the American Association of Neurological Surgeons database. An expanded PubMed and Scopus search was conducted for each resident through the present time. We tabulated all articles attributed to each resident. We then categorized the publications based on each neurosurgical subspecialty while in residency. A spreadsheet-based statistical analysis was performed. This formulated the average number of resident articles, h-indices, and most common subspecialty categories by training program. We analyzed 1352 current neurosurgery residents in 105 programs. There were a total of 10 645 publications, of which 3985 were resident first-author publications during the period of study. The most common subspecialties among all resident publications were vascular (24.9%), spine (16.9%), oncology (16.1%), pediatric (5.6%), functional (4.9%), and trauma (3.8%). The average resident published 2.9 first-author papers with average of 38.0 first-author publications by total residents at each program (range 0-241). The average h-index per resident is 2.47 ± 3.25. When comparing previously published faculty h-index program rankings against our resident h-index rankings, there is a strong correlation between the 2 datasets with a clear delineation between Top-20 productivity and that of other programs (average h-index 4.2 vs 1.7, respectively, P < .001). Increasing program size leads to a clear increase in academic productivity on both the resident and faculty level (average h-index 1.6, 1.9, 3.9 for 1, 2, and 3 resident per year programs, respectively, P < .001). Resident first-author publications correlated with recently described academic departmental productivity. Subspecialty resident publications are highest in cerebrovascular surgery. Resident research and publication is a key metric for assessing the productivity of academic neurosurgery programs and is consistent with one of the core foci of neurosurgical training.

Day of Surgery Impacts Outcome: Rehabilitation Utilization on Hospital Length of Stay in Patients Undergoing Elective Meningioma Resection.

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: Meningiomas account for approximately one third of all brain tumors in the United States. In high-volume medical centers, the average length of stay (LOS) for a patient is 6.8 days compared with 8.8 days in low-volume centers with median total admission charges equaling approximately $55,000. To our knowledge, few studies have evaluated day of surgery and its effect on hospital LOS. Our primary goal was to analyze patient outcome as a direct result of surgical date, as well as to characterize the individual variables that may impact their hospital course, early access to rehabilitation, and long-term functional status. METHODS: A retrospective database was generated for cranial meningioma patients who underwent elective surgical resection at our institution over a 3-year study period (2011-2014). Inclusion criteria included any patient who underwent elective meningioma resection and was discharged either home or to a rehabilitation facility with at least 6 months of follow-up. Exclusion criteria included any patient who was not discharged after resection (i.e., expired). Each patient's medical record was evaluated for a subset of demographics and clinical variables. Given that patients who undergo surgical resection of meningiomas have a national median LOS of 6 days, we subdivided the patients into 2 cohorts: early discharge (LOS < 3) and late discharge (LOS ≥ 3). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 21.0 to assess the significance of the results. RESULTS: We identified 139 (25 male, 114 female) meningioma patients who underwent surgical resection. Seventy of these patients had surgery during the early week (defined as Monday-Wednesday), and 69 had surgery in the later week (Thursday-Friday). The median age for both early and late groups was 58, and the median diameter of the tumor was 3.1 cm and 3.3 cm, respectively. Overall, 55% of the patients had public insurance and 43% had private insurance, with no significant variation between the early and late groups. The median LOS for the early and late populations was 3 and 4 days, respectively. Physical therapy recommendations for rehabilitation facility were made in 26% of early-week patients and in 42% of late-week patients. Additionally, we found a statistically significant decreased LOS (<3 days) in those patients who underwent surgery during the early week (Monday-Wednesday), as opposed to those who received surgery in the later week (Thursday, Friday) (P = 0.045, Mann-Whitney test). CONCLUSION: Day of surgery may play a significant role in LOS for meningioma patients. Clinicians should remain aware of those factors that may delay optimal patient discharge and early access to rehabilitation facilities. Further studies will need to be performed to assess the social variables that may affect LOS, as well as the financial implications for such extended hospital courses.

Impact of Neurosurgery Medical Student Research Grants on Neurosurgery Residency Choice.

BACKGROUND: Recent decades have seen a rapid expansion of involvement of medical students in biomedical research during medical school training. Research within medical school has been shown to influence medical students with regard to medical knowledge, career development, and residency specialty choice. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of neurosurgery medical student research grants on neurosurgery residency choice and provide an insight on the demographics of grant awardees. METHODS: In this retrospective study, a search of award recipients was performed using data available on the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, and Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation websites. Searched years included the first cycle of American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation (2007) and Council of State Neurosurgical Societies/Congress of Neurological Surgeons (2008-2009) grant awards until the 2015-2016 cycle, which is the latest award cycle to date. RESULTS: The initial search yielded 163 research grants that were awarded to 158 students between the years of 2007 and 2016. Among the 163 grant recipients, 126 (77.3%) were men. Among the 88 recipients who entered postgraduate residency programs, 51% (45 of 88) matched into neurosurgery residency. When considering both neurosurgery and neurology residency programs, the percentage increased to 59.1% (52 of 88). CONCLUSIONS: Neurosurgery grants for medical students are highly successful in producing future neurosurgeons with >50% of grant recipients matched into neurosurgery. Women are underrepresented in neurosurgery grants and neurosurgery residency programs. This situation can be improved by providing insight about the field early in medical school, perhaps through increased use of neurosurgery medical student grants.

Neurosurgical Skills Assessment: Measuring Technical Proficiency in Neurosurgery Residents Through Intraoperative Video Evaluations.

OBJECTIVES: Although technical skills are fundamental in neurosurgery, there is little agreement on how to describe, measure, or compare skills among surgeons. The primary goal of this study was to develop a quantitative grading scale for technical surgical performance that distinguishes operator skill when graded by domain experts (residents, attendings, and nonsurgeons). Scores provided by raters should be highly reliable with respect to scores from other observers. METHODS: Neurosurgery residents were fitted with a head-mounted video camera while performing craniotomies under attending supervision. Seven videos, 1 from each postgraduate year (PGY) level (1-7), were anonymized and scored by 16 attendings, 8 residents, and 7 nonsurgeons using a grading scale. Seven skills were graded: incision, efficiency of instrument use, cauterization, tissue handling, drilling/craniotomy, confidence, and training level. RESULTS: A strong correlation was found between skills score and PGY year (P < 0.001, analysis of variance). Junior residents (PGY 1-3) had significantly lower scores than did senior residents (PGY 4-7, P < 0.001, t test). Significant variation among junior residents was observed, and senior residents' scores were not significantly different from one another. Interrater reliability, measured against other observers, was high (r = 0.581 ± 0.245, Spearman), as was assessment of resident training level (r = 0.583 ± 0.278, Spearman). Both variables were strongly correlated (r = 0.90, Pearson). Attendings, residents, and nonsurgeons did not score differently (P = 0.46, analysis of variance). CONCLUSIONS: Technical skills of neurosurgery residents recorded during craniotomy can be measured with high interrater reliability. Surgeons and nonsurgeons alike readily distinguish different skill levels. This type of assessment could be used to coach residents, to track performance over time, and potentially to compare skill levels. Developing an objective tool to evaluate surgical performance would be useful in several areas of neurosurgery education.

Surgical limitations in convexity meningiomas en-plaque: Is radical resection necessary?

Meningiomas-en-plaque (MEP) comprise 2.5% of all meningiomas. While they typically arise in the sphenoid wing, convexity MEP are comparatively rare and are often confused with meningeal sarcoidosis, osteoma, tuberculoma, or fibrous dysplasia, with very little information published in the literature. We conducted a literature review on PubMed of English-only articles using a keyword search. All studies that described reports of convexity MEP were reviewed for patient demographics, presenting symptoms, radiological reports, surgical management, recurrence rates, histopathological presentation, post-operative complications, and follow-up. This resulted in 12 papers comprising 22 cases of convexity MEP. Seventeen (77%) of the 22 patients were female with an average age of 53.2years. Intitial presenting symptoms included headache in 12/20 (60%), hemiparesis in 5/20 (25%), and visual symptoms in 1/20 (5%). Of the 14 patients who underwent surgical resection, only four were reported as gross total resection. Twelve reports had associated pathology reports, with all 12 tumors graded as World Health Organization Grade I. Convexity MEP, while rare, present a challenge with regard to correct diagnosis and subsequent resection. The easier accessibility of these meningiomas predicts higher surgical success rates and incidence of total resection, though care must be taken to ensure gross total removal of tumor, dural attachments, and any overlying hyperostotic bone. Though hyperostosis is frequently observed with this variant of meningioma, it is neither exclusive nor wholly indicative of MEP. Due to its rarity in both clinical practice and the literature, further studies are warranted to identify modern imaging means to correctly diagnose this condition.

The historical origin of the term "meningioma" and the rise of nationalistic neurosurgery.

The historical origin of the meningioma nomenclature unravels interesting social and political aspects about the development of neurosurgery in the late 19th century. The meningioma terminology itself was the subject of nationalistic pride and coincided with the advancement in the rise of medicine in Continental Europe as a professional social enterprise. Progress in naming and understanding these types of tumor was most evident in the nations that successively assumed global leadership in medicine and biomedical science throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, that is, France, Germany, and the United States. In this vignette, the authors delineate the uniqueness of the term "meningioma" as it developed within the historical framework of Continental European concepts of tumor genesis, disease states, and neurosurgery as an emerging discipline culminating in Cushing's Meningiomas text. During the intellectual apogee of the French Enlightenment, Antoine Louis published the first known scientific treatise on meningiomas. Like his father, Jean-Baptiste Louis, Antoine Louis was a renowned military surgeon whose accomplishments were honored with an admission to the Académie royale de chirurgie in 1749. His treatise, Sur les tumeurs fongueuses de la duremère, appeared in 1774. Following this era, growing economic depression affecting a frustrated bourgeoisie triggered a tumultuous revolutionary period that destroyed France's Ancien Régime and abolished its university and medical systems. The resulting anarchy was eventually quelled through legislation aiming to satisfy Napoleon's need for qualified military professionals, including physicians and surgeons. These laws laid the foundations for the subsequent flourishing of French medicine throughout the mid-19th century. Subsequent changes to the meningioma nomenclature were authored by intellectual giants of this postrevolutionary period, for example, by the Limogesborn pathologist Jean Cruveilhier known for the term "tumeurs cancéreuses de la duremère," and the work of histopathologists, such as Hermann Lebert, who were influenced by Pasteur's germ theory and by Bernard's experimental medicine. The final development of the meningioma nomenclature corresponded to the rise of American neurosurgery as a formal academic discipline. This historical period of growth is chronicled in Cushing's text Meningiomas, and it set the scientific stage for the modern developments in meningioma research and surgery that are conducted and employed today.

Application of Ultrahigh Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Treatment of Brain Tumors: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the imaging modality of choice for the clinical management of brain tumors, and the majority of scanners operate with static magnetic field strengths of 1.5 or 3.0 Tesla (T). During the past decade, ultrahigh field (UHF) MRI has been investigated for its clinical applicability. This meta-analysis evaluates studies pertaining to the application of UHF MRI to patients with brain tumors. METHODS: The authors performed a systematic review of the literature. Articles relating to application of UHF MRI to brain anatomy and brain tumors with living subjects were included. Studies were grouped into 1 of 3 categories based on area of focus: "Anatomical Structures Involved with Brain Tumors," "Tumor characterization," and "Treatment Monitoring." Comparison studies with extractable outcomes measure data were analyzed for performance of UHF MRI versus clinical field strengths (1.5 T and 3 T). RESULTS: Twenty-four studies (361 subjects) met inclusion criteria. The field of study was heterogeneous and rigorous statistical analysis was not possible. Overall, 279 patients with brain tumors scanned at UHF MRI have been reported. Of these, glioma and glioblastoma multiforme are the most commonly studied lesions (38.9% and 24.4%, respectively). In comparison studies between UHF MRI and clinical field strengths, 24 of 51 patients had outcome measures that were better with UHF MRI, 17 of 24 were equivalent at both field strengths, and 9 were worse at UHF MRI. The most common causes of a worse performance were susceptibility artifacts and magnetic field inhomogeneities (3 of 9). Imaging of the pituitary gland, pineal gland veins, cranial nerves, and tumor microvasculature were all shown to be feasible. CONCLUSIONS: UHF MRI shows promise to improve detection and characterization of brain tumors, preoperative planning for neurosurgical resection, and longitudinal monitoring of the effects of radiation and antibody-based therapies. Technical innovations are needed to overcome field inhomogeneity and susceptibility artifacts in certain regions of the skull. Finally, larger studies comparing 1.5 T, 3.0 T, and 7.0 T or greater will determine whether UHF MRI gains acceptance as a clinical standard.