Comparison of Pericranial Autograft and AlloDerm for Duraplasty in Patients With Type I Chiari Malformation: Retrospective Cohort Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pericranial autograft is a popular option for duraplasty during Chiari decompression with several theoretical advantages, but comparisons to other materials have yielded mixed results. OBJECTIVE: To compare outcomes between pericranial autograft and AlloDerm (BioHorizons). METHODS: Consecutive suboccipital craniectomies for patients with type I Chiari malformation (CM-I) over an 8-yr period at a single institution were identified. Exclusion criteria included revision surgeries and suboccipital decompressions without duraplasty. Outcomes included incisional cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage, length of stay (LOS), wound complication, aseptic meningitis, syrinx improvement, and symptomatic improvement. RESULTS: A total of 101 patients (70 females and 31 males) with a median (interquartile range) age of 17 yr (11-32) met the inclusion criteria. There were 51 (50%) patients who underwent duraplasty with pericranial autograft, and the remainder underwent duraplasty with AlloDerm. There were 9 (9%) patients who experienced a postoperative CSF leak. After adjusting for confounding factors, obesity (odds ratio [OR]: 4.69, 95% CI: 1.03-25.6) and use of AlloDerm (OR: 10.54, 95% CI: 1.7-206.12) were associated with CSF leak. Wound complication occurred in 8 (8%) patients but was not associated with graft type (P = .8). Graft type was not associated with LOS, syrinx improvement, or symptom improvement. Reoperations occurred in 10 patients with 4 in the autograft group and 6 in the AlloDerm group (P = .71). CONCLUSION: In patients with CM-I, expansile duraplasty with AlloDerm was associated with greater odds of CSF leakage than pericranial autograft. Obesity was also associated with increased odds of CSF leakage.

Synthesis of Halogenated Anilines by Treatment of N, N-Dialkylaniline N-Oxides with Thionyl Halides.

The special reactivity of N,N-dialkylaniline N-oxides allows practical and convenient access to electron-rich aryl halides. A complementary pair of reaction protocols allow for the selective para-bromination or ortho-chlorination of N,N-dialkylanilines in up to 69% isolated yield. The generation of a diverse array of halogenated anilines is made possible by a temporary oxidation level increase of N,N-dialkylanilines to the corresponding N,N-dialkylaniline N-oxides and the excision of the resultant weak N- O bond via treatment with thionyl bromide or thionyl chloride at low temperature.