Genomic analysis of human brain metastases treated with stereotactic radiosurgery reveals unique signature based on treatment failure.

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has been shown to be efficacious for the treatment of limited brain metastasis (BM); however, the effects of SRS on human brain metastases have yet to be studied. We performed genomic analysis on resected brain metastases from patients whose resected lesion was previously treated with SRS. Our analyses demonstrated for the first time that patients possess a distinct genomic signature based on type of treatment failure including local failure, leptomeningeal spread, and radio-necrosis. Examination of the center and peripheral edge of the tumors treated with SRS indicated differential DNA damage distribution and an enrichment for tumor suppressor mutations and DNA damage repair pathways along the peripheral edge. Furthermore, the two clinical modalities used to deliver SRS, LINAC and GK, demonstrated differential effects on the tumor landscape even between controlled primary sites. Our study provides, in human, biological evidence of differential effects of SRS across BM's.

Nail-plate Combination Treatment of Ipsilateral Humeral Shaft and Distal Humerus Fractures - A Case Report.

Introduction: Humeral shaft and distal humerus fractures have several different treatment options, including plate fixation and intramedullary nailing. Each has its own benefits, but typically, they are not used in conjunction. While nail-plate combinations (NPCs) have become more common in the lower extremity, literature on their use in upper extremity fractures remains scarce. Case Report: A 74-year-old right-hand dominant male presented after a fall with a closed left transverse midshaft humerus fracture and an associated supracondylar distal humerus fracture with intercondylar extension through a medial column. Due to the segmental nature of his injury, medial column plating was used in conjunction with a retrograde intramedullary nail to obtain anatomic reduction and fixation of the articular injury while stabilizing the midshaft humerus fracture with minimal soft tissue disruption. The patient was recommended non-weight bearing through his left arm for 6 weeks, at which point he returned to weight bearing as tolerated. He was allowed to range his left elbow after 2 weeks. His left elbow range of motion at the 4-month follow-up was 20-135 degrees, and he reported minimal pain. Conclusion: The retrograde NPC should be considered in segmental humeral fractures involving the distal articular surface and midshaft humerus fractures as it limits violation of the soft tissue while avoiding iatrogenic disruption of the articular surface at the shoulder or elbow.

Trial of Early Minimally Invasive Removal of Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Trials of surgical evacuation of supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhages have generally shown no functional benefit. Whether early minimally invasive surgical removal would result in better outcomes than medical management is not known. METHODS: In this multicenter, randomized trial involving patients with an acute intracerebral hemorrhage, we assessed surgical removal of the hematoma as compared with medical management. Patients who had a lobar or anterior basal ganglia hemorrhage with a hematoma volume of 30 to 80 ml were assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, within 24 hours after the time that they were last known to be well, to minimally invasive surgical removal of the hematoma plus guideline-based medical management (surgery group) or to guideline-based medical management alone (control group). The primary efficacy end point was the mean score on the utility-weighted modified Rankin scale (range, 0 to 1, with higher scores indicating better outcomes, according to patients' assessment) at 180 days, with a prespecified threshold for posterior probability of superiority of 0.975 or higher. The trial included rules for adaptation of enrollment criteria on the basis of hemorrhage location. A primary safety end point was death within 30 days after enrollment. RESULTS: A total of 300 patients were enrolled, of whom 30.7% had anterior basal ganglia hemorrhages and 69.3% had lobar hemorrhages. After 175 patients had been enrolled, an adaptation rule was triggered, and only persons with lobar hemorrhages were enrolled. The mean score on the utility-weighted modified Rankin scale at 180 days was 0.458 in the surgery group and 0.374 in the control group (difference, 0.084; 95% Bayesian credible interval, 0.005 to 0.163; posterior probability of superiority of surgery, 0.981). The mean between-group difference was 0.127 (95% Bayesian credible interval, 0.035 to 0.219) among patients with lobar hemorrhages and -0.013 (95% Bayesian credible interval, -0.147 to 0.116) among those with anterior basal ganglia hemorrhages. The percentage of patients who had died by 30 days was 9.3% in the surgery group and 18.0% in the control group. Five patients (3.3%) in the surgery group had postoperative rebleeding and neurologic deterioration. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients in whom surgery could be performed within 24 hours after an acute intracerebral hemorrhage, minimally invasive hematoma evacuation resulted in better functional outcomes at 180 days than those with guideline-based medical management. The effect of surgery appeared to be attributable to intervention for lobar hemorrhages. (Funded by Nico; ENRICH ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02880878.).

Management of Fallopian Canal Spontaneous CSF Leaks, Implications of Elevated Intracranial Pressure: Case Report and Systematic Review of the Literature.

OBJECTIVES: Describe the diagnosis and management of a spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak (sCSF-L) through the facial nerve fallopian canal and determine the role of intracranial hypertension (IH). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case study and systematic review of the literature. METHODS: Reviewed patient characteristics, radiographic findings, and management of the facial nerve canal CSF leak and postoperative IH. Conducted systematic literature review according to the PRISMA guidelines for surgical management and rates of IH. RESULTS: A 50-year-old female with bilateral tegmen defects and temporal encephaloceles underwent left middle cranial fossa (MCF) repair. Intraoperative CSF egressed from the temporal bone tegmen defects. Facial nerve decompression revealed CSF leak from the labyrinthine segment. A nonocclusive temporalis muscle plug was placed in the fallopian canal, and tegmen repair was completed with bone cement. A ventriculoperitoneal shunt was placed for IH. Postoperative facial nerve function and hearing were normal. A total of 20 studies met inclusion criteria with a total of 25 unique patients. Of 13 total adult cases of fallopian canal CSF leak, there is a 46% recurrence rate, and 86% of patients had documented IH when tested. CONCLUSIONS: Fallopian canal CSF leaks are rare and challenging to manage. Assessment of intracranial hypertension and CSF diversion is recommended along with MCF skull base repair to preserve facial nerve function and conductive hearing.

Dosimetric Impact of Source Displacement in GammaTile Surgically Targeted Radiation Therapy for Gliomas.

Background This study aims to evaluate dosimetric changes that happened during the first month after GammaTile surgically targeted radiation therapy (STaRT) for gliomas due to Cesium-131 (Cs-131) seed displacement caused by cavity shrinkage in brain brachytherapy. Methodology In this study, 10 glioma patients had 4-11 GammaTiles placed along the resection bed after maximal safe resection during craniotomy. Each GammaTile is composed of four Cs-131 seeds embedded in a biodegradable collagen sponge to minimize seed movement and maintain seed-to-cavity surface distance. The Cs-131 seed positions were identified using VariSeed on day one. On day 30, post-implant computed tomography (CT) images and dosimetry parameters were calculated. An iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm was used to compute rigid transformation between the day one and day 30 seed clouds. The seed displacement was calculated after registration. The volume receiving 100% of the prescription dose (V100), the dose received by 90% of the planning target volume (D90_PTV), the planning target volume receiving 100% of the prescription dose (V100_PTV), and the dose to organs at risk (OARs) were calculated for both CT images to determine the dosimetric changes from any seed displacement. Results The mean seed displacement of 1.8 ± 1.0 mm for all patients was observed between day one and day 30. The maximum seed displacement for each patient ranged from 2.3 mm to 7.3 mm. The mean V100 difference between day one and day 30 was 2.5 cc (range = 0.5-6.5 cc). The mean D90_PTVs were 95.5% (range = 69.0%-131.0%) and 98.1% (range = 19.9%-149.0%) on day one and day 30, respectively. The mean V100_PTVs were 88.4% (range = 81.3%-99.1%) and 87.9% (range = 47.0%-99.7%) on day one and day 30, respectively. On day one, the brainstem dose was 63.5 Gy for one case and 28.1 Gy for another case; while on day 30, the brainstem dose was 55.8 Gy and 20.6 Gy for the same patients, contributing to 7.7 Gy (12.8%) and 7.5 Gy (12.5%) dose reductions to brainstem for these patients, respectively. Only two patients received a dose to the optic nerves (34.1 Gy and 5.2 Gy). There were small changes (1.8 Gy and 0.5 Gy, respectively) in the dose to optic nerves when comparing the dose calculated on day one and the dose calculated on day 30 CT images. The same two patients received 30.4 Gy and 6.8 Gy to the chiasm, respectively. Small changes in the dose to the chiasm (≤1.1 Gy) were noted between day one and day 30. Conclusions A maximum seed displacement of up to 7.3 mm and a mean seed displacement of 1.8 mm caused by cavity shrinkage were observed during the first month after GammaTile STaRT for gliomas. There were noticeable changes in dosimetry parameters. Changes in the doses to OARs, particularly the brainstem, were large (up to 12.8% of the prescription dose). These changes in dosimetry should be considered when evaluating treatment outcomes and planning future GammaTile treatments.

Genomic Analysis of Human Brain Metastases Treated with Stereotactic Radiosurgery Under the Phase-II Clinical Trial (NCT03398694) Reveals DNA Damage Repair at the Peripheral Tumor Edge.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) is one of the leading treatment modalities for oligo brain metastasis (BM), however no comprehensive genomic data assessing the effect of radiation on BM in humans exist. Leveraging a unique opportunity, as part of the clinical trial (NCT03398694), we collected post-SRS, delivered via Gamma-knife or LINAC, tumor samples from core and peripheral-edges of the resected tumor to characterize the genomic effects of overall SRS as well as the SRS delivery modality. Using these rare patient samples, we show that SRS results in significant genomic changes at DNA and RNA levels throughout the tumor. Mutations and expression profiles of peripheral tumor samples indicated interaction with surrounding brain tissue as well as elevated DNA damage repair. Central samples show GSEA enrichment for cellular apoptosis while peripheral samples carried an increase in tumor suppressor mutations. There are significant differences in the transcriptomic profile at the periphery between Gamma-knife vs LINAC.

The Use and Effectiveness of Ceftazidime-Avibactam in Real-World Clinical Practice: EZTEAM Study.

INTRODUCTION: Ceftazidime-avibactam has proven activity against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in clinical trials and real-world studies. This study was conducted to describe the patterns of use of ceftazidime-avibactam (including indications and associated antibiotics), and the effectiveness and safety of ceftazidime-avibactam in real-world clinical practice. METHODS: This non-interventional medical chart review study was conducted in 11 countries across the European and Latin American (LATAM) regions. Consecutive patients treated in clinical practice with at least one dose of ceftazidime-avibactam for an approved indication per country label since 01 January 2018 (or launch date in the country if posterior) were enrolled. Effectiveness analyses were conducted in patients treated with ceftazidime-avibactam for at least 72 h. RESULTS: Of the 569 eligible patients enrolled, 516 (90.7%) were treated for at least 72 h (354 patients from Europe and 162 patients from LATAM); 390 patients (75.7%) had switched from another antibiotic line for Gram-negative coverage. Infection sources were intra-abdominal, urinary, respiratory, bloodstream infections, and other infections (approximately 20% each). K. pneumoniae was the most common microorganism identified in the latest microbiological evaluation before starting ceftazidime-avibactam (59.3%). Two-thirds of microorganisms tested for susceptibility were MDR, of which 89.3% were carbapenem-resistant. The common MDR mechanisms for K. pneumoniae were carbapenemase (33.9%), oxacillinase 48 (25.2%), extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (21.5%), or metallo-beta-lactamase (14.2%) production. Without prior patient exposure, 17 isolates (mostly K. pneumoniae) were resistant to ceftazidime-avibactam. Treatment success was achieved in 77.3% of patients overall (88.3% among patients with urinary infection), regardless of first or second treatment line. In-hospital mortality rate was 23.1%. Adverse events were reported for six of the 569 patients enrolled. CONCLUSION: This study provides important real-world evidence on treatment patterns, effectiveness, and safety of ceftazidime-avibactam in clinical practice through its recruitment in the European and LATAM regions. Ceftazidime-avibactam is one of the antibiotics to consider for treatment of MDR bacteria. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT03923426.

Facial Nerve Preservation With Inferior Long-Axis Dissection of Large Vestibular Schwannomas.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a tumor resection using the inferior long-axis (ILA) technique for cisternal facial nerve dissection in large vestibular schwannomas (VS). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case series from 2018 to 2021. SETTING: Tertiary academic medical center. PATIENTS: Patients who underwent surgical resection with ILA facial nerve dissection of VS (>2.0 cm measured parallel to the petrous ridge) and had at least 3-month follow-up. INTERVENTIONS: Cisternal facial nerve dissection during retrosigmoid or translabyrinthine approach using standardized ILA technique developed by author R.N. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Immediate postoperative and last follow-up facial nerve function with House-Brackmann scores of I to II defined as "good" facial nerve function and House-Brackmann scores III to VI defined as "poor" function. Extent of resection was also assessed. RESULTS: A total of 48 patients underwent large VS resection with ILA dissection of tumor off of the facial nerve from 2018 to 2021. Mean (standard deviation) tumor size was 3.11 (0.76) cm. Mean (standard deviation) follow-up was 9.2 (9.0) months. Gross-total resection or near-total resection were achieved in 75% (radiographic estimate) to 83% (surgeon estimate) of cases. End-of-case facial nerve stimulation at 0.05 mAmp with a response of at least 240 mV was achieved in 80.4% of patients. Good facial nerve function was observed in 72% immediately postoperatively, 70% 1-month postoperatively, and 82% of patients at last follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The ILA technique is now the method of choice of the senior surgeon (R.N.) when performing microsurgical dissection of the cisternal facial nerve, with which he has achieved high rates of total or near-total resection with excellent facial nerve preservation.

Evaluation of the Posterior Tilt Angle in Predicting Failure of Nondisplaced Femoral Neck Fractures After Internal Fixation: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the posterior tilt angle (PTA) in predicting treatment failure after internal fixation of nondisplaced femoral neck fractures as graded by the Garden classification, which is based solely on anterior-posterior radiographic evaluation. DATA SOURCES: A search was conducted of all published literature in the following databases from inception to December 20, 2021: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, and ClinicalTrials.gov . STUDY SELECTION: We included English-language randomized controlled trials, prospective and retrospective cohort studies that reported malunion/nonunion, avascular necrosis, fixation failure, or reoperations in patients with nondisplaced femoral neck fractures treated with internal fixation who were evaluated for PTA using either lateral radiograph or computed tomography. DATA EXTRACTION: All abstract, screening, and quality appraisal was conducted independently by 2 authors. Data from included studies were extracted manually and summarized. The Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies criteria was used for quality appraisal. DATA SYNTHESIS: Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated for treatment failure, defined as nonunion/malunion, avascular necrosis, fixation failure, or reoperation, in cases involving preoperative PTA ≥20-degrees and <20-degrees. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Nondisplaced femoral neck fractures with PTA >20-degrees had a 24% rate of treatment failure compared with 12% for those <20-degrees [odds ratios, 3.21 (95% confidence intervals, 1.95-5.28); P < 0.001]. CONCLUSION: PTA is a predictor of treatment failure in nondisplaced femoral neck fractures treated with internal fixation. Nondisplaced femoral neck fractures with a PTA >20-degrees may warrant alternative treatment modalities. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

GammaTile for Gliomas: A Single-Center Case Series.

GammaTile® (GT Medical Technologies, Tempe, Arizona) is a surgically targeted radiation source, approved by FDA for brachytherapy in primary and secondary brain neoplasms. Each GammaTile is composed of a collagen sponge with four seeds of cesium 131 and is particularly useful in recurrent tumors. We report our early experience in seven patients with recurrent gliomas to assess this type of brachytherapy with particular attention to ease of use, complication, and surgical planning. This study represents a retrospective chart review of surgical use and early clinical outcomes of GammaTile in recurrent gliomas. The number of tiles was planned using pre-operative imaging and dosimetry was planned based on post-operative imaging. Patients were followed during their hospital stay and were followed up after discharge. Parameters such as case length, resection extent, complication, ICU length of stay (LOS), hospital LOS, pre-operative Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), immediate post-operative GCS, post-operative imaging findings, recurrence at follow-up, length of follow-up, and dosimetry were collected in a retrospective manner. Seven patients were identified that met the inclusion criteria. Two patients were diagnosed with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), one lower-grade glioma that recurred as a GBM, one GBM that recurred as a gliosarcoma, and two recurrent oligodendrogliomas. We found that operation time, ICU LOS, hospital LOS, pre- and post-operative GCS, and post-operative complications were within the expected ranges for tumor resection patients. Further, dosimetry data suggests that six out of seven patients received adequate radiation coverage, with the seventh having implantation limitations due to nearby organs at risk. We report no postoperative complications that can be attributed to the GammaTiles themselves. In our cohort, we report seven cases where GammaTiles were implanted in recurrent gliomas. No implant-related post-operative complications were identified. This early data suggests that GammaTile can be a safe form of brachytherapy in recurrent gliomas.

Safety and efficacy of GammaTile intracranial brachytherapy implanted during awake craniotomy.

INTRODUCTION: GammaTile intracranial brachytherapy (cesium-131 seeds) has demonstrated encouraging safety and local control results, and recently received Food and Drug Administration clearance for newly diagnosed and recurrent brain tumors. The authors present the first reported case of GammaTile intraoperative brachytherapy performed during an awake craniotomy. METHODS: A 50-year-old man had a biopsy-proven, 2.8 cm left lateral frontal glioblastoma lesion nearing Broca's area on MRI. Despite several interventions (craniotomy, adjuvant chemoradiation, tumor treating fields) tumor progression occurred near the left parietal resection cavity. Re-resection was planned with awake craniotomy and language mapping. A preoperative planning session involving Radiation Oncology and Neurosurgery identified the area of the expected postoperative bed, and consequently five GammaTiles were ordered, each containing 4 cesium-131 3.5 U seeds. RESULTS: During surgery, tumor mapping and bipolar stimulation were performed while the patient spoke in complete sentences. Speech arrest occurred upon stimulation at the posterior edge of the gyrus, indicative of language cortex. Microsurgical maximal safe resection subsequently occurred, and areas at risk for residual/recurrence disease were determined in consultation with Radiation Oncology. Subsequently, Neurosurgery placed all five GammaTiles (20 cesium-131 seeds total) after which closure was completed and radioactive surveys of the room remained within state statue. Postoperative dosimetry yielded excellent coverage. CONCLUSIONS: The first reported case of GammaTile intraoperative brachytherapy during awake craniotomy supports the safety and feasibility of this treatment strategy. This case indicates that for patients with tumors adjacent to eloquent cortex, awake craniotomy can allow for custom implantation of intraoperative brachytherapy following maximum safe resection.

Process- and Outcome-Based Financial Incentives to Improve Self-Management and Glycemic Control in People with Type 2 Diabetes in Singapore: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Sub-optimally controlled diabetes increases risks for adverse and costly complications. Self-management including glucose monitoring, medication adherence, and exercise are key for optimal glycemic control, yet, poor self-management remains common. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of the Trial to Incentivize Adherence for Diabetes (TRIAD) study was to determine the effectiveness of financial incentives in improving glycemic control among type 2 diabetes patients in Singapore, and to test whether process-based incentives tied to glucose monitoring, medication adherence, and physical activity are more effective than outcome-based incentives tied to achieving normal glucose readings. METHODS: TRIAD is a randomized, controlled, multi-center superiority trial. A total of 240 participants who had at least one recent glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) being 8.0% or more and on oral diabetes medication were recruited from two polyclinics. They were block-randomized (blocking factor: current vs. new glucometer users) into the usual care plus (UC +) arm, process-based incentive arm, and outcome-based incentive arm in a 2:3:3 ratio. The primary outcome was the mean change in HbA1c at month 6 and was linearly regressed on binary variables indicating the intervention arms, baseline HbA1c levels, a binary variable indicating titration change, and other baseline characteristics. RESULTS: Our findings show that the combined incentive arms trended toward better HbA1c than UC + , but the difference is estimated with great uncertainty (difference - 0.31; 95% confidence interval [CI] - 0.67 to 0.06). Lending credibility to this result, the proportion of participants who reduced their HbA1c is higher in the combined incentive arms relative to UC + (0.18; 95% CI 0.04, 0.31). We found a small improvement in process- relative to outcome-based incentives, but this was again estimated with great uncertainty (difference - 0.05; 95% CI - 0.42 to 0.31). Consistent with this improvement, process-based incentives were more effective at improving weekly medication adherent days (0.64; 95% CI - 0.04 to 1.32), weekly physically active days (1.37; 95% CI 0.60-2.13), and quality of life (0.04; 95% CI 0.0-0.07) than outcome-based incentives. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that both incentive types may be part of a successful self-management strategy. Process-based incentives can improve adherence to intermediary outcomes, while outcome-based incentives focus on glycemic control and are simpler to administer.

In-Hospital Complications following Arthrotomy versus Arthroscopy for Septic Knee Arthritis: A Cohort-Matched Comparison.

There is a paucity of literature comparing the relative merits of open arthrotomy versus arthroscopy for the surgical treatment of septic knee arthritis. The primary goal of this study is to compare the risk of perioperative complications between these two surgical techniques. To this end, 560 patients treated for septic arthritis of the native knee with arthroscopy were statistically matched 1:1 with 560 patients treated with open arthrotomy. The outcome measures included major complications, minor complications, mortality, inpatient hospital charges, and length of stay (LOS). Major complications were defined as myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, stroke, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, postoperative shock, unplanned ventilation, deep surgical site infection, wound dehiscence, infected postoperative seroma, hospital acquired urinary tract infection, and retained surgical item. Minor complications included phlebitis and thrombophlebitis, postprocedural emphysema, minor surgical site infection, peripheral nerve complication, and intraoperative hemorrhage. Mortality data were extracted from the database using the Uniform Bill patient disposition. Complications were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression models, whereas mean costs and LOS were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis H-test. Major complications occurred in 3.8% of the patients in the arthroscopy cohort and 5.4% of the patients in the arthrotomy cohort (p = 0.20). Too few patients in our sample died to report based on National (Nationwide) Impatient Sample (NIS) minimum reporting standards. Rates of minor complications were similar for the arthroscopy and arthrotomy cohorts (12.5 vs. 13.9%; p = 0.48). Multivariate analysis did not reveal any greater risk of minor or major complication between the two procedures. Inpatient hospital cost was similar for arthroscopy ( = $15,917; standard deviation [SD] = 14,424) and arthrotomy ( = $16,020; SD = 18,665; p = 0.42). LOS was also similar for both arthrotomy (6.78 days, SD = 6.75) and arthroscopy (6.24 days, SD = 5.95; p = 0.23). Patients undergoing arthroscopic treatment of septic arthritis of the knee showed no difference in relative risk of perioperative complications, LOS, or hospital cost compared with patients who underwent open arthrotomy.

Preoperative Embolization With Fused CT Angiography and Tractography Facilitates Safe Resection of a Spetzler-Martin Grade IV Arteriovenous Malformation.

Brain arteriovenous malformations (BAVMs) are high-flow vascular lesions that have a propensity to rupture resulting in high rates of morbidity and mortality. Microsurgical resection of BAVMs is the standard of care for high-risk, resectable lesions. Multiple imaging modalities aid in the surgical planning and resection of high-grade BAVMs, but all have hidden variables that would prove useful if available. We present a 20-year-old male with a ruptured BAVM with concern for the involvement of the corticospinal tract (CST) and basal ganglia. We describe the melding of computed tomography angiography (CTA) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in addition to preoperative embolization to aid in the planning and resection of a lesion close to eloquent structures. Post-operative CTA and DTI showed a total resection of the lesion with retained CST white matter tracts, and the patient retained the functional ability of the contralateral limbs. The combination of CTA, brain DTI, and preoperative embolization provides a framework to improve the safety of resection of BAVMs that occur near eloquent brain networks.

Resection of a pineal region papillary tumor using robotic exoscope: improved visualization and ergonomics for deep seeded tumor.

Surgery for pineal region tumors is technically challenging due to their deep location and close proximity to critical deep venous structures, midbrain, and thalamus. A high-definition video exoscope was recently proposed as an alternative to the operating microscope. The authors illustrate a case of the midline supracerebellar infratentorial approach to resect a pineal region tumor using the Modus V exoscope and demonstrate the improved visualization of critical structures in this deep location. Additionally, the marked improvement in surgeon comfort suggests that this system may have significant advantages over traditional microscope-based surgery for tumors of the pineal region. The video can be found here: https://stream.cadmore.media/r10.3171/2021.4.FOCVID2127.

Intraoperative MRI for newly diagnosed supratentorial glioblastoma: a multicenter-registry comparative study to conventional surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Intraoperative MRI (iMRI) is used in the surgical treatment of glioblastoma, with uncertain effects on outcomes. The authors evaluated the impact of iMRI on extent of resection (EOR) and overall survival (OS) while controlling for other known and suspected predictors. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective cohort of 640 adult patients with newly diagnosed supratentorial glioblastoma who underwent resection was evaluated. iMRI was performed in 332/640 cases (51.9%). Reviews of MRI features and tumor volumetric analysis were performed on a subsample of cases (n = 286; 110 non-iMRI, 176 iMRI) from a single institution. RESULTS: The median age was 60.0 years (mean 58.5 years, range 20.5-86.3 years). The median OS was 17.0 months (95% CI 15.6-18.4 months). Gross-total resection (GTR) was achieved in 403/640 cases (63.0%). Kaplan-Meier analysis of 286 cases with volumetric analysis for EOR (grouped into 100%, 95%-99%, 80%-94%, and 50%-79%) showed longer OS for 100% EOR compared to all other groups (p < 0.01). Additional resection after iMRI was performed in 104/122 cases (85.2%) with initial subtotal resection (STR), leading to a 6.3% mean increase in EOR and a 2.2-cm3 mean decrease in tumor volume. For iMRI cases with volumetric analysis, the GTR rate increased from 54/176 (30.7%) on iMRI to 126/176 (71.5%) postoperatively. The EOR was significantly higher in the iMRI group for intended GTR and STR groups (p = 0.02 and p < 0.01, respectively). Predictors of GTR on multivariate logistic regression included iMRI use and intended GTR. Predictors of shorter OS on multivariate Cox regression included older age, STR, isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) wild type, no O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) methylation, and no Stupp therapy. iMRI was a significant predictor of OS on univariate (HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.69-0.98; p = 0.03) but not multivariate analyses. Use of iMRI was not associated with an increased rate of new permanent neurological deficits. CONCLUSIONS: GTR increased OS for patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma after adjusting for other prognostic factors. iMRI increased EOR and GTR rate and was a significant predictor of GTR on multivariate analysis; however, iMRI was not an independent predictor of OS. Additional supporting evidence is needed to determine the clinical benefit of iMRI in the management of glioblastoma.

Using Histopathology to Assess the Reliability of Intraoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Guiding Additional Brain Tumor Resection: A Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) is a powerful tool for guiding brain tumor resections, provided that it accurately discerns residual tumor. OBJECTIVE: To use histopathology to assess how reliably iMRI may discern additional tumor for a variety of tumor types, independent of the indications for iMRI. METHODS: A multicenter database was used to calculate the odds of additional resection during the same surgical session for grade I to IV gliomas and pituitary adenomas. The reliability of iMRI for identifying residual tumor was assessed using histopathology of tissue resected after iMRI. RESULTS: Gliomas (904/1517 cases, 59.6%) were more likely than pituitary adenomas (176/515, 34.2%) to receive additional resection after iMRI (P < .001), but these tumors were equally likely to have additional tissue sent for histopathology (398/904, 44.4% vs 66/176, 37.5%; P = .11). Tissue samples were available for resections after iMRI for 464 cases, with 415 (89.4%) positive for tumor. Additional resections after iMRI for gliomas (361/398, 90.7%) were more likely to yield additional tumor compared to pituitary adenomas (54/66, 81.8%) (P = .03). There were no significant differences in resection after iMRI yielding histopathologically positive tumor between grade I (58/65 cases, 89.2%; referent), grade II (82/92, 89.1%) (P = .98), grade III (72/81, 88.9%) (P = .95), or grade IV gliomas (149/160, 93.1%) (P = .33). Additional resection for previously resected tumors (122/135 cases, 90.4%) was equally likely to yield histopathologically confirmed tumor compared to newly-diagnosed tumors (293/329, 89.0%) (P = .83). CONCLUSION: Histopathological analysis of tissue resected after use of iMRI for grade I to IV gliomas and pituitary adenomas demonstrates that iMRI is highly reliable for identifying residual tumor.

Impact of Intraoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Other Factors on Surgical Outcomes for Newly Diagnosed Grade II Astrocytomas and Oligodendrogliomas: A Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND: Few studies use large, multi-institutional patient cohorts to examine the role of intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) in the resection of grade II gliomas. OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of iMRI and other factors on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) for newly diagnosed grade II astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas. METHODS: Retrospective analyses of a multicenter database assessed the impact of patient-, treatment-, and tumor-related factors on OS and PFS. RESULTS: A total of 232 resections (112 astrocytomas and 120 oligodendrogliomas) were analyzed. Oligodendrogliomas had longer OS (P < .001) and PFS (P = .01) than astrocytomas. Multivariate analyses demonstrated improved OS for gross total resection (GTR) vs subtotal resection (STR; P = .006, hazard ratio [HR]: .23) and near total resection (NTR; P = .02, HR: .64). GTR vs STR (P = .02, HR: .54), GTR vs NTR (P = .04, HR: .49), and iMRI use (P = .02, HR: .54) were associated with longer PFS. Frontal (P = .048, HR: 2.11) and occipital/parietal (P = .003, HR: 3.59) locations were associated with shorter PFS (vs temporal). Kaplan-Meier analyses showed longer OS with increasing extent of surgical resection (EOR) (P = .03) and 1p/19q gene deletions (P = .02). PFS improved with increasing EOR (P = .01), GTR vs NTR (P = .02), and resections above STR (P = .04). Factors influencing adjuvant treatment (35.3% of patients) included age (P = .002, odds ratio [OR]: 1.04) and EOR (P = .003, OR: .39) but not glioma subtype or location. Additional tumor resection after iMRI was performed in 105/159 (66%) iMRI cases, yielding GTR in 54.5% of these instances. CONCLUSION: EOR is a major determinant of OS and PFS for patients with grade II astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas. Intraoperative MRI may improve EOR and was associated with increased PFS.