Outcomes Associated With Intracranial Aneurysm Treatments Reported as Safe, Effective, or Durable: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Importance: Testing new medical devices or procedures in terms of safety, effectiveness, and durability should follow the strictest methodological rigor before implementation. Objectives: To review and analyze studies investigating devices and procedures used in intracranial aneurysm (IA) treatment for methods and completeness of reporting and to compare the results of studies with positive, uncertain, and negative conclusions. Data Sources: Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and The Cochrane Central Register of Clinical Trials were searched for studies on IA treatment published between January 1, 1995, and the October 1, 2022. Grey literature was retrieved from Google Scholar. Study Selection: All studies making any kind of claims of safety, effectiveness, or durability in the field of IA treatment were included. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Using a predefined data dictionary and analysis plan, variables ranging from patient and aneurysm characteristics to the results of treatment were extracted, as were details pertaining to study methods and completeness of reporting. Extraction was performed by 10 independent reviewers. A blinded academic neuro-linguist without involvement in IA research evaluated the conclusion of each study as either positive, uncertain, or negative. The study followed Preferring Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Main Outcomes and Measures: The incidence of domain-specific outcomes between studies with positive, uncertain, or negative conclusions regarding safety, effectiveness, or durability were compared. The number of studies that provided a definition of safety, effectiveness, or durability and the incidence of incomplete reporting of domain-specific outcomes were evaluated. Results: Overall, 12 954 studies were screened, and 1356 studies were included, comprising a total of 410 993 treated patients. There was no difference in the proportion of patients with poor outcome or in-hospital mortality between studies claiming a technique was safe, uncertain, or not safe. Similarly, there was no difference in the proportion of IAs completely occluded at last follow-up between studies claiming a technique was effective, uncertain, or noneffective. Less than 2% of studies provided any definition of safety, effectiveness, or durability, and only 1 of the 1356 studies provided a threshold under which the technique would be considered unsafe. Incomplete reporting was found in 546 reports (40%). Conclusions and Relevance: In this systematic review and meta-analysis of IA treatment literature, studies claiming safety, effectiveness, or durability of IA treatment had methodological flaws and incomplete reporting of relevant outcomes supporting these claims.

Severe brain injury in children aged 0-5 years in urban areas: the role of socio-economic development and parental responsibility.

Cranioencephalic trauma is a transient or permanent cerebral dysfunction resulting from a direct or indirect shock applied to the skull and its contents. The aim of this study was to establish the aetiological and favourable factors for the occurrence of cranioencephalic trauma in children under 5 years of age in an urban environment, in order to expose the implication of socio-economic development and parental responsibility. This was a 5-year mixed-methods analytical study from 10/07/2017 to 10/07/2022. It included 50 children, who were hospitalised at the neurosurgery department of Fann Hospital in Dakar for cranioencephalic trauma (CET) with a Blantyre score ≤ 2/5 and a GCS ≤ 8. During the study period, we had collected 50 children with severe CET. The mean age of the patients was 30.25 months with extremes of 01 months and 60 months. At 1 year post-CET, 8 children, i.e., 16% of the children, were seen with neurological after-effects such as motor disorders, with a p value of 0.041 ˂ 0.05. We are living in a period where the technological revolution is taking a big step forward every day. The misuse of NICT and the socio-economic stability of parents seem to influence the occurrence of severe CET in small children. It is becoming more and more frequent with the lack of supervision of children in favour of communication and leisure tools.

The Burden of Pediatric Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Healthcare Disparities in Senegal: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric aneurysms are uncommon but potentially deadly clinical conditions with varied etiology and outcomes. In low-resource countries, numerous barriers prevent the timely diagnosis and management of pediatric aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Thus, this study aimed to assess the mortality of pediatric aSAH stemming from limited access to pediatric neurological surgery care in Senegal. METHODS: Pediatric aSAH patients admitted at the authors' institution from 2012 to 2020 were recruited. Spearman Rho's correlation, McNemar's test, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used. Odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated, and the population attributable fraction (PAF) was used to quantify aSAH mortality attributable to lack of surgical care. RESULTS: Twenty-four pediatric patients (12 females and 12 males) aged 12.2 (95% CI = 10.0-14.3) years presented with aSAH. Most patients had a single aneurysm measuring 12.6 (6.1-19.0) mm with 1 patient having 2. The median WFNS grade was 3 (range [1-4]), and the mean Fisher grade was 4 (range [1-4]). Fifteen patients (62.5%) had surgical treatment on day 15.0 (IQR = 23.0) of hospitalization. The overall mortality rate was 20.8%, and the PAF of mortality for lack of surgical treatment during hospitalization was 0.08. CONCLUSION: Eight percent of deaths among pediatric aSAH patients who do not receive surgical treatment are attributable to lack of access to surgical treatment. Health system strengthening policies should be implemented to address this health inequity.

Continental Survey of Access to Diagnostic Tools and Endovascular Management of Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Africa.

Rationale: Interventional neurovascular procedures are effective in lowering the burden of mortality and complications resulting from aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Despite the wide uptake of interventional neurovascular procedures in high-income countries, access to care in low- and middle-income countries remains limited, and little is known about accessibility in Africa. In this survey, we decided to assess access to diagnostic tools and treatment of aSAH in Africa. Methodology: A Google form e-survey was distributed to African neurosurgery centers accepting responses from January 4th to March 21st 2021. Data on accessibility to diagnostic tools, treatment methodologies, and interventional neuroradiology personnel in African centers were collected. Ninety five percent confidence intervals were computed for each variable. Results: Data was received from 36 neurosurgical centers in 16 African countries (16/54, 30%). Most centers were public institutions. Ninety four percent of the centers had the necessary resources for a lumbar puncture (LP) and a laboratory for the diagnosis of aSAH. Most centers had at least one computed tomography (CT) scanner, 81% of the centers had access to CT angiography and some had access to conventional angiography. Forty seven percent of the centers could obtain a head CT within 2 h of presentation in an emergency. Sixty one percent of centers provided clipping of intracranial aneurysms whilst only 22% of centers could perform the endovascular treatment. Sixty four percent of centers did not have an endovascular specialist. Conclusion: This survey highlights health inequity in access to endovascular treatment for aSAH. Lack of diagnostic tools to identify an aneurysm and a shortfall of qualified endovascular specialists are prime reasons for this. Our findings can inform health system strengthening policies including the acquisition of equipment and capacity building in Africa.

Decompressive craniectomy: indications and results of 24 cases at the neurosurgery clinic of Fann university hospital of Dakar.

Decompressive craniectomy is a surgical technique considered to be the last step in the management of intracranial hypertension. The objective of our study was to evaluate our results in the management of intracranial hypertension by decompressive craniectomy. This was a retrospective study of 24 cases of decompressive craniectomy performed over a 9-year period (from January 2010 to December 2019) at the Fann Neurosurgery Clinic. The mean age of the patients was 33.82 years, there was a male predominance with a sex ratio of 2.42. The most frequent indication was severe cranioencephalic trauma with 50%. The cerebral computed tomography (CT) scan was the key examination and was performed in all our patients. Complications were entirely infectious and were the cause of 73.33% of deaths. Thirty-five percent of the patients had received prior treatment before the decompressive craniectomy. The functional prognosis was good in 44.44% of cases, moderate in 33.33% of cases, 1 (11.11%) patient had a severe disability and 1 (11.11%) patient was in a vegetative state. Mortality rate was 62.5% of patients in our study series. Despite the lack of sophisticated techniques for diagnosis and monitoring of intracranial hypertension, our results remain acceptable with 37.5% survival. The early completion of this surgery allows us to be more efficient with a significant reduction in morbidity and mortality.

Orbital meningocele in two case studies.

BACKGROUND: Orbital meningocele is a rare congenital malformation characterized by herniation of the meninges into the orbit through a congenital defect in the orbital bones. Much less commonly, it occurs at the site of natural openings (e.g., optic foramen and sphenoidal fissure) or can be attributed to trauma. CASES DESCRIPTION: We report two patients with progressive proptosis found to have orbital meningoceles, respectively, attributed to congenital and traumatic lesions. The computed tomography scan in one case documented a traumatic orbital bony defect, but in the other case, led the mistaken diagnosis of an arachnoid cyst. CONCLUSION: Both patients underwent two operations each to ultimately achieve successful surgical correction of their respective traumatic and congenital orbital meningoceles.

[Update on intrasellar arachnoid cyst: a case study]. / Mise au point sur le kyste arachnoïdien intrasellaire: à propos d'un cas.

Intrasellar arachnoid cysts are benign malformations. They are extremely rare (approximately 3% of cases). Their pathophysiology is still poorly elucidated. We here report a case of intrasellar arachnoid cyst with suprasellar extension whose treatment was based on endoscopic transsphenoidal fenestration. The epidemiological, clinical, pathophysiological, radiological, therapeutic and evolutionary features have been analyzed. Neuroendoscopic procedures are performed with increasing frequency in surgery. Prognosis is good and recurrences are frequent, even after several years of evolution.

Pediatric intracranial aneurysms in Senegal: a series of 10 cases treated in unfavorable socio-economic conditions.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to show the characteristics of pediatric intracranial aneurysms in a sub-Saharan country and to analyze the results of treatment in this challenging medical environment. METHOD: The authors reviewed retrospectively ten patients ≤ 18 years old between May 2013 and December 2016 in Neurosurgery department of Fann Hospital in Dakar. For each child, clinical features, radiological findings, and outcome were determined with mean follow-up of 22 months. RESULTS: Ten children were treated for intracranial aneurysm including four boys and six girls. Two patients had evolutive infectious endocarditis with rheumatic heart disease at the time of diagnosis. Neurological signs of deficiency were present in six patients (WFNS ≥ 3). The diagnosis of aneurysm was made by CT angiography in all patients, and in two of them respectively arteriography and angioMRI were performed in complement. The aneurysm was on the middle cerebral artery in six patients, on the internal carotid artery in two others, anterior communicating artery in another, and the last one was located on the anterior cerebral artery on its 3rd segment. The treatment of the aneurysm was surgical in seven patients and endovascular in one of them. The postoperative course was excellent in two patients and good in the five patients. No postoperative worsening was noted. One child died 4 months in the postoperative course from acute cardiac deterioration. CONCLUSIONS: In Senegal, pediatric aneurysms represent about 8.3% of all intracranial aneurysms. They are most often located on the MCA and have commonly fusiform shape. Despite difficult treatment conditions, overall outcome was good.

Microsurgical Treatment of Ruptured Intracranial Aneurysms in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Series of 102 Consecutive Cases Treated in Senegal.

INTRODUCTION: In sub-Saharan Africa, the management of ruptured intracranial aneurysms (RIAs) is difficult for many reasons. In this retrospective, 3-year study, the authors will demonstrate the particularities of the management of RIAs in Senegal. METHODS: We analyzed retrospectively 102 consecutive cases of RIAs operated on between May 2013 and December 2016 in Neurosurgical Department of Fann Hospital in Dakar, Senegal. Patients characteristics, imaging results, aneurysms, treatment, and outcome were analyzed. RESULTS: One hundred two cases were operated in this 3-year period of a total of 129 cases of RIAs received in our department in the same period. A total of 65% of the patients were female. According to the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS) scale, 49% were WFNS I, and 33% WFNS III. Fisher scale showed 29% of Fisher 2 and 45% of Fisher 4. The aneurysms were located on anterior communicating complex in 38%, on the internal carotid artery in 28%, on the middle cerebral artery in 27% of cases and on posterior circulation in 9 cases. The pterional approach was used in 93 cases. According to the modified Rankin Scale, 67 patients (65.6%) had good outcome, 22 (21.5%) had poor outcome, and the mortality rate was 12.7% (13 patients) at last follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates encouraging results if one refers to the global patient postoperative outcomes. However, the large number of patients not undergoing treatment also requires us to improve preoperative management conditions.

[Narrow lumbar channel due to epidural lipomatosis: case report and literature review]. / Canal lombaire étroit par lipomatose épidurale: à propos d'un cas et revue de la littérature.

Epidural lipomatosis is characterized by the abnormal accumulation of non-encapsulated grease in the epidural space. Although rare, it is a possible cause of lombosciatica or narrow lumbar channel. It is often associated with contributing factors such as prolonged corticosteroid therapy or obesity. We report the case of a patient presenting with disabling lombosciatalgias. Radiological evaluation confirmed the diagnosis of compressive epidural lipomatosis. Patient's evolution was favorable after surgical decompression.