Supraorbital vs pterional keyhole for anterior circulation aneurysms: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The supraorbital approach is a modification of the traditional pterional approach, and it offers the benefits of a shorter skin incision and a smaller craniotomy than the pterional approach. The purpose of this systemic review study was to compare the two surgical approaches for raptured and unruptured anterior cerebral circulation aneurysms. Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, and MEDLINE, up to August 2021, for published studies on the supraorbital vs pterional keyhole approach for anterior cerebral circulation aneurysms, and reviewers performed a brief qualitative descriptive analysis of both approaches. Results: Fourteen eligible studies were included in this systemic review. Results indicated that the supraorbital approach for anterior cerebral circulation aneurysms had fewer ischemic events compared to pterional approach. However, no significant difference between both groups in terms of complications such as intraoperative aneurysm rupture, brain hematoma, and postoperative infections for ruptured aneurysms. Conclusion: The meta-analysis suggests that the supraorbital method for clipping anterior cerebral circulation aneurysms might be a viable alternative to the traditional pterional method as the supraorbital group had decreased ischemic events compared to the pterional group, however, the associated difficulties in utilizing this approach among ruptured aneurysms with cerebral oedema and midline shifts further needs to be understood.

Effect of Helicopter Transportation of Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients on Mortality and Functional Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The "time is brain" concept denotes the importance of the expedited transfer of patients to stroke care centers. Helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) can reduce the time to definitive care, which could improve neurologic prognosis and reduce mortality. METHODS: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, a search for randomized controlled trials, nonrandomized controlled trials, and prospective and retrospective cohort studies was performed through specific databases from inception to February 2020. Helicopter, acute stroke, and their synonyms (according to Medical Subject Headings) were included in this search. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the quality of the included studies, and the Egger test was used to assess for publication bias. RESULTS: A total of 8 studies matched the inclusion criteria and were included for meta-analysis. The overall number recruited for helicopter transportation was 1,372, and for emergency standard transportation, it was 8,587. The association among HEMS and mortality was not statistically significant (odds ratio [OR] = 0.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.60-1.06; P = .12). There was a significant association between good outcomes and HEMS (OR = 2; 95% CI, 1.79-2.34; P ≤ .001), and the overall poor neurologic outcome was reduced (OR = 0.52; 95% CI, 0.46-0.60; P ≤ .001). CONCLUSION: A good neurologic outcome was higher with HEMS compared with emergency standard transportation. The mortality rate was less in the emergency standard transportation group after pooled analysis but was not significant; the reduction in a poor outcome was statistically significant.

Hemoglobin levels as a transfusion criterion in moderate to severe traumatic brain injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Several factors can influence the outcome of severe head injuries including the patient's hemoglobin levels. There has often been a dilemma regarding levels of hemoglobin at which red cell blood transfusion (RCBT) should be performed. OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the literature to determine the usefulness of management protocols that have hemoglobin levels <10 g/dL vs <7 g/dL as an RCBT criterion. METHODS: Following the PRISMA statement, the search was constructed using terms and descriptors of the Medical Subject Heading (MeSH), combined with Boolean operators. Full text of these articles was studied, and outcome measures at 3-6 months were considered for patients who were given a RCBT at <10 g/dL or at 7 g/dL hemoglobin levels. RESULTS: A total of 4 articles were found suitable for inclusion in the meta-analysis. RCBT below 7 g/dL was not associated with an increased risk of mortality as compared to RCBT using the value of less than 10 g/dL. RCBT at lower levels of hemoglobin was also not associated with a poor neurological outcome (GOS 4-5) but rather RCBT at lower levels lead to better outcomes (GOS 1-3) and the association was significant. CONCLUSION: Allogenic RCBT was associated with poorer neurological outcomes, within a wide range of reported differences in the hemoglobin threshold to decide for RCBT in TBI patients. Restrictive RCBT strategy may be useful in moderate to severe TBI cases although the risk of anemia-induced cerebral injury needs further investigation regarding the risks and complications inherent to RCBT.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Effect of Beta-Blockers in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

OBJECTIVES: Systematically review the medical literature for the impact of beta-blockers on mortality and functional capacity in patients who suffered severe traumatic brain injury. DATA SOURCES: The search included MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Ovid Evidence-Based Medicine, clinical trial registries, and bibliographies. STUDY SELECTION: All articles that reported outcome in TBI patients treated with beta-blockers. DATA EXTRACTION: Publication year, number of patients, outcome and follow-up. We performed a meta-analysis for each variable for which there were sufficient data to estimate mean differences. DATA SYNTHESIS: 12 studies were included, which involved retrospectively and prospectively collected data on 14,057 patients. The treatment with beta-blockers was associated with a reduction in mortality in patients who were treated with beta-blockers compared to the control group (OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.30-0.54p = <0.00001), with acceptable heterogeneity between studies (I2 = 65% p = 0.00008). Beta-blocker therapy decreases the risk of negative neurological and functional outcomes (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.38-0.92 p = <0.00001), a very high statistical heterogeneity between the included studies (I2 = 80% p = 0.00004), being able to influence the results. An increase in favorable neurological and functional outcomes is shown (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.07-1.31 p = 0.001) with acceptable heterogeneity (I2 = 52% p = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS: The beta-blockers therapy is associated with significantly improves outcome in patients with TBI. Treatment with beta-blockers in patients with TBI is a promising frontier in neurotrauma. ABBREVIATIONS: CI: confidence interval; BB: Beta-Blockers; OR = odds ratio; TBI: Traumatic Brain Injury SD: Standard deviation; SNS: Sympathetic nervous system.

Una revisión sistemática de la terapia endovascular en pacientes con accidente cerebrovascular isquémico / A systematic review of endovascular therapy in patients with ischemic stroke

Objetivo: Revisar sistemáticamente la evidencia de la terapia endovascular comparado con el manejo estándar. Criterios de inclusión: Ensayos clínicos aleatorizados que incluyan a: pacientes adultos mayores de 18 años, haber sufrido accidente cerebrovascular isquémico manejados con terapia endovascular en comparación con manejo médico. Métodos: Se realizó la búsqueda en las siguientes bases de datos: MEDLINE, the Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); PubMed, HINARI, EMBASE; Cochrane Injuries group y lista de referencia de los artículos. Resultados: La trombectomía se asoció con disminución de la mortalidad (OR 0,78, IC del 95%: 0,63-0,95 p= 0,01), aumento de la tasa de revascularización (OR 6,16, IC del 95%: 4,39-8,64 p= <0,0001), mejoría de desenlace funcional (OR 1,78, IC del 95%: 1,52 ­ 2,08 p= <0,0001). No hubo diferencia en cuanto a la recurrencia de isquemia cerebral ni de la aparición de hemorragia intracerebral (OR 0,86, IC del 95%: 0,51 ­ 1,47 p= 0,59; OR 1,13, IC del 95%: 0,79 ­ 1,62 p= 0,5, respectivamente). Conclusiones: La terapia endovascular comparada con la fibrinólisis endovenosa mejora el pronóstico funcional, aunque se necesitan más estudios.

Objective: Systematically review the evidence of endovascular therapy compared with standard management. Inclusion criteria: Randomized clinical trials that include adult patients older than 18 years, have suffered an ischemic stroke managed with endovascular therapy compared to medical management. Methods: The search is performed in the following databases: MEDLINE, the Central Registry of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL); PubMed, HINARI, EMBASE; Cochrane Injury Group and reference list of articles. Results: Thrombectomy was associated with decreased mortality (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.63-0.95 p = 0.01), increased revascularization rate (OR 6.16, CI 95%: 4.39-8.64 p = <0.0001), improvement in functional outcome (OR 1.78, 95% CI: 1.52 - 2.08 p = <0.0001). There was no difference in the recurrence of cerebral ischemia or the appearance of intracerebral hemorrhage (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.51 - 1.47 p = 0.59, OR 1.13, 95% CI %: 0.79 - 1.62 p = 0.5, respectively). Conclusions: Endovascular therapy compared with the treatment of fibrinolysis improves functional prognosis

Risk of Seizures after Endovascular Management of Ruptured Intracranial Aneurysms: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Seizures in aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH) have been described secondary to SAH, changes in cortical function, vasospasm and as a result of treatment effects. Seizures are one of the important clinical determinants in neurological outcome of aSAH. Various studies support the notion of less risk of future seizures in endovascular treatment as compared to the microsurgical clipping, yet there is no conclusive evidence in favour or against the seizure occurrence in aSAH patients after endovascular treatment as compared to the microsurgical treatment. To carry out a systematic review and meta-analysis of the risk of seizures after endovascular management (coiling) of ruptured intracranial aneurysms. A literature search was performed in electronic database of PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus from inception to February 2020, using the terms Seizure, Intracranial aneurysms, embolization, with no constraints applied. Data were pooled using a random-effect model, results were abstracted as odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CI), and heterogeneity was reported as Chi-square. Five studies involving 3,077 patients were included in the meta-analysis. After endovascular management of aSAH, seizure risk was increased by a worse clinical severity (World Federation of Neurosurgery scale or Hunt and Hess) (OR, 3.34; 95% CI, 2.69-4.16; p<0.00001), severe vasospasm (OR, 2.20; 95% CI, 1.67-2.92; p<0.00001), cerebral infarction (OR, 5.19; 95% CI, 3.23-8.35; p<0.00001), and cerebral edema (OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.37-2.34; p<0.0000). Worse clinical severity, vasospasm, cerebral infarction and cerebral oedema are significant risk factors for the development of seizures after endovascular intervention in aSAH. The mechanism for this correlation is not clear.