Risk factors for prolonged length of stay after first single-level lumbar microdiscectomy.

OBJECTIVE: The objective is to identify risk factors that potentially prolong the hospital stay in patients after undergoing first single-level open lumbar microdiscectomy. METHODS: A retrospective single-centre study was conducted. Demographic data, medical records, intraoperative course, and imaging studies were analysed. The outcome measure was defined by the number of days stayed after the operation. A prolonged length of stay (LOS) stay was defined as a minimum of one additional day beyond the median hospital stay in our patient collective. Bivariate analysis and multiple stepwise regression were used to identify independent factors related to the prolonged hospital stay. RESULTS: Two hundred consecutive patients who underwent first lumbar microdiscectomy between 2018 and 2022 at our clinic were included in this study. Statistical analysis of factors potentially prolonging postoperative hospital stay was done for a total of 24 factors, seven of them were significantly related to prolonged LOS in bivariate analysis. Sex (p = 0.002, median 5 vs. 4 days for females vs. males) and age (rs = 0.35, p ≤ 0.001, N = 200) were identified among the examined demographic factors. Regarding preoperative physical status, preoperative immobility reached statistical significance (p ≤ 0.001, median 5 vs. 4 days). Diabetes mellitus (p = 0.043, median 5 vs. 4 days), anticoagulation and/or antiplatelet agents (p = 0.045, median 5 vs. 4 days), and postoperative narcotic consumption (p ≤ 0.001, median 5 vs. 4 days) as comorbidities were associated with a prolonged hospital stay. Performance of nucleotomy (p = 0.023, median 5 vs. 4 days) was a significant intraoperative factor. After linear stepwise multivariable regression, only preoperative immobility (p ≤ 0.001) was identified as independent risk factors for prolonged length of postoperative hospital stay. CONCLUSION: Our study identified preoperative immobility as a significant predictor of prolonged hospital stay, highlighting its value in preoperative assessments and as a tool to pinpoint at-risk patients. Prospective clinical trials with detailed assessment of mobility, including grading, need to be done to verify our results.

Factors which influence the complications of external ventricular cerebrospinal fluid drainage.

BACKGROUND: External ventricular drainage (EVD) is one of the most common neurosurgical procedures in emergencies. This study aims to find out which factors influence the occurrence of EVD-related complications in a comparative investigation of metal needles and polyurethane catheters. This is the first clinical study comparing these two systems. METHODS: Adult patients undergoing pre-coronal EVD placement via freehand burr hole trepanation were included in this prospective study. The exclusion criteria were the open EVD insertion and/or a pre-existing infectious disease of the central nervous system. RESULTS: Two hundred consecutive patients were enrolled. Of these, 100 patients were treated by using metal EVD (group 1) and 100 patients with polyurethane catheters (group 2). The overall complication rate was 26% (misplacement 13.5%, hemorrhage 12.5%, infection 2.5%, and dislocation 1%) without statistically significant differences between both groups. Generalized brain edema and midline shift had a significant influence on misplacements (generalized brain edema: p = 0.0002, Cramer-V: 0.307, OR = 7.364, 95% CI: 2.691-20.148; all patients: p = 0.001, Cramer-V: 0.48, OR = 43.5, 95% CI: 4.327-437.295; group 1: p = 0.047, Cramer-V: 0.216, OR = 3.75, 95% CI: 1.064-13.221; group 2: midline shift: p = 0.038, Cramer-V: 0.195, OR = 3.626, 95% CI: 1.389-9.464) all patients: p = 0.053, Cramer-V: 0.231, OR = 5.533, 95% CI 1.131-27.081; group 1: p = 0.138, Cramer-V: 0.168, OR = 2.769, 95% CI: 0.813-9.429 group 2. Hemorrhages were associated with the use of oral anticoagulants or antiplatelet therapy (p = 0.002; Cramer-V: 0.220, OR = 3.798, 95% CI: 1.572-9.175) with a statistically similar influence in both groups. CONCLUSION: Generalized brain edema has a significant influence on misplacements in both groups. Midline shift lost its significance when considering only the patients in group 2. Patients under oral anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy have increased odds of EVD-associated hemorrhage. Metal needles and polyurethane catheters are equivalent in terms of patient safety when there are no midline shift and generalized brain edema.

Spontaneous disappearance of a spinal dural arteriovenous fistula.

We report a case of an unusual spontaneous obliteration of a spinal dural arteriovenous fistula after diagnosis confirmation through spinal angiography. To our knowledge, there are only two previously documented cases of spontaneous disappearance of non-traumatic spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas.

Treatment of ruptured intracranial aneurysms yesterday and now.

OBJECTIVE: This prospective study is designed to detect changes in the treatment of ruptured intracranial aneurysms over a period of 17 years. METHODS: We compared 361 treated cases of aneurysm occlusion after subarachnoid hemorrhage from 1997 to 2003 with 281 cases from 2006 to 2014. Specialists of neuroradiology and vascular neurosurgery decided over the modality assignment. We established a prospective data acquisition in both groups to detect significant differences within a follow-up time of one year. With this setting we evaluated the treatment methods over time and compared endovascular with microsurgical treatment. RESULTS: When compared to the earlier group, microsurgical treatment was less frequently chosen in the more recent collective because of neck-configuration. Endovascular treatment was chosen more frequently over time (31.9% versus 48.8%). Occurrence of initial symptomatic ischemic stroke was significantly lower in the clipping group compared to the endovascular group and remained stable over time. The number of reinterventions due to refilled treated aneurysms significantly decreased in the endovascular group at one-year follow-up, but the significantly better occlusion- and reintervention-rate of the microsurgical group persisted. The rebleeding rate in the endovascular group at one year follow-up decreased from 6.1% to 2.2% and showed no statistically significant difference to the microsurgical group, anymore (endovascular 2.2% versus microsurgical 0.0%, p = 0.11). CONCLUSION: Microsurgical clipping still has some advantages, however endovascular treatment is improving rapidly.

Microsurgical posterior cervical foraminotomy: a study of 181 cases.

BACKGROUND: An unsettled controversy over the appropriate surgical approach in cases of cervical radiculopathy caused by degenerative vertebrae and intervertebral discs is still present. The purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy of microsurgical posterior foraminotomy in the treatment of cervical radiculopathy and to find out whether the underlying pathology (soft disc herniation/spondylosis) is of value in predicting long-term outcome after this procedure. METHODS: Patients, who underwent posterior cervical foraminotomy (PCF) at our department between 2006 and 2013 for unilateral mono-segmental lateral soft disc herniation, or spondylosis, or both, were enrolled in this study. Demographic, clinical and surgical data were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were subsequently interviewed by telephone to identify their long-term outcome. The clinical outcomes were evaluated using Odom's criteria. Descriptive statistics were frequencies and percentage of occurrence for categorical variables and mean and range for continuous variables. RESULTS: One hundred eighty-one patients were included in this study, with a median follow-up of 58 months (mean 43 months, range 12-96 months). The overall re-operation rate was 7.2% (13 patients); 11 patients (6%) for recurrent root symptoms due to recurrent disc herniation (six patients, 3.3%) and re-stenosis (five patients, 2.8%), one patient (0.55%) for wound infection and one patient (0.55%) for postoperative haematoma. Among the eleven patients who underwent re-operation for recurrent root symptoms there was one patient who additionally had persistent cerebrospinal fluid leak and superficial posterior wound infection. There was no significant difference between lateral soft disc herniation and spondylosis in term of re-operation rate. At discharge, excellent or good outcome was achieved in 89% of patients; the long-term success rate was 97.2% using Odom's criteria. CONCLUSION: Microsurgical PCF is an effective technique for treating lateral spinal root compression. Proper patient selection is obligatory to achieve the best results.

Efficacy and Safety of Treatment of Ruptured Intracranial Aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the treatment results of ruptured aneurysms treated endovascularly with aneurysms treated with microsurgical clipping. METHODS: This prospective multicenter study recorded and analyzed 661 cases of ruptured intracranial aneurysms with consecutive subarachnoid hemorrhage treated between 1997 and 2014 at 2 large medical centers. Endovascular treatment was performed in 271 cases, and microsurgical treatment was performed in 390 cases. The treatment modality was chosen by neuroradiologists and vascular neurosurgeons and was classified by predetermined decision criteria. RESULTS: Symptomatic ischemic stroke occurred in 46 patients (17.0%) in the endovascular group versus 26 patients (6.7%) in the microsurgery group (odds ratio [OR] = 2.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.72-4.76; P < 0.0001). There was a significantly better occlusion rate (OR = 11.48; 95% CI, 5.10-25.83; P < 0.0001) in the microsurgery group compared with the endovascular group. The rebleeding rate was significantly lower in the microsurgery group (OR = 14.90; 95% CI, 1.90-117.13; P = 0.00085). No patient required retreatment in the microsurgery group, whereas 23 patients required retreatment in the endovascular group (P < 0.0001). There was no significant difference regarding the low direct mortality rate of coil embolization versus microsurgical clipping (P = 0.21). CONCLUSIONS: Microsurgical clipping shows a lower rate of treatment-associated complications and a higher occlusion rate of ruptured intracranial aneurysms than coil embolization. The individual evaluation and decision process for choice of treatment modality in this study is very effective.

Predictors for Recurrence of Chronic Subdural Hematoma.

AIM: This prospective study was designed to analyze the dependence of different factors on the recurrence rate of chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) after surgical treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seventy-three consecutive patients, who were surgically treated at our department due to cSDH between 2009 and 2012, were included. The following parameters were analyzed: patient age and gender, occurrence of trauma, time between trauma and admission, neurological symptoms, presence of minor diseases, intake of anticoagulation medication. We classified the results of diagnostic imaging and determined the space-consuming effect via the cerebral midline shift. In addition, we scrutinized intraoperative findings and the dependence of the position of subdural drainage on the recurrence rate of cSDH. RESULTS: In our patient group, cSDH recurrence was significantly associated with aphasia (p=0.008). Moreover an increased cSDH recurrence rate was observed in the patient group that had a separated manifestation of the cSDH in the preoperative diagnostic imaging (p=0.048) and received no drainage implant (p=0.016). Homogeneous isodense cSDH was associated with no apparent recurrence (p=0.037). CONCLUSION: Within the scope of this study, we detected aphasia and separated cSDH as predictors of cSDH recurrence. Homogeneous isodense cSDH seems to be a good prognostic sign regarding the risk of recurrence development. Furthermore, our data clearly emphasize the importance of surgically applied drainage implants to prevent a recurrence of cSDH.

Intraoperative three-dimensional fluoroscopy after transpedicular positioning of Kirschner-wire versus conventional intraoperative biplanar fluoroscopic control: A retrospective study of 345 patients and 1880 pedicle screws.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to find out whether intraoperative three-dimensional imaging after transpedicular positioning of Kirschner wire (K-wire) in lumbar and thoracic posterior instrumentation procedures is of benefit to the patients and if this technique is accurately enough to make a postoperative screw position control through computer tomography (CT) dispensable. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Lumbar and thoracic posterior instrumentation procedures conducted at our department between 2002 and 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups: group A, including patients who underwent intraoperative three-dimensional scan after transpedicular positioning of the K-wire and group B, including patients who underwent only intraoperative biplanar fluoroscopy. An early postoperative CT of the instrumented section was done in all cases to assess the screw position. The rate of immediate intraoperative correction of the K-wires in cases of mal-positioning, as well as the rate of postoperative screw revisions, was measured. RESULTS: In general, 345 patients (1880 screws) were reviewed and divided into two groups; group A with 225 patients (1218 screws) and group B with 120 patients (662 screws). One patient (0.44%) (one screw [0.082%]) of group A underwent postoperative screw correction while screw revisions were necessary in 14 patients (11.7%) (28 screws [4.2%]) of group B. Twenty-three patients (10.2%) (28 K-wires [2.3%]) of group A underwent intraoperative correction due to primary intraoperative detected K-wire mal-position. None of the corrected K-wires resulted in a corresponding neurological deficit. CONCLUSION: Three-dimensional imaging after transpedicular K-wire positioning leads to solid intraoperative identification of misplaced K-wires prior to screw placement and reduces screw revision rates compared with conventional fluoroscopic control. When no clinical deterioration emerges, a postoperative CT seems to be dispensable using this intraoperative three-dimensional control method.

Cement embolism into the venous system after pedicle screw fixation: case report, literature review, and prevention tips.

The strength of pedicle screws attachment to the vertebrae is an important factor affecting their motion resistance and long term performance. Low bone quality, e.g. in osteopenic patients, keeps the screw bone interface at risk for subsidence and dislocation. In such cases, bone cement could be used to augment pedicle screw fixation. But its use is not free of risk. Therefore, clinicians, especially spine surgeons, radiologists, and internists should become increasingly aware of cement migration and embolism as possible complications. Here, we present an instructive case of cement embolism into the venous system after augmented screw fixation with fortunately asymptomatic clinical course. In addition we discuss pathophysiology and prevention methods as well as therapeutic management of this potentially life-threatening complication in a comprehensive review of the literature. However, only a few case reports of cement embolism into the venous system were published after augmented screw fixation.