Frequency and predictors of implant-related complications after posterior cervical fusion.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective, observational study. PURPOSE: To determine the frequency and predictors of implant-related complications in adults after posterior cervical fusion. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Published literature on lumbosacral fusion suggest that implant-related complications are not uncommon. Although posterior cervical fusion is a common operation, data on frequency and predictors of implant-related complications after posterior cervical fusion is still scarce. METHODS: 86 patients (with 740 screws) who underwent posterior cervical fusion were included. Implant-related complications were identified by the presence of: (1) halo sign, (2) screw pull-out/breakage (3) post-operative kyphosis and (4) implant-related complications requiring revision surgery. These were stratified into two groups: (a) minor - isolated halo sign or screw pull-out/breakage (b) major - post-operative kyphosis > 10 degrees, and revision surgery. Demographic, operative and radiological data was collected. Rates of implant-related complications were determined and associated risk factors identified. RESULTS: 33 (38.4%) patients had signs of implant-related complications. Of these, 29 (87.9%) had minor complications and 4 (12.1%) had major complications. Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) (p = 0.03179) and pre-op C2-C7 sagittal vertical alignment (SVA) (p = 0.02449) were the only significant risk factors for all-cause implant-related complications during multivariate logistic regression. Other intraoperative parameters (type of screw, length of fusion, levels decompressed, and extension of fusion beyond the levels decompressed) were not significantly associated with implant-related complications. CONCLUSIONS: Implant-related complications are not uncommon but rarely require revision surgery. Higher pre-operative SVA and CCI were significant risk factors; length of construct and extent of decompression were not. These findings may assist clinicians when deciding the extent of fusion and in selecting patients for closer follow-up.

We assessed the frequency and predictors of implant-related complications in adults after posterior cervical fusion. Implant-related complications (halo sign, screw pull-out/breakage, post-operative kyphosis) are not uncommon but rarely require revision surgery. Higher pre-operative SVA and CCI were significant risk factors; length of construct and extent of decompression were not.

Outcomes of decompressive craniectomy for large territory cerebral infarction with and without prior reperfusion: a multicentre retrospective review.

PURPOSE: Reperfusion therapy has greatly improved outcomes of ischaemic stroke but remains associated with haemorrhagic conversion and early deterioration in a significant proportion of patients. Outcomes in terms of function and mortality are mixed and the evidence for decompressive craniectomies (DC) in this context remains sparse. We aim to investigate the clinical efficacy of DC in this group of patients compared to those without prior reperfusion therapy. METHODS: A multicentre retrospective study was conducted between 2005 and 2020, and all patients with DC for large territory infarctions were included. Outcomes in terms of inpatient and long-term modified Rankin scale (mRS) and mortality were assessed at various time points and compared using both univariable and multivariable analyses. Favourable mRS was defined as 0-3. RESULTS: There were 152 patients included in the final analysis. The cohort had a mean age of 57.5 years and median Charlson comorbidity index of 2. The proportion of preoperative anisocoria was 15.1%, median preoperative Glasgow coma scale was 9, the ratio of left-sided stroke was 40.1%, and ICA infarction was 42.8%. There were 79 patients with prior reperfusion and 73 patients without. After multivariable analysis, the proportion of favourable 6-month mRS (reperfusion, 8.2%; no reperfusion, 5.4%) and 1-year mortality (reperfusion, 26.7%; no reperfusion, 27.3%) were similar in both groups. Subgroup analysis of thrombolysis and/or thrombectomy against no reperfusion was also unremarkable. CONCLUSION: Reperfusion therapy prior to DC performed for large territory cerebral infarctions does not affect the functional outcome and mortality in a well-selected patient population.

Using the consolidated framework for implementation research to guide a pilot of implementing an institution level patient informed consent process for clinical research at an outpatient setting.

BACKGROUND: In Singapore, research teams seek informed patient consent on an ad hoc basis for specific clinical studies and there is typically a role separation between operational and research staff. With the enactment of the Human Biomedical Research Act, there is increased emphasis on compliance with consent-taking processes and research documentation. To optimize resource use and facilitate long-term research sustainability at our institution, this study aimed to design and pilot an institution level informed consent workflow (the "intervention") that is integrated with clinic operations. METHODS: We used the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) as the underpinning theoretical framework and conducted the study in three stages: Stage 1, CFIR constructs were used to systematically identify barriers and facilitators of intervention implementation, and a simple time-and-motion study of the patient journey was used to inform the design of the intervention; Stage 2, implementation strategies were selected and mapped to the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) taxonomy; Stage 3, we piloted and adapted the implementation process at two outpatient clinics and evaluated implementation effectiveness through patient participation rates. RESULTS: We identified 15 relevant CFIR constructs. Implementation strategies selected to address these constructs were targeted at three groups of stakeholders: institution leadership (develop relationships, involve executive boards, identify and prepare champions), clinic management team (develop relationships, identify and prepare champions, obtain support and commitment, educate stakeholders), and clinic operations staff (develop relationships, assess readiness, conduct training, cyclical tests of change, model and simulate change, capture and share local knowledge, obtain and use feedback). Time-and-motion study in clinics identified the pre-consultation timepoint as the most appropriate for the intervention. The implementation process was adapted according to clinic operations staff and service needs. At the conclusion of the pilot, 78.3% of eligible patients provided institution level informed consent via the integrated workflow implemented. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the feasibility of implementing an institution level informed consent workflow that integrates with service operations at the outpatient setting to optimize healthcare resources for research. The CFIR provided a useful framework to identify barriers and facilitators in the design of the intervention and its implementation process.

Characteristics and Postoperative Outcomes for High Cervical versus Subaxial Cervical Intradural Extramedullary Tumors: A Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND: High cervical intradural extramedullary tumors are uncommon. Their relationship to surrounding neural structures and vertebral arteries makes surgical excision challenging. No previous studies have compared high cervical to subaxial cervical intradural extramedullary spinal tumors to elucidate their unique characteristics and surgical outcomes. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study in which patients who underwent excision of a cervical intradural extramedullary tumor were divided into a high cervical group and a subaxial cervical group. Variables included sex, age, Charlson Comorbidity Index, volume, laterality, preoperative weakness, use of neuromonitoring and drains, instrumented fusion, complications, length of stay, histology, discharge location, recurrence, and duration of follow-up. Variables were compared between the 2 groups. Limb power and Nurick classification were charted preoperatively, at discharge, and at 6 months to plot their recovery trajectory. RESULTS: Eighty-four patients with a total of 90 tumors were enrolled, including 40 patients in the high cervical group and 44 patients in the subaxial spine group. More patients with neurofibromas (P = 0.011) and bilateral tumors (P = 0.044) were in the high cervical group. A greater prevalence of neurofibromatosis type 1 was significant for bilateral high cervical tumors (P = 0.033). More patients in the subaxial group had instrumented fusion (P = 0.045). More patients in the high cervical group had improvement in limb power (P = 0.025) and Nurick classification (P = 0.0001) postoperatively before discharge. By 6 months, both groups had similar recovery. No mortality was attributable to surgery in either group. CONCLUSION: High cervical intradural extramedullary spine tumors have more bilateral tumors associated with neurofibromatosis type 1. Despite the challenging anatomy, surgical resection is safe with good outcomes in this group.

Chylomicronemia through a burr hole: A case report.

Chylomicronemia has either a monogenic or multifactorial origin. Multifactorial chylomicronemia is the more common form and is due to the interaction of genetic predisposition and secondary factors such as obesity, diabetes, unhealthy diet, and medications. We report a case of a 38-year-old man who was diagnosed with multifactorial chylomicronemia following presentation with a subarachnoid hemorrhage requiring emergency surgery through a burr hole; lactescent cerebrospinal fluid mixed with blood was observed through the burr hole. The serum triglyceride concentration was 52⋅4 mmol/L with a detectable triglyceride concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid. Rapid weight gain leading to obesity and related unfavorable lifestyle factors were identified as key secondary causes of chylomicronemia. Gene testing revealed a homozygous variant in APOA5 and a heterozygous common variant in GPIHBP1. Accompanied with secondary causes, the interactions of gene and environmental conditions contribute to chylomicronemia. With aggressive medical treatment including excess weight loss, healthy diet, cessation of alcohol, and combination of anti-lipemic medications, normal plasma triglyceride levels were achieved.

Decompressive craniectomy for internal carotid artery and middle carotid artery infarctions: a long-term comparative outcome study.

OBJECTIVE: Malignant internal carotid artery (ICA) infarction is an entirely different disease entity when compared with middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction. Because of an increased area of infarction, it is assumed to have a poorer prognosis; however, this has never been adequately investigated. Decompressive craniectomy (DC) for malignant MCA infarction has been shown to improve mortality rates in several randomized controlled trials. Conversely, aggressive surgical decompression for ICA infarction has not been recommended. The authors sought to compare the functional outcomes and survival between patients with ICA infarctions and those with MCA infarctions after DC in the largest series to date to investigate this assumption. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective review of 154 consecutive DCs for large territory cerebral infarctions performed from 2005 to 2020 were analyzed. Patients were divided into ICA and MCA groups depending on the territory of infarction. Variables, including age, sex, medical comorbidities, laterality of the infarction, preoperative neurological status, primary stroke treatment, and the time from stroke onset to DC, were recorded. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed for the clinical exposures for functional outcomes (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score) on discharge and at the 1- and 6-month follow-ups, and for mortality, both inpatient and at the 1-year follow-up. A favorable mRS score was defined as 0-2. RESULTS: There were 67 patients (43.5%) and 87 patients (56.5%) in the ICA and MCA groups, respectively. Univariable analysis showed that the ICA group had a comparably favorable mRS (OR 0.15 [95% CI 0.18-1.21], p = 0.077). Inpatient mortality (OR 1.79 [95% CI 0.79-4.03], p = 0.16) and 1-year mortality (OR 2.07 [95% CI 0.98-4.37], p = 0.054) were comparable between the groups. After adjustment, a favorable mRS score at 6 months (OR 0.17 [95% CI 0.018-1.59], p = 0.12), inpatient mortality (OR 1.02 [95% CI 0.29-3.57], p = 0.97), and 1-year mortality (OR 0.94 [95% CI 0.41-2.69], p = 0.88) were similar in both groups. The overall survival, plotted using the Cox proportional hazard regression, did not show a significant difference between the ICA and MCA groups (HR 0.581). CONCLUSIONS: Unlike previous smaller studies, this study found that patients with malignant ICA infarction had a functional outcome and survival that was similar to those with MCA infarction after DC. Therefore, DC can be offered for malignant ICA infarction for life-saving purposes with limited functional recovery.

Real-Time Measurements of Gas-Phase Trichloramine (NCl3) in an Indoor Aquatic Center.

NCl3 is formed as a disinfection byproduct in chlorinated swimming pools and can partition between the liquid and gas phases. Exposure to gas-phase NCl3 has been linked to asthma and can irritate the eyes and respiratory airways, thereby affecting the health and athletic performance of swimmers. This study involved an investigation of the spatiotemporal dynamics of gas-phase NCl3 in an aquatic center during a collegiate swim meet. Real-time (up to 1 Hz) measurements of gas-phase NCl3 were made via a novel on-line derivatization cavity ring-down spectrometer and a proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Significant temporal variations in gas-phase NCl3 and CO2 concentrations were observed across varying time scales, from seconds to hours. Gas-phase NCl3 concentrations increased with the number of active swimmers due to swimming-enhanced liquid-to-gas transfer of NCl3, with peak concentrations between 116 and 226 ppb. Strong correlations between concentrations of gas-phase NCl3 with concentrations of CO2 and water (relative humidity) were found and attributed to similar features in their physical transport processes in pool air. A vertical gradient in gas-phase NCl3 concentrations was periodically observed above the water surface, demonstrating that swimmers can be exposed to elevated levels of NCl3 beyond those measured in the bulk air.

Motor deficits at presentation and predictors of overall survival in central nervous system lymphomas.

PURPOSE: Central nervous system lymphomas (CNSL) can present with motor and non-motor symptoms. In many central nervous system tumors, motor deficits are associated with significant morbidity and functional impairment, and correlate with worse prognosis. CNSLs however, often exhibit remarkable response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy with corresponding symptom improvement. We investigate the survival outcomes and trajectories of motor and functional recovery in a cohort of patients presenting with and without initial motor deficits. METHODS: Patients who underwent biopsy and with a histologically confirmed CNSL between 2008 and 2019 were retrospectively identified. Baseline demographic variables, comorbidities, presenting symptoms, histological type, neuroimaging features (location and number of lesions), and treatment administered (pre- and post-operative steroid use and chemotherapy regime) were recorded. Dates of death were obtained from the National Registry of Births and Deaths. Motor power and performance status at admission, 1 month and 6 months were determined. RESULTS: We identified 119 patients, of whom 34% presented with focal motor deficits. The median overall survival (OS) was 26.6 months. Those with focal motor deficits had longer OS (median 42.4 months) than those without (median 23.3 months; p = 0.047). In multivariate Cox analysis, age (HR 1.04 per year; p = 0.003), CCI (HR 1.31 per point; p < 0.001), leptomeningeal/ependymal involvement (HR 2.53; p = 0.016), thalamus involvement (HR 0.34; p = 0.019), neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio (HR 1.06 per point; p = 0.034), positive HIV status (HR 5.31; p = 0.003), preoperative steroids use (HR 0.49; p = 0.018), postoperative high-dose steroids (HR 0.26; p < 0.001) and postoperative low-dose steroids (HR 0.28; p = 0.010) were significant predictors of OS. By one month, 43% of surviving patients had full power, increasing to 61% by six months. CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of patients with initial motor deficits recovered in motor strength by six months. In our population, those presenting with motor deficits had paradoxically better overall survival.

Use of fluorescein sodium to obtain histological diagnosis of primary Central nervous system lymphoma ghost tumour despite disappearance on intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging: technical note and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: Corticosteroid pre-treatment in patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) can lead to the phenomenon of ghost tumours (GhT). This affects the diagnostic yield of biopsies and potentially causes misdiagnosis of the condition. The usual strategy of neuronavigation using preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or localisation using intraoperative MRI (iMRI) can be rendered ineffective in this situation. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A middle-aged Chinese male with newly diagnosed human immunodeficiency virus infection was found to have an intracranial lesion suggestive of PCNSL. Preoperatively corticosteroid led to an attenuation of the contrast enhancing lesion on iMRI. However, intraoperative use of FS allowed the successful identification, biopsy and diagnosis of the condition. CONCLUSION: FS is useful in the biopsy of PCNSL GhT even when the lesion is not seen in subsequent MRI imaging.

Incidence of biomarkers in high-grade gliomas and their impact on survival in a diverse SouthEast Asian cohort - a population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Gliomas consist of a heterogeneous group of tumors. This study aimed to report the incidences of O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation, 1p19q co-deletion, isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) gene mutations, and inactivating mutations of alpha-thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome X-linked (ATRX) in high-grade gliomas in an ethnically diverse population. METHODS: Records of patients who underwent surgery for high-grade gliomas from January 2013 to March 2017 at our institution were obtained. The patients' age, gender, ethnicity, Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score, ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs), tumor location and biomarkers status were recorded. Data were analyzed using chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests, Kaplan-Meier estimates and log-rank test. RESULTS: 181 patients were selected (56 with grade III gliomas, 125 with grade IV gliomas). In the grade III group, 55% had MGMT promoter methylation, 41% had 1p19q co-deletion, 35% had IDH1 mutation and none had ATRX loss. In the grade IV group, 30% had MGMT promoter methylation, 2% had 1p19q co-deletion, 15% had IDH1 mutation and 8% had ATRX loss. After adjusting for effects of age, surgery and pre-operative ADL statuses, only MGMT promoter methylation was found to be significantly associated with longer overall survival time in grade III (p = 0.024) and IV patients (p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: The incidences of MGMT promoter methylation and IDH1 mutation were found to be comparable to globally reported rates, but those of 1p19q co-deletion and ATRX loss seemed to be lower in our cohort. MGMT promoter methylation was associated with increased overall survival in our cohort and might serve as favorable prognostic factor.

Posterior Fossa Surgery for Stroke: Differences in Outcomes Between Cerebellar Hemorrhage and Infarcts.

BACKGROUND: Posterior fossa surgery is the established treatment for large cerebellar strokes with brainstem compression. Despite this, there is a paucity of data for long-term outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent posterior fossa surgery for cerebellar hemorrhages and infarcts was performed to compare their difference in 6-month outcomes and to identify factors that affect outcomes. Patients were dichotomized into groups with good outcomes (modified Rankin scale [mRS] score 0-3) or poor outcomes (mRS score 4-6). Sex, age, preoperative Glasgow Coma Scale score, Charleston comorbidity index, time to surgery, intraventricular hemorrhage, surgical complications, length of intensive care unit and hospital stay, shunt dependence, and tracheostomy rates were analyzed. RESULTS: In total, 126 patients were recruited: 76 in hemorrhage group and 50 in infarct group. There was a greater mortality in the hemorrhage group (P = 0.0730). At 6 months, more patients in the hemorrhage group had poor outcomes (P = 0.0074, odds ratio 3.04) and greater mortality (P = 0.0730, odds ratio 2.20). More patients in the hemorrhage group required a tracheostomy (P = 0.0245). Factors predictive of poor outcome include older age (P = 0.0108), Glasgow Coma Scale score ≤8 (P = 0.0011), and tracheostomy (P = 0.0269). A total of 69.2% of patients had improvements in mRS scores at 6 months. Shorter length of stay (P = 0.0003) and discharge to a rehabilitation hospital (P = 0.0001) were predictive of functional improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who underwent posterior fossa surgery for cerebellar hemorrhage had worse outcomes compared with patients with cerebellar infarcts and were more likely to require a tracheostomy. Rehabilitation helped to improved outcomes.

Elucidating structure-performance relationships in whole-cell cooperative enzyme catalysis.

Cooperative enzyme catalysis in nature has long inspired the application of engineered multi-enzyme assemblies for industrial biocatalysis. Despite considerable interest, efforts to harness the activity of cell-surface displayed multi-enzyme assemblies have been based on trial and error rather than rational design due to a lack of quantitative tools. In this study, we developed a quantitative approach to whole-cell biocatalyst characterization enabling a comprehensive study of how yeast-surface displayed multi-enzyme assemblies form. Here we show that the multi-enzyme assembly efficiency is limited by molecular crowding on the yeast cell surface, and that maximizing enzyme density is the most important parameter for enhancing cellulose hydrolytic performance. Interestingly, we also observed that proximity effects are only synergistic when the average inter-enzyme distance is > ~130 nm. The findings and the quantitative approach developed in this work should help to advance the field of biocatalyst engineering from trial and error to rational design.

Long-term recovery profile of patients with severe disability or in vegetative states following severe primary intracerebral hemorrhage.

PURPOSE: We conducted a single-center retrospective review to investigate the long-term recovery of patients who were severely disabled or vegetative secondary to primary intracerebral hemorrhage upon discharge from hospital from January 2009 to November 2013. METHODS: Patients were categorized into two groups based on their Glasgow outcome scale (GOS) scores at discharge, namely vegetative state (GOS 2; n = 91) and severely disabled (GOS 3; n = 278). Long-term outcomes at three years post discharge were defined as death, stable, deterioration and improvement from discharge to follow-up. RESULTS: Lower mortality (29% versus 69%) and higher neurological improvement rates at three years (33% versus 10%) were observed in the SD compared to VS group (both p = .0001). Age was a significant predictor of survival in the VS group (p = .03) and the SD group (p = .012). Age was also the only predictor of neurological improvement in the SD group (p = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Neurological status at discharge from hospital was not truly indicative of long-term prognosis for patients who were severely disabled or vegetative. Patients in both groups can potentially improve in the long term and may benefit from prolonged rehabilitation programmes to maximize their recovery potential.

Late pediatric ventriculoperitoneal shunt failures: a Singapore tertiary institution's experience.

OBJECTIVE The introduction of ventriculoperitoneal shunts changed the way hydrocephalus was treated. Whereas much is known about the causes of shunt failure in the first few years, there is a paucity of data in the literature regarding the cause of late shunt failures. The authors conducted a study to find out the different causes of late shunt failures in their institution. METHODS A 10-year retrospective study of all the patients who were treated in the authors' hospital between 2006 and 2015 was conducted. Late shunt failures included those in patients who had to undergo shunt revision more than 5 years after their initial shunt insertion. The patient's notes and scans were reviewed to obtain the age and sex of the patient, the time it took for the shunt to fail, the reason for failure, and the patient's follow-up. RESULTS Forty-six patients in the authors' institution experienced 48 late shunt failures in the last 10 years. Their ages ranged from 7 to 26 years (12.23 ± 4.459 years [mean ± SD]). The time it took for the shunts to fail was between 6 and 24 years (mean 10.25 ± 3.77 years). Reasons for failure resulting in shunt revision include shunt fracture in 24 patients (50%), shunt blockage in 14 patients (29.2%), tract fibrosis in 6 patients (12.5%), shunt dislodgement in 2 patients (4.2%), and shunt erosion in 2 patients (4.2%). Postoperative follow-up for the patients ranged from 6 to 138 months (mean 45.15 ± 33.26 months). CONCLUSIONS Late shunt failure is caused by the effects of aging on the shunt, and the complications are different from early shunt failure. A large proportion are complications associated with shunt calcification. The authors advocate a long follow-up for pediatric patients with shunts in situ to monitor them for various causes of late shunt failure.

Outcomes of chronic subdural hematoma drainage in nonagenarians and centenarians: a multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic subdural hemorrhage (SDH) or hematoma is a condition that affects elderly individuals. With advances in medical care, the number of nonagenarians and centenarians will increase. However, surgical treatments in this age group are associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Because no data are available on the rates of survival among elderly patients with chronic SDHs who undergo surgical drainage or receive only conservative care, the goal of this study was to determine survival rates in patients 90 years of age or older with symptomatic chronic SDHs. METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of patient data that were collected at 3 hospitals over a 13-year period (from January 2001 to June 2013). The data from patients 90 years or older with symptomatic chronic SDHs and who were offered surgical treatment were included in the analysis. Patients who underwent surgical treatment were included in the surgical group and patients who declined an operation were included in the conservative care group. The patients' Charlson Comorbidity Index score, Karnofsky Performance Scale score, dates of death, presenting symptoms, Glasgow Coma Scale score, length of stay in the hospital, discharge location, side of the SDH, and neurological improvements at 30-day and 6-month follow-ups were recorded. Data were statistically analyzed with Fisher exact test, Kaplan-Meier curves, and logistic regression. RESULTS: In total, 101 patients met the inclusion criteria of this study; 70 of these patients underwent surgical drainage, and 31 received conservative care. Patients in the surgical group had statistically significantly (p < 0.001) higher survival at both the 30-day and 6-month follow-ups, with 92.9% and 81.4% of the patients in this group surviving for at least 30 days and 6 months, respectively, versus 58.1% and 41.9%, respectively, in the conservative care group. Moreover, the mean overall length of survival of 34.4 ± 28.7 months was longer in the surgical group than it was in the conservative care group (11.3 ± 16.6 months). Overall, 95.7% of patients in the surgical group exhibited an improvement in neurological status after the SDH drainage, whereas none of the patients in the conservative care group showed any neurological improvement during their hospital stay. The surgical complication rate was 11.4%, and the overall rate of chronic SDH recurrence after surgery was 12.9%. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical drainage of chronic SDHs in nonagenarians and centenarians is associated with lower incidence of inpatient death and higher 30-day and 6-month survival rates.

Use of programmable versus nonprogrammable shunts in the management of hydrocephalus secondary to aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a retrospective study with cost-benefit analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The choice of programmable or nonprogrammable shunts for the management of hydrocephalus after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) remains undefined. Variable intracranial pressures make optimal management difficult. Programmable shunts have been shown to reduce problems with drainage, but at 3 times the cost of nonprogrammable shunts. METHODS: All patients who underwent insertion of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt for hydrocephalus after aneurysmal SAH between 2006 and 2012 were included. Patients were divided into those in whom nonprogrammable shunts and those in whom programmable shunts were inserted. The rates of shunt revisions, the reasons for adjustments of shunt settings in patients with programmable devices, and the effectiveness of the adjustments were analyzed. A cost-benefit analysis was also conducted to determine if the overall cost for programmable shunts was more than for nonprogrammable shunts. RESULTS: Ninety-four patients underwent insertion of shunts for hydrocephalus secondary to SAH. In 37 of these patients, nonprogrammable shunts were inserted, whereas in 57 programmable shunts were inserted. Four (7%) of 57 patients with programmable devices underwent shunt revision, whereas 8 (21.6%) of 37 patients with nonprogrammable shunts underwent shunt revision (p = 0.0413), and 4 of these patients had programmable shunts inserted during shunt revision. In 33 of 57 patients with programmable shunts, adjustments were made. The adjustments were for a trial of functional improvement (n = 21), overdrainage (n = 5), underdrainage (n = 6), or overly sunken skull defect (n = 1). Of these 33 patients, 24 showed neurological improvements (p = 0.012). Cost-benefit analysis showed $646.60 savings (US dollars) per patient if programmable shunts were used, because the cost of shunt revision is a lot higher than the cost of the shunt. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of shunt revision is lower in patients with programmable devices, and these are therefore more cost-effective. In addition, the shunt adjustments made for patients with programmable devices also resulted in better neurological outcomes.

Palliative surgery for cervical spine metastasis.

INTRODUCTION: The present study aimed to assess the immediate/early clinical outcomes and surgical results of 11 consecutive patients who underwent palliative cervical spine surgery for symptomatic spinal metastases. METHODS: This single-surgeon retrospective case series analysed 12 surgical procedures that were performed for symptomatic cervical spinal metastasis in 11 consecutive patients. All surgeries were carried out at Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, from 2007 to 2013. Preoperative medical oncological assessment/staging was performed on each patient--all patients presented with either axial neck pain or neurological deficits, and had no bladder or bowel symptoms. The primary outcomes analysed were postoperative neurological power and improvement in neck pain. RESULTS: Anterior (n = 5), posterior (n = 4) and combined (n = 2) surgical approaches were used for decompression and stabilisation. Comparing between pre- and postoperative pain scores (scored according to the visual analog scale), and pre- and postoperative limb power scores (scored according to the Medical Research Council scale for muscle strength), we found that all patients showed improvement in their symptoms. Postoperatively, patients had either improvement or preservation of neurological power, and all patients had a decrease in axial neck pain after surgery. Although there was one case of minor pedicle screw instrumentation malplacement, this did not result in any neurological symptoms. Median survival for the patients was 108 (range 7‒1,095) days. CONCLUSION: Palliative surgery for cervical spine metastasis is safe with good neurological results, low complication rates, and improvement in neck pain. A multidisciplinary approach involving surgeons, medical oncologists and radiotherapists is needed to optimise patient care and outcome.

A retrospective analysis and review of an institution's experience with the complications of cranioplasty.

INTRODUCTION: Cranial reconstruction with a cranioplasty is performed to repair skull defects after decompressive craniectomies. AIMS: To retrospectively review all cranioplasties performed in our institution over 10 years and analyse the complications and the factors that cause complications. PATIENT AND METHODS: Two hundred and forty-three cranioplasties were performed from 2000 to 2010, with a follow-up of at least 1 year. Age, sex, comorbidities, material, site of skull defect, time between decompression and cranioplasty, and rate of complications were collected from our database. Fischer's T-test and direct logistical regression were performed to identify factors that contributed to the rate of complications. p < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Post-cranioplasty seizures (14.81%), infection and exposed implant (9.05%), haemorrhage (1.65%) and others (0.82%) were identified complications. Total percentage of complications was 25.92%. Previous trauma (p = 0.034) and intracranial haemorrhage (p = 0.019) as well as pre-cranioplasty neurological deficit (p = 0.046) were related to seizures, while pre-cranioplasty neurological deficit (p = 0.036) and exposed implant extrusion (p = 0.048) contributed to infection of cranioplasties. DISCUSSION: Most of the seizures may be post-traumatic seizures or scar epilepsy from intracranial haemorrhage. Implant extrusions were found to be associated with infection of the implant, and they should therefore be treated early. Patient selection is important as patients with neurological deficits were susceptible to seizures and infection. Intracranial haemorrhage was caused by persistant bleeding, trauma or shunt overdrainge. CONCLUSION: Cranioplasty has significant complications. A thorough understanding of factors that contribute to the different types of complications will benefit the management of cranioplasty patients.

An S-shaped incision for the insertion of deep brain stimulators.

BACKGROUND: The S-shaped incision is a novel technique we have developed to minimise wound complications for the insertion of bilateral deep brain stimulators. METHODS: An S-shaped incision incorporating both burrholes allows better exposure compared to the traditional bilateral incisions. The burrholes are drilled under each limb of the S and the incision does not run across them, decreasing the risk of infection. The electrodes are subsequently tunneled down the right side and connected to the battery. CONCLUSION: The use of the S-shaped incision results in less wound and electrode complications compared to the traditional bilateral linear incisions in our experience.

Cortical reorganization of motor functional areas in cerebral arteriovenous malformations.

Cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVM) are congenital malformations that may grow in functional areas such as the primary motor cortex, but do not lead to motor deficits unless they rupture. We attempted to determine whether cortical reorganization was present in patients with AVM. We identified 22 patients with AVM who undergone had motor functional MRI (fMRI) evaluation. Patients were categorized according to AVM location: Group 1-away from motor areas (13 patients, 59.1%); Group 2-adjacent to motor areas (3 patients, 13.6%); and Group 3-overlying motor areas (6 patients, 27.3%). Groups 2 and 3 were compared to Group 1. In Group 3, six of six patients demonstrated cortical reorganisation (p=0.00037), and the four who underwent AVM removal did not sustain new neurological deficits. In Groups 1 and 2 no patient showed cortical reorganisation. Evidence of cortical reorganisation in patients with AVM overlying eloquent areas suggests that resection of these AVM may be possible with acceptable neurological deficits.