Response to Preoperative Dexamethasone Predicts Postoperative Neurological Improvement of Focal Neurological Deficits in Patients With Brain Metastases.

BACKGROUND: Steroids are used ubiquitously in the preoperative management of patients with brain tumor. The rate of improvement in focal deficits with steroids and the prognostic value of such a response are not known. OBJECTIVE: To determine the rate at which focal neurological deficits respond to preoperative corticosteroids in patients with brain metastases and whether such an improvement could predict long-term recovery of neurological function after surgery. METHODS: Patients with brain metastases and related deficits in language, visual field, or motor domains who received corticosteroids before surgery were identified. Characteristics between steroid responders and nonresponders were compared. RESULTS: Ninety six patients demonstrated a visual field (13 patients), language (19), or motor (64) deficit and received dexamethasone in the week before surgery (average cumulative dose 43 mg; average duration 2.7 days). 38.5% of patients' deficits improved with steroids before surgery, while 82.3% of patients improved by follow-up. Motor deficits were more likely to improve both preoperatively ( P = .014) and postoperatively ( P = .010). All 37 responders remained improved at follow-up whereas 42 of 59 (71%) of nonresponders ultimately improved ( P < .001). All other clinical characteristics, including dose and duration, were similar between groups. CONCLUSION: A response to steroids before surgery is highly predictive of long-term improvement postoperatively in brain metastasis patients with focal neurological deficits. Lack of a response portends a somewhat less favorable prognosis. Duration and intensity of therapy do not seem to affect the likelihood of response.

Defining the Clival Recess Surgical Corridor and Clival Classification System for Approach to Sellar Pathology.

BACKGROUND: Sellar masses within the pars intermedius, bordered anteriorly by normal pituitary gland/stalk, and/or with ectatic cavernous carotid anatomy are challenging and high risk when approached through the endonasal standard direct/anterior sellar approach. This approach portends itself to a higher risk of pituitary gland/stalk injury and subtotal resection with the aforementioned anatomic variants. OBJECTIVE: To describe the indirect clival recess corridor approach to sellar lesions. This corridor is a "silent" point of access to lesions in this region endoscopically. While skull base teams may have used this approach to some degree, it has not yet been described in the literature to our knowledge. METHODS: We defined the clival recess surgical corridor with skull base craniometric measurements and use a case example with aberrant anatomy to illustrate the approach. We cross-sectionally reviewed 42 patients with sellar and suprasellar masses. To describe the approach's anatomy, we devised and defined the terms dorsum sella plumb line, anatomic corridor, angle of osseous, and operative corridor. RESULTS: Created novel clival aeration grade informing surgical planning. Classified clival aeration as Grade 1 (100%-75% aeration), Grade 2 (75%-50% aeration), Grade 3 (50%-25% aeration), and Grade 4 (25%-0% aeration). This classification system determines extent of drilling of the clivus required to optimize the clival recess corridor approach and its limitations. CONCLUSION: The clival recess surgical corridor is effective for accessing pituitary lesions within the sella. Consider the indirect approach when a standard direct/anterior sellar approach has high risk for vascular injury and/or endocrinological dysfunction.

The impact of low-dose aspirin in the Brain Injury Guidelines on outcomes in traumatic brain injury: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Current Brain Injury Guidelines (BIG) characterize patients with intracranial hemorrhage taking antiplatelet or anticoagulant agents as BIG 3 (the most severe category) regardless of trauma severity. This study assessed the risk of in-hospital mortality or need for neurosurgery in patients taking low-dose aspirin who otherwise would be classified as BIG 1. METHODS: This was a retrospective study at an academic level 1 trauma center. Patients were included if they were admitted with traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage and were evaluated by the BIG criteria. Exclusion criteria included indeterminate BIG status or patients with missing primary outcomes documentation. Patients were categorized as BIG 1, BIG 2, BIG 3, or BIG 1 on aspirin (patients with BIG 1 features taking low-dose aspirin). The primary endpoint was a composite of neurosurgical intervention and all-cause in-hospital mortality. Key secondary endpoints include rate of intracranial hemorrhage progression, and intensive care unit- and hospital-free days. RESULTS: A total of 1,520 patients met the inclusion criteria. Median initial Glasgow Coma Scale was 14 (interquartile range [IQR], 12-15), Injury Severity Scale score was 17 (IQR, 10-25), and Abbreviated Injury Scale subscore head and neck (AIS Head ) was 3 (IQR, 3-4). The rate of the primary outcome for BIG 1, BIG 1 on aspirin, BIG 2, and BIG 3 was 1%, 2.2%, 1%, and 27%, respectively; the difference between BIG 1 on aspirin and BIG 3 was significant ( p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Patients taking low-dose aspirin with otherwise BIG 1-grade injuries experienced mortality and required neurosurgery significantly less often than other patients categorized as BIG 3. Inclusion of low-dose aspirin in the BIG criteria should be reevaluated. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic/Care Management; Level IV.

Venous Sinus Stenting: Safety and Health Care Resource Evaluation for Optimal Recovery in an Evolving Health Care Environment.

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence supports the effectiveness of venous sinus stenting (VSS) with favorable outcomes, safety, and expenses compared with shunting for idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Yet, no evidence is available regarding optimal postoperative recovery, which has increasing importance with the burdens on health care imposed by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. We examined adverse events and costs after VSS and propose an optimal recovery pathway to maximize patient safety and reduce stress on health care resources. METHODS: A retrospective review was undertaken of elective VSS operations performed from May 2008 to August 2021 at a single institution. Primary data included hospital length of stay, intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay, adverse events, need for ICU interventions, and hospital costs. RESULTS: Fifty-three patients (98.1% female) met the inclusion criteria. Of these patients, 51 (96.2%) were discharged on postoperative day (POD) 1 and 2 patients were discharged on POD 2. Both patients discharged on POD 2 remained because of groin hematomas from femoral artery access. There were no major complications or care that required an ICU. Eight patients (15.1%) were lateralized to other ICUs or remained in a postanesthesia care unit because the neurosciences ICU was above capacity. Total estimated cost for initial recovery day in a neurosciences ICU room was $2361 versus $882 for a neurosurgery/neurology ward room. In our cohort, ward convalescence would save an estimated $79,866 for bed placement alone and increase ICU bed availability. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reaffirm the safety of VSS. These patients should recover on a neurosurgery/neurology ward, which would save health care costs and increase ICU bed availability.

Effects of 24-hour versus night-float call schedules on the clinical and operative experiences of postgraduate year 2 and 3 neurosurgical residents.

OBJECTIVE: To comply with the removal of the 88-hour week exemption and to support additional operative experience during junior residency, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) switched from a night-float call schedule to a modified 24-hour call schedule on July 1, 2019. This study compared the volumes of clinical, procedural, and operative cases experienced by postgraduate year 2 (PGY-2) and PGY-3 residents under these systems. METHODS: The authors retrospectively studied billing and related clinical records, call schedules, and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education case logs for PGY-2 and PGY-3 residents at OHSU, a tertiary academic health center, for the first 4 months of the academic years from 2017 to 2020. The authors analyzed the volumes of new patient consultations, bedside procedures, and operative procedures performed by each PGY-2 and PGY-3 resident during these years, comparing the volumes experienced under each call system. RESULTS: Changing from a PGY-2 resident-focused night-float call system to a 24-hour call system that was more evenly distributed between PGY-2 and PGY-3 residents resulted in decreased volume of new patient consultations, increased volume of operative procedures, and no change in volume of bedside procedures for PGY-2 residents. PGY-3 residents experienced a decrease in operative procedure volume under the 24-hour call system. CONCLUSIONS: Transition from a night-float system to a 24-hour call system altered the distribution of clinical and procedural experiences between PGY-2 and PGY-3 residents. Further research is necessary to understand the impact of these changes on educational outcomes, quality and safety of patient care, and resident satisfaction.

The clinical heterogeneity of entirely nonenhancing CNS lymphoma: a case series.

CNS lymphoma often presents with atypical imaging characteristics leading to delay in diagnosis and initiation of treatment. Among the most rarely reported of these is entirely nonenhancing CNS lymphoma, which is estimated at an incidence of about 1%. Here, we present three cases of nonenhancing CNS lymphoma in immune competent patients at both initial presentation and recurrence and in primary as well as secondary CNS lymphoma. Diffusion- and perfusion-weighted imaging was found helpful in diagnosis in some cases.