Procalcitonin -Vital Tool to Differentiate Septic Progression of Spondylodiscitis from Drug Hypersensitivity: A Case Report and Brief Review of Literature.

INTRODUCTION: Drug hypersensitivity is an important differential diagnosis in patients of infective spondylodiscitis, who develop systemic symptoms such as fever, rash, and arthralgia while on treatment with antibiotics. As these symptoms may also be present in sepsis progression, differentiation between two is very difficult. Procalcitonin (PCT) is one of the important and specific biomarkers of early sepsis. CASE REPORT: We present a case of a 33-year-old male with deep post-operative spinal infection complicated by drug hypersensitivity and worsening of systemic parameters. Serum PCT levels helped us to make correct diagnosis and prevent unnecessary surgical debridement. CONCLUSION: PCT, as a biomarker, can help distinguish the septic progression of spondylodiscitis from drug hypersensitivity and prove vital in clinical decision-making in these difficult scenarios.

Craniopharyngioma in children: trends from a third consecutive single-center cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: The management of children with craniopharyngioma has evolved over time, with a trend toward less invasive neurosurgical approaches as surgeons have sought to balance oncological control and treatment-related morbidity. To this end, the aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the current management of children with craniopharyngioma compared to the previous management methods used at the authors' treatment center. METHODS: A prospectively maintained database was searched over a 14-year period between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2018, to identify all children 17 years of age or younger with a new diagnosis of craniopharyngioma. A retrospective case note review was performed for each child to extract data on the presentation, investigation, treatment, and outcome of their illness. Morbidity was assessed in the same fashion as in previous cohorts, according to the following categories: visual loss, pituitary dysfunction, hypothalamic dysfunction, neurological deficits, and cognitive impairment. RESULTS: In total, 59 children were identified with craniopharyngioma during the study period. A total of 92 operations were performed, including cyst drainage (35/92; 38.0%), craniotomy and resection (30/92; 32.6%), and transsphenoidal resection (16/92; 17.4%). Approximately two-thirds of all operations were performed using image guidance (66/92; 71.7%) and one-third were performed using endoscopy (27/92; 29.3%). The majority of children had adjuvant therapy comprising proton beam therapy (18/59; 30.5%) or conventional radiotherapy (16/59; 27.1%). The median follow-up duration was 44 months (range 1-142 months), and approximately one-half of the children had no evidence of residual disease on MRI studies (28/59; 47.5%). Of the remaining 31 children, there was a reduction in the volume of residual disease in 8 patients (8/59; 13.6%), stable residual disease in 18 (18/59; 30.5%), and tumor growth in 5 patients (5/59; 8.5%). There was significantly reduced morbidity (p < 0.05) in all categories in the current cohort compared with our last cohort (1996-2004). CONCLUSIONS: The authors' institutional experience of pediatric craniopharyngioma confirms a trend toward less invasive neurosurgical procedures, most of which are now performed with the benefit of image guidance or endoscopy. Moreover, the authors have identified an expanding role for more targeted radiotherapy for children with residual disease. These advances have allowed for tumor control comparable to that achieved in previous cohorts, but with significantly reduced morbidity and mortality.

Subarachnoid haemorrhage with negative initial neurovascular imaging: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: In patients with spontaneous subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH), a vascular cause for the bleed is not always found on initial investigations. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the delayed investigation strategies and clinical outcomes in these cases, often described as "non-aneurysmal" SAH (naSAH). METHODS: A systematic review was performed in concordance with the PRISMA checklist. Pooled proportions of primary outcome measures were estimated using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Fifty-eight studies were included (4473 patients). The cohort was split into perimesencephalic naSAH (PnaSAH) (49.9%), non-PnaSAH (44.7%) and radiologically negative SAH identified on lumbar puncture (5.4%). The commonest initial vascular imaging modality was digital subtraction angiography. A vascular abnormality was identified during delayed investigation in 3.9% [95% CI 1.9-6.6]. There was no uniform strategy for the timing or modality of delayed investigations. The pooled proportion of a favourable modified Rankin scale outcome (0-2) at 3-6 months following diagnosis was 92.0% [95% CI 86.0-96.5]. Complications included re-bleeding (3.1% [95% CI 1.5-5.2]), hydrocephalus (16.0% [95% CI 11.2-21.4]), vasospasm (9.6% [95% CI 6.5-13.3]) and seizure (3.5% [95% CI 1.7-5.8]). Stratified by bleeding pattern, we demonstrate a higher rate of delayed diagnoses (13.6% [95% CI 7.4-21.3]), lower proportion of favourable functional outcome (87.2% [95% CI 80.1-92.9]) and higher risk of complications for non-PnaSAH patients. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the heterogeneity in delayed investigations and outcomes for patients with naSAH, which may be influenced by the initial pattern of bleeding. Further multi-centre prospective studies are required to clarify optimal tailored management strategies for this heterogeneous group of patients.

Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring in paediatric Chiari surgery-help or hindrance?

INTRODUCTION: The role of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) during surgery for Chiari I malformation has not been fully elucidated. Questions remain regarding its utility as an adjunct to foramen magnum decompression surgery, specifically, does IONM improve the safety profile of foramen magnum decompression surgery and can IONM parameters help in intraoperative surgical decision-making. This study aimed to describe a single institution experience of IOM during paediatric Chiari I surgery. METHODS: The methodology comprised a retrospective review of prospectively collected electronic neurosurgical departmental operative database. Inclusion criteria were children under 16 years of age who had undergone foramen magnum decompression for Chiari I malformation with IONM. In addition to basic demographic data, details pertaining to presenting features and post-operative outcomes were obtained. These included primary symptoms of Chiari I malformation and indications for surgery. MRI findings, including the presence of syringomyelia on pre-and post-operative imaging, were reviewed. Details of the surgical technique for each patient were recorded. Only patients with either serial brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) and/or upper limb somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) recordings were included. Two time points were used for the purposes of analysing IONM data; initial baseline before skin incision and final at the time of skin closure. RESULTS: Thirty-seven children underwent foramen magnum decompression (FMD) with IONM. Mean age was 10.5 years (range 1-16 years) with a male:female ratio 13:24. The commonest clinical features on presentation included headaches (15) and scoliosis (13). Twenty-four patients had evidence of associated syringomyelia (24/37 = 64.9%). A reduction in the SSEP latency was observed in all patients. SSEP amplitude was more variable, with a decrease seen in 18 patients and an increase observed in 12 patients. BAEP recordings decreased in 13 patients and increased in 4 patients. There were no adverse neurological events following surgery; the primary symptom was resolved or improved in all patients at 3-month follow-up. Resolution or improvement in syringomyelia was observed in 19/24 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Our data shows that FMD for Chiari malformation (CM) is associated with changes in SSEPs and BAEPs. However, we did not identify a definite link between clinical outcomes and IONM, nor did syrinx outcome correlate with IONM. There may be a role for IONM in CM surgery but more robust data with better-defined parameters are required to further understand the impact of IONM in CM surgery.

Current Surgical Options for Patients with Epilepsy.

Surgery for epilepsy dates back to 1886 and has undergone significant developments. Today it is considered a key treatment modality in patients who are resistant to pharmacological intervention. It improves seizure control, cognition and quality of life. New technologies, advances in surgical technique and progress in scientific research underlie the expansion of surgery in epilepsy treatment. Effectiveness of surgical treatment depends on several factors including the type of epilepsy, the underlying pathology and the localisation of the epileptogenic zone. Timely referral to an experienced epilepsy surgery centre is important to allow the greatest chance of seizure control and to minimise associated morbidity and mortality. Following referral, patients undergo thorough presurgical investigation to evaluate their suitability for surgery. The commonest form of epilepsy treated by surgery is mesial temporal lobe sclerosis and there is Class I evidence for the medium-term efficacy of temporal lobe resection from two randomised control trials. Various other forms of epilepsy are now considered for resective and neuromodulatory surgical intervention due to favourable results. In this article, the authors review the current status of surgical treatment for epilepsy including the presurgical evaluation of patients, surgical techniques and the future directions in epilepsy surgery.

Patent foramen ovale closure prior to surgery in the sitting position.

Previously, patent foramen ovale (PFO) was an absolute contraindication to surgery in the sitting position. We report two patients with PFO who underwent surgery in the sitting position after percutaneous PFO closure. To our knowledge this is the first report of this technique.

Pseudotumor cerebri presenting with visual failure in promyelocytic leukemia: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Pseudotumor cerebri secondary to all-trans retinoic acid in acute promyelocytic leukemia is a reported but rare complication of the therapy. Most cases improve following the discontinuation of all-trans retinoic acid. There is no published literature on how to manage such patients if severe symptoms of increased intracranial pressure continue after discontinuation of the drug. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 16-year-old Afro-Caribbean woman with aggressive secondary pseudotumor cerebri who presented to our facility with visual failure that persisted despite discontinuation of all-trans retinoic acid. A lumbar drain was inserted for 11 days resulting in symptomatic relief of headaches and objective improvement of visual failure. Pressure settings were titrated regularly to ensure optimal symptomatic relief. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a lumbar drain for continuous drainage of cerebrospinal fluid in patients with all-trans retinoic acid-induced pseudotumor cerebri resistant to all-trans retinoic acid discontinuation is a feasible management option. This method can be used when other less invasive measures have failed to improve signs and symptoms. Permanent drainage of cerebrospinal fluid with a shunt may also provide a long-term viable management strategy but the use of a lumbar drain may be preferable if the cause of pseudotumor cerebri is known to be self-limiting.