Dual Dural Patch Graft With AlloDerm and DuraGen Underlay for Duraplasty in Chiari Malformation Results in Significantly Decreased Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak Complications.

BACKGROUND: Grafts available for posterior fossa dural reconstruction after Chiari decompression surgery include synthetic, xenograft, allograft, and autograft materials. The reported rates of postoperative pseudomeningocele and cerebrospinal fluid leak vary, but so far, no dural patch material or technique has sufficiently eliminated these problems. OBJECTIVE: To compare the incidence of graft-related complications after posterior fossa surgery using AlloDerm alone vs AlloDerm with a DuraGen underlay. METHODS: We performed a retrospective single-center study of a cohort of 106 patients who underwent Chiari decompression surgery by a single surgeon from 2014 through 2021. Age, sex, body mass index, tonsillar descent, syrinx formation, type of dural graft, and follow-up data were analyzed using univariate and χ2 statistical tests. RESULTS: The AlloDerm-only group had a percutaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak rate of 8.6% vs a 0% rate in the dual graft group (P = .037). At initial follow-up, there was a 15.5% combined rate of pseudomeningocele formation plus CSF leak in the AlloDerm-only group vs 18.8% in the AlloDerm + DuraGen group (P = .659). However, the pseudomeningoceles were larger in the AlloDerm-only cohort (45.5 vs 22.4 mm anteroposterior plane, P = .004), and 5 patients in this group required operative repair (56%). All pseudomeningoceles resolved without reoperation in the AlloDerm + DuraGen group (P = .003). CONCLUSION: The use of a DuraGen underlay with a sutured AlloDerm dural patch resulted in significantly fewer CSF-related complications and eliminated the need for reoperation compared with AlloDerm alone. This single-center study provides evidence that buttressing posterior fossa dural grafts with a DuraGen underlay may decrease the risk of postoperative complications.

Hemifacial spasm secondary to Chiari malformation type I: Systematic review with case illustration.

Hemifacial spasm (HFS) can be associated with Chiari malformation type I (CM1), but the treatment paradigm for these concurrent conditions has not been well-defined. We sought demographical differences between patients with HFS with and without CM1 and explored optimal surgical treatments for these patients. A systematic review of peer-reviewed literature identified 8 studies with 51 patients with CM1 and HFS. A patient from the authors' institution is presented as a case illustration. Of the 51 patients, the average age was 39.4 years, 63% (32/51) were female, 73% (37/51) underwent microvascular decompression (MVD) as a primary intervention, and 16% (8/51) underwent suboccipital decompression (SOD). After primary MVD, 83.7% (31/37) had complete resolution of their symptoms and 10.8% (4/37) had either recurrent CM1 symptoms or new-onset CM1 symptoms. Three (8.1%) required reoperation with suboccipital decompression to address new CM1-related symptoms. All patients who underwent SOD first had complete or near-complete resolution of symptoms. In 3 patients (37.5%) with near-complete resolution, the residual symptoms had insignificant impact on their quality of life. These data suggest that concomitant CM1 should be among the differential diagnosis in younger patients who present with HFS, particularly those who are female or who present with history suggesting tussive headaches. For patients who present with HFS and headache with CM1, SOD instead of MVD may be the preferred surgery to address concurrent symptoms. In patients with HFS and CM1 without headache, optimal treatment is less clear, but SOD as initial surgery may obviate the need for future reoperation.

Interdisciplinary Protocol for the Management of Vision-Threatening Papilledema.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluates the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary protocol for management of patients with papilledema and vision loss secondary to increased intracranial pressure. METHODS: Retrospective record review of all adult patients who presented with vision-threatening papilledema (VTPE) and were treated under this protocol. Patients are admitted for lumbar drain placement and diuretics and followed daily to determine if they may be managed medically or require surgery (optic nerve sheath fenestration [ONSF] and/or cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] shunting). RESULTS: Nineteen patients were included. Twelve had body mass index in the obese range and 6 were morbidly obese. Fourteen had idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Five had secondary pseudotumor cerebri syndrome related to medication use, dural venous sinus thrombosis, hypothyroidism, end-stage renal disease, pulmonary disease, and diastolic heart failure. Three patients did not require surgery and were discharged on oral diuretics; 3 patients underwent unilateral ONSF, 9 underwent bilateral ONSF, and 4 underwent bilateral ONSF followed by ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement. The average follow-up was 10.1 months. The visual acuity improved bilaterally in 12 patients and unilaterally in 4 patients. The remaining 3 patients had worsened vision in both eyes. Fifteen patients had bilateral improvement in their visual fields. Five eyes in 3 patients showed further constriction of the visual field at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate how a multidisciplinary complex care protocol for treating VTPE can expedite and streamline treatment and restore vision. We found that most patients had improved symptoms and signs, including visual acuity, visual fields, and papilledema. We encourage institutions that manage VTPE to adopt similar institutional protocols.

Frontotemporal Approach for Infectious Aneurysm Trapping and Superficial Temporal Artery-Middle Cerebral Artery Bypass.

Although neurotropic, the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a rare cause of mycotic cerebral aneurysms. As with other mycotic aneurysms, medical management can provide complete resolution. Surgery for refractory aneurysms can be complicated by vessel friability and complex morphologies requiring excision and revascularization. In Video 1, we present key steps in the surgical management of a previously ruptured and growing fusiform mycotic cerebral aneurysm. A 58-year-old woman with a history of neuromyelitis optica resulting in lower-extremity paraplegia and chronic immunosuppression presented elsewhere with a Hunt and Hess 2 and Fisher grade 3 subarachnoid and intraparenchymal hemorrhage. Initial angiography demonstrated a 3-mm right distal middle cerebral artery fusiform aneurysm. Because of a recent shingles episode and cerebrospinal fluid studies consistent with a viral cause (glucose 26, protein 166, lymphocytes 64%), acyclovir and steroid therapy was commenced. She was transferred to our institution after serial angiography demonstrated aneurysm growth to 7 mm over 1 week. On arrival, she was neurologically intact except for her baseline lower-extremity weakness. To address the lesion, she underwent a superficial temporal artery-to-middle cerebral artery direct bypass, followed by clip trapping and microsurgical excision of the diseased arterial segment. Pathologic analysis confirmed the presence of VZV in the aneurysm walls. Postoperatively, she was at her neurologic baseline and was discharged 2 weeks later. Immediate and 5-month postoperative vascular imaging demonstrated bypass patency and no residual aneurysm. Similar to other mycotic aneurysms, VZV-associated cerebral aneurysms refractory to medical management can be safely treated with definitive excision and revascularization in selected patients.

Stereotactic laser interstitial thermal therapy for brainstem cavernous malformations: two preliminary cases.

Brainstem cavernous malformations (CMs) often have high hemorrhage rates and significant posthemorrhage morbidity. The authors present two cases in which magnetic resonance thermography-guided laser interstitial therapy was used for treatment of pontine CMs after recurrent hemorrhage. Both patients showed significant symptomatic improvement and were hemorrhage-free at 12- and 6-month follow-up, respectively. Each had radiographic evidence of lesion involution on serial follow-up imaging. These early results demonstrate this treatment modality may be technically safe; however, larger case numbers and longer follow-up are needed to demonstrate efficacy.

Delayed Cerebrospinal Fluid Cleft Formation Through the Midbrain and Thalamus Following Hemicraniectomy and Cranioplasty for Acute Subdural Hematoma.

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cleft formation through brain parenchyma following nonpenetrating traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a rare phenomenon. Here we present a unique case of delayed CSF cleft formation months after initial injury. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 41-yr-old male presented after a fall with a right convexity acute subdural hematoma and ipsilateral frontal contusion. He underwent emergent hemicraniectomy with subsequent autologous cranioplasty 2 mo later. At 10-mo follow-up his neurological status had improved. His magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at that time demonstrated encephalomalacia at the site of his prior contusion and punctate right pontine traumatic shearing injury. The patient re-presented to clinic 13 mo after initial injury with 2 mo of progressively worsening dysarthria, left hand numbness, diplopia, and dysphagia. MRI revealed a new tubular-shaped CSF cleft extending from the fourth ventricle, through the right midbrain and thalamus that was not present on prior MRI. Computed tomography cisternogram confirmed communication with the ventricular system, and there was no clinical evidence for elevated CSF pressure. One month later, the patient's symptoms had not improved, and imaging revealed progression of the CSF cleft. Following placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt, progression of the cleft ceased. We postulate that this cleft was a late sequela of traumatic shearing injury. We discuss our efforts to diagnose the etiology of the cleft and the rationale for our management strategy. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this represents the first reported delayed-onset CSF cleft through the midbrain and thalamus after closed TBI.

Evaluation of disease severity and treatment intensity as cost drivers for ruptured intracranial aneurysms.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have not evaluated the impact of illness severity and postrupture procedures in the cost of care for intracranial aneurysms. We hypothesize that the severity of aneurysm rupture and the aggressiveness of postrupture interventions play a role in cost. METHODS: The Value Driven Outcomes database was used to assess direct patient cost during the treatment of ruptured intracranial aneurysm with clipping, coiling, and Pipeline flow diverters. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-eight patients (mean age 52.8 ± 14.1 years; 40.0% male) underwent craniotomy (64.6%), coiling (26.7%), or flow diversion (8.6%). Coiling was 1.4× more expensive than clipping (p = .005) and flow diversion was 1.7× more expensive than clipping (p < .001). More severe illness as measured by American Society of Anesthesia, Hunt/Hess, and Fisher scales incurred higher costs than less severe illness (p < .05). Use of a lumbar drain protocol to reduce subarachnoid hemorrhage and use of an external ventricular drain to manage intracranial pressure were associated with reduced (p = .05) and increased (p < .001) total costs, respectively. Patients with severe vasospasm (p < .005), those that received shunts (p < .001), and those who had complications (p < .001) had higher costs. Multivariate analysis showed that procedure type, length of stay, number of angiograms, vasospasm severity, disposition, and year of treatment were independent predictors of cost. CONCLUSIONS: These results show for the first time that disease and vasospasm severity and intensity of treatment directly impact the cost of care for patients with aneurysms in the USA. Strategies to alter these variables may prove important for cost reduction.

Analysis of an overlapping surgery policy change on costs in a high-volume neurosurgical department.

OBJECTIVE: Overlapping surgery remains a controversial topic in the medical community. Although numerous studies have examined the safety profile of overlapping operations, there are few data on its financial impact. The authors assessed direct hospital costs associated with neurosurgical operations during periods before and after a more stringent overlapping surgery policy was implemented. METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed the records of nonemergency neurosurgical operations that took place during the periods from June 1, 2014, to October 31, 2014 (pre-policy change), and from June 1, 2016, to October 31, 2016 (post-policy change), by any of the 4 senior neurosurgeons authorized to perform overlapping cases during both periods. Cost data as well as demographic, surgical, and hospitalization-related variables were obtained from an institutional tool, the Value-Driven Outcomes database. RESULTS: A total of 625 hospitalizations met inclusion criteria for cost analysis; of these, 362 occurred prior to the policy change and 263 occurred after the change. All costs were reported as a proportion of the average total hospitalization cost for the entire cohort. There was no significant difference in mean total hospital costs between the prechange and postchange period (0.994 ± 1.237 vs 1.009 ± 0.994, p = 0.873). On multivariate linear regression analysis, neither the policy change (p = 0.582) nor the use of overlapping surgery (p = 0.273) was significantly associated with higher total hospital costs. CONCLUSIONS: A more restrictive overlapping surgery policy was not associated with a reduction in the direct costs of hospitalization for neurosurgical procedures.

Outcomes in adults with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis: A retrospective cohort study.

Most patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) treated with anticoagulation have good outcomes. We examined which factors were associated with poor outcomes after treatment. We retrospectively reviewed patients ≥18 years old who were diagnosed with CVST between 1997 and 2015. Good (modified Rankin score [mRS] ≤2) and poor outcomes were dichotomized. Demographic, historical, clinical, imaging, and treatment characteristics were compared. Eighty-nine patients received treatment for CVST (52.8% males, 74.2% Caucasian). Sixty-eight (76.4%) had good outcomes and 21 (23.6%) had poor outcomes. Poor outcome was associated with systemic or central nervous system (CNS) infection (p = 0.002), lower use of heparin-only therapy than interventional-only treatments (p = 0.003), and increased use of craniectomy (p = 0.002). Good outcomes were associated with migrainous headache on presentation (p = 0.01) and involvement of superficial cortical vessels only (p = 0.02). No prothrombotic or imaging findings correlated with poor outcome. Multivariable analysis showed that any clinical risk factor (p = 0.02) and headache (p = 0.02) predicted improved outcome whereas systemic or CNS infection (p = 0.02) and craniectomy (p = 0.02) predicted poor outcome. A published risk score showed a moderate ability to predict good outcome but not poor outcome. Overall sensitivity (23.8%), specificity (75.0%), and positive (24.0%) and negative (77.0%) predictive value suggested moderate prediction of good outcome and limited prediction of poor outcome. Rates of poor outcomes in CVST were comparable with previous investigations (23.6%), but prediction of poor outcome remains challenging in patients with CVST. Our results suggested that systemic infection and craniectomy were the most robust predictors of poor outcome.

Clinical presentation and treatment paradigms in patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia and spinal vascular malformations.

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an autosomal dominant disorder that causes angiodysplasia and results in mucocutaneous telangiectasias and arteriovenous malformations of organs. Although central nervous system vascular malformations can occur anywhere along the neuraxis, spinal vascular malformations are rare. We present our experience with the presentation and management of spinal vascular malformations in patients with HHT. Of the more than 800 patients with the diagnosis of HHT screened at our institution from 1995 through 2017, four patients with spinal vascular malformations (age range 1 month-77 years; 2 male, 2 female) were identified, three of whom came to clinical attention after significant neurological deterioration from previously unknown malformations. A review of the literature including our patients demonstrated 29 total spinal arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) in 28 HHT patients (69% male). The lesions were located predominantly in the thoracic spine (65.5%). Three lesions were not treated, 17 were treated with embolization, 6 were surgically resected, and 3 were treated with embolization and surgery. In 14 cases, the patients presented with hemorrhage of the AVF. Overall, 79% of patients achieved complete or near-complete occlusion, with 75% reporting improvement in neurological function. Discovery of spinal lesions often occurs after neurological decline because current screening protocols do not include evaluation of the patient for spinal lesions. Most patients benefit from intervention, which is tailored to the characteristics of the patient and their malformation. Given the often-severe neurological deficit encountered at presentation, we favor a protocol that screens HHT patients for spinal vascular malformations.

Clinical presentation and treatment paradigms of brain arteriovenous malformations in patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia.

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is characterized by recurrent spontaneous epistaxis, mucocutaneous telangiectases, and multisystem arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Brain AVMs typically present at birth and are identified in approximately 10-20% of patients with HHT. A retrospective review was undertaken of all HHT patients with known single or multiple brain AVMs treated at our institution. Thirty-nine patients with brain AVM(s) were diagnosed with HHT. Most patients presented with at least one Curaçao criterion. A total of 78 brain AVMs were identified in 39 patients. Two-thirds of patients had solitary brain AVMs, whereas 33% of patients harbored at least two lesions (range: 2-16). Brain AVMs of the supratentorial cerebral hemispheres comprised 83% of all lesions, whereas infratentorial lesions accounted for only 17%. Of the 55 brain AVMs assigned Spetzler-Martin grading, the majority of patients were Grade 1 (73%), and 23% and 4% were Grades 2 and 3, respectively. Patients were treated with surgery alone (51%), embolization alone (6%), embolization followed by surgery (9%), stereotactic radiosurgery (11%), stereotactic radiosurgery followed by surgery (3%), or observation (20%). Of patients who underwent genetic analysis, 62% possessed mutations in ENG (HHT type 1), whereas 38% had mutations in ACVRL1 (HHT type 2). This robust patient cohort of brain AVMs in 39 patients with HHT advances the collective understanding of this disease's varied presentation, diagnostic workup, genetic underpinnings, and available treatment options.

Treatment of idiopathic intracranial hypertension via stereotactic placement of biventriculoperitoneal shunts.

OBJECTIVE Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), or pseudotumor cerebri, is a complex and difficult-to-manage condition that can lead to permanent vision loss and refractory headaches if untreated. Traditional treatment options, such as unilateral ventriculoperitoneal (VP) or lumboperitoneal (LP) shunt placement, have high complication and failure rates and often require multiple revisions. The use of bilateral proximal catheters has been hypothesized as a method to improve shunt survival. The use of stereotactic technology has improved the accuracy of catheter placement and may improve treatment of IIH, with fewer complications and greater shunt patency time. METHODS The authors performed a retrospective chart review for all patients with IIH who underwent stereotactic placement of biventriculoperitoneal (BVP) shunt catheters from 2008 to 2016 at their institution. Bilateral proximal catheters were Y-connected to a Strata valve with a single distal catheter. We evaluated clinical, surgical, and ophthalmological variables and outcomes. RESULTS Most patients in this series of 34 patients (mean age 34.4 ± 8.2 years, mean body mass index 38.7 ± 8.3 kg/m2; 91.2% were women) undergoing 41 shunt procedures presented with headache (94.1%) and visual deficits (85.3%). The mean opening pressure was 39.6 ± 9.0 cm H2O. In addition, 50.0% had undergone previous unilateral shunt placement, and 20.6% had undergone prior optic nerve sheath fenestration. After BVP shunt placement, there were no cases of proximal catheter obstruction and only a single case of valve obstruction at 41.9 months, with a mean follow-up of 24.8 ± 20.0 months. Most patients showed improvement in their headache (82.4%), subjective vision (70.6%), and papilledema (61.5% preoperatively vs 20.0% postoperatively, p = 0.02) at follow-up. Additional primary complications included 4 patients with migration of their distal catheters out of the peritoneum (twice in 1 patient), and an infection of the distal catheter after catheter dislodgment. The proximal obstructive shunt complication rate in this series (2.9%) was lower than that with LP (53.5%) or unilateral VP (37.8%) shunts seen in the literature. CONCLUSIONS This small series suggests that stereotactic placement of BVP shunt catheters appears to improve shunt survival rates and presenting symptoms in patients with IIH. Compared with unilateral VP or LP shunts, the use of BVP shunts may be a more effective and more functionally sustained method for the treatment of IIH.

Air Transport of a Patient With Impending Cerebral Herniation From Tension Pneumocephalus.

Tension pneumocephalus is a rare but dangerous complication of craniotomy, sinus surgery, and traumatic cranial injury. Compared with simple pneumocephalus, which often resolves spontaneously over the course of a few days, tension pneumocephalus tends to increase with ongoing cerebrospinal fluid leak and requires immediate neurosurgical treatment to prevent cerebral herniation. Air transport of patients with tension pneumocephalus for neurosurgical care entails a risk of neurologic worsening because of changes in ambient air pressure with altitude and cabin pressurization. We describe a case in which severe symptomatic tension pneumocephalus developed after endoscopic endonasal sinus surgery in an 81-year-old man. The patient lived in a remote area and required air transport for medical care. Pretreatment with oxygen therapy and maintaining the patient in a flat supine position rapidly improved his neurologic status, allowing transportation without incidence. A recommendation was also made to the medical transport team to fly at the lowest possible altitude. Specific precautions may enable safe transport of these critically ill patients for treatment, although further data must be obtained before these can be definitively recommended.

Validation of the unruptured intracranial aneurysm treatment score: comparison with real-world cerebrovascular practice.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to compare the unruptured intracranial aneurysm treatment score (UIATS) recommendations with the real-world experience in a quaternary academic medical center with a high volume of patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs). METHODS All patients with UIAs evaluated during a 3-year period were included. All factors included in the UIATS were abstracted, and patients were scored using the UIATS. Patients were categorized in a contingency table assessing UIATS recommendation versus real-world treatment decision. The authors calculated the percentage of misclassification, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS A total of 221 consecutive patients with UIAs met the inclusion criteria: 69 (31%) patients underwent treatment and 152 (69%) did not. Fifty-nine (27%) patients had a UIATS between -2 and 2, which does not offer a treatment recommendation, leaving 162 (73%) patients with a UIATS treatment recommendation. The UIATS was significantly associated with treatment (p < 0.001); however, the sensitivity, specificity, and percentage of misclassification were 49%, 80%, and 28%, respectively. Notably, 51% of patients for whom treatment would be recommended by the UIATS did not undergo treatment in the real-world cohort and 20% of patients for whom conservative management would be recommended by UIATS had intervention. The area under the ROC curve was 0.646. CONCLUSIONS Compared with the authors' experience, the UIATS recommended overtreatment of UIAs. Although the UIATS could be used as a screening tool, individualized treatment recommendations based on consultation with a cerebrovascular specialist are necessary. Further validation with longitudinal data on rupture rates of UIAs is needed before widespread use.

Impact of a more restrictive overlapping surgery policy: an analysis of pre- and postimplementation complication rates, resident involvement, and surgical wait times at a high-volume neurosurgical department.

OBJECTIVE Recently, overlapping surgery has been a source of controversy both in the popular press and within the academic medical community. There have been no studies examining the possible effects of more stringent overlapping surgery restrictions. At the authors' institution, a new policy was implemented that restricts attending surgeons from starting a second case until all critical portions of the first case that could require the attending surgeon's involvement are completed. The authors examined the impact of this policy on complication rates, neurosurgical resident education, and wait times for neurosurgical procedures. METHODS The authors performed a retrospective chart review of nonemergency neurosurgical procedures performed over two periods-from June 1, 2014, to October 31, 2014 (pre-policy change) and from June 1, 2016, to October 31, 2016 (post-policy change)-by any of 4 senior neurosurgeons at a single institution who were authorized to schedule overlapping cases. Information on preoperative evaluation, patient demographics, premorbid conditions, surgical variables, and postoperative course were collected and analyzed. RESULTS Six hundred fifty-three patients met inclusion criteria for complications analysis. Of these, 378 (57.9%) underwent surgery before the policy change. On multivariable regression analysis, neither overlapping surgery (odds ratio [OR] 1.072, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.710-1.620) nor the overlapping surgery policy change (OR 1.057, 95% CI 0.700-1.596) was associated with overall complication rates. Similarly, neither overlapping surgery (OR 1.472, 95% CI 0.883-2.454) nor the overlapping surgery policy change (OR 1.251, 95% CI 0.748-2.091) was associated with numbers of serious complications. After the policy change, the percentage of procedures in which the senior assistant was a postresidency fellow increased significantly, from 11.9% to 34.2% (p < 0.001). In a multiple linear regression analysis of surgery wait times, patients undergoing surgery after the policy change had significantly longer delays from the decision to operate until the actual neurosurgical procedure (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS At the authors' institution, further restriction of overlapping surgery was not associated with a reduction in overall or serious complications. Resident involvement in neurosurgical procedures decreased significantly after the policy change, and this study suggests that wait times for neurosurgical procedures also significantly lengthened.

Association of travel distance and cerebral aneurysm treatment.

BACKGROUND: The management of cerebral aneurysms requires a significant level of expertise, and large areas of the country have limited access to such advanced neurosurgical care. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of longer travel distance on aneurysm management. METHODS: Adult patients treated for cerebral aneurysms from January 1, 2013 to January 1, 2016, were retrospectively identified. Demographic data, socioeconomic data, aneurysm characteristics, and postoperative outcomes were evaluated with univariate and multivariable analysis to determine factors that influenced treatment prior to or after rupture. RESULTS: Two hundred fifty aneurysms (87 ruptured) were treated during the study period. Patients treated after rupture were more likely than those treated before rupture to live in areas with lower median household income (62% vs. 45%, P = 0.009), to live further from the treatment center (68% vs. 40%, P < 0.001), and to have aneurysms in the anterior communicating artery, anterior cerebral artery, or posterior communicating artery (P < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, longer travel distance (OR 3.288, 95% CI 1.562-6.922, P = 0.002), lower income (1.899, 95% CI 1.003-3.596, P = 0.049), and aneurysm location (P = 0.035) remained significantly associated with treatment after rupture. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who must travel further to receive advanced neurovascular care are more likely to receive treatment for their aneurysms only after they rupture. Further inquiry is needed to determine how to better provide neurosurgical treatment to patients living in underserved areas.

Factors influencing management of unruptured intracranial aneurysms: an analysis of 424 consecutive patients.

OBJECTIVE The choice between treating and observing unruptured intracranial aneurysms is often difficult, with little guidance on which variables should influence decision making on a patient-by-patient basis. Here, the authors compared demographic variables, aneurysm-related variables, and comorbidities in patients who received microsurgical or endovascular treatment and those who were conservatively managed to determine which factors push the surgeon toward recommending treatment. METHODS A retrospective chart review was conducted of all patients diagnosed with an unruptured intracranial aneurysm at their institution between January 1, 2013, and January 1, 2016. These patients were dichotomized based on whether their aneurysm was treated. Demographic, geographic, socioeconomic, comorbidity, and aneurysm-related information was analyzed to assess which factors were associated with the decision to treat. RESULTS A total of 424 patients were identified, 163 who were treated surgically or endovascularly and 261 who were managed conservatively. In a multivariable model, an age < 65 years (OR 2.913, 95% CI 1.298-6.541, p = 0.010), a lower Charlson Comorbidity Index (OR 1.536, 95% CI 1.274-1.855, p < 0.001), a larger aneurysm size (OR 1.176, 95% CI 1.100-1.257, p < 0.001), multiple aneurysms (OR 2.093, 95% CI 1.121-3.907, p = 0.020), a white race (OR 2.288, 95% CI 1.245-4.204, p = 0.008), and living further from the medical center (OR 2.125, 95% CI 1.281-3.522, p = 0.003) were all associated with the decision to treat rather than observe. CONCLUSIONS Whereas several factors were expected to be considered in the decision to treat unruptured intracranial aneurysms, including age, Charlson Comorbidity Index, aneurysm size, and multiple aneurysms, other factors such as race and proximity to the medical center were unanticipated. Further studies are needed to identify such biases in patient treatment and improve treatment delineation based on patient-specific aneurysm rupture risk.