Management of cerebrospinal-fluid-related intracranial abnormalities in frontoethmoidal encephalocele using "Shunt algorithm for frontoethmoidal encephalocele" (SAFE).

A cerebrospinal-fluid-related (CSF-related) problem occurred in 25-30% of frontoethmoidal encephalocele (FEE) cases. Since there was no algorithm or guideline, the judgment to treat the CSF-related problem often relies upon the surgeon's experience. In our institution, the early shunt was preferable to treat the problem, but it added risks to the children. We developed an algorithm, "Shunt Algorithm for Frontoethmoidal Encephalocele" (SAFE), to guide the surgeon in making the most reasonable decision. To evaluate the SAFE's efficacy in reducing unnecessary early shunting for FEE with CSF-related intracranial abnormality. Medical records of FEE patients with CSF-related abnormalities treated from January 2007 to December 2019 were reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups: before the SAFE group as group 1 (2007 - 2011) and after the SAFE group as group 2 (2012 - 2019). We excluded FEE patients without CSF-related abnormalities. We compared the number of shunts and the complications between the two groups. One hundred and twenty-nine patient's medical records were reviewed. The males were predominating (79 versus 50 patients) with an average age of 58.2±7.1 months old (6 to 276 months old). Ventriculomegaly was found in 18 cases, arachnoid cysts in 46 cases, porencephalic cysts in 19 cases, and ventricular malformation in 46 cases. Group 1, with a score of 4 to 7 (19 cases), received an early shunt along with the FEE repair. Complications occurred in 7 patients of this group. Group 2, with a score of 4-7, received shunts only after the complication occurred in 3 cases (pseudomeningocele unresponsive with conservative treatment and re-operation in 2 cases; a sign of intracranial hypertension in 1 case). No complication occurred in this group. Groups 1 and 2, with scores of 8 or higher (6 and 8 cases, respectively), underwent direct shunt, with one complication (exposed shunt) in each group. The SAFE decision algorithm for FEE with CSF-related intracranial abnormalities has proven effective in reducing unnecessary shunting and the rate of shunt complications.

An In Vitro Study of Chitosan-Coated Bovine Pericardium as a Dural Substitute Candidate.

Defects in the dura matter can be caused by head injury, and many cases require neurosurgeons to use artificial dura matter. Bovine pericardium is an option due to its abundant availability, adjustable size and characteristics, and because it has more collagen than porcine or equine pericardia. Nevertheless, the drawback of bovine pericardium is that it has a higher inflammatory effect than other synthetic dura matters. Chitosan has been shown to have a strong anti-inflammatory effect and has good tensile strength; thus, the idea was formulated to use chitosan as a coating for bovine pericardium. This study used decellularized bovine pericardial membranes with 0.5% sodium dodecyl sulphate and coatings containing chitosan at concentrations of 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%, and 1%. An FTIR test showed the presence of a C=N functional group as a bovine pericardium-chitosan bond. Morphological tests of the 0.25% and 0.5% chitosan concentrations showed standard pore sizes. The highest tensile strength percentage was shown by the membrane with a chitosan concentration of 1%. The highest degradation rate of the membrane was observed on the 7th and 14th days for 0.75% and 1% concentrations, and the lowest swelling ratio was observed for the 0.25% concentration. The highest level of cell viability was found for 0.75% chitosan. The bovine pericardium membrane with a 0.75% concentration chitosan coating was considered the optimal sample for use as artificial dura matter.

FOURTH VENTRICLE ENTRAPMENT MANAGEMENT AND ITS OUTCOMES: CASE-SERIES FROM A SINGLE NEUROSURGERY CENTER.

This case-series aims to report the elaborate management of FVEs in our center and their outcome. Data from 2017 to 2022 were retrospectively collected. We reviewed patient's demography, clinical findings, radiology results, operative procedures, and complications after surgery. Five patients with FVE diagnosis underwent neurosurgical procedures. The procedures include VP shunt, endoscopic cyst fenestration and fourth ventricle peritoneal shunt (FVPS). Out of five patients, 3 had favorable outcomes, 1 deceased, and 1 patient were still hospitalized. The underlying diseases varied from hemorrhage, cyst, infection, congenital, and neoplasm. FVE etiologies range from congenital to intraventricular hemorrhage complications and infection. VPS, FVPS, and endoscopic treatment with stenting or fenestration are surgical options for treating FVE patients. CSF diversion using shunt device is the simplest procedure. Patients with FVE in general have favorable outcome after CSF diversion of any method.

HYPERGLYCEMIA AS A PREDICTOR OF OUTCOME IN PAEDIATRIC SEVERE TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY PATIENTS UNDERWENT SURGERY: A SINGLE CENTER EXPERIENCE FROM EASTERN INDONESIA FROM 2017-2022.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) remains a significant health burden worldwide. This study aimed to describe, determine and recommendation concerning the impact of hyperglycemia on pediatric TBI. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: Paediatric trauma patients with severe TBI event were identified and admitted to our Dr. Soetomo General Hospital, Surabaya, the regional Trauma Center of East Java, Indonesia between calendar year of 2017 and 2022. Our institutions trauma database was utilized to select the patient included in this study. Patients with GCS ≤ 8 who underwent neurosurgical interventions were included to the study. Neurosurgical interventions are craniotomy for clot evacuation and decompressive craniectomy. We excluded patients with GCS > 8 and/or treated with conservative therapy (no surgery needed). Data collected for analysis as independent variables included patient age, admission GCS score and admission serum glucose score, mechanism of injury, type of intracranial lesion and type of surgery. Outcome of the patients included was examined at discharge which sub-grouped by Glasgow Outcomes Scale (GOS) score. Independent variables were entered into the logistic model in a stepwise fashion with a significant cutoff of p< 0,05. RESULTS: Results: Patients with worse neurological outcomes (GOS score 1-2) had a mean serum glucose value of over 200 mg/dL. Patients who died (GOS score of 1) had higher mean admission glucose values (226.44 ± 62,00) than the patients who had survived with a GOS score of 3 (139.80 ± 10.87), 4 (87), or 5 (134). Patients who resulted in a vegetative state (GOS score of 2) had higher mean admission serum glucose values than patients who were discharged with a GOS score of 5 (205.14 ± 36.17 vs. 134; p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Conclusions: Hyperglycaemia in pediatric TBI patients that underwent neurosurgical intervention is associated with worse outcomes, even mortality. We believe that prospective evaluation of glucose normalization in the context of acute management of pediatric head injuries is both appropriate and necessary for the next study.

Cranial vault reduction cranioplasty for severe macrocephaly due to holoprosencephaly and subdural hygroma: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Severe macrocephaly can still be found in developing countries. This condition is usually caused by neglected hydrocephalus and can cause a lot of morbidities. Cranial vault reconstruction cranioplasty is the main treatment option for severe macrocephaly. Holoprosencephaly is often seen with features of microcephaly. Hydrocephalus should be considered as the main cause in HPE patients with features of macrocephaly. In this report, we present a rare case of cranial vault reduction cranioplasty procedure in patient with severe macrocephaly due to holoprosencephaly and subdural hygroma. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 4-year-10-month-old Indonesian boy was admitted with head enlargement since birth. He had a history of VP shunt placement when he was 3 months old. But the condition was neglected. Preoperative head CT showed massive bilateral subdural hygroma that compressed brain parenchyma caudally. From the craniometric calculation, the occipital frontal circumference was 70.5 cm with prominent vertex expansion, the distance between nasion to inion was 11.91 cm and the vertical height was 25.59 cm. The preoperative cranial volume was 24.611 cc. The patient underwent subdural hygroma evacuation and cranial vault reduction cranioplasty. The postoperative cranial volume was 10.468 cc. CONCLUSION: Subdural hygroma can be a rare cause of severe macrocephaly in holoprosencephaly patients. Cranial vault reduction cranioplasty and subdural hygroma evacuation is still the main treatment option. Our procedure successfully reduces significant cranial volume (57.46% volume reduction).

Fatal complication caused by laxative suppository agent on pediatric patient with hydrocephalus on ventriculo-peritoneal shunt: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Laxative suppository agent is oftenly used for patient with constipation due to its effectiveness and rapid onset. However, beside the benefit of the drugs, it could cause several side effects which could lead to life-threatening complication. In this report, we present a rare case of laxative's side effect that leads to fatal complication in pediatric patient with history of hydrocephalus and ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunt placement. CASE REPORT: An 11 years old boy admitted with general weakness, low nutrition intake, and constipation for 4 days. Patient had a history of VP shunt surgery at half months old due to congenital hydrocephalus. Abdominal X-ray found colon dilatation and fecal material collection. Laxative suppository agent was given to the patient. An hour after the treatment, patient had an abdominal pain followed by defecation, and 30 min after defecation, patient was unresponsive with irregular breathing followed by cardiac arrest. Code blue was activated and resuscitation was done for about 40 min, and patient did not respond to resuscitation and pronounced dead 2.5 h after drug's administration. DISCUSSION: The pathophysiology of this complication is related with elevated intraabdominal pressure that caused abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS), and this condition could lead to several organ dysfunction such as cardiopulmonary and abdominal organ dysfunction inducing central nervous system impairment through raised intracranial pressure (ICP). Pediatric patient with history of hydrocephalus on VP shunt could have a low brain compliance and very susceptible to fatal complication due to acute raised of ICP. CONCLUSION: Laxative suppository agent on pediatric patient with hydrocephalus on VP shunt could lead to fatal complication through ACS and acute elevated ICP pressure. Oral laxative agent should be chosen in constipated patient with neurologic preexisting condition, and patient should be closely monitored if suppository agent is given.

Is ventricular lavage a novel treatment of neonatal posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus? a meta analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) may produce obliterative arachnoiditis, which disrupts the flow and absorption of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), resulting in posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH). PHH gives a high risk of neurofunctional impairment. Ventricular lavage is the treatment of choice for PHH in neonates with IVH for decades. It is developing with the combination of fibrinolytic therapy, also called drainage, irrigation, and fibrinolytic therapy (DRIFT), and with the use of neuroendoscopic apparatus, also called neuroendoscopic lavage (NEL). METHODS: This review is a meta-analysis using the PRISMA method guideline, including the clinical studies comparing ventricular lavage (VL) with standard treatment of PHH between 2000 and 2021. RESULTS: VL group reduced the shunt dependency compared to standard treatment (OR = 0.22; 95CI 0.05 to 0.97; p = 0.05). VL group has less infection risk compared to the standard treatment group (RR = 0.20; 95CI 0.07 to 0.59; p < 0.05). The severe neurofunctional outcome is similar between the two groups (OR = 0.99; 95CI 0.13 to 7.23; p = 0.99). The early approach treatment group may give better neurofunctional outcomes compared to the late approach (OR = 0.14; 95CI 0.06 to 0.35; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: VL reduce the shunt dependency on the PHH, decreasing the shunt's related infection rate. The early ventricular lavage may give benefit for the neurocognitive outcome.

Surgical drain induced subgaleal hematomas and skin necrosis in pediatrics: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Subgaleal drainage is often being used in craniotomy procedures. It's not only offers advantages but also carries a risk of life-threatening complications. Here, we present a rare case of subgaleal hematoma and skin necrosis caused by placement of subgaleal drainage in a pediatric patient after a craniotomy procedure. CASE REPORT: We reported a 6-months-old child who came to our institution complaining of uncontrolled eye movements which occurred 4 months earlier. From the CT scan and MRI, it was found that the patient had a mass in his suprasellar region, which suggested a suprasellar tumor. She underwent a mass resection procedure, but unfortunately, 3 days after the surgical procedure, the wound appeared necrotic, with a blackish color around the drain. The necrotic wound was suspected due to vacuum subgaleal drain placement. The wound was cleaned and the suture removed, but the necrotic area was still there. Four days after the surgery, the patient clinical condition got worse. After 17 days of treatment with no significant improvement, unfortunately, the patient died. DISCUSSION: The mechanism of subgaleal hematoma and skin necrosis induced by the Redon drain possibly related to mechanical compression by the drain, which damage perforating vessels and subsequently disrupt skin vascularization, combined with vascular stasis as given by negative pressure of the drain. This induced skin ischemia lesion which later contributes the necrotic formation. CONCLUSION: The subgaleal hematoma and skin necrosis as a complication of subgaleal redon drain in pediatric are rare phenomenon and likely under reported. The possible underlying mechanism was that drain's negative pressure disrupt subgaleal tissue and induce necrotic formation. Even the complication is rare compared to older children, yet it has been linked to an increased risk for infection, morbidity, and mortality.

EXTRASKELETAL EWING'S SARCOMA IN PEDIATRIC PATIENT RARE CASE: A CASE REPORT.

This study reports a 12-year-old male was referred to our institute with a mass in the right ear. The mass was rapidly growing thus needing an immediate surgical attention. MRI revealed an exophytic, hyper vascular mass extending to the right jugular fossa and, the middle ear, and to the right acoustic meatus, suggestive of a right glomus jugulare tumor. Angiography showed a hypervascular lesion with robust feeding from the superficial temporal artery and right occipital artery. After surgery, the patient rapidly recover and he was discharged home on the 5th day after surgery. Three months after surgery, the lump reappeared and grew rapidly as before.

Management of pseudomeningocele following posterior fossa tumor surgery with absence of hydrocephalus: A case report.

BACKGROUND: The management of pseudomeningocele can be challenging and treatment options vary in the literature. There is currently no algorithm or standard protocol regarding the type and timing of treatment. Until now, there has been a little literature and no case report that used puncture techniques as a conservative treatment. We reported the effectiveness of fluid puncture and pressure dressing as an aggressive nonsurgical management of pseudomeningocele. CASE PRESENTATION: A 5-year-old boy with posterior fossa tumor underwent midline suboccipital craniotomy tumor removal and decompression. A week after the surgery, the patient developed buldging in the operation region. Head CT scan showed pseudomeningocele in suboccipital region, a residual calcified tumor was seen, and no enlargement of ventricle. Conservative management was taken and the patient was managed with fluid puncture and pressure dressing. The reduction in size of the pseudomeningocele appeared within 14 days. CONCLUSION: Pseudomeningocele is a common complication of posterior fossa surgery. Nonsurgical treatment is the management of choice to reduce the symptoms. Fluid puncture and pressure dressing are effective in reducing symptoms. Surgical intervention is recommended when conservative treatment fails.

Leptomeningeal and subependymal seeding of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma: a case report.

DIPG (diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma) is a deadly cancerous tumor of the brainstem that spreads across the pons. The tumor's infiltrative nature, as well as the tumor's critical pathway and nuclei compression, contributes to the tumor's extremely poor prognosis and limited existing therapeutic options. A previous study revealed that in 40 patients with brainstem glioma, 13 (33%) patients had leptomeningeal spreading. In this paper, we reported a 7-year-old female patient who presented with a history of decreased consciousness and weakness of the right limb. Her magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a pontine mass. She was given 35 fractions of 54 Gy whole-brain radiotherapy. The post-radiotherapy MRI evaluation showed multiple nodules in periventricular region, and was suggestive of leptomeningeal and subependymal seeding of the pontine glioma in the lateral ventricles. This case report elucidated the leptomeningeal seeding in a pediatric patient with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma.

Nimotuzumab as Additional Therapy for GLIOMA in Pediatric and Adolescent: A Systematic Review.

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric gliomas represent the most common brain tumor in children and its higher grades are associated with higher recurrence and low survival rate. All therapeutic modalities are reported to be insufficient to achieve satisfactory result, with follow-up treatment such as adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy recommended to increase survival and hinder tumor progression. Nimotuzumab is a monoclonal antibody that acts as an inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor found on the surface of glioma cells and had been studied for its usage in pediatric gliomas in recent years. METHODS: A systematic review is performed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. A through literature search was conducted on PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and clinicaltrials.gov database. Articles were selected systematically based on the PRISMA protocol and reviewed completely. The relevant data were summarized and discussed. We measured overall survival, progression-free survival, and adverse Events (AE) for nimotuzumab usage as an adjunct therapy in pediatric glioma population. RESULT: From 5 studies included for qualitative analysis, 151 patients are included with overall survival (OS) that vary from 3.2-22.8 mo, progression-free survival (PFS) from 1.7-21.6 mo, and relatively low serious adverse events (0-21) are recorded. Follow-up ranged from 2.4-66 mo with four studies reporting diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) patients and only one study reporting nimotuzumab usage in pediatric high-grade glioma (HGG) patients with better outcome in HGG patients than DIPG. CONCLUSION: There are no significant differences in the PFS and OS of nimotuzumab as adjunct therapy for pediatric compared to result of standard therapy in majority of previous studies. There were also no differences in the AE of nimotuzumab for pediatric glioma between studies, and low event of serious adverse events indicating its safety. But still there is an evidence of possible benefit of nimotuzumab as adjuvant therapy in pediatric glioma. We recommend further studies with larger number of patients that may lead to possibly different results. There should also be more studies with better level of evidence to further validate the effect of nimozutumab on pediatric glioma.

The aggressive progression of primary intracranial atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor after surgical resection: A case report.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT) is a rare and highly aggressive malignancy in children. Management of this aggressive tumor is associated with various diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Maximum safe resection, followed by radiation therapy and multiagent chemotherapy, is the best course of treatment. This study aims to demonstrate the aggressive progression of the clinical presentation and radiographic features for an AT/RT after surgical resection. CASE PRESENTATION: We reported a case of a 7-years-old girl with recurrent tumor mass in the left parieto-occipital region after performing craniotomy surgical resection. The tumor mass aggressively grew within a month after surgery. CONCLUSION: AT/RT is a rare and highly progressive malignancy in the children population. This tumor aggressively grows after the first surgery. The INI-1 gene has been found as a diagnostic tumor marker in AT/RT. The characteristic of AT/RT is an absence of INI-1 staining in tumor cells. The treatment in AT/RT serves as palliative treatment, aiming to improve patient's quality of life. The poor prognosis is associated with MR imaging evidence of disseminated leptomeningeal tumor.

A Case Report of Pediatric Germinoma With SARS-CoV-2: Lessons Learned From an Academic Tertiary Referral Hospital in Asian COVID Epicentrum.

BACKGROUND: Patients often present with one or more pre-existing underlying chronic diseases that will affect their prognoses and mortality. A study revealed that the majority of children with SARS-CoV-2 infection presented with either no or a single symptom. Meanwhile, multiple other studies reported of more severe diseases in SARS-CoV-2 infected children with brain tumor and/or cancer as a whole. CASE REPORT: The patient was a 15-year-old male who was referred to our hospital with complaints of vomiting, headache, and signs of worsening right hemiparesis. Initial MRI suggested of a high-grade astrocytoma and hydrocephalus, but a subtotal tumor resection and external ventricular drainage gave light to a histopathological examination conclusive of germinoma. After adhering to radiotherapy and recovering well, the patient fell into unconsciousness 9 months later and tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The patient deteriorated on the third day of admission with respiratory failure, shock, arrythmias, fever, and increased d-dimer. After multiple attempts stabilization with ventilatory, defibrillator, and medical support, the patient deceased at the 6th day of admission. DISCUSSION: Cancer patients with COVID-19 have been reported to have relatively higher mortality rate when compared to the non-infected patients. Moreover, malignancies were also reported to increase the risk of developing more severe disease in children. Although rare, patients may develop a condition called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), which is a state of hyperinflammatory and severe illness temporally associated with COVID-19 infection. No observations have been evident in indicating the influence of COVID-19 on the neurological state of the patient, but we believe that it may be reasonable to not yet exclude the possibility of it of exacerbating the CNS malignancy our patient suffered from. CONCLUSION: Children with intracranial brain tumor infected by SARS-CoV-2 may fall into a worse condition with poor prognosis, exacerbated by severe acute respiratory distress and the need for breathing support in intensive care unit. Multidisciplinary tumor boards have to convene regularly, including through call-conferences and telemedicine platforms.

The extracranial versus intracranial approach In frontoethmoidal encephalocele corrective surgery: a meta-analysis.

The debate between the extracranial and the intracranial approach for frontoethmoidal (FEE) encephalocele corrective surgery was not summarized yet. The extracranial approach is traditionally believed being inferior to the intracranial approach, but convincing evidence was missing. To provide robust evidence, we conducted a meta-analysis on the incidence of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage, its progression to infection, the reoperation to treat the leakage, and the recurrence rate between the two techniques. We performed a meta-proportion pooled analysis and meta-analysis on eligible literature following the recommendation of PRISMA guidelines. The outcome of interest was the incidence of CSF leakage, the CSF leakage that progressed into an infection, the reoperation rate to treat the leakage, and the recurrence rate. We included 28 studies comprising 1793 patients in the pooled prevalence calculations. Of the 28 studies, nine studies describing 730 patients were eligible for meta-analysis. The prevalence of CSF leakage was 8% (95% CI, 0.04-0.12) in the intracranial approach and 10% (95% CI, 0.01-0.23) in the extracranial approach The subgroup analysis of the intracranial approach showed higher CSF leakage prevalence in the frontal craniotomy approach (9%; 95% CI, 0.03-0.16) than the subfrontal osteotomy (6%; 95% CI, 0.03-0.12). Meta-analysis study revealed a significantly higher risk of CSF leakage (OR 2.82; 95% CI, 1.03-7.72), a higher reoperation rate (OR 5.38; 95% CI: 1.13 - 25.76), and the recurrence rate (RR 4.63; 95% CI, 1.51-14.20) for the extracranial approach. The event of infected CSF leakage (OR 3.69; 95% CI, 0.52-26.37) was higher in the extracranial than intracranial approach without any statistical significance. The extracranial approach was associated with a higher risk of CSF leakage, reoperation rate to treat the CSF leakage, and the recurrence rates. The infected CSF leakage between the extracranial and intracranial approaches showed no significant difference.

Tuberculoma mimicking postoperative VP shunt seeding of craniopharyngioma: A rare case report.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is still a big problem in developing and TB endemic countries such as Indonesia. The most common manifestations of TB in the central nervous system are tuberculous meningitis and tuberculoma. In developing and TB endemic countries, tuberculomas account for 33% of intracranial space-occupying lesions. Isolated tuberculoma without systemic TB is rarely seen. On physical and radiological examination, tuberculoma often gives an atypical appearance. From imaging, tuberculoma often mimics another intracranial tumor. Oftentimes the accurate diagnosis can only be made after postoperative histopathological and microbiology examination. CASE DESCRIPTION: An 11-year-old, Indonesian girl has been complaining persistent headache in the past 3 years. The patient had a history of surgical excision of craniopharyngioma 8 years ago, and placement of ventriculoperitoneal shunt due to postoperative hydrocephalus. Patient was immunocompetent with no sign of systemic TB nor tuberculous meningitis. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a 4 × 2.3 × 2.1 cm mass surrounding the ventricular drain which was attached in the anterior horn of the right lateral ventricle to the right frontal cortex. From dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI perfusion and MR Spectroscopy suggested a process of seeding metastases surrounding the ventricular drain. Postoperative histopathological examination results were consistent with tuberculoma. CONCLUSION: Tuberculoma should always be considered as one of the differential diagnoses along with primary and secondary intracranial neoplasm, particularly in developing and TB endemic countries, and inpatient with immunocompromised state.

Endovascular embolization for cases of 'hidden' pediatric cerebral arteriovenous malformations: A diagnostic & therapeutic challenge.

BACKGROUND: Ruptured arteriovenous malformations (AVM) hold a larger proportion as the cause of spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage in children compared to those in adults. Although surgical excision still remains as the gold standard therapy for arteriovenous malformations, some smaller ones are reported to resolve from embolization alone. However, difficulty arises when small arteriovenous malformations are not detected on certain diagnostic modalities such as Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA), giving rise to false negatives, which may compromise appropriate management of patients. Endovascular embolization can be used as alternative options as diagnostic and therapy for invisible arteriovenous malformation in children. We report two cases of ruptured paediatrics arteriovenous malformations with a complication of hydrocephalus, managed with endovascular embolization and a cerebrospinal fluid diversionary procedure. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report 2 case in from Dr. Soetomo academic general hospital in 2021, the first case was a fully conscious 6-year-old-female child with sudden left-sided weakness and severe headache in January, and the second case a 9-year-old female came with decreased consciousness in May. Both had evidence of intracerebral hemorrhage, intraventricular hemorrhage, and hydrocephalus on head radiological examination, but no visible vascular malformations on Computed Tomography Angiography. The first patient was treated with extra ventricular drainage initially, while the second case was not. Transfemoral cerebral angiography revealed small arteriovenous malformations in both patients, and both had successful endovascular embolization afterwards. The first case was shunt-free, while the second case had her drainage switched to ventriculoperitoneal shunt right after the embolization procedure. Both patients recovered fully without complications and sequelae, and were discharged afterwards. DISCUSSION: Both patients did not undergo surgical resection of the arteriovenous malformations; the first case only underwent endovascular embolization, while the second case underwent embolization and ventriculoperitoneal shunting. The cases described here help highlight the irreplaceable role of Transfemoral Cerebral Angiography as a gold standard for cases for arteriovenous malformations compared to other modalities, such as Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA). Smaller arteriovenous malformations in paediatrics are reported to achieve complete radiological resolution, and cerebrospinal fluid diversion in hydrocephalic cases are not always performed. Several factors to be considered include initial consciousness and severity of neurological deficit, which were taken into account in the management of our patients. CONCLUSION: Embolization procedures may be beneficial in some pediatric arteriovenous malformations, preferably in smaller ones that undetectable by angiography. Several factors such as the consciousness and neurological deficit upon initial presentation may help in the decision making of these cases.

Pediatric shunt revision analysis within the first year of shunt placement: A single center experience.

BACKGROUND: Hydrocephalus is a common problem in neurosurgery with shunt placement remains the mainstay of the management. However, shunt placement generally requires following surgical procedures, including shunt revision. Despite the recent developments, the incidence of shunt failure remains high, approximately 30-51% in the 1st year following the shunt placement. METHODS: An observational retrospective study of pediatric neurosurgery patients whom underwent CSF shunting procedure, both primary and repeated VPS, VAS, CPS, and subdural-peritoneal shunt procedures between January 2018 and May 2019. The patients were observed for 12 months for potential complication requiring shunt revision following the shunt placement. RESULTS: A total of 142 patients underwent shunt placement. The shunt revision within 12 months was found in 26 patients (18.3%), 25 cases were VPS (96.2%) and one case was CPS (3.8%). The mean period of time between shunt placement to shunt revision was 3.96 months. Age of under 6 months old during the shunt placement showed significantly higher risk for shunt revision (RR 2.32 CI 1.13-4.74, P = 0.018). The most common diagnosis requiring shunt revision was congenital anomaly (16 cases, 61.5%). The most common cause of revision was shunt malfunction, with 21 cases (80.8%) followed by infected shunt with 5 cases (19.2%). CONCLUSION: The 1st year observation showed relatively high rate for shunt revision. The patient underwent shunt procedure should be regularly followed up in long period for better evaluation of the outcome. The application of shunt registry in some countries appears to be efficient and beneficial for sustainable follow-up in patients underwent shunt placement.

Shunt exposure as a ventriculoperitoneal shunt complication: A case series.

INTRODUCTION: Shunting is a technique in neurosurgery for treating hydrocephalus. Shunting is an effective choice for both cases of obstructive or communicative hydrocephalus. However, in some rare cases, complications, such as exposed shunt, can occur. In this case series, the author discusses 6 cases of hydrocephalus patients with exposed shunts. The risk factors, diagnosis, and management of exposed VP shunt will be discussed further in this case series report. METHODS: This study was an analysis of all cases treated in a period of 1 year from January to December 2018 with an inclusion criterion of history of exposed shunt of any age group. This study is a single-centre retrospective report of the clinical presentation and radiology examination before and after treatment. Clinical and radiology evaluation were performed in immediate post procedural period. A detailed clinical examination was performed to look for exposed shunt complication. RESULTS: In this series of studies 6 patients with hydrocephalus who had shunts were reported. All patients were pediatric patients. Six patients had exposed shunt on the scalp or abdomen. Radiological examinations including CT scan, chest X-ray or babygram were performed to evaluate the location of the shunt. The data reported was from January to December 2018 and there were 301 VP shunt installment cases. Management included surgical revisions and treatments to prevent further complications. CONCLUSION: Shunting is still a routine therapy in the field of neurosurgery, although other modalities such as endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) have started to be performed more frequently. Complications such as exposed shunt are rare in the treatment of pediatrics with hydrocephalus. We presented that exposed shunt is a rare complication (2.3% incidence rate) which might be caused by certain risk factors, such as age of patient when the shunting was performed, and nutritional status. Early diagnosis and treatment are important to prevent further complications, especially infections. Subpericranial technique for shunt tunneling might be useful in preventing exposure of shunts with associated morbidity factors.

The recurrent plexiform neurofibroma of the scalp in neurofibromatosis type 1: illustrative case.

BACKGROUND: Plexiform neurofibroma is a benign tumor of the peripheral nerves. It is an unusual variant of neurofibroma originating from all parts of the nerve. Plexiform neurofibroma is primarily pathognomonic and exhibits an unusual variant from neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). The possibility of malignancy and recurrence are the main reasons for long-term, close follow-up. OBSERVATIONS: The authors report a case of a 14-year-old girl with a recurrent plexiform neurofibroma derived from the peripheral nerves, which also presented with a typical sign of NF1 disease. The aim of the tumor resection is symptomatic relief. LESSONS: Accomplishing a good outcome can be related to good perioperative planning and a precise operative procedure. The result of anatomical pathology determines the prognosis of the patient. Clinical examination and radiological studies are needed to evaluate the recurrence of complications after surgical procedures.