Guidelines for the Management of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: 2020 Update of the Decompressive Craniectomy Recommendations.

When the fourth edition of the Brain Trauma Foundation's Guidelines for the Management of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury were finalized in late 2016, it was known that the results of the RESCUEicp (Trial of Decompressive Craniectomy for Traumatic Intracranial Hypertension) randomized controlled trial of decompressive craniectomy would be public after the guidelines were released. The guideline authors decided to proceed with publication but to update the decompressive craniectomy recommendations later in the spirit of "living guidelines," whereby topics are updated more frequently, and between new editions, when important new evidence is published. The update to the decompressive craniectomy chapter presented here integrates the findings of the RESCUEicp study as well as the recently published 12-mo outcome data from the DECRA (Decompressive Craniectomy in Patients With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury) trial. Incorporation of these publications into the body of evidence led to the generation of 3 new level-IIA recommendations; a fourth previously presented level-IIA recommendation remains valid and has been restated. To increase the utility of the recommendations, we added a new section entitled Incorporating the Evidence into Practice. This summary of expert opinion provides important context and addresses key issues for practitioners, which are intended to help the clinician utilize the available evidence and these recommendations. The full guideline can be found at: https://braintrauma.org/guidelines/guidelines-for-the-management-of-severe-tbi-4th-ed#/.

Vagal Nerve Stimulation: Indications for Revision in Adult Refractory Epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to assess the indications of revision for vagal nerve stimulation at a single institution in an adult population with drug-resistant epilepsy. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of a prospectively collected database who underwent vagal nerve stimulator implantation for drug-resistant epilepsy during 1992-2017. Patients receiving vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) implants were monitored throughout their perioperative and postoperative course and were classified according to type of seizure at the time of diagnosis and indications for VNS revision. In addition, response to dysfunctional VNS devices or adverse effects were noted. RESULTS: Most patients receiving VNS implants were given a diagnosis of complex partial seizures (CPSs) before implantation (95.1%). Other epileptic conditions identified requiring implantation included generalized seizures, generalized-atonic seizures, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, CPS or generalized seizures, and tuberous sclerosis (with generalized characteristics). High lead impedance was the most common indication for revision (5.6%), whereas device ineffectiveness leading to continued seizures was the most common indication for removal (2.3%). Infection, lead fracture, and dual- to single-pin lead battery changes occurred at an incidence of 1.9%, requiring either implant removal or revision. Other events that occurred, albeit rarely, included skin extrusion (0.5%), postoperative hematoma (0.5%), and implant rejection (0.5%) necessitating removal. CONCLUSIONS: VNS implantation in adults was shown to be a well-tolerated procedure. In addition, indications for revision or removal of the VNS device was low in this population with lead fracture rates lower than the incidence reported in pediatric population literature.

Hydroxyapatite bone cement application for the reconstruction of retrosigmoid craniectomy in the treatment of cranial nerves disorders.

BACKGROUND: Retromastoid craniectomy (RSC) is a cardinal surgical approach used to access the posterior fossa. Hydroxyapetite bone cement (HBC) is frequently employed for cranioplasty in efforts to prevent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak, whilst maintaining low complication rates and good cosmetic satisfaction. The authors aim to determine the safety and effectiveness of HBC for reconstruction RSC used for treatment of various cranial nerves disorders. METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective one-center two surgeons review of 113 patients who underwent RSC filled with HBC for the treatment of cranial nerve disorders. The study period extended from January 2011 through April 2016. Charts were reviewed for documentation of descriptors pertinent to the endpoints described above. Revisions and reoperations were excluded from analysis. RESULTS: Ninety-three patients met the inclusion criteria; there was one case of postoperative pseudomeningocele, which was considered as CSF leak (1%), 3 (3,2%) superficial infections, and no deep infections. Cosmetic satisfaction was obtained in all but one case (98.9% satisfaction) and long-term incisional pain was problematic in 1 (1.1%) patient. Other complications (serous drainage, headache, ear pain) accounted for three cases (3.2%). CONCLUSIONS: The application of HBC in the reconstruction of RSC for the treatment of cranial nerves disorders is an effective method, yielding good cosmetic results whilst eliminating CSF leak. Additionally, it is safe due to the lack of deep-seated wound infections with low incidence of chronic incisional pain.

Guidelines for the Management of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury, Fourth Edition.

The scope and purpose of this work is 2-fold: to synthesize the available evidence and to translate it into recommendations. This document provides recommendations only when there is evidence to support them. As such, they do not constitute a complete protocol for clinical use. Our intention is that these recommendations be used by others to develop treatment protocols, which necessarily need to incorporate consensus and clinical judgment in areas where current evidence is lacking or insufficient. We think it is important to have evidence-based recommendations to clarify what aspects of practice currently can and cannot be supported by evidence, to encourage use of evidence-based treatments that exist, and to encourage creativity in treatment and research in areas where evidence does not exist. The communities of neurosurgery and neuro-intensive care have been early pioneers and supporters of evidence-based medicine and plan to continue in this endeavor. The complete guideline document, which summarizes and evaluates the literature for each topic, and supplemental appendices (A-I) are available online at https://www.braintrauma.org/coma/guidelines.

The clinical significance of isolated traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Mild traumatic brain injury is a clinical diagnosis predicated on a patient's neurologic status and encompasses a variety of pathologies on computed tomography. We wondered whether isolated traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (iSAH) without other intracranial pathologic diagnosis is a more benign form of minor head injury that does not warrant extensive (and expensive) observation and follow-up. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of patients identified prospectively via a trauma registry during a period of 7 years, who had the computed tomographic finding of iSAH on admission scan and a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 13 or greater. RESULTS: There were 478 patients identified, with a mean age 61 years, and 223 were male. Median Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 10 (range, 9-48), and the distribution was 415, 54, and 12 for those with GCS score of 15, 14, and 13, respectively. In-hospital follow-up imaging in nine patients demonstrated increased pathologic findings, but subsequent imaging showed stable or decreasing blood, and none experienced a neurologic decline or underwent a neurosurgical procedure.Among those with no other injuries (ISS = 9, n = 118) patients spent a mean of 2.0 (95% confidence interval, 1.1-2.9) days in intensive care unit and 4.9 (95% confidence interval, 3.9-6.0) days in hospital. The likelihood of discharge home was significantly related to age (p < 0.0001), ISS (p < 0.01), and admission GCS (p < 0.01) (stepwise logistic regression), but not progression of SAH.At 6-week follow-up, one patient (0.2%) developed bilateral chronic subdurals requiring drainage, without neurologic sequela. CONCLUSION: In this largest reported series to date of iSAH in the setting of mild traumatic brain injury, the finding seems to be benign and can likely be managed without routine follow-up imaging or intensive care unit admission in the absence of other significant trauma. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Epidemiologic/prognostic study, level III; therapeutic study, level IV.

Refractory status epilepticus treated with vagal nerve stimulation: case report.

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: Status epilepticus (SE) refractory to medical treatment has a high mortality rate and few effective treatments. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: We describe the implantation of a vagal nerve stimulator to help terminate a case of refractory SE. A 23-year-old man was in SE for 3 weeks without being able to be weaned from intravenous anesthetic agents. After implantation of a vagal nerve stimulator, SE soon terminated, and the patient could be weaned from sedative agents and made a full recovery. CONCLUSION: Vagal nerve stimulator should be considered in cases of refractory SE.

Mathematical modeling to define optimum operating room staffing for pediatric patients in trauma centers.

BACKGROUND: Adult trauma centers (TCs) in the United States may be verified with an on-call operating room team if the performance improvement program shows no adverse outcome. Using queuing and simulation methodology, this study attempts to add a volume guideline for injured children. METHODS: Data from 63 verified TCs identified demographic factors including specific information regarding the first pediatric trauma-related operation done between 11 pm and 7 am each month for 1 year. RESULTS: The annual pediatric admits correlated with the number of operations (383) done from 11 pm to 7 am (P < .001). The probability of operation within 30 minutes of arrival varies with the number of admits and the percent of penetrating vs blunt injuries. This likely number of operations from 11 pm to 7 am beginning within 30 minutes of patient arrival would be 3.45, 4.21, and 4.95 for TCs admitting 150, 250, and 350 injured children per year, respectively. The probability that 2 rooms would be occupied simultaneously is 0.074 and 0.109 for centers with 160 and 260 pediatric trauma admissions, respectively. CONCLUSION: Trauma centers performing less than 6 pediatric trauma operations per year from 11 pm to 7 am could conserve resources by using an on-call operating room team.

Survey of the h index for all of academic neurosurgery: another power-law phenomenon?

OBJECT: The h index is a recently developed bibliometric that assesses an investigator's scientific impact with a single number. It has rapidly gained popularity in the physical and, more recently, medical sciences. METHODS: The h index for all 1120 academic neurosurgeons working at all Electronic Residency Application Service-listed training programs was determined by reference to Google Scholar. A random subset of 100 individuals was investigated in PubMed to determine the total number of publications produced. RESULTS: The median h index was 9 (range 0-68), with the 75th, 90th, and 95th percentiles being 17, 26, and 36, respectively. The h indices increased significantly with increasing academic rank, with the median for instructors, assistant professors, associate professors, and professors being 2, 5, 10, and 19, respectively (p < 0.0001, Kruskal-Wallis; all groups significantly different from each other except the difference between instructor and assistant professor [Conover]). Departmental chairs had a median h index of 22 (range 3-55) and program directors a median of 17 (range 0-62). Plot of the log of the rank versus h index demonstrated a remarkable linear pattern (R(2) = 0.995, p < 0.0001), suggesting that this is a power-law relationship. CONCLUSIONS: A survey of the h index for all of academic neurosurgery is presented. Results can be used for benchmark purposes. The distribution of the h index within an academic population is described for the first time and appears related to the ubiquitous power-law distribution.

Hydrogel coil-related delayed hydrocephalus in patients with unruptured aneurysms.

OBJECT: Because of high recanalization rates associated with wide-necked intracranial aneurysms treated with bare platinum coils, hydrogel coils (HydroCoil, MicroVention, Inc.) have been developed. Hydrogel coils undergo progressive expansion once exposed to the physiological environment of blood and increase overall aneurysm filling. METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed their series of patients with unruptured aneurysms treated between 1998 and 2006 and who underwent placement of bare platinum and hydrogel coils for cerebral aneurysms. They examined the incidence of delayed hydrocephalus as related to coil type. In a subgroup of patients in which preand postprocedure CT and MR imaging studies were available, the authors quantitatively analyzed the ventricular size change after hydrogel coils were placed. RESULTS: Four of 29 patients treated with hydrogel coils developed symptomatic hydrocephalus 2-6 months after the intervention compared with 0 of 26 treated with bare platinum coils alone. The difference in ventricular size between the subgroups in which pre- and postprocedure imaging was performed was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). All 4 HydroCoil-treated patients in whom hydrocephalus developed required placement of a shunt. CONCLUSIONS: A 14% incidence (95% confidence interval 3.9-31.7%) of hydrocephalus in patients with unruptured aneurysm undergoing embolization with hydrogel coils was discovered. This incidence is much higher than previously reported. The mechanism by which hydrogel coils may induce hydrocephalus remains poorly understood.

Relation among aneurysm size, amount of subarachnoid blood, and clinical outcome.

OBJECT: The authors of recent reports have suggested that smaller aneurysms are associated with more extensive subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), which could potentially presage poor outcome in patients harboring these lesions. The authors reviewed their clinical experience to determine if this theory has a basis in truth. METHODS: The authors undertook a retrospective review of a consecutive series of patients with aneurysmal SAH. Computed tomography scans and angiograms were studied to establish SAH scores and aneurysm size. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-three patients were treated during a 2-year period (January 2003-December 2004). There were 101 female and 32 male patients whose mean age was 56.7 years. The location distribution of aneurysms that bled was as follows: anterior communicating artery (56 cases), posterior communicating artery (34 cases), middle cerebral artery (21 cases), posterior circulation (16 cases), and paraclinoid region (six cases). The mean aneurysm size was 6.2 mm (range 2-26 mm). The mean SAH score was 18.3 (not normally distributed, p < 0.01, D'Agostino-Pearson test). One hundred three patients underwent surgical exploration and placement of an aneurysm clip, 21 underwent deployment of a coil, and two underwent both therapies; seven patients died prior to intervention. No correlation was found between aneurysm size and SAH score (r(s) = -0.023, p = 0.8) or between small aneurysm size and poor Glasgow Outcome Scale score (p = 0.13). In fact, the trend was the opposite. The SAH score did, however, correspond strongly with the admission Hunt and Hess grade (p < 0.0001), indicating the strong correlation between grade and volume of intracranial blood. Outcome was best explained in the multivariate analysis by the following factors: admission Hunt and Hess grade, age, and clinical vasospasm (p < 0.0001) with the proportion of cases correctly classified as 79.7%. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation of the results in the present clinical series suggests that there is no relation between aneurysm size and volume of subarachnoid blood. The volume of cisternal blood correlates with Hunt and Hess grade but is not an independent determinant of outcome. Outcome is related to the following triad of well-established clinical factors: Hunt and Hess grade, age, and clinical vasospasm.