Accuracy and Reliability of the Recommendation for IV Thrombolysis in Acute Ischemic Stroke Based on Interpretation of Head CT on a Smartphone or a Laptop.

OBJECTIVE. The objective of this study was to assess the accuracy and reliability of IV thrombolysis recommendations made after interpretation of head CT images of patients with symptoms of acute stroke displayed on smartphone or laptop reading systems compared with those made after interpretation of images displayed on a medical workstation monitor. MATERIALS AND METHODS. This retrospective study was institutional review board-approved, and the requirement for informed consent was waived. We used a factorial design including 2256 interpretations (188 patients, four neuroradiologists, and three reading systems). To evaluate the reliability, we calculated the intraobserver and interobserver agreements using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the following interpretation variables: hemorrhagic lesions, intraaxial neoplasm, stroke dating (acute, subacute, and chronic), hyperdense arteries, and infarct size assessment. Accuracy equivalence tests were performed for the IV thrombolysis recommendation; for this variable, sensitivity, specificity, and ROC curves were evaluated. RESULTS. Good or very good interobserver and intraobserver agreements were obtained after interpretation of each variable. The IV thrombolysis recommendation showed very good interobserver agreements (ICC ≥ 0.85) and very good intraobserver agreements (ICC ≥ 0.81). For the IV thrombolysis recommendation, the AUC values (0.83-0.84) and sensitivities (0.94-0.95) were equivalent among all the reading systems at a 5% equivalent threshold. CONCLUSION. Our study found that mobile devices are reliable and accurate to help stroke teams to decide whether to administer IV thrombolysis in patients with acute stroke.

Comprehensive Telestroke Network to Optimize Health Care Delivery for Cerebrovascular Diseases: Algorithm Development.

BACKGROUND: Health care delivery for cerebrovascular diseases is a complex process, which may be improved using telestroke networks. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this work was to establish and implement a protocol for the management of patients with acute stroke symptoms according to the available treatment alternatives at the initial point of care and the transfer possibilities. METHODS: The review board of our institutions approved this work. The protocol was based on the latest guidelines of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. Stroke care requires human and technological resources, which may differ according to the patient's point of entry into the health care system. Three health care settings were identified to define the appropriate protocols: primary health care setting, intermediate health care setting, and advanced health care setting. RESULTS: A user-friendly web-based telestroke solution was developed. The predictors, scales, and scores implemented in this system allowed the assessment of the vascular insult severity and neurological status of the patient. The total number of possible pathways implemented was as follows: 10 in the primary health care setting, 39 in the intermediate health care setting, and 1162 in the advanced health care setting. CONCLUSIONS: The developed comprehensive telestroke platform is the first stage in optimizing health care delivery for patients with stroke symptoms, regardless of the entry point into the emergency network, in both urban and rural regions. This system supports health care personnel by providing adequate inpatient stroke care and facilitating the prompt transfer of patients to a more appropriate health care setting if necessary, especially for patients with acute ischemic stroke within the therapeutic window who are candidates for reperfusion therapies, ultimately contributing to mitigating the mortality and morbidity associated with stroke.

Outcome in Direct Versus Transfer Patients in the DAWN Controlled Trial.

Background and Purpose- The impact of transfer status on clinical outcomes in the DAWN (DWI or CTP Assessment With Clinical Mismatch in the Triage of Wake-Up and Late Presenting Strokes Undergoing Neurointervention With Trevo) population is unknown. We analyzed workflow and clinical outcome differences between direct versus transfer patients in the DAWN population. Methods- The following time metrics were analyzed for each group: (1) last known well to hospital arrival, (2) hospital arrival to eligibility imaging, (3) hospital arrival to arterial puncture, (4) qualifying imaging to arterial puncture, (5) last known well to arterial puncture, (6) last known well to reperfusion. The primary end point was the rate of functional independence (90-day modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score, 0-2). Using univariate unconditional logistic regression, we calculated odds ratios and 95% CIs for the association between clinically relevant time metrics, transfer status, and functional independence (mRS 0-2). Results- A total of 206 patients were enrolled. Among these, 121 (59%) patients were transferred, and 85 (41%) patients presented directly to a thrombectomy capable center. Median time last seen well to hospital arrival time was similar between the 2 groups (678 versus 696 minutes). The time from hospital arrival to groin puncture was significantly longer in direct patients compared with transferred patients 140 minutes (interquartile range, 105.5-177.5 minutes) and 88 minutes (interquartile range, 55-125 minutes), respectively (P<0.001). Differences in treatment effect or differences in rates of mRS 0-2 in the thrombectomy treated patients were not statistically significant in direct versus transfer patients (odds ratios for mRS 0-2, thrombectomy versus control, were 5.62 in direct and 6.63 in transfer patients, respectively, Breslow-Day P=0.817). Conclusions- Although transfer patients had a faster door to puncture time, benefits of thrombectomy, and rates of mRS 0 to 2 in the treatment group were similar between direct and transferred patients in the DAWN population. These results may inform prehospital and primary stroke centers triage protocols in patients presenting in the late time window. Clinical Trial Registration- URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02142283.

Multilocular Cystic Nephroma: A Systematic Literature Review of the Radiologic and Clinical Findings.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to systematically summarize the published evidence of demographic, clinical, diagnostic imaging, and therapeutic characteristics of patients with multilocular cystic nephroma (MLCN). CONCLUSION: Cross-sectional imaging evaluation is important for suggesting the diagnosis of MLCN but has several limitations. The number of radical nephrectomies reported for MLCN encourages discussion concerning the utility of percutaneous presurgical biopsy and frozen-section intraoperative biopsy as a more conservative diagnostic approach.

Automated ASPECTS Segmentation and Scoring Tool: a Method Tailored for a Colombian Telestroke Network.

To evaluate our two non-machine learning (non-ML)-based algorithmic approaches for detecting early ischemic infarcts on brain CT images of patients with acute ischemic stroke symptoms, tailored to our local population, to be incorporated in our telestroke software. One-hundred and thirteen acute stroke patients, excluding hemorrhagic, subacute, and chronic patients, with accessible brain CT images were divided into calibration and test sets. The gold standard was determined through consensus among three neuroradiologist. Four neuroradiologist independently reported Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Scores (ASPECTSs). ASPECTSs were also obtained using a commercial ML solution (CMLS), and our two methods, namely the Mean Hounsfield Unit (HU) relative difference (RELDIF) and the density distribution equivalence test (DDET), which used statistical analyze the of the HUs of each region and its contralateral side. Automated segmentation was perfect for cortical regions, while minimal adjustment was required for basal ganglia regions. For dichotomized-ASPECTSs (ASPECTS < 6) in the test set, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.85 for the DDET method, 0.84 for the RELDIF approach, 0.64 for the CMLS, and ranged from 0.71-0.89 for the neuroradiologist. The accuracy was 0.85 for the DDET method, 0.88 for the RELDIF approach, and was ranged from 0.83 - 0.96 for the neuroradiologist. Equivalence at a margin of 5% was documented among the DDET, RELDIF, and gold standard on mean ASPECTSs. Noninferiority tests of the AUC and accuracy of infarct detection revealed similarities between both DDET and RELDIF, and the CMLS, and with at least one neuroradiologist. The alignment of our methods with the evaluations of neuroradiologist and the CMLS indicates the potential of our methods to serve as supportive tools in clinical settings, facilitating prompt and accurate stroke diagnosis, especially in health care settings, such as Colombia, where neuroradiologist are limited.

Combined Neuroendoscopic Techniques in the Management of Pediatric Brain and Skull Base Tumors: A Single-Institutional Case Series.

BACKGROUND: Central nervous system tumors encompass the leading cause of cancer-related death in the pediatric population. Neuroendoscopic techniques have been optimized over the years, becoming an important tool for the management of brain tumors. Our study aims to review the indications for neuroendoscopic procedures and the feasibility of combined interventions. METHODS: This is a single-center, self-adjudicated, retrospective experience. Inclusion criteria consisted of pediatric patients (≤18 years old) who underwent management of brain tumor or related diseases with the employment of neuroendoscopy. RESULTS: A total of 47 patients undergoing 51 procedures met inclusion criteria. The mean age was 9.8 ± 4.6 years, and the majority were female (55.3%). Common indications for endoscopic intervention were hydrocephalus management (n = 24; 16 endoscopic third ventriculostomies and 9 septostomies), tumor biopsy (n = 19), cyst fenestration (n = 16), and tumor resection (n = 9). In one third of the cases, combined interventions occurred during a single operative session. Hydrocephalus was successfully managed in 74.4% of cases; tumor biopsy confirmed the diagnosis in 95.8% of cases, and gross total resection was achieved in 88.9% of cases. Cyst fenestration required reintervention in 3 cases: one case associated with initial cyst enlargement and 2 cases with the development of new tumor cysts separated from the originally fenestrated cyst. The overall complication rate was 6.3%, with only one major safety event, which was successfully managed. CONCLUSIONS: Neuroendoscopy is an important minimally invasive tool for diagnosing and treating pediatric patients with brain tumors, permitting to address multiple problems in a single surgery.

The mortality burden of hematological malignancies in Ecuador.

BACKGROUND: The Hematological neoplasms (HN) are a heterogeneous group of cancers that originated in the hematopoietic or lymphoid tissues. There is reduced information published regarding HN mortality in Ecuador. This study aims to present the crude and age-specific mortality rates for HN in the Ecuadorian population. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study through the national database of defunctions published by the Ecuadorian National Institute of Statistics and Census, 2019. We used the ICD-10 codes to classify the HN. RESULTS: During 2019, 1462 deaths were reported, 53.83% were males, 87.96% of mestizo ethnicity, and 78.32% residents in urban areas. The median age was 62 years, with an interquartile range of 34.The crude mortality rate obtained was 8.49 per 100000 inhabitants, and the higher age-specific mortality rates was 43.29 per 100000 inhabitants aged ≥ 60 years, contrasting with the 2.63 per 100000 inhabitants in people aged < 20 years. Considering each ICD-10 group, we found the following rates by 100000 inhabitants; C85 2.04, C91 1.92, C92 1.46, C90 1.11, C83 0.70, C95 0.48, C81 0.38, C84 0.16, C82 0.10, C96 0.05, C93 0.04, C86 and C94 0.02, and C88 0.01. CONCLUSION: In Ecuador, during 2019, approximately eight people died due to HN by 100000 inhabitants, affecting mainly people aged ≥ 60 years. The most frequent neoplasms were Non-Hodgkin lymphomas, similar to other reports globally. These results should be analyzed considering some deficiencies in the Ecuadorian health system and the national registry. Therefore, we suggest conducting more studies regarding HN.

Reliability and accuracy of individual Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score regions using a medical and a smartphone reading system in a telestroke network.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to assess individual regions of the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score in noncontrast head computed tomography interpretations using a smartphone in a telestroke network, by comparison to a medical monitor. METHODS: The review board of our institution approved this retrospective study. A factorial design with 188 patients, four radiologists and two reading systems was used. Accuracy and reliability were evaluated. RESULTS: Very good interobserver agreements were observed on the total Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score for both the medical and smartphone reading systems, with intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.91 and 0.84 respectively. Interobserver agreements were moderate to very good for the medical reading system (all intraclass correlation coefficients >0.74), whereas they were fair to very good for the smartphone (intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.31-0.81). All intraobserver agreements were good (intraclass correlation coefficient >0.64), except for internal capsule (0.48) and M2 (0.55) regions. The areas under the receiver-operating curve ranged from 0.69-0.89 for the medical system, while for the smartphone ranged from 0.44-0.86. No statistical differences were observed between medical and smartphone reading systems for each region (all p > 0.05). DISCUSSION: If radiologists are better trained in the evaluation of the lesions in the insula, the internal capsule and the M2 regions, the total and the dichotomised Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score will be more precise. Hence, ruling out contraindications to thrombolysis administration will be improved, allowing assessment of head computed tomography in a telestroke network using a smartphone to be a common practice.

Intracranial aneurysms in microcephalic primordial dwarfism: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Microcephalic primordial dwarfism (MPD) is a heterogeneous group of rare disorders. Recent studies have reported a significant percentage of patients with MPD suffering from a spectrum of cerebrovascular abnormalities, including intracranial aneurysms (IAs) and moyamoya syndrome. The neurological literature has not as yet specifically assessed IAs in this population. This systematic review aimed to assess the clinical behavior, characteristics, treatment modalities and outcomes of IAs in patients with MPD. METHODS: We performed a systematic search in PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE and Ovid EMBASE for cases of MPD with IAs. We included three illustrative cases from our institution. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients with 71 aneurysms were included in this study. Twelve patients (50%) presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage. The majority of patients were aged ≤18 years (70.8%), with a mean age of 16.2 years at presentation. Median aneurysm size was 3 (IQR 1.8-6) mm, and the most frequent locations were the internal carotid (37.3%) and middle cerebral arteries (23.8%). Concomitant moyamoya disease was reported in nine (37.5%) patients. Median age of aneurysm detection in screened patients was significantly lower than in non-screened patients (P=0.02). Microsurgical clipping (55.3%) and endovascular coiling (26.3%) were the most used modalities. Twenty-two cases were managed conservatively. Overall, mortality occurred in 45.8% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: Screening for cerebrovascular disease seems reasonable and effective to detect aneurysms at an earlier age in this population. Efforts in the literature to emphasize early and regular screening for these patients can positively impact outcomes in this population, however more evidence is needed.

A systematic review of non-trunk basilar perforator aneurysms: is it worth chasing the small fish?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Non-trunk basilar artery perforator aneurysms (BAPAs) are rare intracranial vascular pathologies that have long been underdiagnosed, under-reported, and under-analyzed. We performed a systematic review of the efficacy and safety endpoints between conservative and active treatment approaches for non-trunk BAPAs. METHODS: Major databases were analyzed for relevant publications between 1995 and 2019. Studies comparing the outcomes between conservative and active treatment approaches such as coiling, stenting, clipping, liquid embolization, and flow diversion were included. Mortality rate, rate of permanent neurological deficit as determined by the modified Rankin Score (mRS), rate of second treatment occurrence, and perioperative complication rate were also assessed. RESULTS: A total of 24 studies, including 54 patients with 56 non-trunk BAPAs, were included. The mean maximum aneurysm diameter was 2.70 mm (range 1-10). A diagnosis was achieved with the initial DSA in 50.0% (27/54) of the patients. A conservative approach was used in 16 patients while active treatment was used in the other 38. Thirteen of 15 (86.7%) patients in the conservative group and 27/34 (79.4%) in the active treatment group had an mRS score 0-2. A non-significant higher odds of a positive outcome was observed in the conservative group (OR 1.51, 95% CI 0.50 to 4.54). The event-related mortality rate was 3.55% (3/54) with one procedure-related death in the active treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with non-trunk BAPAs unamenable to active treatment, conservative approaches may result in acceptable functional outcomes and low morbidity. Small sample sizes and under-reporting of outcomes warrant further study.

Facing the crossroads: acute stroke with bilateral carotid occlusion.

We present a previously unreported case of endovascular therapy in the acute setting of ischaemic stroke in a patient with bilateral carotid occlusion (BCO). A 54-year-old man presents with sudden onset of right-sided weakness, difficulty speaking and left-sided gaze, with National Institute of Health Stroke Scale of 22 and no abnormalities on plain CT head. CT angiography showed BCO and CT perfusion demonstrated extensive area of penumbra in both hemispheres. The patient was sent for cerebral angiography that confirmed BCO. Since symptomatology was a left middle cerebral arteries syndrome, decision was made to angioplasty and stent the left internal carotid artery emergently, which was performed successfully and the patient had complete resolution of symptoms. Acute stroke with BCO represents a challenge in decision making regarding acute management and individual assessment must be made.

HIV vasculopathy versus VZV vasculitis in an HIV patient with multiple brain ischaemic infarcts.

We report the case of a 56-year-old man who presented to the emergency department with a 3-day onset of left limb weakness and feeling intoxicated with poor balance. Stroke hospitalisations in the USA decreased from 2000 to 2010, however the number of hospitalised patients with ischaemic stroke and HIV infection has increased significantly. Herein, we discuss the management of this unique case to highlight the importance of a broad differential diagnosis when approaching HIV/AIDS patients presenting with acute or subacute neurological focalisation. Given that HIV vasculopathy is a diagnosis of exclusion, it requires a thoughtful elimination of all possible aetiologies.

Basilar Occlusion and Rupture Secondary to Rare Fungal Sinusitis.

BACKGROUND: Intracranial vascular infections of fungal etiology are extremely rare. Most cases occur in immunocompromised patients with invasive fungal disease, most commonly originating in the paranasal sinuses or the lungs. Granulomatous invasive rhinosinusitis, which is extremely rare in North America, has been reported to affect immunocompetent patients in most cases, and its causative strain has potential to invade the intracranial arteries. We present a rare case of basilar artery rupture and infarction secondary to granulomatous invasive rhinosinusitis. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 50-year-old man in Florida presented with ischemic symptoms and a 6-month history of headache, dizziness, and falls. After biopsy, the patient developed subarachnoid hemorrhage and thrombosis. Several thrombectomy attempts were performed, resulting in persistent occlusion of the basilar artery and subsequent comatous state. After discussion with the patient's family, compassionate weaning and autopsy were authorized. CONCLUSIONS: Invasive fungal rhinosinusitis is more frequent nowadays owing to increased use of immunosuppressive therapies. However, it is still a disease that mostly affects immunocompromised patients. The development of new microbiologic investigation techniques has enabled the discovery of fungal diseases that can also affect immunocompetent hosts, such as granulomatous invasive rhinosinusitis. This is an extremely rare condition in North America, with very few cases documented in the last few decades.

Stent-Assisted Coiling of Pseudoaneurysm After Vertebro-Carotid Transposition: Harmonious Combination of Open and Endovascular Neurosurgical Techniques.

BACKGROUND: Most cases of vertebral artery stenosis are treated either conservatively or surgically. When non-conservative treatment is chosen, whether to treat it with open surgery or endovascular intervention remains a topic of divergence. In the setting of endovascular therapy failure, the vertebral to common carotid artery transposition certainly is an appropriate choice to recover the posterior circulation. Like any other open surgery, it is not devoid of soft-tissue-related complications. A pseudoaneurysm following this procedure and at this particular location is a rare but lethal complication and, to the best of our knowledge, has not yet been reported. CASE DESCRIPTION: We present the case of an 80-year-old man with previous ischemic stroke who presented to the emergency department with aphasia, right-sided weakness, and dysarthria. Invasive imaging revealed right vertebral stenosis and hypoplastic left vertebral artery that failed endovascular therapy. The patient was then treated with a right vertebral to common carotid artery transposition. During follow-up, a pseudoaneurysm was found and treated with a stent-assisted coiling. CONCLUSIONS: Pseudoaneurysms at the extracranial carotid and vertebral circulation are rare and have potential for deadly outcomes. Despite several treatments available, this anatomical location requires endovascular therapy due to efficacy and promptitude of this treatment. This is an interesting case where the patient's management required open and endovascular procedures. The pseudoaneurysm was a rare complication that, to the best of our knowledge, has not previously been reported. This case is an illustration of complementary work between open surgery and endovascular intervention.

Republished: Revisiting the therapeutic time window dogma: successful thrombectomy 6 days after stroke onset.

Stroke is the leading cause of serious long-term disability in the USA. Recent clinical trials, DAWN and DEFUSE 3, have expanded the endovascular therapeutic time window which has been adopted by the American Heart Association stroke guideline. However, there continues to be a dilemma as to what is the best approach for patients who present beyond the time window set by these trials and the current guideline. The interval from arterial occlusion to completion of brain tissue infarction varies from patient to patient and depends on the actual time and also a physiological clock or a tissue time window. Offering endovascular treatment based solely on a rigid time criterion excludes patients who may have a clinical benefit because of potentially salvageable tissue. We present a case of a patient who underwent successful stroke thrombectomy 6 days after stroke onset.

Evaluation of the Accuracy Equivalence of Head CT Interpretations in Acute Stroke Patients Using a Smartphone, a Laptop, or a Medical Workstation.

PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare the clinical performance of observers interpreting head CT images from patients with symptoms of acute stroke with a medical workstation or a smartphone or laptop reading system. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our institutional review board approved this retrospective study and waived the requirement for informed consent. We employed a factorial design including 2,256 interpretations (188 patients × 4 neuroradiologists × 3 reading systems). Accuracy equivalence tests, at a threshold of 5% and 10%, were performed for the following variables: detection of imaging contraindications for intravenous recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator administration (eg, hemorrhagic lesions), ischemic lesions, hyperdense arteries, and acute ischemic lesions. For each clinical variable, the sensitivity, specificity, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were evaluated. RESULTS: For each variable, the shapes of the ROC curves were very similar for all of the reading systems, indicating similar observer performance with different specificities and sensitivities. For all the clinical variables, the areas under the ROC curves were equivalent for all of the reading systems at a 10% threshold and were equivalent at a 5% threshold for hemorrhagic lesions, hyperdense middle cerebral artery, and acute ischemic lesion in the middle cerebral artery territory. There was no more than 30 seconds of difference between the reading time of the mobile devices compared with that for the medical workstation. CONCLUSION: The results of this pilot study showed equivalent diagnostic accuracy when using smartphone and laptops compared with medical monitors to interpret head CT images of patients with symptoms of acute stroke.

A De Novo Sphenoparietal Dural Arteriovenous Fistula: Unveiling the Deceitful Culprit.

INTRODUCTION: Intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) are an uncommon pathology, and a sphenoparietal drainage pattern is certainly rare. We present a case of a de novo sphenoparietal DAVF in a prepubescent patient previously treated for a cerebellar arteriovenous malformation (AVM) 10 years before. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 10-year-old boy presented with worsening headaches for the past few weeks, swelling of the right side of face and eye, and chemosis and proptosis of the right eye. Of note, the patient had been treated successfully for a cerebellar AVM at 6 weeks of age with advanced imaging follow-up until 4 years previously demonstrating resolution of AVM and no other abnormalities whatsoever. Suspecting a carotid cavernous fistula, we performed angiography, which revealed a sphenoparietal DAVF with feeders from both the external and internal carotid artery. Despite sudden onset of symptoms and recent previously negative imaging, bony erosion was noted on computed tomography of the head and orbits. Successful treatment was achieved via transvenous embolization. CONCLUSIONS: This case highlights the different array of presentations that sphenoparietal fistulas may display. Even though most DAVFs are acquired, secondary lesions and spontaneous malformations must be considered in a differential diagnosis.

Cured from a Cardiac Myxoma? Brain Intraparenchymal Hemorrhage in a Patient with a 10-Year Successfully Resected Cardiac Myxoma.

BACKGROUND: A cardiac myxoma (CM) is the most common primary tumor of the heart. This case report highlights that for metastatic CMs, even after a successful total resection, there is a small but real risk of recurrence that can manifest as late as 10 years after initial tumor resection. CASE DESCRIPTION: We present the case of a 53-year-old woman who visited the emergency room after a 4-day worsening right-sided weakness. The patient was diagnosed with a left CM 10 years previously, and a complete surgical resection was performed at that time. A noncontrast computed tomography of the head revealed a left parietal hematoma and a contrast computed tomography scan of the head revealed an enlarged left parieto-occipital vein that was subsequently shown to be part of an arteriovenous fistula. After embolization of the fistula was performed, postprocedure magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed redemonstration of acute intraparenchymal hemorrhage with vasogenic edema. The history of a previously resected CM and the multifocal distribution of brain lesions opened the possibility of slow-growing metastasis from the previous myxoma. CONCLUSIONS: Our case report demonstrates the metastatic nature of CMs to the central nervous system, even after successful gross total resection and no local relapsing mass in subsequent ultrasonographic follow-ups. A comprehensive evaluation on clinical and imagological grounds is mandatory to rule out the presence of myxomatous metastatic disease. Awareness and recognition of the potential neurologic manifestations of a metastatic CM will prevent unnecessary diagnostic workup and treatments.

Quality Assurance During Brain Aneurysm Microsurgery-Operative Error Teaching.

INTRODUCTION: Quality assurance (QA) is a way to prevent mistakes in advance. Although it has been previously reported for surgical setup, there is no effective approach for minimizing microsurgical technical errors before an operation is done. Neurosurgery resident operative errors during brain aneurysm surgery could be foreseen by practicing in an ex vivo hybrid simulator with microscopic fluorescein vessel flow image. METHODS: Five vascular neurosurgeons and 8 junior/senior neurosurgical residents voluntarily joined this research initiative. The following methodology was adopted: 1) Identification of the 7 most-common resident operative performance errors during brain aneurysm surgery; 2) Design of exercises to prevent common mistakes in brain aneurysm microsurgery using a placenta simulator; and 3) Blinded staff neurosurgeon evaluation of resident performance during real brain aneurysm microsurgery. RESULTS: All key steps to perform such intervention were accomplished with a simulator that uses 2 placentas, a synthetic cranium, and microscopic fluorescein vessel flow image. Neurosurgery residents trained in this model had better surgical performance with fewer perioperative mistakes (P < 0.05). Fine microsurgical dissection of the arachnoid membrane and aneurysm sac were the most commonly improved tasks among the 7 common operative mistakes. Brain parenchyma traction with secondary bleeding was the only error not prevented after previous simulator training. CONCLUSIONS: There was a left-shift on the quality assurance line with residents who practiced brain aneurysm microsurgical errors in an ex vivo model. A multicentric prospective study is necessary to confirm the hypothesis that real operative error could be reduced after training in a realistic simulator.