Use of intraoperative MRI for resection of intracranial tumors: A nationwide analysis of short-term outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: Recent evidence supports the use of intraoperative MRI (iMRI) during resection of intracranial tumors due to its demonstrated efficacy and clinical benefit. Though many single-center investigations have been conducted, larger nationwide outcomes have yet to be characterized. METHODS: We used the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database to examine baseline characteristics and 30-day postoperative outcomes among patients undergoing craniotomy for tumor resection with and without iMRI. Comparisons between outcomes were accomplished after propensity matching using chi-square tests for categorical variables and Welch two-sample t-tests for continuous variables. RESULTS: A total of 38,003 patients met inclusion criteria. Of this population, 54 (0.1%) received iMRI, while 37,949 (99.9%) did not receive iMRI. After propensity score matching, the resulting groups consisted of an iMRI group (n = 54) and a matched non-iMRI group (n = 54). Procedures involving iMRI were associated with significantly increased operation length compared to those without (p < 0.01). Length of hospital stay was higher in patients without iMRI, with this difference trending towards significance (p = 0.05) in the unmatched comparison. Patients undergoing craniotomy without iMRI had a higher rate of readmission (p = 0.04). There was no significant difference in occurrence of other adverse events between the two patient groups. CONCLUSION: Despite increasing operative length, iMRI is not associated with higher infection rate and may have a clinical benefit associated with reducing readmissions and a trend towards reducing inpatient length of stay. Additional nationwide analyses including more iMRI patients would provide further insight into the strength of these findings.

High-Grade Spinal Hemangioma: A National Cancer Database Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Spinal hemangiomas are common primary tumors of the vertebrae. Although these tumors are most frequently benign and asymptomatic, they can rarely exhibit aggressive growth and invasion into neighboring structures. Treatment for these aggressive variants is controversial, often involving surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy. This study sought to investigate current trends affecting overall survival (OS) using the National Cancer Database (NCDB) and to formulate treatment recommendations. METHODS: The National Cancer Database was queried for spinal hemangiomas between 2004 and 2016. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to perform multivariate regression analysis of survival. Survival curves for comparative visualization of demographic and treatment factors were generated using a semiparametric Cox approach. RESULTS: A cohort of 102 patients with histologically confirmed spinal hemangiomas was identified in the database. Mean OS was 1.94 years. Administered treatments included partial surgical resection (n = 17), radical resection (n = 14), chemotherapy (n = 34), and radiotherapy (n = 56). Multivariate analysis revealed associations between decreased OS and advanced age (>65 years) and presence of metastasis. Cox survival analysis further revealed improved OS in patients who received surgical treatment and higher radiation dose. CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective analysis finding that treatment with surgical resection and/or radiotherapy is associated with increased OS constitutes the largest cohort of patients with aggressive vertebral hemangiomas to date. Given that the mean OS of the study cohort was 1.94 years, our findings suggest that the optimal treatment regimen to maximize survival should consist of early surgical resection with adjuvant high-dose radiotherapy.

Incidence, Management, and Outcomes of Adult Patients with Spinal Chondrosarcoma in the United States.

OBJECTIVE: Spinal chondrosarcomas are rare primary malignant neoplasms composed of cartilage-producing cells. They are slow-growing but locally aggressive lesions that have high rates of recurrence and progression after treatment. We provide the largest comprehensive analysis of prognostic factors, treatment modalities, and survival outcomes in patients with spinal chondrosarcoma using a large, prospectively collected national database. METHODS: Patients with diagnosis codes specific for chondrosarcoma of the spine, sacrum, and coccyx were queried from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) during 2004-2016. Outcomes were investigated using Cox univariate and multivariate regression analyses, and survival curves were generated for comparative visualization. RESULTS: A total of 1843 individuals were identified with a diagnosis of chondrosarcoma, 82.1% of which were at the sacrum or coccyx and 17.9% at the spine. The mean overall survival of patients in our cohort was 7.91 years. Increased age, larger tumor, dedifferentiated histology, and presence of metastases were associated with worsened overall survival. Regarding management, 77.7% of patients received surgical intervention and both partial and radical resection were associated with significantly improved overall survival (P < 0.001). Neither radiotherapy nor chemotherapy administration improved overall survival; however, among patients who received radiation, those who received higher-dose radiation had significantly improved overall survival compared with those who received lower-dose radiation. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical resection significantly improves overall survival in patients with spinal chondrosarcoma. In those patients receiving radiation, those who receive high doses have improved overall survival compared with those who receive lower doses. Further studies into optimal radiation modality and doses are required.

Risk Factors for Hyponatremia and Perioperative Complications With Malignant Intracranial Tumor Resection in Adults: An Analysis of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2012 to 2015.

BACKGROUND: The present study aims to study the incidence and risk factors for developing hyponatremia and associated perioperative outcomes in adult patients admitted for malignant brain tumor resection. METHODS: The 2012-2015 Nationwide Inpatient Sample was queried for all patients undergoing surgical resection of malignant brain tumors. These patients were then grouped by the presence of concurrent diagnosis of hyponatremia, and compared with respect to various clinical features, perioperative and postoperative complications, all-cause mortality, discharge disposition, length of stay, and hospitalization costs. Propensity score matching was utilized to control for appropriate baseline confounders and the influence of other endpoint variables. RESULTS: The search criteria identified 12,480 adult patients admitted for malignant brain tumor resection, of whom 1162 (9.3%) developed hyponatremia in the perioperative period. Patients with obstructive hydrocephalus (risk ratio [RR] = 1.23, P < 0.001), diabetes (RR = 1.14, P = 0.014), hypertension (RR = 1.15, P < 0.001), and depression (RR = 1.24, P < 0.002) were more likely to develop hyponatremia. Tumor location was not associated with risk of developing hyponatremia. Patients with hyponatremia were more likely to require ventriculostomy (RR = 1.23, P < 0.001), ventriculoperitoneal shunt (RR = 1.34, P < 0.001), and lumbar puncture (RR = 1.25, P < 0.001), and were also more likely to be discharged to short-term hospital (RR = 1.25, P < 0.001) or rehabilitation (RR = 1.21, P < 0.001), as well as have longer hospital stay (P < 0.001) and increased hospital charges (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with obstructive hydrocephalus, diabetes, hypertension, and depression were more likely to develop perioperative hyponatremia. Hyponatremia was associated with increased morbidity following malignant brain tumor resection.

Epidural Abscess: A Propensity Analysis of Surgical Treatment Strategies.

STUDY DESIGN: Observational analysis of retrospectively collected data. OBJECTIVE: A retrospective study was performed in order to compare the surgical profile of risk factors and perioperative complications for laminectomy and laminectomy with fusion procedures in the treatment of spinal epidural abscess (SEA). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: SEA is a highly morbid condition typically presenting with back pain, fever, and neurologic deficits. Posterior fusion has been used to supplement traditional laminectomy of SEA to improve spinal stability. At present, the ideal surgical strategy-laminectomy with or without fusion-remains elusive. METHODS: Thirty-day outcomes such as reoperation and readmission following laminectomy and laminectomy with fusion in patients with SEA were investigated utilizing the American College of Surgeons National Quality Improvement Program database. Demographics and clinical risk factors were collected, and propensity matching was performed to account for differences in risk profiles between the groups. RESULTS: Seven hundred thirty-eight patients were studied (608 laminectomy alone, 130 fusion). The fusion population was in worse health. The fusion population experienced significantly greater rate of return to the operating room (odds ratio [OR] 1.892), with the difference primarily accounted for by cervical spine operations. Additionally, fusion patients had significantly greater rates of blood transfusion. Infection was the most common reason for reoperation in both populations. CONCLUSION: Both laminectomy and laminectomy with fusion effectively treat SEA, but addition of fusion is associated with significantly higher rates of transfusion and perioperative return to the operating room. In operative situations where either procedure is reasonable, surgeons should consider that fusion nearly doubles the odds of reoperation in the short-term, and weigh this risk against the benefit of added stability. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.