An interdisciplinary consensus on the management of brain metastases in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

Brain metastases are a challenging manifestation of renal cell carcinoma. We have a limited understanding of brain metastasis tumor and immune biology, drivers of resistance to systemic treatment, and their overall poor prognosis. Current data support a multimodal treatment strategy with radiation treatment and/or surgery. Nonetheless, the optimal approach for the management of brain metastases from renal cell carcinoma remains unclear. To improve patient care, the authors sought to standardize practical management strategies. They performed an unstructured literature review and elaborated on the current management strategies through an international group of experts from different disciplines assembled via the network of the International Kidney Cancer Coalition. Experts from different disciplines were administered a survey to answer questions related to current challenges and unmet patient needs. On the basis of the integrated approach of literature review and survey study results, the authors built algorithms for the management of single and multiple brain metastases in patients with renal cell carcinoma. The literature review, consensus statements, and algorithms presented in this report can serve as a framework guiding treatment decisions for patients. CA Cancer J Clin. 2022;72:454-489.

Repeat endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery for residual or recurrent Cushing's disease: safety, feasibility, and success.

PURPOSE: The success and outcomes of repeat endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery (ETS) for residual or recurrent Cushing's disease (CD) are underreported in the literature. This study aims to address this gap by assessing the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of repeat ETS in these patients. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 56 patients who underwent a total of 65 repeat ETS performed by a single neurosurgeon between January 2006 and December 2020. Data including demographic, clinical, laboratory, radiological, and operative details were collected from electronic medical records. Logistic regression was utilized to identify potential predictors associated with sustained remission. RESULTS: Among the cases, 40 (61.5%) had previously undergone microscopic surgery, while 25 (38.5%) had prior endoscopic procedures. Remission was achieved in 47 (83.9%) patients after the first repeat ETS, with an additional 9 (16.1%) achieving remission after the second repeat procedure. During an average follow-up period of 97.25 months, the recurrence rate post repeat surgery was 6.38%. Sustained remission was achieved in 48 patients (85.7%), with 44 after the first repeat ETS and 4 following the second repeat ETS. Complications included transient diabetes insipidus (DI) in 5 (7.6%) patients, permanent (DI) in 2 (3%) patients, and one case (1.5%) of panhypopituitarism. Three patients (4.6%) experienced rhinorrhea necessitating reoperation. A serum cortisol level > 5 µg/dL on postoperative day 1 was associated with a reduced likelihood of sustained remission. CONCLUSION: Repeat ETS is a safe and effective treatment option for residual or recurrent CD with satisfactory remission rates and low rates of complications.

Duraplasty with autologous cervical fascia in pediatric posterior fossa tumor surgery: a single-center experience with 214 cases.

PURPOSE: Posterior fossa surgeries for pediatric tumors pose challenges in achieving optimal dural repair and duraplasty is usually required. Autografts, allografts, xenografts, and synthetic substitutes can be used for duraplasty. Autologous cervical fascia can be a safe and reliable graft option for duraplasty after posterior fossa surgeries. This study aims to investigate the outcomes of duraplasty with autologous cervical fascial graft in children after posterior fossa surgery for pediatric brain tumors. METHODS: Pediatric patients with posterior fossa tumor who underwent surgery between March 2001 and August 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Data on demographics, preoperative symptoms, diagnosis, tumor characteristics, hydrocephalus history, and postoperative complications, including cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage, pseudomeningocele, and meningitis were collected. Logistic regression analysis was performed to explore risk factors for postoperative complications. RESULTS: Patient cohort included 214 patients. Autologous cervical fascia was used in all patients for duraplasty. Mean age was 7.9 ± 5.3 years. Fifty-seven patients (26.6%) had preoperative hydrocephalus and 14 patients (6.5%) received VPS or EVD perioperatively. Postoperative hydrocephalus was present in 31 patients (14.5%). Rates of CSF leak, pseudomeningocele, and meningitis were 4.2%, 2.8%, and 4.2% respectively. Logistic regression analysis revealed that postoperative EVD and VPS placement were the factors associated with postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: Autologous cervical fascia is a safe and reliable option for duraplasty with minimal risk of postoperative complications. The straightforward surgical technique and with no additional cost for harvesting the graft renders autologous cervical fascia a favorable alternative for resource-limited countries or surgical settings.

Toward an optimal cadaveric brain model for neurosurgical education: assessment of preservation, parenchyma, vascular injection, and imaging.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed types of cadaveric head and brain tissue specimen preparations that are used in a high throughput neurosurgical research laboratory to determine optimal preparation methods for neurosurgical anatomical research, education, and training. METHODS: Cadaveric specimens (N = 112) prepared using different preservation and vascular injection methods were imaged, dissected, and graded by 11 neurosurgeons using a 21-point scale. We assessed the quality of tissue and preservation in both the anterior and posterior circulations. Tissue quality was evaluated using a 9-point magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scale. RESULTS: Formalin-fixed specimens yielded the highest scores for assessment (mean ± SD [17.0 ± 2.8]) vs. formalin-flushed (17.0 ± 3.6) and MRI (6.9 ± 2.0). Cadaver assessment and MRI scores were positively correlated (P < 0.001, R2 0.60). Analysis showed significant associations between cadaver assessment scores and specific variables: nonformalin fixation (ß = -3.3), preservation within ≤72 h of death (ß = 1.8), and MRI quality score (ß = 0.7). Formalin-fixed specimens exhibited greater hardness than formalin-flushed and nonformalin-fixed specimens (P ≤ 0.006). Neurosurgeons preferred formalin-flushed specimens injected with colored latex. CONCLUSION: For better-quality specimens for neurosurgical education and training, formalin preservation within ≤72 h of death was preferable, as was injection with colored latex. Formalin-flushed specimens more closely resembled live brain parenchyma. Assessment scores were lower for preparation techniques performed > 72 h postmortem and for nonformalin preservation solutions. The positive correlation between cadaver assessment scores and our novel MRI score indicates that donation organizations and institutional buyers should incorporate MRI as a screening tool for the selection of high-quality specimens.

Angiographic measurement of the superficial temporal artery for potential use in cerebral bypass surgery: a combined radiological and cadaveric study.

PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate the microsurgical anatomy of the superficial temporal artery (STA), explore the relationship between STA length and lumen diameter, and develop a reliable radiologic method for selecting STA segments for bypass surgery. METHODS: This study used 10 cadaveric dissections (20 STAs, both sides) and 20 retrospective radiological examinations (40 STAs, both sides), employing curved multiplanar reformation and flow color lookup table (CLUT) DICOM processing. Measurements included vessel lumen diameters and luminal cross-sectional thicknesses 3 mm proximal to the STA bifurcation, 3 mm distal to the frontal branch, 5 cm distal to the frontal branch, 3 mm distal to the parietal branch, and 5 cm distal to the parietal branch. The distance between the STA bifurcation and the superior zygomatic border (SZB) was also measured. In our analysis, descriptive statistics encompassed mean, standard deviation (SD), standard error, minimum and maximum values, and distributions. Comparative statistics were performed using Student's t-test, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences between STA measurements of bifurcation distances (p = 0.88) and lumen diameters (p = 0.46) between cadavers and radiological measures. However, lumen thicknesses were larger in frontal branches than parietal branches at the seventh and eighth centimeter (p = 0.012, p = 0.039). Branches became thinner distally from the zygoma in both cadavers and radiological image measurements. CONCLUSION: The CLUT DICOM processing radiological measures provided the high-precision required to enable pre-surgical vessel selection for extracranial-intracranial bypass. The results show that STA vessel luminal diameters are sufficient (> 1 mm) for bypass surgery in the first 9 cm but gradually decrease after that. Also shown is that the choice of frontal versus parietal branches depends on individual anatomical features; therefore, careful preoperative radiological examination is critical.

Current evidence for pharmacological management of pediatric concussion: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a global public health problem and its current management is limited to rest and symptom management. Despite frequent use of drugs for symptom control, there is a lack of consensus on the optimal pharmacological management of post-concussive symptoms. We reviewed the relevant literature to compile the evidence about the pharmaceutical management of pediatric mTBI. METHODS: We performed a systematic review of the literature available in PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, and ClinicalTrials.Gov as well as through citation tracing. A modified PICO framework was used for the construction of search strategy and eligibility criteria. Risk of bias was assessed using RoB-2 tool for randomized and ROBINS-I for non-randomized studies. RESULTS: A total of 6260 articles were screened for eligibility. After exclusions, a total of 88 articles received full text review. A total of 15 reports representing 13 studies (5 randomized clinical trials, 1 prospective randomized cohort study, 1 prospective cohort study, and 6 retrospective cohort studies) met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. We identified 16 pharmacological interventions in a total of 931 pediatric patients with mTBI. Amytriptiline (n = 4), ondansetron (n = 3), melatonin (n = 3), metoclopramide (n = 2), magnesium (n = 2), and topiramate (n = 2) were investigated in multiple studies. All RCTs were relatively of small size (n ≤ 33/group). CONCLUSION: The available evidence supporting pharmacological intervention in pediatric mild traumatic brain injury is scarce. We propose a framework to facilitate future collaborative research efforts to test and validate various pharmacological interventions for acute and persistent post-concussive symptoms in children.

Quantification of motion during microvascular anastomosis simulation using machine learning hand detection.

OBJECTIVE: Microanastomosis is one of the most technically demanding and important microsurgical skills for a neurosurgeon. A hand motion detector based on machine learning tracking technology was developed and implemented for performance assessment during microvascular anastomosis simulation. METHODS: A microanastomosis motion detector was developed using a machine learning model capable of tracking 21 hand landmarks without physical sensors attached to a surgeon's hands. Anastomosis procedures were simulated using synthetic vessels, and hand motion was recorded with a microscope and external camera. Time series analysis was performed to quantify the economy, amplitude, and flow of motion using data science algorithms. Six operators with various levels of technical expertise (2 experts, 2 intermediates, and 2 novices) were compared. RESULTS: The detector recorded a mean (SD) of 27.6 (1.8) measurements per landmark per second with a 10% mean loss of tracking for both hands. During 600 seconds of simulation, the 4 nonexperts performed 26 bites in total, with a combined excess of motion of 14.3 (15.5) seconds per bite, whereas the 2 experts performed 33 bites (18 and 15 bites) with a mean (SD) combined excess of motion of 2.8 (2.3) seconds per bite for the dominant hand. In 180 seconds, the experts performed 13 bites, with mean (SD) latencies of 22.2 (4.4) and 23.4 (10.1) seconds, whereas the 2 intermediate operators performed a total of 9 bites with mean (SD) latencies of 31.5 (7.1) and 34.4 (22.1) seconds per bite. CONCLUSIONS: A hand motion detector based on machine learning technology allows the identification of gross and fine movements performed during microanastomosis. Economy, amplitude, and flow of motion were measured using time series data analysis. Technical expertise could be inferred from such quantitative performance analysis.

Applications of enhanced recovery after surgery protocols for unruptured anterior circulation aneurysms in tertiary-level healthcare institutions: a national study.

OBJECTIVE: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols are standardized perioperative care that reduce patients' stress response during hospitalization and improve hospitalization time, complication rates, costs, and readmission rates. This study aimed to investigate the application rate of protocols for elective craniotomy in the surgery of unruptured anterior circulation aneurysms (AnCAs) at tertiary-level healthcare (TLH) institutions in Türkiye and its effect on the outcomes of the patients. METHODS: An electronic survey was sent to all Turkish TLH institutions (n = 127) between May and June 2023. The number of institutions participating in the survey was 38 (30%). The institutions were subdivided according to three main factors: institution type (university hospital [UH] vs training and research hospital [TRH]), annual case volume (low [≤ 20 aneurysms] vs high [> 20 aneurysms]), and institution accreditation status (accredited vs nonaccredited). RESULTS: Overall, 55.3% (n = 21) of the institutions participating in the study were UHs. The rates of those that were accredited and had a high case volume were 55.3% (n = 21) and 31.6% (n = 12), respectively. It was determined that the accredited clinics applied preoperative protocols at a higher rate (p = 0.050), and the length of stay in the postoperative period was shorter in the clinics that used the intraoperative protocols (p = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: The length of stay in the postoperative period is lower in TLH institutions in Türkiye that highly implement intraoperative protocols. Furthermore, this is the first study in the literature evaluating protocols for elective craniotomy in unruptured AnCAs.

Modified Puerto Rico Recurrence Scale for chronic subdural hematomas: augmenting the grading scale with postoperative pneumocephalus volume.

BACKGROUND: Chronic subdural hematomas (CSDHs) are common in the elderly, with a relatively high rate of recurrence after initial surgical intervention. Our research team previously created a predictive grading system, the Puerto Rico Recurrence Scale (PRRS), to identify patients at high risk of CSDH recurrence. In this study, we introduce a modification of the (mPRRS) that includes pneumocephalus volume, which has been independently associated with recurrence. METHODS: A single-center Puerto Rican population-based retrospective study was performed to analyze data for patients treated for CSDH at 1 institution between July 1, 2017, and December 31, 2019. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to create a grading scale predictive of recurrence. Retrospective validation was conducted for the cohort. RESULTS: Of 108 patients included in the study, 42 had recurrence, and 66 had nonrecurrence. Postoperative subdural space, postoperative midline shift, and pneumocephalus volume were all higher with recurrence (P = 0.002, P = 0.009, and P < 0.001, respectively). Multivariate analysis was used to create a 6-point grading scale comprising 3 variables (pneumocephalus volume [< 10, 10-20, 21-30, and > 30 cm3], postoperative midline shift [< 0.4, 0.41-1.0, and > 1.0 cm], and laterality [unilateral and bilateral]). Recurrence rates progressively increased in low-risk to high-risk groups (2/18 [11%] vs 21/34 [62%]; P < 0.003). CONCLUSION: The mPRRS incorporating pneumocephalus measurement improves CSDH recurrence prediction. The mPRRS indicated that patients with higher scores have a greater risk of recurrence and emphasized the importance of measuring postoperative variables for prediction. The mPRRS grading scale for CSDHs may be applicable not only to the Puerto Rican population but also to the general population.

Clinical Significance of Pneumocephalus in Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

OBJECTIVES: Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) comprises most (70%-90%) of all pediatric head trauma cases seeking emergency care. Although most mTBI cases have normal initial head computed tomography scan, a considerable portion of the cases have intracranial imaging abnormalities on computed tomography scan. Whereas other intracranial pathological findings have been extensively studied, little is known about the clinical significance of pneumocephalus in pediatric mTBI. METHODS: We retrospectively identified pediatric mTBI patients with pneumocephalus using the institutional database of a large regional trauma referral center. Outcome measures were defined as clinically important TBI (ciTBI), hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and neurosurgical intervention. Comparisons were made between pneumocephalus and control (isolated linear fracture) groups as well as between isolated (only linear fracture and pneumocephalus) and nonisolated pneumocephalus (pneumocephalus and TBI) groups. RESULTS: Among 3524 pediatric mTBI cases, 43 cases had pneumocephalus (1.2%). Twenty-one cases (48.8%) had isolated pneumocephalus. The pneumocephalus group had higher rates of ciTBI, hospital admission, ICU admission, and neurosurgery when compared with the isolated linear fracture (control) group. The isolated pneumocephalus group had fewer ciTBI (21.1% vs 70%, P = 0.002), fewer hospitalization (23.8% vs 81.8%, P < 0.001), but similar ICU admission rates (4.8% vs 22.7%, P = 0.089) and length of hospital stay (4.0 ± 2.7 vs 3.6 ± 2.4 days, P = 0.798) in comparison to the nonisolated pneumocephalus group. None of the patients in the isolated group had neurosurgery whereas 2 patients in the nonisolated pneumocephalus group underwent surgery. Multivariable analysis revealed pneumocephalus as an independent predictor of ciTBI and hospital admission, but not ICU admission or neurosurgical intervention. CONCLUSION: Pneumocephalus is associated with increased rates of hospitalization and ciTBI, but not ICU admission, unfavorable outcome, or neurosurgical intervention in pediatric mTBI. Although usually spontaneously resolving pathology, it may occasionally be linked with complications such as cerebrospinal fluid leakage, meningitis, and tension pneumocephalus. Therefore, careful evaluation, close observation, and early detection of complications may prevent adverse outcomes.

The role of microsurgery for poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhages in the endovascular era.

BACKGROUND: Poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (PGASAH) is associated with high mortality and morbidity regardless of treatment. Herein, we re-evaluate the safety and efficacy of microsurgical treatment for managing PGASAH patients in the current endovascular era. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 141 consecutive patient records in a single institution who underwent microsurgical (n = 80) or endovascular (n = 61) treatment for PGASAH. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar, except for more intracerebral hematomas (46.3% vs 24.6%, p = 0.009), fewer intraventricular hemorrhages (26.3% vs 59%, p < 0.001), and fewer posterior circulation aneurysms (5.1% vs 44.3%, p < 0.001) in the microsurgery group. Decompressive craniectomy (58.5% vs 24.6%, p < 0.001) and shunt-dependent hydrocephalus (63.7% vs 41%, p = 0.01) were more common for microsurgery, while procedural ischemic complications were less common (5% vs 24.6%, p = 0.001). Both early (12.5% vs 32.8%, p = 0.006) and late mortality rates (22.5% vs 39.3%, p = 0.041) were lower for microsurgery, and favorable 12-month outcomes (modified Rankin scale = 0-2) were better (62.5% vs 42.6%, p = 0.026). Multivariate analysis revealed that advanced age, neurological grade, modified Fisher grade, larger aneurysm size, rebleeding, and cerebral infarctions were independent predictors of poor outcome. Microsurgery fared marginally better than endovascular treatment (OR: 2.630, 95% CI: [0.991-6.981], p = 0.052). CONCLUSIONS: Timely and efficient treatment, either via open microsurgery or endovascular surgery, provided favorable outcomes for over half of PGASAH patients in this series. Therefore, early treatment should be offered to all PGASAH patients regardless of clinical and/or radiological factors. Microsurgery remains an effective treatment modality for selected PGASAH patients in the endovascular era.

Cortical spreading depression can be triggered by sensory stimulation in primed wild type mouse brain: a mechanistic insight to migraine aura generation.

BACKGROUND: Unlike the spontaneously appearing aura in migraineurs, experimentally, cortical spreading depression (CSD), the neurophysiological correlate of aura is induced by non-physiological stimuli. Consequently, neural mechanisms involved in spontaneous CSD generation, which may provide insight into how migraine starts in an otherwise healthy brain, remain largely unclear. We hypothesized that CSD can be physiologically induced by sensory stimulation in primed mouse brain. METHODS: Cortex was made susceptible to CSD with partial inhibition of Na+/K+-ATPase by epidural application of a low concentration of Na+/K+-ATPase blocker ouabain, allowing longer than 30-min intervals between CSDs or by knocking-down α2 subunit of Na+/K+-ATPase, which is crucial for K+ and glutamate re-uptake, with shRNA. Stimulation-triggered CSDs and extracellular K+ changes were monitored in vivo electrophysiologically and a K+-sensitive fluoroprobe (IPG-4), respectively. RESULTS: After priming with ouabain, photic stimulation significantly increased the CSD incidence compared with non-stimulated animals (44.0 vs. 4.9%, p < 0.001). Whisker stimulation also significantly increased the CSD incidence, albeit less effectively (14.9 vs. 2.4%, p = 0.02). Knocking-down Na+/K+-ATPase (50% decrease in mRNA) lowered the CSD threshold in all mice tested with KCl but triggered CSDs in 14.3% and 16.7% of mice with photic and whisker stimulation, respectively. Confirming Na+/K+-ATPase hypofunction, extracellular K+ significantly rose during sensory stimulation after ouabain or shRNA treatment unlike controls. In line with the higher CSD susceptibility observed, K+ rise was more prominent after ouabain. To gain insight to preventive mechanisms reducing the probability of stimulus-evoked CSDs, we applied an A1-receptor antagonist (DPCPX) to the occipital cortex, because adenosine formed during stimulation from ATP can reduce CSD susceptibility. DPCPX induced spontaneous CSDs but only small-DC shifts along with suppression of EEG spikes during photic stimulation, suggesting that the inhibition co-activated with sensory stimulation could limit CSD ignition when K+ uptake was not sufficiently suppressed as with ouabain. CONCLUSIONS: Normal brain is well protected against CSD generation. For CSD to be ignited under physiological conditions, priming and predisposing factors are required as seen in migraine patients. Intense sensory stimulation has potential to trigger CSD when co-existing conditions bring extracellular K+ and glutamate concentrations over CSD-ignition threshold and stimulation-evoked inhibitory mechanisms are overcome.

The effect of pentoxifylline on cerebral vasospasm following experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage.

OBJECTS: Cerebral vasospasm is an important event that occurs following subarachnoid hemorage which has significant mortality and morbidity. The goal in this study was to investigate the effect of pentoxifylline on vasospasm in an experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage model. METHODS: In this study, 20 male New Zeland White rabbits weighing 3000-3500 g were assigned randomly to four groups. Animals in group 1 served as controls. Animals in group two received only intravenous pentoxifylline injection 3 times in 12 h intervals. In group 3, SAH was induced and no injection was given. Animals in group 4 received intravenous pentoxifylline (6 mg/kg) injections 3 times at 12th, 24th and 36th hours after subarachnoid hemorrhage induction. All animals were sacrificed and basilar arteries were removed at 48th hour. Basilar artery vessel diameters, wall thicknesses and luminal section areas were measured with Spot for Windows version 4.1. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA and Kruskall-Wallis tests. RESULTS: Mean basilar artery luminal section areas and luminal diameters in group 4 were significantly higher compared to group 3 (p < 0.05). Basilar artery wall thicknesses and were found to be higher in group 3 than in other groups and this was also statistically significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that intravenous administration of pentoxifylline significantly decreases vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Surgical outcome of laminoplasty for cervical spondylotic myelopathy: a single-institution experience

Background/aim: Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) develops as a result of compression of the spinal cord in the cervical region. Early diagnosis and surgical treatment can limit the progression of symptoms. Various surgical approaches and strategies have been described in the literature. This study aims to evaluate the clinical and radiological results of open-door laminoplasty for the treatment of CSM. Materials and methods: In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the patients who underwent expansive open-door laminoplasty secured with titanium miniplates. Thirty-four patients with CSM who were followed up postoperatively for more than 12 months were included in the study. The modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) score was used to assess the degree of myelopathy. We evaluated cervical sagittal alignment with C2­C7 Cobb angle, the ambulatory status with the Nurick grade, and measured postoperative neck pain with the visual analogue scale (VAS). Results: Themeanm JOA score was 11 (range 6­15) preoperatively, and 13.5 (range 9­16) postoperatively with an average 55% recovery rate (range 0­75) (p < 0.001). Themean­Nurick grade was 2 (range 1­3) preoperatively and 1 (range 0­3) postoperatively (p < 0.001). The median cervical lordotic angle increased from 7.5 ° preoperatively to 12.5 ° postoperatively (p = 0.044). K-line (+) patients> mean mJOA scores significantly increased from 10.8 ± 1.7 to 13.3 ± 1.7 postoperatively (p < 0.001). The mean preoperative VAS reduced from 2.66 ± 1.4 to 1.59 ± 1.4 postoperatively (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Open-door laminoplasty technique is an effective surgical procedure that can be used safely to treat cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Our findings suggest that it can limit the progression of symptoms and alter the poor prognosis in CSM.

Academic performance after neurosurgery residency training in Turkey: a national survey.

OBJECTIVE: Neurosurgery training programs aim to train specialists. In addition, they are expected to equip the residents with necessary knowledge and skills for academic development. This study aims to gain insights into academic productivity after neurosurgeons graduated from residency training in Turkey. METHODS: An electronic survey was sent to all Turkish Neurosurgical Society members (n = 1662 neurosurgeons) between September and November 2019. The number of participants was 289 (17.4%). Participants were divided into subgroups based on three main factors: training institution type (university hospital [UH] vs training and research hospital [TRH]), training institution annual case volume (low [< 1000 or inadequate cranial/spinal case numbers] vs high [> 1000 and adequate cranial/spinal case numbers]), and training program accreditation status (accredited vs nonaccredited). RESULTS: The majority of the participants (64.7%) graduated from the UHs. Those trained at UHs (vs TRHs) and high- (vs low-) volume centers had their dissertations more frequently published in Science Citation Index/Science Citation Index-Expanded journals, gave more oral presentations after residency, had higher h-indices, had higher rates of reviewership for academic journals, and had greater participation in projects with grant support. In addition, graduates of accredited programs reported more PhD degrees than those of nonaccredited programs. CONCLUSIONS: Neurosurgeons trained in higher-case-volume, accredited programs, mostly in the UHs, performed better in terms of scientific activities and productivity in Turkey. Strong research emphasis and supportive measures should be instituted to increase academic performance during and after residency training.

Subfascial drainage and clipping technique for treatment of cerebrospinal fluid leak following spinal surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the treatment of iatrogenic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak that develops after degenerative lumbar spinal surgery with a subfascial drainage and clipping (SDC) technique. METHODS: This study retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 46 patients who developed iatrogenic CSF leak after surgery for lumbar degenerative spine disease from 2007 to 2019. Twenty-five patients were treated with the SDC procedure (SDC group), whereas 21 were not (control group). Outcomes were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: CSF leakage ceased within 6-9 days (average 7.4+/-1) after the procedure in the SDC group. In the control group, CSF leakage was controlled with conservative measures in 14 patients, and in 7 patients, lumbar external drainage was performed. Among these 7, the CSF leak was controlled by lumbar external drainage in 3, and 4 required reoperation to repair the dural defect. No infection occurred in either group. Length of hospital stay was also shorter in SDC group (8.4+/-1 vs 10.0+/-1.3 days, p less than 0.001). CONCLUSION: The SDC technique is effective for the treatment of iatrogenic CSF leak that develops after degenerative lumbar spinal surgery.

Use of computed tomography and diffusion weighted imaging in children with ventricular shunt.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the indications, number, and imaging results of brain computed tomography (CT) and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) in children with ventriculoperitoneal shunt, to estimate the radiation dose, and to evaluate the effectiveness of DWI. METHODS: This retrospectively study included 54 consecutive patients (boys/girls = 30/24, mean age, 3 ± 4.1 years) with shunt that were placed due to congenital abnormalities-hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy between January 2015 and March 2018. The presence of shunt-related complications (SRC) was assessed using clinical and neuroimaging findings, and the standard reference was accepted as the shunt revision. Size comparisons of ventricles were performed using Evans index and the frontal and occipital horn ratio, and each measurement made by the observers were compared using Bland-Altman analysis. A kappa coefficient and the intraclass correlation coefficient were calculated to assess the agreement between observers. RESULTS: The mean number of hospital admission, number of CT scans, and DWI were 5.8, 4.8, and 1.1, respectively per patient. A significant linear correlation was observed between hospital admission and CT scans (r = 0.288, p = 0.035). The number of CT scans and the cumulative effective dose per patient were higher in patients with SRC than in those without (p < 0.001). The mortality rate due to radiation-induced neoplasia has increased by 0.33% in the study period. The inter-observer agreement was perfect or substantial for the catheter visualization, assessment of the ventricular system on DWI, and for the image quality of DWI between observers (κ = 0.704-1, p ≤ 0.001). No significant difference was found between CT and DWI in the measurements of Evans index and the frontal and occipital horn ratio (p > 0.05). Inter-observer agreements between observers were almost perfect for the Evans index and the frontal and occipital horn ratio (ICC = 0.94-0.99, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: An awareness of the use of CT in children is still inadequate and difficulties in the diagnosis of SRC probably cause the overuse of CT. DWI should be preferred in the diagnosis of SRC and the follow-up of patients. Otherwise, the increase in the prevalence of several diseases, particularly neoplasia, may be inevitable because of the over use of CT.

The Effect of Training, Used-Hand, and Experience on Endoscopic Surgery Skills in an Educational Computer-Based Simulation Environment (ECE) for Endoneurosurgery Training.

Today, virtual simulation environments create alternative hands-on practice opportunities for surgical training. In order to increase the potential benefits of such environments, it is critical to understand the factors that influence them. This study was conducted to determine the effects of training, used-hand, and experience, as well as the interactions between these variables, on endoscopic surgery skills in an educational computer-based surgical simulation environment. A 2-hour computer-based endoneurosurgery simulation training module was developed for this study. Thirty-one novice- and intermediate-level resident surgeons from the departments of neurosurgery and ear, nose, and throat participated in this experimental study. The results suggest that a 2-hour training during a 2-month period through computer-based simulation environment improves the surgical skills of the residents in both-hand tasks, which is necessary for endoscopic surgical procedures but not in dominant hand tasks. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that computer-based simulation environments potentially improve surgical skills; however, the scenarios for such training modules need to consider especially the bimanual coordination of hands and should be regularly adapted to the individual skill levels and progresses.

De novo formation of brain tumors in pediatric population following therapeutic cranial irradiation.

PURPOSE: Tumors of central nervous system (CNS) are accounted as the second most common tumors in childhood (21% of all cancers) following hematologic malignancies. The patients can suffer more than one cancer in their lifetime, and radiotherapy is claimed for de novo formation of a new tumor in years after treatment of an initial tumor. METHODS: We have retrospectively analyzed our database for defining radiotherapy-related de novo brain tumors operated in between January, 2000 and August, 2012. New tumors in the field of radiotherapy were included into the study. RESULTS: The retrospective analysis revealed six patients (two girls and four boys) eligible for further evaluation. The children were irradiated at an age in the range of 5 and 12 years (mean, 7.8). The primary diagnoses were hematological malignancies in two (acute lymphocytic leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL)) and solid tumors in other four (two pilocytic astrocytoma, one craniopharyngioma, and one grade 3 astrocytoma). All patients received cranial radiotherapy. The mean latency period for the "second tumor" was 9.5 years. The pathological diagnoses for de novo new tumors were as follows: glial tumor (two cases), medulloblastoma (two cases), mesenchymal tumor (one case), and meningeal sarcoma (one case). All de novo tumors were high graded. Mean survival was 14.6 months. CONCLUSIONS: de novo brain tumors after irradiation has poor prognosis in neurosurgical practice. Vigilance and awareness for possibility of de novo new tumor are warranted for both families and physicians at follow-ups even years after the treatment of initial tumors.

Enigmatic entity in childhood: clival chordoma from a tertiary center's perspective.

PURPOSE: Chordoma is a rare neoplasm that arises from embryonic notochordal remnants along the axial skeleton (i.e., clivus, sacrum) and the vertebral bodies. They comprise less than 1 % of CNS tumors and 1-4 % of all bone malignancies. It rarely affects children and adolescents (<5 %). Chordomas are locally aggressive and highly recurrent. Their management is challenging for clinicians. METHODS: This retrospective study includes six pediatric patients with pathological evidence of clival chordoma. These cases were identified over a period of 15 years in a tertiary care institute. RESULTS: There were two boy and four girls with a mean age of 10.6 years (range, 4-16 years). The chief complaint was due to cranial nerve palsy (or dysfunction), mostly affecting lower cranial nerves (66.6 %), followed by diplopia and headache. One patient had obstructive sleep apnea. All patients were operated and a total of 15 surgeries were performed (mean, 2.5). Tumor recurrence was observed in four patients (67 %). Two-year and 5-year progression-free survivals (PFS) were 67 and 33 %, respectively. None of the patients were lost either during the surgery or the follow-up period (6.9 years: 1-14 years). CONCLUSIONS: Clival chordomas are challenging tumors in neurosurgical practice. A multidisciplinary approach is warranted in each patient. Today, the best management strategy seems to be surgical resection followed by radiotherapy. Chemotherapy should be considered in selective and preference basis. Sharing institutional experiences will provide future insights in prognosis of these rare tumors. Implementing newer surgical instruments, endoscope in particular, is encouraged in management of the clival chordomas.