Anatomic Feasibility of a Superficial Temporal Artery to Distal Anterior Cerebral Artery Bypass With a Parietal Branch Interposition Graft: The Superficial Temporal Artery Telescope Bypass.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Revascularizing the postcommunicating segment of the anterior cerebral artery (ACA) using extracranial donor sites requires long interposition grafts. The superficial temporal artery (STA) is frequently used for extracranial-intracranial ACA revascularization. However, the length of either STA branch is not sufficient to reach the ACA with a proper caliber match, so an interposition graft is required. The aim of this study was to evaluate a bypass that uses the 2 main branches of the STA to reach the A3 (pericallosal) segment of the ACA. METHODS: The frontal and parietal branches of the STA were dissected from 10 cadaveric specimens. The middle internal frontal artery (MIFA) was exposed through an anterior interhemispheric approach. An interposition graft technique was applied using the parietal branch of the STA (pSTA) to connect the frontal branch of the STA (fSTA) with the MIFA. The bypass code is fSTA (E-Ec) pSTA + pSTA (E-Sc) MIFA. Measurements of length and caliber were taken at the anastomotic sites for the distal branches of the STA and the MIFA. RESULTS: The mean (SD) diameter of the MIFA measured 1.4 (0.2) mm, similar to the calibers of the frontal and parietal branches of the STA. The mean (SD) length of the end-to-side STA-MIFA bypass was 145.5 (7.4) mm, and the mean (SD) length of the donor-graft construct measured 204.2 (27.9) mm. This bypass design resulted in a surplus donor graft length of 38%. CONCLUSION: Using the pSTA as an interposition graft proved to be a successful technique for creating an STA-MIFA bypass, yielding excess donor graft length that facilitated an unstrained bypass construct. This approach offers several advantages, including a single skin incision, ample graft length, caliber compatibility, and a straightforward technical execution.

Low grade gliomas guide-lines elaborated by the tumor section of Spanish Society of Neurosurgery.

Adult low-grade gliomas (Low Grade Gliomas, LGG) are tumors that originate from the glial cells of the brain and whose management involves great controversy, starting from the diagnosis, to the treatment and subsequent follow-up. For this reason, the Tumor Group of the Spanish Society of Neurosurgery (GT-SENEC) has held a consensus meeting, in which the most relevant neurosurgical issues have been discussed, reaching recommendations based on the best scientific evidence. In order to obtain the maximum benefit from these treatments, an individualised assessment of each patient should be made by a multidisciplinary team. Experts in each LGG treatment field have briefly described it based in their experience and the reviewed of the literature. Each area has been summarized and focused on the best published evidence. LGG have been surrounded by treatment controversy, although during the last years more accurate data has been published in order to reach treatment consensus. Neurosurgeons must know treatment options, indications and risks to participate actively in the decision making and to offer the best surgical treatment in every case.

Brain metastasis treatment guidelines: consensus by the Spanish Society of Neurosurgery Tumor Section.

Brain metastases are tumors that arise from a tumor cell originated in another organ reaching the brain through the blood. In the brain this tumor cell is capable of growing and invading neighboring tissues, such as the meninges and bone. In most patients a known tumor is present when the brain lesion is diagnosed, although it is possible that the first diagnose is the brain tumor before there is evidence of cancer elsewhere in the body. For this reason, the neurosurgeon must know the management that has shown the greatest benefit for brain metastasis patients, so treatments can be streamlined and optimized. Specifically, in this document, the following topics will be developed: selection of the cancer patient candidate for surgical resection and the role of the neurosurgeon in the multidisciplinary team, the importance of immunohistological and molecular diagnosis, surgical techniques, radiotherapy techniques, treatment updates of chemotherapy and immunotherapy and management algorithms in brain metastases. With this consensus manuscript, the tumor group of the Spanish Society of Neurosurgery (GT-SENEC) exposes the most relevant neurosurgical issues and the fundamental aspects to harmonize multidisciplinary treatment, especially with the medical specialties that are treating or will treat these patients.

Intraoperative imaging in the neurosurgery operating theatre: A review of the most commonly used techniques for brain tumour surgery. / Imagen intraoperatoria en el quirófano de neurocirugía: revisión de las técnicas más empleadas para la cirugía de los tumores cerebrales.

INTRODUCTION: New intraoperative imaging techniques, which aim to improve tumour resection, have been implemented in recent years in brain tumour surgery, although they lead to an increase in resources. In order to carry out an update on this topic, this manuscript has been drafted by a group from the Sociedad Española de Neurocirugía (Spanish Society of Neurosurgery). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Experts in the use of each one of the most-used intraoperative techniques in brain tumour surgery were presented with a description of the technique and a brief review of the literature. Indications for use, their advantages and disadvantages based on clinical experience and on what is published in the literature will be described. RESULTS: The most robust intraoperative imaging technique appears to be low- and high-field magnetic resonance imaging, but this is the technique which results in the greatest expenditure. Intraoperative ultrasound navigation is portable and less expensive, but it provides poorer differentiation of high-grade tumours and is observer-dependent. The most-used fluorescence techniques are 5-aminolevulinic acid for high-grade gliomas and fluorescein, useful in lesions which rupture the blood-brain barrier. Last of all, intraoperative CT is more versatile in the neurosurgery operating theatre, but it has fewer indications in neuro-oncology surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative imaging techniques are used with increasingly greater frequency in brain tumour surgery, and the neurosurgeon should assess their possible use depending on their resources and the needs of each patient.

Glioblastoma treatment guidelines: Consensus by the Spanish Society of Neurosurgery Tumor Section. / Consenso sobre guías de tratamiento de los glioblastomas elaborado por el Grupo de Trabajo de Neurooncología (GTNO) de la SENEC.

INTRODUCTION: Glioblastoma (GBM) treatment starts in most patients with surgery, either resection surgery or biopsy, to reach a histology diagnose. Multidisciplinar team, including specialists in brain tumors diagnose and treatment, must make an individualize assessment to get the maximum benefit of the available treatments. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Experts in each GBM treatment field have briefly described it based in their experience and the reviewed of the literature. RESULTS: Each area has been summarized and the consensus of the brain tumor group has been included at the end. CONCLUSIONS: GBM are aggressive tumors with a dismal prognosis, however accurate treatments can improve overall survival and quality of life. Neurosurgeons must know treatment options, indications and risks to participate actively in the decision making and to offer the best surgical treatment in every case.