Intracranial Volume Post Cranial Expansion Surgery Using Three-Dimensional Computed Tomography Scan Imaging in Children With Craniosynostosis.

BACKGROUND: Craniosynostosis is a congenital defect that causes ≥1 suture to fuse prematurely. Cranial expansion surgery which consists of cranial vault reshaping with or without fronto-orbital advancement (FOA) is done to correct the skull to a more normal shape of the head as well as to increase the intracranial volume (ICV). Therefore, it is important to evaluate the changes of ICV after the surgery and the effect of surgery both clinically and radiologically. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the ICV in primary craniosynostosis patients after the cranial vault reshaping with or without FOA and to compare between syndromic and nonsyndromic synostosis group, to determine factors that associated with significant changes in the ICV postoperative, and to evaluate the resolution of copper beaten sign and improvement in neurodevelopmental delay after the surgery. METHODS: This is a prospective observational study of all primary craniosynostosis patients who underwent operation cranial vault reshaping with or without FOA in Hospital Kuala Lumpur from January 2017 until Jun 2018. The ICV preoperative and postoperative was measured using the 3D computed tomography (CT) imaging and analyzed. The demographic data, clinical and radiological findings were identified and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 14 cases (6 males and 8 females) with 28 3D CT scans were identified. The mean age of patients was 23 months. Seven patients were having syndromic synostosis (4 Crouzon syndromes and 3 Apert syndromes) and 7 nonsyndromic synostosis. The mean preoperative ICV was 880 mL (range, 641-1234 mL), whereas the mean postoperative ICV was 1081 mL (range, 811-1385 mL). The difference was 201 mL which was statistically significant (P < 0.001). In comparison, the mean volume increment for syndromic synostosis and nonsyndromic synostosis was 282 mL and 120 mL, respectively. The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.004). Three months post-operation, the copper beaten sign was still present in the CT scan which was statistically not significant in this study (P > 1.0). However, there was 100% (n = 13) improvement of this copper beaten sign. However, the neurodevelopmental delay showed no improvement which was statistically not significant (P > 1.0). CONCLUSION: Surgery in craniosynostosis patient increases the ICV besides it improves the shape of the head. From this study, the syndromic synostosis had better increment of ICV compared to nonsyndromic synostosis.

Case report: the unexpected culprit for multiple shunt revisions.

Silicone allergy in patients with ventricular shunts is uncommon hence easily missed. However, there are clinical features that could assist in identifying and diagnosing this condition. We discuss a case where a patient with a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt presented to us with features suggestive of silicone allergy.

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) for Movement Disorders: An Experience in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) Involving 12 Patients.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) was first introduced in 1987 to the developed world. As a developing country Malaysia begun its movement disorder program by doing ablation therapy using the Radionics system. Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia a rural based teaching hospital had to take into consideration both health economics and outcomes in the area that it was providing neurosurgical care for when it initiated its Deep Brain Stimulation program. Most of the patients were from the low to medium social economic groups and could not afford payment for a DBS implant. We concentrated our DBS services to Parkinson's disease, Tourette's Syndrome and dystonia patients who had exhausted medical therapy. The case series of these patients and their follow-up are presented in this brief communication.

Epilepsy Surgery in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia: Our Experiences since 2004.

Epilepsy surgery has been performed by a few centres in Malaysia, including Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM). To date, a total of 15 patients have undergone epilepsy surgery in HUSM. The epilepsy surgery included anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) with amygdalohippocampectomy (AH) and Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS). The surgical outcomes of the patients were assessed using the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) outcome scale. The ILAE scores for patients who underwent ATL with AH were comparatively better than those who underwent VNS. One of the patient who underwent ATL with AH and frontal lesionectomy was found to have psychosis during follow up. Epilepsy surgery has proven to be an important treatment for medically resistant epilepsy. Thus it is important to raise public awareness regarding epilepsy and its treatment.

There are No Differences between Factors Determining Graft Infection in Autologous Bone Flap Replacement and Acrylic Cranioplasty: A Prospective Observational Study at Hospital Kuala Lumpur.

OBJECTIVES: This study, conducted in 2012, was performed to determine the incidence of graft infection after cranioplasty procedures and factors affecting the graft infection rate at Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL). METHODOLOGY: This was an observational cross-sectional case study of patients who have undergone cranioplasty at HKL over a period of one year (2012). One hundred seventy-two patients were included in the study. A total of 105 (61.8%) cases were autologous bone flap replacements, and 67 (38.2%) were acrylic cranioplasty. RESULT: A total of five infected grafts were identified among the 172 cases included in the study, resulting in an overall infection rate of 2.9%. Of this infected group, three (4.5%) were cases of cranioplasty and two (1.9%) were cases of autologous bone flap replacement. There was high proportion of male patients undergoing cranioplasty (118 [or 68.6%]) and only 54 (or 31.4%) female patients. The primary pathology in the majority of patients (126 [or 73.2%]) was due to trauma; only 46 cases (or 26.8%) did not result from trauma. Of the patients, 123 (or 71.5%) had undergone a single cranial procedure prior to their cranioplasty, and 43 (or 28.5%) had undergone multiple cranial procedures. Most of the patients (114 [or 66.3%]) underwent cranioplasty 90 days after undergoing decompressive craniectomy while 58 (or 33.7%) underwent cranioplasty less than 90 days after decompressive craniectomy.

The role of a high augmentation index in spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage to prognosticate mortality.

The aim of the study was to determine the prognostic value of a high augmentation index, which was a surrogate marker of arterial stiffness in patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage. The outcome was divided into two groups in which the following data were collected in a computer running SphygmoCor CvMS software version 8.2. Logistic regression analysis was carried out among significant variables to identify an independent predictor of 6-month outcome and mortality. Sixty patients were recruited into the study. Admission Glasgow Coma Scale score (OR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.450-0.971; P=0.035), total white cell count (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.028-1.453; P=0.023) and hematoma volume (OR, 1.1; 95% CI, 1.024-1.204; P=0.011) were found to be statistically significant for identifying poor 6-month outcome in multivariate analysis. Factors independently associated with mortality were a high augmentation index (OR, 8.6; 95% CI, 1.794-40.940; P=0.007) and midline shift (OR, 7.5; 95% CI, 1.809-31.004; P=0.005). Admission Glasgow Coma Scale score, total white cell count and hematoma volume were significant predictors for poor 6-month outcome, and a high augmentation index and midline shift were predictors for 6-month mortality in this study.

History of neurosciences at the School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Universiti Sains Malaysia is the only institution in Malaysia which incorporates all fields of the neurosciences under one roof. The integration of basic and clinical neurosciences has made it possible for this institution to become an excellent academic and research centre. This article describes the history, academic contributions and scientific progress of neurosciences at Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma in a case of tuberous sclerosis.

Tuberous sclerosis is a known phakomatosis and the associated finding of a subependymal giant cell astrocytoma is common with this disorder. A case of tuberous sclerosis with a finding not previously reported, i.e. that of a pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma, is presented here.

Neuronavigation-guided endoscopic and hodotopic approach to an arachnoid cyst.

BACKGROUND: Arachnoid cysts are intraarachnoid benign cystic lesions filled with cerebrospinal fluid and should be treated without incurring further morbidity to the patients. CASE DESCRIPTION: The authors present a case of a 68-year-old elderly female with a large right fronto-parieto-temporal arachnoid cyst who has been suffering from mild left hemiparesis for the past 4 years and presented with sudden onset of seizures. The 3 Tesla MR system with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and MR tractography of the brain showed a large right fronto-parieto-temporal cystic lesion measuring 7 × 5 × 5 cm with a midline shift of 1 cm, suggestive of an arachnoid cyst with surrounding ipsilateral white matter projection pathways and inferior occipito-frontal fasciculus or inferior longitudinal white matter tracts. The cyst was successfully treated with neuronavigation-guided endoscopic and hodotopical approach to fenestrate the arachnoid cyst into the sylvian cistern, avoiding inadvertent injury to major white matter tracts portrayed by DTI. Postoperatively, a repeated computed tomography (CT) scan of the brain revealed a smaller arachnoid cyst with correction of the midline shift. The patient was weaned off from the ventilator and her hemiplegia improved gradually. CONCLUSION: This case report emphasizes the value of neuronavigation-guided endoscopic and hodotopic approach to fenestrate the intra-axial arachnoid cyst.

Factors affecting the outcomes in children post-myelomeningocoele repair in northeastern peninsular malaysia.

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of multiple factors and outcomes (ambulatory function and sphincter function) on children with myelomeningocoele (MMC) following surgical repair. METHOD: A retrospective chart review of children that underwent surgery for MMC in the Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 2004 was conducted. Only those children who were followed-up for at least 18 months after the operation were included in the study. RESULTS: A total of 42 children with MMC were included in the study. Approximately 79% of the MMC were located in the lumbosacral and sacral regions. Thirty (71.4%) of the children had hydrocephalus, and 28 (67.7%) had a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt inserted. An analysis of the association between the predictors of ambulatory status revealed that hydrocephalus (P = 0.013), the presence of a CSF shunt (P = 0.005), intact motor function at L3 and below (P < 0.001), and the presence of deep tendon reflexes (P < 0.001) were good factors of ambulatory status. Only 16.7% of the children did not have urinary or faecal incontinence. Hydrocephalus (P = 0.049) and low-level MMC (P = 0.028) were significantly associated with sphincter control. CONCLUSION: Multiple factors contributed to the outcomes in post-MMC repair children in terms of ambulation and sphincter function following a repair of MMC. The Spina Bifida Neurological Scale (SBNS) should be applied during the management of these children to identify neurological deterioration.

Role of high augmentation index in spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) is the most disabling and least treatable form of stroke. Its risk factors include old age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolaemia, smoking and high alcohol intake, which are also associated with arterial stiffness. The aim of the present study was to determine the prognostic value of high augmentation index (AI), which is a surrogate marker of arterial stiffness, in patients with spontaneous ICH. METHODS: A prospective study of 60 patients with spontaneous supratentorial ICH was conducted. Outcome was assessed using the Modified Rankin Scale at 3 months follow-up. Data were collected on age and sex, risk factors for ICH, clinical parameters, laboratory parameters, radiological findings and hospital management. Logistic regression analysis was carried out to identify independent predictors of 3-month outcome and mortality. RESULTS: Admission Glasgow Coma Scale score (OR, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.450-0.971; p = 0.035), total leukocyte count (OR,1.2; 95% CI, 1.028-1.453; p = 0.023) and haematoma volume (OR, 1.1; 95% CI, 1.024-1.204; p = 0.011) were found to be statistically significant in multivariate analysis of 3-month poor outcome. Factors independently associated with mortality were high AI (OR, 8.6; 95%CI, 1.748-40.940; p = 0.007) and midline shift (OR, 7.5; 95%CI, 1.809-31.004; p = 0.005). CONCLUSION: Admission Glasgow Coma Scale score, total leukocyte count and haematoma volume were significant predictors for 3-month poor outcome; high AI and midline shift were significant predictors for 3-month mortality.