Non-invasive prehabilitation to foster widespread fMRI cortical reorganization before brain tumor surgery: lessons from a case series.

PURPOSE: The objective of this prospective, single-centre case series was to investigate feasibility, clinical outcomes, and neural correlates of non-invasive Neuromodulation-Induced Cortical Prehabilitation (NICP) before brain tumor surgery. Previous studies have shown that gross total resection is paramount to increase life expectancy but is counterbalanced by the need of preserving critical functional areas. NICP aims at expanding functional margins for extensive tumor resection without functional sequelae. Invasive NICP (intracranial neuromodulation) was effective but characterized by elevated costs and high rate of adverse events. Non-invasive NICP (transcranial neuromodulation) may represent a more feasible alternative. Nonetheless, up to this point, non-invasive NICP has been examined in only two case reports, yielding inconclusive findings. METHODS: Treatment sessions consisted of non-invasive neuromodulation, to transiently deactivate critical areas adjacent to the lesion, coupled with intensive functional training, to activate alternative nodes within the same functional network. Patients were evaluated pre-NICP, post-NICP, and at follow-up post-surgery. RESULTS: Ten patients performed the intervention. Feasibility criteria were met (retention, adherence, safety, and patient's satisfaction). Clinical outcomes showed overall stability and improvements in motor and executive function from pre- to post-NICP, and at follow-up. Relevant plasticity changes (increase in the distance between tumor and critical area) were observed when the neuromodulation target was guided by functional neuroimaging data. CONCLUSION: This is the first case series demonstrating feasibility of non-invasive NICP. Neural correlates indicate that neuroimaging-guided target selection may represent a valid strategy to leverage neuroplastic changes before neurosurgery. Further investigations are needed to confirm such preliminary findings.

Is intraoperative mapping of music performance mandatory to preserve skills in professional musicians? Awake surgery for lower-grade glioma conducted from a meta-networking perspective.

OBJECTIVE: In surgery for lower-grade glioma (LGG) in professional musicians, for whom preserving music ability is essential, a critical question has emerged, namely, is it mandatory to include music performance during awake mapping, as proposed in several reports? In fact, music ability is subserved by a mosaic of interactive cognitive and emotional processes that rest on several networks. Therefore, from a meta-network perspective, the authors investigated whether an integrated multimodal monitoring of these cognitive and emotional functions during stimulation mapping could be efficient in maintaining musical skill. Indeed, it could be difficult for a patient to play a musical instrument in the surgical setting in addition to performing other tasks, such as movement and language. METHODS: An awake mapping-guided resection for LGG without intraoperative music performance was performed in 3 professional musicians. Intraoperative tests were tailored to each patient depending on the critical corticosubcortical circuits surrounding the tumor, including not only sensorimotor or language skills but also higher-order functions with a constant multitasking during the resection. RESULTS: Although music skills were not mapped during surgery, all patients resumed their professional activities, preserving the ability to play music and to perform concerts, to teach and to compose music, or to start learning a new instrument. CONCLUSIONS: A connectome-based resection without intraoperative music performance seems effective in achieving maximal glioma removal while preserving crucial networks subserving musical skills, creativity, and music learning. Neurosurgery should evolve toward a meta-networking approach to better understand higher-order functions mediating complex behavior, such as being a professional musician.

Exploring the neural basis of non-invasive prehabilitation in brain tumour patients: An fMRI-based case report of language network plasticity.

Primary brain neoplasms are associated with elevated mortality and morbidity rates. Brain tumour surgery aims to achieve maximal tumour resection while minimizing damage to healthy brain tissue. Research on Neuromodulation Induced Cortical Prehabilitation (NICP) has highlighted the potential, before neurosurgery, of establishing new brain connections and transfer functional activity from one area of the brain to another. Nonetheless, the neural mechanisms underlying these processes, particularly in the context of space-occupying lesions, remain unclear. A patient with a left frontotemporoinsular tumour underwent a prehabilitation protocol providing 20 sessions of inhibitory non-invasive neuromodulation (rTMS and multichannel tDCS) over a language network coupled with intensive task training. Prehabilitation resulted in an increment of the distance between the tumour and the language network. Furthermore, enhanced functional connectivity within the language circuit was observed. The present innovative case-study exposed that inhibition of the functional network area surrounding the space-occupying lesion promotes a plastic change in the network's spatial organization, presumably through the establishment of novel functional pathways away from the lesion's site. While these outcomes are promising, prudence dictates the need for larger studies to confirm and generalize these findings.

Percepción de los residentes sobre el impacto de la pandemia COVID 19 en la formación en profesionalismo / Residents ́perspective of the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on professional competency training

Introducción: el profesionalismo es clave para construir la identidad de los profesionales sanitarios. El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido conocer en un colectivo de residentes, la influencia de la primera ola de la pandemia por SARS-CoV2 en sus competencias del profesionalismo. Materiales y métodos: estudio descriptivo transversal mediante cuestionario electrónico, remitido a 167 residentes, para medir su percepción sobre el impacto de la pandemia COVID-19 en el profesionalismo, con una escala verbal de cuatro niveles: excelente, por encima de lo esperado, lo esperado, por debajo de lo esperado. Se realizó, además, una pregunta abierta de "reflexión personal" analizada cualitativamente mediante un proceso de triangulación. La encuesta se hizo en el Hospital Universitario Fundación Alcorcón en los dos meses siguientes a la primera ola pandémica. Resultados: respondieron 59 residentes (35,3%) de 21 especialidades. Sus lugares de trabajo fueron muy variados. Los atributos del profesionalismo valorados por encima de esperado o excelente fueron: trabajo en equipo (74,6%), empatía (71,2%) y responder a las necesidades del paciente por encima de las propias (69,5%). Se encontró por debajo de lo esperado la gestión de las emociones (22%). Discusión: la pandemia COVID-19 ha contribuido a reforzar la identidad profesional de los residentes, manifestándose a través de muchas dimensiones del profesionalismo. La gestión de las emociones fue la que obtuvo menor valoración.

Introduction: Professionalism is essential to build the identity of health professionals. The aim in this study was to determine, in a group of residents, the influence of the first wave of SARS-CoV2 pandemic on their professionalism competencies. Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study with an electronic survey sent to 167 residents of Hospital Universitario Fundación Alcorcón to assess their perception of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on professionalism, with a four-level verbal scale: excellent, above expected, expected, below expected. In addition, an open-ended "personal reflection" question was qualitatively analyzed through a triangulation process. The survey was completed immediately after the first pandemic wave. Results: The questionnaire was answered by 59 residents (35.3%) of 21 specialties from different workplaces. The attributes of professionalism rated above expected or excellent were: teamwork (74.6%), empathy (71.2%) and responding to patient's needs above their own (69.5%). Management of emotions (21%) was found to be below expectations. Discussion: COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to reinforce the professional identity of the residents, expressing itself through many dimensions of professionalism. Emotional management was the lowest rated.

Hemorragia digestiva baja e intususcepción subsecuente a tumor del estroma gastrointestinal / Gastrointestinal bleeding and intussusception due to gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST)

Introducción: Los tumores del intestino delgado representan 25 % de las neoplasias gastrointestinales, de ellos 0.2 y 1 % corresponde a tumores del estroma gastrointestinal. Su presentación clínica más frecuente es la hemorragia digestiva, siendo los tumores del estroma gastrointestinal responsables en 1 % de los casos. Este tipo de neoplasias también puede ser el origen de intususcepción, proceso patológico infrecuente en la edad adulta por representar únicamente 5 % de todas las obstrucciones intestinales. Caso clínico: Mujer que acudió al servicio de urgencias por dolor abdominal y hemorragia digestiva baja. Las pruebas complementarias no resultaron concluyentes. Tras laparotomía exploradora se diagnosticó intususcepción y hemorragia digestiva baja subsecuente a tumor del estroma gastrointestinal. Conclusiones: La cirugía debe ser el último recurso diagnóstico y terapéutico, pero es necesaria en ocasiones debido a la dificultad para determinar la causa etiológica de la hemorragia y la obstrucción intestinal.

BACKGROUND: Small bowel tumors comprise 25% of gastrointestinal (GI) neoplasms, of which only between 0.2 and 1% correspond to gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). GI bleeding is the most common presentation of GIST, being responsible in 1% of the cases. This type of neoplasm can also be the origin of an intussusception, which is an infrequent process during adult age, representing only 5% of all intestinal obstructions. CLINICAL CASE: We report a case of a patient who arrived at the emergency department due to abdominal pain and lower GI bleeding. The diagnostic process was not conclusive. After an exploratory laparotomy, the diagnosis was GI bleeding and intussusception due to GIST. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery must be the last diagnostic and therapeutic resource, but it is sometimes necessary to localize bleeding and intestinal obstruction site.

Angiosarcoma primario de mama y carcinoma papilar de tiroides sincrónico: presentación de un caso / Primary breast angiosarcoma and synchronous papillary carcinoma of thyroid: a case report

Presentamos el caso excepcional de paciente con angiosarcoma primario de mama y carcinoma papilar de tiroides sincrónicos. Mujer de 34 años con angiosarcoma primario en la mama derecha sometida a mastectomía simple. En el estudio de extensión se halló un incidentaloma tiroideo derecho compatible con carcinoma papilar que requirió tiroidectomía total y linfadenectomía del compartimento central en segundo tiempo. Los angiosarcomas primarios suponen menos del 0,05% de todos los tumores primarios malignos de la mama. El diagnóstico definitivo de estos tumores viene definido por el estudio anatomopatológico, que define tres grados: alto, bajo, intermedio, los cuales se relacionan de forma directa con la supervivencia. La prevalencia de los incidentalomas malignos tiroideos objetivados por PET varía del 14% - 30,9%. La planificación del tratamiento quirúrgico de las neoplasias incidentales tiroideas en pacientes con otro tumor primario debe analizarse de forma individualizada, según la supervivencia esperada del tumor primario

Present the exceptional case of a female patient with diagnostic of primary angiosarcoma of the breast and synchronous thyroid papillary carcinoma, we review the literature. Patient female 34 year old with diagnostic of primary angiosarcoma in the right breast, it was removed,in the extension study found an incidental thyroid papillary carcinoma that required total thyroidectomy and central lymphadenectomy in a second time. The primary angiosarcomas account for less than 0.05% of all primary malignant tumors of the breast. The definitive diagnosis is determined by the pathology study, which defines three grades: high, low and intermediate, which relate directlyto the survival. The prevalence of malignant thyroid incidentalomas was observed by PET varies from 14% to30,9%, according to different studies. Planning the surgical treatment of incidental thyroid malignancies in patients with other primary tumor should be analyzed individually,according the expected survival of the primary tumor