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Introduction Cycling is associated with a greater risk of traumatic brain injury (TBI) than other recreational activities. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiology of sports-related TBI in Hong Kong and to examine predictors for recreational cycling-induced intracranial haemorrhage. Methods This retrospective multicentre study included patients diagnosed with sports-related TBI in public hospitals in Hong Kong from 2015 to 2019. Computed tomography scans were reviewed by an independent assessor. The primary endpoint was traumatic intracranial haemorrhage. The secondary endpoint was an unfavourable Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score at discharge from hospital. Results In total, 720 patients were hospitalised with sports-related TBI. The most common sport was cycling (59.2%). The crude incidence of cycling-related TBI was 1.1 per 100 000 population. Cyclists were more likely to exhibit intracranial haemorrhage and an unfavourable GOS score, compared with patients who had TBI because of other sports. Although 47% of cyclists had intracranial haemorrhage, only 15% wore a helmet. In multivariate analysis, significant predictors for intracranial haemorrhage were age ≥60 years, antiplatelet medication, moderate or severe TBI, and skull fracture. Among 426 cyclists, 375 (88%) had mild TBI, and helmet wearing was protective against intracranial haemorrhage, regardless of age, antiplatelet medication intake, and mechanism of injury. Of 426 cyclists, 31 (7.3%) had unfavourable outcomes on discharge from hospital. Conclusions The incidence of sports-related TBI is low in Hong Kong. Although cycling-related head injuries carried greater risks of intracranial haemorrhage and unfavourable outcomes compared with other sports, most cyclists experienced good recovery. Helmet wearing among recreational cyclists with mild TBI was protective against intracranial haemorrhage and skull fracture.

Vestibular schwannomas (VSs) are slow-growing benign neoplasms commonly located at the cerebellopontine angle. Although clinically significant hemorrhagic VSs are rarely encountered with only 75 patients previously reported, they could be life threatening. We discuss the presentation and outcomes of three patients with hemorrhagic VS as well as review the literature for this phenomenon. Consecutive adult patients with a histologically proven diagnosis of VS over a 9-year period were retrospectively reviewed. Fifty adult patients were identified with three (6%) having clinically significant intratumoral hemorrhage. This was defined as patients having acute to subacute symptoms with frank radiological evidence of hemorrhage. The mean age of diagnosis was 62 ± 9 years and the male-to female ratio was 2:1. The mean duration of symptoms, namely headache, vertigo, and sensorineural hearing impairment, was 26 ± 4 days with one patient presenting with acute coma. Retrosigmoid craniotomy for tumor resection was performed for all patients. Histopathological examination revealed extensive areas of microhemorrhage with considerable macrophage infiltration. All three patients were discharged with no additional neurological deficit and good functional performance. Clinically significant hemorrhagic VSs are rare, and patients may present with acute to subacute (i.e., within a month) symptoms of hearing loss headache, facial, or trigeminal nerve palsy. Macrophage infiltration is frequently encountered in tumor specimens and reflects the pivotal role of chronic inflammation in their pathophysiology. Surgical resection can lead to good outcomes with timely intervention.

Background:Myths and religion are belief systems centered around supernatural entities that attempt to explain the observed world and are of high importance to certain communities. The former is a collection of stories that belong to a cultural tradition and the latter are organized faiths that determine codes of ethics, rituals and philosophy. Deities or monstrous creatures in particular act as archetypes instructing an individual’s conduct. References to them in Greek mythology and Christianity are frequently manifested in the modern neurosurgical vernacular.Methods:A review of the medical literature was performed using the PubMed and MEDLINE bibliographic databases. Publications from 1875 to 2021 related to neurosurgery or neuroanatomy with the medical subject headings (MeSH) terms mythology, religion, Christianity and Catholicism were reviewed. References pertaining to supernatural beings were classified to either a deity or a monstrosity according to their conventional cultural context.Results:Twelve narratives associated with neurosurgery were identified, nine relating to Greek mythology and three associated with the Christian-Catholic faith. Eight accounts concerned deities and the remaining with monstrous creatures.Conclusion:This article explores the etymology of commonly utilized terms in daily neurosurgical practice in the context of mythology and religion. They reveal the ingenuity and creativity of early pioneers who strived to understand the brain.

External ventricular drainage (EVD) is the commonest neurosurgical procedure performed in daily neurosurgical practice, but relatively few studies have investigated the incidence and risk factors of its related hemorrhagic complications. This was a multicenter retrospective review of consecutive EVD procedures. Patients 18 years or older who underwent EVD and had a routine postoperative computed tomography (CT) scan performed within 24 hours were included. EVD-related hemorrhage was defined as new intracranial hemorrhage immediately adjacent or within the ventricular catheter trajectory. The volume of hemorrhage and the position of the catheter tip were assessed. A review of patient-, disease-, and surgery-related factors including the ventricular catheter design utilized was conducted. The Bonferroni correction was applied to the alpha level of significance (0.05) for multivariable analysis. Nine hundred sixty-two patients underwent 1002 EVD performed by neurosurgeons in the operating theater. Sixteen percent (154) of patients were on aspirin before the procedure. Thirty-four percent (333) of patients had intracerebral hemorrhage, 25% (251) had aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and 16% (158) had traumatic brain injury. The mean duration from EVD to the first postoperative CT scan was 20 ± 4 h. EVD-related hematomas were detected after 81 procedures with a per-catheter risk of 8.1%. Mean hematoma volume was 1.2 ± 3.3 ml. Most were less than 1 ml (grade I, 79%, 64), 1 to 15 ml (grade II) in 20% (16) and a single clot larger than 15 ml (grade III, 1%) were detected. Clinically significant hemorrhage that resulted in catheter occlusion occurred in 1.7% (17) of procedures. Most catheters (62%, 625) were optimally placed, i.e., its tip being within the ipsilateral frontal horn or third ventricle. Three non-antibiotic-impregnated ventricular catheter designs were used with 55% (550) being the 2.2-mm Integra™ catheter, 14% (137) being the 2.8-mm Medtronic™ catheter, and 31% (315) being the 3.1-mm Codman™ catheter. Independent significant predictors for EVD-related hemorrhage were the preoperative prescription of aspirin (adjusted OR 1.94; 95% CI 1.10–3.44), catheter malposition (aOR 1.99; 95% CI 1.22–3.23), and use of the 2.8-mm Medtronic™ catheter (aOR 4.22; 95% CI 2.39–7.41). The per-catheter risk of hemorrhage was 8.1%, but the incidence of symptomatic hemorrhage was low. The only patient risk factor was aspirin intake. This is the first study to evaluate and establish an association between catheter malposition and catheter design with EVD-related hemorrhage.

One commonly practiced procedural step to reduce the risk of postoperative hematoma accumulation when performing cranioplasties is to place a closed negative-pressure subgaleal drain. We present a patient with sinking skin flap syndrome that underwent such a procedure and subsequently experienced immediate postoperative ascending transtentorial herniation and intracranial hemorrhage remote from the surgical site. On determining that the subgaleal drain was the responsible cause, it was immediate removed, and the patient had neurological recovery. Fewer than 30 cases of life-threatening subgaleal drain-related complications have been documented, and this is the first reported case of ascending herniation occurring after cranioplasty. This report illustrates the potential risks of subgaleal drainage, the importance of early recognition of this rare phenomenon and that intervention can be potentially life-saving.

Ventricular catheter tip position is a predictor for ventriculoperitoneal shunt survival. Cannulation is often performed freehand, but there is limited consensus on the best craniometric approach.To determine the accuracy of localizing craniometric entry sites and to identify which is associated with optimal catheter placement.This is a retrospective analysis of adult patients who underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunting. The approaches were categorized as Kocher's, Keen's, Frazier's and Dandy's points as well as the parieto-occipital point. An accurately sited burr hole was within 10 mm from standard descriptions. Optimal catheter tip position was defined as within the ipsilateral frontal horn.A total of 110 patients were reviewed, and 58% (65/110) of burr holes were accurately sited. Keen's point was the most correctly identified (65%, 11/17), followed by Kocher's point (65%, 37/57) and Frazier's point (60%, 3/5). Predictors for accurate localization were Keen's point (odds ratio 0.3; 95% CI: 01-0.9) and right-sided access (odds ratio 0.4; 95% CI: 0.1-0.9). Sixty-three percent (69/110) of catheters were optimally placed with Keen's point (adjusted odds ratio 0.04; 95% CI: 0.01-0.67), being the only independent factor. Thirteen patients (12%) required shunt revision at a mean duration of 10 ± 25 mo. Suboptimal catheter tip position was the only independent determinant for revision (adjusted odds ratio 0.11; 95% CI: 0.01-0.98).This is the first study to compare the accuracy of freehand ventricular cannulation of standard craniometric entry sites for adult patients. Keen's point was the most accurately sited and was a predictor for optimal catheter position. Catheter tip location, not the entry site, predicted shunt survival.

Background IgG4-related hypertrophic pachymeningitis is a relative newly recognized and rare manifestation of IgG4-related disease, an immune-mediated fibroinflammatory tumefactive disorder. Fewer than 80 patients have been reported in the literature, and it can mimic common neurosurgical conditions. We describe the clinical presentation of two patients that were initially considered to have a subdural collection, tuberculous meningitis, and a cervical spinal meningioma, but were eventually diagnosed with this disease. Case presentation Two ethnic Chinese men, 86 and 62 years old, experienced a 4-week history of headache. Both patients had a history of autoimmune disease, namely glomerulonephritis and Grave’s disease, respectively. Magnetic resonance brain imaging revealed diffuse dural thickening with the latter patient exhibiting homogeneous and intense gadolinium-contrast enhancement. Since the 86-year-old patient also had progressive bilateral visual loss, giant cell arteritis was suspected and a 2-week course of glucocorticoid therapy was prescribed, but his symptoms failed to improve. The 62-year-old patient also had accompanying low-grade fever and was treated empirically as having tuberculous meningitis although there were no confirmatory microbiological findings. This patient further developed right hemiparesis, and additional imaging revealed a C4/5 intradural-extramedullary contrast-enhancing lesion resembling a meningioma causing cord compression. Both patients underwent neurosurgical intervention with the former undergoing a dural biopsy and the latter having the cervical lesion resected. The final diagnosis was IgG4-related hypertrophic pachymeningitis with the hallmark histological features of lymphoplasmacytic infiltration of IgG4+ plasma cells, storiform fibrosis, and obliterative phlebitis. In addition, their serum IgG4 levels were elevated (i.e., > 135 mg/dL). Both patients received at least 6 months of glucocorticoid therapy while the latter also had azathioprine. Their symptoms improved significantly and recurrent lesions were not detected on follow-up imaging. Conclusions A high index of suspicion for this condition is suggested when a male patient with a history of autoimmune disease and compatible radiological findings, experiences subacute headache that is disproportionate to the degree of dural involvement. Neurosurgeons should consider early meningeal biopsy to establish a definitive histological diagnosis in order for early effective immunosuppressive treatment to be initiated and to avoid unnecessary morbidity.

Asbtract Background There are limited neuroprotective treatment options for patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Cerebrolysin, a brain-specific proposed pleiotropic neuroprotective agent, has been suggested to improve global functional outcomes in ischemic stroke. We investigated the efficacy, safety and feasibility of administering Cerebrolysin for SAH patients. Methods This was a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-center, parallel-group pilot study. Fifty patients received either daily Cerebrolysin (30 ml/day) or a placebo (saline) for 14 days (25 patients per study group). The primary endpoint was a favorable Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOSE) of 5 to 8 (moderate disability to good recovery) at six-months. Secondary endpoints included the modified Ranking Scale (mRS), the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) score, occurrence of adverse effects and the occurrence of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI). Results No severe adverse effects or mortality attributable to Cerebrolysin were observed. No significant difference was detected in the proportion of patients with favorable six-month GOSE in either study group (odds ratio (OR): 1.49; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.43–5.17). Secondary functional outcome measures for favorable six-month recovery i.e. a mRS of 0 to 3 (OR: 3.45; 95% CI 0.79–15.01) were comparable for both groups. Similarly, there was no difference in MOCA neurocognitive performance (p-value: 0.75) and in the incidence of DCI (OR: 0.85 95% CI: 0.28–2.59). Conclusions Use of Cerebrolysin in addition to standard-of-care management of aneurysmal SAH is safe, well tolerated and feasible. However, the neutral results of this trial suggest that it does not improve the six-month global functional performance of patients. Clinical trial registration Name of Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov Trial Registration Number: NCT01787123. Date of Registration: 8th February 2013.

Cerebral perivascular spaces (PVSs), otherwise known as Virchow-Robin spaces, are interstitial fluid-filled channels

Pineal region germinomas are sensitive to radiotherapy. Standard neurosurgical management involves obtaining a tissue biopsy and to relieve the often accompanying obstructive hydrocephalus. We present a patient with a suspected hyper-radiosensitive metastatic primary intracranial germinoma where computed tomography scanning resulted in tumor regression before radiotherapy could be administered.

Seesaw nystagmus is characterized by cyclic eye movements with a conjugate torsional component and a dissociated vertical component. In the first half of the cycle, one eye elevates and intorts, whereas the other eye depresses and extorts. The pattern is reversed in the remaining half of the cycle. We describe a patient with a giant pituitary adenoma who developed pendular seesaw nystagmus. Disturbance in the visuovestibular system is postulated to contribute to this form of seesaw nystagmus. Lesions compressing the optic chiasm and the accessory optic system could interrupt the transmission of retinal error signals to the inferior olivary nucleus and the interstitial nucleus of Cajal, thus interfering with the adaptive mechanism of the vestibulo-ocular reflex and leading to pendular seesaw nystagmus.

Basal ganglia germinomas are rare and patients are classically young Oriental males presenting with gradually progressive hemiparesis. Although early treatment with chemo-radiotherapy can be curative and significantly improve the quality of life, medical attention is often delayed. A young Chinese male experienced a 6-month history of right hemiparesis with magnetic resonance imaging findings of hemicerebral atrophy and lentiform nucleus microhemorrhage, highly suggestive and early signs of basal ganglia germinomas. No further imaging was performed until 2 years later when he was admitted for acute neurological deterioration and a repeat scan revealed a large infiltrative tumor pathologically confirmed to be a pure germinoma.

Background There are limited treatment options for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)-induced delayed cerebral ischemia, a major determinant of mortality and morbidity. Cerebrolysin, a brain-specific pleiotropic neuroprotective agent, has been suggested to improve functional outcomes in ischemic stroke. We investigated the efficacy, safety and feasibility of Cerebrolysin for conferring such benefits in SAH patients. Methods This was a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-center, parallel-group pilot study. 50 patients received either daily Cerebrolysin (30ml/day) or a placebo (saline) for 14 days (25 patients per study group). The primary endpoint was a favorable Extended Glasgow Outcome Score (GOSE) of 5 to 8 (moderate disability to good recovery) at six-months. Secondary endpoints included the occurrence of adverse effects, six-month mortality, the occurrence of cerebral vasospasm, delayed cerebral ischemia and infarction. Results No severe adverse effects or mortality attributable to Cerebrolysin were observed. No significant difference was detected in the proportion of patients with favorable six-month GOSE in either study group (odds ratio (OR): 0.53; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.43-5.17). Secondary functional outcome measures for good six-month recovery indicated by a modified Rankin Scale of 0 to 2 (OR: 0.53; 95% CI 0.43-5.17) and a Barthel Index of 70 or more (OR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.29-12.72) were also similar for both groups. There was a significantly lower risk of three- and six-month mortality for patients that received Cerebrolysin (OR: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.33-0.63). There were no deaths in the Cerebrolysin group, but the morality rate for the control group was 16% (4/25). The commonest cause of death was due to delayed cerebral ischemia. There were no differences in the overall incidence of delayed cerebral ischemia (p-value: 0.78), cerebral vasospasm (p-value: 0.16) and infarction (p-value: 0.77) between the two groups. Conclusions Use of Cerebrolysin in addition to standard-of-care management of aneurysmal SAH is safe, well tolerated and feasible. Results suggest a benefit in reducing three- and six-month mortality. Due to the exploratory nature of this study and its small sample size, these findings should be confirmed in a larger-scale clinical trial.

Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) due to post-brain tumor resection vasospasm is an often unrecognized yet debilitating complication. We present a patient with DCI after the resection of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). To our knowledge, this is the first report on DCI after GBM resection. A 52-year-old female patient with headache for one month underwent subtotal resection of a left temporal GBM encasing the proximal middle cerebral artery (MCA). She was well during the immediate postoperative period but developed right upper limb dense monoparesis on postoperative day four with computed tomographic angiography confirming left MCA vasospasm. Symptoms were significantly alleviated with weeklong hypertensive therapy and nimodipine administration; however they recurred soon after cessation of treatment. A high index of clinical suspicion is needed for the diagnosis of post-tumor resection DCI. Any new postoperative neurological deficit that cannot be explained by hemorrhage, seizures or infection should be expeditiously investigated by angiography or transcranial Doppler sonography. Prompt initiation of hypertensive and nimodipine therapy can possibly reverse neurological deficit. Treatment should be guided by Doppler, angiographic or perfusion imaging studies and not by clinical improvement alone.

Leptomeningeal spread and hydrocephalus are increasingly recognized as late disease complications of glioblastoma with almost a quarter of patients requiring early cerebrospinal fluid shunting. The neurosurgeon is challenged with maintaining shunt patency when tumor disease progression is rapid and adjuvant oncologic therapy has yet to be initiated. We describe our experience in treating a young female with diffuse glioblastoma leptomeningeal spread and communicating hydrocephalus who had several episodes of shunt obstruction due to intraluminal tumor cell-fibrin deposits. Regular intraventricular instillations of urokinase fibrinolytic therapy not only re-established shunt patency but also contributed to the resolution of her hydrocephalus.

Objective : Several modalities are available for volumetric measurement of the intracranial aneurysm. We discuss the challenges involved in manual segmentation, and analyze the application of alternative methods using automatic segmentation and geometric formulae in measurement of aneurysm volumes and coil packing density. Methods : The volumes and morphology of 38 aneurysms treated with endovascular coiling at a single center were measured using three-dimensional rotational angiography (3DRA) reconstruction software using automatic segmentation. Aneurysm volumes were also calculated from their height, width, depth, size of neck, and assumed shape in 3DRA images using simple geometric formulae. The aneurysm volumes were dichotomized as "small" or "large" using the median volume of the studied population (54 mm3 ) measured by automatic segmentation as the cut-off value for further statistical analysis. Results : A greater proportion of aneurysms were categorized as being "small" when geometric formulae were applied. The median aneurysm volumes obtained were 54.5 mm3 by 3DRA software, and 30.6 mm 3 using mathematical equations. An underestimation of aneurysm volume with a resultant overestimation in the calculated coil packing density (p = 0.002) was observed. Conclusion : Caution must be exercised in the application of simple geometric formulae in the management of intracranial aneurysms as volumes may potentially be underestimated and packing densities falsely elevated. Future research should focus on validation of automatic segmentation in volumetric measurement and improving its accuracy to enhance its application in clinical practice.

The Pipeline embolization device (PED) is one of the flow-diverting stents approved for the treatment of unruptured large or wide-necked cerebral aneurysms in 2011. Its use has now been extended to the treatment of recently ruptured dissecting cerebral aneurysm, carotid pseudoaneurysm from radiation injury, and blister aneurysms. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of utilizing the PED as a primary treatment for ruptured dissecting intracranial aneurysms. A single center retrospective review was conducted for all patients primarily treated with PED for acute subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) from ruptured dissecting cerebral aneurysms between December 2010 and February 2013. Patients were followed up with CT angiogram (CTA) or digital subtraction angiogram (DSA). Eight patients with a total of eight dissecting aneurysms were identified. The mean duration from SAH to treatment was 2.5 days. Six of the aneurysms arose from vertebral arteries and two from the basilar artery. Immediate check-DSA confirmed satisfactory contrast stasis in all eight cases, and complete aneurysmal obliteration was achieved at six months. There were two (25%) procedure-related complications, but no major procedure-related complications, such as thromboembolic events or rebleeding from aneurysm were encountered. The PED is a feasible treatment option for ruptured dissecting cerebral aneurysms in acute phase. According to our experience, using PED as flow-diverters in acute SAH does not significantly increase the complication risks or mortality rate if the antiplatelet regime is carefully monitored. Future studies shall evaluate the optimal antiplatelet regimen for using the PED in the acute phase.

Different brain tumors of distinct histology can co-exist in the setting of phakomatoses or as a complication of radiotherapy. In the absence of these predisposing factors, this phenomenon is uncommon. When the lesions are in close proximity they are described as collision tumors and are extremely rare. A 58-year-old woman presented with persistent headache and cognitive decline for three months. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a tumor arising from the atrium of the left lateral ventricle with heterogeneous contrast enhancement. This intraventricular lesion was adjacent to another extensive infiltrating tumor of the basal cisterns. Operative findings revealed a vascular ventricular tumor and gross total resection was achieved. An adjacent avascular basal cistern tumor with a pearly white sheen was encountered and partial excision was performed. The histopathological diagnosis was central neurocytoma and epidermoid tumor. There is only one documented description of a central neurocytoma co-existing with a tumor of different pathology. To our knowledge, this is the first reported collision tumor case involving central neurocytoma. Since the incidence of both lesions co-existing juxtaposed is extremely low, a chronic oncogenetic inflammatory process stimulated by the epidermoid tumor to the subventricular region is suggested. Other mechanisms for tumor collision are discussed and we suggest a classification system for this rare association to reflect their pathogenesis.

Background Human placenta is a convenient resource for biomedical research, and has not yet been used for neurointerventional surgery research. Objective Our objective was to explore the feasibility of using human placenta to test various endovascular interventions and for training. Design 18 placentas soon after delivery were prepared for six pilot studies. (1) Study on anatomical similarity to human cerebral vessel. (2) Simulation of stent assisted coiling and flow diversion on an aneurysm model. (3) Simulation of intra-arterial thrombolysis. (4) Simulation of embolization of arteriovenous malformation with glues. (5) Simulation of mechanical thrombolysis and comparison of different devices. (6) Vascular model for training of neurointerventionalists. Results When the chorionic plate vessels were compared with the cerebral cortical vessels, similarities were found in vascular branch patterns, histological cross sections, and angiographic appearances. Due to the semitransparency of its vessel wall, performance of flow diverter and stent assisted coiling of an aneurysm could be visualized under direct microscopic observation. Similarly, timing of clot lysis and glue polymerization could be estimated. Endothelial change after thrombectomy could be assessed by histological methods. From these pilot studies, the placenta model could be adopted to simulate various clinical situations. It is also ideal for interventional radiology training. Conclusions It is feasible to adopt the human placenta as an ex vivo vascular model in neurointerventional surgery research due to the fact that its vessels resemble the brain vasculature.

BACKGROUND: Conventional cerebrospinal fluid diversion such as ventriculoperitoneal or ventriculoatrial shunting for the management of hydrocephalus is one of the commonest neurosurgical procedures. However, in selected patients, surgical options are limited when relative contraindications for these operations exist. A patient who underwent ventriculosternal shunting, a novel procedure, is presented with durable and successful outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the feasibility, durability, and safety of ventriculosternal shunting for the management of hydrocephalus. METHODS: A patient with end-stage renal failure and heart failure with recurrent pleural effusion suffered from post–subarachnoid hemorrhage communicating hydrocephalus. Because of the need for continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and the risk of introducing excessive cardiac preloading, conventional shunting was relatively contraindicated. Ventriculosternal shunting was performed by adopting the cancellous matrix of the sternum as the anatomic receptacle for intraosseous cerebrospinal fluid absorption. After placement of the ventricular catheter in the usual manner, the distal end was inserted into the sternum. RESULTS: There was demonstrable clinical and radiological improvement in hydrocephalus by ventriculosternal shunting. Cerebrospinal fluid intraosseous absorption by this novel procedure translated into both physical and cognitive recovery. The procedure was tolerable, effective, and durable, with the patient suffering no complications 3 years after the procedure. CONCLUSION: Ventriculosternal shunting for the management of hydrocephalus is a feasible, safe, and durable surgical treatment option for selected patients when conventional procedures are contraindicated. ABBREVIATION: VS, ventriculosternal

Objective and importance: Symptomatic metastases to the pituitary gland are rare and often herald advanced systemic malignant disease. Distinguishing them from benign pituitary adenomas is challenging. The clinicoradiological features of three patients with pituitary metastases are presented. We also review the literature from 1970 to 2015 to formulate a diagnostic strategy. Clinical presentation: All patients were elderly with ages ranging from 65 to 82 years old. One had a previously undiagnosed prostatic carcinoma and two had known histories of primary gastric or parotid salivary gland carcinoma. Rapid visual deterioration was the most common symptom followed by ophthalmoplegia. Cranial diabetes insipidus (CDI) was observed after administrating hydrocortisone replacement in one patient. All patients had evidence of a solitary pituitary tumor on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of which two had discernible posterior pituitary signal changes. Trans-sphenoidal excision was performed for all patients with no procedure related complications. Two patients had visual improvement, but due to advanced systemic disease all succumbed within two months. A literature review of 475 pituitary metastases revealed that breast (37.1%) and bronchogenic carcinomas (22.1%) were the most frequently encountered primary malignancies. Among 290 symptomatic patients (22.1%) were the most frequently encountered primary malignancies. Among 290 symptomatic patients the commonest presentation was CDI (19.9%) and 12.1% had ophthalmoplegia. Of the 166 tumors with documented neuroimaging features, 31.3% had evidence of pituitary stalk thickening or enhancement followed by cavernous sinus invasion (30.1%) or was dumbbell shaped (27.7%). Conclusion: Diagnosing metastatic pituitary tumors is important for the treating clinician in order to avoid unnecessary surgical excision in patients with limited life expectancy. Patients older than 60 years, or with a history of cancer, presenting with CDI or ophthalmoplegia are red flag clinical features. For these patients we recommend investigations for occult primary malignancy when early posterior pituitary involvement orcavernous sinus invasion is demonstrated on MRI.

Background and Purpose— Experimental evidence has indicated the benefits of simvastatin for the treatment of subarachnoid hemorrhage. Two randomized placebo-controlled pilot trials that used the highest clinically approved dose of simvastatin (80 mg daily) gave positive results despite the fact that a lower dose of simvastatin (40 mg daily) did not improve clinical outcomes. We hypothesized that a high dose of 80 mg of simvastatin daily for 3 weeks would reduce the incidence of delayed ischemic deficits after subarachnoid hemorrhage compared with a lower dose (40 mg of simvastatin daily) and lead to improved clinical outcomes. Methods— The study design was a randomized controlled double-blinded clinical trial. Patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (presenting within 96 hours of the ictus) from 6 neurosurgical centers were recruited for 3 years. The primary outcome measure was the presence of delayed ischemic deficits, and secondary outcome measures included a modified Rankin disability score at 3 months and an analysis of cost-effectiveness. Results— No difference was observed between the groups treated with the higher dose or the lower dose of simvastatin in the incidence of delayed ischemic deficits (27% versus 24%; odds ratio, 1.2; 95% confidence interval, 0.7–2.0; P =0.586) or in the rate of favorable outcomes (modified Rankin Scale score, 0–2) at 3 months (73% versus 72%; odds ratio, 1.1; 95% confidence interval, 0.6–1.9; P =0.770). Conclusions— High-dose simvastatin treatment should not be prescribed routinely for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov . Unique identifier: NCT01077206.

Introduction: Musical hallucinations are complex auditory perceptions in the absence of an external acoustic stimulus and are often consistent with previous listening experience. Their causation can be classified as associated with either psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, or organic disorders, such as epilepsy or sensorineural deafness. Non-epileptic musical hallucinosis due to lesions of the central auditory pathway, especially of the thalamocortical auditory radiation, is rare. Case presentation: We describe the case of an 85-year old ethnic Chinese woman with a history of transient ischemic attacks and chronic bilateral hearing impairment, who experienced an acute onset of left unilateral musical hallucinations. Our patient did not experience any psychiatric symptoms and there was no other neurological deficit. Pure tone audiometry revealed bilateral hypacusis and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a right non-dominant hemisphere sublenticular lacunar infarct of the thalamocortical auditory radiation. Our patient was managed expectantly and after three months her symptoms subsided spontaneously. Conclusion: We propose that all patients with monoaural musical hallucinations have brain imaging to rule out a central organic cause, especially within the non-dominant hemisphere, regardless of the presence of a hearing impairment.

Aim The aim of this present study was to determine the frequency, as well as risk factors, for seizures and antiepileptic drug (AED)-associated adverse effects among high-grade glioma (HGG) patients. Patients and Methods A multicentre, retrospective study of adult Chinese Hong Kong patients from three neurosurgical centres diagnosed with supratentorial HGG between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2010 was performed. Results A total of 198 patients, with a mean age of 55 years (range: 18–88) and a mean follow up of 15 months, was recruited. Most suffered from glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) (63 per cent) followed by anaplastic astrocytoma (25 per cent). Median overall survival for patients with GBM was 8 months, and 11 months for those with grade III gliomas. Prophylactic AED was prescribed in 165 patients (83 per cent), and 64 per cent of patients were continued until end of life or last follow up. A total of 112 patients (57 per cent) experienced seizures at a mean duration of 8 months postoperatively (range: 1 day–75 months). Independent predictors for seizures were a diagnosis of GBM [adjusted odds ratio (OR): 2.33, 95 per cent confidence interval (CI): 1.21–4.52] and adjuvant radiotherapy (adjusted OR: 2.97, 95 per cent CI: 1.49–6.62). One-fifth of patients (21 per cent) experienced AED adverse effects, with idiosyncratic cutaneous reactions and hepatotoxicity most frequently observed. An independent predictor for adverse effects was exposure to aromatic AED, such as phenytoin, carbamazepine and phenobarbital (adjusted OR: 3.32, 95 per cent CI: 1.32–8.40). Conclusions Antiepileptic drug prescription for primary seizure prophylaxis is both pervasive and prolonged for HGG patients. Seizures occur frequently, but most were delayed and none were life threatening. Judicious prescription of AED is required, especially when a significant proportion of patients experience adverse effects. Patients with a diagnosis of GBM and exposure to radiotherapy are at risk. We suggest, contrary to present practice, that primary seizure prophylaxis be given only during the perioperative period and resumed when they occur. We also recommend avoidance of aromatic AED due to their association with idiosyncratic adverse effects.

Patients with cerebellar arteriovenous malformations (AVM) commonly present to the neurosurgical department after having suffered hemorrhages. The subarachnoid space is the usual location for these often repeating episodes of bleedings. In addition, these patients can present with parenchymal hemorrhage. Acute subdural hematoma caused by a ruptured cerebellar AVM is a rare entity and is not generally recognized. The authors present a case of acute posterior fossa subdural hematoma resulting from a ruptured cerebellar AVM.

The three-dimensional Guglielmi detachable coil is a modification of the conventional Guglielmi coil. It has a unique complex structure, with alternating small and large loops at 90 degrees angle to each other during deployment. The enhanced coil complexity optimizes coil purchase on the aneurysm wall, promoting coil stability within the aneurysm sac. It may be the solution of the single catheter technique in the embolisation of wide neck aneurysms. We report our early experience in the embolisation of wide neck aneurysms using these complex coils.

A 44-year-old woman with progressive cervical myelopathy and central cord syndrome was noted to have an extensive cervical intramedullary contrast-enhancing lesion on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The lesion resembled a spinal astrocytoma or ependymoma that required surgical intervention. She was subsequently diagnosed to have neuromyelitis optica (NMO), a rare idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating disorder, when the clinical examination revealed left optic atrophy. This was confirmed by a test showing seropositivity for NMO-immunoglobulin (IgG). Disease control was achieved with corticosteroids and immunosuppressive therapy. We report a rare case of a patient with NMO who had MRI features that could have easily led to the condition being misdiagnosed as a spinal cord tumor. The importance of careful history taking, awareness of typical radiological findings and the usefulness of serum NMO-IgG as a diagnostic tool are emphasized.