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Background:  This study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of decompressive craniectomy (DC) and craniotomy in treating acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) to provide a more precise assessment of the procedures' outcomes., Methods:  We searched for relevant articles in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane till August 2023, including cohort studies and randomized controlled trials comparing craniotomy and DC for ASDH. The analysis was conducted using "Review Manager" software, using the risk ratio along with a 95% confidence interval (CI) for categorical data, whereas continuous data were analyzed using the mean difference (MD) and 95% CI., Results:  Our analysis included 13 studies with a total of 4,689 patients, of whom 1,910 (40.7%) underwent DC and 2,779 (59.3%) underwent craniotomy. The results revealed a statistically significant difference in favor of craniotomy concerning good recovery in delayed GOS (risk ratio [RR] = 1.42; 95% CI [1.12, 1.81]), postoperative mortality (RR = 0.81; 95% CI [0.71, 0.94]), mortality at last follow-up (RR = 0.75; 95% CI [0.62, 0.91]), and hospital stay (MD = -3.71; 95%CI [-5.82, -1.60]). A nonsignificant difference (RR = 1.06; 95% CI [0.52, 2.17]; p  = 0.87) was found between the two interventions concerning seizures., Conclusion:  Despite craniotomy's favorable clinical outcomes and mortality rates, the significant baseline differences between DC and craniotomy make these data inconclusive. To establish solid evidence regarding the use of DC versus craniotomy in ASDH, it is necessary to conduct well-controlled randomized studies with large sample sizes., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Brainstem cavernous malformations are benign subset of cerebral cavernous malformations, which need a special intervention owing to being vital and complex. The diffusion tensor imaging technique, a well-recognized neuroimaging tool, can visualize the white matter tracts and their surroundings and provide promising surgical outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effect of preoperative diffusion tensor imaging in patients undergoing surgical resection of brainstem cavernous malformations. Five databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar, were searched using a comprehensive search strategy to find any article matching our inclusion criteria. We used Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) software to analyze the collected data, get the evidence, and report the results as event rate (ER), with their 95% confidence interval (CI). Twenty-eight studies involving 467 patients matched our criteria and 19 studies entered the analysis. Our analysis showed that, in patients undergoing surgical resection of brainstem cavernous malformations assisted by preoperative diffusion tensor imaging, 82.21% achieved total resection. About 12.4% of patients achieved partial resection, 65.65% improved, 8.07% worsened, 25.04% showed no change, 3.59% experienced postoperative re-bleeding, and 0.87% died. The utilization of preoperative diffusion tensor imaging significantly increased the proportion of improved patients and decreased the proportion of worsened patients. However, further controlled research is needed to draw a definite conclusion about the usefulness of its role.

Background: Predictors of delayed cerebral infarction (DCI) and early cerebral infraction (ECI) among aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) patients remain unclear. We aimed to systematically review and synthesize the literature on predictors of ECI and DCI among aSAH patients., Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases comprehensively from inception through January 2024 for observational cohort studies examining predictors of DCI or ECI following aneurysmal SAH. Studies were screened, reviewed, and meta-analyzed, adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and Cochrane guidelines. The data were pooled as Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals using Review Manager 5.4 software. Methodologic quality was assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale., Results: Our meta-analysis included 12 moderate to high-quality cohort studies comprising 4527 patients. Regarding DCI predictors, Higher severity scores (OR = 1.49, 95% confidence interval [1.12, 1.97], P = 0.005) and high Fisher scores (OR = 2.23, 95% confidence interval [1.28, 3.89], P = 0.005) on presentation were significantly associated with an increased risk of DCI. Also, the female sex and the presence of vasospasm were significantly associated with an increased risk of DCI (OR = 3.04, 95% confidence interval [1.35, 6.88], P = 0.007). In contrast, preexisting hypertension (P = 0.94), aneurysm treatment (P = 0.14), and location (P = 0.16) did not reliably predict DCI risk. Regarding ECI, the pooled analysis demonstrated no significant associations between sex (P = 0.51), pre-existing hypertension (P = 0.63), severity (P = 0.51), or anterior aneurysm location versus posterior (P = 0.86) and the occurrence of ECI., Conclusion: Female sex, admission disease severity, presence of vasospasm and Fisher grading can predict DCI risk post-aSAH. Significant knowledge gaps exist for ECI predictors. Further large standardized cohorts are warranted to guide prognosis and interventions., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (P.E.G.) is recommended for stroke patients with dysphagia to sustain oral nutrition., Objective: This study assesses the outcomes of stroke patients undergoing P.E.G. compared with those requiring nasogastric tube (N.G.T) or control group., Methods: We performed a thorough search across five electronic databases to gather pertinent studies. Outcomes were analyzed using relative risk (R.R.) for categorical data and mean difference (M.D.) for continuous data, each with 95% confidence intervals (C.I.). The single-arm meta-analysis results were presented as proportions or mean changes, also with 95% C.I., Results: We included 22 studies consisting of 996,567 patients. Our double-arm meta-analysis (924,134 patients) revealed no significant difference in post-hospitalization or in-hospital mortality between P.E.G. and control groups. However, P.E.G. patients showed a higher risk of aspiration pneumonia than control (R.R. = 11.72[3.75, 36.62], p  < 0.00001). A comparison of P.E.G. and N.G.T. in three studies involving 691 patients indicated a non-significant difference in-hospital mortality risk (R.R. = 0.59, 95% C.I. [0.2, 1.72]). The single-arm analysis of stroke patients with P.E.G. identified a 19.8% in-hospital mortality, 13.6% rate of aspiration pneumonia, and 58% rate of pneumonia., Conclusion: Stroke patients undergoing P.E.G remain at high risk for aspiration pneumonia and with an in-hospital mortality suggesting the need for identifying the best candidates and timing for the procedure.

Background: Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a severe event often complicated by cerebral vasospasm (CV). This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of clazosentan, an endothelin receptor antagonist, in reducing CV, delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI), and the need for rescue therapy in aSAH patients, while evaluating its impact on functional outcomes and mortality., Methods: We conducted a literature search across multiple databases to identify relevant studies evaluating the effects of clazosentan in aSAH patients. Both cohort studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. The primary outcomes were vasospasm incidence, moderate to severe vasospasm, DCI, and the need for rescue therapy. Secondary outcomes included functional outcomes, mortality, and adverse events. The data were pooled as Risk ratios (R/R) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) using RevMan 5.4 software., Results: A total of 11 studies, including 10 published and one unpublished, comprising 8,469 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Clazosentan significantly reduced the incidence of vasospasm (R/R = 0.49: 0.34-0.70), moderate to severe vasospasm (R/R = 0.53: 0.46-0.61), DCI (R/R = 0.70: 0.59-0.82), and the need for rescue therapy (R/R = 0.65: 0.52-0.83) compared to placebo. However, no significant improvement in functional outcomes or mortality rates was observed. Clazosentan was associated with increased rates of pulmonary adverse events (R/R = 1.89: 1.64-2.18), hypotension (R/R = 2.47: 1.79-3.42), and anemia (R/R = 1.49: 1.23-1.79) but no increased risk of hepatobiliary adverse events or cerebral hemorrhage., Conclusions: Clazosentan demonstrates efficacy in reducing vasospasm, moderate to severe vasospasm, DCI, and the need for rescue therapy in aSAH patients, but does not significantly improve functional outcomes or mortality rates. While associated with specific adverse events, clazosentan may be a valuable adjunctive therapy in the management of aSAH, particularly in a high-risk population for vasospasm., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Clinical practice recommendations guide healthcare decisions. This study aims to evaluate the strength and quality of evidence supporting the American Heart Association (AHA)/American Stroke Association (ASA) guidelines for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH)., Methods: We reviewed the current AHA/ASA guidelines for aSAH and spontaneous ICH and compared with previous guidelines. Guidelines were classified based on the Class of recommendation (COR) and Level of evidence (LOE). COR signifies recommendation strength (COR 1: Strong; COR 2a: Moderate; COR 2b: Weak; COR 3: No Benefit/Harm), while LOE denotes evidence quality (LOE A: High-Quality; LOE B-NR: Moderate-Quality, Not Randomized; LOE B-R: Moderate-Quality, Randomized; LOE C-EO: Expert Opinion; LOE C-LD: Limited Data)., Results: For aSAH, we identified 84 recommendations across 15 guideline categories. Of these, 31% were classified as COR I, 30% as COR 2a, 17% as COR 2b, and 18% as COR 3. In terms of LOE, 7% were based on LOE A, 10% on LOE B-R, 65% on LOE B-NR, 14% on LOE C-LD, and 5% on LOE C-EO. Compared to previous guidelines, there was a 46% decrease in LOE A, a 45% increase in LOE B, and an 11% decrease in LOE C. For spontaneous ICH, 124 guidelines were identified across 31 guideline categories. Of these, 28% were COR I, 32% COR 2b, and 9% COR 3. For LOE, 4% were based on LOE A, 35% on LOE B-NR, and 42% on LOE C-LD. Compared to previous guidelines, there was a 78% decrease in LOE A, an 82% increase in LOE B, and a 14% increase in LOE C. This analysis highlights that less than a third of AHA/ASA guidelines are classified as the highest class of recommendation, with less than 10% based on the highest LOE., Conclusion: Less than a third of AHA/ASA guidelines on aSAH and spontaneous ICH are classified as the highest class of recommendation with less than 10% based on highest LOE. There appears to be a decrease in proportion of guidelines based on highest LOE in most recent guidelines., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

This case report describes a rare presentation of a mycotic anterior spinal artery aneurysm of the thoracic spine presenting as a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Isolated anterior spinal artery aneurysms are exceedingly rare. While this condition can occur in the setting of an underlying infection that may lead to shock, other signs and symptoms of the infection itself typically manifest before the development of the aneurysm and subsequent hemorrhage. We present a case of a 30-year-old male who presented with acute-onset bilateral lower extremity motor paraplegia and was found to have diffuse subarachnoid hemorrhage related to an isolated thoracic anterior spinal artery aneurysm, which was believed to be mycotic in origin. Spinal angiogram revealed evidence of an aneurysm originating from the anterior spinal artery at the T11-T12 level, contributing to diffuse subarachnoid hemorrhage of the spinal cord. The patient was followed closely and exhibited progressive improvement in motor function. Magnetic resonance imaging performed two weeks later revealed decreased intrathecal hemorrhage, mild spinal cord edema, and a reduction in the discrete visualization of the anterior spinal artery aneurysm. We present a unique case of an isolated anterior spinal artery aneurysm in the thoracic spine presenting with subarachnoid hemorrhage. This case is distinctive in that the clinical presentation and radiographic findings strongly suggest a mycotic etiology for the aneurysm, despite the absence of definitive histopathologic confirmation. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of an isolated thoracic ASA aneurysm suspected to be mycotic in origin., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Ahmadpour et al.)

Background and Aims: There is no clear consensus on ideal systolic blood pressure (SBP) target post-endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) in patients with acute ischemic stroke. This study intends to investigate the relationship between reducing SBP and clinical outcomes and to determine the therapeutic efficacy of moderate and intensive SBP reduction post EVT., Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted across five electronic databases to identify studies relevant to our analysis. Data from these studies were then analyzed using pooled relative risk (RR) along with their corresponding 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for our categorical outcomes. functional independence at 90 days post-EVT was defined as a modified Rankin score (mRS) 0-2., Results: Our meta-analysis included eight studies with 2922 patients: 1376 patients were treated with intensive SBP reduction, 306 with moderate SBP reduction, and 1243 with standard SBP reduction. There was no difference in the risk of functional independence at 90 days post-EVT with both intensive-SBP reduction (target 120-140 mmHg, relative risk (RR) =1.05, 95 % CI 0.82, 1.34, p = 0.72) and moderate-SBP reduction (>160 mm Hg) (RR= 0.95, 95 % CI 0.69, 1.31, p = 0.76) compared with standard SBP reduction (>180 mm Hg). The risk of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) did not significantly differ between standard-SBP reduction and intensive-SBP reduction (RR = 0.93, 95 % CI 0.66, 1.31, p = 0.36) or moderate-SBP reduction (0.72 (95 % CI [0.28, 1.87], p = 0.50) groups, respectively. Intensive-SBP reduction significantly decreased the risk of hemicraniectomy., Conclusions: We did not identify any difference in functional independence at 90 days in acute ischemic stroke patients with either intensive-SBP reduction or moderate-SBP reduction compared with standard SBP reduction post-EVT., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest, (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background  Moyamoya vasculopathy is a rare neurological disease characterized by the progressive constriction of major intracranial vessels and secondary collateral formation. In the past decade, the popularity of combined bypass surgery has increased. They take advantage of the quick perfusion of direct bypass and collaterals ingrowth from indirect bypass. Objective  This study aimed to describe a single-center experience with surgical management of moyamoya disease (MMD) and moyamoya syndrome (MMS) over 7 years. Materials and Methods  In this retrospective medical records review, we enrolled patients diagnosed with MMD and MMS who were treated with combined surgical revascularization at the Hamad Medical Corporation center between 2015 and 2022. SPSS 26.0 was used to analyze the data. Results  A total of 20 patients were included, with 15% having MMS. The mean age was 37.4 ± 10.26 years, and 60% of them were males. The mean follow-up period was 13.6 months. The modified Rankin score was significantly decreased by 1.9 ± 2.1, p  = 0.0001. Following surgery, no deficits were observed in 16 cases, whereas three were not improved, and one died. Following up on the stroke status, one patient developed a hemorrhagic stroke, and another showed right-side numbness. The postoperative status was substantially linked with the initial clinical presentation ( p  = 0.004). Conclusion  Combined direct and indirect surgical revascularization procedures have favorable outcomes in MMD and MMS patients. Additional rigorous, prospective, controlled, high-quality trials with large-sample are needed to support our results., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest None declared., (Asian Congress of Neurological Surgeons. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ ).)

Background: Upper cervical meningioma represents a large portion of intradural extramedullary tumors that occur in the cervical spinal canal. Most of them are located ventrally or ventrolateral to the spinal cord. Reaching lesions at this location surgically is technically challenging., Objectives: The ideal approach to ventrally located upper cervical lesions continues to be controversial. The aim of this study was to discuss the advantage of the lateral cervical approach and compare it with other surgical routes., Methods: This retrospective study was conducted on all cases of ventrally located upper cervical meningiomas (C1-C3) who have been operated on using the lateral cervical approach in a tertiary neurosurgery unit between 2006 and 2020. Demographic, clinical, surgical, and follow-up data were collected from hospital records., Results: During the study period, fourteen patients (Nine females and five males, aged 42-73 years) were recruited. The follow-up period was 2-16 years. The most frequent presenting symptoms were neck pain, occipital headache, motor deficits, and sensory disturbances. Total excision was achieved in all patients. All patients who had preoperative motor deficits improved significantly postoperatively, and those who presented with sensory disturbance had partial recovery. There was neither mortality nor permanent neurological morbidity., Conclusion: A lateral cervical approach is a safe approach for ventrally located upper cervical lesions. In our series, it offered enough exposure for a safe dissection and total or extensive subtotal removal of the tumors. Retraction or rotation of the neuroaxis was avoided, and the incidence of complications (injury of neural or vascular structures, instability, infection) was very low.

Background: Utilizing endoscopes in surgery offers advantages and concerns, including potential nasal function impacts. Hyposmia following Transseptal Transsphenoidal hypophysectomy ranges from 0% to 2.2%. Debates persist about managing the M.T. in endoscopic sinus surgery due to its impact on nasal function. While preservation is recommended for sinonasal health, debates continue, as certain cases require resection. Our meta-analysis aims to compare turbinate resection and preservation effects on olfactory function., Methods: We searched five electronic databases to collect all relevant studies. Records were screened for eligibility. Data were extracted from the included studies independently. Our continuous outcomes were pooled as standardized mean difference with 95% CI. Statistical analyses was done by RevMan., Results: Our meta-analysis included four studies involving 235 patients (81 males). Evaluating changes in olfaction scores, two one-month studies (82 patients) revealed no significant difference between preservation and resection groups (Std.MD = 0.05[-0.39, 0.50], p  = 0.81). For three-month assessments (146 patients), SNOT tests indicated no significant difference (Std.MD = 0.21, 95% CI[-0.11, 0.54], p  = 0.20). Two studies used other tests on 70 patients at three months, yielding no significant difference (Std.MD = 0.13, 95% CI [-0.35, 0.62], p  = 0.59). Two six-month studies (72 patients) similarly found no significant difference (Std.MD = 0.09, 95% CI [-0.39, 0.56], p  = 0.72)., Conclusion: Our meta-analysis involving 235 patients examined olfaction score changes over various time frames in trans-nasal trans-sphenoidal pituitary surgeries. No significant differences were observed between turbinate preservation and resection groups at one month, three months, or six months post-surgery.

Background: Antiplatelet therapy is pivotal in endovascular treatment for intracranial aneurysms. However, there is a lack of studies comparing ticagrelor to clopidogrel in patients with aneurysms undergoing endovascular therapy. Additionally, the existing literature lacks adequate sample size, significant subgrouping, and follow-up, making our study important to cover these gaps., Methods: We searched 5 databases to collect all relevant studies. Categorical outcomes were pooled as relative risk (R.R.) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). In the single-arm meta-analysis, outcomes were pooled as proportions and their corresponding 95% CI., Results: This comprehensive analysis of 18 studies involving 2,427 patients. For thromboembolic events, the pooled (R.R.) did not show significant differences, whether considering overall events. A similar pattern was observed for thromboembolic events stratified by aneurysmal rupture status, with no significant differences in overall events. Hemorrhagic events did not also exhibit significant differences in previously mentioned stratifications. Furthermore, there were no substantial differences in death and mRS (0-2) on discharge between Ticagrelor and Clopidogrel. Single-arm meta-analyses for Ticagrelor demonstrated low rates of thromboembolic events, hemorrhage, death, and favorable mRS scores, with associated confidence intervals (CIs). Main line of endovascular treatment did not significantly affect either thromboembolic or hemorrhagic outcomes with Ticagrelor and Clopidogrel., Conclusions: We found no significant differences in key outcomes like thromboembolic events, hemorrhagic events, mortality rates, and favorable mRS (0-2) upon discharge in the studied patients between Ticagrelor and Clopidogrel. Moreover, the single-arm meta-analysis for Ticagrelor revealed low rates of thromboembolic events, hemorrhage, mortality, and high rates of favorable mRS scores., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Cranioplasty corrects cranial bone defects using various bone substitutes or autologous bone flaps created during a previous craniectomy surgery. These autologous bone flaps can be preserved through subcutaneous preservation (SP) or cryopreservation (CP)., Aim: We aim to compare outcomes and complications for both SP and CP techniques to enhance the current evidence about autologous bone flap preservation., Methods: Five electronic databases were searched to collect all relevant studies. Records were screened for eligibility. Data were extracted from the included studies independently. We categorized surgical site infection (SSI) as either due to Traumatic brain injury (TBI) or not to reveal potential variations in SSI incidence. The double-arm meta-analysis utilized risk ratios (RR) and mean differences (MD) with corresponding confidence intervals (CI) to pool categorical and continuous outcomes, respectively. Proportions with their respective 95% CIs were pooled for single-arm meta-analyses to determine outcomes related to SP technique., Results: Seventeen studies involving 1169 patients were analyzed. No significant difference in SSI rates was observed between SP and CP methods in patients with or without TBI. SP was linked to shorter hospital stays in two studies (194 patients). Single-arm analysis showed a 17% revision surgery rate across five studies (375 patients) and infection rates in 17 studies for SP. New bone formation occurred in 13.2% of patients, with 19.9% showing resorption., Conclusion: SP and CP methods showed similar SSI rates post-craniectomy in TBI and non-TBI patients. SP was associated with reduced hospitalization time, low infection rates, and a moderate need for revision surgery., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt redirects cerebrospinal fluid flow, with the selection of entry points crucial for optimal outcomes. Anatomical landmarks and specific entry points, such as Kocher's, Frazier's, Keen's, and Dandy's points, have been utilized for shunt catheter placement. This study investigates the impact of various entry points on outcomes, particularly the necessity for revision procedures, in patients undergoing VP shunt placement., Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed data from patients in our center's database, collected from October 2017 to October 2022. Participants were classified based on ventriculoperitoneal shunt entry points. The study followed STROBE guidelines. Continuous variables were presented as means with standard deviations (SD) and categorical variables as frequencies and percentages. Linear Model ANOVA and Pearson's Chi-squared tests were used for comparisons. Data analysis was conducted using Jamovi software., Results: Our study included 94 patients who underwent shunt procedures. The patients were categorized into four treatment groups: Dandy point (10), Frazier point (21), Keen point (43), and Kocher point (20)., Conclusion: Our study found no significant differences in age, FOHR, and indication for shunt placement among catheter entry point subgroups. However, gender distribution, catheter length, and catheter tip location significantly varied. The proportion of patients requiring revision surgery varied among the groups, with the highest rate in the Dandy point group and the lowest in the Keen group; however, the difference among the entry groups was insignificant., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Background: Endovascular thrombectomy (E.V.T.) is the primary treatment for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Nevertheless, the optimal choice of anesthetic modality during E.V.T. remains uncertain. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to summarize existing literature from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to guide the selection of the most appropriate anesthetic modality for AIS patients undergoing E.V.T., Methods: By a thorough search strategy, RCTs comparing general anesthesia (G.A.) and conscious sedation (C.S.) in E.V.T. for AIS patients were identified. Eligible studies were independently screened, and relevant data were extracted. The analysis employed pooled risk ratio for dichotomous outcomes and the mean difference for continuous ones. RCTs quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias assessment tool 1., Results: In the functional independence outcome (mRS scores 0-2), the pooled analysis did not favor either G.A. or C.S. arms, with an RR of 1.10 [0.95, 1.27] (P = 0.19). Excellent (mRS 0-1) and poor (≥3) recovery outcomes did not significantly differ between G.A. and C.S. groups, with RR values of 1.03 [0.80, 1.33] (P = 0.82) and 0.93 [0.84, 1.03] (P = 0.16), respectively. Successful recanalization significantly favored G.A. over C.S. (RR 1.13 [1.07, 1.20], P > 0.001)., Conclusions: G.A. had superior recanalization rates in AIS patients undergoing endovascular therapy, but functional outcomes, mortality, and NIHSS scores were similar. Secondary outcomes showed no significant differences, except for a higher risk of hypotension with G.A. More trials are required to determine the optimal anesthesia approach for thrombectomy in AIS patients., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a leading cause of death and disability. AIS is caused by an embolus or thrombus that restricts blood flow to the brain tissue. Despite intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular thrombectomy, a substantial number of patients do not achieve effective reperfusion. Argatroban, a direct thrombin inhibitor, can potentially improve neurological outcomes in AIS patients. However, there are conflicting results in the medical literature regarding the efficacy and safety of argatroban in this context., Objective: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of argatroban as monotherapy or adjunct therapy for acute ischemic stroke., Methods: Five major databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the efficacy and safety of using argatroban alone or in combination with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (r-TPA) in the management protocol of the AIS. We used Review Manager Software (RevMan 5.4.1) for data analysis., Results: We included 1393 patients from eight RCTs (of them, 726 were treated with argatroban alone or combined with r-TPA, while 667 received the placebo, standard therapy (standard treatments based on current guidelines including antihypertensive, antiplatelet agents, and statins) or endovascular r-TPA). Neither argatroban vs control nor argatroban with r-TPA vs r-TPA showed significant difference regarding the activity in daily living; (SMD= 1.69, 95% CI [-0.23, 3.61]; p = 0.09), (SMD= 0.99, 95% CI [-0.88, 2.86]; p = 0.30), respectively. Also, there was no significant difference in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at seven days, the number of patients achieving modified Rankin Scale (mRS) of 0-1 or 0-2 at 90 days (p > 0.05). Argatroban did not significantly increase the risk of adverse events or symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), or major systemic bleeding compared to control or r-TPA (p > 0.05) CONCLUSIONS: Argatroban does not demonstrate superior efficacy compared to placebo or standard therapy in terms of ADL, NIHSS and mRS outcomes. Importantly, argatroban does not significantly increase the incidence of adverse events, including symptomatic ICH and systemic bleeding., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The optimal antiplatelet therapy regimen for certain neuroendovascular procedures remains unclear. This study investigates the safety and feasibility of intravenous dose-adjusted cangrelor in patients undergoing acute neuroendovascular interventions., Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of all consecutive patients on intravenous cangrelor for neuroendovascular procedures between September 1, 2020, and March 13, 2022. We also conducted an updated systematic review and meta-analysis using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase and the Cochrane Library up to February 22, 2023., Results: In our cohort, a total of 76 patients were included [mean age (years): 57.2 ± 18.2, males: 39 (51.3), Black: 49 (64.5)]. Cangrelor was most used for embolization and intracranial stent placement ( n  = 24, 32%). Approximately 44% of our patients had a favorable outcome with a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0 to 2 at 90 days ( n  = 25/57); within 1 year, 8% of patients had recurrent or new strokes ( n  = 5/59), 6% had symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage [sICH] (4/64), 3% had major extracranial bleeding events (2/64), and 3% had a gastrointestinal bleed (2/64). In our meta-analysis, 11 studies with 298 patients were included. The pooled proportion of sICH and intraprocedural thromboembolic complication events were 0.07 [95% CI 0.04 to 1.13] and 0.08 [95% CI 0.05 to 0.15], respectively., Conclusion: Our study found that intravenous cangrelor appears to be safe and effective in neuroendovascular procedures, with low rates of bleeding and ischemic events. However, further research is needed to compare different dosing and titration protocols of cangrelor and other intravenous agents., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Desai, Al-Salihi, Morsi, Vayani, Kothari, Thind, Carrión-Penagos, Baskaran, Tarabichi, Bonderski, Siegler, Hahn, Coleman, Brorson, Mendelson, Mansour, Dabus, Hurley, Prabhakaran, Linfante and Kass-Hout.)

Background: About 30 % of stroke patients have experienced unsuccessful reperfusion following endovascular therapy. Mechanical thrombectomy instruments may contribute to this by stimulating platelet aggregation. Tirofiban is a selective and rapidly activated antagonist of the platelets nonpeptide glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptors that can reversibly suppress platelet aggregation. But, data from the medical literature are conflicting regarding its safety and efficacy for stroke patients. Hence, this study was designed to assess the safety and efficacy of tirofiban in stroke patients., Methods: Five major databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane library) were searched till December 2022. The Cochrane tool was used for risk of bias assessment, and the RevMan 5.4 was utilized for data analysis., Results: Seven RCTs with 2088 stroke patients were included. Tirofiban significantly increased the number of patients with mRS 0 score after 90 days than control; RR= 1.39, 95 %CI [1.15, 1.69]; p = 0.0006. Additionally, it reduced the NIHSS score after seven days; MD= -0.60, 95 %CI [-1.14, -0.06]; p = 0.03. However, tirofiban increased the incidence of intracranial haemorrhage (ICH); RR= 1.22, 95 %CI [1.03, 1.44]; p = 0.02. Other assessed outcomes showed insignificant results., Conclusions: Tirofiban was associated with a higher mRS 0 score after three months and a lower NIHSS score after seven days. However, it is associated with higher ICH. Multicentric trials are required to provide more convincing proof of its utility., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) represents one of the most common neurologic disorders in the elderly. However, the optimum surgical option remains questionable. This study aims to compare the safety and efficacy of single burr-hole craniostomy (sBHC), double burr-hole craniostomy (dBHC), and twist-drill craniostomy (TDC) in patients with CSDH., Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science until October 2022 for prospective trials. Primary outcomes comprised recurrence and mortality. The analysis was performed using R software, and the results were reported as risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI)., Results: Data from 11 prospective clinical trials were included in this network meta-analysis. We found that dBHC significantly decreased recurrence and reoperation rates compared with TDC (RR = 0.55, CI, 0.33-0.90 and RR = 0.48, CI, 0.24-0.94, respectively). However, sBHC showed no difference compared with dBHC and TDC. There was no significant difference among dBHC, sBHC, and TDC regarding the hospitalization duration, complication rates, mortality, and cured rates., Conclusions: dBHC seems to be the best modality for CSDH compared with sBHC and TDC. It showed significantly less recurrence and reoperation rates compared with TDC. On the other hand, dBHC showed no significant difference with the other comparators regarding complication, mortality, and cure rates in addition to the hospitalization duration., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Risk factors for "Talk and Die" phenomenon following Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) are poorly identified in literature, and studies attempting to identify those factors yielded conflicting results., Aim: To provide level 1 evidence on the significance of potential risk factors predictive of "Talk and Die" phenomenon following TBI., Methodology: A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed. A fixed effect model for age, admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS), and Injury Severity Score (ISS) parameters were performed., Results: Of 35,582 patients analyzed, 2397 patients experienced the "Talk and Die" phenomenon. Absence of intracranial hematoma (OR=0.137, CI: 0.276-0.991, =0.047), Older age (Hedge's g=0.153, CI: 0.104-0.202, p < 0.001), lower GCS score (Hedge's g=-0.111, CI: 0.062-0.160, p < 0.001), lucid interval duration of ≥ 24 h (OR=4.176, CI: 2.806-6.215, p = 0.000), higher AIS scores (Hedge's g was 0.138, CI: 0.089-0.188, p < 0.001), and lower ISS scores (Hedge's g=0.137, CI: 0.088-0.186, p < 0.001) were identified as risk factors for mortality., Conclusion: Considering our results and others, we conclude that absence or presence of intracranial hematomas, older age, lower GCS, lucid interval ≥ 24 h, High AIS, and low or high ISS predispose to a "Talk and Die" phenomenon following a Traumatic Brain Injury., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) has improved the diagnosis and surgical treatment of brainstem and posterior fossa tumors. Several modalities are available for IONM such as electroencephalography, brainstem mapping (BSM), cranial nerves evoked potentials), somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP), motor evoked potentials (MEP), brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs), nerve conduction, and electromyography (EMG) signals. Though motor evoked potential (MEP) and brainstem mapping are the most common IONM modalities used for surgical management of brainstem gliomas, cranial nerve potentials can also be of great help., Case Description: This article describes a 10-year-old child with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) who presented with gradual progressive crossed hemiparesis. His brain images carried a range of potential differential diagnoses. Her underwent a successful brainstem biopsy via using motor evoked potential for facial nerve without injuring nearby structures., Conclusion: Motor evoked potential of the facial nerve can be used solely for biopsy taking in cases of DIPG., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The percentage of robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) is comparatively low in Asia compared to other continents [11]. Few studies showed, RARC with intracorporeal urinary diversion causes less bleeding and hospital stay compared with extracorporeal urinary diversion., Competing Interests: None., (© 2021 The Authors.)

Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.