Search

Elderly patients operated for an acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) frequently have a poor outcome, with a high frequency of death, vegetative status, or severe disability (Glasgow Outcome Score, GOS, 1-3). Minicraniotomy has been proposed as a minimally invasive surgical treatment to reduce the impact of surgery in the elderly population. The present study aimed to compare the influence of the size of the craniotomy on the functional outcome in patients undergoing surgical treatment for ASDH.We selected patients ≥70 years old admitted to 5 Italian tertiary referral neurosurgical for the treatment of a post-traumatic ASDH between January 1st 2016 and December 31st 2019. We collected demographic data, clinical data (GCS, GOS, Charlson Comorbidity Index-CCI, antiplatelet/anticoagulant therapy, neurological deficits, seizure, pupillary size, length of stay), surgical data (craniotomy size, dividing the patients into 3 groups based on the corresponding tertile, and surgery duration), radiological data (ASDH side and thickness, midline shift, other post-traumatic lesions, extent of ASDH evacuation) and we assessed the functional outcome at hospital discharge and 6-month follow-up considering GOS=1-3 as a poor outcome. ANOVA and Chi-squared tests and logistic regression models were used to assess differences in and associations between clinicalradiological characteristics and functional outcomes.We included 136 patients (76 males) with a mean age of 78±6 years. Forty-five patients underwent a small craniotomy, 47 a medium size, and 44 a large craniotomy. Among the different craniotomy size groups, there were no differences in gender, anticoagulant/antithrombotic therapy, CCI, side of ASDH, ASDH thickness, preoperative GCS, focal deficits, seizures, and presence of other posttraumatic lesions. Patients undergoing small craniotomies were older than patients undergoing medium-large craniotomies; ASDH treated with medium size craniotomy were thinner than the others; patients undergoing large craniotomies showed greater midline shift and a higher rate of anisocoria. The three groups did not differ for functional outcome and postoperative midline shift, but the length of surgery and the rate of50% of ASDH evacuation were lower in the small craniotomy group.A small craniotomy was not inferior to larger craniotomies in determining functional outcomes in the treatment of ASDH in the elderly.

Purpose Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is an uncommon but deadly event in patients with COVID-19 and its imaging features remain poorly characterized. We aimed to describe the clinical and imaging features of COVID-19-associated ICH. Methods Multicenter, retrospective, case–control analysis comparing ICH in COVID-19 patients (COV19 +) versus controls without COVID-19 (COV19 −). Clinical presentation, laboratory markers, and severity of COVID-19 disease were recorded. Non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) markers (intrahematoma hypodensity, heterogeneous density, blend sign, irregular shape fluid level), ICH location, and hematoma volume (ABC/2 method) were analyzed. The outcome of interest was ultraearly hematoma growth (uHG) (defined as NCCT baseline ICH volume/onset-to-imaging time), whose predictors were explored with multivariable linear regression. Results A total of 33 COV19 + patients and 321 COV19 − controls with ICH were included. Demographic characteristics and vascular risk factors were similar in the two groups. Multifocal ICH and NCCT markers were significantly more common in the COV19 + population. uHG was significantly higher among COV19 + patients (median 6.2 mL/h vs 3.1 mL/h, p = 0.027), and this finding remained significant after adjustment for confounding factors (systolic blood pressure, antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy), in linear regression (B(SE) = 0.31 (0.11), p = 0.005). This association remained consistent also after the exclusion of patients under anticoagulant treatment (B(SE) = 0.29 (0.13), p = 0.026). Conclusions ICH in COV19 + patients has distinct NCCT imaging features and a higher speed of bleeding. This association is not mediated by antithrombotic therapy and deserves further research to characterize the underlying biological mechanisms.

Deep brain stimulation has become an established therapeutic choice to manage the symptoms of medically refractory Parkinson's disease. Its efficacy is highly dependent on the accuracy of electrodes' positioning in the correct anatomical target. During DBS procedure, the opening of the dura mater induces the displacement of neural structures. This effect mainly depends on the loss of the physiological negative intracranial pressure, air inflow, and loss of cerebrospinal fluid. Several studies concentrated on correcting surgical techniques for DBS electrodes' positioning in order to reduce pneumocephalus which may result in therapeutic failure. The authors focused in particular on reducing the brain air window and maintaining the pressure gradient between intra- and extracranial compartments. A significant reduction of pneumocephalus and brain shift was obtained by excluding the opening of the subarachnoid space, by covering the dura mater opening with tissue sealant and by reducing the intracranial pressure in general anesthesia. Smaller burr hole diameters were not statistically relevant for reducing air inflow and displacement of anatomical targets. The review of the literature showed that conserving a physiological intra-extracranial pressure gradient plays a fundamental role in avoiding pneumocephalus and consequent displacement of brain structures, which improves surgical accuracy and DBS long-term results.

Objective: Intra-arterial embolization of jugular paragangliomas is an established endovascular technique. Intratumoral embolization by direct puncture has been proposed, prior to surgical treatment or radiosurgery to reduce the risk of cranial nerve deficits. Methods: We examined the technical aspects of two patients with jugular paragangliomas embolized with liquid embolic agent by direct puncture of the lesion, as sole treatment. Results: Two patients with jugular paragangliomas presented with lower cranial nerve deficits. The first patient showed an extended lesion (55-mm) and was treated with partial intra-arterial embolization plus direct puncture and injection of Squid 18 and a second staged embolization by direct puncture and filling of the remainder of the lesion. The second patient with a smaller jugular paraganglioma (33-mm) was treated by single embolization by direct puncture of the tumor and injection of Squid 12 and Squid 18 obtaining complete filling of the lesion. No procedural complications were observed. Both patients showed no residual and initial improvement of the neurological deficits. Conclusion: The intratumoral embolization by direct puncture of jugular paragangliomas, under accurate radiological control is a safe procedure, and complete exclusion of the lesion can be obtained in selected cases. A staged particle embolization of the lesion by direct puncture can be proposed for large lesions. Only further studies with larger series and long-term follow-up will be able to define, if this strategy can be curative avoiding additional surgical or radio-surgical treatment.

To the Editor,During the pandemic, we continued to treat Covid-19 positive neurosurgical patients.1 Occasionally patients with neurovascular hemorrhage have tested SARS-CoV-2 positive. We present t...

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak and of the subsequent lockdown on the neurosurgical services of the Veneto region in Italy compared to the previous 4 years.METHODSA survey was conducted in all 6 neurosurgical departments in the Veneto region to collect data about surgical, inpatient care and endovascular procedures during the month of March for each year from 2016 to 2020. Safety measures to avoid infection from SARS-CoV-2 and any COVID-19 cases reported among neurosurgical patients or staff members were considered.RESULTSThe mean number of neurosurgical admissions for the month of March over the 2016–2019 period was 663, whereas in March 2020 admissions decreased by 42%. Emergency admissions decreased by 23%. The average number of neurosurgical procedures was 697, and declined by 30% (range −10% to −51% in individual centers). Emergency procedures decreased in the same period by 23%. Subarachnoid hemorrhage and spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage both decreased in Veneto—by 25% and 22%, respectively. Coiling for unruptured aneurysm, coiling for ruptured aneurysm, and surgery for ruptured aneurysm or arteriovenous malformation diminished by 49%, 27%, and 78%, respectively. Endovascular procedures for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) increased by 33% in 2020 (28 procedures in total). There was a slight decrease (8%) in brain tumor surgeries. Neurosurgical admissions decreased by 25% and 35% for head trauma and spinal trauma, respectively, while surgical procedures for head trauma diminished by 19% and procedures for spinal trauma declined by 26%. Admissions and surgical treatments for degenerative spine were halved. Eleven healthcare workers and 8 patients were infected in the acute phase of the pandemic.CONCLUSIONSThis multicenter study describes the effects of a COVID-19 outbreak on neurosurgical activities in a vast region in Italy. Remodulation of neurosurgical activities has resulted in a significant reduction of elective and emergency surgeries compared to previous years. Most likely this is a combined result of cancellation of elective and postponable surgeries, increase of conservative management, increase in social restrictions, and in patients’ fear of accessing hospitals. Curiously, only endovascular procedures for AIS have increased, possibly due to reduced physical activity or increased thrombosis in SARS-CoV-2. The confounding effect of thrombectomy increase over time cannot be excluded. No conclusion can be drawn on AIS incidence. Active monitoring with nasopharyngeal swabs, wearing face masks, and using separate pathways for infected patients reduce the risk of infection.

OBJECTIVEThe objective of this study was to analyze the risk factors associated with the outcome of acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) in elderly patients treated either surgically or nonsurgically.METHODSThe authors performed a retrospective multicentric analysis of clinical and radiological data on patients aged ≥ 70 years who had been consecutively admitted to the neurosurgical department of 5 Italian hospitals for the management of posttraumatic ASDH in a 3-year period. Outcome was measured according to the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) at discharge and at 6 months’ follow-up. A GOS score of 1–3 was defined as a poor outcome and a GOS score of 4–5 as a good outcome. Univariate and multivariate statistics were used to determine outcome predictors in the entire study population and in the surgical group.RESULTSOverall, 213 patients were admitted during the 3-year study period. Outcome was poor in 135 (63%) patients, as 65 (31%) died during their admission, 33 (15%) were in a vegetative state, and 37 (17%) had severe disability at discharge. Surgical patients had worse clinical and radiological findings on arrival or during their admission than the patients undergoing conservative treatment. Surgery was performed in 147 (69%) patients, and 114 (78%) of them had a poor outcome. In stratifying patients by their Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, the authors found that surgery reduced mortality but not the frequency of a poor outcome in the patients with a moderate to severe GCS score. The GCS score and midline shift were the most significant predictors of outcome. Antiplatelet drugs were associated with better outcomes; however, patients taking such medications had a better GCS score and better radiological findings, which could have influenced the former finding. Patients with fixed pupils never had a good outcome. Age and Charlson Comorbidity Index were not associated with outcome.CONCLUSIONSTraumatic ASDH in the elderly is a severe condition, with the GCS score and midline shift the stronger outcome predictors, while age per se and comorbidities were not associated with outcome. Antithrombotic drugs do not seem to negatively influence pretreatment status or posttreatment outcome. Surgery was performed in patients with a worse clinical and radiological status, reducing the rate of death but not the frequency of a poor outcome.

Stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) was developed by Talairach and Bancaud in Paris in the late 1950s. Subsequently, the Talairach methodology was adopted at a number of additional centers in Europe and Canada. Technical aspects remained essentially unchanged for the following 30 years. Only in the last two decades, because of advancements in image-guided surgery systems, robotics, and computer-aided planning, use of SEEG has become more widespread, and reports describing these new developments have been published.This systematic review was designed to assess published reports of SEEG surgical techniques and safety profile.An electronic search was performed of Medline, Embase, and Scopus databases. In addition, the content pages of several standard epilepsy surgery textbooks were searched. Full-text English studies describing SEEG surgical technique or pertinent epidemiological data were included. Conference abstracts, reviews, posters, editorials, comments, and letters were excluded.Three hundred fifty-nine of 2,903 potentially eligible studies published by 32 centers were reviewed. Thirty-one of these primarily discussed the surgical technique. Thirty-five major complications (including 4 fatalities) were reported among 4,000 patients (0.8%) implanted with 33,000 electrodes.The number of SEEG patients is likely to be underestimated because only a few groups have exhaustively reported their experience. Moreover, it is possible that a number of teams performing SEEG have not published studies on the topic.Rigorous SEEG, thanks to its basic principles and updated technologies, is a safe and accurate method to define the epileptogenic zone by means of stereotactically implanted intracerebral electrodes.

Distal, dissecting, middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms are changing surgically and endovascularly. Endovascular treatment requires flow diverter stenting. A good vessel visualization is crucial for safe navigation. Three-dimensional rotational digital subtraction angiography (3D-DSA) is used routinely in diagnostic imaging. The utilization of the 3D-DSA road map in vessel navigation and stent deployment is novel. An illustrative video of a distal, dissecting left MCA aneurysm treated with flow diverter stenting is presented. The technical issues were distal location, dissecting nature with double lumen, proximal stenosis, and vessel curves. The 3D-DSA road map helped to enhance visualization with a safer procedure.The video can be found here: https://youtu.be/sS3o1Z0P8WE.

Background Cooperatively-controlled robotic assistance could provide increased positional accuracy and stable and safe tissue targeting tasks during open-skull neurosurgical procedures, which are currently performed free-hand. Methods Two enhanced torque-based impedance control approaches, i.e. a variable damping criterion and a force-feedback enhancement control, were proposed in combination with an image-based navigation system. Control systems were evaluated on brain-mimicking phantoms by 13 naive users and 8 neurosurgeons (4 novices and 4 experts). Results In addition to a 60% reduction of user effort, the combination of the proposed strategies showed comparable performances with respect to state-of-the-art admittance controller, thus satisfying the clinical accuracy requirements (below 1 mm), reducing the hand tremor (by a factor of 10) and the tissue's indentation overshooting (by 80%). Conclusion Although the perceived reliability of the system should be improved, the proposed control was suitable to assist targeting procedures, such as brain cortex stimulation, allowing for accurate, stable and safe contact with soft tissues. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

We evaluated the relationship between 11C-methionine PET (11C-METH PET) findings and molecular biomarkers in patients with supratentorial glioma who underwent surgery. A consecutive series of 109 patients with pathologically proven glioma (64 men, 45 women; median age 43 years) referred to our Institution from March 2012 to January 2015 for tumour resection and who underwent preoperative 11C-METH PET were analysed. Semiquantitative evaluation of the 11C-METH PET images included SUVmax, region of interest-to-normal brain SUV ratio (SUVratio) and metabolic tumour volume (MTV). Imaging findings were correlated with disease outcome in terms of progression-free survival (PFS), and compared with other clinical biological data, including IDH1 mutation status, 1p/19q codeletion and MGMT promoter methylation. The patients were monitored for a mean period of 16.7 months (median 13 months). In all patients, the tumour was identified on 11C-METH PET. Significant differences in SUVmax, SUVratio and MTV were observed in relation to tumour grade (p

Background The lumbar infusion test (LIT) and tap test (TT) have previously been described for the diagnosis and selection of appropriate surgical candidates in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH). Methods We retrospectively reviewed 81 consecutive patients with a clinical diagnosis of iNPH selected for supplementary testing. Clinical evaluation was scored with the Japanese Grading Scale for Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, the Global Deterioration Score, and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). The test protocol included a cerebrospinal fluid pressure monitoring (PMi), an LIT, and a TT. Patients were selected for surgery if outflow resistance was ≥14 mm Hg/mL/minute or if a clinical improvement was recorded after TT. Results Sixty-eight patients were selected for ventriculoperitoneal shunting; 72.8% had a positive PMi or LIT, 74.1% had a positive TT, and 63.0% were positive to both tests. Complications were all transient. Clinical evaluation at 12 months after shunting showed a global improvement in 60 patients (88.2%). Overall, 75.0% of patients had no significant disability (mRS score, 1 and 2), 20.6% had an mRS score of 3 or 4, and 4.4% had severe disability after surgery. The positive predictive value of PMi/LIT, TT, or both combined was similar (89.8, 90.0, and 88.2%); however, 21.7% of patients who improved after surgery were selected with either a positive LIT or TT alone. Conclusions LIT and TT are complementary and they can easily be combined in sequence with a low complication rate and high probability of selecting patients with iNPH who may benefit from ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery.

Brain metastasis are the most common neoplastic lesions of the nervous system. Many cancer patients are diagnosed on the basis of a first clinical presentation of cancer on the basis of a single or multiple brain lesions. Brain metastases are manifestations of primary disease progression and often determine a poor prognosis. Not all patients with a brain metastases undergo surgery: many are submitted to alternative or palliative treatments. Management of patients with brain metastases is still controversial, and many studies have been developed to determine which is the best therapy. Furthermore, management of patients operated for a brain metastasis is often difficult. Chemotherapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, panencephalic radiation therapy, and surgery, in combination or alone, are the means most commonly used. We report our experience in the management of a ten-year series of surgical brain metastasis and discuss our results in the preoperative and postoperative management of this complex condition.

OBJECTIVEBoth spontaneous and iatrogenic spondylodiscitis are becoming ever more frequent, yet there are no definite treatment guidelines. For many years the treatment protocol was conservative medical management or surgical debridement with patients immobilized or bedridden for weeks and often resulting in spinal deformity. The eventual development of spinal deformity can be difficult to treat. Over the last few years, the authors have preferred a single-approach instrumented arthrodesis when spondylolysis that evolves in deformity from somatic wedging occurs.METHODSThe authors retrospectively reviewed the clinical, radiological, and surgical records of 11 patients treated over the past 3 years for spondylodiscitis with osteosynthesis.RESULTSOverall, the authors treated 11 patients: 3 cases with tuberculous spondylodiscitis (1 dorsal, 2 lumbar); 6 cases with Staphylococcus aureus spondylodiscitis (1 cervical, 2 dorsal, 2 lumbar, 1 dorsolumbar); 1 spondylodiscitis with postsurgical lumbar deformity; and in 1 dorsolumbar case the germ was not identified. Surgical approaches were chosen according to spinal level: In 8 dorsolumbar cases a posterior osteosynthesis was achieved. In 1 cervical case an anterior approach was performed with autologous bone graft from iliac crest. In 2 thoracolumbar cases a posterolateral costotransversectomy was needed. In 1 lumbosacral case iliac somatic grafting was used. Ten patients received adequate antibiotic treatment with clinical remission, and 1 case is in initial follow-up. No complications due to instrumentation were recorded. Spinal deformity was prevented in 10 cases, whereas preexisting spinal deformity was partially corrected in 1 case. In all cases, arthrodesis achieved vertebral stability.CONCLUSIONSThis study has the limitations of a retrospective review with a limited number of patients. Instrumentation does not appear to hamper healing from infection. Moreover, spinal stabilization, which is assisted by the infectious process even in the absence of bone graft, allows early mobilization. Instrumented osteosynthesis should be preferred for spondylodiscitis with osteolysis and spinal instability because it allows early mobilization and rehabilitation whenever necessary. It prevents spinal deformity and does not hamper healing of infections.

OBJECT Intraoperative language mapping is traditionally performed with low-frequency bipolar stimulation (LFBS). High-frequency train-of-five stimulation delivered by a monopolar probe (HFMS) is an alternative technique for motor mapping, with a lower reported seizure incidence. The application of HFMS in language mapping is still limited. Authors of this study assessed the efficacy and safety of HFMS for language mapping during awake surgery, exploring its clinical impact compared with that of LFBS. METHODS Fifty-nine patients underwent awake surgery with neuropsychological testing, and LFBS and HFMS were compared. Frequency, type, and site of evoked interference were recorded. Language was scored preoperatively and 1 week and 3 months after surgery. Extent of resection was calculated as well. RESULTS High-frequency monopolar stimulation induced a language disturbance when the repetition rate was set at 3 Hz. Interference with counting (p = 0.17) and naming (p = 0.228) did not vary between HFMS and LFBS. These results held true when preoperative tumor volume, lesion site, histology, and recurrent surgery were considered. Intraoperative responses (1603) in all patients were compared. The error rate for both modalities differed from baseline values (p < 0.001) but not with one another (p = 0.06). Low-frequency bipolar stimulation sensitivity (0.458) and precision (0.665) were slightly higher than the HFMS counterparts (0.367 and 0.582, respectively). The error rate across the 3 types of language errors (articulatory, anomia, paraphasia) did not differ between the 2 stimulation methods (p = 0.279). CONCLUSIONS With proper setting adjustments, HFMS is a safe and effective technique for language mapping.

Structural characterization of Low-Grade.Gliomas (LGGs) is depicted by MR or metabolic imaging, which when transferred into the neuronavigation system are used for guidance and tissue sampling. The combined use of intraoperative-Ultrasound-(US), corrects for brain shift. We present our experience on the use of MR, MET(methionine)-PET-TC, US for structural characterization of LGGs for surgical resection. Patients with presumptive MRl diagnosis of LGGs were submitted to standard, advanced MR (diffusion-tensor-structural-characterization-imaging), MET-PET-TC. images were transferred to neuronavigation system and available for guidance and tissue sampling. Intraoperative Aloka-US delineated tumor mass, corrected for brainshift, being a further source for structural characterization. The correspondence between information obtained by MR and MET-PET-TC was evaluated preoperatively. Intraoperatively sampling was performed according to MR and MET-PET information. Histological-molecular analysis (MGMT status, codeletion, IDH1) of various samples was performed. 139 patients were studied. Two groups were depicted by advanced-MR: 49 tumors (small-medium volume) with one-two areas of high-tissue-density (q areas); 90 tumors (medium-large volume), with several q areas. MET-PET-TC depicted areas of high-uptake in 39, a low activity in 72 and no activity in the remaining. The areas of high MET-uptake were located in the q areas. Multiple spots were present in larger tumors. At surgery, neuronavigation integrated with US was used to perform samples of various MR and/or PET areas. Areas of higher MET-uptake corresponded to anaplastic foci (35%) or higher tissue density areas (55%) with higher proliferative rate, or oligodendroglial tumors (34%). Samples taken from various MR or PET areas of the same tumor showed a differential molecular signature (IDH1, MGMT status). The integrated use of advanced-MR-imaging, MET-PET-TC, US better delineate structural characterization of LGGs, allowing a more precise histological-molecular profiling of the tumor.

BACKGROUND: Glioma surgery has been changed from one,relying on anatomical references, to a new one aimed at recognizing, with the aid of intraoperative neurophysiology, the different neural structures on the basis of their functional properties, to maximally resect the tumor and preserve patient functional integrity. This approach called functional neurooncological surgery needs to be maximally and safely extended to enlarge the population of patients who will benefit from surgery. Intraoperative neurophysiology offers the surgeon various stimulation protocols, whose efficiency is based on the ability to recognize the essential sites at cortical and subcortical level, with the highest possible resolution in most clinical conditions. This ability faces the neural structures excitability that depends on patients characteristics and tumor features. The key point is the integration of the choice of the stimulation protocols with the clinical context. METHODS: Intraoperative neurophysiological protocols used in the study were the 60Hz-technique (Low Frequency-LF) and the train-of-five-or pulse technique (To5), delivered alternatively by bipolar or monopolar probe. In 620 patients with tumors involving the corticospinal-tract and in 450 patients with tumors involving language areas and tracts, the use of these stimulation protocols was tailored to the clinical context defined by patient characteristics (clinical history, seizures control, antiepileptic drug therapy, previous treatments) and tumor features (defined by MR-imaging: volume, location, degree of infiltration on volumetric FLAIR images, degree of tracts involvement in DTI-FT images). The effect was evaluated on the feasibility of mapping (number of cases in which a reliable mapping was feasible), number of intraoperative seizures, the impact on immediate and permanent morbidity, the extent of resection (by volumetric analysis), the number of patients treated, and by neuropsychological evaluation (immediately after surgery and at 3-6 months). RESULTS: By integrating the choice of the probe and the stimulating protocol with patient clinical history and tumor characteristics, the best “probe-frequency match” to be applied in different clinical conditions was identified. According to clinical and imaging criteria various risk groups of patients were identified (either in the group of tumors involving the motor or language tracts) and the most adequate stimulation protocols for each group was reported. This integrative approach allows increasing the extent of resection, keeping patient functional integrity, and strongly expanding the number of patients who benefit from surgery CONCLUSIONS: The integration of stimulation modalities with clinical context enhances resection extent and safety, and largely expands the population of patients who benefit from surgical treatment SECONDARY CATEGORY: n/a.