Surgical neurology international最新文献

Background: Malaria, a prevalent disease in the developing world, is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Infection with Plasmodium falciparum, although uncommon, can lead to severe brain injury, including intracranial hemorrhages, resulting in serious neurological deficits. Malaria-induced coagulopathy, while rarely reported, poses a challenge in understanding the exact mechanisms behind the development of intracranial bleeds. Proposed mechanisms include sequestration of parasitized erythrocytes in the brain's microvasculature, leading to capillary occlusion, endothelial damage, cytokine activation, and dysregulation of the coagulation cascade.

Case description: We present the case of a 53-year-old male rapidly deteriorating following a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Upon admission, a computed tomography scan revealed bilateral acute on chronic hematomas, necessitating a lifesaving craniotomy. Subsequently, the patient experienced three consecutive recurrent intracranial bleeds post-surgery, attributed to Falciparum-induced coagulopathy. Prompt recognition and intervention stabilized the patient's condition, leading to discharge on the 4^th post-operative day.

Conclusion: This case underscores the challenges posed by consecutive recurrent intracranial bleeds following TBI exacerbated by P. falciparum infection. It highlights the obstinate nature of malaria-induced coagulopathy and underscores the importance of timely and aggressive interventions in managing such cases.

Background: Aggressive brain tumors like glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) pose a poor prognosis. While magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is crucial for GBM management, distinguishing it from other lesions using conventional methods can be difficult. This study explores advanced MRI techniques better to understand GBM properties and their link to patient outcomes.

Methods: We studied MRI scans of 157 GBM surgery patients from January 2020 to March 2024 to extract radiomic features and analyze the impact of fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) resection on survival using statistical methods, proportional hazards regression, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.

Results: Predictive models achieved high accuracy (area under the curve of 0.902) for glioma-grade prediction. FLAIR abnormality resection significantly improved survival, while diffusion-weighted image best-depicted tumor infiltration. Glioblastoma infiltration was best seen with advanced MRI compared to metastasis. Glioblastomas showed distinct features, including irregular shape, margins, and enhancement compared to metastases, which were oval or round, with clear edges and even contrast, and extensive peritumoral changes.

Conclusion: Advanced radiomic and machine learning analysis of MRI can provide noninvasive glioma grading and characterization of tumor properties with clinical relevance. Combining advanced neuroimaging with histopathology may better integrate oncology and radiology for optimized glioblastoma management. However, further studies are needed to validate these findings with larger datasets and assess additional MRI sequences and radiomic features.

Background: Intramedullary spinal cord metastases (ICSMs) are very rarely curable; these patients typically have very short-term survival rates. Here, a 22-year-old male with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) later developed ICSM twice; the first C4-C7 tumor responded well to surgery, radiation, and alectinib molecular-targeted therapy. The secondary ICSM C1 lesion seen years later (i.e., likely due to alectinib having been stopped) resolved once alectinib was again administered.

Case description: A 22-year-old male with a limited smoking history presented with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated with pulmonary surgery followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Four years later, he developed cervical myelopathy attributed to a C4-C7 stage IV NSCLC ICSM (i.e., notably associated with an anaplastic lymphoma kinase [ALK] rearrangement). After cervical surgery and irradiation (40 Gy/20 fr) of the resection cavity, he was also given alectinib; the patient remained disease-free for the next 7 years, remaining on alectinib. However, 1 year after alectinib was discontinued, he experienced a newly occurrent C1 ICSM lesion; the alectinib was restarted, and his tumor regressed over the next 3 years. At present, 14 years after the original ICSM surgery, the patient remains disease free but continued alectinib (Karnofsky Performance Scale: 90%).

Conclusion: Although the prognosis for ICSM is generally poor, molecular-targeted therapies, such as alectinib, as administered in this case, may provide long-term survival for patients with ALK-positive NSCLC tumors.

Background: Vagal paragangliomas (VPs) are rare tumors in the upper cervical region. Although surgical resection is the standard treatment for these tumors, it carries significant risks due to the tumor's high vascularity and proximity to vital structures. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for skull base paraganglioma could be a minimally invasive alternative.

Case description: We report the case of a 47-year-old man with a large, asymptomatic VP who was successfully treated with SRS with Gamma Knife Icon, which was performed in the parapharyngeal space (volume: 25.7 mL) using a marginal dose of 14 Gy to the 45% isodose line. This case illustrates the successful treatment of a lesion near the conventional limits (lower limit of C2 vertebral body) using noninvasive mask fixation. Excellent tumor control without neurological deficits was achieved for 25 months after SRS. The tumor volume decreased by 70% (final volume: 7.6 mL).

Conclusion: This study demonstrates the utility of Gamma Knife Icon, which facilitates optimal SRS for upper cervical lesions, including VPs.

Background: Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) is an effective intervention for managing hydrocephalus; however, various complications may arise, one of which is infection due to shunt exposure. In this study, we report the incidence, risk factors, clinical presentation, and management strategies of four cases of shunt exposure in patients with hydrocephalus.

Case description: The first case involves a 1-year-10-month-old female who underwent her initial VPS placement at 7 months old due to hydrocephalus. The second case is a 3-month-old female who had a VPS placed at 20 days old for obstructive hydrocephalus and ventriculomegaly secondary to toxoplasmosis. The third case is a 15-year-old female who received a VPS due to a cerebral abscess with a prior history of tuberculous meningoencephalopathy. The fourth case is a 38-year-old male who underwent VPS placement for hydrocephalus. Two years post-intervention, the fourth patient was diagnosed with VPS exposure and subsequently underwent shunt removal.

Conclusion: The identification of risk factors and clinical symptoms in patients, supported by ancillary examinations such as cerebrospinal fluid analysis, can predict the incidence of VPS infections. Bacterial VPS infections can be managed with appropriate antibiotics tailored to the specific bacterial species. However, in certain cases, surgical removal of the VPS may be considered as a measure to eradicate infectious pathogens.

Background: Metastasis from cancers of the cervix to the central nervous system is relatively uncommon. Small-cell neuroendocrine cancer of the cervix is a very rare tumor with a high tendency to spread early.

Case description: A 33-year-old-woman was diagnosed with a small-cell neuroendocrine cancer of the cervix after complaining about a long time of post-coital bleeding. The patient was treated with eight cycles of chemotherapy and whole pelvis consolidation radiotherapy. One year later, the patient experienced local recurrence with metastases to the liver, left adrenal, and brain. Brain metastases were treated with radiosurgery. The patient started immunotherapy. Two months later, the patient was presented to the emergency department with urinary incontinence, neck pain, and difficulty walking. She was then diagnosed with craniospinal leptomeningeal disease (LMD). The patient received craniospinal palliative radiation therapy. The disease activity was severely progressive, and the patient passed out within 10 days after being diagnosed with cranial LMD.

Conclusion: A high index of suspicion for LMD is essential in patients diagnosed with cervix cancer who present with unexplained neurologic symptoms, especially with the high-grade neuroendocrine cancer type. Implementing robust research to uncover the biology of these aggressive tumors is important due to the rarity of this pathology.

Background: The pterional craniotomy, described by Yasargil and Fox in 1975, constitutes the most traditional and important surgical access in vascular neurosurgery. Minimally invasive alternatives include the minipterional (MP) and lateral supraorbital (LSO) craniotomies, which avoid complications such as injury to the frontal branch of the facial nerve, temporal muscle dysfunction, depression of the craniotomy site, frontal sinus opening, and cosmetically unacceptable outcomes. We evaluated and compared the exposures provided by MP and LSO craniotomies through quantitative measurements of the surgical exposure area around the circle of Willis and parasellar regions, as well as angular and linear exposures of the internal carotid artery (ICA) bifurcation, middle cerebral artery (MCA), midpoint of the anterior communicating artery, and tip of the basilar artery (BA).

Methods: Seven fresh cadavers were dissected at the São Paulo Medical Examiner's Office, SP, and three at the skull base laboratory of Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, USA. The craniotomies were performed sequentially, initially with the LSO craniotomy followed by the MP. After the craniotomy, the surgical exposure area, craniotomy area, and angular exposures in the horizontal and vertical axes were determined.

Results: The MP craniotomy provided better angular exposure for the ipsilateral MCA, while the LSO craniotomy and BA provided better vertical axis exposures. The LSO craniotomy provided better angular exposure in the vertical axis for the midpoint of the anterior communicating artery and contralateral ICA bifurcation. Regarding surgical exposure and craniotomy area, there were no statistically significant differences.

Conclusion: The MP craniotomy offers a significantly larger surgical exposure compared to the LSO craniotomy, with specific advantages regarding angular exposure to important neurovascular structures. This study provides important quantitative data to guide the choice between these minimally invasive access techniques in vascular neurosurgery.

Background: Utilizing computed tomography (CT) studies, we correlated cervical spinal canal diameters (SCDs) with pedicle size between the C3 and C7 levels to more safely perform posterior cervical surgery.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed CT studies for 71 patients with cranial or spinal disorders and correlated the cervical SCD with the pedicle outer width (POW) between the C3 and C7 levels. Patients were divided into normal (SCD ≥12 mm at any level, n = 30) and stenosis groups (SCD <12 mm at any level, n = 41).

Results: C7 exhibited the largest SCD and POW values, while C3 and C4 exhibited the smallest SCD and POW values. Moderate correlations (r = 0.3, P = 0.002) were observed at the C3 and C4 levels but no significant correlations were observed from the C5 to C7 levels. For SCD values, the normal group demonstrated significantly greater values between the C3 and C7 levels versus the stenosis group. For POW values, only the C4 level differed significantly between the two groups (P = 0.014, Mann-Whitney U-test).

Conclusion: Preoperative pedicle size evaluation remains an essential manoeuvre before performing cervical C3-C7 pedicle screw placement. In 71 cervical CT studies, we found no consistent correlation between POW and SCD values, indicating that it is difficult to estimate POW values based on spinal canal size.

Background: Unilateral percutaneous balloon kyphoplasty (PBK) is increasingly utilized for the management of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs). Its potential advantages include procedural simplicity, reduced tissue trauma, and minimal radiation exposure.

Case description: A 59-year-old female with osteoporosis presented with back pain but was neurologically intact 2 weeks after a fall. The magnetic resonance imaging documented a thoracic 12 vertebral compression fracture that was successfully treated with a unilateral PBK.

Conclusion: Unilateral PBK appears promising for managing OVCFs in the aging population and offers rapid pain relief, vertebral height restoration, and functional improvement.

Background: This study aims to address the safety and efficacy of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in acute ischemic stroke with an established infarction equal to or >50 mL with a significant difference between penumbra and established infarction detected by perfusion cerebral computed tomography (CT) with the Rapid^® system.

Methods: This was a retrospective case-control study. Patients diagnosed with established and extensive ischemic stroke, defined by an ischemic volume equal to or >50 mL on CT or magnetic resonance imaging perfusion using the RAPID^® system, were examined. The intervention group received endovascular interventional treatment with or without recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in addition to standard therapy, and the control group received conservative treatment with or without rt-PA plus standard therapy.

Results: A total of 59 patients were enrolled, including 38 in the intervention group and 21 in the control group. Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. Patient National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale at discharge was significantly different between the control (median 30, interquartile range [IQR] 13) and intervention group (median 8, IQR 14) (P < 0.001). Modified Rankin scale (mRS) scores were significantly different at discharge between intervention (median mRS 2, IQR 3) and controls (median mRS 5, IQR 1) (P = 0.002). These mRS differences remained significant at 90 days, with median (IQR) values of 2 (2.75) and 5 (1), respectively (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: MT is safe and effective for large-core ischemic strokes with significant perfusion mismatch, leading to better functional outcomes without significant complications compared to the best medical treatment.