Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Aug 2018
Multicenter StudyStereotactic radiosurgery for Spetzler-Martin Grade IV and V arteriovenous malformations: an international multicenter study.
OBJECTIVE Due to the complexity of Spetzler-Martin (SM) Grade IV-V arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), the management of these lesions remains controversial. The aims of this multicenter, retrospective cohort study were to evaluate the outcomes after single-session stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for SM Grade IV-V AVMs and determine predictive factors. METHODS The authors retrospectively pooled data from 233 patients (mean age 33 years) with SM Grade IV (94.4%) or V AVMs (5.6%) treated with single-session SRS at 8 participating centers in the International Gamma Knife Research Foundation. ⋯ CONCLUSIONS In this multi-institutional study, single-session SRS had limited efficacy in the management of SM Grade IV-V AVMs. Favorable outcome was only achieved in a minority of unruptured SM Grade IV-V AVMs, which supports less frequent utilization of SRS for the management of these lesions. A volume-staged SRS approach for large AVMs represents an alternative approach for high-grade AVMs, but it requires further investigation.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Aug 2018
ReviewDelayed facial palsy after microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm: friend or foe?
OBJECTIVE The authors investigated the incidence, clinical course, and predisposing factors associated with delayed facial palsy (DFP) following microvascular decompression (MVD). METHODS The authors reviewed the records of 310 patients (311 cases) who were followed after MVD for hemifacial spasm (HFS). Of these patients, 45 (14.5%) developed DFP after MVD. ⋯ In addition, preoperative botulinum neurotoxin injections negatively influenced the occurrence of DFP (p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS In this study, the incidence rate of DFP was slightly higher than previously reported values. Moreover, DFP can occur even when spasms disappear immediately after MVD, but the patients with DFP can fully recover within weeks.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Aug 2018
Comparative StudyIntraoperative test stimulation versus stereotactic accuracy as a surgical end point: a comparison of essential tremor outcomes after ventral intermediate nucleus deep brain stimulation.
OBJECTIVE Ventral intermediate nucleus deep brain stimulation (DBS) for essential tremor is traditionally performed with intraoperative test stimulation and conscious sedation, without general anesthesia (GA). Recently, the authors reported retrospective data on 17 patients undergoing DBS after induction of GA with standardized anatomical coordinates on T1-weighted MRI sequences used for indirect targeting. Here, they compare prospectively collected data from essential tremor patients undergoing DBS both with GA and without GA (non-GA). ⋯ The mean euclidean error was also similar between groups (non-GA, 1.1 ± 0.6 mm vs GA, 1.2 ± 0.5 mm; p = 0.92). No patient had an intraoperative complication, and the number of postoperative complications was not different between groups (non-GA, n = 1 vs GA, n = 10; p = 0.16). CONCLUSIONS DBS performed with the patient under GA to treat essential tremor is as safe and effective as traditional DBS surgery with intraoperative test stimulation while the patient is under conscious sedation without GA.
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The detection of glioblastoma (GBM) in biofluids offers potential advantages over existing paradigms for the diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of glial tumors. Biofluid-based detection of GBM focuses on detecting tumor-specific biomarkers in the blood and CSF. ⋯ Investigations into these 3 biological classifications span the range of locales for tumor-specific biomarker discovery, and combined, have the potential to significantly impact GBM diagnosis, monitoring for treatment response, and surveillance for recurrence. This review highlights the recent advancements in the development of biomarkers and their efficacy for the detection of GBM.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Aug 2018
Subarachnoid hemorrhage after surgical treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms.
OBJECTIVE Only a few previous studies have investigated subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) after surgical treatment in patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs). Given the improvement in long-term outcomes of embolization, more extensive data are needed concerning the true rupture rates after microsurgery in order to provide reliable information for treatment decisions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of and risk factors for postoperative SAH in patients with surgically treated UIAs. ⋯ An excellent outcome (modified Rankin Scale score of 0 or 1) was achieved in 816 (95.7%) of 852 cases overall and in 748 (98%) of 767 clippable UIAs at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS In this large case series, microsurgical treatment of UIAs was found to be safe and effective. Aneurysm location and unclippable morphologies were related to postoperative SAH in patients with surgically treated UIAs.