Category: complications

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Intracranial meningioma surgery in the elderly (over 65 years): prognostic factors and outcome

Tuberculum Sellae Meningiomas

Acta Neurochir 157 (9): 1549-1557

Meningiomas are more prevalent in elderly individuals; however, the surgical outcome and prognostic factors in this age group are unclear. This retrospective study aimed to identify the prognostic factors of elderly patients with intracranial meningiomas who underwent surgical resection.

Methods

Eighty-six patients (aged ≥65) diagnosed with an intracranial meningioma were surgically treated at our department. The clinical, radiological, and follow-up data were retrospectively reviewed. Univariate and multivariate logistic analyses were performed to identify relationships between factors [age, sex, neurological condition, concomitant disease, American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) classification, preoperative Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score, tumor location and size, peritumoral edema, and Simpson resection grade] and outcome.

Results

One patient (1.2 %) died within 30 days of surgery. The morbidity rate was 37.2 %. Postoperative morbidities occurred more frequently in the patients with preoperative neurological deficits than in those without (p = 0.049). Univariate analysis identified significant relationships between a low KPS score (≤70) at discharge and preoperative neurological deficits, low preoperative KPS score (≤70), and critical tumor location (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p = 0.04, respectively). In the multivariate logistic analysis, only the preoperative KPS score remained significant for the KPS score at discharge (p = 0.005); there was no significant association with the most recent KPS score.

Conclusion

The outcome of intracranial meningioma resection in elderly individuals is favorable if the preoperative KPS score is >70 and no neurological deficits are present. Treatment decisions should be patient-specific, and additional factors should be considered when operations are performed in patients with a low preoperative KPS score or neurological deficits.

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Impact of Age on Short-term Outcomes After Lumbar Fusion

Three-Dimensional Computed Tomography-Based Spinal Navigation in Minimally Invasive Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion4

Neurosurgery 77:347–354, 2015

The safety and efficacy of spinal fusion in the elderly population remains uncertain with conflicting data.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if elderly patients undergoing instrumented lumbar fusion have increased 30-day complication rates compared to younger patients.

METHODS: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program was used to identify all patients undergoing instrumented posterolateral lumbar fusion between 2005 and 2011. Patients were stratified by decade cohorts as follows: ,65, 65 to 75, 75 to 85, and $85 years old. All 30-day complications were grouped as overall composite morbidity and were compared using multivariate analysis.

RESULTS: A total of 1395 patients were identified and the overall 30-day complication rate was 11.47%. The complication rates were 9.04% and 14.05% for patients younger than 65 and older than 65, respectively. When stratified by decade cohorts, the complication rates were 9.04% for the ,65 cohort, 13.46% for the 65 to 75 cohort, 16.17% for the .75 to 85 cohort, and 4.00% for the $85 cohort. Multivariable regression analysis revealed no statistically significant difference between the ,65 and $65 age cohorts (odds ratio = 1.26; 95% confidence interval: 0.87-2.19). After stratifying into age cohorts, multivariable analyses revealed no difference in odds of postoperative complication occurrence for any age cohort when compared with the referent group (,65 years of age).

CONCLUSION: Patients older than 65 years of age have significantly higher rates of complications after lumbar fusion when compared to younger patients. However, multivariable analysis revealed that age was not an independent risk factor for complication occurrence after lumbar fusion.

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Complications and Resource Use Associated With Surgery for Chiari Malformation Type 1 in Adults

Dura_Splitting_Decompression_for_Chiari_I

Neurosurgery 77:261–268, 2015

Outcomes research on Chiari malformation type 1 (CM-1) is impeded by a reliance on small, single-center cohorts.

OBJECTIVE: To study the complications and resource use associated with adult CM-1 surgery using administrative data.

METHODS: We used a recently validated International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code algorithm to retrospectively study adult CM-1 surgeries from 2004 to 2010 in California, Florida, and New York using State Inpatient Databases. Outcomes included complications and resource use within 30 and 90 days of treatment. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify risk factors for morbidity and negative binomial models to determine risk-adjusted costs.

RESULTS: We identified 1947 CM-1 operations. Surgical complications were more common than medical complications at both 30 days (14.3% vs 4.4%) and 90 days (18.7% vs 5.0%) postoperatively. Certain comorbidities were associated with increased morbidity; for example, hydrocephalus increased the risk for surgical (odds ratio [OR] = 4.51) and medical (OR = 3.98) complications. Medical but not surgical complications were also more common in older patients (OR = 5.57 for oldest vs youngest age category) and male patients (OR = 3.19). Risk-adjusted hospital costs were $22530 at 30 days and $24852 at 90 days postoperatively. Risk-adjusted 90-day costs were more than twice as high for patients experiencing surgical ($46264) or medical ($65679) complications than for patients without complications ($18880).

CONCLUSION: Complications after CM-1 surgery are common, and surgical complications are more frequent than medical complications. Certain comorbidities and demographic characteristics are associated with increased risk for complications. Beyond harming patients, complications are also associated with substantially higher hospital costs. These results may help guide patient management and inform decision making for patients considering surgery.

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Aspirin is associated with an increased risk of subdural hematoma in normal-pressure hydrocephalus patients following shunt implantation

Subdural Hematoma

J Neurosurg 123:423–426, 2015

In this paper the authors investigate whether shunt-treated patients with normal-pressure hydrocephalus receiving aspirin therapy are at increased risk of developing subdural hematoma (SDH).

Methods Records from 80 consecutive patients who had undergone implantation of a cerebrospinal fluid shunt for the treatment of normal-pressure hydrocephalus were retrospectively reviewed.

Results Eleven cases of symptomatic SDH occurred, all among patients receiving aspirin or clopidogrel. The 5-year survival estimate was 0.3 (p < 0.0001) for users of aspirin and the hazard ratio was 12.8 (95% CI 3.1–53).

Conclusions Patients on an aspirin therapy regimen have a markedly increased risk of SDH after a shunt has been implanted for the treatment of normal-pressure hydrocephalus. Users of clopidogrel may have an even greater risk.

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Complications following cranioplasty: incidence and predictors in 348 cases

cranioplasty

J Neurosurg 123:182–188, 2015

The factors that contribute to periprocedural complications following cranioplasty, including patient-specific and surgery-specific factors, need to be thoroughly assessed. The aim of this study was to evaluate risk factors that predispose patients to an increased risk of cranioplasty complications and death.

Methods The authors conducted a retrospective review of all patients at their institution who underwent cranioplasty following craniectomy for stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage, epidural hematoma, subdural hematoma, and trauma between January 2000 and December 2011. The following predictors were tested: age, sex, race, diabetic status, hypertensive status, tobacco use, reason for craniectomy, urgency status of the craniectomy, graft material, and location of cranioplasty. The cranioplasty complications included reoperation for hematoma, hydrocephalus postcranioplasty, postcranioplasty seizures, and cranioplasty graft infection. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. Confidence intervals were calculated as the 95% CI.

Results Three hundred forty-eight patients were included in the study. The overall complication rate was 31.32% (109 of 348). The mortality rate was 3.16%. Predictors of overall complications in multivariate analysis were hypertension (OR 1.92, CI 1.22–3.02), increasing age (OR 1.02, CI 1.00–1.04), and hemorrhagic stroke (OR 3.84, CI 1.93–7.63). Predictors of mortality in multivariate analysis were diabetes mellitus (OR 7.56, CI 1.56–36.58), seizures (OR 7.25, CI 1.238–42.79), bifrontal cranioplasty (OR 5.40, CI 1.20–24.27), and repeated surgery for hematoma evacuation (OR 13.00, CI 1.51–112.02). Multivariate analysis was also applied to identify the variables that affect the development of seizures, the need for reoperation for hematoma evacuation, the development of hydrocephalus, and the development of infections.

Conclusions The authors’ goal was to provide the neurosurgeon with predictors of morbidity and mortality that could be incorporated in the clinical decision-making algorithm. Control of a patient’s risk factors and early recognition of complications may help practitioners avoid the exhaustive list of complications.

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Postoperative symptoms of psychosis after deep brain stimulation in patients with Parkinson’s disease

DBS 2 leads metal head holder

Neurosurg Focus 38 (6):E5, 2015

Cases of postoperative psychosis in Parkinson’s disease patients receiving deep brain stimulation (DBS) treatment have previously been published. However, the magnitude of symptom incidence and the clinical risk factors are currently unknown. This retrospective study sheds light on these issues by investigating psychosis in a group of 128 Parkinson’s disease patients who received DBS implants.

Methods A retrospective chart review was performed to obtain surgery dates, follow-up clinic visit dates, and associated stimulation parameter settings (contacts in use and the polarity of each along with stimulation voltage, frequency, and pulse width) for each patient. Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale II Thought Disorder scores, used as a clinical assessment tool to evaluate the presence of psychosis at each visit, were also collected. The data were compiled into a database and analyzed.

Results The lifetime incidence of psychosis in this cohort of patients was 28.1%. The data suggest that risk of psychosis remains fairly constant throughout the first 5 years after implantation of a DBS system and that patients older at the time of receiving the first DBS implant are not only more likely to develop psychosis, but also to develop symptoms sooner than their younger counterparts. Further analysis provides evidence that psychosis is largely independent of the clinically used electrode contact and of stimulation parameters prior to psychosis onset.

Conclusions Although symptoms of psychosis are widely seen in patients with Parkinson’s disease in the years following stimulator placement, results of the present suggest that most psychoses occurring postoperatively are likely independent of implantation and stimulation settings.

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Topographical Risk Factor Analysis of New Neurological Deficits Following Precentral Gyrus Resection

Topographical Risk Factor Analysis of New Neurological Deficits Following Precentral Gyrus Resection

Neurosurgery 76:714–720, 2015

Precentral gyrus resections (PGRs) have been regarded as excessively hazardous interventions because of the risk of postoperative major neurological complications.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the neurological deterioration that follows PGRs and to assess the topographical risk factors associated with these morbidities.

METHODS: We reviewed 33 consecutive patients who experienced pharmacologically intractable epilepsy and underwent PGR with intraoperative cortical stimulation and mapping while under awake anesthesia. The etiological diagnoses were brain neoplasm in 26 patients (78.8%), cortical lesion in 4 (12.1%), and no lesion in 3 (9.1%). The mean follow-up period was 62.6 months (range, 12-146 months). All topographical analyses of the resected quadrant area were performed based on postoperative magnetic resonance images.

RESULTS: After PGR, 22 patients (66.7%) experienced neurological worsening, including 5 permanent deficits (15.2%) and 17 transient deficits (51.5%). Permanent deficits included 2 instances of weakness, 1 dysarthria, 1 dysesthesia, and 1 fine-movement disturbance of the hand. While the neurological risk for anterior lower quadrant PGR was 20.0% (1/5), the risk for posterior upper quadrant PGR was 100.0% (10/10). The anterior upper and posterior lower quadrant PGR caused neurological deteriorations in 60.0% (6/10) and 62.5% (5/8) of the patients, respectively. In a multivariate analysis, PGR of the posterior and upper quadrant sections were significant risk factors for post-PGR neurological deteriorations (P = .022 and 0.030, respectively).

CONCLUSION: The posterior upper quadrant of the precentral gyrus was vulnerable to post-resective neurological impairment.

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Clinical factors associated with venous thromboembolism risk in patients undergoing craniotomy

Awake craniotomy for gliomas in a high-field intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging suite

J Neurosurg 122:1004–1011, 2015

Patients undergoing craniotomy are at risk for developing venous thromboembolism (VTE). The safety of anticoagulation in these patients is not clear. The authors sought to identify risk factors predictive of VTE in patients undergoing craniotomy.

METHODS The authors reviewed a national surgical quality database, the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. Craniotomy patients were identified by current procedural terminology code. Clinical factors were analyzed to identify associations with VTE.

RESULTS Four thousand eight hundred forty-four adult patients who underwent craniotomy were identified. The rate of VTE in the cohort was 3.5%, including pulmonary embolism in 1.4% and deep venous thrombosis in 2.6%. A number of factors were found to be statistically significant in multivariate binary logistic regression analysis, including craniotomy for tumor, transfer from acute care hospital, age ≥ 60 years, dependent functional status, tumor involving the CNS, sepsis, emergency surgery, surgery time ≥ 4 hours, postoperative urinary tract infection, postoperative pneumonia, on ventilator ≥ 48 hours postoperatively, and return to the operating room. Patients were assigned a score based on how many of these factors they had (minimum score 0, maximum score 12). Increasing score was predictive of increased VTE incidence, as well as risk of mortality, and time from surgery to discharge.

CONCLUSIONS Patients undergoing craniotomy are at low risk of developing VTE, but this risk is increased by preoperative medical comorbidities and postoperative complications. The presence of more of these clinical factors is associated with progressively increased VTE risk; patients possessing a VTE Risk Score of ≥ 5 had a greater than 20-fold increased risk of VTE compared with patients with a VTE score of 0.

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Infections in patients undergoing craniotomy: risk factors associated with post-craniotomy meningitis

awake craniotomy

J Neurosurg 122:1113–1119, 2015

The authors performed a prospective study to define the prevalence and microbiological characteristics of infections in patients undergoing craniotomy and to clarify the risk factors for post-craniotomy meningitis.

Methods Patients older than 18 years who underwent nonstereotactic craniotomies between January 2006 and December 2008 were included. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and microbiological data were systemically recorded. Patient characteristics, craniotomy type, and pre- and postoperative variables were evaluated as risk factors for meningitis

Results Three hundred thirty-four procedures were analyzed (65.6% involving male patients). Traumatic brain injury was the most common reason for craniotomy. Almost 40% of the patients developed at least 1 infection. Ventilatorassociated pneumonia (VAP) was the most common infection recorded (22.5%) and Acinetobacter spp. were isolated in 44% of the cases. Meningitis was encountered in 16 procedures (4.8%), and CSF cultures were positive for microbial growth in 100% of these cases. Gram-negative pathogens (Acinetobacter spp., Klebsiella spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter cloaceae, Proteus mirabilis) represented 88% of the pathogens. Acinetobacter and Klebsiella spp. demonstrated a high percentage of resistance in several antibiotic classes. In multivariate analysis, the risk for meningitis was independently associated with perioperative steroid use (OR 11.55, p = 0.005), CSF leak (OR 48.03, p < 0.001), and ventricular drainage (OR 70.52, p < 0.001).

Conclusions: Device-related postoperative communication between the CSF and the environment, CSF leak, and perioperative steroid use were defined as risk factors for meningitis in this study. Ventilator-associated pneumonia was the most common infection overall. The offending pathogens presented a high level of resistance to several antibiotics.

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Incidence and Clinical Implications of Carotid Branch Occlusion Following Treatment of Internal Carotid Artery Aneurysms With the Pipeline Embolization Device

Incidence and Clinical Implications of Carotid Branch Occlusion Following Treatment of Internal Carotid Artery Aneurysms With the Pipeline Embolization Device

Neurosurgery 76:173–178, 2015

The use of flow diverters such as the pipeline embolization device (PED) for treatment of intracranial aneurysms carries the risk of side branch occlusion.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence and clinical outcomes associated with supraclinoid internal carotid artery (ICA) branch occlusion after deployment of PEDs for ICA aneurysms.

METHODS: We reviewed patients who underwent endovascular treatment with PEDs for ICA aneurysms between June 2011 and March 2013. Forty-nine patients (43 women, mean age 56.36 1.8 years, 68 aneurysms) in whom PEDs traversed the origin of supraclinoid ICA branches (ophthalmic [OA], posterior communicating [PcommA], and anterior choroidal artery [AChA]) were selected for this study. Follow-up angiograms (mean follow-up, 12.8 6 0.8 months) were studied to determine the location of PEDs and the patency of ICA branches.

RESULTS: PEDs were placed across the ostia of 49 OAs, 14 PcommAs, and 11 AChAs. Multiple PEDs were deployed in 16 patients. Rate of branch occlusion was 4% (2/49) for the OA, 7.1% (1/14) for the PcommA, and 0% for the AChA. Patients with branch occlusion did not endure new neurological deficits. ICA branch occlusion was not associated with the number of PEDs covering the ostia (P = .76) or the origin of ICA branches from the aneurysm (P = .24).

CONCLUSION: The incidence of major supraclinoid ICA branch occlusion after treatment with PEDs was low. These events were not associated with new neurological deficits nor were they related to the number of PEDs deployed or the origin of ICA branches from the aneurysm.

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Complications of occipitocervical fusion: a 316 cases retrospective analysis

Occipito-cervical fusion

Eur Spine J (2014) 23:1720–1724

Disorders in occipitocervical region are difficult to treat. Complications often occur after fusion surgery and may be life-threatening in severe cases. This study is to investigate the causes and treatment strategies for the postoperative complications of occipitocervical fusion.

Methods Between May 1985 and May 2011, 316 patients with various occipitocervical diseases underwent occipitocervical surgery, with or without internal fixation. Two physicians were assigned for patients follow-up. Their medical records and radiographs were reviewed and the postoperative complications, including those at the occipitocervical region and donor site, were analyzed.

Results Three hundred cases were followed up from 24 months to 26 years with an average of 9 years and 8 months, and the follow-up rate was 94.9 %. There were 16 cases with complications after surgery in the uninstrumented fusion group; the incidence was 33.3 %. These included 11 patients (22.9 %) with complications in occipitocervical region and five patients (11.9 %) with donor-site complications. 45 complications presented in the instrumented fusion group, the incidence was 17.9 %. These included 30 patients (11.9 %) with complications in occipitocervical region and 15 patients (5.9 %) with donorsite complications. Perioperative complications included vertebral artery injury, spinal cord injury, nerve root injury, suffocation, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and infection. Mid- to long-term complications included bone-graft displacement or absorption, aggravated vertebral dislocation, improper screw placement, spinous process fracture, and internal fixation breakage. Donor-site complications were hematoma, pain and infection.

Conclusion The surgery of occipitocervical fusion carries a relative high risk for complications, especially if no instrumentation is used. The key points in reducing complications are the surgeon’s familiarity with the anatomy of occipitocervical region and the appropriate internal fixation.

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Hemorrhagic complications of ventriculostomy: incidence and predictors in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage

Optimal trajectory of endoscopic third ventriculostomy

J Neurosurg 120:931–936, 2014

Ventriculostomy—the placement of an external ventricular drain (EVD)—is a common procedure performed in patients with acute neurological injury. Although generally considered a low-risk intervention, recent studies have cited higher rates of hemorrhagic complications than those previously reported. The authors sought to determine the rate of postventriculostomy hemorrhage in a cohort of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and to identify predictors of hemorrhagic complications of EVD placement.

Methods. Patients with ICH who underwent EVD placement and had both pre- and postprocedural imaging available for analysis were included in this study. Relevant data were prospectively collected for each patient who satisfied inclusion criteria. Variables with a p < 0.20 on univariate analyses were included in a stepwise logistic regression model to identify predictors of postventriculostomy hemorrhage.

Results. Sixty-nine patients were eligible for this analysis. Postventriculostomy hemorrhage occurred in 31.9% of patients. Among all patients with intraparenchymal hemorrhage, the mean hemorrhage volume was 0.66 ± 1.06 cm3. Stratified according to ventricular catheter diameter, patients treated with smaller-diameter catheters had a significantly greater mean hemorrhage volume than patients treated with larger-diameter catheters (0.84 ± 1.2 cm3 vs 0.14 ± 0.12 cm3, p = 0.049). Postventriculostomy hemorrhage was clinically significant in only 1 patient (1.4%). Overall, postventriculostomy hemorrhage was not associated with functional outcome or mortality at either discharge or 90 days. In the multivariate model, an age > 75 years was the only independent predictor of EVD-associated hemorrhage.

Conclusions. Advanced age is predictive of EVD-related hemorrhage in patients with ICH. While postventriculostomy hemorrhage is common, it appears to be of minor clinical significance in the majority of patients.

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Surgical complications after transsphenoidal microscopic and endoscopic surgery for pituitary adenoma: a consecutive series of 506 procedures

Treatment of acromegaly by endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery

Acta Neurochir (2014) 156:441–449

This single-institution, consecutive series of transsphenoidal procedures included all patients in a defined population of 2.6 million inhabitants who underwent surgery during a specific time period.

Objective We sought to determine the surgical complication rate and overall survival rate after transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenoma.

Methods All transsphenoidal procedures for histologically verified pituitary adenomas performed between September 2002 and February 2011 at our institution were included in this study. The data were obtained from a prospectively collected database and from reviewing medical records. No patients were lost to follow-up, and the median follow-up time was 28 months.

Results A total of 506 transsphenoidal procedures were performed on 446 patients. There were 268 microscopic and 238 endoscopic procedures involving 352 non-functioning and 154 hormone-secreting adenomas. A total of 73 % of the procedures were primary surgeries, and 27 % were repeat surgeries for tumor recurrence. The overall complication rate was 9.1 %. The three most frequent complications were cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage (4.7 %), meningitis (2 %), and visual deterioration (2 %). Multivariate analyses showed that the overall risk for complications increased with older age, surgery for recurrent tumors, and surgery performed by a low-volume surgeon. There was no significant difference in the overall complication rate between the microsurgical and endoscopic techniques. The rate of surgical mortality was 0.6 %, and the overall survival rates at 1 and 5 years were 95 % and 90 %, respectively. The only negative predictor of survival was older age.

Conclusions Transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenomas has a low complication rate and a low rate of mortality. We did not find a significant difference in the complication rate between endoscopic and microscopic techniques.

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Analysis of the relationship between different bleeding positions on intraoperative rupture anterior circulation aneurysm and surgical treatment outcome

Intraoperative rupture anterior circulation aneurrysms

Acta Neurochir (2014) 156:481–491

It is well recognized that intraoperative aneurysm rupture (IAR) is a serious event that is difficult to manage and has a relatively serious influence on a patient’s prognosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of different bleeding positions of IAR in patients, and to describe the technique that the authors have used to clip the ruptured aneurysms.

Methods From May 2009 to March 2012, a total of 148 aneurysms in 135 consecutive patients in our institution underwent clipping surgeries, and 31 IARs occurred in 30 patients. The clinical data of all patients were retrospectively analyzed. Statistics analysis was performed to analyze possible factors of different bleeding positions of IARs, to assist observation.

Results Outcome was estimated by Glasgow outcome scale via following up or calling back within 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery: 94 patients were 5’, 23 patients were 4’, nine patients were 3’, two patients were 2’ and eight patients were 1’. There was no significant difference between the outcome of IAR and that of no intraoperative aneurysm rupture (NIAR) in Hunt–Hess groups 0–III (P =0.802) and Hunt–Hess groups IV–V (P =0.229), and the different bleeding positions were shown to be an important factor that significantly influences the patients’ prognosis (P=0.001).

Conclusions Different bleeding positions of IAR have a significant impact on surgical outcome; IAR of the neck is the most devastating complication. If surgeons take appropriate measures according to different bleeding positions, the efficiency, accuracy and security of the operation will be improved

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Intraoperative rerupture during surgical treatment of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage is not associated with an increased risk of vasospasm

aneurysm

J Neurosurg 120:409–414, 2014

Intraoperative rerupture during open surgical clipping of cerebral aneurysms in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)is a relatively frequent and potentially catastrophic occurrence. Patients who suffer rerupture have been shown to have worse outcomes at discharge compared with those who do not have rerupture. Perioperative injury likely plays a large part in the clinical worsening of these patients. However, due to the increased vessel manipulation and repeat exposure to acute hemorrhage, it is possible that secondary injury from increased incidence of vasospasm also contributes. Identifying an increased rate of vasospasm in these patients would justify early aggressive treatment with measures to prevent delayed cerebral ischemia. The authors investigated whether patients who suffer intraoperative rerupture during surgical treatment of ruptured cerebral aneurysms are at increased risk of developing vasospasm.

Methods. Five hundred consecutive patients treated with open surgical clipping for SAH were reviewed, and clinical and imaging data were collected. Angiographic vasospasm was defined as vessel narrowing believed to be consistent with vasospasm on angiography. Symptomatic vasospasm was defined as angiographic vasospasm in the setting of a clinical change attributable to vasospasm. Rates of angiographic and symptomatic vasospasm among patients with and without intraoperative rerupture were compared.

Results. There were no significant differences between the groups with and without rupture with respect to age, sex, modified Fisher grade, history of hypertension, or smoking. The group with intraoperative rupture had more patients with Hunt and Hess Grade I. Angiographic vasospasm was noted in 279 (66%) of the 425 patients without rerupture compared with 49 (65%) of the 75 patients with rerupture (p = 1.0, Fisher’s exact test). Symptomatic vasospasm was noted in 154 (36%) of the 425 patients without rerupture, compared with 31 (41%) of the 75 patients with rerupture (p = 0.44, Fisher’s exact test). In multivariate analysis, higher modified Fisher grade was significantly predictive of vasospasm, whereas older age and male sex were protective.

Conclusions. This study found no significant influence of intraoperative rerupture during open surgical clipping on the rate of angiographic or symptomatic vasospasm. Brief exposure to acute hemorrhage and vessel manipulation associated with rerupture events did not affect the rate of vasospasm. Risk of vasospasm was related to increased modified Fisher grade, and inversely related to age and male sex. These results do not justify early, targeted vasospasm therapy in patients with intraoperative rerupture.

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Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt 30-Day Failure Rate

Gravity assisted vs. medium pressure valves for communicating hydrocephalus show similar valve-revision rates

Neurosurgery 74:29–34, 2014

With the need for transparency of surgical results, 30-day outcome measures have become increasingly important. Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt failure is a substantial burden to patients and health care systems.

OBJECTIVE: This study introduces the 30-day VP shunt failure rate as a possible barometer of surgical outcome and demonstrates its use in a national (United Kingdom [UK]) study and makes comparison with 2 published randomized, controlled trials (RCT).

METHODS: A cohort study of all (except 1) pediatric neurosurgical centers in the UK and Ireland. All new and revision VP shunt operations were recorded for 2008 and 2009. Both newly placed and revised VP shunts were subject to Kaplan-Meier analysis, and 30-day failure rate was obtained. Data from 2 RCTs investigating new VP shunt technology were analyzed, and the 30-day failure rate was extracted for comparative purposes.

RESULTS: The overall 30-day and 1-year failure rates for new shunts were 12.9% and 28.8%, respectively. The 30-day failure rate from 2 RCTs was comparable (14% and 16%, respectively). The failure rate of the subsequent revision of those new shunts was 20.7% at 30 days and 40.4% at 1 year. According to these data, shunt survival appears to be better if performed by a consultant pediatric neurosurgeon for revision surgery only.

CONCLUSION: VP shunt survival in the UK is comparable to the published multicenter data investigating shunt survival. The 30-day failure rate may represent a better barometer of surgical outcome and should be used as a separate outcome measure in the design of future trials.

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The complications and the position of the Codman MicroSensor™ ICP device: an analysis of 549 patients and 650 Sensors

intraparenchymal

Acta Neurochir (2013) 155:2141–2148

Complications of and insertion depth of the Codman MicroSensor ICP monitoring device (CMS) is not well studied. Objective To study complications and the insertion depth of the CMS in a clinical setting.

Methods We identified all patients who had their intracranial pressure (ICP) monitored using a CMS device between 2002 and 2010. The medical records and post implantation computed tomography (CT) scans were analyzed for occurrence of infection, hemorrhage and insertion depth.

Results In all, 549 patients were monitored using 650 CMS. Mean monitoring time was 7.0±4.9 days. The mean implantation depth was 21.3±11.1mm(0–88 mm). In 27 of the patients, a haematoma was identified; 26 of these were less than 1 ml, and one was 8 ml. No clinically significant bleeding was found. There was no statistically significant increase in the number of hemorrhages in presumed coagulopathic patients. The infection rate was 0.6 % and the calculated infection rate per 1,000 catheter days was 0.8.

Conclusion The risk for hemorrhagic and infectious complications when using the CMS for ICP monitoring is low. The depth of insertion varies considerably and should be taken into account if patients are treated with head elevation, since the pressure is measured at the tip of the sensor. To meet the need for ICP monitoring, an intraparenchymal ICP monitoring device should be preferred to the use of an external ventricular drainage (EVD).

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Incidence and Risk Factors for Dysphagia After Anterior Cervical Fusion

ACDF

Spine 2013;38:1820–1825

Study Design. Retrospective database analysis.

Objective. To determine the national incidence, mortality, and risk factors for dysphagia associated with anterior cervical spinal fusion surgery in the United States.

Summary of Background Data. Dysphagia is a known complication associated with anterior cervical fusion (ACF). A population-based database was analyzed to characterize the incidence of dysphagia in terms of demographics, mortality, and risk factors associated with ACF.

Methods. Data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project were obtained from 2002 to 2009. Patients undergoing ACF for cervical myelopathy and/ or radiculopathy were identifi ed and separated into cohorts (1- to 2-level and 3 + -level fusions), and incidences of dysphagia were identifi ed. Demographics, length of stay, costs, mortality, and use of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) were assessed. Statistical data were analyzed in SPSS (version 20), using the Student t test for discrete variables and the χ 2 test for categorical data. Binomial logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of dysphagia. A P value of less than 0.001 was used to denote signifi cance.

Results. A total of 159,590 ACF cases were identified of which 139,434 were 1- to 2-level ACF and 20,156 were 3 + -level ACF. The incidence of dysphagia in the 3 + -level ACF group was double that of the 1- to 2-level ACF group (44.8 vs . 22.4 per 1000; P < 0.001). Patients with dysphagia were significantly older than patients without dysphagia ( P < 0.001). Dysphagia was more common in males undergoing 1- to 2-level ACF ( P < 0.001). BMP was used more frequently for patients with dysphagia in the 1- to 2-level ACF group (9.4% vs . 7.2% of cases; P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that independent predictors for dysphagia included age ( ≥ 65 yr), male sex, 3 + -level fusion, BMP use, and preoperative patient comorbidities.

Conclusion. Dysphagia occurs twice as often after 3 + -level ACF compared with 1- to 2-level ACF. Utilization of BMP was also linked to an increased incidence of dysphagia in the 1- to 2-level ACF group. Regardless of the number of levels fused, patients experiencing dysphagia had increased age, comorbid risk factors, hospitalizations, and costs.

Level of Evidence: 3

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Pathophysiology of shunt dysfunction in shunt treated hydrocephalus

Pathophysiology of shunt dysfunction in shunt

Acta Neurochir (2013) 155:1763–1772

We hypothesized that shunt dysfunction in the ventricular catheter and the shunt valve is caused by different cellular responses. We also hypothesized that the cellular responses depend on different pathophysiological mechanisms.

Methods Removed shunt material was collected. Macroscopic tissue in the catheters was paraffin-embedded and HE-stained. Valves were incubated with trypsin-EDTA in order to detach macroscopically invisible biomaterial, which was then cytospinned and HE-stained. Associated aetiological and surgical data were collected by reviewing patient files, and ventricular catheter position was examined using preoperative radiology (CT scans).

Results We examined eleven ventricular catheters and ten shunt valves. Catheters: 6/11 catheters contained intraluminal tissue consisting of vascularised glial tissue and inflammatory cells (macrophages/giant cells and a few eosinophils). Catheter adherence correlated with the presence of intraluminal tissue, and all tissue containing catheters had some degree of ventricle wall contact. All obstructed catheters contained intraluminal tissue, except one catheter that was dysfunctional because of lost ventricular contact. Valves: Regardless of intraoperative confirmation of valve obstruction, all ten valves contained an almost uniform cellular response of glial cells (most likely ependymal cells), macrophages/giant cells, and lymphomonocytic cells. Some degree of ventricle wall catheter contact was present in all examined valves with available radiology (9/10).

Conclusions The same cellular responses (i.e., glial cells and inflammatory cells) cause both catheter obstruction and valve obstruction. We propose two synergistic pathophysiological mechanisms. (1) Ventricle wall/parenchymal contact by the catheter causesmechanical irritation of the parenchyma including ependymal exfoliation. (2) The shunt material provokes an inflammatory reaction, either nonspecific or specific. In combination, these mechanisms cause obstructive tissue ingrowth (glial and inflammatory) in the catheter and clogging of the valve by exfoliated glial cells and reactive inflammatory cells.

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Early awareness of cerebrospinal fluid hypovolemia after craniotomy for microsurgical aneurysmal clipping

Early awareness of cerebrospinal fluid hypovolemia after craniotomy for microsurgical aneurysmal clipping

Acta Neurochir (2013) 155:1543–1548

Mild cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) hypovolemia is a well-known clinical entity, but critical CSF hypovolemia that can cause transtentorial herniation is an unusual and rare clinical entity that occurs after craniotomy. We investigated CSF hypovolemia after microsurgical aneurysmal clipping for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).

Method This study included 144 consecutive patients with SAH. Lumbar drainage (LD) was inserted after general anesthesia or postoperatively as a standard perioperative protocol. CSF hypovolemia diagnosis was based on three criteria.

Results Eleven patients (7.6 %) were diagnosed with CSF hypovolemia according to diagnostic criteria in a postoperative range of 0–8 days. In all patients, signs or symptoms of CSF hypovolemia improved within 24 hours by clamping LD and using the Trendelenburg position.

Conclusions As a cause of acute clinical deterioration after aneurysmal clipping, CSF hypovolemia is likely underrecognized, and may actually be misdiagnosed as vasospasm or brain swelling. We should always take the etiology of CSF hypovolemia into consideration, and especially pay attention in patients with pneumocephalus and subdural fluid collection alongside brain sag on computed tomography. These patients are at higher risk developing of pressure gradients between their cranial and spinal compartments, and therefore, brain sagging after LD, than after ventricular drainage. We should be vigilant to strictly manage LD so as not to produce high pressure gradients.

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