Surgical Outcome of Patients With Supratentorial Meningiomas Aged 80 Years or Older

Neurosurgery 94:399–412, 2024

Demographic changes will lead to an increase in old patients, a population with significant risk of postoperative morbidity and mortality, requiring neurosurgery for meningiomas. This multicenter study aims to report neurofunctional status after resection of patients with supratentorial meningioma aged 80 years or older, to identify factors associated with outcome, and to validate a previously proposed decision support tool.

METHODS: Neurofunctional status was assessed by the Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS). Patients were categorized in poor (KPS ≤40), intermediate (KPS 50-70), and good (KPS ≥80) preoperative subgroups. Volumetric analyses of tumor and peritumoral brain edema (PTBE) were performed; volumes were scored as small (<10 cm3 ), medium (10-50 cm3 ), and large (>50 cm3 ).

RESULTS: The study population consisted of 262 patients, and the median age at surgery was 83.0 years. The median preoperative KPS was 70; 117 (44.7%) patients were allotted to the good, 113 (43.1%) to the intermediate, and 32 (12.2%) to the poor subgroup. The median tumor and PTBE volumes were 30.2 cm 3 and 27.3 cm3 ; large PTBE volume correlated with poor preoperative KPS status (P = .008). The 90-day and 1-year mortality rates were 9.0% and 13.2%, respectively. Within the first postoperative year, 101 (38.5%) patients improved, 87 (33.2%) were unchanged, and 74 (28.2%) were functionally worse (including deaths). Each year increase of age associated with 44% (23%-70%) increased risk of 90-day and 1-year mortality. In total, 111 (42.4%) patients suffered from surgery-associated complications. Maximum tumor diameter ≥5 cm (odds ratio 1.87 [1.12-3.13]) and large tumor volume (odds ratio 2.35 [1.01-5.50]) associated with increased risk of complications. Among patients with poor preoperative status and large PTBE, most (58.3%) benefited from surgery.

CONCLUSION: Patients with poor preoperative neurofunctional status and large PTBE most often showed postoperative improvements. The decision support tool may be of help in identifying cases that most likely benefit from surgery.

The impact of multiple lesions on progression-free survival of meningiomas: a 10-year multicenter experience

J Neurosurg 137:9–17, 2022

Multiple meningiomas (MMs) occur in as many as 18% of patients with meningioma, and data on progression- free survival (PFS) are scarce. The objective of this study was to explore the influence of the number of lesions and clinical characteristics on PFS in patients with WHO grade I meningiomas.

METHODS The authors retrospectively reviewed the records of all adults diagnosed with a meningioma at their three main sites from January 2009 to May 2020. Progression was considered the time from diagnosis until radiographic growth of the originally resected meningioma. A secondary analysis was performed to evaluate the time of diagnosis until the time to second intervention (TTSI). Univariable and multivariable analyses were conducted to assess whether the number of lesions or any associated variables (age, sex, race, radiation treatment, tumor location, and extent of resection) had a significant impact on PFS and TTSI.

RESULTS Eight hundred thirty-eight patients were included. Use of a log-rank test to evaluate PFS and TTSI between a single and multiple lesions showed a significantly shorter progression for MM (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed significantly inferior PFS on MM compared to a single lesion (hazard ratio [HR] 2.262, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.392–3.677, p = 0.001) and a significantly inferior TTSI for patients with MM when compared to patients with a single meningioma (HR 2.377, 95% CI 1.617–3.494, p = 0.001). By testing the number of meningiomas as a continuous variable, PFS was significantly inferior for each additional meningioma (HR 1.350, 95% CI 1.074–1.698, p = 0.010) and TTSI was significantly inferior as well (HR 1.428, 95% CI 1.189–1.716, p < 0.001). African American patients had an inferior PFS when compared to non-Hispanic White patients (HR 3.472, 95% CI 1.083–11.129, p = 0.036).

CONCLUSIONS The PFS of meningiomas appears to be influenced by the number of lesions present. Patients with MM also appear to be more prone to undergoing a second intervention for progressive disease. Hence, a closer follow-up may be warranted in patients who present with multiple lesions. These results show a decreased PFS for each additional lesion present, as well as a shorter PFS for MM compared to a single lesion. When assessing associated risk factors, African American patients showed an inferior PFS, whereas older age and adjuvant therapy with radiation showed an improved PFS.

 

Clinical and Angioarchitectural Features of Hemorrhagic Brain Arterio-Venous Malformations in Adults and Children

Neurosurgery 89:645–652, 2021

Hemorrhage from brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs) is estimated at 3% per annum. Features influencing risk of hemorrhage include perforator/ posterior circulation supply, associated aneurysms, and deep drainage. Children are more likely to present with bAVM bleeds.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze differences in bAVM angioarchitecture between children and adults and describe predictors of poor outcome.

METHODS: Data were collected from adult and pediatric tertiary referral hospitals. Demographic data, bleed location, treatment, and follow-up modified Rankin Scale (mRS) were collected. Angioarchitectural assessment included aneurysm presence, nidus morphology, perinidal angiogenesis, intranidal shunting, steal phenomenon, venous ectasia, venous stenosis, venous reflux, and pseudophlebitic pattern. Regression analyses conducted to determine predictors of mRS > 2.

RESULTS: A total of 270 adult and 135 pediatric ruptured bAVMswere assessed.Median age was 42 (adults) and 10.9 (children) yr. Intranidal aneurysms were more frequent in children (P = .012), whereas prenidal aneurysms were more common in adults (P < .01). Children demonstrated more perinidal angiogenesis (P = .04), whereas steal phenomenon was commoner in adults (P<.01). Venous ectasia (P<.01), reflux (P<.01), and pseudophlebitic pattern (P = .012) were more frequent in adults. Children had better outcome (mRS score ≤ 2) (P < .01). Older age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.02), eloquent location (OR = 2.5), multicompartmental hemorrhage (OR = 1.98), venous reflux (OR = 2.5), diffuse nidus (OR = 1.83), pseudophlebitic pattern (OR = 1.96), intranidal shunts (OR = 2), and no treatment (OR = 3.68) were significant predictors of mRS > 2.

CONCLUSION: Children aremore likely to have intranidal aneurysms and perinidal angiogenesis, whereas adults have more prenidal aneurysms, venous ectasia, corticovenous reflux, and pseudophlebitic pattern. Eloquent location, diffuse nidus, intranidal shunts, venous reflux, and pseudophlebitic pattern predict poorer outcome.

Older Patients Have Better Pain Outcomes Following Microvascular Decompression for Trigeminal Neuralgia

Neurosurgery 84:116–122, 2019

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) increases in prevalence with age. Although microvascular decompression (MVD) is the most effective long-term operative treatment for TN, its use in older patient populations has been debated due to its invasive nature. Recent studies have demonstrated safety of MVD in older patients; however, efficacy data are more limited.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between age and pain outcomes following MVD for TN.

METHODS: Subjects underwent MVD for TN at our institution between 1/1/2004 and 12/31/2013, had typical TN, and demonstrated neurovascular compression on preoperative imaging.We performed a retrospective case series study by reviewing the electronic medical records and performing phone interviews to determine long-term outcomes. We divided patients into 2 groups for analysis, under 60 and 60 yr of age and older.

RESULTS: One hundred twenty-four subjects were included in the study, 82 under 60, and 42 60 yr of age and older. The average length of follow-up was 42.4 mo. Patients in the older age group had average pain score of 1.57 at most recent follow-up, while for the younger age group it was 2.18 (P = .0084). Multiple regression analysis found that older age, male gender, and preoperative medication responsiveness were significantly correlated with lower long-term pain scores, while V2 dermatome involvement was correlated with higher long-term pain scores.

CONCLUSION: Patients 60 yr of age and older have significantly better long-term pain outcomes following MVD than younger patients.

Prognostic Importance of Age, Tumor Location, and Tumor Grade in Grade II Astrocytomas

World Neurosurg. (2019) 121:e411-e418

Previous work in anaplastic astrocytoma (AA) demonstrated that the survival benefit from gross total resection (GTR) is modified by age and tumor location. Here, we determined the influence of age and tumor location on survival benefit from GTR in diffuse astrocytoma (DA).

METHODS: We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (1999-2010). We used Kaplan- Meier curves and Cox survival models to determine the survival benefit from GTR in populations stratified by age and tumor location. We determined the prevalence of the mutated isocitrate dehydrogenase (mIDH) using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA).

RESULTS: We identified 1980 patients with DA. For frontal DAs, GTR resulted in improved survival relative to subtotal resection in all ages (age ≤50 years hazard ratio [HR], 0.56; P [ 0.002; age >50 years HR, 0.41; P < 0.001). For nonfrontal DAs, only patients ≤50 years experienced improved survival with GTR (age ≤50 years HR, 0.55; P [ 0.002; age >50 years HR, 0.78; P [ 0.114). For patients ≤50 years with frontal tumors, survival was comparable between DA and AA after GTR (75% survival DA: 80 months, AA: 89 months, P [ 0.973). In TCGA, these tumors were nearly uniformly mIDH (DA: 98%; AA: 90%, P [ 0.11). However, for patients ≤50 years with nonfrontal tumors, there was a survival difference after GTR (75% survival DA: 80 months, AA: 30 months, P [ 0.001) despite comparable mIDH prevalence (DA: 82%, AA: 75%, P [ 0.49).

CONCLUSIONS: Age and tumor location modify the survival benefit derived from GTR in DA. Survival patterns in SEER imperfectly correlated with mIDH prevalence in TCGA, suggesting that tumor grade and mIDH status convey nonredundant prognostic information in select clinical contexts

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.

Age-related differences in unruptured intracranial aneurysms: 1-year outcomes

Aneurysm surgery

J Neurosurg 121:1024–1038, 2014

The aim of this study was to determine age-related differences in short-term (1-year) outcomes in patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs).

Methods. Four thousand fifty-nine patients prospectively enrolled in the International Study of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms were categorized into 3 groups by age at enrollment: < 50, 50–65, and > 65 years old. Outcomes assessed at 1 year included aneurysm rupture rates, combined morbidity and mortality from aneurysm procedure or hemorrhage, and all-cause mortality. Periprocedural morbidity, in-hospital morbidity, and poor neurological outcome on discharge (Rankin scale score of 3 or greater) were assessed in surgically and endovascularly treated groups. Univariate and multivariate associations of each outcome with age were tested.

Results. The risk of aneurysmal hemorrhage did not increase significantly with age. Procedural and in-hospital morbidity and mortality increased with age in patients treated with surgery, but remained relatively constant with increasing age with endovascular treatment. Poor neurological outcome from aneurysm- or procedure-related morbidity and mortality did not differ between management groups for patients 65 years old and younger, but was significantly higher in the surgical group for patients older than 65 years: 19.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 13.9%–24.4%), compared with 8.0% (95% CI 2.3%–13.6%) in the endovascular group and 4.2% (95% CI 2.3%–6.2%) in the observation group. All-cause mortality increased steadily with increasing age, but differed between treatment groups only in patients < 50 years of age, with the surgical group showing a survival advantage at 1 year.

Conclusions. Surgical treatment of UIAs appears to be safe, prevents 1-year hemorrhage, and may confer a survival benefit in patients < 50 years of age. However, surgery poses a significant risk of morbidity and death in patients > 65 years of age. Risk of endovascular treatment does not appear to increase with age. Risks and benefits of treatment in older patients should be carefully considered, and if treatment is deemed necessary for patients older than 65 years, endovascular treatment may be the best option.