Tag: Neurosurgical procedures

Posted on

Clinical outcome after surgical management of spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma

Acta Neurochirurgica (2024) 166:277

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH) is a rare pathology characterized by a hemorrhage in the spinal epidural space without prior surgical or interventional procedure. Recent literature reported contradictory findings regarding the clinical, radiological and surgical factors determining the outcome, hence the objective of this retrospective analysis was to re-assess these outcome-determining factors.

Methods Patients surgically treated for SSEH at our institution from 2010 – 2022 were screened and retrospectively assessed regarding management including the time-to-treatment, the pre-and post-treatment clinical status, the radiological findings as well as other patient-specific parameters. The outcome was assessed using the modified McCormick Scale. Statistical analyses included binary logistic regression and Fisher’s exact test.

Results In total, 26 patients (17 men [65%], 9 women [35%], median age 70 years [interquartile range 26.5]) were included for analysis. The SSEHs were located cervically in 31%, cervicothoracically in 42% and thoracically in 27%. Twenty-four patients (92%) improved after surgery. Fifteen patients (58%) had a postoperative modified McCormick Scale grade of I (no residual symptoms) and 8 patients (31%) had a grade of II (mild symptoms). Only 3 (12%) patients remained with a modified McCormick Scale grade of IV or V (severe motor deficits / paraplegic). Neither time-to-treatment, craniocaudal hematoma expansion, axial hematoma occupation of the spinal canal, anticoagulation or antiplatelet drugs, nor the preoperative clinical status were significantly associated with the patients’ outcomes.

Conclusion Early surgical evacuation of SSEH generally leads to favorable clinical outcomes. Surgical hematoma evacuation should be indicated in all patients with symptomatic SSEH.

Posted on

Subarachnoid hemorrhage after surgical treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms

J Neurosurg 129:490–497, 2018

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.

METHODS Data from 702 consecutive patients harboring 852 surgically treated UIAs were evaluated. Surgical treatments included neck clipping (complete or incomplete), coating/wrapping, trapping, proximal occlusion, and bypass surgery. Clippable UIAs were defined as UIAs treated by complete neck clipping. The annual incidence of postoperative SAH and risk factors for SAH were studied using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression models.

RESULTS The patients’ median age was 64 years (interquartile range [IQR] 56–71 years). Of 852 UIAs, 767 were clippable and 85 were not. The mean duration of follow-up was 731 days (SD 380 days). During 1708 aneurysm years, there were 4 episodes of SAH, giving an overall average annual incidence rate of 0.23% (95% CI 0.12%–0.59%) and an average annual incidence rate of 0.065% (95% CI 0.0017%–0.37%) for clippable UIAs (1 episode of SAH, 1552 aneurysmyears). Basilar artery location (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 23, 95% CI 2.0–255, p = 0.0012) and unclippable UIA status (adjusted HR 15, 95% CI 1.1–215, p = 0.046) were significantly related to postoperative SAH. 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.

 

Posted on

The paramedian supracerebellar transtentorial approach to the posterior fusiform gyrus

the-paramedian-supracerebellar-transtentorial-approach-to-the-posterior-fusiform-gyrus

Acta Neurochir (2016) 158:2149–2154

The posterior fusiform gyrus lies in a surgically challenging region. Several approaches have been described to access this anatomical area. The paramedian supracerebellar transtentorial (SCTT) approach benefits from minimal disruption of normal neurovascular tissue. The aim of this study was to demonstrate its application to access the posterior fusiform gyrus.

Methods Three brains and six cadaveric heads were examined. A stepwise dissection of the SCTT approach to the posterior fusiform gyrus was performed. Local cortical anatomy was studied. The operability score was applied for comparative analysis on surgical anatomy.

Results The major posterior landmark used to identify the fusiform gyrus with respect to the medial occipitotemporal gyrus was the collateral sulcus, which commonly bifurcated at its caudal extent. Compared with other surgical approaches addressed to access the region, SCTT demonstrated the best operability in terms of maneuverability arc. Favorable tentorial anatomy is the only limiting factor.

Conclusions The supracerebellar transtentorial approach is able to provide access to the posterior fusiform gyrus via a minimally disruptive, anatomic, microsurgical corridor.

Posted on

How Safe Is Arteriovenous Malformation Surgery? A Prospective, Observational Study of Surgery As First-Line Treatment for Brain Arteriovenous Malformations

DOI: 10.1227/01.NEU.0000365518.47684.98

OBJECTIVES: Existing studies reporting the risk of surgery for brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are often biased by the exclusion of patients not offered surgery. In this study, we examine the risk of surgery, including cases excluded from surgery because of the high surgical risk.
METHODS: Data were collected on 640 consecutively enrolled AVMs in a database that included all patients not considered for surgery.
RESULTS: Patients with Spetzler-Martin grade 1 to 2 AVMs (n = 296) were treated with a surgical risk of 0.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0%-3%); patients with Spetzler-Martin grade 3 to 4 AVMs in noneloquent cortex (n = 65) were treated with a surgical risk of 17% (95% CI, 10%-28%). Patients with Spetzler-Martin grade 3 to 5 AVMs in eloquent cortex (n = 168) were treated with a surgical risk of 21% (95% CI, 15%-28%). However, because 14% of patients in this series with similar AVMs were refused surgery because of perceived surgical risk, these results are not generalizable to the population of patients with similar AVMs.
CONCLUSION: The results of this series suggest that it is reasonable to offer surgery as a preferred treatment option for Spetzler-Martin grade 1 to 2 AVMs. This study also reinforces the predictive value of the Spetzler-Martin grading system, with some caveats.

Proudly powered by WordPress