Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a well-established treatment for drug-resistant involuntary movements. However, the conventional quadripole cylindrical lead creates electrical fields in all ...directions, and the resulting spread to adjacent eloquent structures may induce unintended effects. Novel directional leads have therefore been designed to allow directional stimulation (DS). Directional leads have the advantage of widening the therapeutic window (TW), compensating for slight misplacement of the lead and requiring less electrical power to provide the same effect as a cylindrical lead. Conversely, the increase in the number of contacts from four to eight and the addition of directional elements has made stimulation programming more complex. For these reasons, new treatment strategies are required to allow effective directional DBS. During lead implantation, the directional segment should be placed in a “sweet spot,” and the orientation of the directional segment is important for programming. Trial-and-error testing of a large number of contacts is unnecessary, and efficient and systematic execution of the programmed procedure is desirable. Recent improvements in imaging technologies have enabled image-guided programming. In the future, optimal stimulations are expected to be programmed by directional recording of local field potentials.
Abstract The neuroradiological findings and its outcomes of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) were compared between the non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant (NOAC) therapy and warfarin therapy. ...In the latest 3 years, 13 cases of non-valvular atrial fibrillation on NOAC therapy were admitted for ICH. For comparison, 65 age- and gender-comparable patients with ICH on warfarin therapy were recruited. Three NOACs had been prescribed: dabigatran (n=4), rivaroxaban (n=2), and apixaban (n=7). The average ages were 76±9 and 78±8.years in the warfarin (n=65) and NOAC groups (n=13), respectively. There was no difference in the clinical features, including the CHADS2 score or HAS-Bled score: 2.62±1.31 vs. 2.62±1.33, or 1.09±0.43 vs. 1.00±0.41, for the warfarin and NOAC groups, respectively. The volume of ICH <30ml was found in 84.6% of the patients on NOACs but it was found in 53.8% of the patients on warfarin (P=0.0106). The expansion of hematoma was limited to 7 (10.8%) patients of the warfarin group. A lower hospital mortality and better modified Rankin scale were observed in the NOAC group than in the warfarin group: 1 (7.7%) vs. 27 (41.5%) (P= 0.0105) and 3.2±1.4 vs. 4.5±1.6 (P=0.0057), respectively. In conclusion, ICH on NOAC therapy had smaller volume of hematoma with reduced rate of expansion and decreased mortality compared to its occurrence on warfarin.
The selective provocative test (SPT) under local anesthesia aids in protecting against ischemic complications during endovascular treatment. However, the use of this test under general anesthesia is ...not well described. Herein, we present a case of a 51-year-old man with a ruptured fusiform aneurysm in the middle cerebral artery M4 segment, which was thought to possibly supply the motor cortex. Internal trapping of the affected vessel and aneurysm by endovascular intervention was successfully performed after SPT using transcranial motor evoked potential (MEP) monitoring under general anesthesia. Transcranial MEP is suitable for neurological assessment during SPT under general anesthesia.
Background
Elderly patients with primary central nervous system malignant lymphoma (EL-PCNSL) may not be given sufficient treatment due to their poor pre-treatment Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) ...and comorbidities. Therefore, a retrospective, cohort study was performed to evaluate risk factors associated with a poor prognosis of EL-PCNSL in the Tohoku Brain Tumor Study Group.
Methods
Patients aged ≥ 71 years with PCNSL were enrolled from eight centers. Univariate analysis was performed with the log-rank test. A Cox proportional hazards model was used for multivariate analysis.
Results
Three of the total 142 cases received best supportive care (BSC). Treatment was given to 30 cases without a pathological diagnosis, 3 cases with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology, and 100 cases with a pathological diagnosis. After confirmation of no differences in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) between the group treated without pathology and the groups diagnosed by pathology or CSF cytology and between median age ≥ 76 years and < 76 years, a total of 133 patients were studied. The median pre-treatment KPS was 50%. Median PFS and median OS were 16 and 24 months, respectively. Risk factors associated with poor prognosis on Cox proportional hazards model analysis were pre-treatment cardiovascular disease and central nervous system disease comorbidities, post-treatment pneumonia and other infections, and the absence of radiotherapy or chemotherapy.
Conclusions
Pre-treatment comorbidities and post-treatment complications would affect the prognosis. Radiation and chemotherapy were found to be effective, but no conclusions could be drawn regarding the appropriate content of chemotherapy and whether additional radiotherapy should be used.
In Japan, which has a super-aging society, there are increasing opportunities to perform mechanical thrombectomy for the elderly; however, there is no recorded evidence of thrombectomy for the ...elderly. This study examined the usefulness of thrombectomy in the elderly. We retrospectively analyzed patient data using a multicenter acute ischemic stroke registry (NGT-FAST). We examined outcomes in patients 75 years and older who underwent thrombectomies between January 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021. The patients were divided into two groups: the 75-84-year-old group and the 85+-year-old group. There was no difference in the pretreatment National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score or Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score between the two groups, but the 85+-year-old group had a significantly lower rate of pre-stroke modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0-2. There were no differences in time from onset to treatment or effective recanalization rate, but complications tended to be more common in the 85+-year-old group. The number of patients with a good outcome at discharge (an mRS score of 0-3) was significantly lower in the 85+-year-old group than in the 75-84-year-old group. In addition, 90.9% of patients in the 85+-year-old group with a pre-stroke mRS score of 3 deteriorated after treatment. The pre-stroke mRS score is very important in determining the indication for thrombectomy in the elderly because their preoperative condition is more likely to influence the outcome than that of younger patients.
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Microvascular decompression (MVD) is the most effective procedure for the long-term management of trigeminal neuralgia (TGN). However, retrospective and single-center studies are ...inherently biased, and there are currently no prospective, multicenter studies.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the short- and long-term outcomes and complications in patients with TGN who underwent MVD at specialized Japanese institutions.
METHODS
We enrolled patients with TGN who underwent MVD between April 2012 and March 2015. We recorded their facial pain grade and complications at 7 d (short term), 1 yr (mid-term), and 3 yr (long term) postoperatively.
RESULTS
There were 166 patients, comprising 60 men and 106 women (mean age 62.7 yr). Furthermore, 105 patients were aged over 60 yr. We conducted neuromonitoring in 84.3% of the cases. The complete pain relief, mortality, and complication rates at the short-term follow-up were 78.9%, 0%, and 16.3%, respectively. Overall, 155 patients (93.4%) completed the long-term follow-up, with the complete pain relief and complication rates of 80.0% and 5.2%, respectively.
CONCLUSION
In the hands of experienced neurosurgeons, MVD for TGN can achieve high long-term curative effects. In addition, complications are uncommon and usually transient. Our results indicate that MVD is an effective and safe treatment for patients with TGN, including elderly patients.
Graphical Abstract
Graphical Abstract
Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) is a rare glial tumor, however, its histological differentiation from high-grade gliomas is often difficult. Molecular characteristics may contribute to a better ...diagnostic discrimination. Prognostic factors of PXA are also important but few relevant reports have been published. This study investigated the molecular features and prognostic factors of PXAs. Seven university hospitals participated in this study by providing retrospective clinical data and tumor samples of PXA cases between 1993 and 2014. Tumor samples were analyzed for immunohistochemical (IHC) neuronal and glial markers along with Ki67. The status of the BRAF and TERT promoter (TERTp) mutation was also evaluated using the same samples, followed by feature extraction of PXA and survival analyses. In all, 19 primary cases (17 PXA and 2 anaplastic PXA) were included. IHC examination revealed the stable staining of nestin and the close association of synaptophysin to NFP. Of the PXA cases, 57% had the BRAF mutation and only 7% had the TERTp mutation. On univariate analysis, age (≥60 years), preoperative Karnofsky performance status (KPS) (≤80%), and marked peritumoral edema were significantly associated with progression-free survival (PFS). No independent factor was indicated by the multivariate analysis. In conclusion, PXA was characterized by positive nestin staining and a few TERTp mutations. The neuronal differential marker and BRAF status may help in diagnosis. Patient age, preoperative KPS, and marked perifocal edema were associated with PFS. The present study is limited because of small number of cases and its retrospective nature. Further clinical study is needed.
Podoplanin (PDPN) is known to induce platelet aggregation via interacting with the C-type lectin-like receptor-2 on platelets and is involved in postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) formation. ...In this study, we investigate the correlation between soluble C-type lectin-like receptor (sCLEC-2) levels and PDPN expression in patients with high grade gliomas and the relationship between sCLEC-2 levels and the occurrence of VTE.
Forty-four patients harboring high grade gliomas, treated surgically at the Department of Neurosurgery, Niigata University from April 2018 to August 2020, were included. Patients with high grade gliomas were divided into isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)- wildtype and mutant groups, and the presence or absence of VTE and the intensity of PDPN by immunohistochemistry were confirmed. Platelet counts, as well as plasma sCLEC-2 and PDPN were measured in these patients. Furthermore, the levels of sCLEC-2 concentration were divided by the platelet count (C2PAC index) for comparison.
IDH-wildtype glioma patients highly expressed PDPN (P < 0.001) compared to IDH-mutant glioma patients. In total, 9 (20.5 %) patients were diagnosed with VTE during the follow-up period, of which 8 patients harbored IDH-wildtype gliomas, and one patient an IDH-mutant glioma. Mean sCLEC-2 levels and C2PAC index in patients with IDH-wildtype gliomas were significantly higher than that of low or no PDPN expression group, which included patients with IDH-mutant gliomas (P = 0.0004, P = 0.0002). In patients with IDH-wildtype gliomas, the C2PAC index in patients with VTE was significantly higher than in patients without VTE (P = 0.0492). The optimal cutoff point of C2PAC for predicting VTE in IDH-wildtype glioma patients was 3.7 with a sensitivity of 87.5 % and specificity of 51.9 %.
Platelet activation is strongly involved in the development of VTE in patients with IDH-wildtype high grade gliomas, and C2PAC index is a potential marker to detect VTE formation after surgery.
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•Soluble C-type lectin-like receptor (sCLEC-2) levels were correlate with podoplanin (PDPN) expression in patients with high grade gliomas.•IDH-wildtype glioma patients highly expressed PDPN compared to IDH-mutant glioma patients.•Platelet activation is strongly involved in the development of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with IDH-wildtype high grade gliomas.
We retrospectively reviewed the cases of three patients with infectious intracranial aneurysms (IIAs), and discuss the indications for surgical and endovascular treatments. We treated two men and one ...woman with a total of six aneurysms. The mean age was 43.3 years, ranging from 36 to 51 years. One patient presented initially with an intraparenchymal hemorrhage, one with mass effect, and the other one had four aneurysms (one causing subarachnoid hemorrhages and the other causing delayed intraparenchymal hemorrhages). The average size of all aneurysms was 12.2 mm (range, 2–50 mm). They were preferentially located in the distal posterior cerebral artery, and then, in the middle cerebral artery. All cases were caused by infective endocarditis. We selected endovascular treatments for five aneurysms and treated all but one within 24 h from detection. One aneurysm was treated by combined therapy with endovascular intervention and surgery. After treatment, none of the IIAs presented angiographical recurrence or re-bleeding. If feasible, endovascular treatment is probably the first choice, but a combined surgical and endovascular approach should be considered if surgery or endovascular treatment alone are not feasible. The method of treatment should be individualized. For cases with high risk of aneurysm rupture, treatment should be performed as soon as possible.
Unilateral oculomotor nerve palsy, often caused by aneurysmal compression, is one of the decisive findings for confirming the site of a ruptured aneurysm. However, arterial compression can also cause ...unilateral oculomotor nerve palsy. Here, we present the case of a 59-year-old woman with a ruptured right internal carotid-posterior communicating artery aneurysm accompanied by contralateral oculomotor nerve palsy. The nerve was found to be compressed by the posterior cerebral artery and was isolated from the ruptured aneurysm. When confirming a ruptured aneurysm based on the evidence of unilateral oculomotor palsy, the arteries surrounding the nerve must be thoroughly assessed.
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