In this study the authors review the outcomes in pediatric patients who presented with seizures and underwent resection of dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumors (DNETs). The authors focus on the ...diagnostic evaluation and surgical techniques that facilitate gross-total tumor resection and subsequent freedom from seizures.
Eighteen patients between the ages of 1 month and 13 years who presented with seizures underwent resection of DNETs between January 1992 and December 2004. Preoperative evaluation included magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and interictal scalp electroencephalography (EEG) in all patients, functional MR imaging in eight patients, video monitoring with ictal scalp EEG in 12 patients, interictal single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) scanning in one patient, and ictal SPECT scanning in two patients. Thirteen patients underwent one-stage procedures, whereas five underwent two-stage procedures (implantation of monitoring electrodes followed by tumor resection), either for functional language mapping (three patients) or due to inconclusive preoperative data (two patients). Intraoperative electrocorticography (ECoG) was performed in 17 patients and led to resection of the cerebral cortex beyond the tumor margins in 10 of them. According to operative reports, gross-total tumor resections were achieved in all patients, but one child had minimal residual tumor on postoperative MR images that has remained stable. The only surgical complication was a transient third cranial nerve palsy. Over a median follow-up duration of 1.6 years, all patients are seizure free and without radiographically detected tumor recurrence.
Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumors are a highly treatable cause of epilepsy in children. Excellent rates of complete tumor resection and seizure control with minimal morbidity can be attained using intraoperative ECoG and two-stage surgical procedures when appropriate.
Craniosynostosis, the premature fusion of skull sutures in children, requires surgical correction. This procedure routinely requires allogeneic blood transfusions, which are associated with multiple ...risks of their own. Since 2008, antifibrinolytics tranexamic acid (TXA) and epsilon aminocaproic acid (EACA or Amicar) have been widely used. There is literature comparing the two agents in scoliosis and cardiothoracic surgery, but the literature comparing the two agents in pediatric craniofacial surgery (CF) is limited. Tranexamic acid use is more common in pediatric CF surgery and has been thoroughly studied; however, it costs about three times as much as EACA and has been associated with seizures. This study compiles the literature assessing the safety and efficacy of EACA in reducing blood loss and transfusion volumes in children and explores its potential use in pediatric CF surgery.Papers from 2000 to 2021 regarding the effectiveness and safety of EACA in Pediatric scoliosis, cardiothoracic, and craniosynostosis surgery were reviewed and compiled. Papers were found via searching PubMed and Cochrane databases with the key terms: Epsilon aminocaproic acid, EACA, Amicar, Tranexamic acid, TXA, craniosynostosis, scoliosis, cardiothoracic, and pediatric. Prospective studies, retrospective studies, and meta-analyses were included.Twenty-nine papers were identified as pertinent from the literature searched. Four were meta-analyses, 14 were retrospective, and 11 were prospective. Of these papers, seven were of cardiac surgery, 12 were of scoliosis, and nine were of craniosynostosis. During our search, EACA has been shown to consistently reduce blood transfusion volumes compared to control. However, it is not as effective when compared to TXA. EACA has a similar safety profile to TXA but has a reduced risk of seizures. There are not many studies of EACA in craniosynostosis repair, but the existing literature shows promising results for EACA's efficacy and safety, warranting more studies.
Knowledge-based tools used to standardize perioperative care, such as the shunt infection prevention protocol of the Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network (HCRN), have demonstrated their ability to ...reduce surgeon-based and center-based variations in outcomes and improve patient care. The mere presence of high-quality evidence, however, does not necessarily translate into improved patient outcomes owing to the implementation gap. To advance understanding of how knowledge-based tools are being utilized in the routine clinical care of children with hydrocephalus, the HCRN-Quality (HCRNq) network was started in 2019. With a focus on CSF shunt infection, the authors present baseline data regarding CSF shunt infection rates and current shunt infection prevention practices in use at HCRNq sites.
Baseline shunt surgery practices, infection rate, and risk factor data were prospectively collected within HCRNq. No standard infection protocol was recommended, but site use of a protocol was implied if at least 3 of 6 common shunt infection prevention practices were used in > 80% of shunt surgical procedures. Univariable and multivariable analyses of shunt infection risk factors were performed.
Thirty sites accrued data on 2437 procedures between November 2019 and June 2021. The unadjusted infection rate across all sites was 3.9% (range 0%-13%) and did not differ among shunt insertion, shunt revision, or shunt insertion after infection. Protocol use was implied for only 15/30 centers and 60% of shunt operations. On univariable analysis, iodine/DuraPrep (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.37-0.88, p = 0.02) and the use of an antibiotic-impregnated catheter in any segment of the shunt (or both) decreased infection risk (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.34-0.82, p = 0.01). Iodine-based prep solutions (OR 0.56, 95% 0.36-0.86, p = 0.02) and the use of antibiotic-impregnated catheters (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.34-0.81, p = 0.01) retained significance in the multivariable model, but no relationship between protocol use and infection risk was demonstrated in this baseline analysis.
The authors have demonstrated that children undergoing CSF shunt surgery at HCRNq sites share similar demographic characteristics with other large North American multicenter cohorts, with similar observed baseline infection rates and risk factors. Many centers have implemented standardized shunt infection prevention practices, but considerable practice variation remains. As such, there is an opportunity to decrease shunt infection rates in these centers through continued standardization of care.
An increasing number of children with Chiari I malformations are coming to the attention of neurosurgeons today, although a consensus on the surgical approach to these lesions has yet to be found.
We ...present a retrospective analysis of posterior fossa decompression (PFD) performed at our institution on 96 patients from 1989 to 2001. Statistical analyses based on clinical and radiographic presentation and the types of surgical procedures used formed the basis for our review.
Most of the patients with hydromyelia underwent duraplasty procedures with or without tonsillar manipulation. In contrast, most patients without hydromyelia underwent bony decompression with dural scoring and intraoperative ultrasound. PFD with bony decompression and dural scoring showed a 72% success rate, compared with 68% for duraplasty. Dural opening was not more likely to improve or arrest hydromyelia. The group subjected to duraplasty, however, had a significantly higher complication rate. Patients under the age of 8 fared better than their older counterparts.
Overall, we favor a tailored posterior fossa craniectomy with dural scoring as the initial surgical procedure in children with Chiari I malformation with or without a syrinx. This less invasive approach minimizes complications associated with dural opening and offers comparable success rates.
Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is considered by many authors the initial surgical procedure of choice for the treatment of non-communicant hydrocephalus. However, this procedure has early and ...late complications that neurosurgeons must be aware of when performing it.
A retrospective study of infants and children treated with ETV at Children's Memorial Hospital (Chicago, IL) between 1993 and 2004 is presented. A total of 136 ETVs in 122 patients were performed with 8.8% early complication rate (hemorrhage, CSF leak, infection, diabetes insipidus, and seizures). There were no fatalities but one patient had severe neurological disturbances due to intracranial hemorrhage at the second ETV. We identified several significant factors that influence the late ETV failure rate: age under 12 months (p=0.012), cases performed early in our experience (p=0.009), patients with hydrocephalus without expansive lesions (p=0.026), patients that had an external ventricular drain (EVD) after ETV (p<0.005), and patients who developed early complications (p=0.035).
A careful patient selection and preoperative planning lead to better results of ETV. A higher early and late complication rate in children younger than 1-year-old were noted in our series. There is definitely a learning curve for this technique, and several technical considerations are helpful to avoid adverse events. Most of the early complications are transient, while potential devastating injuries can occur. Long-term follow-up is needed to identify delayed closure of the fenestration. Ventricular access devise is helpful for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes during the follow-up.
Reconstruction of skull defects Jaskolka, Michael S; Olavarria, Greg
Atlas of the oral and maxillofacial surgery clinics of North America,
09/2010, Volume:
18, Issue:
2
Journal Article
Introduction We report a case of shunt malfunction after a child was subjected to G forces during a roller coaster ride. Discussion The temporal sequence of events suggests proximal catheter ...obstruction with subsequent symptoms of raised intracranial pressure immediately after experience with a G force ride. A shunt revision with catheter change led to resolution of symptoms, and findings were consistent with hemorrhage within the catheter. Conclusion This case illustrates the risks of such an experience on children with shunts and the implications for patient counseling.
We report a series of infants with optic chiasmal hypothalamic astrocytomas (OCHAs) who developed abdominal ascites following ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunting. The mechanism of ascites development ...among these patients with OCHA remains speculative and unclear.
We treated four infants with hypothalamic tumors who were shunted for hydrocephalus using standard VP shunts and who subsequently experienced symptomatic ascites.
In three patients the gallbladder proved an effective alternative site for shunting prior to conversion to other sites, and in one patient the gallbladder shunt remains functional and revision-free.
Several aspects of the gallbladder as a reservoir for CSF make this approach appealing. Ventricular gallbladder shunting provided an effective (at least temporarily) receptacle for CSF in these patients.
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