Decompressive craniectomy is used for arresting hypertension-dislocation syndrome developing in seriuos patients in the acute period of subarachnoid hemorrhage. After stabilization of the patient's ...neurological and somatic status, cranioplasty is performed for protective, cosmetic, and therapeutic purposes. The most common surgery in these patients is skull repair using an autologous bone graft. Before cranioplasty, the patient's bone is preserved in two ways: cryopreservation or subcutaneous implantation to the anterior abdominal wall area. Recently, there have been numerous reports of early and delayed complications of cranioplasty with autologous bone grafts. The use of artificial grafts may reduce the risk of postoperative complications compared to an autologous bone graft. Previously, 'freely' or 'manually' simulated biopolymers were used. At present, they are rarely used for repair of extensive defects due to a poor cosmetic result. However, the advent of stereolithographic modeling and computer modeling of artificial grafts has improved the cosmetic result of this surgery. The purpose of this study is to assess the risk of postoperative complications of cranioplasty as well as to define the criteria for choosing a cranioplasty technique.
Hypothermia for neuroprotection and correction of intracranial hypertension was described in both experimental and clinical studies. Effectiveness of hypothermia for improvement of functional ...outcomes in neurosurgical patients is still unclear despite the previous randomized trials. In available national and foreign literature, we found no trials devoted to hypothermia in patients with ischemia after surgical treatment of complex aneurysms of the middle cerebral artery (MCA).
To analyze the effectiveness of intravascular hypothermia in patients with ischemic cerebrovascular accidents in early postoperative period after microsurgical clipping of complex MCA aneurysms.
We present four patients with cerebral ischemia after microsurgical treatment of complex MCA aneurysms. In all cases, ischemic disorders developed immediately after surgery. We induced intravascular hypothermia 32-34 °C in all patients. CT-based volumetry of ischemia and edema foci was performed to objectively assess the dynamics of ischemic disorders. We carried out volumetry using segmentation of edema and ischemia foci (range 5-33 Hounsfield units).
According to brain CT data, all four patients had enlargement of postoperative ischemic brain damage. Nevertheless, ICP was stable that made it possible to avoid decompressive craniotomy.
Early hypothermia for acute ischemic injury after surgery for complex MCA aneurysms can reduce ischemic perifocal edema. This approach effectively reduces ICP and can exclude the need for decompressive craniotomy in some cases. No side effects of hypothermia justifies further research in this field.
Giant cerebral aneurysms are diagnosed more often in children than in adults. Treatment of giant aneurysms is carried out both by endovascular and microsurgical methods. Literature information on ...combination of microsurgical and endovascular operations of cerebral aneurysms at children is little. A clinical case of the combined treatment of a giant bicameral fusiform partially thrombosed aneurysm of the right vertebral artery at a 12-year-old patient and a literature review on this topic are presented. The patient underwent several complex neurosurgical interventions during two operations: 1) microsurgery including revascularization of the right posterior lower cerebellar artery, thrombectomy and trapping of the larger chamber of fusiform aneurysm of the right vertebral artery, and 2) endovascular, which consists in the installation of redirecting stent from the left vertebral artery to main artery. The uniqueness of the case which we presented lies in the fact that the tactics of stage combined treatment for a complex aneurysm at child was originally planned and successfully implemented. The treatment allowed to ensure a complete shutdown of aneurysm and to exclude postoperative cerebral complications.
In recent years, significant attention has been paid to preventive vascular neurosurgery. Treatment of unruptured asymptomatic brain aneurysms is one of the sections of this surgery.
To evaluate ...treatment outcomes in patients with unruptured asymptomatic brain aneurysms who underwent treatment chosen on the basis of criteria adopted at the Burdenko Neurosurgery Center.
There were 2814 unruptured asymptomatic brain aneurysms in 2334 patients for the period from 1995 to 2019.
Microsurgical operations for unruptured asymptomatic brain aneurysms were performed in 64.9% of cases, endovascular procedures - in 35.1% of patients. Endovascular operations were usually performed for ICA aneurysms and posterior aneurysms of circle of Willis. Microsurgical operations were mainly performed in patients with aneurysms of anterior and middle cerebral arteries. Favorable outcomes (GOS grade V-IV) were obtained in most patients (98.3%). Incidence of severe complications was similar in both groups, mortality rate was 0.3% and 0.4%, respectively.
Currently, there is a tendency towards annual increase in the number of surgeries for unruptured brain aneurysms. Anatomical and morphological characteristics of aneurysm should be considered to achieve favorable clinical results. At the same time, comprehensive analysis of each case and identification of individual risk factors will eliminate serious complications of surgical treatment.
To develop a classification of the completeness of brain aneurysm exclusion according to CT angiography for determining further diagnostic and curative strategy.
The study included 138 patients who ...had 164 brain aneurysms. Clipping was carried out at the Burdenko Neurosurgery Center in 2013-2017. Titanium clips were used in 111 cases, cobalt clips - in 53 patients.
Completeness of brain aneurysm exclusion was assessed in 149 cases using CT angiography. In 15 cases, artifacts from cobalt clips impaired assessment. Total exclusion was achieved in 136 (91.3%) cases, subtotal (a remainder of residual neck) - in 10 (6.7%) cases, complete exclusion of the body and bottom (patent neck) - 2 (1.3%) patients, partial exclusion (partially patent bottom) - 1 patient (0.7%). In this series, a clip prevented complete contrast enhancement of brain aneurysm bottom in all cases.
CTA is a reliable method for assessing the quality of exclusion of brain aneurysm in patients with implanted titanium clips. In case of cobalt clips, stratification depending on severity of CT artifacts should be performed for data interpretation. In some cases, artifacts impair visualization of the vessels adjacent to the clips. In these patients, direct cerebral angiography or dual-energy computed tomography scanners with metal artifact suppression programs should be recommended.
Follow-up is recommended for patients with remnants of residual cervix. Redo surgery is indicated for completely patent neck, as well as partial or complete contrast enhancement of aneurysm bottom.
Treatment of cerebral aneurysms in the acute stage of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SRH) especially on the background of cerebral vasospasm continues to be a difficult task.
Assessment of dynamics of the ...surgical treatment results of patients with cerebral aneurysms in acute period of SRH.
A comparative analysis of the results of patients' surgical treatment in NMRCN Burdenko about aneurysm in 1-21 days after hemorrhage was made. The following periods were selected: 2006-2014 (343 patients) and 2015-2018 (356 patients). Most patients had microsurgical operations in both periods. The tactics of choosing the surgery time was the main difference between the periods: particularly in 2015-2018 period the surgery was not postponed at patients with severe.
Analysing the post surgical mortality, it was found that since 2006 there is a consistent trend towards a decrease in the number of patients who died after surgery. When calculating the average post surgical mortality for the studied periods this trend is confirmed - number of lethal cases in 2015-2018 reliably decreased when comparing with 2006-2014 - from 6.8 till 3.2%; p=0.03. At the same time, the number of patients with outcome of vegetative status (from 0.3 till 5%).
The tactics of surgical treatment of patients with cerebral aneurysms in the acute period of SRH regardless of severity of patient's condition and time of hemorrhage did not lead to worse treatment. In contrast, post surgical mortality rates show a consistent decline. We associate this fact with a number of changes that have occurred in the management and treatment of patients. In particular, we have high hopes for developing new approaches to the treatment of vasospasm, which remains the leading cause of lethal cases. More definite conclusions will be made at the end of the treatment analysis of the respective patient groups.
The study purpose was to analyze the efficacy of intra-arterial administration of verapamil (IAV) in the treatment of angiospasm in SAH patients and to determine optimal parameters of the procedure. ...A number of studies demonstrated the efficacy of intra-arterial administration of vasodilators, in particular verapamil, in the treatment of angiospasm after aneurysmal SAH, which served the basis for inclusion of this method in the recommended protocol for treatment of SAH patients 1-7.
We analyzed the efficacy of IAV in 35 patients in the acute period of SAH, with 77.2% of the patients having a Hunt-Hess score of III-V. The inclusion criteria were as follows: IAV within two weeks after SAH; excluded aneurysm; verapamil dose per administration of at least 15 mg; follow-up for at least three months. Efficacy endpoints were as follows: changes in spasm according to angiography and transcranial dopplerography (TCDG); development of ischemic lesions; clinical outcome according to the modified Rankin scale.
A total of 76 IAV procedures were performed. The verapamil dose per procedure was 36.7±9.7 mg, on average; the number of procedures varied from 1 to 5. One arterial territory was treated in 12 cases, two arterial territories were treated in 48 cases, and three arterial territories were treated in 15 cases. Typical adverse reactions included decreased blood pressure, a reduced heart rate, and elevated ICP. In all cases, TCDG revealed signs of reduced angiospasm - a 20-40% decrease in the LBFV in the M1 MCA. Four (11.4%) patients died; of these, only one died due to angiospasm progression. On examination at 3 months or more after discharge, favorable outcomes were observed in 74.3% of cases.
IAV is associated with a low risk of significant complications. IAV should be performed under control of systemic hemodynamics and ICP. The indications for IAV include signs of moderate worsening or severe angiospasm according to TCDG and/or angiography. The IAV procedure may be performed every day. Further clarification of the IAV procedure and evaluation of clinical outcomes under prospective study conditions are required.
Surgical treatment of patients with cerebral aneurysms still remains one of the most important issues of cerebrovascular neurosurgery, which is associated with both complexity of treatment and risks ...posed by the disease. The purpose of this publication is to discuss the recommendations and algorithms adopted at the Neurosurgical Institute for choosing surgical treatment of patients with single and multiple intracranial aneurysms based on the clinical course of disease and anatomical morphological classifications of aneurysms. The study was based on a large clinical material: we analyzed treatment outcomes in 1,621 patients (2009-2017); of these, 966 (59.5%) patients were operated on using microsurgical techniques, and 655 (40.4%) patients underwent endovascular surgery. Surgical treatment of patients with cerebral aneurysms has been performed in close cooperation between two vascular (microsurgical and endovasal) departments, using the latest technical innovations.
Treatment of children in the acute stage of hemorrhage from cerebral aneurysms is based on clinical cases reported in the literature and descriptions of small series of observations. There are no ...studies that enable the development of evidence-based approaches to intensive care in treatment of children with aSAH. We present a clinical case with a favorable outcome of complex treatment in a child admitted to the Burdenko Neurosurgical Institute at an extremely severe condition. The efficacy of treatment was based on a timely urgent neurosurgical intervention and adequate intensive therapy in the form of extended neuromonitoring with continuous measurement of intracranial pressure, which enabled using the whole complex of measures for timely management of intracranial hypertension. A favorable outcome (a GOS score IV) after this severe aneurysmal SAH indicates that there are no absolute contraindications for neurosurgical treatment of children with cerebral aneurysms.
—Observations were conducted from the R/V
Akademik Mstislav Keldysh
in the Drake Passage, the vicinities of the Antarctic Peninsula, the Scotia Sea, and the northern Weddell Sea during two cruises in ...January–early March 2020 (cruise 79) and during a single cruise in January–February 2022 (cruise 87). The data make it possible to assess the number of the most abundant sea mammals in the area near the South Shetland Islands, Scotia Sea, and Powell Basin. The 2022 observation area in the Antarctic was located about 150 km east of the 2020 area. The survey area, which was a bit larger than 343 000 km
2
in January–February 2020, hosted approximately 1200 humpback whales (
Megaptera novaeangliae
) and 2800 fin whales (
Balaenoptera physalus
). In 2022, this area hosted approximately 2500 fin whales and again more than 1200 humpback whales. The numbers of the Antarctic fur seals in each season here were assessed at approximately 2000–3000 animals. The type of distribution of these two whale species along the track of the vessel indicated the absence of intra- or interspecies food competition during the austral summers of 2020 and 2022. It was possible to evaluate the total numbers of Antarctic fur seal (
Arctocephalus gazella
); however, this assessment appeared less precise than the same ones for humpback and fin whales.
