Abstract The Solitaire-FR (eV3/Covidien, Irvine, CA, USA) retrievable stent (SFR), designed for mechanical thrombectomy in acute ischemic stroke, recently received Food and Drug Administration ...approval in the USA. Clot retrieval is performed by deploying the SFR through a microcatheter directly into the thrombus, to capture the clot and restore perfusion. In order to perform this maneuver, a balloon guide catheter must be used to apply negative suction and reverse flow within the cervical arteries, thus minimizing the chance of antegrade blood flow dislodging the thrombus from the stent. This technique requires at least an 8-French system that can increase the risk of arterial injury at the access site particularly in older patients with smaller or highly atherosclerotic peripheral arteries, and may provide inadequate aspiration in the vertebrobasilar system where only one vertebral artery is accessed and aspirated. The author describes a technique whereby a 6-French tri-axial system is used to deliver the SFR through a Penumbra Aspiration Microcatheter (Penumbra, Inc., Alameda, CA, USA) to provide intracranial aspiration in close proximity to the stent.
Abstract Pseudotumor cerebri, or benign intracranial hypertension, is characterized by intracranial hypertension of unknown etiology typically in obese women <45 years of age, and can be disabling ...secondary to headaches and visual disturbances. Medical management includes pharmaceuticals that reduce cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) production and lumbar punctures that reduce the CSF volume, both aimed at reducing intracranial pressure. When medical management fails, surgical CSF diverting procedures are indicated. Recently it has been demonstrated that dural sinus stenosis or thrombosis can be responsible for this disease and treated with endovascular venous stent placement. The intent of this educational manuscript is to review the clinical presentation of pseudotumor cerebri patients and discuss the medical, surgical, and endovascular treatment options for this disease. After reading this paper, the reader should be able to: (1) understand the pathophysiological basis of pseudotumor cerebri, (2) describe its presenting signs and symptoms, and (3) discuss the medical, surgical, and endovascular treatment options.
The role of preoperative embolization in meningioma management remains controversial, even though 4 decades have passed since it was first described. It has been shown to offer benefits such as ...decreased blood loss and "softening of the tumor" during subsequent resection. However, the actual benefits remain unclear, and the potential harm of an additional procedure along with the cost of embolization have limited its use to a small proportion of the meningiomas treated. In this article the authors retrospectively reviewed their experience with preoperative embolization of meningiomas over the previous 6 years (March 2007-March 2013). In addition, they performed a MEDLINE search using a combination of the terms "meningioma," "preoperative," and "embolization" to analyze the indications, embolizing agents, timing, and complications reported during preoperative embolization of meningiomas. In this retrospective review, 18 cases (female/male ratio 12:6) were identified in which endovascular embolization was used prior to resection of an intracranial meningioma. Craniotomy for tumor resection was performed within 4 days after endovascular embolization in all cases, with an average time to surgery of 1.9 days. The average duration of surgery was 4 hours and 18 minutes, and the average blood loss was 574 ml, with a range of 300-1000 ml. Complications following endovascular therapy were identified in 3 (16.7%) of 18 cases, including one each of transient hemiparesis, permanent hemiparesis, and tumor swelling. The literature review returned 15 articles consisting of a study population greater than 25 patients. No randomized controlled study was found. The use of small polyvinyl alcohol particles (45-150 μm) is more effective in preoperative devascularization than larger particles (150-250 μm), but is criticized due to the higher risk of complications such as cranial nerve palsies and postprocedural hemorrhage. Time to surgery after embolization is inconsistently reported across the articles, and conclusions on the appropriate timing of surgery could not be drawn. The overall complication rate reported after treatment with preoperative meningioma embolization ranges from as high as 21% in some of the older literature to approximately 6% in recent literature describing treatment with newer embolization techniques. The evidence in the literature supporting the use of preoperative meningioma embolization is mainly from case series, and represents Level III evidence. Due to the lack of randomized controlled clinical trials, it is difficult to draw any significant conclusions on the overall usefulness of preoperative embolization during the management of meningiomas to consider it a standard practice.
Background
If conservative management of CSF leak is unsuccessful, surgical repair is indicated for the prevention of severe complications such as meningitis. This study investigated the influence of ...surgical timing on clinical and economic outcomes.
Methods
Retrospective review of the National Inpatient Sample (2012) and the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2002–2011) for nonelective admissions with a principal diagnosis of CSF rhinorrhea treated with surgical repair of the meninges. Demographics and outcomes of patients undergoing meningeal repair for CSF rhinorrhea were analyzed. Cases were classified into four groups based on timing of surgical intervention: 1) performed on the day of admission (day 0), 2) performed between days 1 and 3, 3) performed between days 4 and 7, and 4) performed between days 8 and 14.
Results
A total of 1,088 emergent admissions were analyzed. On average, patients underwent surgical repair between the second and fourth day of admission. Lowest rates of meningitis were in patients treated on the day of admission (6.1%); those treated at 2 weeks had a 34.7% incidence. Multivariate analysis controlling for comorbidity burden, gender, and surgical timing found the highest odds of meningitis in patients treated with surgical repair during the second week of admission compared to repair on the day of admission (OR 8.2, P < .001). Length of stay (LOS) and hospital costs increased as time to repair increased.
Conclusion
Multiple factors influence outcomes in patients with CSF rhinorrhea. Early surgical repair was significantly associated with decreased rates of meningitis, LOS, and hospital costs. Expedient treatment of patients admitted for CSF rhinorrhea may prove to be both a cost‐ and morbidity‐saving measure.
Level of Evidence
2C Laryngoscope, 129:539–543, 2019
Endovascular clot retrieval is a technique available for removing intracranial arterial occlusions in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). This rescue therapy can be performed with moderate conscious ...sedation (CS) or general anesthesia (GA). The effect of GA on clinical outcome in AIS remains controversial. Therefore, we retrospectively investigated whether the use of CS or GA during endovascular intervention for AIS influenced outcomes.
Patients who underwent emergent endovascular intervention for intracranial arterial occlusion during the years 2006 to 2012 were included in this study. Statistical analysis using the Spearman ρ was performed to examine demographic data and clinical outcomes between patients in the GA and CS groups. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the predictors of mortality.
A total of 109 patients fit the inclusion criteria. Among them, 35 patients had GA and 74 patients had CS. Patients needing intubation upon admission for airway protection were more likely to receive GA (P<0.001). The duration of the procedure and the time-to-revascularization from symptom onset were significantly longer in the GA group. Mortality was higher in the GA group compared with the CS group (40% vs. 22%, P=0.045). Multivariate analysis, controlled for confounding variables, identified GA and elevated postprocedure glucose level to be significant predictors of mortality.
Larger prospectively randomized multicenter trials evaluating the effects of GA and CS on clinical and radiographic outcomes seems warranted.
Objectives/Hypothesis
The goals of pituitary tumor resection include normalizing endocrine function, relieving mass effect, and minimizing risk of recurrence. This study investigated current trends ...in costs and complications for transfrontal and transsphenoidal pituitary surgery.
Study Design
Retrospective review of the 2008–2011 Nationwide Inpatient Sample for patients undergoing pituitary lesion resection.
Methods
Demographics and outcomes were compared between transfrontal and transsphenoidal surgical approaches using χ2 tests. Multivariate analysis was performed to investigate outcomes while controlling for confounders.
Results
There were 8,543 admissions for resection of pituitary lesions that met our inclusion criteria. Most (>90%) were treated transsphenoidally. The transfrontal approach was most frequent in the young (<35 years) and in the South. Rates of mortality and complications were higher in patients undergoing transfrontal surgery. Multivariate analysis found transsphenoidal resection was associated with a reduction in hospital costs and length of stay by over 50%; low‐volume hospitals had increased cost and length of stay. There was an increased rate of transfrontal approaches at low‐volume centers.
Conclusions
Multiple factors influence outcomes of pituitary tumor resection. Transsphenoidal pituitary surgery is associated with a shorter length of stay, lower cost, and lower complication rates when compared to transfrontal surgery. Case specifics, including tumor location and size, influence approach and lead to a selection bias that cannot be controlled for in the present study. The prevalence of transfrontal resections at low‐volume centers may indicate an area of further investigation. Additionally, when controlling for surgical approach, low‐volume centers were found to adversely affect economic outcomes and also warrants investigation.
Level of Evidence
2c. Laryngoscope, 125:1307–1312, 2015
Tracheostomy Timing Affects Stroke Recovery Villwock, Jennifer A., MD; Villwock, Mark R., MS; Deshaies, Eric M., MD
Journal of stroke and cerebrovascular diseases,
05/2014, Letnik:
23, Številka:
5
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Background The timing of tracheostomy in stroke patients unable to protect their airway has become a topic of debate. Proponents for early tracheostomy (ET) cite benefits including less ...ventilation–associated pneumonia, less sedative drug use, shorter length of stay, and reduced mortality in comparison with late tracheostomy (LT). Methods We examined the timing of tracheostomy on stroke patient outcomes across the United States using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (2008-2010). Independent samples t tests and chi-squared tests were used to make comparisons between early (≤10 days) and late (11-25 days) tracheostomy. Multivariable models, adjusted for confounding factors, investigated outcome measures. Results In total, 13,165 stroke cases were included in the study (5591 in the ET group and 7574 in the LT group). Patients receiving an ET had a significant reduction in the odds of ventilator-associated pneumonia in comparison with the LT group (OR: .688, P = .026). The length of stay for patients receiving an ET was significantly lower in comparison with the LT group ( P < .001) and was associated with an 18% reduction in total hospital costs ( P < .001). Conclusions Early tracheostomy for stroke patients may reduce the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia, thereby shortening the hospital stay and lowering total hospital costs. These relationships warrant further investigation in a large prospective multicenter trial.
In patients who develop fulminant cerebral edema and elevated intracranial pressures, viral encephalitis can result in devastating neurological and cognitive sequelae despite antiviral therapy. The ...benefits of decompressive craniectomy, if any, in this group of patients are unclear. In this manuscript, the authors report their experience with 2 patients who presented with herpes simplex virus requiring surgical decompression resulting in excellent neurocognitive outcomes. They also review the literature on decompressive craniectomy in patients with fulminating infectious encephalitis. Four published articles consisting of 13 patients were identified in which the authors had reported their experience with decompressive craniectomy for fulminant infectious encephalitis. Herpes simplex virus was confirmed in 6 cases, Mycoplasma pneumoniae in 2, and an unidentified viral infection in 5 others. All patients developed clinical signs of brainstem dysfunction and underwent surgical decompression resulting in good (Glasgow Outcome Scale GOS Score 4) or excellent (GOS Score 5) functional recoveries. The authors conclude that infectious encephalitis is a neurosurgical disease in cases in which there is clinical and imaging evidence of brainstem compression. Surgical decompression results in excellent recovery of functional independence in both children and adults despite early clinical signs of brainstem dysfunction.
The HydroCoil embolization system is a helical platinum coil coated with a polymeric hydrogel that expands when it contacts aqueous solutions to increase filling volumes, improve mesh stability, and ...possibly elicit a healing response within the aneurysm. In this paper, the authors report the 1-year recurrence and complication rates of 67 aneurysms embolized with the HydroCoil system.
Sixty-four consecutive patients (67 total aneurysms) with small (< or =7 mm), large (8-15 mm), very large (16-24 mm), and giant (> or =25 mm) aneurysms in the anterior and posterior intracranial circulations were treated with HydroCoils between March 2003 and September 2004. All aneurysms were embolized by the senior author (A.S.B) with HydroCoils alone or in combination with bare platinum coils, until either there was no further angiographic contrast filling of the aneurysm or the microcatheter was pushed out of the dome by the coil mass. Balloon assistance was used in three cases and combined Neuroform stent-coil embolization in eight other cases. To evaluate the safety and 1-year efficacy of the HydroCoil system, periprocedural complications were recorded, and angiographic recurrences were categorized using the Raymond-Roy Occlusion Classification (RROC) system. The 1-year aneurysm recurrence rate independent of size was 15% in patients treated with HydroCoils. Seventy percent of the patients had stable occlusions. The recurrence rate for small aneurysms was 3.7%, and the combined recurrence rate for small and large aneurysms was 6%. Fifteen percent of the aneurysms initially categorized as RROC Type 2 or 3 with stasis of contrast material at the time of initial embolization improved in RROC type, allowing the authors to develop the aneurysm embolization grade to predict recurrence. The neurological complication rate was 14.9%, of which 4.5% represented permanent neurological deficits.
The HydroCoil embolization system is safe and provides excellent 1-year occlusion of small and large aneurysms with initial RROC Type 1, as well as those with RROC Types 2 and 3 with stasis of contrast material at the time of embolization. Very large and giant aneurysms were not as successfully occluded with this system. Treatment of large and giant internal carotid artery aneurysms was more likely to result in cranial nerve palsies and postembolization headaches than treatment in other locations. The aneurysm embolization grade the authors developed using the results of this study accurately predicted 1-year recurrence rates based on the immediate postembolization angiographic characteristics of the treated aneurysm.
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