Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jun 2020
Petroclival meningiomas: long-term outcomes of multimodal treatments and management strategies based on 30 years of experience at a single institution.
A thorough investigation of the long-term outcomes and chronological changes of multimodal treatments for petroclival meningiomas is required to establish optimal management strategies. The authors retrospectively reviewed the long-term clinical outcomes of patients with petroclival meningioma according to various treatments, including various surgical approaches, and they suggest treatment strategies based on 30 years of experience at a single institution. ⋯ The authors' preferred multimodal treatment strategy, that of planned incomplete resection and subsequent adjuvant radiosurgery, is a feasible option for the management of patients with large petroclival meningiomas, considering both local tumor control and postoperative quality of life.
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As it does periodically, the United States healthcare system is, yet again, undergoing a period of change on multiple fronts, including internal initiatives in education, quality, and the workforce, as well as external pressure responding to changes in reimbursement and oversight. In such times, looking back at the foundations of our specialty is helpful, allowing often-beleaguered neurosurgeons to reflect upon what it means to be a neurosurgeon, and how they can be assured that our specialty will continue to flourish in the future. ⋯ Herein is a perspective that brings the inception and future of this concept to light. A specialty that is to live and flourish should stand on and recognize its roots.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jun 2020
Dual labeling with 5-aminolevulinic acid and fluorescein in high-grade glioma surgery with a prototype filter system built into a neurosurgical microscope: technical note.
Recent efforts to improve visualization of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-induced protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) fluorescence resulted in a dual-labeling technique, combining it with fluorescein sodium in a prototype setup. Fluorescein identifies regions with blood-brain barrier breakdown in gliomas. However, normally perfused and edematous brain fluoresces unselectively, with strong background enhancement. The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of a novel, integrated filter combination using porphyrins for selective tumor identification and fluorescein for background enhancement. ⋯ The novel filter system improved general tissue brightness and background visualization, enhancing fluorescence-guided tumor resection. Furthermore, it appears promising from a scientific perspective, enabling the simultaneous and direct observation of areas with blood-brain barrier breakdown and PPIX fluorescence.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jun 2020
High-resolution in vivo imaging of peripheral nerves using optical coherence tomography: a feasibility study.
Because of their complex topography, long courses, and small diameters, peripheral nerves are challenging structures for radiological diagnostics. However, imaging techniques in the area of peripheral nerve diseases have undergone unexpected development in recent decades. They include MRI and high-resolution sonography (HRS). Yet none of those imaging techniques reaches a resolution comparable to that of histological sections. Fascicles are the smallest discernable structure. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is the first imaging technique that is able to depict a nerve's ultrastructure at micrometer resolution. In the current study, the authors present an in vivo assessment of human peripheral nerves using OCT. ⋯ OCT is a new imaging technique that has shown promise in peripheral nerve surgery for particular questions. Its resolution exceeds that provided by recent radiological possibilities such as MRI and HRS. Since its field of view is relatively small, faster acquisition times would be highly desirable and have already been demonstrated by other groups. Currently, the method resembles an optical biopsy and can be a supplement to intraoperative sonography, giving high-resolution insight into a suspect area that has been located by sonography in advance.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jun 2020
The clinical spectrum of hydrocephalus in adults: report of the first 517 patients of the Adult Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network registry.
The authors describe the demographics and clinical characteristics of the first 517 patients enrolled in the Adult Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network (AHCRN) during its first 2 years. ⋯ The clinical spectrum of hydrocephalus in adults comprises more than iNPH or acquired hydrocephalus. Only 39% of patients had suspected iNPH, whereas 43% had childhood onset (i.e., those in the transition and unrecognized congenital groups). The severity of symptoms and impairment was worsened when the etiology of the hydrocephalus or complications of treatment caused additional neurological injury or when multiple comorbidities were present. However, more than half of patients in the transition, unrecognized congenital, and acquired hydrocephalus groups had minimal or no impairment. Excluding the transition group, nearly 80% of patients in the AHCRN registry were untreated at the time of enrollment. A future goal for the AHCRN is to determine whether patients with unrecognized congenital and acquired hydrocephalus need treatment and which patients in the suspected iNPH cohort actually have possible hydrocephalus and should undergo further diagnostic testing. Future prospective research is needed in the diagnosis, treatment, outcomes, quality of life, and macroeconomics of all categories of adult hydrocephalus.