Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Mar 2024
Molecularly targeted protease-activated probes for visualization of glioblastoma: a comparison with 5-ALA.
The highly infiltrative growth of glioblastoma (GBM) makes distinction between the tumor and normal brain tissue challenging. Therefore, fluorescence-guided surgery is often used to improve visual identification of radiological tumor margins. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of recently developed molecularly targeted near-infrared (NIR) protease-activated probes to visualize GBM tissue and to compare the most promising candidate with the gold standard, 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA). ⋯ The cysteine cathepsin-cleavable probe 6QC-ICG is activated by glioma cells and tumor-associated macrophages, leading to a high contrast between tumor and nontumorous brain tissue that is superior to that of the current standard, 5-ALA. In addition to a well-defined mechanism of action, protease-activated probes that use NIR fluorophores (e.g., indocyanine green) have the advantage of low absorption and scattering of the NIR light and lower tissue autofluorescence. These results suggest that 6QC-ICG has the potential to become the targeted agent in intraoperative detection of GBM tissue using fluorescence imaging.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Mar 2024
Epidemiology of moderate traumatic brain injury and factors associated with poor neurological outcome.
The objective of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI) and factors associated with poor neurological outcome. ⋯ Almost half of the patients with moderate TBI had poor neurological outcome at hospital discharge. Several factors including older age, higher CCI, GCS scores of 9 or 10, severe trauma, and mechanical ventilation or craniotomy were found to be associated with poor neurological outcome in patients with moderate TBI. Additionally, these data suggest that tranexamic acid administration and admission to the ICU might be important for improving prognosis. Further investigations are warranted to elucidate the appropriate management for patients with moderate TBI.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Mar 2024
Variations in the genomic profiles and clinical behavior of meningioma by racial and ethnic group.
The influence of socioeconomic factors on racial disparities among patients with sporadic meningiomas is well established, yet other potential causative factors warrant further exploration. The authors of this study aimed to determine whether there is significant variation in the genomic profile of meningiomas among patients of different races and ethnicities and its correlation with clinical outcomes. ⋯ Despite similar EORs, Black patients had worse clinical outcomes following meningioma resection, characterized by a higher prevalence of somatic hedgehog mutations, increased recurrence rates, and shorter PFS. Meanwhile, Hispanic patients had less aggressive meningiomas, a predisposition for TRAF7 mutations, and no difference in PFS. These findings could inform the care and treatment strategies for meningiomas, and they establish the foundation for future studies focusing on the genomic origins of these observed differences.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Mar 2024
A comprehensive review on the development of sporadic cerebral arteriovenous malformations: from Padget to next-generation sequencing.
Cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are a leading cause of intracerebral hemorrhage in both children and young adults. With the continued advancement of science and technology, the understanding of the pathophysiology behind the development of these lesions has evolved. ⋯ The authors present the historical progression of their understanding of AVM pathogenesis. They focus on the foundation laid by early pioneers, discussing embryological anatomy and vasculogenesis, the prominent theories of AVM development that have emerged over time, and culminate in an overview of the most current understanding of the pathogenesis of these complex vascular lesions and the clinical implications of our scientific progress.