Effects of an Infection Control Protocol for Coronavirus Disease in Emergency Mechanical Thrombectomy

Objective@#: Since the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, neurointerventionists have been increasingly concerned regarding the prevention of infection and time delay in performing emergency thrombectomy procedures in patients with acute stroke. This study aimed to analyze the effects of changes in mechanical thrombectomy protocol before and after the COVID-19 pandemic on procedure time and patient outcomes and to identify factors that significantly impact procedure time. @*Methods@#: The last-normal-to-door, first-abnormal-to-door, door-to-imaging, door-to-puncture, and puncture-to-recanalization times of 88 patients (45 treated with conventional pre-COVID-19 protocol and 43 with COVID-19 protection protocol) were retrospectively analyzed. The recanalization time, success rate of mechanical thrombectomy, and modified Rankin score of patients at discharge were assessed. A multivariate analysis was conducted to identify variables that significantly influenced the time delay in the door-to-puncture time and total procedure time. @*Results@#: The door-to-imaging time significantly increased under the COVID-19 protection protocol (p=0.0257) compared to that with the conventional pre-COVID-19 protocol. This increase was even more pronounced in patients who were suspected to be COVID-19-positive than in those who were negative. The door-to-puncture time showed no statistical difference between the conventional and COVID-19 protocol groups (p=0.5042). However, in the multivariate analysis, the last-normal-to-door time and door-to-imaging time were shown to affect the door-to-puncture time (p=0.0068 and 0.0097). The total procedure time was affected by the occlusion site, last-normal-to-door time, door-to-imaging time, and type of anesthesia (p=0.0001, 0.0231, 0.0103, and 0.0207, respectively). @*Conclusion@#: The COVID-19 protection protocol significantly impacted the door-to-imaging time. Shortening the door-to-imaging time and performing the procedure under local anesthesia, if possible, may be required to reduce the door-to-puncture and doorto- recanalization times. The effect of various aspects of the protection protocol on emergency thrombectomy should be further studied.

Clinical Experience of the Brushite Calcium Phosphate Cement for the Repair and Augmentation of Surgically Induced Cranial Defects Following the Pterional Craniotomy

OBJECTIVE: To prevent temporal depression after the pterional craniotomy, this study was designed to examine the safety and aesthetic efficacy of the brushite calcium phosphate cement (CPC) in the repair and augmentation of bone defects following the pterional craniotomy. METHODS: The brushite CPC was used for the repair of surgically induced cranial defects, with or without augmentation, in 17 cases of pterional approach between March, 2005 and December, 2006. The average follow-up month was 20 with range of 12-36 months. In the first 5 cases, bone defects were repaired with only brushite CPC following the contour of the original bone. In the next 12 cases, bone defects were augmented with the brushite CPC rather than original bone contour. For a stability monitoring of the implanted brushite CPC, post-implantation evaluations including serial X-ray, repeated physical examination for aesthetic efficacy, and three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) were taken 1 year after the implantation. RESULTS: The brushite CPC paste provided precise and easy contouring in restoration of the bony defect site. No adverse effects such as infection or inflammation were noticed during the follow-up periods from all patients. 3D-CT was taken 1 year subsequent to implantation showed good preservation of the brushite CPC restoration material. In the cases of the augmentation group, aesthetic outcomes were superior compared to the simple repair group. CONCLUSION: The results of this clinical study indicate that the brushite CPC is a biocompatible alloplastic material, which is useful for prevention of temporal depression after pterional craniotomy. Additional study is required to determine the long-term stability and effectiveness of the brushite calcium phosphate cement for the replacement of bone.

Infraoptic Course of Both Anterior Cerebral Arteries

A 28-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with a sudden, very severe headache. Brain computed tomographic angiography showed a saccular cerebral aneurysm at the bifurcation of the left middle cerebral artery and infraoptic courses of both anterior cerebral arteries. The anterior cerebral arteries were seen to arise from the ipsilateral internal cerebral arteries at the level of the origin of the ophthalmic artery, passed underneath the ipsilateral optic nerve, and turned upward at ventral portion of the optic chiasm.

Cervical Schwannoma Presenting with Acute Intracranial Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

A subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) associated with negative finding on four-vessel angiography is seen in 5 to 30% of patients with intracranial SAH. A previously silent lesion in the spinal canal may be responsible for the angiographically negative finding for cause of intracranial SAH. We report a case of upper cervical (C1-2) intradural schwannoma presenting with acute intracranial SAH. Repeated cerebral angiographic studies were negative, but cervical magnetic resonance imaging study and tissue pathology revealed a intradural-extramedullary schwannoma in C1-2 level. This case illustrates the importance of a high index of clinical suspicion for spinal disease in angiographically negative intracranial SAH patients.

Surgical Treatment of a Large Regrowing Chondrosarcoma in the Upper Thoracic Spine with Osteochondromatosis

A chondrosarcoma of thoracic spine with local recurrence is described in a 40.year.old man having osteochondromatosis. We had performed a subtotal resection of a chondrosarcoma 3.5 years ago. However, the tumor had grown larger than the initial size. The patient showed symptoms of myelopathy. He was treated with a staged posterior spinal fusion and anterior decompression/corpectomy for grossly total removal of the chondrosarcoma. The patient had near.complete resolution of his myelopathy after surgery, immediatly. Follow.up at 6 months revealed no recurrence and the patient had recovered normal muscle power. Even low grade chondrosarcomas have a high recurrence rate and respond poorly to medical treatments such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy, making total surgical resection is the most important treatment. For good therapeutic results, the chondrosarcoma should be performed aggressive total resection.

Multiple Aneurysms on the Same Bifurcation Site of the Middle Cerebral Artery

Multiple aneurysms at the same cerebral arterial branching site are rare, and have been mainly described in a few case reports in comparison with other intracranial multiple aneurysms. Most reported locations of the same artery where multiple aneurysms developed were internal carotid artery and anterior communicating artery. We experienced a very rare case of multiple aneurysms arising at the same bifurcation site of the middle cerebral artery. Only one case like this has been reported previously in the literature. We discussed the preoperative diagnosis and surgical management of such condition.

Efficacy of Thalamotomy and Thalamic Deep Brain Stimulation for the Treatment of Head Tremor

OBJECTIVE: Stereotactic thalamic procedure is well known to be a effective treatment for disabling upper limb tremor of essential tremor. However, the effect of this procedure for head tremor, which is midline symptom of that disease entity, has not been sufficiently established. The authors discuss the result of stereotactic thalamic operations for head tremor of their patients who suffered from essential tremor. METHODS: We evaluated 4 patients of essential tremor who had head tremor combined with both upper limb tremor. One patient underwent unilateral ventralis intermedius thalamotomy, two patients had unilateral Vim deep brain stimulation(DBS) and one patient had unilateral Vim thalamotomy and contralateral DBS. Postoperative results of tremor were evaluated using our proposed scale. RESULTS: Contralateral upper limb tremors to surgical side were markedly resolved in all patients but there was no meaningful effect for head tremor in 3 patients who underwent unilateral thalamic surgery. In a patient having simultaneously unilateral thalamotomy and contralateral DBS, remarkable improvement of head tremor was observed. CONCLUSION: Although it is difficult to evaluate the efficacy of thalamic surgery for axial symptom of essential tremor with a few cases, simultaneous unilateral thalamotomy and contralateral DBS would be expected to induce favorable outcomes for head tremor with significant economical advantages.

Separated Intraorbital Mucopyocele of Frontoethmoidal Sinus Origin

Intraorbital expansion is not rare in frontoethmoidal mucoceles and various rhinological surgeries have been reported for the management of this condition. However, although intraorbital mucoceles are apt to be accompanied by ophthalmological or neurological complications, their treatment by neurosurgical procedures has been reported considerably less frequently than that by rhinological approach. The authors report a patient with intraorbital mucopyocele that was extended from the frontoethmoidal sinus but separated by the thick fibrous septum. The patient had suffered from progressive proptosis with orbital pain and was successfully treated with transorbital complete removal of cyst by the subfrontal extradural approach. We suggest that an subfrontal transorbital approach such as this method is needed for complete marsupialization of an intraorbital mucocele and to prevent recurrence, especially in cases like our presentation.

Endoscopic Multiple Wide Fenestrations of Intraventricular Arachnoid Cyst Arising in Lateral Ventricle

Intraventricular arachnoid cyst is an uncommon disease and a few surgical experiences have been reported. The authors present an experience of neuroendoscopic surgery in a 4-year-old-male patient with a large arachnoid cyst arising from the right lateral ventricle, who had suffered from generalized tonic clonic seizure. On operation, various portions of the cyst could be easily approached without unwanted parenchymal injury because most of the cystic membrane was movable and not adherent to the ventricular wall except choroid plexus area, which could be considered as origin site of the cyst. Marked shrinkages by electrocoagulation and multiple wide fenestrations of the cyst were obtained through the endoscopic working channel without difficulty. Postoperative brain computed tomography demonstrated decreasing ventricular size with no evidence of cystic recurrence. The postoperative course was uneventful for eight months follow-up period. We suggest that endoscopic procedure has definite advantages as the surgical method of choice for the treatment of intraventricular arachnoid cysts.

Clinical Analysis and Treatment Result in Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery Aneurysms / 대한뇌혈관학회지

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to characterize the Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery aneurysm distribution (location, age, sex, multiplicity and associated vascular anomalies), clinical presentation, neuroradiological findings and surgery outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From Jul. '96 to Jun. '99, the admission chart and radiologic study material of 24 cases of angiographically confirmed PICA aneurysm patients were reviewed, retrospectively. RESULTS: Mean age of the patients was 53.4 years (ranged from 24 to 75), and majority of these aneurysms occurred in females (20 of 24). 22 of 24 patients presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage. The most common subarachnoid hemorrhage observed at ambient cistern, crural cistern, and the forth ventricular hemorrhage. In 19 of 24 cases the aneurysm size was 5+/-2 mm, and 23 cases show saccular aneurysm. PICA aneurysm patients have many associated intracranial vascular diseases (multiple aneurysm: 5, arteriovenous malformation: 2, abnormal vasculature: 4) and concomitant medical diseases (diabetes mellitus and tuberosclerosis). Direct surgical approaches were attempted in 22 cases (lateral suboccipital approach: 10, far lateral approach: 8, midline suboccipital: 2, pre-sigmoidal and combined approach in each case) and the surgical result was acceptable (favorable outcome: 19, unfavorable: 5). CONCLUSIONS: Based on this study, the incidence of PICA aneurysm was 1.3% and shows female predominance. In 46%, intracranial vascular abnormality was associated. On brain CT examination, subarachnoid hemorrhage at peimesencephalic cistern and intraventricular hemorrhage at the forth ventricle were most frequent CT finding. In most surgical cases, lateral or farlateral suboccipital approach was a good surgical approach enough to reach the PICA aneurysm and the surgical result was acceptable.

Spinal Epidural Lipomatosis

A 65-year-old man presented with simple neurogenic claudication for 3 yea rs. He chronically used steroid (betamethasone) medication for about 6 yea rs due to prurigo simplex. Imaging studies(myelography, CT, and MRI ) showed circumferential constriction of the central thecal sac at L5 by excessive epidural fat. After decompressive laminectomy and debulking of fat tissue, the symptom was subsided. The authors reviewed the literature relevant to spinal epidural lipomatosis.

Correlation beteween Motor Disturbance and Involvement of the Internal Capsule in Hypertensive Intracerebral Hemorrhage

The treatment of patients with hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is still controversial. Fifty-two cases with hypertensive thalamic or putaminal hemorrhage were classified into three groups on the basis of the location of the hematoma in the internal capsule on eht CT image. All the cases were confined to the anterior(Type A, 17 cases)., posterior(Type P, 25 cases) and mixed portion(Type M, 10 cases) of the posterior limb of the internal capsule, and were assigned to receive medical treatment, extraventricular drainage(EVD), or stereotactic aspiration using urokinase. This study was designed to assess the correlation between hematoma extension and the severity of motor disturbance in patients treated with stereotactic aspiration. The severity of motor weakness was found not to be related to hematoma extension, but the prognosis was frequently poor in type P and type M. The outcome was better in the stereotactic aspiration group, as compared with medical and EVD groups, especially when the hematoma was located at the posterior portion of the posterior limb of the internal capsule(p<0.05). The study suggests that stereotactic aspiration may improve the outcome of hypertensive ICH with severe motor weakness, even if the hematoma is small.