Necessity of mandatory postoperative intensive care unit management after clipping surgery for unruptured intracranial aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE: Many neurosurgeons routinely perform postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) management after clipping of unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs). However, whether routine postoperative ICU care is necessary remains a clinical question. Therefore, we investigated which factors acted as risk factors that actually required ICU care after microsurgical clipping of unruptured aneurysms. METHODS: We included a total of 532 patients who underwent clipping surgery for UIA between January 2020 and December 2020. The patients were divided into two groups: those who really required ICU care (41 patients, 7.7%) and those who did not (491 patients, 92.3%). A backward stepwise logistic regression model was used to identify factors that were independently associated with ICU care requirement. RESULTS: The mean hospital stay duration and the operation time were significantly longer in the ICU requirement group than in the no ICU requirement group (9.9 ± 10.7 vs. 6.3 ± 3.7 days, p = 0.041), (259.9 ± 128.4 vs. 210.5 ± 46.1 min, p = 0.019). The transfusion rate was significantly higher (p = 0.024) in the ICU requirement group. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified male sex (odds ratio [OR], 2.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15-4.76; p = 0.0195), operation time (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.00-1.01; p = 0.0022), and transfusion (OR, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.00-5.51; p = 0.0500) as independent risk factors for requiring ICU care after clipping. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative ICU management may not be mandatory after clipping surgery for UIAs. Our results suggest that postoperative ICU management may be more required in the male sex, patients with longer operation times, and those who received a transfusion.

Evaluation of short- and long-term results of Y-stent-assisted coiling with Leo stents in endovascular treatment of wide-necked intracranial bifurcation aneurysms.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of Y-stent-assisted coiling (Y-SAC) using LEO Baby® stents in treating of bifurcation aneurysms. METHODS: Patients who underwent Y-SAC using a braided stent (LEO Baby®, Montmorency, France) for wide-necked intracranial aneurysms between 2009 and 2019 and whose radiological and clinical follow-up data for at least 6 months could be obtained were evaluated. Data were obtained from patient records and analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: We evaluated 111 patients with a mean age of 56.0 ± 10.8 years (range, 25-88 years). Most of the aneurysms were detected incidentally. Three patients had ruptured aneurysms. LEO Baby deployment and coiling were successful in all patients. Immediate aneurysm occlusion rates were determined as modified Raymond-Roy classification (mRRC) I 95.5% (n = 106), mRRC II 3.6% (n = 4), mRRC IIIa 0.9% (n = 1). In the sixth month, aneurysm occlusion rates were found to be complete and nearly complete in all patients (mRRC I 94.6%, n = 105 and mRRC II 4.5%; n = 5, respectively). Follow-up data of 91 patients for > 2 years were obtained. Of these, 88 had MRRCI obstruction and 3 had MRRC II obstruction. The overall complication rate was 4.8%, and one patient died during the post-procedural follow-up. CONCLUSION: The long-term follow-up results of Y-stenting with LEO Baby revealed that it provides stable closure of the aneurysm sac while preserving the main arterial structures. Therefore, it is a safe, durable, and effective method for treating wide-necked and complex bifurcation aneurysms.

Safety and efficacy of flow diverter stents in the treatment of middle cerebral artery aneurysms: a single-center experience and follow-up data

PURPOSE: This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of flow diverters (FDs) in the treatment of middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms and share the follow-up (F/U) results. METHODS: The treatment and F/U results of 76 MCA aneurysms treated with the flow re-direction endoluminal device (FRED), FRED Jr., and pipeline embolization device (PED) FD stents were evaluated retrospectively. The aneurysm occlusion rates were compared between FDs, and the integrated and jailed branches were evaluated through follow-ups. The oversizing of the stent was compared between occluded/non-occluded aneurysms and integrated branches. RESULTS: The mean F/U duration was 32 ± 6.3 months, and the mean aneurysm diameter was 4.45 mm. A total of 61 (80.3%) aneurysms were wide-necked; 73 (96.1%) were saccular; 52 (68.4%) were located at the M1 segment; and 36 (45.6%) FREDs, 23 (29.1%) FRED Jr.s, and 19 (24.1%) PEDs were used for treatment. The overall occlusion rates for the 6-, 12-, 24-, 36-, and 60-month digital subtraction angiographies were 43.8%, 63.5%, 73.3%, 85.7%, and 87.5% respectively. The last F/U occlusion rates were 67.6% for FRED, 66.7% for PED, and 60.6% for FRED Jr. (P = 0.863). An integrated branch was covered with an FD during the treatment of 63 (82.8%) aneurysms. A total of six (10%) of the integrated branches were occluded without any symptoms at the last F/U appointment. The median oversizing was 0.45 (0-1.30) for occluded aneurysms, and 0.50 (0-1.40) for non-occluded aneurysms (P = 0.323). The median oversizing was 0.70 (0.45-1.10) in occluded integrated branches and 0.50 (0-1.40) in non-occluded branches (P = 0.131). In-stent stenosis was seen in 22 (30.1%) of the stents at the 6-month F/U and in only 2 (4.7%) at the 24-month F/U. Thus, none of the patients had any neurological deficits because of the in-stent stenosis. Severe in-stent stenosis was seen in two stents. CONCLUSION: MCA aneurysms tend to be complex, with integrated branches and potentially wide necks. FD stents are safe and effective in the treatment of MCA aneurysms, and the patency of the side and jailed branches is preserved in most cases. Higher occlusion and lower in-stent stenosis rates are seen with longer F/U durations.

Incomplete occlusion and visual symptoms of peri-ophthalmic aneurysm after treatment with a pipeline embolization device: a multi-center cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Peri-ophthalmic aneurysm is a special type of aneurysm. We assessed the relationship between ophthalmic artery (OA) origin and aneurysm and examined the effect of a pipeline embolization device (PED, Covidien/Medtronic) with or without coils on aneurysm occlusion rate and visual outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 194 peri-ophthalmic aneurysms in 189 patients among 1171 patients treated with a PED in a Chinese post-market multi-center registry study from November 2014 to October 2019. Peri-ophthalmic aneurysms were defined as carotid-ophthalmic segment aneurysms arising from the internal carotid artery dorsal wall at, or distal to, the OA origin, with a superior or superomedial projection. The relationship between OA origin and the aneurysm was classified as follows: type A, OA originating separate from the aneurysm; type B, OA originating from the aneurysm neck or dome. Patients with aneurysm were divided into the PED-only group and the PED + coils group according to treatment. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 6.8 months (range, 5.3-20.2 months). There were 163 occluded aneurysms (84%) and 31 aneurysms with incomplete occlusion (16%). A multivariate analysis showed that type B aneurysm was a risk factor for incomplete occlusion in the PED-only group (odds ratio [OR] 4.854, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.878-12.548, P = 0.001). Visual symptoms at final follow-up correlated with preoperative visual symptoms (OR 22.777, 95% CI 3.115-166.555, P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Type B aneurysm is associated with a lower occlusion rate after PED-only treatment. Patients with preoperative visual symptoms should be treated promptly to avoid permanent visual symptoms.

[Management protocol and outcome assessment of ruptured intracranial aneurysm emergency surgery during coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic].

Objective: To explore the improvement of emergency admission screening and perioperative management protocols in the scenario of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its regular prevention and control for patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysms, which are the most common emergency cases with the most urgent needs for emergent surgery. Methods: The response protocol of the emergency surgical management of ruptured intracranial aneurysm during the epidemic period (from January to March, 2020) at Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University was reviewed. The prognosis of emergent aneurysm surgery under different levels of protection or during the same period of 2019 and 2020 was further compared to describe the operation and prognosis under the new management protocol. Results: A total of 127 emergency cases with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage were referred to Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 20 to March 25, 2020, and 42 cases(33.1%) underwent emergent aneurysm clipping after multi-desciplinary consultation. Admissions of emergency cases required epidemiological, laboratory, and imaging screenings for COVID-19, with additional throat swab virus nucleic acid screening afterwards. During the same period, 9 cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the emergency screening, and no false negative cases were found. Compared with the same period in 2019, the interval between emergency visits and emergency craniotomy did not increase significantly due to the preoperative screening ((37±17) hours during the epidemic period versus (29±12) hours at the same period in 2019, P=0.058). There was no significant difference in the incidence of perioperative adverse events and postoperative neurological dysfunction (P=0.779). According to the screening results, the corresponding operative and postoperative management protocol and protection standards were adopted. There was no significant difference in the prognosis of emergent surgery between patients with a negative initial screening and those who were to be excluded or suspected in the initial screening (P=0.678). Although viral nucleic acid screening tended to prolong the time interval before surgical intervention ((36±15) hours before nucleic acid screening versus (40±20) hours after nucleic acid screening, P=0.453), there was no statistically significant difference in the preoperative adverse events and postoperative neurological function (P=0.653). Conclusion: The current protocol of COVID-19 screening and stratified emergent surgery management based on screening results can effectively identify suspected and confirmed COVID-19 cases, thereby ensuring timely, safe and effective emergent surgery and prohibiting nosocomial spread.

The Use of Acute Normovolemic Hemodilution in Clipping Surgery for Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: The occurrence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has overwhelmed the blood supply chain worldwide and severely influenced clinical procedures with potential massive blood loss, such as clipping surgery for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Whether acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) is safe and effective in aneurysm clipping remains largely unknown. METHODS: Patients with aSAH who underwent clipping surgery within 72 hours from bleeding were included. The patients in the ANH group received 400 mL autologous blood collection, and the blood was returned as needed during surgery. The relationships between ANH and perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion, postoperative outcome, and complications were analyzed. RESULTS: Sixty-two patients with aSAH were included between December 2019 and June 2020 (20 in the ANH group and 42 in the non-ANH group). ANH did not reduce the need of perioperative blood transfusion (3 [15%] vs. 5 [11.9%]; P = 0.734). However, ANH significantly increased serum hemoglobin levels on postoperative day 1 (11.5 ± 2.5 g/dL vs. 10.3 ± 2.0 g/dL; P = 0.045) and day 3 (12.1 ± 2.0 g/dL vs. 10.7 ± 1.3 g/dL; P = 0.002). Multivariable analysis indicated that serum hemoglobin level on postoperative day 1 (odds ratio, 0.895; 95% confidence interval, 0.822-0.973; P = 0.010) was an independent risk factor for unfavorable outcome, and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that it had a comparable predictive power to World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies grade (Z = 0.275; P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: ANH significantly increased postoperative hemoglobin levels, and it may hold the potential to improve patients' outcomes. Routine use of ANH should be considered in aneurysm clipping surgery.

International teleproctoring in neurointerventional surgery and its potential impact on clinical trials in the era of COVID-19: legal and technical considerations.

BACKGROUND: Existing travel restrictions limit the mobility of proctors, significantly delaying clinical trials and the introduction of new neurointerventional devices. We aim to describe in detail technical and legal considerations regarding international teleproctoring, a tool that could waive the need for in-person supervision during procedures. METHODS: International teleproctoring was chosen to provide remote supervision during the first three intracranial aneurysm treatments with a new flow diverter (currently subject of a clinical trial) in the US. Real-time, high-resolution transmission software streamed audiovisual data to a proctor located in Canada. The software allowed the transmission of images in a de-identified, HIPAA-compliant manner. RESULTS: All three flow diverters were implanted as desired by operator and proctor and without complication. The proctor could swap between images from multiple sources and reported complete spatial and situational awareness, without any significant lag or delay in communication. Procedural times and radiologic dose were similar to those of uncomplicated, routine flow diversion cases at our institution. CONCLUSIONS: International teleproctoring was successfully implemented in our clinical practice. Its first use provided important insights for establishing this tool in our field. With no clear horizon for lifting the current travel restrictions, teleproctoring has the potential to remove the need for proctor presence in the angiography suite, thereby allowing the field to advance through the continuation of trials and the introduction of new devices in clinical practice. In order for this tool to be used safely and effectively, highly reliable connection and high-resolution equipment is necessary, and multiple legal nuances have to be considered.

Management of Neurosurgical Cases in a Tertiary Care Referral Hospital During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons from a Middle-Income Country.

BACKGROUND: The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been at its peak for the past 8 months and has affected more than 215 countries around the world. India is now the second most-affected nation with more than 48,000,000 cases and 79,000 deaths. Despite this, and the fact that it is a lower-middle-income nation, the number of deaths is almost one third that of the United States and one half that of Brazil. However, there has been no experience published from non-COVID-19-designated hospitals, where the aim is to manage noninfected cases with neurosurgical ailments while keeping the number of infected cases to a minimum. METHODS: We analyzed the number of neurosurgical cases (nontrauma) done in the past 5 months (March-July 2020) in our institute, which is the largest neurosurgical center by volume in southern India, and compared the same to the concurrent 5 months in 2019 and 5 months preceding the pandemic. We also reviewed the total number of cases infected with COVID-19 managed during this time. RESULTS: We operated a total of 630 cases (nontrauma) in these 5 months and had 9 COVID-19 infected cases operated during this time. There was a 57% (P = 0.002) reduction in the number of cases operated as compared with the same 5 months in the preceding year. We employed a dual strategy of rapid antigen testing and surgery for cases needing emergency intervention and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction test for elective cases. The hospital was divided into 3 zones (red, orange, and green) depending on infectivity level with minimal interaction. Separate teams were designated for each zone, and thus we were able to effectively manage even infected cases despite the absence of pulmonology/medical specialists. CONCLUSIONS: We present a patient management protocol for non-COVID-19-designated hospitals in high-volume centers with the constraints of a lower-middle-income nation and demonstrate its effectiveness. Strict zoning targeted testing and effective triage can help in management during the pandemic.

Republished: Interhospital teleproctoring of endovascular intracranial aneurysm treatment using a dedicated live-streaming technology: first experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is a report of the first three cases of endovascular aneurysm treatment that were proctored by a remote interventionalist using a novel high-resolution low-latency streaming technology. The proctor was located in a neurovascular centre and supported the treating interventional teams in two distant cities (up to 800 km/500 miles apart). All aneurysms were treated using the Woven EndoBridge (WEB) embolisation system, either electively or following subarachnoid haemorrhage. On-site proctoring was not possible due to travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. WEB placement was feasible in all cases. Good rapport between proctors and treating physicians was reported, enabled by the high-resolution image transmission and uninterrupted feedback/discussion via audiostream. No clinical complications were encountered. Short-term follow-up revealed adequate occlusion of all treated aneurysms. The employed streaming technology provided effective remote proctoring during complex aneurysm cases, including the management of technical complications.

Lessons from China When Performing Neurosurgical Procedures During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic poses a substantial threat to the health of health care personnel on the front line of caring for patients with COVID-19. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have announced that all nonessential planned surgeries and procedures should be postponed until further notice and only urgent procedures should proceed. Neurologic surgeries and procedures should not be delayed under the circumstance in which it is essential at saving a life or preserving functioning of the central nervous system. METHODS: With the intent to advise the neurosurgery team on how to adequately prepare and safely perform neurosurgical procedures on confirmed and suspected patients with COVID-19, we discuss considerations and recommendations based on the lessons and experience shared by neurosurgeons in China. RESULTS: Perioperative and intraoperative strategies, considerations, as well as challenges arisen under the specific circumstance have been discussed. In addition, a case of a ruptured aneurysm in a suspected patient with COVID-19 is reported. It is advised that all health care personnel who immediately participate in neurosurgical surgeries and procedures for confirmed and suspected patients with COVID-19 should take airborne precautions and wear enhanced personal protective equipment. CONCLUSIONS: Following the proposed guidance, urgent neurosurgical surgeries and procedures can be safely performed for the benefit of critical patients with or suspected for COVID-19.