Morphological and ultrastructural investigation of the posterior atlanto-occipital membrane: Comparing children with Chiari malformation type I and controls.

INTRODUCTION: The fibrous posterior atlanto-occipital membrane (PAOM) at the craniocervical junction is typically removed during decompression surgery for Chiari malformation type I (CM-I); however, its importance and ultrastructural architecture have not been investigated in children. We hypothesized that there are structural differences in the PAOM of patients with CM-I and those without. METHODS: In this prospective study, blinded pathological analysis was performed on PAOM specimens from children who had surgery for CM-I and children who had surgery for posterior fossa tumors (controls). Clinical and radiographic data were collected. Statistical analysis included comparisons between the CM-I and control cohorts and correlations with imaging measures. RESULTS: A total of 35 children (mean age at surgery 10.7 years; 94.3% white) with viable specimens for evaluation were enrolled: 24 with CM-I and 11 controls. There were no statistical demographic differences between the two cohorts. Four children had a family history of CM-I and five had a syndromic condition. The cohorts had similar measurements of tonsillar descent, syringomyelia, basion to C2, and condylar-to-C2 vertical axis (all p>0.05). The clival-axial angle was lower in patients with CM-I (138.1 vs. 149.3 degrees, p = 0.016). Morphologically, the PAOM demonstrated statistically higher proportions of disorganized architecture in patients with CM-I (75.0% vs. 36.4%, p = 0.012). There were no differences in PAOM fat, elastin, or collagen percentages overall and no differences in imaging or ultrastructural findings between male and female patients. Posterior fossa volume was lower in children with CM-I (163,234 mm3 vs. 218,305 mm3, p<0.001), a difference that persisted after normalizing for patient height (129.9 vs. 160.9, p = 0.028). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with CM-I, the PAOM demonstrates disorganized architecture compared with that of control patients. This likely represents an anatomic adaptation in the presence of CM-I rather than a pathologic contribution.

Development of an online calculator for the prediction of seizure freedom following pediatric hemispherectomy using the Hemispherectomy Outcome Prediction Scale (HOPS).

OBJECTIVES: Although hemispheric surgeries are among the most effective procedures for drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) in the pediatric population, there is a large variability in seizure outcomes at the group level. A recently developed HOPS score provides individualized estimation of likelihood of seizure freedom to complement clinical judgement. The objective of this study was to develop a freely accessible online calculator that accurately predicts the probability of seizure freedom for any patient at 1-, 2-, and 5-years post-hemispherectomy. METHODS: Retrospective data of all pediatric patients with DRE and seizure outcome data from the original Hemispherectomy Outcome Prediction Scale (HOPS) study were included. The primary outcome of interest was time-to-seizure recurrence. A multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression model was developed to predict the likelihood of post-hemispheric surgery seizure freedom at three time points (1-, 2- and 5- years) based on a combination of variables identified by clinical judgment and inferential statistics predictive of the primary outcome. The final model from this study was encoded in a publicly accessible online calculator on the International Network for Epilepsy Surgery and Treatment (iNEST) website (https://hops-calculator.com/). RESULTS: The selected variables for inclusion in the final model included the five original HOPS variables (age at seizure onset, etiologic substrate, seizure semiology, prior non-hemispheric resective surgery, and contralateral fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography [FDG-PET] hypometabolism) and three additional variables (age at surgery, history of infantile spasms, and magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] lesion). Predictors of shorter time-to-seizure recurrence included younger age at seizure onset, prior resective surgery, generalized seizure semiology, FDG-PET hypometabolism contralateral to the side of surgery, contralateral MRI lesion, non-lesional MRI, non-stroke etiologies, and a history of infantile spasms. The area under the curve (AUC) of the final model was 73.0%. SIGNIFICANCE: Online calculators are useful, cost-free tools that can assist physicians in risk estimation and inform joint decision-making processes with patients and families, potentially leading to greater satisfaction. Although the HOPS data was validated in the original analysis, the authors encourage external validation of this new calculator.

Added value of corpus callosotomy following vagus nerve stimulation in children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome: A multicenter, multinational study.

OBJECTIVE: Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) is a severe form of epileptic encephalopathy, presenting during the first years of life, and is very resistant to treatment. Once medical therapy has failed, palliative surgeries such as vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) or corpus callosotomy (CC) are considered. Although CC is more effective than VNS as the primary neurosurgical treatment for LGS-associated drop attacks, there are limited data regarding the added value of CC following VNS. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of CC preceded by VNS. METHODS: This multinational, multicenter retrospective study focuses on LGS children who underwent CC before the age of 18 years, following prior VNS, which failed to achieve satisfactory seizure control. Collected data included epilepsy characteristics, surgical details, epilepsy outcomes, and complications. The primary outcome of this study was a 50% reduction in drop attacks. RESULTS: A total of 127 cases were reviewed (80 males). The median age at epilepsy onset was 6 months (interquartile range [IQR] = 3.12-22.75). The median age at VNS surgery was 7 years (IQR = 4-10), and CC was performed at a median age of 11 years (IQR = 8.76-15). The dominant seizure type was drop attacks (tonic or atonic) in 102 patients. Eighty-six patients underwent a single-stage complete CC, and 41 an anterior callosotomy. Ten patients who did not initially have a complete CC underwent a second surgery for completion of CC due to seizure persistence. Overall, there was at least a 50% reduction in drop attacks and other seizures in 83% and 60%, respectively. Permanent morbidity occurred in 1.5%, with no mortality. SIGNIFICANCE: CC is vital in seizure control in children with LGS in whom VNS has failed. Surgical risks are low. A complete CC has a tendency toward better effectiveness than anterior CC for some seizure types.

Machine learning models for predicting seizure outcome after MR-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy in children.

OBJECTIVE: MR-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (MRgLITT) is associated with lower seizure-free outcome but better safety profile compared to open surgery. However, the predictors of seizure freedom following MRgLITT remain uncertain. This study aimed to use machine learning to predict seizure-free outcome following MRgLITT and to identify important predictors of seizure freedom in children with drug-resistant epilepsy. METHODS: This multicenter study included children treated with MRgLITT for drug-resistant epilepsy at 13 epilepsy centers. The authors used clinical data, diagnostic investigations, and ablation features to predict seizure-free outcome at 1 year post-MRgLITT. Patients from 12 centers formed the training cohort, and patients in the remaining center formed the testing cohort. Five machine learning algorithms were developed on the training data by using 10-fold cross-validation, and model performance was measured on the testing cohort. The models were developed and tested on the complete feature set. Subsequently, 3 feature selection methods were used to identify important predictors. The authors then assessed performance of the parsimonious models based on these important variables. RESULTS: This study included 268 patients who underwent MRgLITT, of whom 44.4% had achieved seizure freedom at 1 year post-MRgLITT. A gradient-boosting machine algorithm using the complete feature set yielded the highest area under the curve (AUC) on the testing set (AUC 0.67 [95% CI 0.50-0.82], sensitivity 0.71 [95% CI 0.47-0.88], and specificity 0.66 [95% CI 0.50-0.81]). Logistic regression, random forest, support vector machine, and neural network yielded lower AUCs (0.58-0.63) compared to the gradient-boosting machine but the findings were not statistically significant (all p > 0.05). The 3 feature selection methods identified video-EEG concordance, lesion size, preoperative seizure frequency, and number of antiseizure medications as good prognostic features for predicting seizure freedom. The parsimonious models based on important features identified by univariate feature selection slightly improved model performance compared to the complete feature set. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the predictors of seizure freedom after MRgLITT will assist with prognostication.

Magnetic resonance imaging-guided stereotactic laser ablation therapy for the treatment of pediatric epilepsy: a retrospective multiinstitutional study.

OBJECTIVE: The authors of this study evaluated the safety and efficacy of stereotactic laser ablation (SLA) for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) in children. METHODS: Seventeen North American centers were enrolled in the study. Data for pediatric patients with DRE who had been treated with SLA between 2008 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 225 patients, mean age 12.8 ± 5.8 years, were identified. Target-of-interest (TOI) locations included extratemporal (44.4%), temporal neocortical (8.4%), mesiotemporal (23.1%), hypothalamic (14.2%), and callosal (9.8%). Visualase and NeuroBlate SLA systems were used in 199 and 26 cases, respectively. Procedure goals included ablation (149 cases), disconnection (63), or both (13). The mean follow-up was 27 ± 20.4 months. Improvement in targeted seizure type (TST) was seen in 179 (84.0%) patients. Engel classification was reported for 167 (74.2%) patients; excluding the palliative cases, 74 (49.7%), 35 (23.5%), 10 (6.7%), and 30 (20.1%) patients had Engel class I, II, III, and IV outcomes, respectively. For patients with a follow-up ≥ 12 months, 25 (51.0%), 18 (36.7%), 3 (6.1%), and 3 (6.1%) had Engel class I, II, III, and IV outcomes, respectively. Patients with a history of pre-SLA surgery related to the TOI, a pathology of malformation of cortical development, and 2+ trajectories per TOI were more likely to experience no improvement in seizure frequency and/or to have an unfavorable outcome. A greater number of smaller thermal lesions was associated with greater improvement in TST. Thirty (13.3%) patients experienced 51 short-term complications including malpositioned catheter (3 cases), intracranial hemorrhage (2), transient neurological deficit (19), permanent neurological deficit (3), symptomatic perilesional edema (6), hydrocephalus (1), CSF leakage (1), wound infection (2), unplanned ICU stay (5), and unplanned 30-day readmission (9). The relative incidence of complications was higher in the hypothalamic target location. Target volume, number of laser trajectories, number or size of thermal lesions, or use of perioperative steroids did not have a significant effect on short-term complications. CONCLUSIONS: SLA appears to be an effective and well-tolerated treatment option for children with DRE. Large-volume prospective studies are needed to better understand the indications for treatment and demonstrate the long-term efficacy of SLA in this population.

A multicenter initiative to reduce intrathecal baclofen pump surgical site infection: a Cerebral Palsy Research Network quality improvement project.

OBJECTIVE: Intrathecal baclofen (ITB) therapy is an effective treatment for spasticity and dystonia in children with cerebral palsy (CP). However, ITB pump surgery is associated with one of the highest rates of surgical site infection (SSI) in medicine, leading to significant morbidity and expense. Surgical protocols have reduced the rate of SSI in children with other CNS implants, and single-center protocols have been effective in ITB surgery in pediatrics. The authors describe the first multicenter quality improvement (QI)-driven standardized protocol for ITB pump surgery in children with CP across the Cerebral Palsy Research Network (CPRN), implemented with the aim of reducing ITB-associated SSI. METHODS: SSI was defined as a culture-positive infection, ITB pump system removal for suspected infection, or wound dehiscence with exposed hardware. Each center reported historical infection rates for at least 3 years before initiating the SSI protocol (preintervention phase). After initiation of a 13-step surgical protocol, a consecutive series of 130 patients undergoing 149 surgical procedures for ITB at four CPRN tertiary pediatric neurosurgery centers were prospectively enrolled at surgery during a 2-year study period (intervention phase). QI methodology was used, including development of a key driver diagram and tracking performance using run and control charts. The primary process measure goal was documented compliance with 80% of the protocol steps, and the primary outcome measure goal was a 20% reduction in 90-day infection rate. Patient characteristics were collected from the CPRN Research Electronic Data Capture registry, including age at surgery, BMI, Gross Motor Function Classification System level, and pattern of spasticity. RESULTS: The aggregated preintervention 90-day ITB SSI rate was 4.9% (223 procedures) between 2014 and 2017. During the intervention phase, 136 of 149 ITB surgeries performed met inclusion criteria for analysis. The mean documented compliance rate with protocol steps was 75%, and the 90-day infection rate was 4.4%, with an average of 42 days from index surgery to infection. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first multicenter QI initiative designed to reduce SSI in ITB surgery in children with CP. Ongoing enrollment and expansion of the protocol to other CPRN centers will facilitate identification of patient- and procedure-specific risk factors for SSI, and iterative plan-do-study-act cycles incorporating these data will further decrease the risk of SSI for ITB surgery in children.

Seizure outcome of pediatric magnetic resonance-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy versus open surgery: A matched noninferiority cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Minimally invasive magnetic resonance-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (MRgLITT) has been proposed as an alternative to open epilepsy surgery, to address concerns regarding the risk of open surgery. Our primary hypothesis was that seizure freedom at 1 year after MRgLITT is noninferior to open surgery in children with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). The secondary hypothesis was that MRgLITT has fewer complications and shorter hospitalization than surgery. The primary objective was to compare seizure outcome of MRgLITT to open surgery in children with DRE. The secondary objective was to compare complications and length of hospitalization of the two treatments. METHODS: This retrospective multicenter cohort study included children with DRE treated with MRgLITT or open surgery with 1-year follow-up. Exclusion criteria were corpus callosotomy, neurostimulation, multilobar or hemispheric surgery, and lesion with maximal dimension > 60 mm. MRgLITT patients were propensity matched to open surgery patients. The primary outcome was seizure freedom at 1 year posttreatment. The difference in seizure freedom was compared using noninferiority test, with noninferiority margin of -10%. The secondary outcomes were complications and length of hospitalization. RESULTS: One hundred eighty-five MRgLITT patients were matched to 185 open surgery patients. Seizure freedom at 1 year follow-up was observed in 89 of 185 (48.1%) MRgLITT and 114 of 185 (61.6%) open surgery patients (difference = -13.5%, one-sided 97.5% confidence interval = -23.8% to ∞, pNoninferiority  = .79). The lower confidence interval boundary of -23.8% was below the prespecified noninferiority margin of -10%. Overall complications were lower in MRgLITT compared to open surgery (10.8% vs. 29.2%, respectively, p < .001). Hospitalization was shorter for MRgLITT than open surgery (3.1 ± 2.9 vs. 7.2 ± 6.1 days, p < .001). SIGNIFICANCE: Seizure outcome of MRgLITT at 1 year posttreatment was inferior to open surgery. However, MRgLITT has the advantage of better safety profile and shorter hospitalization. The findings will help counsel children and parents on the benefits and risks of MRgLITT and contribute to informed decision-making on treatment options.

Multi-Center Validation of the McGovern Pediatric Blunt Cerebrovascular Injury Screening Score.

Blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI) is defined as blunt trauma to the head and neck leading to damage to the vertebral and/or carotid arteries; debate exists regarding which children are considered at high risk for BCVI and in need of angiographic/vessel imaging. We previously proposed a screening tool, the McGovern score, to identify pediatric trauma patients at high risk for BCVI, and we aim to validate the McGovern score by pooling data from multiple pediatric trauma centers. This is a multi-center, hospital-based, cohort study from all prospectively registered pediatric (<16 years of age) trauma patients who presented to the emergency department (ED) between 2003 and 2017 at six Level 1 pediatric trauma centers. The registry was retrospectively queried for patients who received a computed tomography angiogram (CTA) as a screening method for BCVI. Age, length of follow-up, mechanism of injury (MOI), arrival Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, and focal neurological deficit were recorded. Radiological variables queried were the presence of a carotid canal fracture, petrous temporal bone fracture, and CT presence of infarction. Patients with BCVI were queried for mode of treatment, type of intracranial injury, artery damaged, and BCVI injury grade. The McGovern score was calculated for all patients who underwent CTA across all data groups. A total of 1012 patients underwent CTA; 72 of these patients were found to have BCVI, 51 of which were in the validation cohort. Across all data groups, the McGovern score has a >80% sensitivity (SN) and >98% negative predictive value (NPV). The McGovern score for pediatric BCVI is an effective, generalizable screening tool.

Treatment of a symptomatic thalamic pilocytic astrocytoma with reservoir placement and laser interstitial thermal therapy: illustrative case.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of pilocytic astrocytomas (PAs) in children can be challenging when they arise in deep midline structures because complete surgical resection may result in significant neurological injury. Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) has provided an alternative treatment modality for lesions that may not be amenable to resection. However, many patients with PAs may be symptomatic from a compressive cyst associated with the PA, and LITT does not obviate the need for cystic decompression in these patients. OBSERVATIONS: A 12-year-old male presented with left-sided weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed an enhancing mass with a large cyst involving the right thalamus and basal ganglia. The patient underwent a reservoir placement for cyst drainage and biopsy of the mass, revealing a pilocytic astrocytoma. He then underwent LITT followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. Sixteen months after LITT, follow-up MRI of the brain revealed no tumor growth. LESSONS: This is the first case to describe reservoir placement to treat the cystic portion of a pilocytic astrocytoma followed by LITT and targeted chemotherapy. Reservoir placement reduced the cyst's mass effect and resolved the patient's symptoms, allowing for treatment options beyond resection.

A snapshot of contemporary leadership at pediatric neurosurgery fellowships.

OBJECTIVE: Many pathways to positions of leadership exist within pediatric neurological surgery. The authors sought to investigate common trends in leadership among pediatric neurosurgery fellowship directors (FDs) and describe how formalized pediatric neurosurgical training arrived at its current state. METHODS: Fellowship programs were identified using the Accreditation Council for Pediatric Neurosurgery Fellowships website. Demographic, training, membership, and research information was collected via email, telephone, curricula vitae, and online searches. RESULTS: The authors' survey was sent to all 35 identified FDs, and 21 responses were received. Response data were supplemented with curricula vitae and online data prior to analysis. FDs were predominantly male, self-identified predominantly as Caucasian, and had a mean age of 53 years. The mean duration from residency graduation until FD appointment was 13.4 years. The top training programs to produce future FDs were New York University and Washington University in St. Louis (residency) and Washington University in St. Louis (fellowship). CONCLUSIONS: This study characterizes the current state of pediatric neurosurgery fellowship program leadership. The data serve as an important point of reference to compare with future leadership as well as contrast with neurosurgery and other surgical disciplines in general.

Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury in a Geographically Dispersed Population: A Relationship Between Distance to Definitive Neurosurgical Treatment and Outcome.

BACKGROUND: There are limited data on the association between transport distance and outcomes in pediatric patients with severe traumatic brain injuries (sTBIs), despite children having to travel further to pediatric trauma centers (PTCs). OBJECTIVE: To assess whether distance from a PTC is associated with outcomes in children who undergo cranial surgery after sTBI. METHODS: Children with sTBI who underwent craniectomy/craniotomy at our PTC between 2010 and 2019 were identified retrospectively. Of these 92 patients, 83 sustained blunt injury and underwent surgery within 24 hours. The distance from injury location to PTC was based on injury zip code and calculated as Euclidean distance. Variables associated with transport, including distance, time, and rural-urban disparity, were analyzed for correlation with poor outcome. RESULTS: Of the 83 patients identified, 81 had injury location information. Forty patients were injured within 30 miles and 41 were injured ≥30 miles from the PTC. Injury severity and pediatric trauma scores were not significantly different between groups. Sixty-eight children (82%) had a satisfactory outcome and 10 children (12%) died. There was a nonsignificant association between distance traveled and poor outcome, even when the cohort was stratified into those with subdural hematomas and those with nonabusive injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of the distance from the PTC at which their injury occurred, most children in this cohort made a moderate to good recovery. Children injured at greater distances from the PTC did not have worse outcomes; however, studies with larger cohorts are needed to more definitively assess prehospital pediatric transport systems in this population.

Stereotactic electroencephalography is associated with reduced opioid and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use when compared with subdural grids: a pediatric case series.

Patients undergoing surgical intervention for epilepsy mapping are typically administered opioids for pain control. The use of opioids is demonstrably lower after other procedures when a minimally invasive surgery (MIS) technique is used. Our objective was to determine whether using MIS for stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) resulted in lower opioid requirement by pediatric patients when compared with subdural grid placement after craniotomy (ECoG). A retrospective chart review was conducted to identify patients < 18 years who underwent epilepsy mapping surgery using SEEG or ECoG in 2015-2019. The hospital stay was divided into four time periods, and the total amounts of opioids (converted into morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs)) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and pain scores (on numerical rating scale (NRS)) were calculated for each time interval. The two groups were then compared statistically. The study included 31 patients in the SEEG group and 9 in the ECoG group. The SEEG group consumed significantly fewer opioids during the hospital stay than the ECoG group (23.6 vs. 61.7 MMEs; p = 0.041). There were also significant differences in the length of stay (6.9 vs. 12.2 days; p = 0.002), rate of complications (0% vs. 20%; p = 0.006), and total NSAIDs consumed (3,264.8 vs. 12,730.2 mg; p = 0.002). Opioid and NSAID consumption were significantly lower and hospital stays were shorter in pediatric patients who underwent epilepsy mapping via SEEG compared with ECoG. These results suggest that MIS for epilepsy mapping may decrease the overall pain medication use and expedite patient discharge.

Connectomic profiling and Vagus nerve stimulation Outcomes Study (CONNECTiVOS): a prospective observational protocol to identify biomarkers of seizure response in children and youth.

INTRODUCTION: Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a neuromodulation therapy that can reduce the seizure burden of children with medically intractable epilepsy. Despite the widespread use of VNS to treat epilepsy, there are currently no means to preoperatively identify patients who will benefit from treatment. The objective of the present study is to determine clinical and neural network-based correlates of treatment outcome to better identify candidates for VNS therapy. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: In this multi-institutional North American study, children undergoing VNS and their caregivers will be prospectively recruited. All patients will have documentation of clinical history, physical and neurological examination and video electroencephalography as part of the standard clinical workup for VNS. Neuroimaging data including resting-state functional MRI, diffusion-tensor imaging and magnetoencephalography will be collected before surgery. MR-based measures will also be repeated 12 months after implantation. Outcomes of VNS, including seizure control and health-related quality of life of both patient and primary caregiver, will be prospectively measured up to 2 years postoperatively. All data will be collected electronically using Research Electronic Data Capture. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study was approved by the Hospital for Sick Children Research Ethics Board (REB number 1000061744). All participants, or substitute decision-makers, will provide informed consent prior to be enrolled in the study. Institutional Research Ethics Board approval will be obtained from each additional participating site prior to inclusion. This study is funded through a Canadian Institutes of Health Research grant (PJT-159561) and an investigator-initiated funding grant from LivaNova USA (Houston, TX; FF01803B IIR).

Transverse Rectus Abdominis Muscle Flow-Through to Free Fibula Flap for Lumbar Spinal Reconstruction in a Pediatric Patient: A Case Report.

CASE: A 7-week-old girl presented with a recurrent primitive myxoid mesenchymal tumor of infancy requiring extensive resection of lower back musculature, L3-S2 vertebral bodies, and left L5 nerve root. Reconstruction consisted of transverse rectus abdominis muscle (TRAM) flow-through to free fibular flap to reconstruct the bony defect and fill the soft-tissue void. One-year postoperative imaging revealed a well-incorporated fibula graft. At the 30-month follow-up, the patient can bear weight on the autograft while sitting upright, allowing for efficient ambulation with a wheelchair. CONCLUSION: TRAM flow-through to free fibular flap is an efficacious reconstructive method for a multilevel vertebral spinal defect in a pediatric patient.

Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging may predict poor outcome in children with severe traumatic brain injuries who undergo cranial surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Multiple studies have evaluated the use of MRI for prognostication in pediatric patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and have found a correlation between diffuse axonal injury (DAI)-type lesions and outcome. However, there remains a limited understanding about the use of MRI for prognostication after severe TBI in children who have undergone cranial surgery. METHODS: Children with severe TBI who underwent craniectomy or craniotomy at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, between 2010 and 2019 were identified retrospectively. Of these 92 patients, 43 underwent postoperative brain MRI within 4 months of surgery. Susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) and FLAIR sequences were used to designate areas of hemorrhagic and nonhemorrhagic cerebral lesions related to DAI. Patients were then stratified based on the location of the DAI as read by a neuroradiologist as superficial, deep, or brainstem. The location of the DAI and other variables associated with poor outcome, including Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, pediatric trauma score, mechanism of injury, and time to surgery, were analyzed for correlation with poor outcome. Outcomes were reported using the King's Outcome Scale for Childhood Head Injury (KOSCHI). RESULTS: In the 43 children with severe TBI who underwent postoperative brain MRI, the median GCS score on arrival was 4. The most common cause of injury was falls (14 patients, 33%). The most common primary intracranial pathology was subdural hematoma in 26 patients (60%), followed by epidural hematoma in 9 (21%). Fifteen patients (35%) had cerebral herniation and 31 (72%) had evidence of contusion. Variables associated with poor outcome included cerebral herniation (r = 0.338, p = 0.027) and location of DAI (r = 0.319, p = 0.037). In a separate analysis, brainstem DAI was shown to predict poor outcome, whereas location (no, superficial, or deep DAI) did not. Logistic regression showed that brainstem DAI (OR 22.3, p = 0.020) had a higher odds ratio than cerebral herniation (OR 10.5, p = 0.044) for poor outcome. Thirty-six children (84%) had a satisfactory outcome at last follow-up; 3 (7%) children died. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of children in this series who presented with a severe TBI and underwent craniectomy or craniotomy made a satisfactory recovery. In patients in whom there is a concern for poor outcome, the location of DAI-type lesions with SWI and FLAIR may assist in prognostication. The authors' results revealed that DAI-type lesions in the brainstem and evidence of cerebral herniation may indicate a poorer prognosis; however, more studies with larger cohorts are needed to make definitive conclusions.

Pediatric thalamic incidentalomas: an international retrospective multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: Widespread use of modern neuroimaging has led to a surge in diagnosing pediatric brain incidentalomas. Thalamic lesions have unique characteristics such as deep location, surgical complexity, and proximity to eloquent neuronal structures. Currently, the natural course of incidental thalamic lesions is unknown. Therefore, the authors present their experience in treating such lesions. METHODS: A retrospective, international multicenter study was carried out in 8 tertiary pediatric centers from 5 countries. Patients were included if they had an incidental thalamic lesion suspected of being a tumor and were diagnosed before the age of 20 years. Treatment strategy, imaging characteristics, pathology, and the outcome of operated and unoperated cases were analyzed. RESULTS: Overall, 58 children (23 females and 35 males) with a mean age of 10.8 ± 4.0 years were included. The two most common indications for imaging were nonspecific reasons (n = 19; e.g., research and developmental delay) and headache unrelated to small thalamic lesions (n = 14). Eleven patients (19%) underwent early surgery and 47 were followed, of whom 10 underwent surgery due to radiological changes at a mean of 11.4 ± 9.5 months after diagnosis. Of the 21 patients who underwent surgery, 9 patients underwent resection and 12 underwent biopsy. The two most frequent pathologies were pilocytic astrocytoma and WHO grade II astrocytoma (n = 6 and n = 5, respectively). Three lesions were high-grade gliomas. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that pediatric incidental thalamic lesions include both low- and high-grade tumors. Close and long-term radiological follow-up is warranted in patients who do not undergo immediate surgery, as tumor progression may occur.

Neurological and clinical outcomes in infants and children with a fetal diagnosis of asymmetric ventriculomegaly, interhemispheric cyst, and dysgenesis of the corpus callosum.

OBJECTIVE: Advances in prenatal imaging have facilitated improvements in the fetal diagnosis of congenital anomalies. Asymmetric ventriculomegaly, interhemispheric cyst, and dysgenesis of the corpus callosum (AVID) is a constellation of congenital anomalies reported in fetal imaging. However, few data are available regarding postnatal outcomes of infants and children with a fetal diagnosis of AVID. The authors sought to report the neurodevelopmental outcomes of patients diagnosed with AVID before birth at a single institution. METHODS: An institutional fetal imaging database was queried to identify cases with ventriculomegaly, interhemispheric cyst, and dysgenesis of the corpus callosum over a 10-year study period from 2000 to 2019. Overall, 41 maternal-infant dyads who met imaging criteria for AVID were identified; medical records were reviewed for prenatal variables including gestational age at birth, perinatal complications including fetal demise, and postnatal variables including demographics, mortality, hydrocephalus diagnosis and management, epilepsy, and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2 years or the last follow-up. RESULTS: Among 41 patients, 25 (61%) were male. A slight majority of patients (55%) were born before 36 weeks of gestational age, and 27 patients (68%) were delivered via cesarean section because their head size precluded vaginal delivery. There were 8 incidences of fetal demise, 1 pregnancy was terminated, and 32 patients were born alive. Neonatal or early infant death occurred in 5 patients. Two children died during follow-up after the neonatal period (ages 7 months and 7 years). Twenty-six children survived to at least the 2-year follow-up, all of whom required treatment for hydrocephalus. Of those 26 children, 12 (46%) had a diagnosis of epilepsy, 14 (54%) could sit independently, 4 (16%) were in mainstream school, 16 (62%) had expressive language, and 7 (28%) had near-normal development without seizures. CONCLUSIONS: Among 41 maternal-fetal dyads with AVID, a majority of children survived to the 2-year follow-up, although all developed hydrocephalus. Many continued to have seizures, but expressive language use, attendance at mainstream school, and near-normal development without seizures were not infrequent. These data are critical for prenatal counseling and to establish the natural history of a diagnosis with limited outcome data.

Early implementation of stereoelectroencephalography in children: a multiinstitutional case series.

OBJECTIVE: Pediatric stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) has been increasingly performed in the United States, with published literature being limited primarily to large single-center case series. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the experience of pediatric epilepsy centers, where the technique has been adopted in the last several years, via a multicenter case series studying patient demographics, outcomes, and complications. METHODS: A retrospective cohort methodology was used based on the STROBE criteria. ANOVA was used to evaluate for significant differences between the means of continuous variables among centers. Dichotomous outcomes were assessed between centers using a univariate and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 170 SEEG insertion procedures were included in the study from 6 different level 4 pediatric epilepsy centers. The mean patient age at time of SEEG insertion was 12.3 ± 4.7 years. There was no significant difference between the mean age at the time of SEEG insertion between centers (p = 0.3). The mean number of SEEG trajectories per patient was 11.3 ± 3.6, with significant variation between centers (p < 0.001). Epileptogenic loci were identified in 84.7% of cases (144/170). Patients in 140 cases (140/170, 82.4%) underwent a follow-up surgical intervention, with 47.1% (66/140) being seizure free at a mean follow-up of 30.6 months. An overall postoperative hemorrhage rate of 5.3% (9/170) was noted, with patients in 4 of these cases (4/170, 2.4%) experiencing a symptomatic hemorrhage and patients in 3 of these cases (3/170, 1.8%) requiring operative evacuation of the hemorrhage. There were no mortalities or long-term complications. CONCLUSIONS: As the first multicenter case series in pediatric SEEG, this study has aided in establishing normative practice patterns in the application of a novel surgical technique, provided a framework for anticipated outcomes that is generalizable and useful for patient selection, and allowed for discussion of what is an acceptable complication rate relative to the experiences of multiple institutions.

Real-World Preliminary Experience With Responsive Neurostimulation in Pediatric Epilepsy: A Multicenter Retrospective Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Despite the well-documented utility of responsive neurostimulation (RNS, NeuroPace) in adult epilepsy patients, literature on the use of RNS in children is limited. OBJECTIVE: To determine the real-world efficacy and safety of RNS in pediatric epilepsy patients. METHODS: Patients with childhood-onset drug-resistant epilepsy treated with RNS were retrospectively identified at 5 pediatric centers. Reduction of disabling seizures and complications were evaluated for children (<18 yr) and young adults (>18 yr) and compared with prior literature pertaining to adult patients. RESULTS: Of 35 patients identified, 17 were <18 yr at the time of RNS implantation, including a 3-yr-old patient. Four patients (11%) had concurrent resection. Three complications, requiring additional surgical interventions, were noted in young adults (2 infections [6%] and 1 lead fracture [3%]). No complications were noted in children. Among the 32 patients with continued therapy, 2 (6%) achieved seizure freedom, 4 (13%) achieved ≥90% seizure reduction, 13 (41%) had ≥50% reduction, 8 (25%) had <50% reduction, and 5 (16%) experienced no improvement. The average follow-up duration was 1.7 yr (median 1.8 yr, range 0.3-4.8 yr). There was no statistically significant difference for seizure reduction and complications between children and young adults in our cohort or between our cohort and the adult literature. CONCLUSION: These preliminary data suggest that RNS is well tolerated and an effective off-label surgical treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy in carefully selected pediatric patients as young as 3 yr of age. Data regarding long-term efficacy and safety in children will be critical to optimize patient selection.