The COVID-19 Pandemic and Elective Spine Surgery-A Single Center Experience.

Background and objective: The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on medical practice worldwide. In this study, we aimed to investigate the trends of elective spine surgery in our department before and during the pandemic. Materials and methods: Total number of spine procedures due to disc herniation (DH) or spinal stenosis (SS) was collected during 2019-2021 in the Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Center Osijek, Croatia. In order to elucidate potential risk factors in the post-pandemic period, demographic data were collected for patients who underwent surgery during 2021. Results: In 2020, there was a 22.1% decrease in the number of surgeries compared to 2019 (205 vs. 263), but during 2021 we observed an increase of 36.1% compared to 2020 (279 vs. 205). The mean age of patients in 2021 was 53.14 years (53.14 ± 13.05) with body mass index of 28.31 kg/m2 (28.31 ± 4.89). There were 179 overweight patients (74%) and 103 smokers (42.6%). Although male and female patients were equally represented (121 each), there was a significant interaction of weight class and sex (p = 0.013). Patients younger than 65 were more likely to undergo surgery due to DH (p < 0.001), whereas older patients were more likely to suffer from SS (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The volume of elective spine surgeries decreased in the first year of the pandemic and increased the following year. Our results suggest that public health policies in the early pandemic period reduced elective surgical procedures, which was followed by a compensatory increase in the following period.

Personalized Treatment of Glioblastoma: Current State and Future Perspective.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive glial tumor of the central nervous system. Despite intense scientific efforts, patients diagnosed with GBM and treated with the current standard of care have a median survival of only 15 months. Patients are initially treated by a neurosurgeon with the goal of maximal safe resection of the tumor. Obtaining tissue samples during surgery is indispensable for the diagnosis of GBM. Technological improvements, such as navigation systems and intraoperative monitoring, significantly advanced the possibility of safe gross tumor resection. Usually within six weeks after the surgery, concomitant radiotherapy and chemotherapy with temozolomide are initiated. However, current radiotherapy regimens are based on population-level studies and could also be improved. Implementing artificial intelligence in radiotherapy planning might be used to individualize treatment plans. Furthermore, detailed genetic and molecular markers of the tumor could provide patient-tailored immunochemotherapy. In this article, we review current standard of care and possibilities of personalizing these treatments. Additionally, we discuss novel individualized therapeutic options with encouraging results. Due to inherent heterogeneity of GBM, applying patient-tailored treatment could significantly prolong survival of these patients.

First Reported Case of Gabriele-de Vries Syndrome with Spinal Dysraphism.

Gabriele-de Vries syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant genetic disease caused by de novo pathogenic variants in the Yin Yang 1 (YY1) gene. Individuals with this syndrome present with multiple congenital anomalies, as well as a delay in development and intellectual disability. Herein, we report the case of a newborn male patient with a novel de novo pathogenic variant in the Guanine Nucleotide-Binding Protein, Alpha Stimulating (GNAS) gene, which was identified by whole-exome sequencing. Our patient suffered from a large open spinal dysraphism which was treated surgically immediately after birth. During the follow-up, facial dysmorphism, bladder and bowel incontinence, and mildly delayed motor and speech development were observed. Congenital central nervous system disorders were also confirmed radiologically. In this case report, we present our diagnostic and treatment approaches to this patient. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of Gabriele-de Vries syndrome presenting with spinal dysraphism. Extensive genetic evaluation is the cornerstone in treatment of patients with suspected Gabriele-de Vries syndrome. However, in cases with potentially life-threatening conditions, surgery should be strongly considered.

MALDI Imaging Mass Spectrometry of High-Grade Gliomas: A Review of Recent Progress and Future Perspective.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignancy of the brain with a relatively short median survival and high mortality. Advanced age, high socioeconomic status, exposure to ionizing radiation, and other factors have been correlated with an increased incidence of GBM, while female sex hormones, history of allergies, and frequent use of specific drugs might exert protective effects against this disease. However, none of these explain the pathogenesis of GBM. The most recent WHO classification of CNS tumors classifies neoplasms based on their histopathological and molecular characteristics. Modern laboratory techniques, such as matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) imaging mass spectrometry, enable the comprehensive metabolic analysis of the tissue sample. MALDI imaging is able to characterize the spatial distribution of a wide array of biomolecules in a sample, in combination with histological features, without sacrificing the tissue integrity. In this review, we first provide an overview of GBM epidemiology, risk, and protective factors, as well as the recent WHO classification of CNS tumors. We then provide an overview of mass spectrometry workflow, with a focus on MALDI imaging, and recent advances in cancer research. Finally, we conclude the review with studies of GBM that utilized MALDI imaging and offer our perspective on future research.

Aggressive Pyogenic Spondylitis Caused by S. constellatus: A Case Report.

Streptococcus constellatus (SC) is a species of Streptococcus belonging to the Streptococcus anginosus group, along with Streptococcus anginosus and Streptococcus intermedius. Despite its commensal nature, underlying risk factors and medical conditions might lead to various anatomic site infections caused by this opportunistic pathogen. Although SC infections have mostly been associated with bacteremia, some case reports of abscess and empyema formation have been documented. Herein, we report a case of a middle-aged female patient who initially presented with radiculopathy symptoms. Subsequent neurologic imaging revealed a pyogenic abscess along paravertebral muscles, which was found to be caused by SC. The patient was successfully treated with abscess drainage from the lumbar zone and antibiotics, and the symptoms of radiculopathy have completely resolved.

Telemedicine in Neurosurgical Trauma during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Single-Center Experience.

Telemedicine is a rapid tool that reduces the time until treatment for patients, which is especially useful for neurosurgical trauma. The aim of our study was to evaluate the use of telemedicine in neurosurgery during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with the pre-pandemic era. We assessed the utilization of telemedicine at the Department of Neurosurgery at University Hospital Center Osijek in Croatia over a timespan of one year prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and the first year of the pandemic, starting with the date of first lockdown in Croatia. For each time period, the total number of consults and specific clinical inquiries were recorded and adequately grouped as well as comprehensive patient characteristics. There were 336 consults in the pre-pandemic period and 504 in the pandemic period. The number of trauma-related consults during COVID-19 measures was significantly higher than the pre-pandemic era (288 and 138, respectively, p < 0.0001). Neurosurgical trauma patients requiring consults in the pandemic period were significantly older than before the pandemic (64.9 ± 18.5 and 60.6 ± 19.1, respectively, p = 0.03). Significantly, the number of admissions to our center and urgent surgeries did not significantly differ between these periods. Telemedicine is a cost-effective tool in the neurosurgical evaluation of patients, especially for trauma. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated telemedicine implementation and improved neurosurgical trauma treatments.

Severe Cranio-Cervical Stenosis in a Child with Saul-Wilson Syndrome: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Saul Wilson syndrome (SWS) is a rare congenital syndrome characterized by a variety of symptoms, mostly skeletal changes. Saul and Wilson were the first to describe children with extremely short stature and craniofacial dysmorphism. CASE REPORT: We present a case of a 15-years-old boy with clinical and radiological characteristics of SWS. Genetic examination identified a pathogenic heterozygous variant in the COG4 gene. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a critical stenosis of the cranio-cervical junction (CCJ) which required surgical treatment to attempt sufficient neurological decompression. The patient underwent decompression of CCJ under general anesthesia. There was no significant radiological and clinical improvement during the postoperative period. CONCLUSIONS: SWS is presented as an extremely rare congenital disease in children. The clinical condition of our patient confined surgical possibilities, therefore further treatment in such patients should be appropriately evaluated.

FACTORS AFFECTING OUTCOME IN THE TREATMENT OF GLIOBLASTOMA.

Treatment of glioblastoma is challenging due to its aggressive and highly invasive nature, and no significant advances in survival have been achieved recently. The aim of our retrospective study was identification of predictive factors and consequent survival outcome in patients who underwent surgical and oncologic treatment of glioblastoma. The study was conducted at the Department of Neurosurgery, Osijek University Hospital Centre. The authors designed a retrospective cohort study in 63 patients who underwent surgical and oncologic treatment between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2017. Data were collected by reviewing medical records of the patients with histologically proven glioblastoma. Statistical analysis of study results revealed a significant impact of postoperative radiotherapy (p=0.002) and chemotherapy (p=0.016) on progression-free survival and overall survival (p=0.001 and p=0.009, respectively). Postoperative Karnofsky performance scale (p=0.027) was found to be significant in progression-free survival, and so was the interval between surgery and commencement of oncologic therapy (p=0.049). In conclusion, overall survival and prognosis in the treatment of glioblastoma remain poor, although prompt approach in postoperative adjuvant treatments improved progression-free survival.

IMPACT OF NEUROTROPIC VIRUSES ON SURVIVAL OF PATIENTS WITH SURGICALLY TREATED GLIOBLASTOMA.

Introduction: Glioblastoma represents the most aggressive tumor of the brain with an estimated survival rate of twelve to fifteen months after the primary diagnosis. The role of neurotropic viruses in pathogenesis of the tumor has remained unclear to date. During the last two decades, many studies were conducted with the aim of confirming viral influence in the development of glioblastoma. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study in a time period of five years using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues of glioblastoma. Immunohistochemistry was performed for three viruses: CMV, EBV and HSV-1, using an automated staining system. Results: Mean age of patients in our group was 66.7±8.5 years. A slight male dominance was noted. Negative immunohistochemistry results were obtained for CMV and EBV, which were excluded from further investigation. Based on IRS score, we confirmed six HSV-1 samples which were rated as IRS score 2. Five more samples of HSV-1 were rated as IRS score 1 and were excluded from the study. Conclusion: According to our retrospective study and its results, we found no impact of neurotropic viruses in the survival rate of glioblastoma. Further studies should be conducted including a wider range of viral detection methods.

Lumbar spondyloptosis after severe polytrauma: a case report.

A rare case of thoracolumbar spondyloptosis after a severe polytraumatic event is presented. Spondyloptosis accounts for a minor proportion of all spine trauma cases and is usually accompanied by complete neurological deficit. A 48-year-old man suffered severe polytrauma after having been hit by a truck at the work place. Radiographic scanning revealed multiple traumatic injuries and spondyloptosis at the L1/L2 level in coronal plane. However, despite extensive injuries, ASIA score was estimated as D. The patient underwent urgent multidisciplinary surgery due to severe head injuries. The next surgery was performed to stabilize the thoracolumbar segment and to preserve neurological functions. The surgery included implantation of transpedicular titanium screws via posterior approach. Good postoperative recovery was achieved during early postoperative rehabilitation at our Department, which was estimated as ASIA score D. In conclusion, prompt operative treatment to achieve neural integrity and early rehabilitation should be considered as the gold standard in such complicated injuries. Postoperative recovery largely depends on the quality of rehabilitation, which leads to improvement of patient self-care and normal social and psychological functions. In our case, the good preoperative neurological status of the patient also contributed to better postoperative outcome.

Clinical trials in developing countries - ethical considerations.

When designing clinical trial or considering decision to take part in particular clinical trial as investigators, even before submission to responsible Central Ethic Committee, we always make certain private assessment about ethical justification of this clinical trial. When making assessment if any clinical trial is ethically justifiable, there should make no difference in which country this clinical trial will be executed. Physicians coming from developing countries must ensure that patient population of developing countries is not misused in any ethically questionable clinical trial. There must be careful assessment of clinical protocols by various independent local advisory committees (e.g. hospital review boards, hospital drug committees, hospital administration and whatever is applicable) to exclude the possibility that only one person or one group of people has concentrated power to make decisions for entire country. Many times physicians/clinical researchers from developing countries are faced with the criticisms that they are not of the same quality as physicians from developed countries and that they can be easily bribed by sponsors, which are based on the prejudice that any clinical trial can be executed in developing countries, no matter of quality or risks for patients. Physicians coming from developing countries must ensure that patient population of developing countries is not misused in any ethically questionable clinical trial.

POSTERIOR PENETRATING INJURY OF THE NECK: A CASE REPORT.

- A 45-year-old male patient was admitted to the emergency unit due to posterior stab wound of the neck. The knife was directed diagonally from the left to the right side of the neck in the dorsoventral axis. The patient was fully conscious upon admission with pain and paresthesia along the upper right extremity. The patient underwent computed tomography (CT) and CT angiography scan of the neck, which revealed the knife blade piercing the left sided neck muscles and through the intervertebral ligaments of the C IV/C V in direction to the contralateral internal carotid artery, vertebral artery and the C5 nerve root. The patient underwent an urgent surgery according to the radiographs. Electromyography was performed during the early postoperative care and revealed an acute lesion of the right-sided C5 nerve root. Postoperative follow-up magnetic resonance imaging revealed intact brachial plexus bundles at the site of injury. Symptoms of reduced muscle strength and limited range of motion of the upper right extremity prevailed. Penetrating neck injuries represent a rare entity of all trauma injuries. Meticulous preoperative radiographs revealed close proximity of the knife blade tip to the right-sided vertebral artery and common carotid artery. Limited abduction at the right shoulder during postoperative period correlated to the C5 nerve root injury.