Risk Factors Associated with Outcome of Spontaneous Intracerebral Haemorrhage: Hospital Kuala Lumpur Experience.

Background: Stroke is the third leading cause of death in Malaysia. This study aims to evaluate the mortality risk factors of spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) in Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Methods: A single centre prospective cohort study was performed between 1 May 2017 and 30 April 2018 for patients above 18 years old with spontaneous ICH. Patients exhibiting haemorrhage due to tumours and ruptured arteriovenous malformations were excluded. The demographics, clinical parameters, radiology findings, surgical intervention, mortality at 30 days and outcome based on modified Rankin score (MRS) grading were recorded. Selected variables were incorporated into a binary logistic regression to determine the outcome predictors of mortality. Results: A total of 292 patients were recruited into the study. The findings showed that the mean age of ICH patients was 48.9 years old. Most of the lesions were located in the putamen (45.9%). More than half (61.0%) of the patients presented with a good outcome whereas 39.0% of the patients presented with a poor outcome. The mortality rate at 30 days was 29.1%. The important predictors for mortality were male (odds ratio [OR] = 0.343; P = 0.043), concomitant use of warfarin and aspirin (OR = 14.696; P = 0.007), ischaemic heart disease [IHD] (OR = 0.007; P = 0.003), brainstem bleed (OR = 0.001; P = 0.001), the presence of intraventricular haemorrhage [IVH] (OR = 0.198; P = 0.049) and surgery. Conclusion: Most diagnosed ICH patients in Malaysia were at a younger age (mean of 48.9 years old) with the significant mortality predictors were IVH, IHD, surgery and brainstem bleed.

Limited Evaluation of Image Quality Produced by a Portable Head CT Scanner (CereTom) in a Neurosurgery Centre.

INTRODUCTION: Computed tomography (CT) is the preferred diagnostic toolkit for head and brain imaging of head injury. A recent development is the invention of a portable CT scanner that can be beneficial from a clinical point of view. AIM: To compare the quality of CT brain images produced by a fixed CT scanner and a portable CT scanner (CereTom). METHODS: This work was a single-centre retrospective study of CT brain images from 112 neurosurgical patients. Hounsfield units (HUs) of the images from CereTom were measured for air, water and bone. Three assessors independently evaluated the images from the fixed CT scanner and CereTom. Streak artefacts, visualisation of lesions and grey-white matter differentiation were evaluated at three different levels (centrum semiovale, basal ganglia and middle cerebellar peduncles). Each evaluation was scored 1 (poor), 2 (average) or 3 (good) and summed up to form an ordinal reading of 3 to 9. RESULTS: HUs for air, water and bone from CereTom were within the recommended value by the American College of Radiology (ACR). Streak artefact evaluation scores for the fixed CT scanner was 8.54 versus 7.46 (Z = -5.67) for CereTom at the centrum semiovale, 8.38 (SD = 1.12) versus 7.32 (SD = 1.63) at the basal ganglia and 8.21 (SD = 1.30) versus 6.97 (SD = 2.77) at the middle cerebellar peduncles. Grey-white matter differentiation showed scores of 8.27 (SD = 1.04) versus 7.21 (SD = 1.41) at the centrum semiovale, 8.26 (SD = 1.07) versus 7.00 (SD = 1.47) at the basal ganglia and 8.38 (SD = 1.11) versus 6.74 (SD = 1.55) at the middle cerebellar peduncles. Visualisation of lesions showed scores of 8.86 versus 8.21 (Z = -4.24) at the centrum semiovale, 8.93 versus 8.18 (Z = -5.32) at the basal ganglia and 8.79 versus 8.06 (Z = -4.93) at the middle cerebellar peduncles. All results were significant with P-value < 0.01. CONCLUSIONS: Results of the study showed a significant difference in image quality produced by the fixed CT scanner and CereTom, with the latter being more inferior than the former. However, HUs of the images produced by CereTom do fulfil the recommendation of the ACR.

History of Neurosurgery in Malaysia.

The development of neurosurgical services and training in Malaysia began in 1963, with the first centre established in its capital city at Hospital Kuala Lumpur, aimed to provide much needed neurosurgical services and training in the field of neurology and neurosurgery. This center subsequently expanded in 1975 with the establishment of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Neuroscience Institute (IKTAR); which integrated the three allied interdependent disciplines of neurosurgery, neurology and psychiatry. The establishment of this institute catalysed the rapid expansion of neurosurgical services in Malaysia and paved the way for development of comprehensive training for doctors, nurses, and paramedics. This culminated in the establishments of a local comprehensive neurosurgery training program for doctors in 2001; followed by a training program for nurses and paramedics in 2006. To date, there are more than 60 neurosurgeons providing expert care in 11 centers across Malaysia, along with trained personnel in the field of neurosciences.

A randomised control trial on the use of topical methicillin in reducing post-operative ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection.

BACKGROUND: A double-blind randomised control study was conducted on all patients who were admitted or referred to the Department of Neurosurgery, Sultanah Aminah Hospital, Johor Bahru, with a diagnosis of hydrocephalus where a ventriculoperitoneal shunt was indicated. METHODS: The period of study was from November 2005 to May 2007, and the follow-up period was 3 months after surgery. Randomisation was carried out in the operating room prior to the procedure. The scrub nurse selected a sealed envelope, which contained the assignment of each patient to 1 of 2 treatment groups: Group 1 patients were treated with topical methicillin, and Group 2 patients were not treated with topical methicillin. Prophylactic antibiotic, cefuroxime (25 mg/kg) was given intravenously at induction. Standard sterile operative technique was followed in preparing and draping the patients. RESULTS: A total of 90 patients were recruited in the study, and 13 (14.4%) patients developed an infection within 3 months post-operation. Group 1 had a 8.9% risk of infection, and Group 2 had a 20% risk; however, there was no statistically significant post-operative ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) infection reduction with the use of topical methicillin in VPS surgery (P = 0.230). Multivariate analysis showed that only duration of surgery had a significant influence on the incidence of post-operative VPS infection in the non-methicillin group (P = 0.02). The non-methicillin group had an 8 times greater risk of developing post-operative VPS infection than the methicillin group if surgery lasted longer than 1 hour. CONCLUSION: Topical methicillin had no significance in the reduction of post-operative VPS infection.

Tailoring teleconsultation to meet the current needs of neurosurgical services: a multimodality oriented neurosurgical consultation.

Teleconsultation in Neurosurgery was introduced in Malaysia in 2006 with the aims of enhancing quality services in the field of Neurosurgery. The present teleconsultation system is equipped with user friendly features which allow physicians to send and neurosurgeons to gain access to patient data in a swift and effective manner. In the past, teleconsultation in neurosurgery was tied with teleradiology, however we have now developed a multimodality system to cater specifically for neurosurgery. In Malaysia, the teleconsultation service is gaining momentum as evidenced by the large volume of cases channeled through this system. 944 cases within a span of 4 months were recorded on the system. 54.5% of the cases were trauma, 33.2% stroke, 6.1% intracranial tumours, 2% of cases were of spinal pathology, 2% pediatric anomalies and 2.2% intracranial infections. 50.2% of the referrals were after regular working hours reflecting the need for dedicated teleneurosurgery consultative services and the ability to review referrals outside of hospitals. Only 36% of cases needed emergency transfers and 9.9% of the cases were managed remotely at distant hospitals. Another 9.4% of the cases were either transferred electively or brought to the clinic for consultation. The above findings emphasise the importance of teleconsultation as a means to provide wide medical coverage within the region.

Treatment outcome of superficial cerebral abscess: an analysis of two surgical methods.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study is to compare the two surgical methods (burr hole and craniotomy) used as treatment for superficial cerebral abscess and its outcome in terms of radiological clearance on brain CT, improvement of neurological status, the need for repeated surgery, and survival and morbidity at three months after surgery. This report is a retrospective case review of the patients who were treated surgically for superficial cerebral abscess in Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) and Hospital Sultanah Aminah (HSA) over a period of four years (2004 to 2007). METHODS: Fifty-one cases were included in this study: 64.7% of patients were male and 35.5% were female. Most of the patients were Malay (70.6%); 28 patients (54.9%) had undergone craniotomy and excision of abscess, and the rest had undergone burr hole aspiration as their first surgical treatment. RESULTS: This study reveals that patients who had undergone craniotomy and excision of abscess showed a significantly earlier improvement in neurological function, better radiological clearance and lower rate of re-surgery as compared to the burr hole aspiration group (P<0.05). However, with respect to neurological improvement at 3 months, morbidity and mortality, there is no significant difference between the two surgical methods. CONCLUSION: The significance of these findings can only be confirmed by a prospective randomised series. Further study will be required to assess the cost effectiveness, intensive care needs, and possibility of shorter antibiotic usage as compared to burr hole aspiration.

Outcome of 2 different types of operative techniques practiced for chronic subdural hematoma in Malaysia: an analysis.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic chronic subdural hematomas in Malaysia are increasingly common in young patients after road traffic accidents as well as the elderly who fall at home. Most surgeons in this country manage these pathologies without irrigation, with only a drainage system. This has led to criticism that the recurrence rate might be higher when no irrigation is done and that rates are lower with irrigation and drainage. Thus, a study was done to look into the outcome of TCSH operated with and without irrigation, followed by drainage, to guide the surgeons in Malaysia as to what best could be done for these cases. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 2 surgical treatments: burr hole drainage with irrigation and without irrigation based on the internal architecture of chronic subdural hematomas based on CT of the brain and their outcome in relation to their clinical parameters. RESULTS: A total of 42 patients treated with the burr hole craniotomy without irrigation with drainage were compared to 40 patients with irrigation and drainage. In both groups, univariate and multivariate analysis revealed that good clinical outcome was associated with preoperative Markwalder grade and the presence of postoperative hematoma recurrence. There was no difference in good outcome between the 2 operative methods. CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference between these 2 operative techniques in relation to outcomes whether good or bad. The recurrence rate was 12.2%. When either technique is done properly, no difference to the outcome is seen. Neurosurgeons or general surgeons in Southeast Asia may choose not to irrigate the chronic subdural space, although drainage placement is necessary afterwards.

Delayed traumatic intracranial haemorrhage and progressive traumatic brain injury in a major referral centre based in a developing country.

A repeat Computer Tomographic (CT) brain after 24-48 hours from the 1(st) scanning is usually practiced in most hospitals in South East Asia where intracranial pressure monitoring (ICP) is routinely not done. This interval for repeat CT would be shortened if there was a deterioration in Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). Most of the time the prognosis of any intervention may be too late especially in hospitals with high patient-to-doctor ratio causing high mortality and morbidity. The purpose of this study was to determine the important predictors for early detection of Delayed Traumatic Intracranial Haemorrhage (DTICH) and Progressive Traumatic Brain Injury (PTBI) before deterioration of GCS occurred, as well as the most ideal timing of repeated CT brain for patients admitted in Malaysian hospitals. A total of 81 patients were included in this study over a period of six months. The CT scan brain was studied by comparing the first and second CT brain to diagnose the presence of DTICH/PTBI. The predictors tested were categorised into patient factors, CT brain findings and laboratory investigations. The mean age was 33.1 ± 15.7 years with a male preponderance of 6.36:1. Among them, 81.5% were patients from road traffic accidents with Glasgow Coma Scale ranging from 4 - 15 (median of 12) upon admission. The mean time interval delay between trauma and first CT brain was 179.8 ± 121.3 minutes for the PTBI group. The DTICH group, 9.9% of the patients were found to have new intracranial clots. Significant predictors detected were different referral hospitals (p=0.02), total GCS status (p=0.026), motor component of GCS (p=0.043), haemoglobin level (p<0.001), platelet count (p=0.011) and time interval between trauma and first CT brain (p=0.022). In the PTBI group, 42.0% of the patients were found to have new changes (new clot occurrence, old clot expansion and oedema) in the repeat CT brain. Univariate statistical analysis revealed that age (p=0.03), race (p=0.035), types of admission (p=0.024), GCS status (p=0.02), pupillary changes (p=0.014), number of intracranial lesion (p=0.004), haemoglobin level (p=0.038), prothrombin time (p=0.016) as the best predictors of early detection of changes. Multiple logistics regression analysis indicated that age, severity, GCS status (motor component) and GCS during admission were significantly associated with second CT scan with changes. This study showed that 9.9% of the total patients seen in the period of study had DTICH and 42% had PTBI. In the early period after traumatic head injury, the initial CT brain did not reveal the full extent of haemorrhagic injury and associated cerebral oedema. Different referral hospitals of different trauma level, GCS status, motor component of the GCS, haemoglobin level, platelet count and time interval between trauma and the first CT brain were the significant predictors for DTICH. Whereas the key determinants of PTBI were age, race, types of admission, GCS status, pupillary changes, number of intracranial bleed, haemoglobin level, prothrombin time and of course time interval between trauma and first CT brain. Any patients who had traumatic head injury in hospitals with no protocol of repeat CT scan or intracranial pressure monitoring especially in developing countries are advised to have to repeat CT brain at the appropriate quickest time .

Head injury from fan blades among children.

OBJECTIVE: Head injury caused by fan blades is rare among children. We analysed 14 cases of such injury and discuss the causes, type of injury and preventive measures. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 14 cases of children who were admitted to the Pediatric Neurosurgical Unit of Hospital Kuala Lumpur after sustaining head injuries caused by fan blades between January 2000 and December 2002 was performed. RESULTS: The causes of fan-blade head injury included jumping on the upper bunk of a bunk-bed, climbing on a ladder, climbing up onto a table, and being lifted by an adult. Thirteen patients were injured by ceiling fans and one by falling onto an uncovered table fan. School-aged boys were the predominant victims. Mean patient age was 7.9 years (range, 1.0-12.2 years). There was a twin peak incidence of when the accidents occurred: just before lunch in the afternoon and bedtime at night. The types of injury were scalp lacerations, compound depressed fractures and multiple intracranial haemorrhages. Two patients had the complication of wound infection, and one of these patients developed cerebral spinal fluid leak. One patient died from severe head injuries. CONCLUSION: Safety awareness among parents and caretakers are important as fan-blade head injury among children is preventable.