Cerebral abscess secondary to embolization of arteriovenous malformation: A case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Infectious complications of the central nervous system secondary to endovascular procedures have rarely been reported. However, the number of complications has grown exponentially owing to the popularization of these procedures. The success rate of these procedures varies with the pathology, the patient, and surgical performance. Although brain abscesses have been extensively reported, their presence after endovascular procedures has not been described in detail in the literature. We present a case of brain abscess induced by embolization of an arteriovenous malformation (AVM), discuss the main indications, techniques, procedural complications, and review the associated literature. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 13-year-old boy presented to us with a history of hemorrhagic stroke secondary to a cerebral AVM rupture. He underwent incomplete AVM resection (2014), with subsequent incomplete embolization (2017), and permanence of the endovenous catheter as a procedural complication. Physical examination revealed purulent exudate through the cervical surgical wound. We performed cervicotomy to remove the catheter but had no success in removing the intracranial material segment. The patient was subsequently diagnosed with a brain abscess (2018) and treated with antibiotics. Our team performed resection of the residual AVM, abscess, and the catheter-associated with the region. CONCLUSION: The patient showed significant clinical improvement after surgical resection of the malformation. No residual lesions were observed in the imaging examinations. Further, we reviewed the literature to find other cases of similar complications and their association with the endovascular procedure. We did not find complications in patients younger than the one presented in this case. Factors such as incomplete embolisation increase the risk of unfavourable outcomes.

Building a microneurosurgical laboratory in Latin America: challenges and possibilities.

BACKGROUND: Training in microsurgical neuroanatomy is a priority for neurosurgical education. During the 20th century, microsurgical laboratories arose and provided a way to develop surgical skills. Few reports addressed the assembly, construction, and details of a training laboratory. METHODS: We have conducted a literature review and searched legislation on the need to plan the structure of the laboratory. RESULTS: We projected and built a laboratory through a public-private partnership. High-tech workstations and instruments were planned to meet the needs of residents, fellows, and student. All steps and materials were in accordance with the Brazilian legislation and articles previously selected. CONCLUSION: We described our experience and demonstrated the implementation of a micro neurosurgical skills laboratory.

Microsurgical treatment for cerebellomesencephalic fissure arteriovenous malformations after multiple sessions of endovascular treatment.

BACKGROUND: Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are relatively uncommon congenital vascular anomalies, and only 7-15% of AVMs occur in the posterior fossa. Most posterior fossa AVMs clinically present with hemorrhage and are associated with a high risk of neurological deficits and mortality. These malformations are associated with a high incidence of flow-related aneurysms. Endovascular treatment of infratentorial AVMs is challenging in pediatric patients. CASE DESCRIPTION: We describe an 11-year-old female adolescent with cerebellar syndrome [Video 1], who was diagnosed with a cerebellomesencephalic fissure AVM. We observed a sequential increase in the size of the AVM after multiple sessions of endovascular treatment and performed successful microsurgical resection of the lesion. CONCLUSION: This illustrative video highlights the role of microsurgery as a feasible therapeutic strategy for complete resection of cerebellar AVMs after endovascular embolization.

Anterior Clinoidectomy: Intradural Step-by-Step En Bloc Removal Technique.

OBJECTIVE: Anterior clinoidectomy is an important and essential skill for skull base and cerebrovascular neurosurgeons. We present a 1-piece intradural anterior clinoidectomy, providing a step-by-step description of the technique, independently of anatomic variations. METHODS: Between 2014 and 2020, 128 patients (119 women and 9 men; average age, 54.6 years) underwent intradural anterior clinoidectomy during microsurgical clipping of carotid-ophthalmic aneurysms. RESULTS: The anterior clinoid process continues medially with the planum sphenoidale, over the optic nerve, laterally with the lesser wing of the sphenoid bone, and inferiorly with the optic strut, which is always found anteriorly to the clinoid segment of the internal carotid artery, and separates the optic canal from the superior orbital fissure. The proposed anterior clinoidectomy followed, one after the other, these 3 fixation points for the detachment of the anterior clinoid process. The main indication for intradural anterior clinoidectomy was the management of vascular lesions around paraclinoid (clinoidal and ophthalmic) segments of the internal carotid artery. Complications of the procedure included injury to the internal carotid artery or the ophthalmic artery, thermal damage to the optic nerve, and invasion of the sphenoid sinus or a pneumatized anterior clinoid process, which could lead to postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage. CONCLUSIONS: The anterior clinoidectomy technique described here minimizes the drilling surface for detachment of the anterior clinoid process and reduces operative time as well as the amount of bone dust produced by drilling. It also precisely delineates the localization of the optic strut, preventing carotid or optic nerve damage.