Analysis of craniectomy bone flaps stored in a neurosurgical cryopreservation freezer: microorganism culture results and reimplantation rates.

BACKGROUND: Cryopreservation of bone flaps after decompressive craniectomies is a common practice. A frequent complication after bone flap reimplantation is postoperative infection, so culturing of frozen craniectomy bone flaps is a crucial practice that can prevent patient morbidity and mortality. Although many studies report on infection rates after cranioplasty, no study reports on the results of bone flaps stored in a cryopreservation freezer, reimplanted or otherwise. We sought to analyze the flaps in our medical center's bone bank freezer, including microorganism culture results and reimplantation rates of cryopreserved bone flaps. METHODS: Patients who underwent craniectomy and had bone flaps cryopreserved between January 1, 2016, and July 1, 2022, were included in this retrospective study. Information about bone flap cultures and reimplantation or discard was obtained from a prospectively maintained cryopreservation database. Information including infection rates and mortality was acquired from a retrospective review of patient records. Culture results were obtained for all flaps immediately before cryopreservation and again at the time of reimplantation at the operator's discretion. RESULTS: There were 148 bone flaps obtained from 145 patients (3 craniectomies were bilateral) stored in our center's freezer. Positive culture results were seen in 79 (53.4%) flaps. The most common microorganism genus was Propionibacterium with 47 positive flaps, 46 (97.9%) of which were P. acnes. Staphylococcus was the second most common with 23 positive flaps, of which 8 (34.8%) tested positive for S. epidermidis. Of the 148 flaps, 25 (16.9%) were reimplanted, 116 (78.4%) were discarded, and 7 (4.7%) are still being stored in the freezer. Postcranioplasty infections were seen in 3 (12%) patients who had flap reimplantation. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the substantial number of positive cultures and limited reimplantation rate, we have reservations about the logistical efficiency of cryopreservation for flap storage. Future multicenter studies analyzing reimplantation predictors could help to reduce unnecessary freezing and culturing.

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus with Primary Presentation of Psychiatric Disturbance: Case Report.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Progressive impairment of cognitive function is a common feature seen in patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). Along with cognitive decline, many of the other classic symptoms of NPH are chronic and rarely present with overwhelming anxiety. We report the case of a 63-year-old man who presented with recent primary psychiatric manifestation of severe disabling anxiety and otherwise a minimal change in gait and no urinary disturbance. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: The patient's work-up consisted of magnetic resonance imaging that showed moderate ventriculomegaly but no findings concerning for acute obstructive hydrocephalus. A single-photon emission computed tomography scan was markedly abnormal with severe hypoperfusion consistent with hydrocephalus. Initially shunting was not advised but was eventually performed after a dramatic response to a large-volume lumbar puncture. After considerable discussion, he underwent elective ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement and had dramatic and sustained improvement in his anxiety. CONCLUSION: We believe this case report is a unique description of NPH symptomology and might guide future research or clinical decision making.

Cervical Kyphotic Deformity Worsening After Extensor Cervical Muscle Paralysis from Botulinum Toxin Injection.

BACKGROUND: Botulinum toxin (Botox) has long been used therapeutically to treat a variety of diseases, including migraine headaches, cervical spine dystonia, and chronic cervical spine pain, among many others. Although quite useful, Botox has been reported to cause adverse events, some of which may lead to devastating morbidity. CASE DESCRIPTION: An elderly woman presented with severe neck pain after a motor vehicle collision. She underwent Botox administration to the neck extensor muscles, after which she developed severe cervical kyphotic deformity, a complication previously reported only in patients with a history of cervical fusion. In addition, the patient had a pre-existing cervical spine degenerative disc disease with listhesis resulting in cervical kyphotic deformity and loss of cervical lordosis. CONCLUSIONS: This case illustrates a potential danger of using Botox in the neck of an elderly patient who may have pre-existing cervical spine instability, underlying cervical musculature weakness, and pre-existing cervical kyphosis. It demonstrates the need to evaluate patients who are predisposed to developing cervical kyphotic deformities before offering them Botox treatment.

Mandatory Change From Surgical Skull Caps to Bouffant Caps Among Operating Room Personnel Does Not Reduce Surgical Site Infections in Class I Surgical Cases: A Single-Center Experience With More Than 15 000 Patients.

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are noteworthy and costly complications. New recommendations from a national organization have urged the elimination of traditional surgeon's caps (surgical skull caps) and mandated the use of bouffant caps to prevent SSIs. OBJECTIVE: To report SSI rates for >15 000 class I (clean) surgical procedures 13 mo before and 13 mo after surgical skull caps were banned at a single site with 25 operating rooms. METHODS: SSI data were acquired from hospital infection control monthly summary reports from January 2014 to March 2016. Based on a change in hospital policy mandating obligatory use of bouffant caps since February 2015, data were categorized into nonbouffant and bouffant groups. Monthly and cumulative infection rates for 13 mo before (7513 patients) and 13 mo after (8446 patients) the policy implementation were collected and analyzed for the groups, respectively. RESULTS: An overall increase of 0.07% (0.77%-0.84%) in the cumulative rate of SSI in all class I operating room cases and of 0.03% (0.79%-0.82%) in the cumulative rate of SSI in all spinal procedures was noted. However, neither increase reached statistical significance (P > .05). The cumulative rate of SSI in neurosurgery craniotomy/craniectomy cases decreased from 0.95% to 0.75%; this was also not statistically significant (P = 1.00). CONCLUSION: National efforts at improving healthcare performance are laudable but need to be evidence based. Guidelines, especially when applied in a mandatory fashion, should be assessed for effectiveness. In this large, single-center series of patients undergoing class I surgical procedures, elimination of the traditional surgeon's cap did not reduce infection rates.

Large, spontaneous spinal subdural-epidural hematoma after epidural anesthesia for caesarean section: Conservative management with excellent outcome.

BACKGROUND: Iatrogenic or spontaneous spinal hematomas are rarely seen and present with multiple symptoms that can be difficult to localize. Most spontaneous spinal hematomas are multifactorial, and the pathophysiology is varied. Here, we present a case of a scattered, multicomponent, combined subdural and epidural spinal hematoma that was managed conservatively. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 38-year-old woman came to the emergency department (ED) complaining of severe neck and back pain. She had undergone a caesarean section under epidural anesthesia 4 days prior to her arrival in the ED. She was placed on heparin and then warfarin to treat a pulmonary embolism that was diagnosed immediately postpartum. Her neurological examination at presentation demonstrated solely the existence of clonus in the lower extremities and localized cervical and low thoracic pain. In the ED, the patient's international normalized ratio was only mildly elevated. Spinal magnetic resonance imaging revealed a large thoracolumbar subdural hematoma with some epidural components in the upper thoracic spine levels. Spinal cord edema was also noted at the T6-T7 vertebral level. The patient was admitted to the neurosurgical intensive care unit for close surveillance and reversal of her coagulopathy. She was treated conservatively with pain medication, fresh frozen plasma, and vitamin K. She was discharged off of warfarin without any neurological deficit. CONCLUSIONS: Conservative management of spinal hematomas secondary to induced coagulopathies can be effective. This case suggests that, in the face of neuroimaging findings of significant edema and epidural blood, the clinical examination should dictate the management, especially in such complicated patients.

Acute ischemic stroke and infections.

We present an overview of multiple infections in relation to acute ischemic stroke and the therapeutic options available. Conditions that are a direct cause of stroke (infectious endocarditis, meningoencephalitides, and human immunodeficiency virus infection), the pathophysiologic mechanism responsible for stroke, and treatment dilemmas are presented. Independently or in conjunction with conventional risk factors, chronic and acute infections can trigger an acute ischemic stroke through an accelerated process of atherosclerosis and immunohematologic alterations. Acute ischemic stroke has a negative impact on the antibacterial immune response, leading to stroke-induced immunodepression and infections, the most common poststroke medical complications. Poststroke infections are independent predictors of poor outcome. Antibiotic trials for poststroke infection prevention are reviewed. Although antibiotic prophylaxis is not the standard of care in acute stroke, current guidelines support prompt treatment of stroke-related infections.

CT perfusion cerebral blood flow imaging in neurological critical care.

Computed tomography (CT) perfusion imaging is a technique for the measurement of cerebral blood flow, cerebral blood volume, and time-to-peak or mean transit time. The technique involves the administration of a single-bolus dose of iodinated contrast material, followed by spiral CT imaging during the passage of the contrast bolus through the cerebral vasculature. CT perfusion is a fast and inexpensive brain imaging modality for use in the management of patients with various neurological disorders, ranging from acute stroke to subarachnoid hemorrhage. This article reviews the technique of CT perfusion and presents several illustrative cases in which this imaging modality was used effectively in the critical care of patients with neurological disorders.

Submaximal angioplasty and staged stenting for severe posterior circulation intracranial stenosis: a technique in evolution.

INTRODUCTION: Severe medically refractory intracranial stenosis portends a grave prognosis. Recent advances in stent technology have enabled clinicians to treat these lesions. Evidence in the coronary literature suggests that stenting without predilation angioplasty is as safe and effective as stenting immediately preceded by predilation angioplasty for the treatment of severely stenotic lesions. Because of marked differences in vessel histology and differences in the sensitivity of the cerebral and coronary vascular beds to embolic insult, direct stenting of severe intracranial stenoses may be more prone to neurological complications than a conventional or staged stenting procedure. METHODS: We reviewed our clinical experience with conventional, direct, and staged stenting for high-grade stenoses involving the posterior intracranial circulation. We also reviewed the literature and experimental data supporting the rationale for staged stenting. RESULTS: In our experience, no permanent neurological morbidity was identified in four patients treated with a staged approach. In contrast, one of three patients with conventional stenting of the basilar artery and two of four patients treated with direct basilar stenting had permanent neurological sequelae. CONCLUSION: For patients with high-grade posterior circulation intracranial stenoses involving the perforator-rich zones of the basilar artery, staged stenting may reduce procedure-related morbidity. A staged approach allows for plaque stabilization resulting from post-angioplasty fibrosis, which may protect patients from "snow-plowing," embolic shower of debris, or dissection. Further clinical, in vivo, and histological investigation is warranted.

The integration of neurosurgical techniques in current head and neck skull base surgery.

The recent advances in neurosurgery, applied to the growing field of skull base surgery, provide surgeons with new techniques to avoid the devastating complication of CSF leak, to improve patient selection by reducing the risk of stroke while expanding the operative options available to patients with head and neck malignancies, and to aid operative care through improved surgical planning and intraoperative localization.

Comparison of periprocedure complications resulting from direct stent placement compared with those due to conventional and staged stent placement in the basilar artery.

OBJECT: Medically refractory, symptomatic atherosclerotic disease of the basilar artery (BA) portends a poor prognosis. Studies have shown morbidity rates following placement of stents in these lesions to be quite variable, ranging from 0 to 30%. The authors review their experience with BA stent placement for severe atherosclerotic disease to determine whether an increase in neurological morbidity is associated with direct stent placement (that performed without predilation angioplasty) compared with conventional stent placement (that performed immediately after predilation angioplasty) or staged stent placement (angioplasty followed > or = 1 month later by stent placement with or without repeated angioplasty). METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed the medical records from a consecutive series of 10 patients who underwent stent placement for medically refractory, symptomatic atherosclerotic disease of the BA between February 1999 and November 2002. Patient records were analyzed for symptoms at presentation, percentage of angiographically visible stenosis, devices used, procedure-related morbidity, and clinical and radiographic outcomes. Patients with symptomatic intracranial vertebral artery stenosis but without concomitant severe (> 50%) BA stenosis were excluded from the study. Four patients were treated with direct stent placement, three with a staged procedure (these were included in a previous publication), and three with conventional stent placement. In the group treated with direct stent placement, a dense quadriparesis developed in two patients after the procedure. Computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging revealed infarction of the ventral pons in these patients. In the staged stent placement group, no permanent neurological complications occurred after the procedure and, in the conventional stent placement group, one of three patients experienced a neurological complication involving homonymous hemianopsia. CONCLUSIONS: Direct stent placement in the BA is associated with a relatively high complication rate, compared with a staged procedure. Complications may result from an embolic shower following disruption of atheromatous plaque debris attained using high-profile devices such as stents, as demonstrated by the postoperative imaging appearance of acute pontine infarctions. Additionally, displacement of debris by the stent into the ostia (snowplowing) of small brainstem perforating vessels may be responsible for the complications noted. Although direct stent placement in peripheral and coronary vessels has been shown to be safe, the authors suggest that direct stent placement in the BA should be avoided to minimize the risk of periprocedure morbidity.

Resection followed by radiosurgery for advanced juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma: report of two cases.

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: Experience with the management of juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) by gamma knife radiosurgery is limited. We report control of the disease in two patients with advanced-stage JNA treated with primary resection followed by gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery of residual disease. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: An 18-year-old man presented with chronic sinusitis, worsening headaches, diplopia, and left-sided facial numbness. A second patient, a 19-year-old man, presented with recurrent epistaxis and nasal congestion. Magnetic resonance imaging findings and endoscopic evaluation in each patient were consistent with advanced-stage JNA. INTERVENTION: One patient underwent craniofacial resection with approximately 3.0 cm(3) of residual tumor in the region of the cavernous sinus. The other patient underwent preoperative embolization followed by a lateral rhinotomy for tumor resection with approximately 4.7 cm(3) of residual tumor in the right infratemporal fossa. In an attempt to limit radiation to surrounding normal brain, residual tumor in both patients was treated with gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery. Control of disease was documented by magnetic resonance imaging more than 24 months after treatment. CONCLUSION: Short-term control of late-stage JNA was achieved by use of a strategy of primary surgical resection followed by gamma knife radiosurgery of residual tumor in two patients. Establishing the effectiveness and safety of this strategy over conventional methods of managing advanced JNA will require future prospective studies.

Hypotensive endovascular test occlusion of the carotid artery in head and neck cancer.

OBJECT: To evaluate the reliability of balloon test occlusion with hypotensive challenge (BTO and HC) as a predictor of neurological complications before internal carotid artery (ICA) sacrifice in patients with advanced head and neck cancer, the authors retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients presenting to their institutions between 1992 and 1997 in whom this preoperative assessment was performed. METHODS: Eleven patents who were candidates for extended comprehensive neck dissection (ECND) and potential ICA sacrifice were included in the study. Eight patients tolerated the test and underwent endovascular occlusion or surgical ligation of the ICA before ECND (four patients), preservation of the ICA at the time of surgery (three patients), or palliative therapy (one patient). Of three patients in whom BTO and HC failed, one patient received palliative treatment only; the other two underwent ECND with preservation of the ICA. In the group of patients who passed the test and underwent ICA occlusion or ligation before ECND, fatal thromboembolic stroke occurred within 24 hours of permanent balloon occlusion in one patient, resulting in a combined neurological morbidity/mortality rate of 25% in this subset of patients and an overall complication rate of 9% in this series. CONCLUSIONS: The authors found that BTO and HC offers a simple and reliable method of preoperative risk assessment when ICA resection is planned for regional control of disease in advanced head and neck cancer. This management option, however, is associated with a potential for neurological complication that must be weighed against the natural course of the disease and the risks and benefits of other treatment modalities.