Factors associated with post traumatic hydrocephalus following decompressive craniectomy: A single-center experience.

Background: A decompressive craniectomy (DC) is a surgical procedure sometimes utilized to manage refractory intracranial hypertension following severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI). The previous studies have established a relationship between DC and post traumatic hydrocephalus (PTH). This study aimed to identify the factors responsible for developing shunt-amenable PTH in patients who underwent DC following sTBI. Methods: A review of a prospectively collected database of all patients admitted with severe TBI in a tertiary neurosurgical center in North-west England between January 2012 and May 2022 was performed. PTH was defined as evidence of progressive ventricular dilatation, clinical deterioration, and/or the eventual need for cerebrospinal fluid diversion (i.e., a ventriculoperitoneal shunt). Statistical analysis was carried out using IBM SPSS versus 28.0.1. Results: Sixty-five patients met the eligibility criteria and were included in the study. The mean age of the PTH group was 31.38 ± 14.67, while the mean age of the non-PTH group was slightly higher at 39.96 ± 14.85. No statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups' mechanisms of traumatic injury (P = 0.945). Of the predictors investigated, cerebellar hematoma (and contusions) was significantly associated with PTH (P = 0.006). Conclusion: This study concludes that cerebellar hematoma (and contusions) are associated with developing PTH in patients undergoing DC.

Decompressive Craniectomy and Shunt-Amenable Post-Traumatic Hydrocephalus: A Single-Center Experience.

Background: Prior studies have shown that decompressive craniectomy may be an independent risk factor for the development of post-traumatic hydrocephalus (PTH). It is upon this background that we chose to conduct our single-center retrospective study to establish the possibility of an association between decompressive craniectomy and PTH. Methods: A retrospective review involving a database of all patients with traumatic brain injury was undertaken. All referrals and admissions with traumatic brain injury, as defined by the Mayo Classification, from January 2012 to May 2022, were included in the subsequent analysis. Statistical analysis was carried out using IBM SPSS version 28.0.1. Results: The mean age of the cohort was 44.91 ± 19.16 with more males (82.3%) than females (17.7%). Vehicle incident/collision was the most common cause of traumatic brain injury. 84% of the cohort was alive at 30 days, 4% were noted to have an intracranial infection, and 3% underwent shunt insertion procedures, while 14% received decompressive craniotomies as part of their clinical management. There was a statistically significant association between undergoing decompressive craniectomy, and the development of PTH (odds ratio, 4.759 [95% confidence interval, 1.290-17.559]; P = 0.019). The presence of intracranial infection and insertion of an external ventricular drain insertion were also independent predictors of developing PTH. Conclusions: This study adds to the growing body of work regarding the immediate and long-term effects of the procedure. Although life-saving, PTH, needing shunt insertion, is one of the possible complications that surgeons and patients should be aware of.

When should we measure surgical site infection in patients undergoing a craniotomy? A consideration of the current practice.

Introduction: Surgical site infection (SSI) is a common postoperative complication that causes significant morbidity, particularly in patients undergoing cranial neurosurgery. The treatment of SSI can attract a significant cost by way of increasing length of stay, readmission and reoperation in some cases. Cranial neurosurgical cases without implant surgery are recommended by the centre for disease control to be surveyed for SSI for a 30-day period. The number and proportion of SSI cases that present outside of this 30-day period is unknown.Method: All cranial, neurosurgical procedures at Salford Royal Foundation NHS Trust (SRFT) between October 2011 and April 2015 (n = 3513) were identified and followed up prospectively. The number of SSIs detected, the length of time following operation, microbiological organisms cultured and the need for further neurosurgical procedure was recorded. Mean length of time from operation to detection of SSI was calculated and a hazard function analysis was undertaken.Results: Of the 3531 cases (m = 1903, f = 1628) that underwent cranial neurosurgery included in this series 86 cases of SSI were noted. The mean number of days at which SSI was first clinically diagnosed in this series was 53 days. The time period in which 75% of cases were identified to be SSI was 49 days from the date of the surgical procedure, with 32 cases (37%) presenting outside of the 30-day period of surveillance. Over half of cases required some degree of operative intervention to treat SSI.Conclusion: A longer period of surveillance in cranial neurosurgical procedures is likely to detect a truer rate of SSI in addition to the identification of a notable number of cases that require surgical intervention. We recommend a period of at at least 50 days.

Long-term survival of proximal humerus allografts for reconstruction following resection of malignant bone tumours.

We previously reported early favourable results concerning allograft use in proximal humerus reconstruction following malignancy. We now present the long-term follow-up of patients who underwent tumour resection with massive humeral allograft reconstruction. This is a retrospective review of 8 consecutive patients who underwent massive proximal humeral allograft for primary or secondary bone tumours. The median age at first surgery was 41 years; the median followup is 11.1 years. The overall revision rate of the allografts was 75%. A total of 10 revision procedures were required in this cohort. Five-year survival for implants was 44%; at ten years no implants were intact. Five-year survival for patients was 88%; it was 60% at ten years. In our experience, proximal humerus allograft reconstruction was associated with a high complication rate and resulted in multiple revision procedures in the long-term. We no longer perform or recommend this procedure.