Impact of the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the outcome of neurosurgical patients: a nationwide study in Spain.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the outcome of neurosurgical patients in Spain. SETTINGS: The initial flood of COVID-19 patients overwhelmed an unprepared healthcare system. Different measures were taken to deal with this overburden. The effect of these measures on neurosurgical patients, as well as the effect of COVID-19 itself, has not been thoroughly studied. PARTICIPANTS: This was a multicentre, nationwide, observational retrospective study of patients who underwent any neurosurgical operation from March to July 2020. INTERVENTIONS: An exploratory factorial analysis was performed to select the most relevant variables of the sample. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of mortality and postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. RESULTS: Sixteen hospitals registered 1677 operated patients. The overall mortality was 6.4%, and 2.9% (44 patients) suffered a perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Of those infections, 24 were diagnosed postoperatively. Age (OR 1.05), perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR 4.7), community COVID-19 incidence (cases/105 people/week) (OR 1.006), postoperative neurological worsening (OR 5.9), postoperative need for airway support (OR 5.38), ASA grade ≥3 (OR 2.5) and preoperative GCS 3-8 (OR 2.82) were independently associated with mortality. For SARS-CoV-2 postoperative infection, screening swab test <72 hours preoperatively (OR 0.76), community COVID-19 incidence (cases/105 people/week) (OR 1.011), preoperative cognitive impairment (OR 2.784), postoperative sepsis (OR 3.807) and an absence of postoperative complications (OR 0.188) were independently associated. CONCLUSIONS: Perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection in neurosurgical patients was associated with an increase in mortality by almost fivefold. Community COVID-19 incidence (cases/105 people/week) was a statistically independent predictor of mortality. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: CEIM 20/217.

Tumores vertebrales de la región cervical alta / Tumours of the upper cervical spine

Los tumores vertebrales originados en los primeros segmentos cervicales son poco frecuentes. Exponemos nuestra experiencia en el manejo de estas lesiones. Material y métodos Se revisaron de forma retrospectiva las historias clínicas de pacientes intervenidos en nuestro centro entre enero de 2000 y junio de 2011.Resultados Presentamos una serie de 9 pacientes con tumores en C1-C2-C3. De ellos 2 fueron metastáticos. Seis de los restantes 7 casos correspondían a tumores malignos primarios: 3 cordomas, 2 plasmocitomas y un condrosarcoma. El paciente restante fue diagnosticado de osteocondroma. El síntoma con el que comenzaron fue cervicalgia en todos los casos. Se practicó un doble abordaje anterior y posterior en 3 pacientes, abordaje posterior en 3 y abordaje exclusivamente anterior en otros 3. En 7 casos se realizó una escisión intralesional. A los tumores malignos se les administró tratamiento adyuvante en forma de radioterapia y/o quimioterapia. Conclusiones Los tumores cervicales altos suelen ser en general malignos y precisan un tratamiento encaminado a la resección en bloque, la estabilización y la administración de tratamientos adyuvantes. Sin embargo, esta resección no es técnicamente posible en múltiples ocasiones. Este hecho empeora el pronóstico y concede gran importancia a la administración de tratamientos adyuvantes(AU)

Objective: Vertebral tumours arising in the upper cervical spine are rare. We present our experience in managing these neoplasms. Material and methods: We retrospectively reviewed the case histories of patients treated a tour institution between January 2000 and June 2011.Results: There were 9 patients with tumours in C1-C2-C3: 2metastases, 3 chordomas,2 plasmocytomas, 1 chondrosarcoma and 1 osteochondroma. All patients complained of neck pain at the time of diagnosis. Three patients underwent an anterior and posterior approach, 3 an exclusively posterior approach and 3 an exclusively anterior surgical approach. Tumour resection was intralesional in 7 cases. Chemo-radiotherapy was used as adjuvant therapy in patients with malignant tumours. Conclusions: Vertebral tumours in the upper cervical spine are usually malignant. Achievingen bloc resection is particularly challenging and is technically unfeasible in many cases. This worsens the prognosis and makes adjuvant treatment very important (AU)

[Tumours of the upper cervical spine]. / Tumores vertebrales de la región cervical alta.

OBJECTIVE: Vertebral tumours arising in the upper cervical spine are rare. We present our experience in managing these neoplasms. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the case histories of patients treated at our institution between January 2000 and June 2011. RESULTS: There were 9 patients with tumours in C1-C2-C3: 2metastases, 3chordomas, 2plasmocytomas, 1chondrosarcoma and 1osteochondroma. All patients complained of neck pain at the time of diagnosis. Three patients underwent an anterior and posterior approach, 3 an exclusively posterior approach and 3 an exclusively anterior surgical approach. Tumour resection was intralesional in 7 cases. Chemo-radiotherapy was used as adjuvant therapy in patients with malignant tumours. CONCLUSIONS: Vertebral tumours in the upper cervical spine are usually malignant. Achieving en bloc resection is particularly challenging and is technically unfeasible in many cases. This worsens the prognosis and makes adjuvant treatment very important.