High angular resolution susceptibility imaging and estimation of fiber orientation distribution functions in primate brain.

Uncovering brain-tissue microstructure including axonal characteristics is a major neuroimaging research focus. Within this scope, anisotropic properties of magnetic susceptibility in white matter have been successfully employed to estimate primary axonal trajectories using mono-tensorial models. However, anisotropic susceptibility has not yet been considered for modeling more complex fiber structures within a voxel, such as intersecting bundles, or an estimation of orientation distribution functions (ODFs). This information is routinely obtained by high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) techniques. In applications to fixed tissue, however, diffusion-weighted imaging suffers from an inherently low signal-to-noise ratio and limited spatial resolution, leading to high demands on the performance of the gradient system in order to mitigate these limitations. In the current work, high angular resolution susceptibility imaging (HARSI) is proposed as a novel, phase-based methodology to estimate ODFs. A multiple gradient-echo dataset was acquired in an entire fixed chimpanzee brain at 61 orientations by reorienting the specimen in the magnetic field. The constant solid angle method was adapted for estimating phase-based ODFs. HARDI data were also acquired for comparison. HARSI yielded information on whole-brain fiber architecture, including identification of peaks of multiple bundles that resembled features of the HARDI results. Distinct differences between both methods suggest that susceptibility properties may offer complementary microstructural information. These proof-of-concept results indicate a potential to study the axonal organization in post-mortem primate and human brain at high resolution.

Costs Associated With Imaging Surveillance After Treatment for Head and Neck Cancer.

Importance: The National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommends imaging within 6 months after treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC). Further imaging is recommended only if the patient has symptoms or abnormal findings on physical examination. However, in many instances, asymptomatic patients continue to have imaging evaluations. Objectives: To assess practice patterns in surveillance imaging in patients with HNC and evaluate the costs associated with these imaging practices. Design, Setting, and Participants: This single-institution retrospective economic evaluation study screened 435 patients to identify patients newly diagnosed with head and neck mucosal and salivary gland malignant tumors between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2016. Data analyses were performed from October 25, 2018, to November 24, 2020. Exposure: Imaging practice patterns. Main Outcomes and Measures: Number and costs of imaging studies during the surveillance period for all patients, patients who remained disease free, and patients who developed recurrence. Results: A total of 136 patients (mean [SD] age at diagnosis, 62 [14] years; 84 [61.8%] male; 106 [77.9%] White) with HNC were included in the study. The oropharynx was the most common subsite (64 [47.1%]), most HNCs were stage IVA (62 [45.6%]), and most patients received definitive radiation-based treatment (71 [52.2%]). During the median surveillance period of 3.2 years (range, 0.3-6.8 years), a mean (SD) of 14 (10) imaging studies were performed for all patients, with a mean (SD) total cost of $36 800 ($24 500). In patients who remained disease free, a mean (SD) of 13 (10) imaging studies were performed during the surveillance period, with a mean (SD) total cost of $35 000 ($21 700). Patients who lacked symptoms had a mean (SD) of 4 (3) studies performed per year, resulting in a mean cost of $9600 ($5900) per year. Patients who developed recurrence had more studies per year of follow-up (mean difference, 5.0; 95% CI, 3.4-6.6) and higher associated mean costs (mean difference, $10 600; 95% CI, $6100-$15 000) than patients who remained disease free. Conclusions and Relevance: In this economic evaluation study, many patients treated for HNCs received imaging studies beyond what is recommended by National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. These findings suggest that the cost burden of imaging in the asymptomatic patient needs to be considered against the value obtained from routine imaging in this current health care environment.

Office-Based Forehead Flaps: A Safe and Reliable Reconstructive Option.

BACKGROUND: Forehead flaps are one of the workhorse flaps for nasal reconstruction, especially for large defects involving the nasal tip, ala, or multiple nasal subunits. Forehead flaps are often performed on older patients who have accompanying comorbidities and who may be at higher risk for anesthetic complications. The aim of this retrospective study was to compare the safety and success of forehead flap nasal reconstruction in 2 different clinical settings: those performed under local anesthesia in an office-based procedure room, compared with those performed in the operating room under either general anesthesia or intravenous sedation. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed on all patients who underwent forehead flap reconstruction between the years of 2011 and 2018 by the senior author. Patient demographics, operative details, and postoperative complications were recorded and analyzed. Patients were followed for 1 year postoperatively or until the end of the study period. Patients were excluded if they had an accompanying unrelated cosmetic procedures performed during first-stage forehead flap reconstruction. RESULTS: A total of 96 forehead flaps were performed, 35 of which (36.5%) were done in an office-based procedure room using local anesthesia only. Patient ages ranged from 45 to 92 years, with an average age of 71.9 years. The majority of flaps (n = 81, 85.3%) were divided at the second-stage procedure. There was no statistically significant difference in time elapsed between first- and second-stage procedures between groups (procedure room: 22.6 days; operating room: 23.8 days). There were 13 total postoperative complications (13.5%), but there was no statistically significant difference in complication rate between groups (office-based: 3 complications, 8.6%; operating room: 10 complications, 16.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that forehead flap reconstruction can be done safely with acceptable postoperative results when performed under local anesthesia in an office-based outpatient setting.

Patient-reported outcomes among women with unilateral breast cancer undergoing breast conservation versus single or double mastectomy.

PURPOSE: More women with unilateral early stage breast cancer are electing bilateral mastectomy (BM). Many cite anxiety, fear of recurrence, and certain aesthetic desires in their decision-making. Yet conflicting data exist regarding how these factors both inform and are modulated by medical decision-making, especially among women eligible for breast conservation (BCT). This study sought to assess the trajectories of women undergoing various surgical procedures for breast cancer. METHODS: We performed a prospective longitudinal study of women with unilateral, non-hereditary breast cancer who underwent BCT, unilateral mastectomy (UM), or BM. Women completed surveys before surgery and at 1, 9, and 15 months postop. Surveys included questions about treatment preferences, decisional control, the HADS-A anxiety scale, the Fear of Relapse/Recurrence Scale (FRRS), and the BREAST-Q. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare outcomes between BCT, UM, and BM groups at each time point. RESULTS: 203 women were recruited and 177 (87.2%) completed 15-month follow-up. Of these, 101 (57.0%) underwent BCT, 33 (18.6%) underwent UM, and 43 (24.2%) underwent BM. Generalized anxiety and FRRS scores were similar between BCT, UM, and BM groups and declined uniformly after surgery. Although baseline breast satisfaction was similar between groups, at 15 months, it was significantly lower in BM patients than in BCT patients. Women who felt "very" confident and "very" informed before surgery had lower anxiety, lower fear of recurrence, better psychosocial well-being (PSWB), and greater breast satisfaction at 15 months. CONCLUSION: While patients who undergo mastectomy have less long-term breast satisfaction, all patients can expect to experience similar improvements in anxiety and PSWB. Efforts should be made to ensure that patients are informed and confident regardless of which surgery is chosen, for this is the greatest predictor of better outcomes.

Beyond the anterolateral thigh: the descending branch intermuscular septal (DBIS) flap.

The anterolateral thigh flap (ALT) is widely utilized for coverage of a variety of defects across the body, though use of this flap is limited due to the its size and bulky nature. We describe a flap from the descending branch of the lateral circumflex system including the intermuscular septum (DBIS) without use of the perforator for use of an ultra-thin flap for defect closure. A retrospective review of all patients who underwent wound closure with use of the DBIS flap from March 2016 to August 2018 was performed. Data on patient demographics and date on operative time, defect type, defect size, flap size, vessel size, complications and need for revisions were collected. Seven patients were identified who underwent reconstruction with DBIS flap, six patients for ankle defects and one for a scalp defect. Average age of patients was 66 years and average BMI was 28.9. The most common indication for flap coverage was tendon or joint exposure following total ankle arthroplasty. Average flap area was 36cm2, average operative time with a single team of surgeons was 258 min, and average length of hospital stay was 3.7 days. The DBIS flap is an excellent option for reliable coverage of defects requiring thin, pliable tissue. Advantages of this flap include ease of dissection, relatively short operative time, primary closure of donor site and minimal contour deformity. Disadvantages include need for a skin graft for flap coverage and limited pedicle length. In the reported series, no complications were reported.

The effect of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy on breast-related charges: A 5-year analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine charges following unilateral mastectomy (UM) and bilateral mastectomy (BM) for patients with unilateral breast cancer (UBC). We hypothesized that BM may be associated with fewer charges over time. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of patients with UBC treated between 2006 and 2010 with UM and BM in a large healthcare system. Institutional billing data were investigated for 5 years postoperatively to calculate the immediate and subsequent charges of all inpatient and outpatient breast-related care associated with the initial diagnosis for a subset of patients identified using propensity score matching method. RESULTS: A subset of matched patients (n = 320) undergoing UM (n = 160) or BM (n = 160) were included in this analysis. At 1 year, there was a trend toward lower total charges following UM as compared with BM (median, $125 230 vs $138 467; P = .6075). However, during years 2 to 5, total charges were significantly higher following UM vs BM ($22 128 vs $13 478; P = .0116). CONCLUSIONS: While initially higher, overall charges for BM are lower than UM between 2 and 5 years out from surgery. Further study is necessary to determine if this trend is sustained over the long term. These data can inform patient decision making regarding mastectomy for their breast cancer.

Patient satisfaction with nipple-sparing mastectomy: A prospective study of patient reported outcomes using the BREAST-Q.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The authors sought to study patient-reported outcomes following nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM). METHODS: From 2008 to 2011, the BREAST-Q was administered to women undergoing NSM surgery for cancer treatment or risk-reduction prior to surgery and at 2 years after completion of reconstruction. The change in score over time and the impact of surgical indication, complication occurrence, and laterality on scores were analyzed. RESULTS: The BREAST-Q was prospectively administered to 39 women undergoing NSM for cancer treatment (n = 17) or risk-reduction (RR) (n = 22). At 2 years after operation, median overall satisfaction with breasts was 75 (IQR = 67,100). There were significant postoperative increases in scores for overall satisfaction with breasts (+8, P = 0.021) and psychosocial well-being (+14, P = 0.003). Postoperatively, RR patients had significantly higher scores for psychosocial wellness, physical impact (chest), and overall satisfaction with outcome compared to cancer treatment patients (P < 0.05). Also, increase from preoperative to postoperative psychosocial wellness was higher in the RR compared to cancer treatment patients (+17 vs. +1, P = 0.043). Complication occurrence did not significantly impact postoperative scores. CONCLUSIONS: Following NSM for cancer treatment or RR, patients demonstrated high levels of satisfaction and quality of life as measured by BREAST-Q. Satisfaction level increased 2 years following operation. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;114:416-422. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Reliability of the revised Scoliosis Research Society-22 and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) questionnaires in adult spinal deformity when administered by telephone.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: The non-response rates are as high as 20% to 50% after 5 years of follow-up in adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery. Minimizing loss to follow-up is essential to protect the quality of data in long-term studies. Phone and internet administration of outcomes instruments has grown in popularity and has been found to not only provide a convenient way of collecting data, but also show improved response rates. PURPOSE: The study aimed to examine the reliability of the revised Scoliosis Research Society-22 (SRS-22r) and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) questionnaires in ASD patients when administered by telephone. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: This is a single-center, randomized crossover phone validation of ASD patients. PATIENT SAMPLE: The study included ASD patients presenting to a tertiary spine care center. OUTCOME MEASURES: The outcome measures were ODI and SRS-22r. METHODS: Forty-nine patients (mean age: 55.7 years) with ASD were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either phone completion of the SRS-22r and ODI followed by in-office completion, or to in-office completion followed by phone completion. An interval of 2 to 4 weeks was placed between administrations of each version. A paired t test was used to assess the difference between the written and phone versions, and intraclass correlation coefficients were used to assess homogeneity. Finally, goodness-of-fit testing was used to assess version preference. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the phone and in-office versions of the SRS-22r (p=.174) or the ODI (p=.320). The intraclass correlation coefficients of the SRS-22r and ODI were 0.91 and 0.86, respectively. Completion over the phone was the most popular option (57% preferred phone, 29% preferred in-office, and 14% had no preference). CONCLUSIONS: Phone administration of the SRS-22r and ODI to ASD patients provides a convenient and reliable tool for reducing loss of follow-up data.

Fresh whole blood use for hemorrhagic shock: preserving benefit while avoiding complications.

Transfusion support of patients with hemorrhagic shock has changed over time with the development of storage and processing methods. Transfusion medicine developed during World War I with the use of whole blood, and now in the developed world, component therapy predominates. In contrast, there is still clinical use of fresh whole blood (FWB) in the developing world, in a minority of children's hospitals, and in combat settings. Although there is a rationale for the use of FWB in massively bleeding patients compared with the use of individual components, it has rarely been analyzed in prospective randomized clinical trials. Recent retrospective studies in adult trauma and mixed critically ill patients have revived this decades-old controversial question of the value of FWB for patients with severe shock and coagulopathy or those at risk. The risks of FWB use have also been highlighted recently, which has caused some to focus on reducing these risks with alternative processing and storage methods. It is important to recognize that current processing and storage methods for components have also not been adequately explored to determine whether they affect clinical outcomes. In this article, we review potential benefits and risks of FWB use for patients with hemorrhagic shock from any cause, and how current and future processing and storage methods may affect efficacy and safety of FWB in this population. We intend this review to stimulate hypothesis generation and clinical investigation in determining when FWB may be indicated and how to optimally process and store FWB to maximize its risk-benefit ratio.

External ventricular drainage for intraventricular hemorrhage.

Hemorrhagic stroke accounts for only 10% to 15% of all strokes; however, it is associated with devastating outcomes. Extension of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) into the ventricles or intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) has been consistently demonstrated as an independent predictor of poor outcome. In most circumstances the increased intracranial pressure and acute hydrocephalus caused by ICH is managed by placement of an external ventricular drain (EVD). We present a systematic review of the literature on the topic of EVD in the setting of IVH hemorrhage, articulating the scope of the problem and prognostic factors, clinical indications, surgical adjuncts, and other management issues.

Ventricular catheter location and the clearance of intraventricular hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: There is no consensus regarding optimal position of an external ventricular drain (EVD) with regard to clearance of intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). OBJECTIVE: To assess the hypothesis that EVD laterality may influence the clearance of blood from the ventricular system with and without administration of thrombolytic agent. METHODS: The EVD location was assessed in 100 patients in 2 Clot Lysis Evaluating Accelerated Resolution of Intraventricular Hemorrhage (CLEAR IVH) phase II trials assessing the safety and dose optimization of thrombolysis through the EVD to accelerate the clearance of obstructive IVH. Laterality of catheter was correlated with clearance rates. RESULTS: Clearance of IVH over the first 3 days was significantly greater when thrombolytic compared with placebo was administered regardless of catheter laterality (P < .005; 95% confidence interval, -14.0 to -4.14 for contralateral EVD and -24.7 to -5.44 for ipsilateral EVD). When thrombolytic was administered, there was a trend toward more rapid clearance of total IVH through an EVD placed on the side of dominant intraventricular blood compared with an EVD on the side with less blood (P = .09; 95% confidence interval, -9.62 to 0.69). This was not true when placebo was administered. Clearance of third and fourth ventricular blood was unrelated to EVD laterality. CONCLUSION: It is possible that placement of EVD may be optimized to enhance the clearance of total IVH if lytic agents are used. Catheters on either side can clear the third and fourth ventricles with equal efficiency.

Magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of cerebral cavernous malformations with susceptibility-weighted imaging.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) can be sporadic or inherited, the latter characterized by multiple lesions. Novel imaging sequences have increased the sensitivity of detecting multiple CCMs. OBJECTIVE: To compare T2-weighted gradient echo (T2*GRE) and susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) sequences in familial and sporadic CCM to assess their respective sensitivity. METHODS: This prospective study included 23 consecutive cases grouped as multifocal/familial CCMs (n=14), solitary/clustered sporadic CCMs with developmental venous anomaly (n=8), and postirradiation CCMs (n=1). Brain magnetic resonance imaging included T2*GRE and SWI sequences. Two radiologists independently counted the number of lesions on each sequence. The difference in the number of lesions on both sequences was compared, and interobserver agreement was evaluated. RESULTS: In multifocal/familial cases, a mean of 34.7 lesions were detected on T2*GRE and 66.9 on SWI (P=.001). The difference of lesion prevalence with the 2 techniques was significant (P=.006), with strong interobserver correlation for the T2*GRE sequence (P<.001) and SWI sequence (P<.001). Patients with solitary/clustered sporadic CCMs, including those associated with venous anomaly, had no difference in lesion prevalence in the 2 sequences. CONCLUSION: SWI is more sensitive than T2*GRE in detecting CCM in multifocal/familial CCMs. Among cases classified as solitary/clustered with conventional imaging, including those associated with venous anomaly, the SWI did not impart additional sensitivity or reveal occult lesions not evident on T2*GRE sequence. No case was changed from the solitary/clustered to the multifocal clinical category because of SWI.

Outcome predictors and spectrum of treatment eligibility with prospective protocolized management of intracerebral hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: Risk predictors, spectrum of treatment eligibility, and range of expected outcomes have not been validated in consecutive series including all cases of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) subjected to a prospective management protocol based on current guidelines. METHODS: Eighty-six cases of ICH were prospectively identified in conjunction with screening for a clinical trial during an 18-month period. All patients were subjected to protocolized management based on published "best practice" guidelines for ICH. Medical records were reviewed by trained researchers, and outcomes were assessed at various time points including latest follow-up (range, 0-24 months; mean, 3.97 months). Initial assessment parameters, treatment eligibility, and outcomes were based on standardized criteria. RESULTS: In accordance with past literature, mortality and functional outcomes were significantly worse in older patients, those with a larger ICH volume, and worse Glasgow Coma Scale scores, in univariate and multivariate models. The presence and severity of associated intraventricular hemorrhage also correlated with mortality and outcome. Significantly lower mortality (P = 0.024) and better functional outcomes (P = 0.018) were achieved at 30 days in patients with an ICH volume of less than 30 cm in this series than in previously published community-based historical controls without protocolized care. A tight correspondence between treatment eligibility and treatment administered was found. CONCLUSION: Previous estimates of poorer outcome in patients with ICH might not apply to contemporary management protocols, especially in patients with a smaller ICH volume. Outcome ranges in various risk categories and modeling of treatment eligibility will help project more realistic prognostication and assist with the design of future trials.