CyberKnife for the management of Cushing's disease: our institutional experience and review of literature.

INTRODUCTION: Surgery is the primary treatment for Cushing's disease(CD). In cases with no biochemical remission after surgical resection or when recurrence occurs after a period of remission stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is used as alternative/adjuvant treatment. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the effectiveness of SRS and FSRS(Fractionated stereotactic radiosurgery) for the treatment of CD in a long term follow up. METHODS: This is a retrospective study in which 41 patient (36 females and 5 males) who underwent surgery for CD from 2009 to 2019 were included. Out of 41 cases, 34 cases had microadenomas while 7 had macroadenomas. These patients had recurrence or persistence of hypercortisolism post-operatively. After multidisciplinary evaluation, these patients were treated by CyberKnife (SRS & FSRS). RESULTS: Remission rate in our study was 60.97% with a median follow up period of 79.03 months. The median time to biochemical remission was 14 months. Tumour growth control was achieved in 95.12%. Hypopituitarism of different axes was seen in 34.14% patients. Secondary hypothyroidism was the most common pituitary insufficiency (34%) followed by secondary hypogonadism in 17%. CONCLUSION: CyberKnife radiosurgery and hypofractionated radiosurgery can be used as an adjuvant treatment in patient with active disease and no biochemical remission after one or multiple surgical resections. Risk of radiation induced hypopituitarism and other complication is relatively low 34.14% and tumour growth control is significantly higher.

[Changes in the morphological structure of giant prolactinoma during treatment with cabergoline].

Currently, cabergoline therapy is the main method of treatment with prolactin. The use of the drug in most cases leads to tumor regression, normalization of prolactin levels and restoration of gonadotropic function. The mechanism of its impact on tumor cells in vivo, which is dynamically traced in the same human tumor, is the case of considerable interest. We observed a 30-year-old patient who was operated on twice for a giant prolactinoma before and on treatment by cabergoline. The morphological study after the first surgery (before introducing of cabergoline therapy) revealed a prolactin-positive pituitary tumor with a Ki-67 labeling index of 8% and with strong expression of dopamine type 2 receptors (D2R), CD31 and CD34. After 4 months, during which the patient received cabergoline at a dose starting from 0.5 mg to 1.5 mg per week, a second transsphenoidal surgery was performed with subtotal removal of residual tumor tissue. During the morphological study of the second biopsy sample, the tumor retained a pronounced immunopositivity to prolactin and D2R, with a decrease in the labeling index Ki-67 to 2%, as well as a decrease in the expression of CD31 and CD34. Subsequent cabergoline therapyresulted in persistent normoprolactinemia, restoration of androgen (and reproductive) status, and no tumor recurrence over a 10-year period on cabergoline treatment. Thus, one of the mechanisms of effect of cabergoline that leads to tumor regression is a decrease in the proliferative index and angiogenesis of the tumor.

Postsurgical meningitis complicated by severe refractory intracranial hypertension with limited treatment options: the role of mild therapeutic hypothermia.

Intracranial hypertension is a commonly encountered neurocritical care problem. If first-tier therapy is ineffective, second-tier therapy must be initiated. In many cases, the full arsenal of established treatment options is available. However, situations occasionally arise in which only a narrow range of options is available to neurointensivists. We present a rare clinical scenario in which therapeutic hypothermia was the only available method for controlling intracranial pressure and that demonstrates the efficacy and safety of the Thermogard (Zoll, Chelmsford, Massachusetts, United States) cooling system in creating and maintaining a prolonged hypothermic state. The lifesaving effect of hypothermia was overshadowed by the unfavorable neurologic outcome observed (minimally conscious state on intensive care unit discharge). These results add further evidence to support the role of therapeutic hypothermia in managing intracranial pressure and provide motivation for finding new strategies in combination with hypothermia to improve neurologic outcomes.

Intra-abdominal hypertension in patients with sellar region tumors.

BACKGROUND: Data on intra-abdominal hypertension [IAH] and secondary abdominal compartment syndrome [ACS] due to neurological insults are limited. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study conducted between January 2010 and January 2011 in the neurological ICU [NICU]. Forty-one consecutive patients with sellar region tumors [SRT] were enrolled into the study. If conservative therapy was ineffective in patients with ACS, thoracic epidural anesthesia [EA] was performed. Primary endpoint was defined as the efficacy of conservative treatment and EA in patients with IAH and ACS; secondary endpoint, the influence of IAH and ACS on outcomes. RESULTS: Of the 41 patients, 13 (31.7%) had normal intra-abdominal pressure and 28 (68.3%) developed IAH, of whom 9 (22%) had ACS (group II). On average, IAH developed on the second postoperative day, while ACS, between the third and the fifth day. Multiple organ dysfunction developed in 3 (23.1%) patients of group I and in 23 (82%) patients of group II (p = 0.0003). Ileus due to gastrointestinal dysmotility was present in 6 (46.2%) patients of group I and in all patients of group II (p = 0.0001). Significant risk factors for ileus were diencephalon dysfunction (whole group - in 33 patients (80.5%); group I - in 6 patients (46.2%); group II - in 27 patients (96.4%), p = 0.0002) and sepsis (whole group - in 8 patients (19.5%); group I - no cases; group II - in 8 patients (28.6%), p = 0.03). Conservative treatment was effective in the majority of patients (78.9%) with IAH and only in 3 (33%) patients with ACS. Thoracic EA was performed in four patients with ACS with success. Length of stay in the NICU was 6.5 ± 4.6 days in group I and 24.1 ± 25.7 (p = 0.02) days in group II. Five out of nine (55.6%) patients with ACS died. None of these patients received EA. All patients with EA had favorable outcomes. CONCLUSION: The development of IAH is common after SRT surgery. If conservative treatment is ineffective, EA can be considered in patients with secondary ACS. Further studies are warranted.