Unilateral Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy Thalamotomy for Essential Tremor.

BACKGROUND: Essential tremor (ET) affects numerous adults, impacting quality of life (QOL) and often defying pharmacological treatment. Surgical interventions like deep brain stimulation (DBS) and lesional approaches, including radiofrequency, gamma-knife radiosurgery, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided focused ultrasound, offer solutions but are not devoid of limitations. OBJECTIVES: This retrospective, single-center, single-blinded pilot study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of unilateral MRI-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (MRIg-LITT) thalamotomy for medically intractable ET. METHODS: Nine patients with ET, unresponsive to medications and unsuitable for DBS, underwent unilateral MRIg-LITT thalamotomy. We assessed tremor severity, QOL, cognitive function, and adverse events (AE) over a 12-month period. RESULTS: Tremor severity significantly improved, with a reduction of 83.37% at 12 months post-procedure. QOL scores improved by 74.60% at 12 months. Reported AEs predominantly included transient dysarthria, proprioceptive disturbances, and gait balance issues, which largely resolved within a month. At 3 months, 2 patients (22%) exhibited contralateral hemiparesis requiring physiotherapy, with 1 patient (11%) exhibiting persistent hemiparesis at 12 months. No significant cognitive impairment was detected post-procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Unilateral MRIg-LITT thalamotomy yielded substantial and enduring tremor alleviation and enhanced QOL in patients with ET that is resistant to medication. The AE profile was acceptable. Our findings support the need for additional research with expanded patient cohorts and extended follow-up to corroborate these outcomes and to refine the role of MRIg-LITT as a targeted and minimally invasive approach for ET management. © 2024 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Robotically assisted deployment of flow diverter stents for the treatment of cerebral and cervical aneurysms.

BACKGROUND: Despite the growing sophistication of robot-assisted surgery, it is necessary to demonstrate that robots can reliably perform complex procedures on site and then remotely. Although a flow diverter stent is one of the most effective and widely used devices, its placement is sometimes challenging. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of the CorPath GRX robotic platform for the embolization of cerebral and cervical aneurysms using flow diverter stents. METHODS: We performed a single-center technical study of the first 10 flow diverter stent deployments with the CorPath GRX Robotic System (Corindus Inc, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA) for the treatment of cerebral aneurysms between April and October 2022. RESULTS: Ten patients underwent robot-assisted embolization with flow diverter stents: there were nine intracranial aneurysms (paraclinoid n=6; posterior communicating artery aneurysm n=1; anterior communicating artery n=2) and one cervical aneurysm. Four procedures were performed with coils plus a flow diverter stent, one was performed with woven endobridge plus a flow diverter stent and four were performed with flow diverter stents alone. Of these procedures, two were performed with telescoping flow diverters.All flow diverter stents were deployed with robotic assistance, with only one partial conversion to a manual technique (caused by guidewire torquability limitations). No perioperative complications were observed. CONCLUSION: Robot-assisted flow diverter stent deployment using the CorPath GRX platform is feasible and appears to be safe. Larger, in-depth studies of the technique's safety and benefits are now warranted.

Stereotactic robot-assisted MRI-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy thalamotomy for medically intractable Parkinson's disease tremor: technical note and preliminary effects on 2 cases.

BACKGROUND: Medically intractable Parkinson's disease (PD) tremor is a common difficult clinical situation with major impact on patient's quality of life (QOL). Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective therapy but is not an option for many patients. Less invasive lesional brain surgery procedures, such as thalamotomy, have proven to be effective in these indications. Here, we describe the technical nuances and advantages of stereotactic robot-assisted MRI-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (MRIg-LITT) thalamotomy for medically intractable PD tremor. METHOD: We describe 2 patients with medically intractable PD tremor treated with stereotactic robot-assisted MRIg-LITT thalamotomy performed under general anesthesia with intraoperative electrophysiological testing. Pre and postoperative tremor scores were assessed using the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin tremor rating scale (TRS). RESULTS: At 3-month follow-up, both patients demonstrated significant improvement in tremor symptoms subjectively and according to the TRS (75% for both). Patients also had substantial improvements in their QOL (32.54% and 38%) according to the 39-item PD questionnaire. Both patients underwent uncomplicated MRIg-LITT thalamotomy. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with medically intractable PD tremor who are unsuitable candidates for DBS, thalamotomy utilizing a stereotactic robot, intraoperative electrophysiological testing, and laser ablation with real-time MRI guidance may be a viable treatment option. However, further studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are necessary to confirm these preliminary results.

Intracranial Solitary Fibrous Tumour Management: A French Multicentre Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Intracranial solitary fibrous tumour (iSFT) is an exceptional mesenchymal tumour with high recurrence rates. We aimed to analyse the clinical outcomes of newly diagnosed and recurrent iSFTs. METHODS: We carried out a French retrospective multicentre (n = 16) study of histologically proven iSFT cases. Univariate and multivariate Cox models were used to estimate the prognosis value of the age, location, size, WHO grade, and surgical extent on overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and local recurrence-free survival (LRFS). RESULTS: Eighty-eight patients were included with a median age of 54.5 years. New iSFT cases were treated with gross tumour resection (GTR) (n = 75) or subtotal resection (STR) (n = 9) and postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) (n = 32, 57%). The median follow-up time was 7 years. The median OS, PFS, and LRFS were 13 years, 7 years, and 7 years, respectively. Forty-two patients experienced recurrence. Extracranial metastasis occurred in 16 patients. Median OS and PFS after the first recurrence were 6 years and 15.4 months, respectively. A higher histological grade was a prognosis factor for PFS (p = 0.04) and LRFS (p = 0.03). GTR influenced LRFS (p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: GTR provided benefits as a first treatment for iSFTs. However, approximately 40% of patients experienced relapse, which remains a challenging state.

Which features of an outpatient treatment for COVID-19 would be most important for pandemic control? A modelling study.

The global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has challenged healthcare systems worldwide. Lockdown, social distancing, and screening are thought to be the best means of stopping the virus from spreading and thus of preventing hospital capacity from being overloaded. However, it has also been suggested that effective outpatient treatment can control pandemics. We adapted a mathematical model of the beneficial effect of lockdown on viral transmission and used it to determine which characteristics of outpatient treatment would stop an epidemic. The data on confirmed cases, recovered cases, and deaths were collected from Santé Publique France. After defining components of the epidemic flow, we used a Morris global sensitivity analysis with a 10-level grid and 1000 trajectories to determine which of the treatment parameters had the largest effect. Treatment effectiveness was defined as a reduction in the patients' contagiousness. Early treatment initiation was associated with better disease control-as long as the treatment was highly effective. However, initiation of a treatment with a moderate effectiveness rate (5%) after the peak of the epidemic was still better than poor distancing (i.e. when compliance with social distancing rules was below 60%). Even though most of today's COVID-19 research is focused on inpatient treatment and vaccines, our results emphasize the potentially beneficial impact of even a moderately effective outpatient treatment on the current pandemic.

Cortical hemodynamic mapping of subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation in Parkinsonian patients, using high-density functional near-infrared spectroscopy.

Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) is an effective treatment for idiopathic Parkinson's disease. Despite recent progress, the mechanisms responsible for the technique's effectiveness have yet to be fully elucidated. The purpose of the present study was to gain new insights into the interactions between STN-DBS and cortical network activity. We therefore combined high-resolution functional near-infrared spectroscopy with low-resolution electroencephalography in seven Parkinsonian patients on STN-DBS, and measured cortical haemodynamic changes at rest and during hand movement in the presence and absence of stimulation (the ON-stim and OFF-stim conditions, respectively) in the off-drug condition. The relative changes in oxyhaemoglobin [HbO], deoxyhaemoglobin [HbR], and total haemoglobin [HbT] levels were analyzed continuously. At rest, the [HbO], [HbR], and [HbT] over the bilateral sensorimotor (SM), premotor (PM) and dorsolateral prefrontal (DLPF) cortices decreased steadily throughout the duration of stimulation, relative to the OFF-stim condition. During hand movement in the OFF-stim condition, [HbO] increased and [HbR] decreased concomitantly over the contralateral SM cortex (as a result of neurovascular coupling), and [HbO], [HbR], and [HbT] increased concomitantly in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)-suggesting an increase in blood volume in this brain area. During hand movement with STN-DBS, the increase in [HbO] was over the contralateral SM and PM cortices was significantly lower than in the OFF-stim condition, as was the decrease in [HbO] and [HbT] in the DLPFC. Our results indicate that STN-DBS is associated with a reduction in blood volume over the SM, PM and DLPF cortices, regardless of whether or not the patient is performing a task. This particular effect on cortical networks might explain not only STN-DBS's clinical effectiveness but also some of the associated adverse effects.

Postoperative Outcome of Robot-Assisted Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion: A Pilot Study.

INTRODUCTION: Transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) surgery is well established for the treatment of discopathy, foraminal disc herniation, and recurrent disc herniation. At the Amiens university medical center, we have been using a robot-assisted technique for performing the TLIF. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the radiological and clinical outcome, specifically pain, of patients having undergone robot-assisted TLIF. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of patients having undergone minimally invasive (MI) robot-assisted TLIF between November 2014 and July 2018 in a French university medical center. In clinical consultations at 6 weeks, 12 months, and 24 months posttreatment, patients were assessed for back and leg pain (on a visual analog scale), breached screws, and sagittal parameters. RESULTS: A total of 136 pedicle screws were inserted with robot guidance into 32 patients. Four of the patients required laminectomy before fusion. No pedicle breach occurred for 94% of the screws, and no joint violation was observed for 90%. Lordosis was improved in 78% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: The robot provides valuable assistance during MI arthrodesis; it facilitates the surgical procedure by preplanning the trajectory, providing instantaneous navigation and tracking, and thus assure the accuracy of screw positioning.

Microsurgical anatomy of the inferior intercavernous sinus.

PURPOSE: Intercavernous sinuses (ICSs) are physiological communications between the cavernous sinuses. The ICSs run between the endosteal and meningeal layers of the dura mater of the sella turcica. Whereas the anterior and posterior ICSs have been frequently described, the inferior ICS (iICS) has been less well studied in the literature; however, poor awareness of the ICS's anatomy can lead to serious problems during transsphenoidal, transsellar surgery. The objective of the present anatomical study was to describe the iICS in detail. METHODS: The study was carried out over a 6-month period in a university hospital's anatomy laboratory, using brains extracted from human cadavers. The brains were injected with colored neoprene latex and dissected to study the iICS (presence or absence, shape, diameter, length, distance between inferior and anterior ICSs, distance between inferior and posterior ICSs, relationships, and boundaries). RESULTS: Seventeen cadaveric specimens were studied, and an iICS was found in all cases (100%). The shape was variously plexiform (47.1%), filiform (35.3%), or punctiform (17.6%). The mean ± standard deviation diameter and length of the iICS were 3.75 ± 2.90 mm and 11.92 ± 2.96 mm, respectively. The mean iICS-anterior ICS and iICS-posterior ICS distances were 5.36 ± 1.99 mm and 7.03 ± 2.28 mm, respectively. CONCLUSION: The iICS has been poorly described in the literature. However, damage to the iICS during transsphenoidal, transsellar surgery could lead to serious vascular complications. A precise radiological assessment appears to be essential for a safe surgical approach.

A matched comparison of outcomes between percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy and open lumbar microdiscectomy for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation: a 2-year retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Although open lumbar microdiscectomy (OLMD) is considered to be the gold standard method for discectomy, recent progress in endoscopic spinal surgery has increased the popularity of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) for this indication. However, one of the main drawbacks of PELD is incomplete decompression, especially at the start of the surgeon's learning curve. The functional outcomes of PELD and OLMD in patients matched for age, hernia level, and hernia location have not previously been compared. PURPOSE: To compare OLMD with PELD in terms of the clinical outcome and the time to recovery. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective, matched cohort study. PATIENT SAMPLE: Data of all patients who underwent elective spinal surgery between January 2015 and June 2017 were extracted from the local database. OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical outcomes were assessed using a 0-to-10 visual analogue scale (VAS) for lower back pain (LBP) and leg pain were scored before surgery and at postoperative day 1 and at each follow-up visit (3, 12, and 24 months), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI: 0%-100%), the length of hospital stay, time to resumption of work, recurrence of Lumbar disc herniation, procedure failures, and complications. METHODS: The participants were matched for age, disc level, and location of the herniated disk (central and paracentral vs. far-lateral). The participants' mean±standard deviation age was 47.09±12.55 (range: 28-70). We compared the various clinical outcomes between the two groups to identify which procedure had better immediate and long-term functional outcomes. The differences in mortality and occurrence of postoperative complications were also compared in patients with PELD versus controls. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients were enrolled (29 with PELD and 29 with OLMD). Both groups reported significant reductions in LBP and leg pain (p<0.01) postoperatively and an improvement in the ODI at 24 months postsurgery. The intergroup difference in the VAS for LBP at 1 day and 3 months was statistically significant (1.48 vs. 3.5, and 1.62 vs. 2.72, respectively; p=0.01 and 0.026, respectively) but the intergroup difference in the ODI was not. The mean length of hospital stay and the time to resumption of work were significantly shorter in the PELD group than in the OLMD group (2.55 vs. 3.21 days, and 4.45 vs. 6.62 weeks, respectively; p=0.037 and 0.01, respectively. There were no significant intergroup differences in terms of complications, recurrence, or procedure failures. CONCLUSIONS: Both PELD and OLMD can provide equivalent, satisfactory outcomes. However, PELD demonstrated several potential advantages, including more rapid recovery and lower LBP early on. Further large-scale, randomized studies with long-term follow-up are now warranted.

Selection of deep brain stimulation contacts using volume of tissue activated software following subthalamic nucleus stimulation.

OBJECTIVE: High-frequency deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is effective in the treatment of motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Using a patient-specific lead and volume of tissue activated (VTA) software, it is possible to visualize contact positions in the context of the patient's own anatomy. In this study, the authors' aim was to demonstrate that VTA software can be used in clinical practice to help determine the clinical effectiveness of stimulation in patients with Parkinson's disease undergoing DBS of the STN. METHODS: Brain images of 26 patients undergoing STN DBS were analyzed using VTA software. Preoperative clinical and neuropsychological data were collected. Contacts were chosen by two experts in DBS blinded to the clinical data. A therapeutic window of amplitude was determined. These results were compared with the parameter settings for each patient. Data were obtained at 3 months and 1 year postsurgery. RESULTS: In 90.4% (95% CI 82%-98%) of the patients, the contacts identified by the VTA software were concordant with the clinically effective contacts or with an effective contact in contact-by-contact testing. The therapeutic window of amplitude selected virtually included 81.3% of the clinical amplitudes. CONCLUSIONS: VTA software appears to present significant concordance with clinical data for selecting contacts and stimulation parameters that could help in postoperative follow-up and programming.

Use of an occlusal splint and intraoperative imaging with an intraoral approach in the management of mandibular subcondylar fractures.

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the feasibility of safely managing subcondylar fractures using an original surgical procedure combining an intraoral approach, the use of a custom-made occlusal overlay splint, and intraoperative imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Condylar fragment was freed from surrounding soft tissues, was laterally exposed to the ramus, and a miniplate was fixed in place for osteosynthesis. An overlay splint maintaining the dental occlusion was used to facilitate reduction and stabilization during fixation. Intraoperative monitoring by cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) was performed before completing the fixation. RESULTS: Between November 2018 and June 2019, 10 patients were treated using this procedure. The median length of the proximal condylar fragment was 29 mm (range 24-39 min). Five patients had an associated mandibular fracture. The median duration of the condylar fracture surgery was 54.5 min (range 38-79 min). All patients had satisfactory reduction and osteosynthesis with no complications. CONCLUSION: It is feasible to safely manage subcondylar fractures with this surgical procedure that could facilitate open reduction using intraoral approaches. Occlusal splints maintain downward pressure on the rami bilaterally and symmetrically, helping to anatomically reposition condylar process fractures. Intraoperative imaging is used to monitor this step.

Dosimetric and volumetric outcomes of combining cyst puncture through an Ommaya reservoir with index-optimized hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy in the treatment of craniopharyngioma.

Large cystic craniopharyngioma management combining cyst puncture through an Ommaya reservoir with hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy was evaluated. The planning optimization was focused on the gradient and selectivity. Punctured and filled cyst treatment plans were compared with a retrospective analysis of volumetric and functional outcomes.

Frameless ROSA® Robot-Assisted Lead Implantation for Deep Brain Stimulation: Technique and Accuracy.

BACKGROUND: Frameless robotic-assisted surgery is an innovative technique for deep brain stimulation (DBS) that has not been assessed in a large cohort of patients. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate accuracy of DBS lead placement using the ROSA® robot (Zimmer Biomet) and a frameless registration. METHODS: All patients undergoing DBS surgery in our institution between 2012 and 2016 were prospectively included in an open label single-center study. Accuracy was evaluated by measuring the radial error (RE) of the first stylet implanted on each side and the RE of the final lead position at the target level. RE was measured on intraoperative telemetric X-rays (group 1), on intraoperative O-Arm® (Medtronic) computed tomography (CT) scans (group 2), and on postoperative CT scans or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in both groups. RESULTS: Of 144 consecutive patients, 119 were eligible for final analysis (123 DBS; 186 stylets; 192 leads). In group 1 (76 patients), the mean RE of the stylet was 0.57 ± 0.02 mm, 0.72 ± 0.03 mm for DBS lead measured intraoperatively, and 0.88 ± 0.04 mm for DBS lead measured postoperatively on CT scans. In group 2 (43 patients), the mean RE of the stylet was 0.68 ± 0.05 mm, 0.75 ± 0.04 mm for DBS lead measured intraoperatively; 0.86 ± 0.05 mm and 1.10 ± 0.08 mm for lead measured postoperatively on CT scans and on MRI, respectively No statistical difference regarding the RE of the final lead position was found between the different intraoperative imaging modalities and postoperative CT scans in both groups. CONCLUSION: Frameless ROSA® robot-assisted technique for DBS reached submillimeter accuracy. Intraoperative CT scans appeared to be reliable and sufficient to evaluate the final lead position.

A Novel, Hybrid, Stereotactic Approach (Radiosurgery and Dual Ommaya Reservoirs) for the Treatment of Mixed (Polycystic and Solid) Craniopharyngioma.

BACKGROUND: Craniopharyngioma is a difficult entity to treat, which is particularly true for mixed craniopharyngioma (i.e., a mixture of both solid and cystic components). The present case report illustrates a minimally invasive, two-component, stereotactic treatment approach as an alternative to standard microsurgery. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 38-year-old patient presented with progressive intracranial hypertension followed by pan-hypopituitarism, deterioration of the visual field, and cognitive impairment. Brain MRI revealed hydrocephalus and a suprasellar mixed solid and polycystic lesion that was suggestive of craniopharyngioma. Using a robot-assisted, stereotactic treatment approach, we combined the installation of catheters for 2 Ommaya reservoirs with 5-fraction CyberKnife radiosurgery of the solid tumor. The high intracranial pressure and visual field deterioration resolved completely. A partial improvement in endocrine function was noted, and the patient returned to work 6 weeks after surgery. CONCLUSION: A combined, robot-assisted, stereotactic approach to the treatment of mixed (solid and polycystic) craniopharyngioma is a safe alternative to microsurgery. Further studies including larger numbers of patients will be needed to assess the long-term efficacy and morbidity and mortality rates associated with this approach.

The European Robotic Spinal Instrumentation (EUROSPIN) study: protocol for a multicentre prospective observational study of pedicle screw revision surgery after robot-guided, navigated and freehand thoracolumbar spinal fusion.

INTRODUCTION: Robotic guidance (RG) and computer-assisted navigation (NV) have seen increased adoption in instrumented spine surgery over the last decade. Although there exists some evidence that these techniques increase radiological pedicle screw accuracy compared with conventional freehand (FH) surgery, this may not directly translate to any tangible clinical benefits, especially considering the relatively high inherent costs. As a non-randomised, expertise-based study, the European Robotic Spinal Instrumentation Study aims to create prospective multicentre evidence on the potential comparative clinical benefits of RG, NV and FH in a real-world setting. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Patients are allocated in a non-randomised, non-blinded fashion to the RG, NV or FH arms. Adult patients that are to undergo thoracolumbar pedicle screw instrumentation for degenerative pathologies, infections, vertebral tumours or fractures are considered for inclusion. Deformity correction and surgery at more than five levels represent exclusion criteria. Follow-up takes place at 6 weeks, as well as 12 and 24 months. The primary endpoint is defined as the time to revision surgery for a malpositioned or loosened pedicle screw within the first postoperative year. Secondary endpoints include patient-reported back and leg pain, as well as Oswestry Disability Index and EuroQOL 5-dimension questionnaires. Use of analgesic medication and work status are recorded. The primary analysis, conducted on the 12-month data, is carried out according to the intention-to-treat principle. The primary endpoint is analysed using crude and adjusted Cox proportional hazards models. Patient-reported outcomes are analysed using baseline-adjusted linear mixed models. The study is monitored according to a prespecified monitoring plan. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study protocol is approved by the appropriate national and local authorities. Written informed consent is obtained from all participants. The final results will be published in an international peer-reviewed journal. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Clinical Trials.gov registry NCT03398915; Pre-results, recruiting stage.