Volume 09 · Issue 04 · 2023

Postoperative delayed hyponatremia (PDH) is a major cause of readmission after endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery (eTSS) for pituitary adenomas (PAs). However, the risk factors associated with PDH have not been well established, and the development of a dynamic online nomogram for predicting PDH is yet to be realized. We aimed to investigate the predictive factors for PDH and construct a dynamic online nomogram to aid in its prediction.

We analyzed the data of 226 consecutive patients who underwent eTSS for PAs at the Department of Neurosurgery in Jinling Hospital between January 2018 and October 2020. An additional 97 external patients were included for external validation. PDH was defined as a serum sodium level below 137 mmol/L, occurring on the third postoperative day (POD) or later.

Hyponatremia on POD 1–2 (OR=2.64, P =0.033), prothrombin time (PT) (OR=1.78, P=0.008), and percentage of monocytes (OR=1.22, P=0.047) were identified as predictive factors for PDH via multivariable logistic regression analysis. Based on these predictors, a nomogram was constructed with great discrimination in internal validation (adjusted AUC: 0.613–0.688) and external validation (AUC: 0.594–0.617). Furthermore, the nomogram demonstrated good performance in calibration plot, Brier Score, and decision curve analysis. Subgroup analysis revealed robust predictive performance in patients with various clinical subtypes and mild to moderate PDH.

Preoperative PT and the percentage of monocytes were, for the first time, identified as predictive factors for PDH. The dynamic nomogram proved to be a valuable tool for predicting PDH after eTSS for PAs and demonstrated good generalizability. Patients could benefit from early identification of PDH and optimized treatment decisions.

To compare the safety and efficacy of pipeline embolization device (PED) and Tubridge flow diverter (TFD) for unruptured posterior circulation aneurysms.

Posterior aneurysm patients treated with PED or TFD between January, 2019, and December, 2021, were retrospectively reviewed. Patients’demographics, aneurysm characteristics, treatment details, complications, and follow-up information were collected. The procedural-related complications and angiographic and clinical outcome were compared.

A total of 107 patients were involved; PED was applied for 55 patients and TFD for 52 patients. A total of 9 (8.4%) procedural-related complications occurred, including 4 (7.3%) in PED group and 5 (9.6%) in TFD group. During a mean of 10.3-month angiographic follow-up for 81 patients, complete occlusion was achieved in 35 (85.4%) patients in PED group and 30 (75.0%) in TFD group. The occlusion rate of PED group is slightly higher than that of TFD group. A mean of 25.0-month clinical follow-up for 107 patients showed that favorable clinical outcome was achieved in 53 (96.4%) patients in PED group and 50 (96.2%) patients in TFD group, respectively. No statistical difference was found in terms of procedural-related complications (p=0.737), occlusion rate (p=0.241), and favorable clinical outcome (0.954) between groups.

The current study found no difference in complication, occlusion, and clinical outcome between PED and TFD for unruptured PCAs.

To describe and report the efficacy and safety of MR-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (MRgLITT) in the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy.

A retrospective review of all MRgLITT procedures in our hospital was performed. All procedures were performed using a surgical laser ablation system. Demographic and outcome data were compiled and analyzed.

A total of 19 patients underwent MRgLITT procedures from June 2021 to November 2021. The average age at surgery was 18.1 years (3–61.4 years). The average length of hospitalization post-surgery was 4.95 days (4–7 days). Surgical substrates included 8 patients with hypothalamic hamartomas, 5 with medial temporal lobe epilepsy, 3 with deep focal cortical dysplasia, 1 with tuberous sclerosis, 1 with a cavernous malformation, and 1 with Lennox–Gastaut syndrome who underwent anterior corpus callosotomy. Complications occurred in three patients. After an average follow-up of 1 year, 6 patients were seizure-free (Engel I, 31.6%), 1 had significant seizure control (Engel II, 5.3%), 7 had seizure control (Engel III, 36.8%), and 5 had no improvement in their seizures (Engel IV, 26.3%). Fisher’s exact tests did not reveal statistical significance for the association between Engel class outcome and epileptic disease.

This study confirmed that MRgLITT, as a method for treating drug-resistant epilepsy, is minimally invasive, safe, and efficient and that it can reduce the incidence of surgery-related complications.

Surgical site infection (SSI) is a common complication following craniotomy that increases morbidity, mortality, and medical expenses. The objectives of this study were to determine the relevant risk factors associated with SSI after elective craniotomy for brain tumor and analyse the treatments for SSI.

A retrospective nested case-control study was conducted using data from patients who underwent craniotomy for brain tumor resection at the Neurosurgical Oncology Department No. 6 of Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, between January 2019 and December 2021. Risk factors for SSI were determined using multivariate logistic regression analysis. We analyzed microbiological and related treatment data for different SSI types.

Among 2061 patients who underwent craniotomy for brain tumor, 31 had SSI (1.50%). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, body mass index (BMI) and operative duration were identified as independent risk factors for SSI. The most common microorganism isolated from SSIs was Staphylococcus epidermidis (22.9%), and drug sensitivity results showed that gram-positive bacteria were sensitive to linezolid, vancomycin and tigecycline, whereas gram-negative bacteria were sensitive to meropenem, cefepime and ceftazidime. Six of the seven patients who underwent bone flap removal due to osteomyelitis were infected with gram-negative bacteria.

BMI and operative duration were identified as independent risk factors for SSI. Diabetes mellitus, previous ratio therapy, type of incision, recurrence tumor and other risk factors were not found to be associated with the occurrence of SSI in this study.

Multimodal techniques-assisted resection of glioma under general anesthesia (GA) has been shown to achieve similar clinical outcomes as awake craniotomy (AC) in some studies. In this study, we aim to validate the use of multimodal techniques can achieve the maximal safe resection of high-grade glioma involving language areas (HGILAs) under GA.

HGILAs cases were reviewed and collected between January 2009 and December 2020 in our center. Patients were separated into multimodal group (using neuronavigation, intraoperative MRI combined with direct electrical stimulation [DES] and neuromonitoring [IONM]) and conventional group (neuronavigation alone) and clinical outcomes were compared between groups. Studies of HGILAs were reviewed systematically and the meta-analysis results of previous (GA or AC) studies were compared with our results.

Finally, there were 263 patients in multimodal group and 137 patients in conventional group. Compared to the conventional group, the multimodal group achieved the higher median EOR (100% versus 94.32%, P<0.001) and rate of gross total resection (GTR) (73.8% versus 36.5%, P<0.001) and the lower incidence of permanent language deficit (PLD) (9.5% versus 19.7%, P=0.004). The multimodal group achieved the longer median PFS (16.8 versus 10.3 months, P<0.001) and OS (23.7 versus 15.7 months, P<0.001) than the conventional group. The multimodal group achieved a higher rate of GTR than the cohorts in previous multimodal studies under GA and AC (73.8% versus 55.7% [95%CI 32.0–79.3%] versus 53.4% [35.5–71.2%]). The multimodal group had a lower incidence of PLD than the cohorts in previous multimodal studies under GA (9.5% versus 14.0% [5.8–22.1%]) and our incidence of PLD was a little higher than that of previous multimodal studies under AC (9.5% versus 7.5% [3.7–11.2%]). Our multimodal group also achieved a relative longer survival than previous studies.

Surgery assisted by multimodal techniques can achieve maximal safe resection for HGILAs under GA. Further prospective studies are needed to compare GA with AC for HGILAs.

To analyze the expression of TXLNA in brain gliomas and its clinical significance.

Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) and Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) databases were retrieved as the methods. To assess the disparity between TXLNA expression in glioma and normal brain tissue. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve was employed to preliminarily evaluate the survival curves of the high and low expression groups, this was done for investigate the correlation between TXLNA expression level and the survival and prognosis of glioma. A Cox proportional regression risk model of multivariate nature was employed to evaluate the elements impacting the survival and prognosis of glioma. Gene pool enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used to investigate the related function of TXLNA in glioma. A Pearson correlation test and co-expression analysis were employed to identify the genes most associated with TXLNA expression.

The enrichment analysis results were observably enriched in signal pathways for instance the cell cycle and completion and coordination cascade pathways, and it is evident that high expression of TXLNA in gliomas is related to a poor survival and a bad patient prognosis, thus making it an independent prognostic factor for gliomas. Genes such as STK40 and R1MS1 are significantly correlated with TXLNA, playing a synergistic or antagonistic role.

The prognosis of GBM patients is strongly linked to the high expression of TXLNA, which may be a viable therapeutic target for curbing cancer progression and creating new immunotherapies for GBM.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with motor deficits due to nigrostriatal dopamine depletion and with the non-motor/premotor symptoms (NMS) such as anxiety, cognitive dysfunction, depression, hyposmia, and sleep disorders. NMS is presented in at least one-fifth of the patients with PD. With the histological information being investigated, stem cells are shown to provide neurotrophic supports and cellular replacement in the damaging brain areas under PD conditions. Pathological change of progressive PD includes degeneration and loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra of the midbrain. The current stem cell beneficial effect addresses dopamine boost for the striatal neurons and gliovascular mechanisms as competing for validated PD drug targets. In addition, there are clinical interventions for improving the patient’s NMS and targeting their autonomic dysfunction, dementia, mood disorders, or sleep problems. In our and many others’ research using brain injury models, multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells demonstrate an additional and unique ability to alleviate depressive-like behaviors, independent of an accelerated motor recovery. Intranasal delivery of the stem cells is discussed for it is extensively tested in rodent animal models of neurological and psychiatric disorders. In this review, we attempt to discuss the repairing potentials of transplanted cells into parkinsonism pathological regions of motor deficits and focus on preventive and treatment effects. From new approaches in the PD biological therapy, it is believed that it can as well benefit patients against PD-NMS.

PTPRZ1-MET fusion was reported to associate with glioma progression from low-grade to high-grade glioma, which was a target by a MET inhibitor vebreltinib. However, little is known about the further efficacy of vebreltinib among more glioma patients. This trial aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of vebreltinib enteric-coated capsules in the treatment of sGBM/IDH mutant glioblastoma patients with the ZM fusion gene.

This multicentric, randomized, open-label, controlled trial plans to include 19 neurosurgical centers and recruit 84 sGBM or IDH mutant glioblastoma patients with the ZM fusion gene. This trial enrolls sGBM or IDH mutant glioblastoma patients with the inclusion criteria and without the exclusion criteria. It was registered with chinadrugtrials.org.cn (CTR20181664). The primary efficacy endpoint is overall survival (OS). The secondary endpoints are progression-free survival (PFS) and objective response rate (ORR).

If proven effective, this targeted multifaceted intervention protocol will be extended for more glioma patients as a protocol to evaluate the safety and efficacy of MET inhibitors.

It was registered with chinadrugtrials.org.cn (CTR20181664).

Pituitary apoplexy is a neurosurgical emergency and is a known yet rare complication of pituitary macroadenoma. Patients typically present with visual field defects, headache and altered sensorium. There are multiple risk factors for this complication and a thorough drug history is essential to exclude iatrogenic causes of disease. We present an extremely rare case of newly diagnosed pituitary insufficiency unveiled by ibrutinib therapy (a Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor). Furthermore, after initial withdrawal of ibrutinib because of the erroneous diagnosis of Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone Secretion (SIADH), its re-administration led to the development of classical pituitary apoplexy 4 months after treatment was restarted.

A male patient in his 60s with a background of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) on ibrutinib and venetoclax presents with acute confusion and deranged electrolytes. He is found to be hyponatraemic and is diagnosed with Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone Secretion (SIADH) and treated with fluid restriction. He represents again 3 weeks later with hyponatraemia and further investigations reveal pituitary insufficiency and macroadenoma. He was restarted on ibrutinib and venetoclax at the time of discharge.

Four months later, he presents with sudden retro-orbital headache associated with vomiting. Clinical findings include cranial nerve III, IV and XI palsy. Humphrey’s visual field examination revealed a left visual field index (VFI) of only 1% while the right was 64% with temporal hemianopia. Both pupils were mid-dilated and poorly reactive to light. MRI pituitary with contrast showed features of pituitary apoplexy and optic nerve compression. He was urgently referred to the neurosurgical team and underwent an emergency trans-sphenoidal hypophysectomy with circumferential excision of the macroadenoma. Post-operative recovery was uneventful with marked improvement in vision bilaterally. The patient was restarted on ibrutinib and venetoclax 2 weeks post-operatively. Approximately 1 year post-treatment, he remains in radiological, clinical and biochemical remission from CLL and all medications have been withdrawn.

This is a unique and rare case of pituitary macroadenoma apoplexy following the commencement of ibrutinib for CLL. Central nervous system haemorrhage is a rare side effect of ibrutinib due to its platelet dysfunction effects. A thorough assessment is required to assess the risks and benefits of using ibrutinib in patients with pituitary macroadenoma to avoid serious complications.

To present a novel endoscopy-assisted surgical strategy of Sylvian arachnoid cysts (ACs).

Endoscopy-assisted surgery was performed on 9 children (May 2019–December 2021). All patients were evaluated with CT and/or MRI and had regular follow-up examinations. The procedure consisted of performing a small temporal craniotomy (2 cm) behind the hairline. After dural opening, the surgery was performed with the assistance of a rigid 30-degree transcranial endoscope, self-irrigating bipolar forceps, and other standard endoscopic instruments. Steps included total excision of the AC outer wall and dissection of arachnoid adhesion around the cystic edge to communicate the residual cyst cavity with subdural space. Compared with the microscopical procedure, a 30-degree transcranial endoscope provides a wider view, especially for the lateral part exposure of the outer wall.

The average age of the patients was 27.7 months (range 13–44 months). The Sylvian AC was in the right hemisphere in three patients and six in the left, respectively. 1 patient suffered transient postoperative epilepsy. There was no mortality or additional postoperative neurological deficit in this series. All of the patients achieved significant clinical improvement after surgery. Radiological examination after the operation showed a significant reduction in all cases (100%, 9/9) and disappearance in one case (11.1%, 1/9). Postoperative subdural fluid collection occurred in six cases and completely resolved spontaneously in 9 months.

The study demonstrated the minimally invasive, safety, and effectivity of the endoscopy-assisted purely total outer wall excision.