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Background: The present narrative review aims to discuss cognitive–emotional–behavioral symptoms in adults with brain tumors at the time of diagnosis. Methods: The PubMed database was searched considering glioma, pituitary adenoma, and meningioma in adulthood as pathologies, together with cognitive, neuropsychological, or behavioral aspects. Results: Although a significant number of studies describe cognitive impairment after surgery or treatment in adults with brain tumors, only few focus on cognitive–emotional–behavioral symptoms at diagnosis. Furthermore, the importance of an effective communication and its impact on patients’ quality of life and compliance with treatment are seldom discussed. Conclusions: Adults with brain tumors have needs in terms of cognitive–emotional–behavioral features that are detectable at the time of diagnosis; more research is needed to identify effective communication protocols in order to allow a higher perceived quality of life in these patients.

Background: The exoscope has been proposed as a valid tool in 5-aminolevulinic acid–guided resection of high-grade gliomas. However, it is not clear if, beyond ergonomics, the exoscope provides a real benefit over the optical microscope (OM). The aim of this study was to compare the exoscope with the OM in terms of surgical visualization and workflow in 5-aminolevulinic acid–guided brain surgery. Methods: Surgical videos of patients diagnosed with histopathologically confirmed, Shinoda stage I, high-grade gliomas who underwent surgery in from January to April 2022 were studied. Visualization under a 5-aminolevulinic acid blue filter for vessels, parenchyma, surgical instruments, and fluorescence was categorized for both superficial and deep fields. The following data were also recorded: median number of switches between white light and blue filter, average duration per switch, and amount of work under blue filter. Results: There were 5 surgeries performed under OM guidance and 5 performed under exoscope guidance. Under a blue filter, the exoscope was significantly better than the OM in visualizing vessels, parenchyma, and surgical instruments for both superficial and deep surgical fields. The median number of switches between blue and white light was lower compared with the OM. Both median switch duration and percentage of work under the blue filter were superior when using the exoscope. Conclusions: Within the limitations of a preliminary analysis, use of the exoscope in fluorescence-guided surgery for high-grade gliomas provided significant advantages in terms of visualization of the surgical field under a blue filter and linearity of surgical flow.

BackgroundThe glioblastoma's bad prognosis is primarily due to intra-tumor heterogeneity, demonstrated from several studies that collected molecular biology, cytogenetic data and more recently radiomic features for a better prognostic stratification. The GLIFA project (GLIoblastoma Feature Analysis) is a multicentric project planned to investigate the role of radiomic analysis in GB management, to verify if radiomic features in the tissue around the resection cavity may guide the radiation target volume delineation. Materials and methodsWe retrospectively analyze from three centers radiomic features extracted from 90 patients with total or near total resection, who completed the standard adjuvant treatment and for whom we had post-operative images available for features extraction. The Manual segmentation was performed on post gadolinium T1w MRI sequence by 2 radiation oncologists and reviewed by a neuroradiologist, both with at least 10 years of experience. The Regions of interest (ROI) considered for the analysis were: the surgical cavity +/- post-surgical residual mass (CTV_cavity); the CTV a margin of 1.5 cm added to CTV_cavity and the volume resulting from subtracting the CTV_cavity from the CTV was defined as CTV_Ring. Radiomic analysis and modeling were conducted in RStudio. Z-score normalization was applied to each radiomic feature. A radiomic model was generated using features extracted from the Ring to perform a binary classification and predict the PFS at 6 months. A 3-fold cross-validation repeated five times was implemented for internal validation of the model. ResultsTwo-hundred and seventy ROIs were contoured. The proposed radiomic model was given by the best fitting logistic regression model, and included the following 3 features: F_cm_merged.contrast, F_cm_merged.info.corr.2, F_rlm_merged.rlnu. A good agreement between model predicted probabilities and observed outcome probabilities was obtained (p-value of 0.49 by Hosmer and Lemeshow statistical te

Preservation of facial nerve function (FNF) during neurosurgery for cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumors is paramount in elderly patients. Corticobulbar facial motor evoked potentials (FMEPs) allow assessment intraoperatively of the functional integrity of facial motor pathways, thus improving safety. We aimed to evaluate the significance of intraoperative FMEPs in patients 65 years and older. A retrospective cohort of 35 patients undergoing CPA tumors resection was reported; outcomes of patients aged 65–69 years vs. ≥70 years were compared. FMEPs were registered both from upper and lower face muscles, and amplitude ratios (minimum-to-baseline, MBR; final-to-baseline, FBR; and recovery value, FBR minus MBR) were calculated. Overall, 78.8% of patients had a good late (at 1 year) FNF, with no differences between age groups. In patients aged ≥70 years, MBR significantly correlated with late FNF. At receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis, in patients aged 65–69 years, FBR (with 50% cut-off value) could reliably predict late FNF. By contrast, in patients aged ≥70 years, the most accurate predictor of late FNF was MBR, with 12.5% cut-off. Thus, FMEPs are a valuable tool for improving safety in CPA surgery in elderly patients as well. Considering literature data, we noticed higher cut-off values for FBR and a role for MBR, which suggests an increased vulnerability of facial nerves in elderly patients compared to younger ones.

Background: The anatomy laboratory can provide the ideal setting for the preclinical phase of neurosurgical research. Our purpose is to comprehensively and critically review the preclinical anatomical quantification methods used in cranial neurosurgery. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. The PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and Ovid EMBASE databases were searched, yielding 1667 papers. A statistical analysis was performed using R. Results: The included studies were published from 1996 to 2023. The risk of bias assessment indicated high-quality studies. Target exposure was the most studied feature (81.7%), mainly with area quantification (64.9%). The surgical corridor was quantified in 60.9% of studies, more commonly with the quantification of the angle of view (60%). Neuronavigation-based methods benefit from quantifying the surgical pyramid features that define a cranial neurosurgical approach and allowing post-dissection data analyses. Direct measurements might diminish the error that is inherent to navigation methods and are useful to collect a small amount of data. Conclusion: Quantifying neurosurgical approaches in the anatomy laboratory provides an objective assessment of the surgical corridor and target exposure. There is currently limited comparability among quantitative neurosurgical anatomy studies; sharing common research methods will provide comparable data that might also be investigated with artificial intelligence methods.

In recent years, research on brain cancers has turned towards the study of the interplay between the tumor and its host, the normal brain. Starting from the establishment of a parallelism between neurogenesis and gliomagenesis, the influence of neuronal activity on the development of brain tumors, particularly gliomas, has been partially unveiled. Notably, direct electrochemical synapses between neurons and glioma cells have been identified, paving the way for new approaches for the cure of brain cancers. Since this novel field of study has been defined “cancer neuroscience”, anticancer therapeutic approaches exploiting these discoveries can be referred to as “cancer neuromodulation”. In the present review, we provide an up-to-date description of the novel findings and of the therapeutic neuromodulation perspectives in cancer neuroscience. We focus both on more traditional oncologic approaches, aimed at modulating the major pathways involved in cancer neuroscience through drugs or genetic engineering techniques, and on electric stimulation proposals; the latter is at the cutting-edge of neuro-oncology.

Background: Posttraumatic hydrocephalus is a known complication after traumatic brain injury, particularly affecting patients undergoing decompressive craniectomy. Posttraumatic hydrocephalus monitoring in these patients represents a common issue in neurosurgical practice. Patients require periodical assessments by means of computed tomography (CT) scans. This study presents a preliminary institutional series in which ultrasound was used as a bedside imaging technique to monitor ventricular size in patients harboring a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cranioplasty. Exploiting the PEEK cranioplasty permeability to echoes, we evaluated the feasibility of this bedside imaging method in monitoring hydrocephalus evolution, determining effects of ventriculo-peritoneal shunt, and excluding complications. Methods: Eight patients with traumatic brain injury harboring PEEK cranioplasty following decompressive craniectomy were prospectively evaluated. Ultrasound measurements were compared with CT scan data taken the same day, and ventricular morphometry parameters were compared. Results: Ultrasound images through the PEEK cranioplasty were of high quality and intracranial anatomy was distinctly evaluated. A strong correlation was observed between ultrasound and CT measurements. Concerning distance between lateral ventricles frontal horns (IFH) and the diameter of the third ventricle (TV), we found a strong correlation between transcranial sonography and CT measurements in preventriculoperitoneal shunt (rho = 0.92 and p = 0.01 for IFH; rho = 0.99 and p = 0.008 for TV) and in postventriculoperitoneal shunt examinations (rho = 0.95 and p = 0.03 for IFH; rho = 0.97 and p = 0.03 for TV). The mean error rate between transcranial sonography and CT scan was 1.77 ± 0.91 mm for preoperative IFH, 0.65 ± 0.27 mm for preoperative TV, 2.18 ± 0.82 mm for postoperative IFH, and 0.48 ± 0.21 mm for postoperative TV. Conclusions: Transcranial ultrasound could represent a simplific

The cerebellopontine angle (CPA) is a highly complex anatomical compartment consisting of numerous nervous and vascular structures that present mutual and intricate spatial relationships. CPA surgery represents, therefore, a constant challenge for neurosurgeons. Over the years, neurosurgeons have developed and refined several solutions with the aim of maximizing the surgical treatment effects while minimizing the invasiveness and risks for the patient. In this paper, we present our integrated approach to CPA surgery, describing its advantages in treating pathologies in this anatomical district. Our approach incorporates the use of technology, such as neuronavigation, along with advanced and multimodal intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) techniques, with the final goal of making this surgery safe and effective.

Predictive factors for response to regorafenib in recurrent glioblastoma, IDH-wildtype, are scarcely recognized. The objective of this study was to identify molecular predictive factors for response to regorafenib using a clinically available platform. We analyzed a prospective cohort of 30 patients harboring recurrent glioblastoma, IDH-wildtype, and treated with regorafenib. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis was performed on DNA extracted from paraffin-embedded tissues using a clinically available platform. Moreover, MGMT methylation and EGFRvIII expression analyses were performed. Six-month progression-free survival (PFS) was 30% and median overall survival (OS) was 7.5 months, in line with literature data. NGS analysis revealed a mutation in the EGFR pathway in 18% of cases and a mutation in the mitogen-activated protein-kinase (MAPK) pathway in 18% of cases. In the remaining cases, no mutations were detected. Patients carrying MAPK pathway mutation had a poor response to regorafenib treatment, with a significantly shorter PFS and a nonsignificantly shorter OS compared to EGFR-mutated patients (for PFS, 2.5 vs 4.5 months, p = 0.0061; for OS, 7 vs 9 months, p = 0.1076). Multivariate analysis confirmed that MAPK pathway mutations independently predicted a shorter PFS after regorafenib treatment (p = 0.0188). The negative prognostic role of MAPK pathway alteration was reinforced when we combined EGFR-mutated with EGFRvIII-positive cases. Recurrent glioblastoma tumors with an alteration in MAPK pathway could belong to the mesenchymal subtype and respond poorly to regorafenib treatment, while EGFR-altered cases have a better response to regorafenib. We thus provide a molecular selection criterion easy to implement in the clinical practice.

5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-induced PpIX fluorescence is used by neurosurgeons to identify the tumor cells of high-grade gliomas during operation. However, the issue of whether 5-ALA-induced PpIX fluorescence consistently stains all the tumor cells is still debated. Here, we assessed the cytoplasmatic signal of 5-ALA by fluorescence microscopy in a series of human gliomas. As tumor markers, we used antibodies against collapsin response-mediated protein 5 (CRMP5), alpha thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome X-linked (ATRX), and anti-isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1). In grade III–IV gliomas, the signal induced by 5-ALA was detected in 32.7–75.5 percent of CRMP5-expressing tumor cells. In low-grade gliomas (WHO grade II), the CRMP5-expressing tumor cells did not fluoresce following 5-ALA. Immunofluorescence with antibodies that stain various components of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) suggested that 5-ALA does not cross the un-breached BBB, in spite of its small dimension. To conclude, 5-ALA-induced PpIX fluorescence has an established role in high-grade glioma surgery, but it has limited usefulness in surgery for low-grade glioma, especially when the BBB is preserved.

The onco-functional balance in neuro-oncology requires maximizing tumor removal while rigorously preserving patients’ neurological status. When postoperative worsening prevents the implementation of oncologic treatments, palliative care service offers an individualized path for symptom and psychosocial distress relief. Here, we report on a series of 25 patients operated on for malignant brain tumor who did not undergo adjuvant treatments after neurosurgery; they represented 3.9% of the whole institutional surgical series. These patients were significantly older and had a lower preoperative Karnofsky performance status than the whole cohort. Importantly, in 22 out of 25 (88%) cases, a surgical complication occurred, leading to clinical worsening in 21 patients. For the end of life, the majority of patients chose a hospice care facility (72%). While a careful selection of brain tumor patients candidate to neurosurgery is required, palliative care service provided invaluable help in coping with patients’ and caregivers’ needs.

Background: Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) in anticoagulated patients is a common challenge for emergency departments because of lack of appropriate epidemiological data and huge management variability for those under oral anticoagulation therapy. Given the discrepancies between guidelines, the aim of the present study was to quantify the association between oral anticoagulant therapy (either vitamin K antagonist (VKA) or direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC)) and the post-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage worsening compared to admission CT scan. Methods: We included all consecutive records of patients admitted to our emergency department for mild TBI as chief complaint and with a positive admission CT scan. After statistical univariate comparison, cause-specific hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were determined with the use of Cox proportional hazard model. Results: In the study period, 4667 patients had a CT scan for mild TBI; 439 (9.4%) were found to have intracranial hemorrhage. Among these patients, 299 (68.1%) were prescribed observation and control CT: 46 (15.38%) were on anticoagulant therapy, 23 (50%) on VKA, and 23 (50%) on DOAC. In multivariate analysis, only oral anticoagulation therapy was significantly associated to an increased risk of intracranial hemorrhage progression (HR 2.58; 95% CI 1.411–4.703; p =.002 and HR 1.9; 95% CI 1.004–3.735; p =.0048 for VKA and DOAC, respectively). Surgery was due to isolated subdural hematoma in 87.5% of cases, to subdural hematoma associated with intraparenchymal hemorrhage in 9.38% and to intraparenchymal hemorrhage only in 3.12%; 13 cases (4.35%) deceased in intensive care unit. Conclusions: In our series, anticoagulation was associated to a significant increase in intracranial progression, leaving the question open as to what this implies in current clinical practice; subdural hematoma was the major finding associated to evolution and surgery. Against this background, further studies are needed to c

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Objective: Ability to thrive after invasive and intensive treatment is an important parameter to assess in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) is used to identify those patients suitable for postoperative radiochemotherapy. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether machine learning (ML)-based models can reliably predict patients' KPS 6 months after surgery. Methods: A cohort of 416 patients undergoing surgery for a histopathologically confirmed GBM were collected from a multicentric database and split into a training and hold-out test set in an 80:20 ratio. Worsening of KPS at 6 months after surgery (compared with preoperative KPS) occurred in 138 patients (33.2%). Relevant preoperative, intraoperative, and immediately postoperative variables were selected by a recursive features selection algorithm (Boruta) and used to build 2 ML-based predictive models. Results: A random forest classifier and a random forest regressor were trained to predict 6 months postoperative KPS as a categorical (worsening vs. stable/improving) and continuous variables; they achieved, respectively, an area under the curve of 0.81 (95% confidence interval, 0.76–0.84) and a mean absolute error of 4.4 (95% confidence interval, 4.0–4.7). Leveraging the predictive value resulting from the combination of independent variables, the random forest classifier outperformed conventional statistics (area under the curve improvement of +21%). Conclusions: Two robust ML-based prediction models were successfully trained and internally validated. Considerable effort remains to improve the interpretation of the results when these predictions are used in a patient-centered care context.

Background: A recent trend of looking for health-related conditions on the Internet has been described, with up 70% of searchers stating that online sources have affected their medical decision-making. Patients with vestibular schwannomas (VS) use online sources, including videos, to seek information about treatment alternatives and outcomes and surgeons experience. Our study investigates the reliability and quality of VS-related online videos. Methods: In April 2020, a search was launched on YouTube for the key terms ‘vestibular schwannoma,’ ‘acoustic neuroma,’ ‘eighth cranial nerve schwannoma,’ and ‘eighth cranial nerve neuroma.’ Results were screened for possible inclusion. Three authors independently used the DISCERN instrument to evaluate the reliability and quality of the included videos. Factors possibly influencing popularity were investigated. Results: The initial search yielded 6416 videos. 38 videos were included in the final analysis. The average DISCERN score was 2.76, indicating overall poor quality and reliability of information. Only 5% scored 4.0 or more (unbiased videos that offer evidence-supported information); 31% scored between 3.0 and 3.99, and 63% scored 2.99 or less. Videos describing symptoms or the patient’s clinical presentation were slightly more popular than videos without these characteristics. Surgical videos (videos containing clips of surgical procedures) were significantly more popular than non-surgical videos (p =.024) despite being of similarly poor quality (DISCERN score 2.85 vs. 2.74, respectively). Conclusions: Available patient educational videos for VS are of mixed quality and reliability: the authors describe the strengths and pitfalls of existing YouTube videos. Considering that VS is a pathology with multiple available management modalities, and that patients’ decision-making is affected by the information available on the Internet, it is of great importance that good-quality informative material be released by medical, a

Surgical management of Diffuse Low-Grade Gliomas (DLGGs) has radically changed in the last 20 years. Awake surgery (AS) in combination with Direct Electrical Stimulation (DES) and real-time neuropsychological testing (RTNT) permits continuous intraoperative feedback, thus allowing to increase the extent of resection (EOR). The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the technological advancements and integration of multidisciplinary techniques on EOR. Two hundred and eighty-eight patients affected by DLGG were enrolled. Cases were stratified according to the surgical protocol that changed over time: 1. DES; 2. DES plus functional MRI/DTI images fused on a NeuroNavigation system; 3. Protocol 2 plus RTNT. Patients belonging to Protocol 1 had a median EOR of 83% (28–100), while those belonging to Protocol 2 and 3 had a median EOR of 88% (34–100) and 98% (50–100) respectively (p = 0.0001). New transient deficits with Protocol 1, 2 and 3 were noted in 38.96%, 34.31% and 31,08% of cases, and permanent deficits in 6.49%, 3.65% and 2.7% respectively. The average follow-up period was 6.8 years. OS was influenced by molecular class (p = 0.028), EOR (p = 0.018) and preoperative tumor growing pattern (p = 0.004). Multimodal surgical approach can provide a safer and wider removal of DLGG with potential subsequent benefits on OS. Further studies are necessary to corroborate our findings.

Oncologic and traumatic neurosurgery may have to cope with the issue of skull base defects, which are associated with increased risk of meningitis, epidural abscess and cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) leak. The aim of skull base reconstruction is to repair the dural exposure and to separate the intracranial contents from the nonsterile sino-nasal cavities and extracranial space. Currently, many different surgical techniques have been described, and one of the most performed is the use free flap. In the present paper we performed a case-based update and literature review of the use of chimeric anterolateral thigh free flap harvested from rectus femoris, reporting the case of a 68-year-old man with recurrent spheno-ethmoidalis plane meningioma.

OBJECTIVE: Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) in anticoagulated patients is a common challenge for Emergency Department (ED) Physicians. Anticoagulation is considered a risk factor for developing delayed intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) after MTBI. The occurrence of this event in patients on Vitamin K Antagonists (VKA) or Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs) remains unclear. Primary endpoint: to analyze the role of anticoagulants as risk factors for developing delayed ICH after MTBI and evaluate the indications to repeat a cranial computed tomography (CT) after a period of observation. Secondary endpoint: to assess the difference in the prevalence rate of delayed ICH in patients on VKA versus those on DOACs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We evaluated all consecutive patients admitted to our ED for MTBI, which had a control CT for late ICH after a negative CT at admission. We used a propensity score match (PSM) on factors affecting the need for oral anticoagulation to adjust the comparison between anticoagulated vs. non-anticoagulated patients for the baseline clinical characteristics. RESULTS: Among 685 patients enrolled, 15 (2.2%) developed ICH at control CT. After PSM, the incidence of ICH, although slightly higher, was not statistically different in anticoagulated patients vs. non-anticoagulated (2.3% vs. 0.6%, p=0.371). Among the 111 patients on VKA, 5 (4.5%) had a late ICH, compared to 4 out of 99 (4.0%) on DOACs; the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.868). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of developing delayed ICH after MTBI in patients on anticoagulation therapy is low. After correction for baseline covariates, the risk does not appear higher compared to non-anticoagulated patients. Thus, a routine control CT scan seems advisable only for patients presenting a clinical deterioration. Larger, prospective trials are required to clarify the safety profile of DOACs vs. VKA in MTBI.

Background: One of the most valuable innovations in high-grade glioma surgery is 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA). Fluorescence is a specific and sensitive indicator of metabolically active tumor tissue. In the published literature, the main focus has been placed on false-negative cases, with only a few articles addressing false positivity. The aim of the article was to highlight settings in which 5-ALA fluorescence does not necessarily mean tumor and to point out conditions in which intraoperative 5-ALA fluorescence has to be critically interpreted. Methods: Using PubMed, a review of pertinent literature was done to specifically investigate all conditions, including non-neoplastic and other metabolically active lesions, that can mimic high-grade gliomas and cause a misleading intraoperative diagnosis. In addition, an institutional case characterized by strong 5-ALA fluorescence in radionecrosis is presented. Results: Literature results were grouped in 2 main categories according to the field of application: oncologic setting (9 articles and 1 institutional case) and nononcologic settings (5 articles). Conclusions: As reported, 5-ALA-induced fluorescence is not limited to glioma but is also evident in nonglioma and non-neoplastic conditions. Critical interpretation of intraoperative fluorescence is therefore mandatory in recurrences and in atypical cases that might hinder alternative diagnoses.

Achieving a safe and extensive neoplasm resection can be considered the main goal of brain tumor surgery. This paper is first aimed at providing an overview of the evolution of those tools serving the purpose. From the dawn of neurosurgery to the present days, major innovations have followed one another. However, those techniques may frequently lack of an instant biological feedback on the true extension and the infiltration of the tumor. Intraoperative fluorescence modalities could indeed fill this gap. Fluorescence guided surgery will be therefore introduced and discussed in this context. Our focus will be on the most common fluorescence techniques used in neurosurgery, namely 5-aminolevulinic acid, sodium fluorescein and in indocyanine green. Mode of action, strengths and weaknesses and level of evidence of each modality will be discussed.

BACKGROUND: Increasing the extent of resection (EOR) is considered a main goal in high grade glioma (HGG) surgery. Significant advancements have been recently made to assist surgery: namely the use of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5ALA) and the application of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) embody two of the most recently introduced tools in the neuro-oncology field. A combined approach including the two techniques has been suggested in literature. Our primary aim is to identify in which conditions CEUS final survey has a real impact in a 5-ALA guided context and assess which preoperative tumor characteristics, with specific attention to working corridors can predict strains of the fluorescence guided procedure and hence recommend the use of the combined technique. METHODS: Forty-nine HGG glioma surgeries were performed at our institution with the abovementioned protocol between January 2016 and June 2016. Based on preoperative MRI, we stratified glioma characteristics according to three determinants: localization (deep versus superficial), size (<3.5 versus >3.5 cm) and shape (regular versus irregular). RESULTS: CEUS modified 5-ALA guided resection in 11 cases (22.45%): this appeared to be associated with statistically significance to deep tumor localization (P=0.04) and irregular/multi-lobulated margins (P=0.003). On the other hand, tumor size alone did not appear as a statistically significant determinant. CONCLUSIONS: When dark corridors are presents or when overlying brain parenchyma hinders illumination, drawbacks to the 5-ALA assistance can be expected, hence CEUS final survey has a crucial role of 'refinement'. In those selected cases, an integrated 5ALA+CEUS protocol was shown as advisable in EOR improvement.

Indocyanine green video angiography (ICG-VA) is a non-invasive, easy to use and very useful tool for various neurosurgical procedures. The first application was in neurovascular surgery, because it was born as an intravascular tracer for vessels visualization; this has been really useful in aneurysms, atero-venous malformations (AVMs) and dural fistulas surgery where identification, obliteration or patency of vessels is essential. introduced in vascular neurosurgery since 2003, icg-Va applications have broadened over time, both in vascular and in other neurosurgical fields. In 2003 Raabe et al. have been the first to describe the use of ICG-VA for intraoperative assessment of cerebral vascular flow, enabling visualization of vessel patency and aneurysm occlusion during aneurysm surgery. ICG-VA applications in vascular neurosurgery have significantly increased over time including complex aneurysms, bypass, atero-venous malformations (AVM) artero-venous fistulas (AVF), evaluation of cortical perfusion. The procedure can be easily repeated after 5-10 minutes. adverse reactions are comparable to those of other types of contrast media, with frequencies of 0.05% (hypotension, arrhythmia, or, more rarely, anaphylactic shock) to 0.2% (nausea, pruritus, syncope, or skin eruptions. The aim of the present study was to systematically analyze ICG-VA applications in vascular neurosurgery, highlighting the reported advantages and disadvantages, and discussing future perspectives.

The publisher regrets that the author Giuseppe Maria Della Pepa's name was printed incorrectly in the originally published article. The correct spelling of Dr Della Pepa's name is: Giuseppe Maria Della Pepa. The publisher would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Residual and recurrent intracranial aneurysms after surgical clipping present a persistent risk of bleeding. Secondary coiling after incomplete clipping represents a strategy to occlude the residual sac: feasibility, bleeding risk and outcome were evaluated through a systematic review of literature along with the series of two tertiary referral neurovascular centres. Demographics, ruptured status, aneurysm morphology, topography, exclusion at surgery, timing of secondary coiling, complications, occlusion rate and outcome were analysed. Percentage of incidence and 95% CI were calculated for all variables. T test was used for continue variables, whereas Fisher’s test (two-sided) is for categorical ones. Overall, 102 patients (92 cases from literature and 10 cases from institutional series) were included. Mean age at diagnosis was 52.94 ± 12.17 years, and male/female ratio 0.5; 3/4 of aneurysms involved the anterior circulation, whereas 1⁄4 the posterior circulation. An aneurysmal neck remnant was described in 58.43% of cases, an aneurysmal sac remnant in 29.21% and a regrowth in 12.36%. Residual aneurysm rupture was reported in 22% of cases. Complete/near-complete occlusion after secondary coiling was observed in 70% of cases, a partial in 25.56% and a failure in 4.44%. Only one case of perforation was reported. Complications were comparable to standard endovascular procedures. Aneurysms remnants after clipping are often observed in cases difficult anatomical locations. Their bleeding risk is not negligible. Secondary coiling is a rescue strategy to effectively and safely secure the aneurysm remnant. Only in a minority of cases, it is a staged treatment after ‘remodelling’ of the aneurysm neck.

Thrombosed aneurysms of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) usually show large dimension and complex morphology with neck sclerosis and perforating vessels originating from the sac. Only limited experiences from case reports or small mixed series including thrombosed aneurysms in different locations are available in literature. To systematically review all the pertinent literature, a comprehensive literature review with the search terms “MCA, aneurysm, and thrombosis” and a pooled analysis including our institutional series were performed. We evaluated demographics, ruptured status, aneurysm morphology, topography and size, thrombosis extension, treatment, complications, final occlusion rate, and clinical outcome at follow-up. Data were individually extracted for each patient and included in a pool for the statistical analysis. Forty-two articles published between 1992 and 2016 were selected, including a total of 115 patients. Most of thrombosed aneurysms were saccular (67.6%), large or giant (86.7%), and located at the MCA bifurcation (67.3%). The treatment of choice was surgery in more than 80% of cases compared with the endovascular techniques, though the overall percentage of complications reported in the two groups was similar and around 20% of cases. Clinical outcome was favorable in more than 85% of patients after treatment. This is the first systematic review focusing on treatment and outcome of thrombosed MCA aneurysms. Our data depict their main angioarchictectural and clinical characteristics, proving the feasibility of their treatment with good prognosis in a high percentage of patients. However, complication and mortality rates of about 20 and 3.5%, respectively, are not negligible.

Background: Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has been providing many solutions in spine surgery, and several technical variations and instrumentation systems are available. The aim of our study is to investigate the best system to perform a hybrid technique in lumbar spine fusion procedures. Methods: Sixteen patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to 1 of the 4 groups reported later. The first step in any case was midline incision, fascia exposure, and, using trocars, intravertebral transpedicle Kirschner wires (KWs) positioning through the fascia. Group definitions were A) KWs were affixed to surgical towels; B) screws with metal extensors were placed and KWs removed; C) screws with plastic extensors (K2M) were placed and those extensors were affixed to surgical towels; and D) screws without extensors or tulips (Nuvasive) were positioned. We locked the system at the end of procedure, after posterior decompression and translumbar interbody fusion cage placement. Procedures’ features were rated using properly designed questionnaires by surgeons. Results: Metal extensors were rated lower than other systems in any aspect. C and D groups’ procedures were higher rated than those in A and B in all examined fields. Furthermore, group D's procedures were reported more comfortable during facetectomy, diskectomy, and cage placement. Surgeons reported Precept Modular (Nuvasive) as the most comfortable and useful system in the hybrid technique. Conclusions: Precept Modular seems to be the most useful system when performing hybrid technique in lumbar fusion procedures. Furthermore, it results in the only one that provides the opportunity to easily and quickly switch from minimally invasive surgery to open surgery, avoiding muscles’ injuries.

Backgrounds: Intra-operative ultrasound (ioUS), and the recently introduced contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) demonstrated to be an extremely valuable tool in oncological cerebral neurosurgery. Methods: The authors applied ioUS/CEUS techniques to spinal oncological surgery as showed in the illustrative case of a dorsal hemangiopericytoma. Results and conclusions: ioUS and CEUS provide real-time information that proved useful in identifying both vascular and parenchymatous tumoral patterns, anatomical relations with nervous structure, plan surgical strategy, and identify residuals. It allows to visualize unexposed anatomical and pathological structures within the parenchyma and is a valuable guide during resection.

Objective: This study aimed to quantify the discrepancy between intraoperative and postoperative segmental lordosis in patients operated on for lumbar degenerative diseases, with 3 different fixation techniques: open posterolateral instrumentation alone (PLI) or in association with lumbar interbody cages (transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion [TLIF] or extreme lateral interbody fusion [XLIF]). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all adult patients affected by single-segment degenerative spondylotic disease who underwent PLI alone or percutaneous posterolateral instrumentation (pPLI) in association with TLIF or XLIF between April 2015 and December 2017 at our institution. Group I included patients who underwent PLI with transpedicular screws and rods, interlaminar bilateral decompression, and posterolateral fusion with autologous bone chips. Group II included patients treated with pPLI + TLIF using a complete unilateral arthrectomy. Group III included patients operated on with minimally invasive retroperitoneal pPLI + XLIF. Results: No major complications were reported. The mean segmental loss of lordosis values ranged from 9.17% to 12.28% in Group I, from 6.31%–9.43% in Group II, and from 3.05%–4.71% in Group III. The statistical analysis revealed that pPLI + XLIF maintained a higher segmental lordosis than PLI and pPLI +TLIF in each operated segment (P < 0.05). pPLI + TLIF was more effective than PLI in reducing the loss of lordosis at L4-L5 and at L5-S1 (P < 0.05) but not at L3-L4 (P = 0.12). Conclusions: The documented mismatch between the preoperative and postoperative lumbar lordosis might affect the clinical outcome. Its relevance depends on the surgical technique used at the single level.

Background: Contributions on using navigation in neurosurgery have been shared widely. However, few authors have reported their experience identifying superficial vessels before dural opening using indocyanine green–video angiography. Furthermore, this technique has shown some limitations. Methods: For many years, each time we planned a needle biopsy for brain tumors, we set the entry point and trajectory on the navigator before surgery. Regarding the target, we systematically chose both a trajectory, which should avoid any crossing with vessels, and an entry far from veins or granulations. Gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging T1-weighted sequences have been demonstrated to be adequate for this purpose. Note that we used the Medtronic StealthStation S8 (Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA) and gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging T1-weighted sequences to plan 4 different surgical procedures (needle biopsy, parasagittal meningioma, double metastases, and high-grade glioma). Intraoperatively, after craniotomy and dural exposure, a Passive Planar Blunt Probe and dermographic pen were used to mark superficial vessels on the basis of navigational images. The dura was opened far from any marked line, vessels were dissected, and the dura was opened by a Penfield dissector and Metzenbaum scissors. Results: The mean planning time length was 7 minutes, and the marking procedure time length was 3 minutes. Dural marks perfectly corresponded to the underlying vessels. The correspondence rate of marks to underlying vessels was 100%. No one vessel unmarked was noticed. No superficial vessel injuries were reported. Conclusions: This technique provides a safe and fast method to avoid vessel injuries during dural opening. Furthermore, it could be useful as an educational tool.

Background: In the surgical treatment of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs), intraoperative definition of anatomic characteristics of the DAVF and identification of the fistulous point is mandatory to effectively exclude the DAVF. Case Description: Intraoperative ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound integrated with color Doppler ultrasound was applied in the surgical setting for a cervical DAVF to identify the fistulous point and evaluate correct occlusion of the fistula. Conclusions: Integration of intraoperative ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasound is a simple, cost-effective technique that provides an opportunity for real-time dynamic visualization of DAVF vascular patterns, identification of the fistulous point, and assessment of correct exclusion. Compared with other intraoperative tools, such as indocyanine green videoangiography, it allows the surgeon to visualize hidden anatomic and vascular structures, minimizing surgical manipulation and guiding the surgeon during resection.

Background: Recently, the lateral supraorbital (LSO) keyhole variant of the standard pterional (PT) approach has been popularized for anterior skull base surgery, because it provides good anatomic exposition, reduced complications, and better aesthetic and functional results. However, these aspects have been formally compared only by a limited number of studies. We reviewed our experience with 50 consecutive anterior communicating artery (AComA) and A1/A2 aneurysms. Of these 50 patients, 25 had undergone the standard PT approach and 25, the LSO variant. We report the results in terms of exclusion of the aneurysm, postoperative complications, functional/masticatory outcomes, and aesthetic and patient satisfaction. Methods: From January 2014 to December 2015, 25 patients with unruptured AComA and A1/A2 aneurysms underwent the standard PT craniotomy. From January 2016 to March 2017, another 25 patients underwent the LSO technique. Results: No statistically significant differences were observed in the aneurysmal exclusion rate at angiographic follow-up or major complications. A statistically significant difference in the clinical outcome (Glasgow Outcome Scale) was evident only for the immediate postoperative time and was not significant during the follow-up period. The hospital stay was shorter in the LSO group. Minor complications, patient satisfaction, aesthetics, and functional and masticatory outcomes were significantly better statistically in the LSO group. Conclusions: The LSO approach demonstrated a lower rate of early clinical minor complications, with a reduction in hospitalization. The LSO approach provides better results for patient satisfaction, masticatory comfort, and cosmetic results. In our experience, the LSO approach is a safe and effective substitute to the standard PT craniotomy to treat unruptured AComA and A1/A2 aneurysms.

Background Ventriculoatrial (VA) shunt is a routine technique for the treatment of hydrocephalus. The correct position at the superior vena cava–right atrium junction is generally assessed by radiography. We present the first experience of an alternative, nonradiographic technique to assess the distal end of the VA shunts through an electrocardiographic (EKG) method. The technique has developed from the large experience of central venous catheters (CVC) worldwide; the EKG-guided method is a common and validated alternative to standard radiologic control of the location of the tip of any CVC. Methods Five consecutive patients underwent VA shunt with venous catheter positioned with the EKG-guided technique. The position of the catheter tip was verified by standard chest radiography. Results Four men and 1 woman (mean age, 45.4 years) underwent VA shunt for hydrocephalus with the EKG-guided technique. The side of internal jugular vein puncture was the right side in 4 cases and the left side in 1 case. As confirmed by radiography, all VA shunt tips were located within the correct range. There was no radiologic evidence of procedure-related complication or catheters that had to be replaced. Conclusions The EKG-guided technique for VA shunts is as accurate as fluoroscopy, but simpler, more readily available, less expensive, safer, and more cost effective. It reduces the need of radiography and radiologic exposition for both patients and operators. The EKG method may be a valid and cost-effective alternative to standard radiologic control in VA shunts, as for any central venous access device, and could become the preferential method for confirming tip position during VA shunt surgery.

We report on a symptomatic case in which the whole intracranial blood supply was provided by a single vertebral artery as both internal carotid arteries were occluded and the contralateral vertebral artery was severely hypoplasic. The patient was treated by a flow-augmentation extracranial-intracranial bypass. Preoperative perfusion studies were essential in tailoring surgical strategy. Keypoints of the paper are contralateral perfusion changes after unilateral bypass surgery. The patient experienced a total recovery from symptoms and a bilateral improvement in brain perfusion, probably as consequence of post-operative hemodynamic rearrangement.

Objectives Dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) are a challenging condition in vascular neurosurgery. Disease natural history and its management is still debated. In the present paper we report our center series on DAVFs over a period of 10 years. Our data were compared with relevant literature. Patient and methods Our series includes 45 cases: 14 cavernous sinus, 11 transverse-sigmoid, 8 patients tentorial, 6 anterior cranial fossa, 5 patients spinal, 1 patient foramen magnum. Results and conclusions DVAFs distribution, clinical presentation and hemorrhagic risk are discussed. Cavernous sinus DAVFs are the most common site in our series. Other locations in order of frequency are transverse-sigmoid sinus, tentorial, anterior cranial fossa, spinal and foramen magnum. The majority of patients presented with non-aggressive symptoms. 18% presented with intracranial hemorrhage: all the hemorrhages occurred in high-grade DAVFs. For most patients, endovascular treatment, transarterial or transvenous, was the first option. Surgery was performed for the anterior cranial fossa DAVFs and other complex lesions draining mostly transverse-sigmoid sinus and tentorium. In 7% of cases a combination of endovascular + surgical treatment was used. Our series has been carefully analyzed in comparison 'side by side' with most relevant literature on DVAFs, focusing particularly on management strategies, therapeutic options and risks related to treatment.

Objective Laminectomy has normally been used as a standard approach for intradural spinal tumors but this procedure is associated with spinal instability and deformity. Laminoplasty was developed to overcome these limitations. Controversies still exist regarding its actual role in preventing spinal deformity in adults. The aim of our study was to determine the impact of laminoplasty on the prevention of spinal deformity's onset or worsening in adult patients submitted to intradural spinal tumors resection. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the data of 43 consecutive adult patients, who underwent either laminectomy or laminoplasty for spinal intradural tumor resection, between January 2006 and May 2011. We evaluated the role of sex, spinal segment (cervical, thoracic, lumbar), tumor location (intra- or extra-medullary), procedure (laminoplasty or laminectomy), number of treated levels (≤2 vs ;gt&2), presence of pre-operative deformity and pre-operative Modified McCormick Scale (≤2 vs >2) in the development or worsening of spinal deformity, using Fisher's exact test and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results Nine patients developed deformity or experienced a worsening of pre-operative deformity at latest follow-up. Among the considered potential prognostic factors, laminectomy (p = 0.03) and evidence of pre-operative spinal deformity (p = 0.009) were significantly associated with new-onset or worsening of spinal deformity. At logistic regression analysis, only the performed surgical procedure emerged as independent prognostic factor (p = 0.044). No CSF leak was recorded in the laminoplasty cohort. Conclusions No new-onset spinal deformities, no CSF leaks and a lower rate of spinal deformity progression were observed after laminoplasty for intradural intra- or extra-medullary tumor resection. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.

This paper reviews literature about intraorbital ophthalmic artery aneurysms discussing presentation, aetiology and treatment options. In addition we report on a case of intraorbital ophthalmic artery aneurysm with acute onset of headache, visual loss and right eye ophthalmoplegia.

Objective Cerebral vasospasm (VS) is one of the factors that can most significantly worsen the prognosis after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). A substantial body of evidence supports the idea that CSF diversion could prevent VS, even if this issue is still much debated. External ventricular drainage (EVD) is the recommended procedure for post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus. In this study we analyzed whether EVD, placed for acute hydrocephalus, is effective in reducing the incidence of clinical and radiological cerebral vasospasm in patients who underwent endovascular treatment for aneurysmal SAH. Patients and methods We retrospectively studied the incidence of radiologically confirmed VS in 141 patients treated endovascularly for aneurysmal SAH: 80 underwent EVD for hydrocephalus, 61 did not undergo EVD. Results VS occurred in 8.75% of cases (7 patients) in the first groups, while in 22.95% (14 patients) in the second group. In addition, patients not treated with EVD display a prevalence of VS in lower Fisher grades compared to the other group. Conclusion Our data indicate that CSF drainage reduces the risk of vasospasms in patients with endovascular treatment for aneurysmal SAH. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.

Background: Spontaneous, non traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a significant clinical problem that occurs most commonly as a result of aneurysm rupture. In approximately 15 % of cases, nor aneurysm or other vascular malformation can be identified by cerebral angiography as origin of the hemorrhage, and these are commonly defined as idiopathic SAH (ISAH). Because of the negative angiography, limited extension of the bleeding with prevalent prepontine pattern and the benign prognosis, the venous causes has been preferred rather than the arterial ones. In the literature recent studies have suggested a possible contribution by primitive variants of Basal vein of Rosenthal (BVR) in its the pathogenesis of ISAH, commonly grouped according Watanabe classification (type A, B and C). In this paper we evaluated the prevalence of anatomical variants of BVR in ISAH. Methods: Venous drainage at angiography was retrospectively analyzed in 40 patients with ISAH and in 40 with unruptured aneurysms as controls. Results and conclusions: Previous studies displayed a significant prevalence of BVR type C variants in ISAH. Conversely in our study we recognized variant B as prevalent, in which the BVR bifurcates to drain anteriorly into the uncal vein and posteriorly into the Galenic system. Similarly to variant C (in which the BVR drains via perimesencephalic "bridging" veins into cavernous, sphenoparietal, petrosal sinus or directly into transverse sinus) also variant B might be subjected to those stress mechanisms and intrinsic system 'fragility' and for reasons yet to determine, sets off a consequent hemorrhage with clinical and radiological features typical of ISAH. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Wien.

Objective Duraplasty can be performed both by means of autologous tissues (such as galea-pericranium, temporal muscle, fascia lata) or by commercially available dural patches. Nowadays many neurosurgeons consider galea-pericranium duraplasty time-consuming, technically demanding or not adequate, thus dural surrogates are increasingly popular. In this prospective research we compared duraplasty using autologous galea-pericranium vs. dural patches in terms of postoperative long term results, ease/time required and costs. Patients and methods Research has been designed as prospective cohort study, that included 185 patients undergoing supratentorial elective neurosurgery with galea-pericranium or non-autologous duraplasty (minimum follow-up 12 months). Variables taken into account were: wound infection, CSF fistula, subcutaneous CSF collection, bone flap osteitis, brain abscess, empyema and tardive wound dehiscence (particularly after postoperative radiotherapy). Time for galea-pericranium collection, size of galea-pericranium harvest and dural defects were recorded in each case. Costs for non-autologous duroplasty were calculated. Results No statistically significant differences were evident in long term postoperative results between the two groups. Mean time of galea-pericranium collection is less than 2 min and enough galea-pericranium can be harvested in supratentorial approach to cover almost any dural defect. The only difference between the two groups is costs: an average of 268.7€/patient spent just for duraplasty. This figure is surely substantial if considered for the entire amount of surgeries performed in a department. Conclusions Considering that in our study long term results are equivalent, that galea-pericranium duraplasty is feasible and rapid, our indications are in favor of saving a considerable amount of money since an ideal autologous dural substitute is available and "free". © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Objective Dural closure is one of the most critical steps in neurosurgical procedures as it prevents many common postoperative complications. Methods of dural closure include the use of allogenic, autogenic, xenogenic, absorbable or synthetic materials together with sealant/glues or hemostatic compounds. Most common autogenic graft is galea-pericranium. This study aims to demonstrate how the intrinsic properties of the galea-pericranium make effectively useless the application of any glue in order to ensure the watertight integrity of the graft. Patients and methods 276 cases were included in the study. Postoperative dural-closure related complication in patients subjected to duraplasty were analysed in three groups undergoing different duraplasty techniques: galea-pericranium graft without sealants, galea-pericranium graft plus sealant, non-autologous dural patch plus sealant. Results No statistically significant differences between the three groups were observed in terms of subcutaneous fluid collection rate, CSF fistulas, brain abscesses, subdural empyemas, wound dehiscence, radiotherapic sequelae. Conclusions Our study shows that galea-pericranium alone (without sealants) is comparable to other duraplasty techniques that involve the use of sealants or of non-autologous pathches in terms of long term postoperative results. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.

Objective Indocyanine green video angiography (ICG-VA) is a non invasive, easy to use and a very useful tool for various neurosurgical procedures. Initially introduced in vascular neurosurgery since 2003, it's applications have broadened over time, both in vascular applications and in other neurosurgical fields. The objective of our study is to review all published literature about ICG-VA, cataloguing its different applications. Methods A systematic review of all pertinent literature articles published from January 2003 to May 2014 using Pubmed access was performed using pertinent keywords; cross check of references of selected articles was performed in order to complete bibliographical research. Results of research were grouped by pathology. Results and conclusions The paper systematically analyses ICG-VA different applications in neurosurgery, from vascular neurosurgery to tumor resection and endoscopic applications, focusing on reported advantages and disadvantages, and discussing future perspectives. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.

Dear Editor, Spontaneous, nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a significant clinical problem thatmost commonly occurs as a result of aneurysm rupture [4]. In approximately 15 % of cases, no aneurysm or other vascular malformation can be identified as the origin of the hemorrhage by cerebral angiography [4]. In the English literature, over time, several definitions have been used to define these cases: idiopathic SAH or perimesencephalic nonaneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (PN-SAH), angiogram-negative subarachnoid hemorrhage (AN-SAH), and nonaneurysmal SAH [2, 4]. AN-SAH is nowadays the widely accepted term for such nosological entities [2]. In 1985, Van Gjin et al. named this type of subarachoid hemorrhage as perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage because of its anatomical blood distribution [8]. This definition was insufficient to describe those cases in which the hemorrhage extended to the carotid cisterns, Sylvian fissure, and/or interhemispheric fissure [7]. For this reason, the definition of AN-SAH has been popularized by the relevant literature. As a matter of fact, AN-SAH is definitely used as the prevalent and widely accepted definition in the medical literature [1]. But is it the best definition? We report two cases in which spontaneous SAH revealed an aneurysmal malformation that was clearly not responsible for the subarachnoid bleeding. Can these cases still be defined as AN-SAHs?

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