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Purpose: A ruptured intracranial aneurysm has a high mortality rate. Moreover, many of its surviving patients have to live with severe disabilities. Therefore, surgical or endovascular treatment is recommended in some patients with a known aneurysm and a high risk of rupture. However, many patients are reluctant to undergo treatment, fearing its complications. This study aimed to evaluate the treatment outcomes and safety in patients with a ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysm. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients treated for intracranial aneurysms in our hospital between 2017 to 2021. Our primary outcome was discharge functional outcome. We also evaluated cerebral infarction, stay duration, and mortality. We used bivariate and multivariate analysis. Results: 85 patients were included in this study. 69 (77.5%) patients were treated after rupture. Most patients were treated with clipping (78.8%). Patients with a ruptured aneurysm significantly had a higher risk of poor discharge functional outcome (OR 5.708 [1.061 – 30.712]; p 0.042). Six patients with a ruptured aneurysm died. Patients with a ruptured aneurysm also spent more time at the hospital. There was no mortality or complication in patients with an unruptured aneurysm. Conclusion: Patients treated before their aneurysms ruptured had better outcomes with no complications. Therefore, treatment should be considered for high-risk patients. more...

Petroclival meningioma (PM) is a challenging neuro oncology case and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is proposed as one treatment option. This systematic review aimed to examine the role of SRS in treating PM cases. We constructed a systematic review using the PRISMA guidelines using peer-reviewed English literature until 16 February 2022 from EuroPMC and PubMed. We used the terms petroclival meningioma, clival meningioma, apex petrous meningioma, spheno petroclival meningioma, stereotactic radiosurgery, radiosurgery, CyberKnife, Gamma Knife, linear accelerator, LINAC, and radiotherapy. 10 out of 266 studies were chosen for this systematic review, two of which are case reports. The study comprised 719 patients, 73.7% of whom were female (n = 530) and had a median age of 56.99 years (18-90 years). At the time of diagnosis, the median tumor volume was 6.07 cm We found a low number of complications following SRS intervention and has been effectively controlling tumor progression. more...

Implantation metastasis following stereotactic biopsy in the brain had been reported as a rare complication. A 36-years-old female patient was treated with ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt and stereotactic biopsy of a pineal parenchymal tumor of intermediate differentiation (PPTID) with hydrocephalus. The patient underwent five cycles of radiotherapy on the pineal area. Seven years after the procedure, the patient developed left hemiparesis with the brain MRI findings showing an enhanced mass along the biopsy tract. Craniotomy tumor removal was carried out and the pathological assessment was consistent with those of the PPTID. Radiation on metastase area and craniospinal was subsequently performed. The patient was disease-free during the 2-year follow-up assessments. The potential occurrence of implantation metastasis following the stereotactic biopsy of PPTID should be considered in the treatment plan and follow-up assessments and evaluations. Expanding the radiation area to cover the entire biopsy tract may be favorable to lower the risk of implantation metastasis. more...

Moyamoya disease that manifests during childhood may pose a special challenge for surgeons. We report a case of a 10-year-old girl who suffered from moyamoya disease and was successfully treated with encephalo-duro-myo-arterio-pericranial synangiosis (EDMAPS). She presented with a recurrent transient ischemic attack that worsened for 1 year. She was aphasic globally (sensory and motor) and had slightly weak right extremities. Her magnetic resonance angiography and computed tomography angiography showed the typical features of moyamoya disease with bilateral stenosis at the terminal internal carotid artery, bilaterally abnormal vascular networks, and a left ischemic event involving the temporoparietal region. She was recovered well after underwent bilateral EDMAPS, fully regained her language function after 3 months, and gathered her strength back. Therefore, EDMAPS could be a good, safe, and effective treatment for moyamoya disease in children. more...

In this systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis, we aimed to assess whether coffee and tea consumption is related to the risk of glioma. We performed a systematic literature search using PubMed, Embase, Scopus and the EuropePMC from the inception of database up until 1 October 2020. Exposures in the present study were coffee and tea consumption, the main outcome was the incidence of glioma. The present study compares the association between the exposure of coffee and tea with the incidence of glioma, and the results are reported in relative risks (RR). There are 12 unique studies comprising of 1 960 731 participants with 2987 glioma cases. Higher coffee consumption was associated with a statistically non-significant trend towards lower risk of glioma (RR 0·77 (95 % CI 0·55, 1·03), P= 0·11; I2:75·27 %). Meta-regression showed that the association between coffee and glioma was reduced by smoking (P= 0·029). Higher tea consumption was associated with a lower risk of glioma (RR 0·84 (95 % CI 0·71, 0·98), P= 0·030; I2:16·42 %). Sensitivity analysis by removal of case–control studies showed that higher coffee consumption (RR 0·85 (95 % CI 0·72, 1·00), P= 0·046; I2:0 %) and higher tea consumption (RR 0·81 (95 % CI 0·70, 0·93), P= 0·004; I2:0 %, Pnon-linearity = 0·140) were associated with lower risk of glioma. Dose–response meta-analysis showed that every one cup of coffee per day decreases the risk of glioma by 3 % (RR 0·97 (95 % CI 0·94, 0·99), P= 0·016, Pnon-linearity = 0·054) and every one cup of tea per day decreases the risk of glioma by 3 % (RR 0·97 (95 % CI 0·94, 1·00), P= 0·048). This meta-analysis showed apparent association between coffee and tea intake and risk of glioma. more...

Objective Glioma is one of the most frequent and disabling primary brain tumour. Patients are not only dealing with survival, but also quality of life, which remains another major concern. Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) is one of the most commonly used scale to assess patients' quality of life. A recent scale, known as Neurological Assessment of Neuro-Oncology Scale, has surfaced to examine neurological disability caused by brain tumour. Previous study showed this scale to be superior to KPS in predicting survival. However, these scales have never been used to foresee functional scale improvement during disease progression. We sought to determine whether initial KPS and NANO Scale can predict functional scale improvement 2 months after surgery. Methods Patients with glioma grade II-IV were included in the study. IDH mutation and MGMT methylation were tested. KPS and NANO scale were examined before surgery and 2 months after surgery. Favorable outcome (FO) was defined as improvement in functional scale 2 months after surgery. Patients initial functional scales were analyzed towards favorable outcome. Results Glioma WHO grade II, III and IV was found in 17 patients (36.2%), 3 patients (6.4%) and 27 patients (57.4%) respectively. Median KPS before and 2 months after surgery were 50 (30-80) and 60 (0-100), whereas median NANO scale before and 2 months after surgery were 5 (0-12) and 3 (0-12). Favorable outcome was found in 63.8% (KPS) and 78.7% (NANO Scale). Patients initial functional scales were significantly related to FO. Conclusion Good initial functional scales are 4 to 5 times likely of having a favorable outcome 2 months after surgery. more...

Objective PulseRider is a novel self-expanding nickel-titanium (nitinol) stent for treatment of wide-necked aneurysms, which is commonly located at the arterial branches in the brain. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess the efficacy and safety of PulseRider for treatment of wide-necked intracranial aneurysm. Method We performed a systematic literature search on articles that evaluate the efficacy and safety of PulseRider-assisted coiling of the wide-necked aneurysm from several electronic databases. The primary endpoint was adequate occlusion, defined as Raymond-Roy Class I + Raymond-Roy Class II upon immediate angiography and at six-month follow-up. Results There were a total of 157 subjects from six studies. The rate of adequate occlusion on immediate angiography was 90% (95% CI, 85%–94%) and 91% (95% CI, 85%–96%) at six-month follow-up. Of these, Raymond-Roy Class I can be observed in 48% (95% CI, 41%–56%) of aneurysms immediately after coiling, and 64% (95% CI, 55%–72%) of aneurysms on six-month follow-up. Raymond-Roy Class II was found in 30% (95% CI, 23%–37%) of aneurysms immediately after coiling, and 25% (17–33) after six-month follow-up. Complications occur in 5% (95% CI, 1%–8%) of the patients. There were three intraoperative aneurysm rupture, three thrombus formation, three procedure-related posterior cerebral artery strokes, one vessel dissection, and one delayed device thrombosis. There was no procedure/device-related death. Conclusions PulseRider-assisted coiling for treatment of patients with wide-necked aneurysm reached 90% adequate occlusion rate that rises up to 91% at sixth month with 5% complication rate. more...

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to synthesize the latest evidence on the efficacy and safety of Neuroform Atlas-assisted coiling of intracranial aneurysms. We performed a comprehensive search for articles that assessed the efficacy and safety of Neuroform Atlas-assisted coiling of intracranial aneurysms. The outcome measurement was adequate occlusion, defined as Raymond–Roy Class I (RR1) + Raymond–Roy Class II (RR2) by previous studies. A total of 557 patients (568 aneurysms) from 13 studies were included. The rate of adequate occlusion after the procedure was 88% (83–94%, I2: 72.21%), and the rates of RR1 and RR2 were 68% (60–77%, I2: 81.87%) and 21% (15–27%, I2: 66.10%), respectively. The adequate occlusion rate at 6 months was 90% (81–99%, I2: 58.04%) and 93% (91–96%, I2: 0%) at the end of a mean of 9.03 ± 1.03 months of follow-up. Periprocedural complications occurred in 35 patients [5% (3–8%, I2: 21.28%)]. Subgroup analysis of unruptured aneurysms showed that the rates of adequate occlusion were 85% (78–93%), 90% (79–100%) (6-month follow-up), and 93% (90–96%) (at the end of follow-up). For the wide-necked aneurysm subgroup, the rate of adequate occlusion was 86% (80–93%) and was 93% (89–97%) at the end of follow-up. Meta-regression showed that initial adequate occlusion was influenced by mean aneurysm neck size (p = 0.034). Neuroform Atlas-assisted coiling is associated with an initial adequate occlusion rate of 88% and a periprocedural complication rate of 6%. The rate of initial adequate occlusion was 85% in unruptured aneurysms and 86% in wide-necked aneurysms. Level 2, Systematic review of non-randomized and single-arm studies. more...

Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is a procedure that involves devising an opening in the third ventricle floor, allowing cerebrospinal fluid to flow into the prepontine cistern and the subarachnoid space. Third ventricular floor bowing (TVFB) serves as an indicator of intraventricular obstruction in hydrocephalus and existence of pressure gradient across third ventricular floor, which is the prerequisite of a successful ETV.In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to synthesize the latest evidence on the TVFB as a marker for surgical success in patients undergoing ETV.We performed a comprehensive search on topics that assesses the association of TVFB with the surgical success in patients undergoing ETV from several electronic databases.There was a total of 568 subjects from six studies. TVFB was associated with 85% (81-88%) ETV success. TVFB was associated with OR 4.13 [2.59, 6.60], P0.001; ITVFB was associated with an increased rate of successful surgery in adults and children undergoing ETV. more...

Background: Neutrophil-lymphocyte-ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte-ratio (PLR) have emerged as potential biomarkers in predicting the outcomes of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Since a study was never conducted on the Southeast Asian and Indonesian population, we designed the present study to evaluate the potential of NLR and PLR in predicting cerebral infarction and functional outcomes and find the optimal cutoff value. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients admitted for aSAH in our hospital between 2017 and 2021. The diagnosis was made using a computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging and CT angiography. Association between admission NLR and PLR and the outcomes were analyzed using a multivariable regression model. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was done to identify the optimal cutoff value. A propensity score matching (PSM) was then carried out to reduce the imbalance between the two groups before comparison. Results: Sixty-three patients were included in the study. NLR was independently associated with cerebral infarction (odds ratio, OR 1.197 [95% confidence interval, CI 1.027–1.395] per 1-point increment; P = 0.021) and poor discharge functional outcome (OR 1.175 [95% CI 1.036–1.334] per 1-point increment; P = 0.012). PLR did not significantly correlate with the outcomes. ROC analysis identified 7.09 as the cutoff for cerebral infarction and 7.50 for discharge functional outcome. Dichotomizing and performing PSM revealed that patients with NLR above the identified cutoff value significantly had more cerebral infarction and poor discharge functional outcome. Conclusion: NLR demonstrated a good prognostic capability in Indonesian aSAH patients. More studies should be conducted to find the optimal cutoff value for each population. more...

The evidence for subperiosteal drainage (SPD) versus subdural drainage (SDD) in chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) remains controversial, and most surgeons prefer to use SDD over SPD. We aim to assess the latest evidence on the use of SPD compared to SDD in patients with CSDH undergoing burr hole evacuation. We performed a systematic literature search on topics that assesses the use of SPD compared to SDD in patients with CSDH up until November 2019 from PubMed, EuropePMC, Cochrane Central Database, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, and ClinicalTrials.gov. The primary outcome was recurrent CSDH, and the secondary outcomes were mortality, surgical morbidities, and modified Rankin Score (mRS). There were a total of 3241 subjects from 10 studies. SPD was shown to reduce recurrent CSDH (OR 0.66 [0.52, 0.84], p more...

BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the major global health problems. Secondary brain injury is a complex inflammation cascades process that causes brain cell apoptosis. Propolis is a natural product that has neuroprotective property. AIM: This study aimed to investigate the effect of propolis toward Hsp70 expression with apoptosis marker in brain tissue after TBI. METHODS: Thirty-three Sprague Dawley rats were randomised into three treatments group, i.e. sham-operated controls, closed head injury (CHI), and CHI with propolis extract (treatment group). In the treatment group, propolis was given 200 mg/kg per oral for 7 days then harvested brain tissues after sacrificed by cervical dislocation at day 8. We investigated Hsp70, Caspase 3, apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), and TUNEL assay expression using immunohistochemistry staining. Statistical test using one-way ANOVA test and Tukey HSD as post hoc test. RESULTS: Mean of positive Hsp70 stained cells in group 1 was 6.82 ± 2.14, group 2 was 3.91 ± 2.26, and group 3 was 9.64 ± 3.53 with a significant difference of Hsp70 expression distribution within groups (p = 0.0001). Mean of positive caspase 3 stained cells in group 1 was 5.45 ± 2.30, group 2 was 13.82 ± 2.44, and group 3 was 7.03 ± 1.54 with a significant difference of caspase3 expression distribution within groups (p=0.0001). Mean of positive AIF stained cells in group 1 was 5.36 ± 2.11, group 2 was 12.82 ± 1.40, and group 3 was 8.09 ± 1.81 with a significant difference of AIF expression distribution within groups (p = 0.0001). Mean of positive TUNEL assay stained cells in group 1 was 4.82 ± 2.04, group 2 was 11.55 ± 1.51, and group 3 was 7.64 ± 1.96 with a significant difference of TUNEL test expression distribution within groups (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Propolis may protect brain cell from apoptosis after injury by maintaining Hsp70 expression in addition to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. more...

OBJECTIVE Cerebral vasospasm and the resulting infarction remain the most devastating complications of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Limited treatment options are available, with nimodipine as the only approved prophylactic medication. In addition to its anticoagulant properties, heparin also has a pleiotropic and anti-inflammatory effect that could be beneficial in vasospasm. In this study, the authors sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of heparin in the treatment of aSAH. METHODS The PubMed, EBSCOhost, Europe PMC, and Cochrane Central databases were searched to find studies including patients with aSAH who were treated with intravenous unfractionated heparin (UFH) after an aneurysm-securing procedure. Studies that did not include a comparison with UFH or low-molecular-weight heparin in deep vein thrombosis prophylactic doses were excluded. The primary outcome was cerebral vasospasm, and the secondary outcomes were cerebral infarction, clinical deterioration caused by delayed cerebral ischemia, bleeding complications, and thromboembolism complications. RESULTS Overall, 5 nonrandomized studies were included; 4 studies evaluated the safety and 3 studies evaluated the efficacy of intravenous heparin. From the analysis of 3 studies with a total of 895 patients, administration of intravenous UFH for > 48 hours was related to a significantly lower rate of cerebral infarction (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.25–0.79). No significant association was found with other efficacy outcomes. Regarding cognitive outcome, one study found a significant improvement in Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores; however, the functional outcome as indicated by the modified Rankin Scale score was not improved by heparin administration. From the analysis of 4 studies with 1099 patients, no significant increases in bleeding and other complications were found. CONCLUSIONS Administration of intravenous UFH for more than 48 hours reduced the rate of cerebral infarction with a good safety profile. This result supports the ongoing clinical trial. more...

Background A transnasal transsphenoidal (TNTS) approach can be performed through a binostril or mononostril technique. The binostril technique is generally preferred, however the mononostril may be an underutilized approach with significant benefits. Methods All (n = 521) pituitary adenoma transsphenoidal surgeries performed from March 2008 until July 2017 at a university hospital in Indonesia were isolated. The majority (n = 512) were performed through a mononostril approach with no nasal speculum by a single experienced neurosurgeon. A PubMed literature review researching the differences in indications, techniques, and outcomes for both approaches supplements the case series. The mononostril surgical technique is described in detail. Results The average mononostril operating time was 105 min. The most prevalent surgical complications were CSF leak (4.1 %), diabetes insipidus (3.7 %) and cacosmia (2.1 %). Visual field deficits noted in 85 %, 89 % improved. Length of stay was less than 2 days for 90 %, with 13 ICU admissions (average one day). Recurrence rate was 8.2 % at follow up (1–10 years). Conclusions Based on a literature review, binostril TNTS surgeries have longer operative time and a higher risk of epistaxis. According to our experience, post-operative patient comfort and satisfaction are higher with the monostril approach. Furthermore, this technique is easier to teach, ENT assistance unnecessary, and thus especially advantageous in low resource settings. Our CSF leak and tumor recurrence rates were lower than reported binostril rates in the literature. The mononostril technique is both safe and effective and should be strongly considered for an appropriately pre-selected subset of pituitary adenomas. more...

AIM: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to evaluate the prevalence of dementia in patients with COVID-19 and its association with mortality. We also aimed to discover whether age, sex and other comorbidities might affect the association between dementia and mortality. METHODS: We carried out a systematic literature search using PubMed, SCOPUS, EuropePMC and the Cochrane Central Database. The outcome of interest was mortality, defined as clinically validated mortality/death/non-survivor in the studies. The pooled effect estimates were presented as odds ratio and adjusted odds ratio. RESULTS: A total of 56 577 patients from 10 studies were included. The prevalence of dementia in this pooled analysis was 10% (7-13%). Dementia was associated with increased mortality in both pooled unadjusted (odds ratio 2.80, 95% CI 1.85-4.24, P < 0.001; I2 = 93.7%) and adjusted effect estimates (adjusted odds ratio 1.80, 95% CI 1.45-2.24, P < 0.001; I2 = 72.9%). The association between dementia and mortality was influenced by age (coefficient -0.047, P < 0.001) and hypertension (coefficient -0.009, P = 0.020). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that dementia was associated with increased mortality in COVID-19 patients. The association was affected by age and comorbidities. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2021; 21: 172-177. more...

Introduction:the objective was to evaluate the impact of IDH1 R132H mutation, MGMT methylation and PD-L1 expression in high grade glioma that received standard therapy (surgery, radiation and chemotherapy) to overall survival (OS). Methods:this is a retrospective study of 35 high grade glioma cases. Genotyping of IDH1 gene alteration on the mutation hotspot R132 (Sanger sequencing method with Applied Biosystems 3500 Genetic Analyzer), EZ DNA Methylation-Gold kit (Zymo Research) is used to study the methylation, Cell line BT549 (ATCC HTB-122) and HCT-116 (ATCC CCL-247) were used as unmethylated control and partially methylated control respectively. Anti-human PD-L1 antibody clone E1L3N®from Cell Signalling Technology (USA) and Rabbit XP®were used to see PDL-1 expression. Results:anaplastic astrocytoma cases had more MGMT promoter methylation (50%) than glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) (20%), more IDH1 R132H mutation (42%) than GBM (4.3%). Immunohistochemistry tumor proportion score method (TPS) identified 17% and 8.7% were PD-L1 positive in AA and GBM groups, respectively. Cases with IDH1 R132H mutation and MGMT methylation still showed better OS although with high PD-L1 expression. Conclusion:IDH1 R132H mutation and MGMT methylation were good prognostic markers. High expression of PD-L1 apparently might not indicate poor overall survival in the presence of IDH1 R132 mutation and MGMT methylation. more...

Background This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize the latest evidence on the efficacy and safety of tranexamic acid (TXA) on traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods We performed a systematic literature search on topics that compared intravenous TXA to placebo in patients with TBI up until January 2020 from several electronic databases. Results There were 30.522 patients from 7 studies. Meta-analysis showed that TXA was associated with reduced mortality (RR 0.92 [0.88, 0.97], p = 0.002; I2: 0%) and hemorrhagic expansion (RR 0.79 [0.64, 0.97], p = 0.03; I2: 0%). Both TXA and control group has a similar need for neurosurgical intervention (p = 0.87) and unfavourable Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) (p = 0.59). The rate for vascular occlusive events (p = 0.09), and its deep vein thrombosis subgroup (p = 0.23), pulmonary embolism subgroup (p = 1), stroke subgroup (p = 0.38), and myocardial infarction subgroup (p = 0.15) were similar in both groups. Subgroup analysis on RCTs with low risk of bias showed that TXA was associated with reduced mortality and hemorrhagic expansion. TXA was associated with reduced vascular occlusive events (RR 0.85 [0.73, 0.99], p = 0.04; I2: 4%). GRADE was performed for the RCT with low risk of bias subgroup, it showed a high certainty of evidence for lower mortality, less hemorrhage expansion, and similar need for neurosurgical intervention in TXA group compared to placebo group. Conclusion TXA was associated with reduced mortality and hemorrhagic expansion but similar need for neurosurgical intervention and unfavorable GOS. Vascular occlusive events were slightly lower in TXA group on subgroup analysis of RCTs with low risk of bias. more...

Objective Recent studies have shown that the clinical outcome in patients treated with the unilateral biportal endoscopic technique, also known as biportal endoscopic spinal surgery (BESS) unilateral laminotomy bilateral decompression (ULBD) in the context of this study, is more favorable compared with those treated with microscopic ULBD. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we assess the latest evidence on the use of BESS ULBD compared with microscopic ULBD in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis. Methods We performed a systematic literature search of studies that compared BESS and microscopic ULBD from several databases. Results There were 383 patients from 5 unique studies. Meta-analysis of visual analog scale score for low back pain showed no significant difference at baseline (P = 0.49), at 2–3 months (P = 0.69), and at the final follow-up (P = 0.26). There was no significant difference in visual analog scale score for leg pain and Oswestry Disability Index between the groups preoperatively (P = 0.76 and P = 0.95), at 2–3 months (P = 0.46 and P = 0.92), and at the final follow-up (P = 0.88 and P = 0.58). The mean operation time was similar in the BESS and microsurgery groups (P = 0.36). The BESS group was associated with shorter length of stay (mean difference –2.60 days [–3.39, –1.81]; P Conclusions Current evidence shows a lack of significant differences in terms of efficacy and safety between BESS and microsurgery. Further studies are required before drawing a definite conclusion. more...

Objective The incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains high despite the use of low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH) and compression stocking (CS). We aimed to evaluate the use of IPC as VTE prophylaxis in neurosurgical patients. Patients and methods We conducted meta-analysis to assess the use of IPC as VTE prophylaxis in neurosurgical patients from several databases. Results There was a total of 7.515 subjects from 5 studies. Reduction in VTE incidence was demonstrated by the IPC group (OR 0.40 [0.31, 0.52], p Conclusion Intermittent pneumatic compression was associated with less VTE in neurosurgical patients, especially in those who received neurosurgical interventions, however, the certainty of evidence remained inadequate for creating a strong recommendation and further randomized controlled trials are needed before drawing a definite conclusion. more...

Objective This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize the latest evidence on the hypofractionated stereotactic radiosurgery (HF-SRS) compared to single-fraction stereotactic radiosurgery (SF-SRS) for the treatment of brain metastases. Methods We systematically searched PubMed, Scopus, EuropePMC, ProQuest, and Cochrane Central Databases. Original research articles investigating patients with brain metastasis receiving HF-SRS or SF-SRS reporting the local control/failure and/or radionecrosis during follow-up were included. Results There were 1100 patients from 7 studies. 616 lesions were allocated to HF-SRS group and 777 lesions were allocated to SF-SRS group. Pooled rate of local control was 88% (95% CI 84%, 91%) in HF-SRS group and 81% (95% CI 74%, 88%) in the SF-SRS groups. Local control was higher in patients receiving HF-SRS compared to SF-SRS (OR 1.53 [95% CI 1.08, 2.18], p = 0.018; I2: 0%). Pooled rate of radionecrosis was 7% (95% CI 3%, 12%) in HF-SRS group and 15% (95% CI 8%, 23%) in the SF-SRS groups. Similar rate of radionecrosis was observed in both HF-SRS and SF-SRS (OR 0.82 [95% CI 0.31, 2.21], p = 0.698; I2: 61.3%). Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) qualification showed a low level of certainty for the higher local control in patients receiving HF-SRS compared to SF-SRS and a very low level of certainty for similar risk of radionecrosis between the two groups. Conclusion This meta-analysis showed that HF-SRS was associated with higher local control and similar rate of radionecrosis compared to SF-SRS in patients with brain metastases. PROSPERO ID: CRD42020210469 more...

Objective: To describe a rare patient with ruptur aneurysm case of distal anterior choroidal artery (AChA) and intraventricular hemorrhage. A 56-year old female came to our hospital with chief complaint sudden onset of severe headache and vomiting. Methods: Head computed tomography (CT)-scan and angiography on the lesion was performed at the Department of Radiology, Siloam Hospital, Tangerang, Indonesia. Results: Head CT-scan imaging revealed an intraventricular hemorrhage, primarily in the right lateral ventricle, with slight enlargement of both lateral, 3rd and 4th ventricles. Angiography examination revealed a round vascular lesion at the wall of the posterior cornu of the lateral ventricle and an occlusion of the M1 base segment of the left middle cerebral artery. Conclusions: The lesion, distal AChA aneurysm, at the posterior cornu was reached using an infratemporal lobe approach with the help of neuronavigation. Microsurgical clipping was successfully performed. more...

Background: Glioma is one of the most common primary brain tumours and conveys a dismal prognosis despite aggressive treatment. Several biomarkers have been studied in the hope of yielding better diagnostic accuracy and improving patient management. Besides survival, functional and neurological disability are concerns that have no lesser importance. In 2017, a disease-specific assessment tool – the Neurologic Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (NANO) scale – was developed to measure neurologic function in neuro-oncology cases. We sought to determine biomarkers that might be associated with neurological scale improvement in glioma patients. Methods: Glioma grade II-IV patients were recruited from three major hospitals in Jakarta-Tangerang. Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation and O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter gene methylation were tested, as well as patients’ neurological function before surgery and three months after. Improvement in neurological scale (NANO scale) was considered positive if there was a decrement of ≥1 of the scale. Results: There were 54 patients included in the study. Mean age was 43.63 (14.723) years old, and 61.1% were male. As much as 16 (29.6%) carried a mutation in codon 132 of the IDH1 gene, and 33 (61.1%) were MGMT methylated. Median NANO scale score before and three months after surgery was 4 (0-12) and 3 (0-12), respectively. Neurological improvement was found in 44 (81.5%) of the patients. Among patients with MGMT promoter gene methylation, 90.9% showed neurological improvement (p=0.035; OR=5; 95%CI 1.122-22.272). Conclusions: Gliomas with MGMT promoter gene methylation are more likely to show neurological improvement three months after surgery. more...

Background This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on stroke care, including the number of stroke alerts/codes, number of reperfusions, and number of thrombectomies during the pandemic compared to those during the pre-pandemic period. Methods A systematic literature search was performed using the PubMed, EuropePMC, and Cochrane Central databases. The data of interest were the number of strokes, reperfusions, and mechanical thrombectomies during the COVID-19 pandemic versus that during the pre-pandemic period (in a historical comparator group over a specified period of same period length). Results The study included 59,233 subjects from 9 studies. Meta-analysis showed that the number of stroke alerts during the pandemic was 64% (56-71%) of that during the pre-pandemic period. The number of reperfusion therapies during the pandemic was 69% (61-77%) of that during the pre-pandemic period. Pooled analysis showed that the number of mechanical thrombectomies performed during the pandemic was 78% (75-80%) of that during the pre-pandemic period. The number of mechanical thrombectomies per stroke patient was higher during the pandemic (OR 1.23 [1.12-1.36], p more...

Introduction: Brain tumor can cause symptoms such as headache and seizure which might reduce sleep quality. Currently, sleep quality in brain tumor patients aren’t getting much attention. This study’s purpose is to determine the effect of brain tumor to sleep quality and its components in patients.Methods: The design of this study is a retrospective cohort, and it is done in Siloam Hospitals Lippo Village and Paviliun Umum Rumah Sakit Siloam from January-April 2019 with sample population consisting of brain tumor patients from age 19 until 59 years old. The sample amount is 29 subjects. PSQI is used to assess sleep quality and components. Data analysis uses the SPSS version 24.0 software and statistical analysis using chi2.Result: Brain tumor patients have worse sleep quality compared to the control, with 26 patients (89.7 %) having bad sleep quality. For the control, there are only 18 people (62.1%) who have bad sleep quality. The relationship between brain tumor and sleep quality have a p value of 0.032 and relative risk (RR) of 3,7. Brain tumor has a significant relationship with sleep latency (p value 0,015) and daytime dysfunction (p value 0,02)Conclusion: The relationship between brain tumor and sleep quality in brain tumor patients of Siloam Hospitals Lippo Village and Paviliun Umum Rumah Sakit Siloam, which was measured with the PSQI questionnaire is significant. Brain tumor also has a significant relation with sleep latency and daily dysfunction. more...

Posterior communicating artery (PCoA) aneurysm is the aneurysm that arises at junction of internal carotid (IC) and PCoA. This aneurysm accounts for 15–25% of all intracranial aneurysm [1, 2]. If the aneurysm neck arises along the PCoA itself, it’s called “true” PCoA aneurysm, and this accounts more or less 1.3% of all intracranial aneurysm and 6.8% of all PCoA aneurysm [3]. more...

After first description by Fedor Krause in 1903 [1], the unilateral approach to the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) have been developed and modified further by many surgeons. These include the transmastoid-translabyrinthine approach, the transtemporal extradural approach, and the lateral suboccipital (retrosigmoid) approach. more...

Anterior choroidal artery aneurysms (AChAA) are comparatively rare and appear with a frequency from around 2–4% to 10% in larger series, e.g., M Lawton personal series of 2500 clipped aneurysms: n = 98 AChA = 4% [1]. Number of AChAA in treated aneurysms of BRAT study 2.2%, median aneurysm size 7 mm, 9 of 408 treated; 209 clipped +199 coiled [2]. Kuopio aneurysm data base 1977–2005 of 3005 patients with 4253 aneurysms there were 99 (10%) AChAA in 70 (8%) patients [3]. more...

The brain ischemia due to vascular occlusion, especially in the main cerebral artery, could trigger the microglia as a natural immune cell in the brain. These activated microglia will turn up the inflammation cascade in the ischemic area. Interleukin-4 (IL-4) has a vital role in the microglial alteration to become an anti-inflammatory phenotype, which wind up the expression of MHC II and CD11c. Moreover, previous studies has supported that the stimulation of IL-4 in the culture of microglia/macrophage will produce this kind of “alternative” phenotype or neuroprotective phenotype, through the fall of TNF and rise of IGF-1. However, only a few have discussed the role and profile of IL-4 in ischemic stroke. This review article will cover the possibility of IL-4 role as an anti-inflammatory predictor in ischemic stroke.Keywords: Interleukin-4, microglia, ischemic stroke, inflammation more...

Fractures of the odontoid process can lead to gross instability of the atlantoaxial complex and present a significant risk for a potentially catastrophic spinal cord injury. Type II odontoid fractures are the most common odontoid fractures and are unstable that may displace anteriorly or posteriorly. If left untreated, the patient may develop atlantoaxial dislocation that causes neurological deficit also progressive myelopathy.We described the surgical management of four patients with a delayed neurological deficit after odontoid fracture with a history of trauma and after triggered by traditional massage. Traction several days before operation applied to achieve reduction of atlantoaxial dislocation.Posterior instrumentation and correction of atlantoaxial dislocation were performed with interarticular screw fixation (Harm technique) in all of the patients.All of the four patients showed a reduction of the atlantoaxial dislocation and also a neurological improvement. Cervical traction followed by posterior instrumented correction may be an effective alternative to treating delayed neurological deficits after traumatic odontoid fracture. more...

Surgery still offers a cure to the majority of intramedullary tumours. The challenge of the surgery is taking out the tumour while preserving the function. Very often the patient has a huge tumour with very minimal symptoms, such as mild numbness. The slow growth of the tumour nature provides enough time for the cord fibres to adapt accordingly. Usually, the motor function is preserved and most of the pathologies are benign. For this reasons, the majority of cases have good long-term tumour control. The functional outcome is depending on the preoperative functional state, especially for motor function. The patient should be educated prior to surgery, especially to anticipate the post-surgical rehabilitation period. The surgical technique should preserve the motor function, but the fine movement usually gets worst for several months after surgery and slowly recover within 6 months. We share our experience of 45 surgical cases with intramedullary tumour (14F;31M), the pathologies distributions are 20 ependymomas, 8 astrocytomas (1/8 anaplastic astrocytoma), 7 cavernomas, 8 hemangioblastomas, 1 glioblastoma multiforme, and 1 tuberculoma. The location distribution varied from 27 at the cervical cord, 11 thoracal, 4 thoracolumbal, and 3 MO-upper cervical. The surgical outcome for all cases experienced sensory changes and recovered over 6 months. Almost all cases experienced some degree of spasticity and fine movement difficulty and they are improving over 6 months. Motor strength is usually preserved. One case of GBM, improve gradually for the first two months then followed by the disease course regardless of the treatment. The tuberculoma case required one year to recover her neurological function with adequate treatment. more...

En plaque meningioma is at frontal region is difficult to be differentiated from osteoma, based on CT scan only. En plaque meningioma represents in 2-9% of all meningioma cases. Usually en plaque meningioma grows on the sphenoid wing, whereas only 1 % grows on the frontal and temporal bone. This case is female 37 year- old who presents with chronic headache and huge lump on her right forehead that she believes it slowly enlarges for the last 5 years. The Computerized Tomography scan (CT scan) shows thickening of the right fronto-temporal bone (3-4 cm) with the diameter of 12 cm and bony hard. Initial impression suggests it could be osteoma or fibrous dysplasia. After the MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) with contrast, it shows a carpet like tumor underline the thickening bone, and it suggest an en plaque meningioma. For en plaque meningioma, we have to remove the abnormal duramater. We suggest that for a case with a wide thickening calvarian bone, it’s better to get the MRI of the head with contrast. more...

Pituitary adenoma contributes to 15% of all intracranial neoplasm. It is usually following benign course and some of them are silent (asymptomatic clinically, but hormone-secreting). Silent adenoma usually found incidentally or when the patients show mass effect (neurological deficits). Many of histologically aggressive silent adenoma subtypes are associated with invasiveness, recurrence and progression to clinically functioning adenomas. Aggressive silent adenoma radiologically tends to invade in downward direction, invading bone, sinus cavernosus, parasellar region. The nature of aggressive silent adenoma subtypes is differing in nature compared to benign nature of pituitary adenoma and should be confirmed immunohistochemically to determine the prognosis and anticipate the risk of recurrence or progression. The case illustration show a real case of 46 years old female progressive headache and visual disturbance diagnosed with non-functional pituitary macroadenoma but positive for more than one immunochemistry biomarker (plurihormonal aggressive silent adenoma). more...

Background: Central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma is a rare brain neoplasm. Its incidence has increased these years, so it should be considered in the differential diagnosis for mass lesions in the CNS. The aim of the study was to describe the radiological and clinical features of patients with CNS lymphoma.Methods: The study was a retrospective study. All patients histopathologically confirmed to have CNS lymphoma from November 2008 to December 2013 in Siloam Hospital Lippo Village were included in the study. Medical records and patients’ MRI results were retrieved to be analyzed.Results: 32 patients were histopathologically diagnosed to have CNS lymphoma. The patients, mean age was 54 ± 15.01 years with slight male predominance. No patient was immuno compromised (CD4 > 500 cells/µL and leukocyte 5,000-11,000 cells/µL). The median interval between the onset of the initial symptoms and diagnosis is 7 weeks. The most common presenting symptoms were headache, mental changes, and neurological deficits related to the location of lesion. MR images show that most lesions were enhanced with contrast, iso-hypointense in T1 weighted imaging (T1WI), iso- to hypointense with perifocal edema in T2 weighted imaging (T2WI), hyperintense in diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), with the most common location was white matter of cerebral hemisphere on one or more lobes and periventricular area, and the tumor could be single or multiple (24%) without clear edges.Conclusion: Short course of neurological worsening (within weeks) should lead a suspicion toward lymphoma. The characteristics of MR images are markedly enhanced by contrast, iso- to hypointense on T1WI and T2WI, and hyperintense in DWI, involving white matter of cerebral hemisphere and periventricular area. more...

In diesem Kapitel wird auf die anatomischen und behandlungsspezifischen Besonderheiten von Aneurysmen der A. choroidea anterior (AChA) eingegangen. Wir diskutieren die Besonderheiten der AChA-Perforatoren und gehen auf die durch ihre Kompromittierung erzeugten Ausfalle ein. more...

Context: Electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities are common following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). It probably represents cardiovascular stress after SAH. Aims: The purpose of this study was to assess cortisol dynamics in relation to the ECG abnormality and disease course of SAH. Settings and Design: The study follows a consecutive cohort of aneurysmal SAH patients, who underwent surgery within 72 hours of onset, and they were followed up for 10 days. Materials and Methods: Serum cortisols, cortisol-binding globulin (CGB), adenocorticotropic hormone were measured (between 08.00-09.00 hours) preoperatively and then on postoperative days (PODs) 2, 4, 7, and 10. Electrocardiographs (ECG) were recorded on initial assessment and after surgery on daily basis in ICU. ECG abnormalities will be followed up by measurement of cardiac troponin T to quantify the myocyte necrosis. Statistical Analysis Used: Logistic regression analysis using commercial available software STATA 9. Results: A total of 44 patients (20 M and 24 F) were eligible for the cohort analysis. Average patient age is 52.02 years (52.02 ± 11.23), and 86% (6/44) arrived with World Federation of Neurosurgical Society Scale grade 3 or better. The ECG abnormality was found in 10 cases (22.7%), but the abnormal TnT (>1 μg/l) were found in eight cases, and two cases contribute to the mortality. The ECG abnormalities are significantly associated with total cortisol on day 4 (P < 0.05) and free cortisol on day 2 (P = 0.0065). Conclusions: Elevated levels of morning cortisol within the first four days after surgery are associated with the ECG abnormality. more...

In ancient times, awake craniotomy was used for trepanation to treat seizures and remove a variety of morbid conditions or even to permit the escape of evil air. In modern times, this technique was initially used for removal of epileptic foci with simultaneous application of brain mapping with electrical current. Further developments brought this technique into use for resection of tumors involving functional cortex. Recently, awake craniotomy has been described as an approach for removal of supratentorial tumors nonselectively, regardless of the involvement of eloquent cortex. It has been used in North America since the 1980s, then Europe, and recently has spread into Asia. Its spread to Asia could have significant impact based on the large population of patients and the low resource utilization associated with awake craniotomy. more...

Awake craniotomy for brain tumor resection has the benefit of avoiding a general anesthetic and decreasing associated costs (e.g., intensive care unit beds and intravenous line insertion). In low- and middle-income countries, significant resource limitations for the system and individual make awake craniotomy an ideal tool, yet it is infrequently used. We sought to determine if awake craniotomy could be effectively taught and implemented safely and sustainably in low- and middle-income countries.A neurosurgeon experienced in the procedure taught awake craniotomy to colleagues in China, Indonesia, Ghana, and Nigeria during the period 2007-2012. Patients were selected on the basis of suspected intraaxial tumor, absence of major dysphasia or confusion, and ability to tolerate the positioning. Data were recorded by the local surgeons and included preoperative imaging, length of hospital admission, final pathology, postoperative morbidity, and mortality.Awake craniotomy was performed for 38 cases of suspected brain tumor; most procedures were completed independently. All patients underwent preoperative computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. In 64% of cases, patients remained in the hospital10 days. The most common pathology was high-grade glioma, followed by meningioma, low-grade glioma, and metastasis. No deaths occurred, and no case required urgent intubation. The most common perioperative and postoperative issue was seizure, with 1 case of permanent postoperative deficit.Awake craniotomy was successfully taught and implemented in 6 neurosurgical centers in China, Indonesia, Ghana, and Nigeria. Awake craniotomy is safe, resource-sparing, and sustainable. The data suggest awake craniotomy has the potential to significantly improve access to neurosurgical care in resource-challenged settings. more...

Spinal Cord Regeneration: It’s a Matter of Time to Find the Solution It’s estimated that more than 15,000 people suffer from spinal cord injury each year in Indonesia, and most of them will die because of the complication. The treatment and rehabilitation for them require lots of fund and in countries like Indonesia will be a huge burden for the family. There is very limited access to a good rehabilitation facilities or appropriate hospital care for spinal cord injuries; this also contributes to a high mortality rate especially after the cervical cord injury. We believe that more than one third of the world population is still facing the same situation like in Indonesia. more...