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OBJECTIVE Fourth ventricle tumors are rare, and surgical series are typically small, comprising a single pathology, or focused exclusively on pediatric populations. This study investigated surgical outcome and complications following fourth ventricle tumor resection in a diverse patient population. This is the largest cohort of fourth ventricle tumors described in the literature to date. METHODS This is an 18-year (1993-2010) retrospective review of 55 cases involving patients undergoing surgery for tumors of the fourth ventricle. Data included patient demographic characteristics, pathological and radiographic tumor characteristics, and surgical factors (approach, surgical adjuncts, extent of resection, etc.). The neurological and medical complications following resection were collected and outcomes at 30 days, 90 days, 6 months, and 1 year were reviewed to determine patient recovery. Patient, tumor, and surgical factors were analyzed to determine factors associated with the frequently encountered postoperative neurological complications. RESULTS There were no postoperative deaths. Gross-total resection was achieved in 75% of cases. Forty-five percent of patients experienced at least 1 major neurological complication, while 31% had minor complications only. New or worsening gait/focal motor disturbance (56%), speech/swallowing deficits (38%), and cranial nerve deficits (31%) were the most common neurological deficits in the immediate postoperative period. Of these, cranial nerve deficits were the least likely to resolve at follow-up. Multivariate analysis showed that patients undergoing a transvermian approach had a higher incidence of postoperative cranial nerve deficits, gait disturbance, and speech/swallowing deficits than those treated with a telovelar approach. The use of surgical adjuncts (intraoperative navigation, neurophysiological monitoring) did not significantly affect neurological outcome. Twenty-two percent of patients required postoperative CSF diversion following tumor resection. Patients who required intraoperative ventriculostomy, those undergoing a transvermian approach, and pediatric patients (< 18 years old) were all more likely to require postoperative CSF diversion. Twenty percent of patients suffered at least 1 medical complication following tumor resection. Most complications were respiratory, with the most common being postoperative respiratory failure (14%), followed by pneumonia (13%). CONCLUSIONS The occurrence of complications after fourth ventricle tumor surgery is not rare. Postoperative neurological sequelae were frequent, but a substantial number of patients had neurological improvement at long-term followup. Of the neurological complications analyzed, postoperative cranial nerve deficits were the least likely to completely resolve at follow-up. Of all the patient, tumor, and surgical variables included in the analysis, surgical approach had the most significant impact on neurological morbidity, with the telovelar approach being associated with less morbidity.

Objectives: The object of this study was to describe the experience of combining awake craniotomy techniques with high-field (1.5 T) intraoperative MRI (iMRI) for tumors adjacent to eloquent cortex., Methods: From a prospective database the authors obtained and evaluated the records of all patients who had undergone awake craniotomy procedures with cortical and subcortical mapping in the iMRI suite. The integration of these two modalities was assessed with respect to safety, operative times, workflow, extent of resection (EOR), and neurological outcome., Results: Between February 2010 and December 2011, 42 awake craniotomy procedures using iMRI were performed in 41 patients for the removal of intraaxial tumors. There were 31 left-sided and 11 right-sided tumors. In half of the cases (21 [50%] of 42), the patient was kept awake for both motor and speech mapping. The mean duration of surgery overall was 7.3 hours (range 4.0-13.9 hours). The median EOR overall was 90%, and gross-total resection (EOR ≥ 95%) was achieved in 17 cases (40.5%). After viewing the first MR images after initial resection, further resection was performed in 17 cases (40.5%); the mean EOR in these cases increased from 56% to 67% after further resection. No deficits were observed preoperatively in 33 cases (78.5%), and worsening neurological deficits were noted immediately after surgery in 11 cases (26.2%). At 1 month after surgery, however, worsened neurological function was observed in only 1 case (2.3%)., Conclusions: There was a learning curve with regard to patient positioning and setup times, although it did not adversely affect patient outcomes. Awake craniotomy can be safely performed in a high-field (1.5 T) iMRI suite to maximize tumor resection in eloquent brain areas with an acceptable morbidity profile at 1 month.

Object: Multiple craniotomies have been performed for resection of multiple brain metastases in the same surgical session with satisfactory outcomes, but the role of this procedure in the management of multifocal and multicentric glioblastomas is undetermined, although it is not the standard approach at most centers., Methods: The authors performed a retrospective analysis of data prospectively collected between 1993 and 2008 in 20 patients with multifocal or multicentric glioblastomas (Group A) who underwent resection of all lesions via multiple craniotomies during a single surgical session. Twenty patients who underwent resection of solitary glioblastoma (Group B) were selected to match Group A with respect to the preoperative Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score, tumor functional grade, extent of resection, age at time of surgery, and year of surgery. Clinical and neurosurgical outcomes were evaluated., Results: In Group A, the median age was 52 years (range 32-78 years); 70% of patients were male; the median preoperative KPS score was 80 (range 50-100); and 9 patients had multicentric glioblastomas and 11 had multifocal glioblastomas. Aggressive resection of all lesions in Group A was achieved via multiple craniotomies in the same session, with a median extent of resection of 100%. Groups A and B were comparable with respect to all the matching variables as well as the amount of tumor necrosis, number of cysts, and the use of intraoperative navigation. The overall median survival duration was 9.7 months in Group A and 10.5 months in Group B (p = 0.34). Group A and Group B (single craniotomy) had complication rates of 30% and 35% and 30-day mortality rates of 5% (1 patient) and 0%, respectively., Conclusions: Aggressive resection of all lesions in selected patients with multifocal or multicentric glioblastomas resulted in a survival duration comparable with that of patients undergoing surgery for a single lesion, without an associated increase in postoperative morbidity. This finding may indicate that conventional wisdom of a minimal role for surgical treatment in glioblastoma should at least be questioned.

Object: Blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCI) to the carotid and vertebral arteries is being recognized with increasing frequency in trauma victims. Yet, only broadly defined criteria exist for the use of screening angiography. In this study, the authors systematically identified the associated injuries that predict BCI and provide guidelines for the types of injuries best evaluated by angiography., Methods: Criteria for screening angiography were developed with intentionally broad inclusion to maximize sensitivity. Screening criteria for each patient and angiographic results (5-point scale of BCI) were recorded prospectively. Injuries most often associated with a positive angiogram were identified. Dissection grades of 0-1 were classified as minor., Results: Of 365 patients evaluated for trauma by angiography between January 2000 and December 2005, 40 patients with penetrating trauma were excluded. Of the 325 patients included in the study, 100 (30.8%) had positive angiographic findings, including 79 (24.3%) with major injuries. Fractures of the cervical spine and midface (or mandibular ramus) were associated with major BCI (identified in 30.7% of patients with cervical fractures and 30.8% of patients with midface fractures). However, thoracic trauma and soft tissue injury of the neck were rarely associated with a significant BCI (0 and 3 cases, respectively). Horner syndrome and cervical bruit were associated with arterial dissection in 9 of 10 patients. Skull base fractures and unexplained neurological findings were associated with major BCI in 13 (18.3%) of 71 and 11 (16.9%) of 65 patients, respectively., Conclusions: Cervical and facial fractures resulting from blunt trauma were highly associated with BCI. After significant thoracic trauma or soft tissue injury to the neck, angiography should be reserved for patients with unexplained neurological findings or expanding hematomas of the neck.