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Microscopic microvascular decompression (MVD) of the trigeminal nerve is the gold standard surgical treatment for medically refractory classical trigeminal neuralgia. Endoscopy has significantly advanced surgery and provides enhanced visualization of the cerebellopontine angle and its critical neurovascular structures. We present our initial experience of fully endoscopic microvascular decompression (e-MVD).This retrospective case series investigated e-MVD performed from September 2016 to February 2020 at a single institution. Clinical data including presenting symptoms, medications, operative findings, postoperative complications, and outcomes were recorded. The 5-point Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) pain intensity score was used to quantify patients' pain relief.During the study period, 25 patients with trigeminal neuralgia (10 males, 15 females; mean [SD] age = 63 [10.4] years) underwent e-MVD. All patients had a preoperative BNI score of V. The left side was affected in 15 patients. Complications occurred in 2 patients: both experienced hearing loss, and one experienced transient facial weakness 7 days after surgery. The facial weakness had resolved by the last follow-up. All patients were completely pain-free (BNI score I) immediately postoperatively. On latest follow-up, 22 patients have remained pain-free, and 3 patients have recurrent pain that is being controlled with medication (BNI score III).Our study demonstrated that e-MVD is a safe, possibly effective method of performing MVD with the added benefit of improved visualization of the operative field for the operating surgeon and the surgical team. Larger prospective studies are required to evaluate whether performing e-MVD confers any additional benefits in long-term clinical outcome of patients with trigeminal neuralgia.

Introduction and objectivesThe novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) pandemic has had drastic effects on global healthcare with the UK amongst the countries most severely impacted. The aim of this study was to examine how COVID-19 challenged the neurosurgical delivery of care in a busy tertiary unit serving a socio-economically diverse population.MethodsA prospective single-centre cohort study including all patients referred to the acute neurosurgical service or the subspecialty multidisciplinary teams (MDT) as well as all emergency and elective admissions during COVID-19 (18th March 2020–15th May 2020) compared to pre-COVID-19 (18th of January 2020–17th March 2020). Data on demographics, diagnosis, operation, and treatment recommendation/outcome were collected and analysed.ResultsOverall, there was a reduction in neurosurgical emergency referrals by 33.6% and operations by 55.6% during the course of COVID-19. There was a significant increase in the proportion of emergency operations performed during COVID-19 (75.2% of total,n=155) when compared to pre-COVID-19 (n= 198, 43.7% of total,p< 0.00001). In contrast to other published series, the 30-day perioperative mortality remained low (2.0%) with the majority of post-operative COVID-19-infected patients (n= 13) having underlying medical co-morbidities and/or suffering from post-operative complications.ConclusionThe capacity to safely treat patients requiring urgent or emergency neurosurgical care was maintained at all times. Strategies adopted to enable this included proactively approaching the referrers to maintain lines of communications, incorporating modern technology to run clinics and MDTs, restructuring patient pathways/facilities, and initiating the delivery of NHS care within private sector hospitals. Through this multi-modal approach we were able to minimize service disruptions, the complications, and mortality.

This chapter describes the background, indications and key aspects of the combined supra- and infra-tentorial retro-labyrinthine pre-sigmoid approach. This approach is most commonly used for petrous apex meningiomata and vascular pathologies of the mid and upper basilar trunk. Our pre-operative evaluation includes MRI, CT to assess pneumatisation of the petrous bone and vascular imaging where necessary. Audiology and ophthalmology baseline assessments are performed if appropriate. The nuances of the operative technique are discussed with an emphasis on avoidance of complications.

Background Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2 or Covid-19), which began as an epidemic in China and spread globally as a pandemic, has necessitated resource management to meet emergency needs of Covid-19 patients and other emergent cases. We have conducted a survey to analyze caseload and measures to adapt indications for a perception of crisis. Methods We constructed a questionnaire to survey a snapshot of neurosurgical activity, resources, and indications during 1 week with usual activity in December 2019 and 1 week during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in March 2020. The questionnaire was sent to 34 neurosurgical departments in Europe; 25 departments returned responses within 5 days. Results We found unexpectedly large differences in resources and indications already before the pandemic. Differences were also large in how much practice and resources changed during the pandemic. Neurosurgical beds and neuro-intensive care beds were significantly decreased from December 2019 to March 2020. The utilization of resources decreased via less demand for care of brain injuries and subarachnoid hemorrhage, postponing surgery and changed surgical indications as a method of rationing resources. Twenty departments (80%) reduced activity extensively, and the same proportion stated that they were no longer able to provide care according to legitimate medical needs. Conclusion Neurosurgical centers responded swiftly and effectively to a sudden decrease of neurosurgical capacity due to relocation of resources to pandemic care. The pandemic led to rationing of neurosurgical care in 80% of responding centers. We saw a relation between resources before the pandemic and ability to uphold neurosurgical services. The observation of extensive differences of available beds provided an opportunity to show how resources that had been restricted already under normal conditions translated to rationing of care that may not be acceptable to the public of seemingly affluent European countries. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s00701-020-04482-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Introduction Conservative management of patients with a stable vestibular schwannoma (VS) places a significant burden on National Health Service (NHS) resources and yet patients’ surveillance management is often inconsistent. Our unit has developed a standardised pathway to guide surveillance imaging of patients with stable VS. In this article, we provide the basis for our imaging protocol by reviewing the measurement, natural history and growth patterns of VS, and we present a cost analysis of implementing the pathway both regionally and nationally. Methods Patients with an extrameatal VS measuring ≤20mm in maximal diameter receive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) six months after their index imaging, followed by three annual MRI scans, two two-year interval MRI scans, a single three-year interval MRI scan and then five-yearly MRI scans to be continued lifelong. Patients with purely intrameatal tumours follow the same protocol but the initial six-month imaging is omitted. A cost analysis of the new pathway was modelled on our unit’s retrospective data for 2015 and extrapolated to reflect the cost of VS surveillance nationally. Results Based on an estimation that imaging surveillance would last approximately 25 years (+/- 10 years), the cost of implementing our regional surveillance programme would be £151,011 per year (for 99 new referrals per year) and it would cost the NHS £1,982,968 per year if implemented nationally. Conclusions A standardised surveillance pathway promotes safe practice in the conservative management of VS. The estimated cost of a national surveillance programme compares favourably with other tumour surveillance initiatives, and would enable the NHS to provide a safe and economical service to patients with VS.

Background Capillary hemangiomata are benign vascular tumors that typically occur in children. They rarely occur in the central nervous system. Intracranial capillary hemangiomata in adults are very rare entities with only 18 cases reported in the literature. We report a case of parasellar capillary hemangiomata that extended into the sella in a 64-year-old woman as well as a review of the literature in adults. Case Description We report a 64-year-old patient who presented with a headache, left-sided paresthesia, and weakness. Initial computed tomography of her brain showed a left-sided 3 cm × 2.5 cm parasellar lesion with intrasellar extension and no mass effect. Subsequent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a lesion that was homogenously hyperintense on T2-weighted MRI and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, isointense with adjacent brain parenchyma on T1-weighted MRI, and which demonstrated enhancement after contrast administration. The patient initially underwent an endoscopic transsphenoidal biopsy, which was inconclusive, followed by a craniotomy, biopsy, and debulking. Histologic examination showed fibrous tissue containing numerous thin-walled and irregular vascular channels of varying sizes. There was a very mild associated inflammatory infiltrate, mainly formed of small mononuclear chronic inflammatory cells and occasional histiocytes. The histologic appearances were in keeping with capillary hemangiomata. Conclusions Capillary hemangiomata related to the sella are very rare and can easily be misdiagnosed on imaging alone. The present case highlights capillary hemangiomata as an important, albeit rare, differential when considering a sellar or parasellar mass.

ObjectivesEcchordosis physaliphora (EP) is a benign, usually asymptomatic, notochord tumour but may also present with a spontaneous CSF fistula. Differentiating EP from its more aggressive counterpart, chordoma is challenging but important as the clinical course and management differ significantly, with the latter requiring proton beam radiotherapy. This case series aims to further inform this discussion.DesignCase series.SubjectsPatients with suspected EP from 2015–2018.MethodsRetrospective analysis.ResultsSix patients were identified. Four presented with suspected CSF leak. MRI revealed a T1-hypointense and T2-hyperintense clival lesion without enhancement. CT showed pneumocephalus, a clival defect and no mass lesion. All underwent endoscopic endonasal repair of CSF fistula with biopsy. Histology revealed physaliphorous cells with no mitoses; immunohistochemistry confirmed notochord origin (EMA, S100, CD10 and/or MNF116) and low proliferation index. In 2 patients, EP was found incidentally on imaging and these lesions have remained static on follow-up.ConclusionsIn the absence of a clival mass, notochord remnant lesions with benign histopathology can be treated as EP and patients can avoid radiotherapy. The diagnosis of EP, however, remains challenging as no distinctive histopathological marker exists to differentiate it from chordoma and until a genetic or immunohistochemical marker is identified, the diagnosis rests solely on the presence or absence of a mass on imaging.

ObjectivesCapillary haemangioma is a benign vascular tumour that typically arises from skin and mucosal surfaces at birth and in infants. Central nervous system (CNS) capillary haemangioma in adults is extremely rare. We describe a case of capillary haemangioma located within the parasellar region extending into the sella.DesignCase report.ResultsWe report a 64-year-old patient who presented with a short history of ptosis and left sided headaches. CT showed a 3 cm by 2.5 cm para-sellar lesion extending into the sella. MRI showed a homogenously hyperintense lesion on T2-weighted MRI and FLAIR, which was isointense with adjacent brain parenchyma on T1-weighted MRI. This lesion also demonstrated contrast enhancement. The patient underwent an initial endoscopic transsphenoidal biopsy, which was inconclusive, followed by a craniotomy and debulking. Histological examination revealed fibrous tissue containing numerous thin walled and irregular vascular channels of varying sizes. There was a mild associated inflammatory infiltrate, mainly formed of small mononuclear chronic inflammatory cells, and occasional histiocytes. The histological appearances were in keeping capillary haemangioma.ConclusionsThe present case describes a capillary haemangioma located in the sella. The rarity of this vascular entity and the absence of any pathognomonic imaging features make it difficult to diagnose based on radiological appearances alone. Although rare, CH should be a differential when considering a sella or parasellar lesion.

To review the changes in the management of aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) in a single neurosurgical unit in the UK, following the publication of the international subarachnoid aneurysm trial (ISAT).The presentation, investigations, treatments and outcome data of all patients admitted with SAH to the neurosurgical unit between February 2001 and May 2003 were prospectively recorded in a database. The total period studied was split in to three blocks, around the time of publication of the ISAT in October 2002 (period 1=February-December, 2001; period 2=January-September, 2002 and period 3=October 2002 to May 2003).Of the 177 patients admitted with presumed SAH, 130 patients with evidence of an aneurysm on angiograms were included in the study. The mean age was 53+/-1 years, 92 (71%) patients were WFNS grade 1 or 2 and 77 (60%) were Fischer grade 2 or 3. These parameters were unchanged over the study period. Overall, 60 patients (46%) underwent a craniotomy for clipping or wrapping of aneurysm, 60 (46%) underwent endovascular embolisation of the aneurysm and 10 patients (8%) were managed conservatively. Over the study periods 1-3, the proportion of patients undergoing open surgery decreased (from 51 to 31%) while endovascular treatment of aneurysms increased (35-68%; p0.01). Over the same time points there was a non-significant trend towards better Glasgow outcome scores at 6 months follow-up. The management mortality for all WFNS grades of patients with SAH was eight deaths (14%). The mortality in the surgical group was 3 patients (5%) and there were no deaths in the endovascular group. Over the study periods 1-3, there was a decrease in the mean total duration of hospital stay (from 23.6 to 15.5 days; p0.05) in WFNS grade 1 and 2 patients and this was related to a shorter duration of hospital stay in the endovascular than surgical group of patients (p0.05). The mean delay in obtaining an angiogram increased over the study periods 1-3 (1.1-2.3 days; p0.05).This observational study highlights the changing pattern of management of SAH and the potential difficulties that could be encountered. The proportion of patients undergoing endovascular treatment of aneurysms has increased following the publication of the ISAT study. The associated increase in the delay in obtaining an angiogram may reflect the increased workload encountered by the neuroradiologists.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of clinical studies appearing in neurosurgical journals during three decades.Clinical studies published in 1982, 1992, and 2002 in Neurosurgery, Journal of Neurosurgery (JNS), and British Journal of Neurosurgery (BJN) were evaluated. The feature study types were categorized as follows: Type 1, prospective randomized controlled trials (PRCTs); Type 2, other prospective studies; Type 3, retrospective case-controlled and cross-sectional studies; and Type 4, case reports. Among a total of 786 articles, the following study types were identified: Type 1, eight (1%); Type 2, 46 (6%); Type 3, 81 (10%); and Type 4, 651 (83%). Overall, the proportion of study types did not differ among journals. Between 1982 and 2002, increases in the proportion of study Types 1 (0 compared with 2%, respectively), 2 (4 compared with 10%, respectively), and 3 (5 compared with 13%, respectively) and decreases in the proportion of study Type 4 (92 compared with 75%, respectively; p0.001) were apparent only in JNS and Neurosurgery (p0.01). Between 1982 and 2002, the median number of patients (two compared with 14, respectively) and the mean number of authors per study (3.4 compared with 4.8, respectively) increased (p0.001). The JNS had a greater mean number of authors per study than the other journals (p0.001).During the three decades evaluated, case reports remained the predominant study design in these prominent neurosurgical journals, notwithstanding the modest increases in study Types 1 and 2 and the associated escalations in author and patient numbers in the same period.

Objective: A review of the prevalence, clinical and radiological profiles, and natural history of trigeminal schwannomas in NF2 patients at a tertiary center, and implications for management. Design: A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. Patients and Methods: Clinical and radiological records of all NF2 patients were reviewed over a 9-year period. Clinical features, trigeminal schwannoma site, size and growth on MRI scans, and management approach were analyzed in patients diagnosed with trigeminal schwannomas. Results: Twenty-six patients (31%) with trigeminal schwannomas were identified among 83 NF2 patients, over a mean follow-up time of 5 years. Of these, 14 (53%) had bilateral trigeminal schwannomas. Eighteen patients (69%) had sensory deficits, which progressed in 50% and included: loss of sensation over one or more trigeminal nerve branches (72%), most commonly the maxillary nerve; reduced or absent corneal reflex (56%); and trigeminal neuropathy (5%). Overall, there was no significant change in trigeminal schwannoma size, except for two cases—one that grew by 5 mm over 3.5 years, and one that grew 9 mm over 5 years, but without associated symptomatic progression. All patients were managed conservatively during the follow-up period, apart from one case who received symptomatic treatment for neuropathic pain. Conclusions: Trigeminal schwannomas in NF2 patients are radiologically indolent, and hence should not be surgically managed in anticipation of loss of function, despite symptomatic progression, which may not be sustained. However, the tumor growth rates should be monitored to assess whether intervention is indicated in individual cases.

Few pituitary adenomas require removal through a transcranial route. This may be associated with more significant morbidity and mortality, compared to the transsphenoidal approach. An endoscopic, extended, transplanum-transtuberculum approach (ETTA) in selected pituitary adenomas may offer an alternative to the transcranial route. We describe our technique and experience of ETTA in pituitary adenomas over 10 years. Between 2000 and 2010, we performed 700 endoscopic endonasal procedures for pituitary adenomas. Nineteen patients (13 men; mean age, 48 years; range, 22-76 years) underwent 22 ETTAs. Thirteen patients had non-functioning adenomas. Three tumor groups were identified: (1) tumors developing in or around the pituitary stalk; (2) tumours with sub- frontal extension and (3) tumours with a major extrasellar component. Mean follow-up was 37 months (range 6-72 months). Gross total resection was achieved in 11 procedures (no recurrences), with partial tumour resection in 11 procedures. Of the 12 patients with visual symptoms, ten improved. Of eight patients with hormonal hypersecretion four were cured. Complications included CSF leak (14%), haemorrhage (9%), hemiplegia (5%). There were no mortalities. Experience using the ETTA for pituitary adenomas is limited because it is indicated in highly selected cases (3.1% of our series). An absolute indication is represented by ectopic secreting pituitary stalk/peri-stalk adenomas. ETTA is a useful option in midline frontal adenomas and adenomas with a major extrasellar component, but has a higher morbidity than that seen in the standard transsphenoidal approach. A study comparing ETTA versus transcranial resection is highly desirable.

Myxopapillary ependyoma (MPE) is a rare variant of ependymoma and represents a distinct subentity of tumour. It is almost exclusively restricted to the conus medullaris or filum terminale region. Here we present a case of a presumed primary MPE occurring in the cerebellopontine angle.

We present the case of a 28-year-old man with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhoea due to aqueduct stenosis and a pulsion diverticulum of the lateral ventricle into the frontal air sinus. He was successfully treated with an endoscopic third ventriculostomy and open repair of the defect.

The authors describe a technique using the Medtronic® Stealth spinal reference array allowing awake craniotomy to be performed without cranial fixation in the Mayfield pin head rest. A Medtronic spinal reference array (four-point H-shaped LED array) is fitted to a Yasargil footplate via a three-jointed swingarm. The Yasargil footplate is directly attached to the cranium after craniotomy and following stereotactic registration the patient is awakened. The patient is free to move his head during the procedure as the reference array does not move in relation to the cranial contents and the fiducials, preserving accuracy.

A case of delayed intracerebral abscess due to Proprionibacterium acnes (P. acnes), 18 months after an uneventful excision of a parasagittal haemangiopericytoma in a 61-year-old female is reported. This is highly unusual as cerebral abscess by P. acnes is rare and it occurred so late postoperatively in the absence of known risk factors. We propose the inclusion of cerebral abscess by P. acnes in the differential diagnosis of lesions that mimic tumour recurrences, after clean craniotomies.

A 44-year-old woman presented with a single large extradural spinal lesion, mimicking schwannoma, as the first and only manifestation of sarcoidosis. She underwent total macroscopic excision. Four months later she was neurologically intact, with no radiological evidence of recurrence.