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Significance: Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) causes significant disruption of neuronal, glial, vascular and extracellular elements. The spinal cord extracellular matrix (ECM) comprises structur...

Immunomodulatory therapeutics represent a potential neuroprotective strategy for the management of acute spinal cord injury (SCI). One of the most intensely debated neuroprotective drugs has been methylprednisolone sodium succinate (MPSS). MPSS was initially investigated for its role in mitigating lipid peroxidation. More recently, the anti-inflammatory/immunomodulatory properties of MPSS have been increasingly appreciated. Over the past two decades, several systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines related to MPSS use in SCI have been published. The goal of this study was to investigate the temporal changes in the use of steroids at North American Clinical Trials Network (NACTN) centers and to correlate these with the evolution in published literature and guidelines. Data on patients enrolled from 2008 - 2018 in the prospective, multicenter NACTN registry, and in whom information related to the use of steroids was available, were analyzed. Patients were stratified as to whether they received steroids or not. The primary outcome was the change in the rate of steroid use per year between 2008 and 2018. Secondary outcomes included cardiac, gastrointestinalgenitourinary (GIGU), pulmonary and dermatologic complications. We identified 608 patients, of whom 171 (28.1%) were given steroids. In 2008 and 2009, the prevailing paradigm across NACTN centers was in favor of steroid administration and as such 70% (n=56) of patients received steroids in 2008 and 71.9% (n=46) in 2009. An abrupt practice reversal was observed in 2010, whereby only 19.7% of patients (n=14) received steroids, a trend that continued over subsequent years. Increasing literature in the 2000s arguing against the use of steroids culminated in the 2013 CNS/AANS practice guidelines for the management of acute SCI. These guidelines recommended against the use of MPSS for the treatment of acute SCI. Over the following years (2013-2018), steroids continued to be an uncommonly used therapeutic option in NACTN centers (range 3.9-16.9%). Patients receiving steroids had significantly higher rates of pulmonary complications (87%, n=147) compared to those not receiving steroids (73%, n=265; p=0.0003). However, compared to patients receiving steroids, those who did not receive steroids had significantly higher rates of cardiac (40%, [n=146] versus 23%, [n=39]; p=0.0001) and gastrointestinal/genitourinary complications (55%, [n=189], versus 31%, [n=52]; p0.0001). The 2013 AANS/CNS guidelines and preceding literature appeared to have an impact on dramatically lowering the rates of corticosteroid use for acute SCI in NACTN sites after 2009. Of note, this analysis may not reflect the impact of the 2017 AO Spine Clinical Practice guidelines, which suggested the use of methylprednisolone as a valid practice option for acute SCI, especially for cervical injuries. Enhanced patient involvement in the clinical decision-making process and opportunities to personalize SCI management exist in reference to the use of MPSS in acute SCI.

Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is a recently coined term encompassing a variety of age-related and genetically associated pathologies, including cervical spondylotic myelopathy, degenerative disc disease, and ligamentous aberrations such as ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament. All of these pathologies produce chronic compression of the spinal cord causing a clinical syndrome characterized by decreased hand dexterity, gait imbalance, and potential genitourinary or sensorimotor disturbances. Substantial variability in the underlying etiology of DCM and its natural history has generated heterogeneity in practice patterns. Ongoing debates in DCM management most commonly center around clinical decision-making, timing of intervention, and the ideal surgical approach. Pivotal basic science studies during the past two decades have deepened our understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanisms surrounding DCM. Growing knowledge of the key pathophysiologic processes will help us tailor personalized approaches in an increasingly heterogeneous patient population. This article focuses on summarizing the most exciting approaches in personalizing DCM patient treatments including biomarkers, factors affecting clinical decision-making, and choice of the optimal surgical approach. Throughout we provide a concise review on the conditions encompassing DCM and discuss the underlying pathophysiology of chronic spinal cord compression. We also provide an overview on clinical-radiologic diagnostic modalities as well as operative and nonoperative treatment strategies, thereby addressing knowledge gaps and controversies in the field of DCM.

Studies on outcomes after four-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) are limited in the literature. The purpose of this study was to report on clinical outcomes and revision rates following four-level ACDF. Patients operated with four-level ACDF were identified in a prospectively accrued single institution database. Outcome scores included the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for neck and arm pain. Reoperation rates were determined. Any complications were identified from a review of the medical records. Twenty-eight patients with a minimum of 12 months follow up were included in the analysis. The mean age at surgery was 58.5 years. The median radiographic follow up time was 23 (IQR = 16-31.25) months. Cervical lordosis was significantly improved postoperatively (- 1 to - 13, p 0.001). At the median 24 (IQR = 17.75-39.50) months clinical follow up time, there was a significant improvement in the NDI (38 to 28, p = 0.046) and VAS for neck pain scores (5.1 to 3, p = 0.012). The most common perioperative complication was transient dysphagia (32%) followed by hoarseness (14%). Four (14%) patients required revision surgery at a median 11.5 (IQR = 2-51) months postoperatively. The results of this study indicate that patients who undergo four-level ACDF have a significant improvement in clinical outcomes at median 24 months follow up. Stand-alone four-level ACDF is a valid option for the management of complex cervical degenerative conditions.

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children. Malignant cerebral edema is described to occur more often in children than in adults. Its infratentorial analogous, a malignant cerebellar edema, has not been reported yet. A 10-year-old boy fell from a height of 3 m where he sustained a TBI. Approximately 36 h after trauma, a significant drop in Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) occurred accompanied by bilateral fixed and dilated pupils. A computed tomography (CT) scan revealed an underlying acute cerebellar edema without evidence of a sinus vein thrombosis or cerebellar contusions. Immediate suboccipital decompressive surgery and insertion of an external ventricular drain (EVD) were performed. Early postoperative CT imaging showed increasing, space-occupying frontal contusions and perilesional edema, which is why an additional bifrontal craniectomy was performed. A posttraumatic hydrocephalus occurring on the 27th day after trauma was treated with a ventricular-peritoneal shunt. On follow-up, 6 months after trauma, he showed a GCS of 15 with no evident neurological findings. This case report is the first to describe and discuss an acute cerebellar edema occurring after TBI. Its acute complications of brainstem compression and obstructive hydrocephalus are effectively treated by immediate suboccipital decompression and EVD insertion.

Study Design Cross-sectional, international survey. Objectives To examine current international practices as well as knowledge, adoption, and barriers to guideline implementation for acute spinal cord injury (SCI) management. Methods A survey was distributed to members of AO Spine. The questionnaire was structured to obtain demographic data and preferred acute SCI practices surrounding steroid use, hemodynamic management, and timing of surgical decompression. Results 593 members completed the survey including orthopaedic surgeons (54.3%), neurosurgeons (35.6%), and traumatologists (8.4%). Most (61.2%) respondents were from low and middle-income countries (LMICs). 53.6% of physicians used steroids for the treatment of acute SCIs. Respondents from LMICs were more likely to administer steroids than HICs (178 vs. 78; P < .001). 331 respondents (81.5%) answered that patients would receive mean arterial pressure (MAP) targeted treatment. In LMICs, SCI patients were less likely to be provided with MAP-targeted treatment (76.9%) as compared to HICs (89%; P < .05). The majority of respondents (87.8%) reported that patients would benefit from early decompression. Despite overwhelming evidence and surgeons’ responses that would offer early surgery, 62.4% of respondents stated they encounter logistical barriers in their institutions. This was particularly evident in LMICs, where 57.9% of respondents indicated that early intervention was unlikely to be accomplished, while only 21.1% of respondents from HICs stated the same ( P < .001). Conclusion This survey highlights challenges in the implementation of standardized global practices in the management of acute SCI. Future research efforts will need to refine SCI guidelines and address barriers to guideline implementation.

Traumatic spinal cord injuries (SCIs) have far-reaching physical, social, and financial consequences. While medical advancements have improved supportive therapeutic measures for SCI patients, no effective neuroregenerative therapeutic options exist to date. Instead, the paradigm of SCI therapy is inevitably directed towards damage control rather than the restoration of a state of functional independence. Facing a continuous increase in the prevalence of spinal cord injured patients, neuroprotective and neuroregenerative strategies have earned tremendous scientific interest. This review intends to provide a robust summary of the most promising neuroprotective and neuroregenerative therapies currently under investigation. While we highlight encouraging neuroprotective strategies as well, the focus of this review lies on neuroregenerative therapies, including neuropharmacological and cell-based approaches. We finally point to the exciting investigational areas of biomaterial scaffolds and neuromodulation therapies.

Background: Chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) is one of the most common neurosurgical diseases, while burr-hole drainage is the most frequently used surgical treatment. Strong evidence exists that subdural drain (SDD) placement reduces recurrence rates. However, the insertion of a subperiosteal drain (SPD) was shown to lead to similar recurrence rates and less complications than SDD. The aim of this study is to provide a systematic review of the literature and conduct a meta-analysis of studies comparing SPD with SDD after burr-hole drainage of cSDH. Methods: Pubmed and Embase databases were searched using a systematic search strategy to identify studies on drain location up to December 2019. Two independent researchers assessed the studies for inclusion and quality. Primary outcome measure was recurrence, while secondary outcome measures were drain misplacement, morbidity, mortality, and clinical outcome. Besides randomized controlled trials (RCT), we included non-randomized prospective cohort studies, as well as retrospective cohort studies. A fixed effects model was used if low heterogeneity (I 2 < 50%) was present, otherwise a random effects model was used. Results: Following removal of duplicates, we screened 1109 articles of which 10 articles were included in our qualitative and quantitative analyses. One study was an RCT, three were non-randomized prospective cohort studies, and the remaining articles were retrospective cohort studies or subgroup analysis. In these 10 articles, 1,553 patients were treated with SPD and 1782 patients with SDD. Comparing the recurrence rate of cSDH a significant difference was found between SPD and SDD insertion (11.9 and 12.3%; RR 0.8, 95% CI 0.67-0.97, I 2 = 0%, z = -2.27, p = 0.02). SPD had significantly lower rates of drain misplacement and parenchymal injuries (1.2 and 7.8%; RR 0.17, 95% CI 0.07-0.42, I 2 = 0%, z = -3.4, p = 0.0001), as well as morbidity (6.4 and 8.2%; RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.5-0.84, I 2 = 44.5%, z = -3.32, p =0.0009). Mortality rates (5.0 and 4.6%; RR 0.83, 95% CI 0.6-1.14, I 2 = 0%, z = -1.2, p = 0.25) and favorable clinical outcome (89.6 and 88.9%; RR 1.1, 95% CI 0.89-1.24, I 2 = 54.2%, t = 0.98, p = 0.40) were comparable in both groups. Conclusion: The insertion of SPD after burr-hole drainage of cSDH showed lower rates of recurrence, drain misplacements and parenchymal injuries, as well as overall morbidity, while clinical outcome and mortality were comparable to SDD. Therefore, the insertion of SPD after surgical drainage of cSDH should be encouraged.

Posttraumatic craniocervical vascular injuries in pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) are rare, and children-specific, evidence-based standards on screening and therapy of posttraumatic carotid-cavernous fistula (CCF), craniocervical artery dissections (CCAD), traumatic aneurysms (TA), and posttraumatic sinus venous thrombosis (SVT) is lacking. The aim of this review is to summarize the data on epidemiology, clinical presentation, and treatment of these traumatic lesions in a systematic manner. We performed a systematic PubMed search for records of CCF, CCAD, TA, and SVT related to pediatric TBI published until June 2019. After screening 2439 records, 42 were included in the quantitative analysis. Incidences for CCAD in blunt TBI were 0.21% (range 0.02–6.82%). 11.7% (range 1.69–15.58%) of pediatric aneurysms were found to be traumatic of origin, whereas 38.2% (range 36.84–40%) of all pediatric SVT were due to blunt TBI. For all of the posttraumatic cerebrovascular pathologies, we found a clear male predominance with 68.75% in CCF, 63.4% in CCAD, 60% in TA, and 58.33% in SVT. Clinical presentation did not differ from the adult population with exception of young child. While there is only recommendation for the therapy of CCAD and SVT in the pediatric population, no such recommendation exists for the treatment of CCF’s and TA’s, and data from randomized controlled trials is lacking. While these results show that posttraumatic CCF, CCAD, TA, and SVT are rarely encountered in children, misdiagnosis may have potentially drastic consequences due to a longer lifetime burden in the pediatric population. Awareness, early recognition, and prompt initiation of the appropriate therapy are essential to avoid morbidity and mortality. Further studies should focus on the development of clinical and radiological screening criteria of posttraumatic vascular lesions in children.

Experiencing cranial surgery under awake conditions may expose patients to considerable psychological strain.This study aimed to investigate the occurrence and course of psychological sequelae following awake craniotomy (AC) for brain tumors in a series of 20 patients using a broad, validated psychological assessment preoperatively, intraoperatively, postoperatively and a standardized follow-up of 3 months. In addition, the association of the preoperative psychological condition (including, but not limited to, anxiety and fear) with perioperative pain perception and interference was assessed.AC did not induce any shift in the median levels of anxiety, depression, and stress symptoms already present prior to the procedure. Furthermore, anxiety and depression were all moderately to strongly associated over time (all P0.05). Stress symptoms also correlated positively over all times of measurement. Stress 3 days after surgery was strongly associated with stress 3 months after surgery (P0.001), whereas the correlation between preoperative and immediate postoperative stress showed a statistical trend (P = 0.07). Preoperative fear was not related to intraoperative pain, but to pain and its interference with daily activity on the third postoperative day (P 0.001 and P0.01, respectively).Postoperative psychological symptoms clearly correlated with their corresponding preoperative symptoms. Thus, mental health was not negatively affected by the AC experience in our series. Intraoperative fear and pain were not related to the preoperative psychological condition. However, preoperative fear and anxiety were positively related with pain and its interference with daily activity in the immediate postoperative period.

Object During surgeries that put the facial nerve at risk for injury, its function can be continuously monitored by transcranial facial nerve motor evoked potentials (FNMEPs) in facial nerve target muscles. Despite their advantages, FNMEPs are not yet widely used. While most authors use a 50% reduction in FNMEP response amplitudes as a warning criterion, in this paper the authors' approach was to keep the response amplitude constant by increasing the stimulation intensity and to establish a warning criterion based on the “threshold-level” method. Methods The authors included 34 consecutive procedures involving 33 adult patients (median age 47 years) in whom FNMEPs were monitored. A threshold increase greater than 20 mA for eliciting FNMEPs in the most reliable facial nerve target muscle was considered a prediction of reduced postoperative facial nerve function, and subsequently a warning was issued to the surgeon. Preoperative and early postoperative function was documented using the House-Brackmann grading system. Results Monitoring of FNMEPs was feasible in all 34 surgeries in at least one facial nerve target muscle. The mentalis muscle yielded the best results. The House-Brackmann grade deteriorated in 17 (50%) of 34 cases. The warning criterion was reached in 18 (53%) of 34 cases, which predicted an 83% risk of House-Brackmann grade deterioration. Sensitivity amounted to 88% (CI 64%–99%) and specificity to 82% (CI 57%–96%). Deterioration of FNMEPs and a worse House-Brackmann grade showed a high degree of association (p < 0.001). The impact of FNMEP monitoring on surgical strategy is exemplified in an illustrative case. Conclusions In surgeries that put the facial nerve at risk, the intraoperative increase in FNMEP stimulation threshold was closely correlated to postoperative facial nerve dysfunction. Monitoring of FNMEPs is a valid indicator of facial nerve function in skull base surgery. It should be used as an adjunct to direct electrical facial nerve stimulation and continuous electromyographic monitoring of facial nerve target muscles.