Search

Middle fossa arachnoid cysts (MFACs) are rare, congenital lesions that may rupture and cause symptoms of elevated intracranial pressure. We sought to describe the presence of and factors associated with optic nerve edema in MFACs, focusing on the utility of ophthalmologic evaluations for guiding cyst management. We reviewed clinical and radiographic information for all patients with MFACs with ophthalmologic evaluations at our institution. Headache, cranial nerve palsy, emesis, altered mental status, fatigue, and seizures were considered MFAC-related symptoms. Univariate and multivariable analyses evaluated factors associated with optic edema. Fifty-one patients between 2003 and 2022 were included. Cysts were a median volume of 169.9 cm3 (interquartile range: 70.5, 647.7). Evidence of rupture with subdural hematoma/hygroma occurred in 19 (37.3%) patients. Eighteen (35.3%) patients underwent surgery for their cyst and/or rupture-associated intracranial bleed. Eleven (21.6%) patients had optic edema; all were symptomatic and experienced cyst rupture. Ten of these patients received surgery. Postoperatively, optic edema resolved in 80% of cases. Cyst volume and symptoms were not associated with optic edema; however, patients with ruptured cysts, particularly those with traumatic rupture, were more likely to have optic edema and receive surgery (P < 0.001). We found optic edema in 21.6% of evaluated MFACs, and this comprised of 57.9% of ruptured cases. Optic edema was not found in unruptured cysts. Cyst fenestration improved optic edema and patient symptoms. In conjunction with clinical history and neuroimaging, optic edema may help guide MFAC management, particularly in patients with cyst rupture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic subdural hematoma (SDH) is a common condition encountered in neurosurgical practice; however, its pathogenesis remains controversial. Current Concepts: SDH refers to blood accumulation inside the dura and is classified into acute, subacute, and chronic types. Histopathologically, acute SDH shows no neomembrane formation and the hematoma is a clot, in contrast to chronic SDH characterized by a neomembrane surrounding the liquefied hematoma. SDH is usually categorized into acute and chronic types, with subacute SDH being more similar to chronic SDH. Posttraumatic subdural lesions include acute and chronic SDH, subdural hygroma (SDG), or effusion. SDG is a blood-tinged fluid accompanied by neomembrane formation in some cases. These lesions are pathologically different from each other but may change depending on the situation. Discussion and Conclusion: Chronic SDH mainly originates from an SDG and acute SDH. SDG is usually triggered by trauma but only occurs in patients in whom sufficient potential space is available and may occur spontaneously in such cases. Therefore, SDG frequently occurs in children and in elderly patients, in men with a larger skull size, and on the left side of the body, which usually shows a wider hemisphere. Separation of the dural border cell layer causes inflammation, indicated by fibroblast proliferation and neovascularization. Conversion of an SDG into a chronic SDH or enlargement of a chronic SDH is attributable to formation of neomembranes, neovascularization, and repeated microhemorrhages from fragile capillaries. Chronic SDH is treated with removal of the hematoma to relieve the mass effect and embolization of the feeding artery for the bleeder. Outcomes of chronic SDH depend on the absorptive-expansion capacity dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To explore the therapeutic effect of hyperbaric oxygen combined with subdural drilling and drainage (SDD) on subdural effusion type IV with intracranial infection in infant patients. Methods: This retrospective controlled study included 328 infant patients with subdural effusion type 4 with intracranial infection between January 2005 and January 2023. 178 patients were treated by hyperbaric oxygen combined with SDD (group A). 142 cases were treated with SDD (group B). 97 infants were only received hyperbaric oxygen (group C). Clinical outcomes, the control time of intracranial infection, complications, and the degree of brain re-expansion after 6 months of treatment were compared among the three groups. According to the comprehensive evaluation of treatment effectiveness and imaging results, it is divided into four levels: cured, significantly effective, improved, and ineffective. Results: No patient died during follow-up. The three groups were similar regarding age, sex, the general information, and clinical symptoms (p>0.05). All intracranial infections in the children were effectively controlled. There was no difference in infection control time between group A and group B, and there was no statistical significance. However, the control time of intracranial infection between the two groups was different from that of group C, which was statistically significant. Compared with group B and group C, the degree of brain re-expansion in group A has obvious advantages and significant differences. The effective rates of the three groups were 83.7%, 58.5%, and 56.7%, respectively. There were 28 cases of subcutaneous hydrops in group A and 22 cases of subcutaneous hydrops in group B after operation, and no other serious complications. Conclusion: The SDD is safe and effective for infant patients with intracranial infections through fluid replacement and intrathecal antibacterial. Hyperbaric oxygen is effective as an adjuvant therapy to promote brain re-expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subdural effusions (SE) have already been associated with several viruses, but there are few associations with Covid-19 reported to date, and all of them had one thing in common: the presence of superimposed bacterial rhinosinusitis. Here we describe the case of a 76-year-old male patient that was transferred to our center due to severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and developed a SE during hospital stay. He presented sensory level impairment during hospitalization, but an initial Head CT scan showed no alterations. A new CT scan performed six days later evidentiated a bilateral SE. The patient had a cardiorespiratory arrest during the night of the same day, resulting in death. Covid-19 as a direct cause of subdural effusion (positive Covid-19 PCR in subdural fluid) has never before been reported in the literature, and, unfortunately, it was not possible to rule out or confirm this phenomenon in our case due to the rapid evolution of the clinical picture. However, our case clearly differs from the literature as the patient did not show any signs of sinus disease or intracranial hypotension, and the possible causes of the effusion boil down to spontaneity and the direct action of Covid-19 in the CNS and subdural space.

To evaluate the incidence, associated factors, clinical course, and management options of subdural hygroma in patients treated for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). From January 2013 until June 2022, 336 consecutive patients with aSAH underwent treatment in our center. No one patient was excluded from the study cohort. Computed tomography (CT) examinations were performed at admission, immediately after surgery and on the first postoperative day, and subsequently in case of any neurologic deterioration or, at least, once per week until discharge from the hospital. Thereafter, CT examinations were at the discretion of specialists in the rehabilitation facility, referring physicians, or neurosurgeons at the outpatient clinic. The length of radiologic follow-up starting from CT at admission ranged from 1 to 3286 days (mean, 673 ± 895 days; median, 150 days). Subdural hygromas developed in 84 patients (25%). An average interval until this imaging finding from the initial CT examination was 25 ± 55 days (median, 8 days; range, 0–362 days). Evaluation in the multivariate model showed that patient age ≥72 years (P < 0.0001), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunting (P < 0.0001), and microsurgical clipping of ruptured intracranial aneurysm (RIA; P < 0.0001) are independently associated with the development of subdural hygroma. In 54 of 84 cases (64%), subdural hygromas required observation only. Increase of the lesion size with (5 cases) or without (10 cases) appearance of midline shift was associated with patient age <72 years (P = 0.0398), decompressive craniotomy (P = 0.0192), and CSF shunting (P = 0.0009), whereas evaluation of these factors in the multivariate model confirmed independent association of only CSF shunting (P = 0.0003). Active management of subdural hygromas included adjustment of the shunt programmable valve opening pressure, cranioplasty, external subdural drainage, or their combination. Overall, during follow-up (mean, 531 ± 824 days; median, 119 days; range, 2–3285 days) after the start of observation or applied treatment, subdural hygromas showed either decrease (50 cases) or stabilization (34 cases) of their sizes, and no one lesion showed progression again. The clinical course of subdural hygromas in patients treated for aSAH is generally favorable, but occasionally these lesions show progressive enlargement with or without the appearance of midline shift, which requires active management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

De Sanctis-Cacchione syndrome (DCS) formerly known as xerodermic idiocy is characterised by cutaneous photosensitivity, microcephaly, mental retardation, short stature, hypogonadism, spasticity, peripheral neuropathy and sensorineural deafness. Here in, we present the case of a four and half years old male child with features of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) with a typical bird like facies and sunken eyes who had history of photosensitive pruritic pigmentary skin lesions on sun exposed areas from a very early age of six months. Gross developmental delay, ataxia, microcephaly, short stature, hypogonadism and cachectic wasting were identified on examination and hypertransaminasemia and hypothyroidism were recorded from biochemical profile. Subsequent visual evoked response and brainstem evoked response audiometry revealed anterior visual pathway dysfunction and bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss. Magnetic resonance imaging of brain yielded subdural effusion with mass effect in addition to cerebro-cerebral atrophy and demyelination. Skin biopsy further detected dysplastic changes and early signs of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Although few cases are reported sporadically throughout the world, to our best of knowledge till date only 11 such cases have been reported completely in Indian medical literature which makes our case report the 12th one with distinctive novel association of subdural effusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) is a unique hemorrhagic complication associated with microsurgical clipping. We aimed to investigate the risk factors of subdural hygroma (SDG) formation and its hemorrhagic conversion to cSDH. Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 229 patients who underwent microsurgical clipping for unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIA) from 2016 to 2019. Risk factors for SDG and cSDH formation were analyzed. Results: Male sex, age ≥ 60 years, higher degree of arachnoid dissection, severe brain atrophy, and a large volume of subdural fluid collection (SFC) before discharge were independent risk factors for SDG formation. The risk factors for hemorrhagic conversion from SDG were continuous use or early resumption of antiplatelet drugs (odds ratio (OR): 15.367, 95% CI: 1.172–201.402) and a larger volume of SFC before discharge (OR: 0.932, 95% CI: 0.886–0.980). In the early resumption group, antiplatelet drug was resumed at a mean duration of 7.48 days postoperatively, and hemorrhagic conversion was detected earlier than that in the late resumption or no-use groups (4.09 vs. 7.18 weeks, P = 0.046). Following the receiver operating characteristic analysis, the SFC cutoff volume for hemorrhagic conversion was determined to be 23.55 mL. Conclusion: These findings can assist clinicians in identifying patients at a high risk of SDG and cSDH formation. Antiplatelet resumption and its timing should be determined with consideration of the risk of cSDH formation as well as individual medical conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

De Sanctis-Cacchione syndrome (DCS) formerly known as xerodermic idiocy is characterised by cutaneous photosensitivity, microcephaly, mental retardation, short stature, hypogonadism, spasticity, peripheral neuropathy and sensorineural deafness. Here in, we present the case of a four and half years old male child with features of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) with a typical bird like facies and sunken eyes who had history of photosensitive pruritic pigmentary skin lesions on sun exposed areas from a very early age of six months. Gross developmental delay, ataxia, microcephaly, short stature, hypogonadism and cachectic wasting were identified on examination and hypertransaminasemia and hypothyroidism were recorded from biochemical profile. Subsequent visual evoked response and brainstem evoked response audiometry revealed anterior visual pathway dysfunction and bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss. Magnetic resonance imaging of brain yielded subdural effusion with mass effect in addition to cerebro-cerebral atrophy and demyelination. Skin biopsy further detected dysplastic changes and early signs of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Although few cases are reported sporadically throughout the world, to our best of knowledge till date only 11 such cases have been reported completely in Indian medical literature which makes our case report the 12th one with distinctive novel association of subdural effusion.

A 3-month-old female infant with meningo-encephalitis caused by Salmonella enterica Paratyphi B var. Java is described. The aetiological agent was confirmed in six CSF samples; however, none of the blood or faecal samples was positive for the same pathogen. The presence of the bacteria was confirmed in the CSF by culture, serology and Multiplex PCR assay. The infant developed dilated subarachnoid spaces and right-sided hemiparesis associated with the persistent bacterial meningo-encephalitis. She was re-admitted 2 weeks after recovery and initial discharge from hospital owing to recurrence of S. enterica Paratyphi B bacteria in the CSF and the development of large bilateral subdural effusions in the brain. Computed tomography and the clinical course confirmed dynamically progressive meningo-encephalitis. Following further parenteral antibiotics and symptomatic treatment, the child's condition improved. After a total of 24 days in the PICU, she was sufficiently improved to be discharged with a residual right-sided hemiparesis. However, sadly she died a week after discharge. Abbreviation: ALT: alanine aminotransferase; API: analytical profile index 20 E-test; AST: aspartate aminotransferase; CRP: C-reactive protein; CSF: cerebrospinal fluid; CT: computed tomography; EUCAST: European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing; MDCT: multi-detector computed tomography; PCR: polymerase chain reaction; PICU: paediatric intensive care unit; RBC: red blood cells; VITEK: automated instrument for identification/antimicrobial susceptibility testing; WBC: white blood cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wanyong Huang,&ast; Bo Zhou,&ast; Yingwei Li,&ast; Yuansheng Shao, Bo Peng, Xianchun Jiang, Tao Xiang Department of Neurosurgery, People’s Hospital of Guanghan City, Guanghan City, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Wanyong HuangDepartment of Neurosurgery, People’s Hospital of Guanghan City, 75 Hankou Road, Luocheng Town, Guanghan City, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail huangwy459088699@163.comObjective: Decompressive craniectomy as a treatment is often used in the rescue treatment of critically ill patients in neurosurgery; however, there are many complications after this operation. Subdural effusion is a common complication after decompressive craniectomy. Once it occurs, it can cause further problems for the patient. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the safety and effectiveness of pressure dressings for subdural effusion after decompressive craniectomy.Methods: Patients who underwent decompressive craniectomy in our hospital from January 2016 to January 2021 were included in this study, and all patients were followed up for 6 months or more. After the operation, the patients were divided into two groups according to whether they received a pressure dressing or a traditional dressing. Subdural effusion, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, hydrocephalus and other complications were compared between the two groups, and the differences in hospital duration, cost and prognosis between the two groups were analyzed.Results: A total of 123 patients were included in this study. Among them, 62 patients chose pressure dressings, and 61 patients chose traditional dressings. The incidence of subdural effusion in the pressure dressing group was significantly lower than that in the traditional dressing group (P< 0.05). There was no difference between the two groups in cerebrospinal fluid leakage and hydrocephalus (P > 0.05). In addition, the length of hospital stay and the total cost in the pressure dressing group were significantly lower (P< 0.05).Conclusion: Pressure dressing can effectively reduce the occurrence of subdural effusion after decompressive craniectomy, and it does not increase the occurrence of other cerebrospinal fluid-related complications.Keywords: decompressive craniectomy, complication, pressure dressing, subdural effusion

Abstract A minor head injury can cause traumatic subdural effusion in a child. They often present to pediatric emergencies initially, and there is a delayed referral to neurosurgery. In the emergency room, they should undergo subdural effusion needle aspiration, which can result in an immediate improvement in GCS.

Epidural analgesia is a technique commonly used in labor. Intracranial subdural hygromas are a rare complication of neuraxial techniques and have only been reported in a handful of patients. We report a case of a female with postpartum headache, presenting 5 days after delivery where epidural analgesia was used, who was found to have bilateral subdural effusions and brainstem sagging. Our literature review summarizes pathophysiology, imaging, and approach to treatment, as well as guidance on long-term outcomes and follow-up needed in this patient population.

Objective To analyze the risk factors of traumatic subdural effusion (TSE) transforming into chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH). Methods A totalof75 patients with TSE after traumatic brain injury (TBI) were included from December 2017 to July 2019. CT or MRI reexamination during treatment and follow⁃up were performed to observe whether CSDH was transformed and relevant influencing factors were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were performed to screen the risk factors for the transformation of TSE into CSDH. Results Logistic regression analysis showed that the higher effusion density (OR =6.021, 95%CI: 1.047-34.631; P =0.044), subdural effusion increases for a long time (OR = 1.253, 95%CI: 1.002-1.568; P = 0.048), the thicker effusion (OR = 2.080, 95%CI: 1.267-3.414; P =0.004) and brain atrophy (OR =35.392, 95%CI: 1.397-896.474; P =0.031) were risk factors for the transformation of TSE into CSDH. Conclusions The subdural effusion increases for a long time, higher effusion density, thicker effusion and brain atrophy are the risk factors associated with the transformation of TSE into CSDH. DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1672⁃6731.2020.07.008

Objective To investigate the factors affecting changes of Symptom Check List-90 （SCL-90） of patients with traumatic subdural effusion. Methods One hundred and forty-two cases of patients with traumatic subdural effusion from the Center of Forensic Identification, Wannan Medical College collected from 2007—2018 were tested with SCL-90. The differences between SCL-90 results and the national norm and the influences of gender, age, education level, the number of effusion sites and location on SCL-90 results were analyzed. Results The differences between the scores of somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, terror, paranoia and psychosis factors and total mean scores in SCL-90 of traumatic subdural effusion and that of the national norm had statistical significance （P

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy and complications of different treatments for progressive subdural effusion (SDE) after decompressive craniectomy for craniocerebral injury. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical and follow-up data of 65 patients with progressive SDE after decompressive craniectomy for craniocerebral injury, who were admitted in our hospital between February, 2013 and March, 2019. Thirty-four of the patients (21 male and 13 female patients) received borehole drainage or local puncture drainage combined with compression dressing with elastic bandage and continuous drainage of the lumbar cistern (observation group), and 31 (17 male and 14 female patients) received borehole drainage or local puncture drainage with compression dressing with elastic bandage (control group). The occurrence time of SDE, retention time of head drainage tube, hospital stay after treatment, one-off cure rate and the incidence of complications were analyzed in the 2 groups, and the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) scores of patients before and at 3 and 6 months after the treatment were compared. Results The retention time of head drainage tube, the time from local drainage to SDE disappearance and hospital stay after treatment were significantly shorter (P < 0.05), and the one-off cure rate (P < 0.05) was significantly higher in the observation group than in the control group. The overall incidence of complications was 23.53% in the observation group and 48.39% in the control group, showing a significant difference between the 2 groups (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in GOS scores between the 2 groups before the treatments (P>0.05), but at 3 and 6 months after the treatments, GOS scores was significantly higher in the observation group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion For patients with progressive SDE after decompressive craniectomy for craniocerebral injury, combined treatment with borehole drainage or local puncture drainage, compression dressing with elastic bandage and continuous drainage of the lumbar cistern can improve the one-off cure rate of SDE, reduce the incidence of the overall complications, shorten the duration of hospital stays and improve the prognosis of the patients.

Enhancing subdural effusions (SDEs) after angiography may imitate acute subdural hematoma (ASDH), and differentiation between these two clinical entities is sometimes confusing. We present a case of enhancing SDE mimicking ASDH after an endovascular procedure for head trauma. Although dual-energy CT (DECT) might be an ideal tool for this situation, it is not available in every hospital. In addition, the standard protocol to distinguish these two clinical entities has not been well established. We demonstrate that the comparison of CT attenuation values of the dural sinus and subdural collection is key to differentiation, and comprehensive radiological and clinical evaluation based especially on the kinetics of contrast agents should be carefully considered.

Background: Due to its obscure etiology and diverse clinical manifestations, the treatment of subdural effusion, presents challenges, and the condition's progression to chronic subdural hematoma(cSDH) often necessitates surgical intervention.This study reports on two pediatric patients who developed progressive subdural effusion following minor head injuries. Both cases were notable for the detection of low levels of human herpesvirus in the cerebrospinal fluid, despite other tests returning negative. Immunotherapy led to a dramatic absorption of their subdural effusions, resulting in very positive clinical outcome., Case Description: Case 1: This involved a 4-year and 1-month-old boy who was diagnosed with acute cerebellitis due to an unstable gait following a fall. After being discharged, he sustained another minor head injury. A follow-up Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) revealed an increasing and shifting subdural effusion, which was rapidly absorbed following treatment with high doses of methylprednisolone. Case 2: A 6-year and 3-month-old boy presented with headaches following a minor fall. He improved after treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin and low-dose methylprednisolone. The subdural effusion was completely absorbed, and his health remained stable four months after discharge., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that immune inflammation may play a critical role in the development of subdural effusion. The successful treatment outcomes emphasize the potential of immunotherapy as a non-invasive option for managing subdural effusion, particularly in children with unexplained conditions following minor trauma., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

A minor head injury can cause traumatic subdural effusion in a child. They often present to pediatric emergencies initially, and there is a delayed referral to neurosurgery. In the emergency room, they should undergo subdural effusion needle aspiration, which can result in an immediate improvement in GCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research into the glymphatic system reached an inflection point with steep trajectory in 2012 when it was formally recognized and named, but the historical roots for it are solid and deep, dating back to pioneers such as Cushing, Weed, and Dandy. We provide an overview of key discoveries of the glymphatic system, which promotes bulk flow of fluid and solutes throughout the brain parenchyma. We also discuss the lymphatic drainage of the central nervous system. Evidence is building that failure of the glymphatic system causes glymphedema in patients commonly managed by neurocritical care and neurosurgery specialists. We review research supporting this for decompressive craniectomy, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and normal-pressure hydrocephalus. We argue that it is time for a paradigm shift from the traditional model of cerebrospinal fluid circulation to a revised model that incorporates the glymphatic pathway and lymphatic clearance. These recent breakthroughs will inspire new therapeutic approaches to recognize, reverse, and restore glymphatic dysfunction and to leverage this pathway to deliver brain-wide therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Subdural effusion with hydrocephalus (SDEH) is a rare complication of traumatic brain injury, especially following decompressive craniectomy (DC) for posttraumatic cerebral infarction. The diagnosis and treatment are still difficult and controversial for neurosurgeons. Case presentation A 45-year-old man developed traumatic cerebral infarction after traumatic brain injury and underwent DC because of the mass effect of cerebral infarction. Unfortunately, the complications of traumatic subdural effusion (SDE) and hydrocephalus occurred in succession following DC. Burr-hole drainage and subdural peritoneal shunt were performed in sequence because of the mass effect of SDE, which only temporarily improved the symptoms of the patient. Cranioplasty and ventriculoperitoneal shunt were performed ultimately, after which SDE disappeared completely. However, the patient remains severely disabled, with a Glasgow Outcome Scale of 3. Conclusions It is important for neurosurgeons to consider the presence of accompanying hydrocephalus when treating patients with SDE. Once the diagnosis of SDEH is established and the SDE has no mass effect, timely ventriculoperitoneal shunt may be needed to avoid multiple surgical procedures, which is a safe and effective surgical method to treat SDEH.

Purpose: Surgical fenestration is widely accepted as a primary treatment for middle fossa arachnoid cysts (MFACs) in pediatric patients. However, postoperative subdural effusion and/or hydrocephalus always affect treatment outcomes. In this study, we presented our experience of treating MFACs with surgical fenestration in pediatric patients and analyzed the cases complicated by postoperative subdural effusion and/or hydrocephalus, to give insight into the clinical characteristics predisposing the complications. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 21 pediatric cases with MFACs treated by surgical fenestration suffering postoperative subdural effusion and/or hydrocephalus in our department from November 2011 to April 2019. We reviewed the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes. Results: A total of 21 patients, among a total of 53 pediatric patients with MFACs treated by surgical fenestration, developed subdural effusion and/or hydrocephalus postoperatively. The mean age at the time of the initial surgery was 49 months. A total of 75% (6/8) of the patients under 2 years old and 13.3% (6/45) of the older patient group sustaining postoperative subdural effusion and/or hydrocephalus required further surgeries, respectively (Fisher's exact test, p = 0.001). Notably, among the 21 cases with postoperative subdural effusion and/or hydrocephalus, all the 6 patients under 2 years old needed additional surgeries, while of the other 15 older patients, only 40% (6/15) needed further surgical interventions (Fisher's exact test, p = 0.019). Conclusion: The immature CSF absorption in MFAC patients younger than 2 years old might predispose them to the relatively serious postoperative subdural effusion and/or hydrocephalus. For very young patients with giant MFACs, surgical fenestration might not be the best option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subdural contrast effusion secondary to endovascular treatment is exceptionally rare and might be mistaken as subdural hematoma because of similar hyperattenuation on computer tomography. The authors present the case of a 13-month-old girl with a history of increased head circumference and developmental retardation. Cerebral digital subtraction angiography showed a high-flow pial arteriovenous fistula fed by multiple arteries on the right cerebellar surface, with occlusion of the right sigmoid sinus and severe stenosis of the left sigmoid sinus. Staged endovascular treatments were performed to eliminate the fistula. Follow-up head computer tomography scans performed 3 h after both procedures demonstrated typical high-density subdural effusion with computer tomography attenuation value similar to hemorrhage. These effusions did not aggravate the condition and disappeared spontaneously 32 h after the first treatment and 29 h after the second, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central venous catheterization interventions are used in various clinics for diagnostic and treatment purposes. Establishing vascular access is a difficult and critical step, especially in critically ill pediatric patients. Complications include ventricular arrhythmia, air embolism, carotid artery puncture, cardiac tamponade, pneumothorax, hemothorax, artery-vein laceration, thoracic duct injury, and catheter malposition can be observed in patients after central venous catheterization interventions. In this case report, a pediatric case was discussed, in which a central venous catheter was inserted without the usage of imaging methods and without confirming the location and was used, even though no blood return was obtained. It was aimed to draw attention to subdural effusions and spinal canal interventions, which is a rare complication of central venous catheterization interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidural analgesia is a technique commonly used in labor. Intracranial subdural hygromas are a rare complication of neuraxial techniques and have only been reported in a handful of patients. We report a case of a female with postpartum headache, presenting 5 days after delivery where epidural analgesia was used, who was found to have bilateral subdural effusions and brainstem sagging. Our literature review summarizes pathophysiology, imaging, and approach to treatment, as well as guidance on long-term outcomes and follow-up needed in this patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Subdural effusion is a common complication that occurs after decompressive craniectomy. According to the endoscopy results, the formation mechanism of subdural effusion after decompressive craniectomy was discussed. Aim: The morphological structure of subdural effusion in skull defects was observed with endoscopy, and endoscopic- assisted surgery was performed for subdural effusion. Material and methods: From January 2018 to March 2020, 19 cases of skull repair and treatment of subdural effusion were performed. The external wall of the capsule was kept intact during the operation, subdural effusion and surgical procedure of the subdural effusion under an endoscope could be observed, and the results of endoscopic observation were described and recorded. A hemostasis gauze was placed between the two layers of the subdural effusion cavity. Another 13 cases of skull defects with subdural effusion treated without endoscopy during the same time period were enrolled in the study as the control group. The postoperative disappearance of effusion and the incidence of postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. Results: Analysis with an endoscope revealed that all cases of subdural effusion in skull defects presented capsules. The main structures included the outer wall, boundary, inner wall, and fistula. The outer wall was made up of new tissue that had formed after removing the bone flap under the skin flap by artificial peeling under the condition of keeping the whole cavity. The inner wall consisted of thickened arachnoid, dura, and artificial dura. It presented with neovascularization networks, which showed a tendency to form new membrane structures through mutual adhesion and fusion. The inner and outer wall of the skull had fused to form the boundary of the cavity. Cerebrospinal fluid fistulas were detected in 31.6% of the internal walls. Subdural effusion was effectively treated in both the experimental group and the control group. Compared with the control group, complications in the experimental group were significantly reduced. Conclusions: The effusion cavity can be divided into three types based on its structural characteristics: fistula type, membrane type, and closed type. In this study, the formation mechanism of skull defects combined with subdural effusion was explored. This represents a new method for treating subdural effusion in which hemostasis gauze is placed between the two layers of the effusion cavity and cerebrospinal fluid fistula under an endoscope, which can effectively reduce the incidence of postoperative complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Traumatic subdural effusion (TSDE) may increase progressively or evolve into chronic subdural hematoma. These events, defined as deterioration of the effusion, often require close observation or even surgical treatment. The aim of our study was to develop and validate a nomogram for predicting the possibility of an effusion deteriorating in patients with TSDE based on the available clinical characteristics., Methods: Clinical data from 78 patients with TSDE were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were admitted from January 2019 to May 2022. Logistic regression was applied to the data to screen for independent predictors of effusion deterioration within six months; then, a predictive nomogram model was established in R language. The consistency, predictive accuracy and clinical utility of the model were evaluated with the C-index, calibration plots, ROC curves and decision curve analysis (DCA). Furthermore, we performed internal validation using a bootstrap approach to assess the effectiveness of the model., Results: Time of effusion after trauma, maximum thickness of the effusion, CT value of the effusion as well as the use of atorvastatin were identified as predictors in the nomogram. The predictive model was well calibrated and demonstrated good discrimination (C-index: 0.893). The AUC of the model was 0.893 (95% CI: 0.824-0.962), and the modified C-index (0.865) indicated excellent performance in the internal validation. In addition, DCA revealed that the nomogram had clinical value., Conclusions: This predictive model can effectively assess the risk of effusion deterioration in TSDE patients within six months and identify high-risk patients early., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest We have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: To explore the therapeutic effect of hyperbaric oxygen combined with subdural drilling and drainage (SDD) on subdural effusion type IV with intracranial infection in infant patients., Methods: This retrospective controlled study included 328 infant patients with subdural effusion type 4 with intracranial infection between January 2005 and January 2023. 178 patients were treated by hyperbaric oxygen combined with SDD (group A). 142 cases were treated with SDD (group B). 97 infants were only received hyperbaric oxygen (group C). Clinical outcomes, the control time of intracranial infection, complications, and the degree of brain re-expansion after 6 months of treatment were compared among the three groups. According to the comprehensive evaluation of treatment effectiveness and imaging results, it is divided into four levels: cured, significantly effective, improved, and ineffective., Results: No patient died during follow-up. The three groups were similar regarding age, sex, the general information, and clinical symptoms ( p  > 0.05). All intracranial infections in the children were effectively controlled. There was no difference in infection control time between group A and group B, and there was no statistical significance. However, the control time of intracranial infection between the two groups was different from that of group C, which was statistically significant. Compared with group B and group C, the degree of brain re-expansion in group A has obvious advantages and significant differences. The effective rates of the three groups were 83.7%, 58.5%, and 56.7%, respectively. There were 28 cases of subcutaneous hydrops in group A and 22 cases of subcutaneous hydrops in group B after operation, and no other serious complications., Conclusion: The SDD is safe and effective for infant patients with intracranial infections through fluid replacement and intrathecal antibacterial. Hyperbaric oxygen is effective as an adjuvant therapy to promote brain re-expansion., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Chen, Yue, Luo, Qu, Fang, Xin, Lv, Luan, Cheng, Yang and Sun.)

Objectives: To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of pneumococcal meningitis (PM), and drug sensitivity of Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) isolates in Chinese children., Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical information, laboratory data, and microbiological data of 160 hospitalized children under 15 years old with PM from January 2019 to December 2020 in 33 tertiary hospitals across the country., Results: Among the 160 children with PM, there were 103 males and 57 females. The age ranged from 15 days to 15 years, with 109 cases (68.1%) aged 3 months to under 3 years. SP strains were isolated from 95 cases (59.4%) in cerebrospinal fluid cultures and from 57 cases (35.6%) in blood cultures. The positive rates of SP detection by cerebrospinal fluid metagenomic next-generation sequencing and cerebrospinal fluid SP antigen testing were 40% (35/87) and 27% (21/78), respectively. Fifty-five cases (34.4%) had one or more risk factors for purulent meningitis, 113 cases (70.6%) had one or more extra-cranial infectious foci, and 18 cases (11.3%) had underlying diseases. The most common clinical symptoms were fever (147 cases, 91.9%), followed by lethargy (98 cases, 61.3%) and vomiting (61 cases, 38.1%). Sixty-nine cases (43.1%) experienced intracranial complications during hospitalization, with subdural effusion and/or empyema being the most common complication [43 cases (26.9%)], followed by hydrocephalus in 24 cases (15.0%), brain abscess in 23 cases (14.4%), and cerebral hemorrhage in 8 cases (5.0%). Subdural effusion and/or empyema and hydrocephalus mainly occurred in children under 1 year old, with rates of 91% (39/43) and 83% (20/24), respectively. SP strains exhibited complete sensitivity to vancomycin (100%, 75/75), linezolid (100%, 56/56), and meropenem (100%, 6/6). High sensitivity rates were also observed for levofloxacin (81%, 22/27), moxifloxacin (82%, 14/17), rifampicin (96%, 25/26), and chloramphenicol (91%, 21/23). However, low sensitivity rates were found for penicillin (16%, 11/68) and clindamycin (6%, 1/17), and SP strains were completely resistant to erythromycin (100%, 31/31). The rates of discharge with cure and improvement were 22.5% (36/160) and 66.2% (106/160), respectively, while 18 cases (11.3%) had adverse outcomes., Conclusions: Pediatric PM is more common in children aged 3 months to under 3 years. Intracranial complications are more frequently observed in children under 1 year old. Fever is the most common clinical manifestation of PM, and subdural effusion/emphysema and hydrocephalus are the most frequent complications. Non-culture detection methods for cerebrospinal fluid can improve pathogen detection rates. Adverse outcomes can be noted in more than 10% of PM cases. SP strains are high sensitivity to vancomycin, linezolid, meropenem, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, rifampicin, and chloramphenicol.

Meningitis is associated with elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines in the blood, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and subdural fluid. Subdural effusion prolongs fever in patients with meningitis. However, the reason for this remains unclear. A healthy one-month-old boy was admitted after presenting with bacterial meningitis. He was administered meropenem, cefotaxime, and dexamethasone intravenously. On the 3rd day, blood and CSF cultures revealed the presence of Group B Streptococcus from samples collected on day 1. Subsequently, ampicillin and gentamicin replaced the previous combination of antimicrobials used. On the 4th day, brain magnetic resonance imaging with contrast showed bilateral cerebral ventriculitis and left subdural effusion. On the 11th day, since the subdural effusion had worsened, we performed a subdural puncture from the anterior fontanelle. Owing to the prolonged fever, he was intravenously injected immunoglobulin on day 13. He was afebrile on day 23. Antimicrobials were administered for 28 days. Levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the serum and CSF were the highest on the 1st day at 20,600 pg/mL and 170,000 pg/mL, respectively, and decreased upon treatment. IL-6 concentration in the subdural fluid (30,000 pg/mL) was much higher than that in the serum (9 pg/mL) and CSF (2600 pg/mL). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the cytokines in subdural fluid in patients with group B Streptococcal meningitis. Subdural effusion maintained high levels of IL-6 even after the levels in the blood and CSF decreased dramatically. This could explain why subdural effusion prolongs fever in patients with meningitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To analyze the risk factors of traumatic subdural effusion (TSE) transforming into chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH). Methods A total of 75 patients with TSE after traumatic brain injury (TBI) were included from December 2017 to July 2019. CT or MRI reexamination during treatment and follow-up were performed to observe whether CSDH was transformed and relevant influencing factors were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were performed to screen the risk factors for the transformation of TSE into CSDH. Results Logistic regression analysis showed that the higher effusion density (OR = 6.021, 95% CI: 1.047-34.631; P = 0.044), subdural effusion increases for a long time (OR = 1.253, 95% CI: 1.002-1.568; P = 0.048), the thicker effusion (OR = 2.080, 95% CI: 1.267-3.414; P = 0.004) and brain atrophy (OR = 35.392, 95% CI: 1.397-896.474; P = 0.031) were risk factors for the transformation of TSE into CSDH. Conclusions The subdural effusion increases for a long time, higher effusion density, thicker effusion and brain atrophy are the risk factors associated with the transformation of TSE into CSDH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Forensic Medicine / Fayixue Zazhi is the property of Journal of Forensic Medicine Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background and Importance: Arachnoid cysts are benign nontumoral lesions that are usually found incidentally in brain imaging. Suprasellar Arachnoid Cysts (SSACs) are rare. They can cause hydrocephalus and increased intracranial pressure, lower cranial nerve impairment and endocrine disorder. Sometimes arachnoid cysts become complicated by subdural hematoma/hygroma. Case Presentation: We describe a patient with a suprasellar arachnoid cyst that was complicated with symptomatic subdural effusion and increased intracranial pressure after minor trauma. Conclusion: Although these cysts are rarely complicated with subdural hematoma/hygroma, and intracystic hemorrhage, the probability of subsequent subdural hygroma and increased intracranial pressure should not be underestimated.

Objective: The occurrence and predictors of symptomatic subdural hygroma (SSH) subsequent to the fenestration of pediatric intracranial arachnoid cysts (IACs) are unclear. In this study, the authors aimed to investigate the likelihood of an SSH following IAC fenestration and the impact on operative efficacy with the ultimate goal of constructing a nomogram., Methods: The medical records of 1782 consecutive patients who underwent surgical treatment at the Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine were reviewed. Among these patients, a training cohort (n = 1214) underwent surgery during an earlier period and was used for the development of a nomogram. The remaining patients formed the validation cohort (n = 568) and were used to confirm the performance of the developed model. The development of the nomogram involved the use of potential predictors, while internal validation was conducted using a bootstrap-resampling approach., Results: SSH was detected in 13.2% (160 of 1214) of patients in the training cohort and in 11.1% (63 of 568) of patients in the validation cohort. Through multivariate analysis, several factors including Galassi type, IAC distance to the basal cisterns, temporal bulge, midline shift, IAC shape in the coronal view, area of the stoma, and artery location near the stoma were identified as independent predictors of SSH. These 7 predictors were used to construct a nomogram, which exhibited a concordance statistic (C-statistic) of 0.826 and demonstrated good calibration. Following internal validation, the nomogram maintained good calibration and discrimination with a C-statistic of 0.799 (95% CI 0.665-0.841). Patients who had nomogram scores < 30 or ≥ 30 were considered to be at low and high risk of SSH occurrence, respectively., Conclusions: The predictive model and derived nomogram achieved satisfactory preoperative prediction of SSH. Using this nomogram, the risk for an individual patient can be estimated, and the appropriate surgery can be performed in high-risk patients.