Evaluation of prognostic preoperative factors in patients undergoing surgery for spinal metastases: Results in a consecutive series of 81 cases

Background: Surgical treatment of spinal metastases should be tailored to provide pain control, neurological deficit improvement, and vertebral stability with low operative morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to analyze the predictive value of some preoperative factors on overall survival in patients undergoing surgery for spinal metastases. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a consecutive series of 81 patients who underwent surgery for spinal metastases from 2015 and 2021 in the Clinic of Neurosurgery of Ancona (Italy). Data regarding patients’ baseline characteristics, preoperative Karnofsky Performance Status Score (KPS), and Frankel classification grading system, histology of primary tumor, Tokuhashi revised and Tomita scores, Spine Instability Neoplastic Score, and Epidural Spinal Cord Compression Classification were collected. We also evaluated the interval time between the diagnosis of the primary tumor and the onset of spinal metastasis, the type of surgery, the administration of adjuvant therapy, postoperative pain and Frankel grade, and complications after surgery. The relationship between patients’ overall survival and predictive preoperative factors was analyzed by the Kaplan–Meier method. For the univariate and multivariate analysis, the log-rank test and Cox regression model were used. P ≤ 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: After surgery, the median survival time was 13 months. In our series, the histology of the primary tumor (P < 0.001), the Tomita (P < 0.001) and the Tokuhashi revised scores (P < 0.001), the preoperative KPS (P < 0.001), the adjuvant therapy (P < 0.001), the postoperative Frankel grade (P < 0.001), and the postoperative pain improvement (P < 0.001) were significantly related to overall survival in the univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, the Tomita (P < 0.001), Tokuhashi revised scores (P < 0.001), and the adjuvant therapy were confirmed as independent prognostic factors. Conclusion: These data suggest that patients with limited extension of primitive tumor and responsive to the adjuvant therapy are the best candidates for surgery with better outcome

Managing ventriculoperitoneal shunt exposure in adult patients: surgical options and implant removal prevention

Background: Ventriculoperitoneal shunt exposure is rare. Small series reporting on managing this complication mainly focus on the pediatric population, where wound breaks over cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) chambers are observed most frequently. However, case series on adult patients are missing. Methods: Between June 2004 and December 2019, 18 patients underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunt revision due to implant exposure. Pertinent data were retrospectively collected from the hospital database. Their full clinical history, laboratory values, neuroradiological imaging, pre-treatment CSF characteristics, photographic and video material, and surgery types were reviewed. Results: The ventricular catheter was exposed in eight patients (the frontal region in six and the occipital region in two), the valve chamber at the retroauricular region in six, the shunt tube in seven (at the neck in four, the supraclavicular region in two, and the abdominal incision in one). Multiple exposure sites were found in two cases. Two patients with CSF infections benefitted from system removal and temporary external ventricular drainage until infection control was achieved. The remaining 16 patients underwent on-ward revision (wound curettage, skin mobilisation, and re-suture over the exposed part of the shunt), which was effective in 14 patients, but further revision was required in two patients. Conclusions: While rare, ventriculoperitoneal shunt exposure is a serious complication. In our experience, a prompt and accurate on-ward revision could save the implant in most patients without CSF infections

Management of infected hydroxyapatite cranioplasty: Is salvage feasible?

Introduction: The use of hydroxyapatite cranioplasties has grown progressively over the past few decades. The peculiar biological properties of this material make it particularly suitable for patients with decompressive craniectomy where bone reintegration is a primary objective. However, hydroxyapatite infection rates are similar to those of other reconstructive materials. Research question: We investigated if infected hydroxyapatite implants could be saved or not. Materials and methods: We present a consecutive series over a 10-year period of nine patients treated for hydroxyapatite cranioplasty infection. Clinical and radiological data from admission and follow-up, photo and video material documenting the different phases of infection assessment and treatment, and final outcomes were retrospectively reviewed in an attempt to identify the best options and possible pitfalls in a case-by-case decisionmaking process. Results: Five unilateral and four bifrontal implants became infected. Wound rupture with cranioplasty exposure was the most common presentation. At revision, all implants were ossified, requiring a new craniotomy to clean the purulent epidural collections. The cranioplasty was fully saved in one hemispheric and 2 bifrontal implants and partially saved in the remaining 2 bifrontal implants. A complete cranioplasty removal was needed in the other 4 cases, but immediate cranial reconstruction was possible in 2. Skin defects were covered by free flaps in 3 cases. Four patients underwent adjunctive hyperbaric therapy, which was effective in one case. Discussion and conclusion: In our experience, infected hydroxyapatite cranioplasty management is complex and requires a multidisciplinary approach. Salvage of a hydroxyapatite implant is possible under specific circumstances. 1. Introduction The use of hydroxyapatite (HA) cranioplasty has progressively gained acceptance in neurosurgical practice over the past few decades (Stefini et al. 2013; Fricia et al. 2019). The unique biological properties of this material (especially its microporous structure aiming at osteointegration and its self-repairing ability in case of breaks) make it suitable for cranial reconstruction after decompressive craniectomy (DC), particularly in young patients (Staffa et al. 2012; Iaccarino et al. 2015). However, though several solutions have been proposed to avoid dislocations/ mobilizations, HA cranioplasties are difficult to adequately anchor to the surrounding skull. They are also usually thicker than other implants but practically no longer adjustable once placed, as any intraoperative modification could cause micro-fractures in the still fragile prosthese

Laminectomy versus Unilateral Hemilaminectomy for the Removal of Intraspinal Schwannoma: Experience of a Single Institution and Review of Literature

Background and Study Aims Spinal schwannomas are benign slow-growing tumors, and gross total resection is the gold standard of treatment. The conventional surgical approach is laminectomy, which provides a wide working area. Today minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is popular because it is associated with shorter hospital stay, less operative blood loss, minimized tissue traumas and relative postoperative pain, and, and spine surgery, avoidance of spinal instability. Material and Methods From January 2016 to December 2019, we operated on 40 patients with spinal intradural extramedullary tumor (schwannoma) with laminectomy or hemilaminectomy. Baseline medical data, including patients' sex and age, tumor location, days of postoperative bed rest, operative time, length of hospitalization, and 1-month visual analog scale (VAS) value were collected and analyzed. Data analysis was performed using STATA/IC 13.1 statistical package (StataCorp LP, College Station, Texas, United States). Results Hemilaminectomy was associated with faster operative time (p < 0.001), shorter postoperative time spent in bed (p < 0.001), and shorter hospitalization (p < 0.001). At 1-month follow-up, the mean VAS score was 4.6 (1.7) among the laminectomy patients and 2.5 (1.3) among the hemilaminectomy patients (p < 0.001). Postoperative complications occurred in 1 (7.7%) and 7 (25.9%) patients in the hemilaminectomy and laminectomy groups, respectively (p = 0.177). Conclusions Unilateral hemilaminectomy has significant advantages compared with laminectomy in spinal schwannoma surgery including shorter operative time, less time spent in bed, shorter hospitalization, and less postoperative pain. © 2021 Georg Thieme Verlag. All rights reserved

The relationship between preoperative predictive factors for clinical outcome in patients operated for lumbar spinal stenosis by decompressive laminectomy

ABSTRACT Background: Our hypothesis was that by identifying certain preoperative predictive factors, we could favorably impact clinical outcomes in patients undergoing decompressive surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Methods: In this retrospective study, there were 65 patients (2016–2018) with symptomatic LSS who underwent decompressive laminectomy without fusion. Their clinical outcomes were assessed utilizing the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Multiple preoperative variables were studied to determine which ones would help predict improved outcomes: gender, age, body mass index (BMI), general/neurological examination, smoking, and drug therapies (anxiolytics and/or antidepressants). Results: All patients demonstrated statistically significant improvement on the ODI. Multivariate analysis revealed that those with higher preoperative BMI had significantly lower ODI on 1-year follow-up examinations, reflecting poorer outcomes. Postoperatively, 44 patients (67%) exhibited lower utilization of anxiolytic medications, 52 patients (80%) showed reduced use of antidepressant drugs, and pain medications utilization was reduced in 33 patients (50%). Conclusion: Decompressive laminectomy without fusion effectively managed LSS. It reduced patients’ use of pain, anxiety, and antidepressant medications. In addition, we found that increased preoperative BMIs contributed to poorer postoperative outcomes (e.g., ODI values)

Characterization and Ex Vivo Application of Indocyanine Green Chitosan Patches in Dura Mater Laser Bonding

Dura mater repair represents a final and crucial step in neurosurgery: an inadequate dural reconstruction determines dreadful consequences that significantly increase morbidity and mortality rates. Different dural substitutes have been used with suboptimal results. To overcome this issue, in previous studies, we proposed a laser-based approach to the bonding of porcine dura mater, evidencing the feasibility of the laser-assisted procedure. In this work, we present the optimization of this approach in ex vivo experiments performed on porcine dura mater. An 810-nm continuous-wave AlGaAs (Aluminium Gallium Arsenide) diode laser was used for welding Indocyanine Green-loaded patches (ICG patches) to the dura. The ICG-loaded patches were fabricated using chitosan, a resistant, pliable and stable in the physiological environment biopolymer; moreover, their absorption peak was very close to the laser emission wavelength. Histology, thermal imaging and leak pressure tests were used to evaluate the bonding effect. We demonstrated that the application of 3 watts (W), pulsed mode (Ton 30 ms, Toff 3.5 ms) laser light induces optimal welding of the ICG patch to the dura mater, ensuring an average fluid leakage pressure of 216 ± 105 mmHg, falling within the range of physiological parameters. This study demonstrated that the thermal effect is limited and spatially confined and that the laser bonding procedure can be used to close the dura mater. Our results showed the effectiveness of this approach and encourage further experiments in in vivo models