Refractory High Intracranial Pressure following Intraventricular Hemorrhage due to Moyamoya Disease in a Pregnant Caucasian Woman

Intraventricular hemorrhage during pregnancy is usually followed by a poor recovery. When caused by moyamoya disease, ischemic or hemorrhagic episodes may complicate the management of high intracranial pressure. A 26-year-old Caucasian woman presented with generalized seizures and a Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) of 3 during the 36th week of pregnancy. The fetus was delivered by caesarean section. The brain CT in the mother revealed bilateral intraventricular hemorrhage, a callosal hematoma, hydrocephalus and right frontal ischemia. Refractory high intracranial pressure developed and required bilateral ventricular drainage and intensive care treatment with barbiturates and hypothermia. Magnetic resonance imaging and cerebral angiography revealed a moyamoya syndrome with rupture of the abnormal collateral vascular network as the cause of the hemorrhage. Intracranial pressure could only be controlled after the surgical removal of the clots after a large opening of the right ventricle. Despite an initially low GCS, this patient made a good functional recovery at one year follow-up. Management of refractory high intracranial pressure following moyamoya related intraventricular bleeding should require optimal removal of ventricular clots and appropriate control of cerebral hemodynamics to avoid ischemic or hemorrhagic complications

Natural history and surgical outcome of incidentally discovered clinically nonfunctioning pituitary macroadenomas

Objectives: The incidental diagnosis of nonfunctioning pituitary macroadenomas (NFPMAs) is becoming more prevalent with the spread of modern brain imaging techniques. We sought to uncover new data about their natural history and surgical outcome. Design: This is a retrospective single-center observational study. Methods: Among 210 patients seen for a NFPMA between 2010 and 2019, 70 ( 33%) were discovered incidentally (i-NFPMA). We analyzed outcomes in a total of 65 patients with available follow-up data. Results: Mean age at diagnosis (± s.d.) was 60 ± 14 years and mean maximal diameter was 20.0 ± 7.3 mm. At diagnosis, 29 patients (45%) had pituitary hormone deficits (LH/FSH 41%, TSH 29%, ACTH 15%) and 12% had visual field deficits. 26 patients underwent initial surgery, while 12 had delayed surgery after initial surveillance. In the surveillance group, the risk of tumor growth was estimated at 10%/year. Patients with hormonal deficits at diagnosis experienced earlier growth at 24 months (P < 0.02). Overall, surgical resection of the i-NFPMA led to stable or improved endocrine function in 91% of patients, with only 6% postoperative permanent diabetes insipidus. Moreover, surgery was more effective in preserving intact endocrine function (10/12) than restoring altered endocrine function to normal (6/22, P = 0.03). Conclusion: About one-third of NFPMAs are now discovered incidentally and a significant subset may be responsible for unrecognized endocrine and visual deficits. Under surveillance the risk of further tumor growth is significant (10 %/year) and seems to occur faster in patients already harboring an endocrine deficit. Early surgical removal before onset of endocrine deficits appears to lead to better endocrine outcome

Impact of intraoperative three-dimensional fluoroscopy and navigation in lumbar spine fusion : application of new technologies and bioengineering

Overall, 70–85% of individuals will present with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Concepts for its management are multimodal and multidisciplinary. If conservative management fails, surgery becomes an option. Spinal stabilization with fusion is considered a valid option for treating CLBP refractory to conservative management. Efforts have been made to make spinal fusion more efficient as well as more accurate. In a dedicated operating room equipped with intraoperative 3D fluoroscopy and an advanced navigation system, we have demonstrated that these new technologies can help to improve pedicle screw placement during spinal fusion procedures while decreasing the drawbacks associated with imaging utilization. For the first time in humans, we have also safely and efficiently applied osteodifferentiated adipose mesenchymal stem cells to spinal fusion as a graft material. Extended studies are ongoing to confirm our findings(MED - Sciences médicales) -- UCL, 201

Comparative Cohort Study of Percutaneous Pedicle Screw Implantation without Versus with Navigation in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Degenerative Lumbar Disc Disease.

The major limitation of computer-based three-dimensional fluoroscopy is increased radiation exposure of patients and operating room staff. Combining spine navigation with intraoperative three-dimensional fluoroscopy (io3DF) can likely overcome this shortcoming, while increasing pedicle screw accuracy rate. We compared data from a cohort of patients undergoing lumbar percutaneous pedicle screw placement using io3DF alone or in combination with spine navigation. This study consisted of 168 patients who underwent percutaneous pedicle screw implantation between 2009 and 2016. The primary endpoint was to compare pedicle screw accuracy between the 2 groups. Secondary endpoints were to compare radiation exposure of patients and operating room staff, duration of surgery, and postoperative complications. In group 1, 438 screws were placed without navigation guidance; in group 2, 276 screws were placed with spine navigation. Mean patient age in both groups was 58.6 ± 14.1 years. The final pedicle accuracy rate was 97.9% in group 1 and 99.6% in group 2. Average radiation dose per patient was significantly larger in group 1 (571.9 mGym) than in group 2 (365.6 mGym) (P = 0.000088). Surgery duration and complication rate were not significantly different between the 2 groups (P > 0.05). io3DF with spine navigation minimized radiation exposure of patients and operating room staff and provided an excellent percutaneous pedicle screw accuracy rate with no permanent complications compared with io3DF alone. This setup is recommended, especially for patients with a complex degenerative spine condition

Spine Navigation Based on 3-Dimensional Robotic Fluoroscopy for Accurate Percutaneous Pedicle Screw Placement: A Prospective Study of 66 Consecutive Cases.

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive spine surgery is associated with obstructed visibility of anatomic landmarks and increased radiation exposure, leading to higher incidence of pedicle screw mispositioning. To address these drawbacks, intraoperative 3-dimensional fluoroscopy (io3DF) and navigation are being increasingly used. We aimed to present our dedicated multifunctional hybrid operating room (HyOR) setup and evaluate the accuracy and safety of io3DF image-guided spinal navigation in transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion with percutaneous pedicle screw (PPS) placement. METHODS: The HyOR includes a fixed 3D multiaxis robotic fluoroscopy arm that moves automatically to the preprogrammed position when needed. An initial io3DF assessment is performed to collect intraoperative images, which are automatically transferred into the navigation system. These data are used to calibrate the PPSs and insert them under computer-assisted navigation. A second io3DF is performed for verifying PPS position. RESULTS: Between January 2014 and December 2016, 66 consecutive patients (age, 58.6 ± 14.1 years) were treated for refractory lumbar degenerative pain. Seventy-three spinal levels were treated, and 276 screws were placed, with 4.2 ± 0.76 screws per patient. There was no measurable radiation to the HyOR staff, whereas the mean radiation dose per patient was 378.3 μGym2. The overall accuracy rate of PPS placement was 99.6%. There were no significant procedure-related complications. CONCLUSIONS: Spine navigation based on io3DF images enabled us to avoid radiation exposure to the operating room team while delivering minimal but sufficient radiation doses to our patients. This approach achieved an accuracy rate of 99.6% for PPS placement in the safe zone, without significant complications

Outcome of transsphenoidal surgery for Cushing's disease : A high remission rate in ACTH-secreting macroadenomas

OBJECTIVE: Although numerous studies have shown that transsphenoidal surgery is the best initial treatment for Cushing disease offering 59-95% of success, fewer information is available on the long-term outcome in the subgroup of patients harboring ACTH-secreting macroadenomas. The aims of this study were to analyze our 10-year experience with transsphenoidal surgery in Cushing's disease and to examine whether remission rates were different between micro- and macroadenomas. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty consecutive patients with proven Cushing's disease (28 microadenomas, 12 macroadenomas [diameter: 10-25mm], 3 patients with no visible adenoma at MRI) underwent transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) assisted by neuronavigation in our center between 1996 and 2007. The diagnosis was made using standard endocrinological criteria including bilateral inferior petrosal sinus sampling (BIPSS) with CRH stimulation in all patients with discordant or equivocal biochemical and radiological testing. Morning serum cortisol was measured during the first week postoperatively, and a complete endocrine evaluation was made in all patients at 6-8 weeks. Remission at follow-up was defined as a normal postoperative 24-h urinary free cortisol (UFC) or continued need for glucocorticoid hormone replacement after TSS. RESULTS: Overall, 32/40 patients (80%) were in remission after one or more TSS. Interestingly, a very good remission rate (92%) was observed in the subset of macroadenomas, similar to that found in the group of microadenomas (84%, NS), while no post-surgical remission was observed in the 3 patients with no visible adenoma at MRI (p<0.01). Of the 8 patients not in remission after repeated TSS surgery, 3 underwent radiation therapy and three had bilateral adrenalectomy, allowing remission of their hypercortisolism. There was minor morbidity and no death. CONCLUSION: While our overall results are in accordance with other published series, we show here that ACTH-secreting pituitary macroadenomas are usually not associated with a bad outcome, in contrast with patients with no visible adenoma at preoperative MRI

Présentation exceptionnelle d'une hypophysite lymphocytaire

L’hypophysite lymphocytaire résulte d’une atteinte inflammatoire auto-immunitaire de la glande pituitaire et survient le plus souvent chez la femme jeune, pendant ou après une grossesse. Sa présentation clinique classique se caractérise par des céphalées et des troubles visuels, associés à une insuffisance hypophysaire partielle ou complète. Nous rapportons ici le cas exceptionnel d’hypophysite lymphocytaire chez un homme âgé de 46 ans, se manifestant par des céphalées, une diplopie, une fatigue chronique et une polyuro-polydipsie intermittente. L’imagerie par résonance magnétique (IRM) cérébrale a démontré la présence d’une masse hypophysaire inflammatoire, s’étendant vers les sinus caverneux et entraînant une occlusion totale de la carotide interne droite intracaverneuse. L’exploration hormonale a révélé un panhypopituitarisme. Une biopsie hypophysaire a permis de confirmer le diagnostic final. A propos de ce cas clinique, nous revoyons la littérature concernant le diagnostic et la prise en charge de l’hypophysite lymphocytaire ou auto-immun

Intramedullary holocord abscess secondary to infected dermoid cyst.

In the literature, less than ten cases of holocord intramedullary abscess in children have been described. A 15-month-old girl presented with flaccid paraplegia and dermal sinus in the sacral region. MRI highlighted an infected lumbar dermoid cyst. The child underwent surgery to remove the cyst and purulent collection. Five days after surgery, she developed upper limbs paresis. An MRI showed a holocord abscess. A catheter was inserted through a cervical myelotomy into the abscess for drainage with a good postoperative recovery. A rapid management, even for extended or recurrent intramedullary abscess, can prevent potential severe neurological dysfunctions