Intraspinal Lumbar Juxtaarticular Cyst Treatment through CT-Guided Percutaneus Induced Rupture Results in a Favorable Patient Outcome

Juxta-articular cysts are synovial cysts originating from the facet joints or the flava ligaments. If they grow intra-spinally they can compress nervous structures and cause a variety of symptoms. Micro-neurosurgery is usually the treatment of choice. Alternatively to surgical treatment the cyst can be approached and treated with a CT guided percutaneous injection inducing rupture. After fulfilling strict selection criteria twenty patients (25% of all treated lumbar synovial cyst patients), were treated minimally invasive by this method from 2010–2016. The facet joint was punctured under CT guidance and a mixture of a local anesthetic and contrast liquid was injected until the cyst was blasted. The mean follow-up period was 1.1 years (range 2 weeks–5 years). Fifteen of twenty procedures were successful and cyst rupture was confirmed by CTscans. Twelve of these fifteen patients experienced a significant improvement of their symptoms and needed no further intervention or surgical procedure up until now, three patients showed no clinical improvement and were treated surgically within one week after cyst rupture. In five patients it was technically not possible to rupture the cyst. These patients were treated microsurgically by cyst resection and dynamic stabilization or fusion procedures. The percutaneus rupture of juxtaarticular cysts has fewer risks and is cost effective compared to microsurgical resection. It may be an alternative to surgical treatment for a selected group of patients. However there are some limitations to the procedure though, such as difficult patient selection, unpredictable outcome or technical problems due to highly degenerated facet joints

Intraspinal lumbar juxtaarticular cyst treatment through CT-guided percutaneus induced rupture results in a favorable patient outcome

Juxta-articular cysts are synovial cysts originating from the facet joints or the flava ligaments. If they grow intra-spinally they can compress nervous structures and cause a variety of symptoms. Micro-neurosurgery is usually the treatment of choice. Alternatively to surgical treatment the cyst can be approached and treated with a CT guided percutaneous injection inducing rupture. After fulfilling strict selection criteria twenty patients (25% of all treated lumbar synovial cyst patients), were treated minimally invasive by this method from 2010-2016. The facet joint was punctured under CT guidance and a mixture of a local anesthetic and contrast liquid was injected until the cyst was blasted. The mean follow-up period was 1.1 years (range 2 weeks - 5 years). Fifteen of twenty procedures were successful and cyst rupture was confirmed by CTscans. Twelve of these fifteen patients experienced a significant improvement of their symptoms and needed no further intervention or surgical procedure up until now, three patients showed no clinical improvement and were treated surgically within one week after cyst rupture. In five patients it was technically not possible to rupture the cyst. These patients were treated microsurgically by cyst resection and dynamic stabilization or fusion procedures. The percutaneus rupture of juxtaarticular cysts has fewer risks and is cost effective compared to microsurgical resection. It may be an alternative to surgical treatment for a selected group of patients. However there are some limitations to the procedure though, such as difficult patient selection, unpredictable outcome or technical problems due to highly degenerated facet joints

Cost Comparison of Surgical and Endovascular Treatment of Unruptured Giant Intracranial Aneurysms

BACKGROUND: Giant intracranial aneurysms (GIAs), which are defined as intracranial aneurysms (IAs) with a diameter of ≥25 mm, are most likely associated with the highest treatment costs of all IAs. However, the treatment costs of unruptured GIAs have so far not been reported. OBJECTIVE: To examine direct costs of endovascular and surgical treatment of unruptured GIAs. METHODS: We retrospectively examined 55 patients with unruptured GIAs treated surgically (37 patients) or endovascularly (18 patients) between April 2004 and March 2014. We analyzed the costs of all hospital stays, interventions, and imaging with a median follow-up of 46 months. RESULTS: There was no difference in the costs of hospital stay between surgical and endovascular treatment groups ($10 565 vs$14 992; P .37). Imaging costs were significantly higher in the surgical group than in the endovascular treatment group ($2890 vs$1612; P <.01), as were the costs of the intervention room and personnel involved in the intervention ($5566 vs$1520; P <.01). Implants used per patient were more expensive in the endovascular group than in the surgical treatment group ($20 885 vs$167). The total direct treatment costs were higher in the endovascular group ($52 325) than in the surgical treatment group ($20 619; P <.01). Treatment costs were associated with the type of treatment and GIA location but not with patient age, sex, or GIA size. CONCLUSION: Endovascular GIA treatment produced higher direct costs than surgical GIA treatment mainly due to higher implant costs. Reducing endovascular implant costs may be the most effective tool to decrease direct costs of GIA treatment

Endplate changes after lumbar discectomy with and without implantation of an annular closure device

The implantation of a bone-anchored annular closure device (ACD) might be associated with the developed new endplate changes (EPC) after surgery. A post hoc analysis has been done in patients from a prospective randomized multicenter study. All patients underwent limited lumbar discectomy with intraoperative randomization into the groups limited lumbar discectomy alone or additional ACD implantation. Low-dose lumbar computed tomography (CT) and clinical investigations were performed preoperatively and 12 months after the operation. A total of 554 patients were randomized. After exclusion of dropouts, the per-protocol population included 493 patients (251 in the control group and 242 in the ACD group); the follow-up rate was ≥ 90%. The number of patients showing EPC at baseline was similar in both groups. The number of patients showing EPC and the total EPC lesion area significantly increased in both groups over time, but significantly increased more in the EPC group for the superior and inferior endplate (all P  < 0.0001). There was no association of pre-existing number and size of EPC with sex, age, or smoking habits. Correlation of clinical variables showed no relation with number, size, and increase of EPC area after surgery. Patients with primary lumbar disc herniation show EPC in the corresponding segments. There is a significant increase of lesion number and size within 12 months after discectomy. This increase is significantly more pronounced in the ACD group. Presence and growth of EPC is not correlated with low-back pain or OD

Clinical Implications of Vertebral Endplate Disruptions After Lumbar Discectomy: 3-Year Results from a Randomized Trial of a Bone-Anchored Annular Closure Device

Objective: Vertebral endplate disruptions (VEPD) are common findings on imaging after lumbar surgery. The objective of this study was to explore the clinical implications of VEPD development following lumbar discectomy with or without implant with a bone-anchored annular closure device (ACD). Methods: This was a multicenter randomized controlled trial of patients with large post-surgical annular defects after limited lumbar discectomy who were randomized to addition-ally receive an ACD or no additional treatment. VEPD were identified on computed tomography and confirmed by an imaging core laboratory. Clinical outcomes included recurrent herniation, reoperation, Oswestry Disability Index, leg pain, and back pain. Patient follow-up in this study was 3 years. Results: In the ACD group (n=272), the risk of reoperation was lower in patients with vs without VEPD (8% vs 24%, p<0.01), but no other clinical outcomes differed when stratified by VEPD prevalence or size. In the Control group (n=278), the risk of symptomatic reherniation was higher in patients with VEPD (41% vs 23%, p<0.01) and patients with the largest VEPD had the highest reoperation rates. Patient-reported outcomes were not associated with VEPD prevalence or size in the Control group. Conclusion: VEPD had no significant influence on patient-reported outcomes at 3 years after lumbar discectomy. VEPD increased the risk of recurrence in patients treated with lumbar discectomy only, but had no negative influence in patients treated with the ACD

Clinical implications and radiographic characteristics of the relation between giant intracranial aneurysms of the posterior circulation and the brainstem

Giant intracranial aneurysms of the posterior circulation (GPCirA) are rare entities compressing the brainstem and adjacent structures. Previous evidence has shown that the amount of brainstem shift away from the cranial base is not associated with neurological deficits. This raises the question whether other factors may be associated with neurological deficits

Perianeurysmal edema in giant intracranial aneurysms in relation to aneurysm location, size, and partial thrombosis

OBJECT The underlying mechanisms causing intracranial perianeurysmal edema (PAE) are still poorly understood. Since PAE is most frequently observed in giant intracranial aneurysms (GIAs), the authors designed a study to examine the occurrence of PAE in relation to the location, size, and partial thrombosis (PT) of GIAs along with the clinical impact of PAE. METHODS Magnetic resonance imaging data for patients with a diagnosis of unruptured GIA from the international multicenter Giant Intracranial Aneurysm Registry were retrospectively analyzed with regard to location and size of the GIA, PAE volume, and the presence of PT. The occurrence of PAE was correlated to clinical findings. RESULTS Imaging data for 69 GIAs were eligible for inclusion in this study. Perianeurysmal edema was observed in 33.3% of all cases, with the highest frequency in GIAs of the middle cerebral artery (MCA; 68.8%) and the lowest frequency in GIAs of the cavernous internal carotid artery (ICA; 0.0%). Independent predictors of PAE formation were GIA volume (OR 1.13, p = 0.02) and the occurrence of PT (OR 9.84, p = 0.04). Giant intracranial aneurysm location did not predict PAE occurrence. Giant aneurysms with PAE were larger than GIAs without PAE (p < 0.01), and GIA volume correlated with PAE volume (rs = 0.51, p = 0.01). Perianeurysmal edema had no influence on the modified Rankin Scale score (p = 0.30 or the occurrence of aphasia (p = 0.61) or hemiparesis (p = 0.82). CONCLUSIONS Perianeurysmal edema was associated with GIA size and the presence of PT. As no PAE was observed in cavernous ICA aneurysms, even though they exerted mass effect on the brain and also displayed PT, the dura mater may serve as a barrier protecting the brain from PAE formation

Quantifying unruptured giant intracranial aneurysms by measuring diameter and volume--a comparative analysis of 69 cases

Intracranial aneurysms (IA) are usually quantified according to their largest diameter. However, volumetry has recently been increasingly conducted as well, especially in giant intracranial aneurysms (GIAs). Since so far the true value of GIA volumetry is unknown, we designed a trial to examine correlations between GIA diameter and volume with special focus on clinical implications