Multidisciplinary Approach for the Management of Brain Arteriovenous Malformations

Objective: The main Objective of this study was to evaluate the significance of multimodality treatment of AVMs.Material and Methods: The data for this study was collected from the four years audit of surgical management of Arterio-venous Malformation in King Faisal Specialist Hospital and research center Jeddah, from year 2014 to 2017 which include 24 patients with brain AVMs.Results: In our study equal no. of male and female patients were recorded i.e. 12 patients in each group (50.00%). Seventeen (70.83%) patients were found in the first three decades of life indicating that the disease affects the younger age group. Main presenting complaint was seizures that was noted in 16 patient (66.66%) while headache was present in 15 patients (62.50%) followed by other signs and symptoms. Treatment of the patient was tailored according to the type of AVM its grade and the best possible way to take the complex disease. It included combination of pre-surgical or post-operative embolization, Complete of partial surgical resection of the lesion and stereotactic radiosurgery. The combination of these modalities were employed according to the situation of the patient to keep the plan of treatment safe, affective and ending finally in exclusion of the disease from the brain circulation. Pre-surgical embolization was successfully done in 7(29.16%) patients wile surgical resection was done in all patients at different stages of treatment. With use of multidisplanary approach in this series; Improvement was seen in 16 (66.66%) of the patient, 6 (25.00%) revealed no improvement while one patient (04.16%) was deteriorated.Conclusion: It was concluded that tailoring the treatment plan and use of multidisciplinary Approach for the management of Brain AVM depending upon their initial grades according to Spetrelz Martin grading system results in maximum favorable results

Immunolocalization of neurokinin 1 receptor in WHO grade 4 astrocytomas, oral squamous cell and urothelial carcinoma

Neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) induces inflammatory reactions in peripheral tissues but its regulatory effects in target tissues is dependent on receptor signalling. Substance P (SP) has a high affinity for the NK-1R, to which it binds preferentially. We aimed to investigate the expression of NK-1R in World Health Organization (WHO) grade 4 astrocytomas as well as in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and urothelial carcinoma, and its association with disease progression.The study included tissue samples from 19 brain astrocytomas, 40 OSCCs and 10 urothelial carcinomas. NK-1R expression was quantitatively assessed in the tumour cells using immunohistochemistry. The relationship between NK-1R expression in astrocytomas and recurrence-free interval has been explored.The results showed that the NK-1R was intensely expressed in patients with WHO grade 4 astrocytoma, OSCC and urothelial carcinoma. However, cases clinically diagnosed as a low-grade cancer showed reduced NK-1R expression.NK-1R is overexpressed in all cases of WHO grade 4 astrocytoma, OSCC and urothelial carcinoma. The ubi-quitous presence of SP/NK-1R complex during tumour development and progression suggests a possible therapeutic key strategy to use NK-1R antagonist as an adjuvant therapy in the future

The anterior gradient homologue 2 (AGR2) co‑localises with the glucose‑regulated protein 78 (GRP78) in cancer stem cells, and is critical for the survival and drug resistance of recurrent glioblastoma: in situ and in vitro analyses

open access articleBackground: Glioblastomas (GBs) are characterised as one of the most aggressive primary central nervous system tumours (CNSTs). Single-cell sequencing analysis identified the presence of a highly heterogeneous population of cancer stem cells (CSCs). The proteins anterior gradient homologue 2 (AGR2) and glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) are known to play critical roles in regulating unfolded protein response (UPR) machinery. The UPR machinery influences cell survival, migration, invasion and drug resistance. Hence, we investigated the role of AGR2 in drug-resistant recurrent glioblastoma cells. Methods: Immunofluorescence, biological assessments and whole exome sequencing analyses were completed under in situ and in vitro conditions. Cells were treated with CNSTs clinical/preclinical drugs taxol, cisplatin, irinotecan, MCK8866, etoposide, and temozolomide, then resistant cells were analysed for the expression of AGR2. AGR2 was repressed using single and double siRNA transfections and combined with either temozolomide or irinotecan. Results: Genomic and biological characterisations of the AGR2-expressed Jed66_GB and Jed41_GB recurrent glioblastoma tissues and cell lines showed features consistent with glioblastoma. Immunofluorescence data indicated that AGR2 co-localised with the UPR marker GRP78 in both the tissue and their corresponding primary cell lines. AGR2 and GRP78 were highly expressed in glioblastoma CSCs. Following treatment with the aforementioned drugs, all drug-surviving cells showed high expression of AGR2. Prolonged siRNA repression of a particular region in AGR2 exon 2 reduced AGR2 protein expression and led to lower cell densities in both cell lines. Co-treatments using AGR2 exon 2B siRNA in conjunction with temozolomide or irinotecan had partially synergistic effects. The slight reduction of AGR2 expression increased nuclear Caspase-3 activation in both cell lines and caused multinucleation in the Jed66_GB cell line. Conclusions: AGR2 is highly expressed in UPR-active CSCs and drug-resistant GB cells, and its repression leads to apoptosis, via multiple pathways

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Atlas Hypoplasia and Ossification of the Transverse Atlantal Ligament: A Rare Cause of Cervical Myelopathy

Myelopathy at the level of the atlas is rarely encountered by the practicing spine surgeon. Due to the region's unique anatomy, compression of the cord at this level is either caused by a large compressing lesion or an abnormally stenotic canal. We describe a rare instance of a congenitally stenotic canal due to a hypoplastic intact posterior arch of atlas, coexisting with an extremely rare ossified transverse ligament of the atlas. The coexistence of these two lesions has only been documented thrice before. We describe the clinical presentation, imaging findings, and favorable response to surgery

Case Report Atlas Hypoplasia and Ossification of the Transverse Atlantal Ligament: A Rare Cause of Cervical Myelopathy

Myelopathy at the level of the atlas is rarely encountered by the practicing spine surgeon. Due to the region's unique anatomy, compression of the cord at this level is either caused by a large compressing lesion or an abnormally stenotic canal. We describe a rare instance of a congenitally stenotic canal due to a hypoplastic intact posterior arch of atlas, coexisting with an extremely rare ossified transverse ligament of the atlas. The coexistence of these two lesions has only been documented thrice before. We describe the clinical presentation, imaging findings, and favorable response to surgery

Remote cerebellar hemorrhage due to ventriculoperitoneal shunt in an infant: a case report

Abstract Introduction Cerebellar hemorrhage remote from the operative site is an unpredictable and rare complication in neurosurgery, with reported rates of morbidity and mortality in the literature of 8.4% and 7.8%, respectively. The range of procedures associated with remote cerebellar hemorrhage is diverse and includes both supratentorial and spinal procedures that entail significant cerebral spinal fluid loss or resection of supratentorial content. We present here the first documented case of remote cerebellar hemorrhage after controlled supratentorial cerebral spinal fluid drainage by ventriculoperitoneal shunt, and discuss the proposed pathophysiology and treatment. Case presentation We present the case of a four-month-old Saudi Arabian male baby who presented with progressive symptoms and signs of congenital hydrocephalus. An uneventful ventriculoperitoneal shunting was performed with our patient recovering smoothly in the immediate postoperative period. On the next day, he had frequent episodes of vomiting and became lethargic. An urgent computed tomography scan of his brain revealed mild ventricular decompression and unexpected cerebellar hemorrhage. The infant was put under close observation, with marked spontaneous improvement over 48 hours and complete resolution of the hemorrhage on a follow-up computed tomography brain scan two weeks later. On regular outpatient visits at one, three and twelve months, he had no neurological deficit. Conclusion Remote cerebellar hemorrhage is a complication that remains enigmatic in terms of both the underlying mechanism and clinical behavior. Our case revealed that the risk factors identified in the literature are not sufficient in predicting patients at risk of developing remote cerebellar hemorrhage. Our report also adds to the growing body of evidence challenging the currently accepted hypothesis explaining the pathomechanism of remote cerebellar hemorrhage. It thereby remains an unpredictable hazard that requires further study and increased awareness, as many cases in the literature are incidental findings.</p