Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary intracranial neoplasia, and is characterized by its extremely poor prognosis. Despite maximum surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, the histological heterogeneity of GBM makes total eradication impossible, due to residual cancer cells invading the parenchyma, which is not otherwise seen in radiographic images. Even with gross total resection, the heterogeneity and the dormant nature of brain tumor initiating cells allow for therapeutic evasion, contributing to its recurrence and malignant progression, and severely impacting survival. Visual delimitation of the tumor’s margins with common surgical techniques is a challenge faced by many surgeons. In an attempt to achieve optimal safe resection, advances in approaches allowing intraoperative analysis of cancer and non-cancer tissue have been developed and applied in humans resulting in improved outcomes. In addition, functional paradigms based on stimulation techniques to map the brain’s electrical activity have optimized glioma resection in eloquent areas such as the Broca’s, Wernike’s and perirolandic areas. In this review, we will elaborate on the current standard therapy for newly diagnosed and recurrent glioblastoma with a focus on surgical approaches. We will describe current technologies used for glioma resection, such as awake craniotomy, fluorescence guided surgery, laser interstitial thermal therapy and intraoperative mass spectrometry. Additionally, we will describe a newly developed tool that has shown promising results in preclinical experiments for brain cancer: optical coherence tomography.

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BACKGROUND Falcine meningiomas have unique characteristics including their high rates of recurrence, association with high grade pathology, increased male prevalence, and potential for diffuse involvement of the falx. OBJECTIVE To address these issues in a substantial series of falcine meningiomas and report on the impact of extent of resection for this distinct meningioma entity. METHODS Retrospective analysis of characteristics and outcomes of 59 falcine meningioma patients who underwent surgery with the senior author. A “Grade Zero” category was used when an additional resection margin of 2 to 3 cm from the tumor insertion was achieved. RESULTS For de novo falcine meningiomas, gross total resection (GTR) was associated with significantly decreased recurrence incidence compared with subtotal resection (P ≤ .0001). For recurrent falcine meningiomas, median progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly improved for GTR cases (37 mo vs 12 mo; P = .017, hazard ratio (HR) .243 (.077-.774)). “Grade Zero” resection demonstrated excellent durability for both de novo and recurrent cases, and PFS was significantly improved with “Grade Zero” resection for recurrent cases (P = .003, HR 1.544 (1.156-2.062)). The PFS benefit of “Grade Zero” resection did not achieve statistical significance over Simpson grade 1 during the limited follow-up period (mean 2.8 yr) for these groups. CONCLUSION The recurrence of falcine meningiomas is related to the diffuse presence of tumor between the leaflets of the falx. Increased extent of resection including, when possible, a clear margin of falx surrounding the tumor base was associated with the best long-term outcomes in our series, particularly for recurrent tumors.

Background: Severe traumatic brain injuries (TBI), commonly due to motor vehicle accidents may cause death and long-term disability especially when the acceleration-deceleration force on the brain is massive. This may cause shearing of the axonal connections within the cerebral cortex and brainstem in a process referred to as diffuse axonal injury (DAI). Extensive DAI has been postulated to be a poor prognostic indicator for neurological recovery. In our institution, several patients with Grade 3 DAI were observed to recover and achieve neurological outcomes greater than expected given the presence of brainstem injury. Methods: MRI studies from 100 patients admitted to a large tertiary trauma center for TBI were retrospectively analyzed by two fellowship-trained neuroradiologists. The size of DAI lesions, location of injury within the brainstem, and the number of discrete DAI lesions were measured and recorded. Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) on arrival and at discharge was noted, as well as the presence of other neurological injuries. Results: Of 20 patients initially noted to have DAI with lesions of the brainstem, eight of them were discharged with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 14–15. The 12 patients discharged with reduced consciousness (average GC 7.1) demonstrated a greater number of larger lesions, with a predilection for the dorsal pons. Conclusion: These results suggest that large, numerous pontine lesions may indicate worse neurological outcomes in patients with these findings.

Complex posterior circulation aneurysms are formidable lesions with an abysmal natural history. Their management continues to present a challenge to both endovascular and open microsurgical approaches. Affording an expansive, combined supra- and infratentorial exposure, the petrosal approaches are well suited for these challenging lesions when located along the basilar trunk or at a low-lying basilar apex. This report evaluates the evolution and application of petrosal approaches to these lesions. Excluding transsigmoid, infratentorial, or labyrinth-sacrificing approaches, the authors found 23 reports with 61 posterior circulation aneurysms treated via a petrosal approach. Although early morbidity was not negligible, rates of aneurysm occlusion (95% overall) and long-term outcome were quite laudable in light of the challenge posed by these lesions. Moreover, with accumulating experience with petrosal approaches, rates of complications are likely to wane, as neurosurgeons capitalize on the expansive exposure afforded by these indispensable approaches.

In this article, the authors review the history of the posterior petrosal approach. The early foundation of the retrolabyrinthine lateral petrosectomy has its roots in the otolaryngology literature. These early approaches were limited in exposure by the tentorium superiorly and the sigmoid sinus posteriorly. Although the concept of a transtentorial approach was originally combined with a complete labyrinthectomy, Hakuba and colleagues described the expansive exposure afforded by sectioning the tentorium and superior petrosal sinus and mobilizing a skeletonized sigmoid sinus. This maneuver serves as the key step in allowing for the full, combined supra- and infratentorial exposure that the posterior petrosal approach provides. In contrast to Hakuba et al.'s approach, which used a partial labyrinthectomy, modern approaches often preserve the entire labyrinth (retrolabyrinthine approach). For added exposure, the latter can be combined with the anterior petrosal approach, allowing for the preservation of hearing and an enhanced view of the surgical target. The authors review the evolution of the petrosal approach and highlight its applicability.

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