Purpose: We sought to evaluate the long-term functional outcomes and identify the potential risk factors for rebleeding in patients with brain stem cavernous malformations (BCMs) who presented with hemorrhages and were surgically or conservatively treated and prospectively monitored. Methods: From January 1990 to July 2015, we included patients with first hemorrhagic episodes secondary to single BCMs. Modified Rankin score (mRS) was used for neurological status assessment. Univariate and multivariate regression statistics were used to identify the risk factors for rebleeding. Results: A total of 99 patients with BCMs hemorrhages were included (59 [59.6%] women, mean age 37± 13 years). As initial treatments, 37 patients (37.4%) underwent surgery and 62 (62.6%) received conservative treatment. The median follow-up was 3.33 years (interquartile range 1.16-7 years; 408.3 patient/years). The rebleeding rate by patient/year was 10% in conservatively treated patients. Deterioration was significantly more frequent in patients with rebleeding (p = 0.0001). At the end of the follow-up, the mRS were favorable in 49 patients (65.3%) without rebleeding, whereas only 8 (33.3%) with rebleeding evolved to favorable outcomes (p = 0.006). Lesion size >18 mm (hazards ratio, HR 3.34, 95% CI 1.54-7.26; p = 0.0001) and ventral location or crossing the brain stem's midpoint (HR 2.5, 95% CI 1.14-5.46; p = 0.022) were associated with a major risk of rebleeding in the univariate analysis, but only a lesion >18 mm remained statistically significant (HR 2.7, 95% CI 1.2-6.21; p = 0.016) in the multivariate analysis. Conclusion: A lesion size >18 mm was the principal factor associated with hemorrhage recurrence. The overall functional outcome was good. However, significant morbidity was attributable to rebleeding.

The intraoperative anatomical findings of the anterior communicating artery (ACoA) complex in 46 patients with anatomical variations were compared to those in an equal number of patients without variations in order to determine the visualization of the elements of the vascular complex. All patients underwent radical surgery for an ACoA aneurysm by one of three different surgical approaches: transsylvian, anterior interhemispheric, or basal interhemispheric. Visualization of the vascular elements was similar in patients with or without anatomical variations. The differences observed were dependent on the surgical approach selected and on the projection of the aneurysm. It was found that, even when the intraoperative anatomical field and the number of vascular elements visualized are different from those obtained in autopsy studies, the vascular microanatomical characteristics can be confirmed with each surgical approach to the extent necessary to ensure safe clipping of aneurysms in patients both with and without anatomical variations.

A rare case of bilateral abducens nerve paralyses after rupture of an anterior communicating artery (AcoA) aneurysm occurred in a 56-year-old female after sudden onset of severe headache. Bilateral ab ducens nerve paralyses were present without additional neuro-ophthalmological signs. Computed tomography revealed subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Angiography showed an AcoA aneurysm (15 mm in diameter, directed anteroinferiorly) that was successfully clipped. Postoperatively, the bilateral abducens nerve paralyses gradually recovered and disappeared 3 months after onset. Bilateral ab ducens nerve paralyses may occur after SAH due to ruptured AcoA aneurysm, and neurosurgeons should be alert to this possibility.

OBJECTIVE In this study, the authors sought to define the differences in the incidence of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) between patients treated with dapsone and those treated with placebo. Secondary objectives were to define the clinical outcome at discharge and 3 months and the incidence of brain infarction. METHODS A prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was performed and included patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) within 5 days from ictus who were candidates for aneurysm occlusion, and who had a Fisher grade of 3 or 4. Patients with sulfa or sulfone drug allergies, hemoglobin < 11 g/dl, known G6PD deficiency, and those refusing informed consent were excluded. A minimal relevant effect decrease of 35% in the incidence of DCI was established. Patients were randomly assigned to receive a regimen of dapsone 2.5 ml (100 mg) daily or a placebo (aluminum hydroxide suspension, 2.5 ml daily). Both groups received validated treatment for aneurysmal SAH. The appearance of DCI on CT was assessed in every patient at discharge and 3 months later. We used the chi-square test to compare the DCI incidence between both groups, and the Student t-test or nonparametric tests to compare quantitative variables. RESULTS Overall, 48 patients (70.8% women and 29.2% men) were included. The mean age was 50 years (SD 14.28 years, range 18–72 years). Prerandomization and postrandomization characteristics were balanced, except for the necessity of intra-arterial nimodipine administration in patients treated with placebo (15.4% vs 45.5%, p = 0.029. The incidence of DCI, the primary endpoint, for the whole cohort was 43.8% and was significantly lower in the dapsone group (26.9% vs 63.6%, p = 0.011). In addition, the irreversible DCI incidence was lower in the dapsone group (11.5% vs 54.5%, p = 0.12). A favorable modified Rankin Scale score was more frequent in the dapsone group at discharge and at 3 months (76.9% vs 36.4%, p = 0.005 and 80% vs 38.9%, p = 0.019, respectively). Also, the brain infarction incidence was lower in the dapsone group (19.2% vs 63.6%, p = 0.001). There was no difference between groups regarding adverse events. CONCLUSIONS Dapsone seems to play a role as a prophylactic agent in patients at high risk of developing DCI after aneurysmal SAH. A multicenter investigation is necessary to increase the study population and confirm the consistency of the results observed in this study.

✓ Vascular complications after percutaneous injection procedures for relief of trigeminal neuralgia are varied, ranging from puncture of arterial or venous structures to carotid-cavernous fistulas. The authors present a patient in whom an external carotid artery fistula occurred after a microcompression procedure for the treatment of a left-sided trigeminal neuralgia. This is believed to be the first case of this complication secondary to a percutaneous injection procedure for relief of facial pain.