Purpose: To evaluate factors influencing clinical and radiological outcome of extended endoscopic endonasal transtuberculum/transplanum approach (EEA-TTP) for giant pituitary adenomas (GPAs). Methods: We recruited prospectively all consecutive GPAs patients undergoing EEA-TTP between 2015 and 2019 in 5 neurosurgical centers. Preoperative clinical and radiologic features, visual and hormonal outcomes, extent of resection (EoR), complications and recurrence rates were recorded and analyzed. Results: Of 1169 patients treated for pituitary adenoma, 96 (8.2%) had GPAs. Seventy-eight (81.2%) patients had visual impairment, 12 (12.5%) had headaches, 3 (3.1%) had drowsiness due to hydrocephalus, and 53 (55.2%) had anterior pituitary insufficiency. EoR was gross or near-total in 46 (47.9%) and subtotal in 50 (52.1%) patients. Incomplete resection was associated with lateral suprasellar, intraventricular and/or cavernous sinus extension and with firm/fibrous consistence. At the last follow-up, all but one patient (77, 98.7%) with visual deficits improved. Headache improved in 8 (88.9%) and anterior pituitary function recovered in 27 (50.9%) patients. Recurrence rate was 16.7%, with 32 months mean recurrence-free survival. Conclusions: EEA-TTP is a valid option for GPAs and seems to provide better outcomes, lower rate of complications and higher EoR compared to one- or multi-stage microscopic, non-extended endoscopic transsphenoidal, and transcranial resections.

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Background The prevalence of post-surgical lumbar neuropathic radiculopathy is approximately 30%. Poor response to the recommended treatments for neuropathic pain, namely antidepressants and/or gabapentinoids, requires the development of new techniques to prevent chronic pain. One such well-tolerated technique is the administration of autologous plasma enriched in platelets and fibrin (PRF). This approach is largely used in regenerative medicine owing to the anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties of PRF. It could also be an interesting adjuvant to surgery, as it reduces neurogenic inflammation and promotes nerve recovery, thereby reducing the incidence of residual postoperative chronic pain. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the benefit of periradicular intraoperative application of PRF on the residual postsurgical neuropathic pain after disc herniation surgery. Methods A randomized, prospective, interventional, controlled, single-blind study with evaluation by a blind outcome assessor will be performed in Strasbourg University Hospital. We will compare a control group undergoing conventional surgery to an experimental group undergoing surgery and periradicular administration of PRF (30 patients in each arm). The primary outcome is the intensity of postoperative neuropathic radicular pain, measured by a visual analog scale (VAS) at 6 months post-surgery. The secondary outcomes are the characteristics of neuropathic pain (NPSI), the quality of life (SF-12 and PGIC), the presence of anxiety/depression symptoms (HAD), and the consumption of analgesics. We will also carry out transcriptomic analysis of a panel of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in blood samples, before surgery and at 6 months follow-up. These gene expression results will be correlated with clinical data, in particular, with the apparition of postoperative neuropathic pain. Discussion This study is the first randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy of PRF in the prevention of neuropathic pain following surgery for herniated disc. This study addresses not only a clinical question but will also provide information on the physiopathological mechanisms of neuropathic pain. Trial registration This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05196503, February 24, 2022.

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Hemorrhagic complications arising from ventricular drainage procedures are typically asymptomatic and of low volume. A particular subset of these complications known as Delayed Intracranial Hemorrhage (DICH) is however recognized for its particularly poor prognosis. We primarily aimed to identify epidemiological characteristics associated with DICH, to shed light on its occurrence and potential risk factors. To do so, we performed a retrospective analysis of a series of ten patients who presented with DICH in the context of a ruptured brain Arteriovenous Malformation (bAVM), and a systematic literature review of all DICH cases reported in the literature. Our ten patients showed delayed neurological deterioration after Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt (VPS) procedure, with a computed tomography (CT) scan revealing a DICH surrounding the ventricular catheter, distinct and away from the nidus of their previously ruptured bAVM. Four patients (40%) rapidly declined and passed away, three (30%) required surgical management and the remaining three (30%) demonstrated gradual clinical improvement with conservative management. In the literature, most patients presenting with DICH had hydrocephalus associated with neurovascular disorders (47% of cases), such as bAVM rupture in our present series. These constatations point out the significance of underlying pathologies potentially predisposing to these unusual complications.