Complications rates for early cranioplasty (within 10 weeks of craniectomy) are similar to those encountered when cranioplasty is delayed, although the cohort size in this study was too small to state equivalence. Patients with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt are at higher risk for complications after cranioplasty.

Object The object of this study was to determine if early cranioplasty after decompressive craniectomy for elevated intracranial pressure in children reduces complications. Methods Sixty-one consecutive cases involving pediatric patients who underwent autologous cranioplasty after decompressive craniectomy for raised intracranial pressure at a single academic children's hospital over 15 years were studied retrospectively. Results Sixty-one patients were divided into early (< 6 weeks; 28 patients) and late (≥ 6 weeks; 33 patients) cranioplasty cohorts. The cohorts were similar except for slightly lower age in the early (8.03 years) than the late (10.8 years) cranioplasty cohort (p < 0.05). Bone resorption after cranioplasty was significantly more common in the late (42%) than the early (14%) cranioplasty cohort (p < 0.05; OR 5.4). No other complication differed in incidence between the cohorts. Conclusions After decompressive craniectomy for raised intracranial pressure in children, early (< 6 weeks) cranioplasty reduces the occurrence of reoperation for bone resorption, without altering the incidence of other complications.

MPH provided rapid, effective and durable hemostasis in the porcine open partial nephrectomy model. Additional experimental and clinical evaluation is warranted to define the role of MPH assisted partial nephrectomy in humans.

OBJECTIVEIn children, the repair of skull defects arising from decompressive craniectomy presents a unique set of challenges. Single-center studies have identified different risk factors for the common complications of cranioplasty resorption and infection. The goal of the present study was to determine the risk factors for bone resorption and infection after pediatric cranioplasty.METHODSThe authors conducted a multicenter retrospective case study that included all patients who underwent cranioplasty to correct a skull defect arising from a decompressive craniectomy at 13 centers between 2000 and 2011 and were less than 19 years old at the time of cranioplasty. Prior systematic review of the literature along with expert opinion guided the selection of variables to be collected. These included: indication for craniectomy; history of abusive head trauma; method of bone storage; method of bone fixation; use of drains; size of bone graft; presence of other implants, including ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt; presence of fluid collections; age at craniectomy; and time between craniectomy and cranioplasty.RESULTSA total of 359 patients met the inclusion criteria. The patients’ mean age was 8.4 years, and 51.5% were female. Thirty-eight cases (10.5%) were complicated by infection. In multivariate analysis, presence of a cranial implant (primarily VP shunt) (OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.17–4.98), presence of gastrostomy (OR 2.44, 95% CI 1.03–5.79), and ventilator dependence (OR 8.45, 95% CI 1.10–65.08) were significant risk factors for cranioplasty infection. No other variable was associated with infection.Of the 240 patients who underwent a cranioplasty with bone graft, 21.7% showed bone resorption significant enough to warrant repeat surgical intervention. The most important predictor of cranioplasty bone resorption was age at the time of cranioplasty. For every month of increased age the risk of bone flap resorption decreased by 1% (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.98–0.99, p < 0.001). Other risk factors for resorption in multivariate models were the use of external ventricular drains and lumbar shunts.CONCLUSIONSThis is the largest study of pediatric cranioplasty outcomes performed to date. Analysis included variables found to be significant in previous retrospective reports. Presence of a cranial implant such as VP shunt is the most significant risk factor for cranioplasty infection, whereas younger age at cranioplasty is the dominant risk factor for bone resorption.

Ras leads an important signaling pathway that is deregulated in neurofibromatosis type 1 and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST). In this study, we show that overactivation of Ras and many of its downstream effectors occurred in only a fraction of MPNST cell lines. RalA, however, was overactivated in all MPNST cells and tumor samples compared to nontransformed Schwann cells. Silencing Ral or inhibiting it with a dominant-negative Ral (Ral S28N) caused a significant reduction in proliferation, invasiveness, and in vivo tumorigenicity of MPNST cells. Silencing Ral also reduced the expression of epithelial mesenchymal transition markers. Expression of the NF1-GTPase-related domain (NF1-GRD) diminished the levels of Ral activation, implicating a role for neurofibromin in regulating RalA activation. NF1-GRD treatment caused a significant decrease in proliferation, invasiveness, and cell cycle progression, but cell death increased. We propose Ral overactivation as a novel cell signaling abnormality in MPNST that leads to important biological outcomes with translational ramifications.

Study Design Secondary analysis of the prospectively collected Veterans Affairs National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) database. Objective Determine rates of major medical complications, wound complications, and mortality among patients undergoing surgery for lumbar stenosis; and examine risk factors for these complications. Summary of Background Data Surgery for spinal stenosis is concentrated among older adults, for whom complications are more frequent than among middle-aged patients. Many studies have focused on infections or device complications, but fewer have focused on major cardiopulmonary complications, using prospectively collected data. Methods We identified patients who underwent surgery for a primary diagnosis of lumbar stenosis between 1998 and 2009 from the VASQIP database. We created a composite of major medical complications, including acute myocardial infarction, stroke, pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, systemic sepsis, coma, and cardiac arrest. Results Among 12,154 eligible patients, major medical complications occurred in 2.1% ; wound complications in 3.2%; and 90-day mortality in 0.6%. Major medical complications, but not wound complications, were strongly associated with age. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class was a strong predictor of complications. Insulin use, chronic corticosteroid use, and preoperative functional status were also significant predictors. Fusion procedures were associated with higher complication rates than decompression alone. In logistic regressions, ASA class and age were the strongest predictors of major medical complications (OR for ASA class 4 vs. classes 1 or 2: 2.97, 95% CI 1.68, 5.25, p=0.0002). After adjustment for comorbidity, age, and functional status, fusion procedures remained associated with higher medical complication rates than decompression alone (OR 2.85, 95% CI 2.14, 3.78, p<0.0001). Conclusion ASA class, age, type of surgery, insulin or corticosteroid use, and functional status were independent risk factors for major medical complications. These factors may help in selecting patients and planning procedures, improving patient safety.

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Objectives:We evaluated the efficacy of Microporous Polysaccharide Hemospheres (MPH) for parenchymal hemostasis during laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) in the porcine model.Methods:Six female farm pigs underwent a transperitoneal right lower-pole LPN during occlusion of the renal hilum. Renal parenchyma was excised using cold Endoshears. MPH was applied to the defect and the hilar clamp released. Animals were kept alive for one week. Before sacrifice, left LPN was similarly performed using MPH. Study variables included blood loss, number of MPH applications, hilar clamp time, hemostasis time, perioperative complications, and abnormalities noted at sacrifice.Results:Hemostasis was achieved in all kidneys solely by using MPH. The average excised specimen represented 5.6% (range, 3.6 to 8.5) of renal weight. Mean hilar clamp and hemostatic times were 12.8 minutes (range, 6 to 18) and 2 minutes (range, 1 to 3), respectively. Hemostasis occurred after one MPH application in 8 kidneys (67%). In 3 kidneys, additional MPH powder was required to treat minor residual bleeding. In the remaining kidney, a second standard MPH application was required for hemostasis. No operative complications were encountered. No hematomas or residual MPH was found at necropsy; however, small urinomas were found in 2 of 6 kidneys.Conclusions:In the experimental porcine model, this initial study suggests that MPH provides effective parenchymal hemostasis during laparoscopic resection of an exophytic kidney lesion.