Here, we report on a 28-year old male patient presenting with neck and shoulder pain, dysesthesia of all four limbs and hypesthesia of both hands, without motor deficits. Magnetic resonance imaging showed an intradural, intramedullary mass of the cervical spinal cord of 6.4 cm length and 1.7 cm diameter. The patient underwent surgical resection. Histological and immunohistochemical evaluation showed pleomorphic glial tumor cells, mitoses, calcifications, and atypical ganglioid cells compatible with the morphology of anaplastic ganglioglioma (WHO Grade III). Extensive molecular workup revealed H3F3A K27M, TERT C228T and PDGFRα Y849C mutations indicating poor prognosis. The H3F3A K27M mutation assigned the tumor to the molecular group of diffuse midline glioma (WHO Grade IV). Epigenome-wide methylation profiling confirmed the methylation class of diffuse midline glioma. Thus, this is a very rare case of malignant glioma with H3 K27M genotype phenotypically mimicking anaplastic ganglioglioma. This case emphasizes the importance of comprehensive morphological and molecular workup including methylome profiling for advanced patient care.
Here, we report on a patient presenting with two histopathologically distinct gliomas. At the age of 42, the patient underwent initial resection of a right temporal oligodendroglioma IDH mutated 1p/19q co-deleted WHO Grade II followed by adjuvant radiochemotherapy with temozolomide. 15 months after initial diagnosis, the patient showed right hemispheric tumor progression and an additional new left frontal contrast enhancement in the subsequent imaging. A re-resection of the right-sided tumor and resection of the left frontal tumor were conducted. Neuropathological work-up showed recurrence of the right-sided oligodendroglioma with features of an anaplastic oligodendroglioma WHO Grade III, but a glioblastoma WHO grade IV for the left frontal lesion. In depth molecular profiling revealed two independent brain tumors with distinct molecular profiles of anaplastic oligodendroglioma IDH mutated 1p/19q co-deleted WHO Grade III and glioblastoma IDH wildtype WHO grade IV. This unique and rare case of a patient with two independent brain tumors revealed by in-depth molecular work-up and epigenomic profiling emphasizes the importance of integrated work-up of brain tumors including methylome profiling for advanced patient care.
Stent misplacement during endovascular treatment of middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms can cause challenges and be problematic, if clipping becomes necessary. This article reports on a 56-year-old woman with an unruptured, multi-lobulated MCA aneurysm, whom primarily refused surgery; therefore, she was scheduled for stent-assisted coiling. After successful deployment of the stent, it unfortunately then became snagged by the microcatheter and was pulled backwards. The subsequent surgical procedure (i.e. clipping of the MCA aneurysm) was challenging, due to the position of the dislodged stent. Such as misplacement of the stent is rarely documented: It resulted in the difficult handling of a MCA aneurysm. Aneurysms of the MCA should primarily be considered for surgical clipping. In conclusion, an increased risk for eventual surgery should be considered, in cases where endovascular treatments with stents are performed.
Background
In Europe, aneurysm treatment performed by dually trained neurosurgeons is extremely scarce. We provide outcome data for un-ruptured aneurysm patients treated at a European hybrid center to prove that hybrid neurosurgeons achieve clinical and angiographical results allowing to integrate hybrid neurosurgery into routine aneurysm treatment. This will not only help to maintain neurovascular microsurgical skills but will influence staff costs in related hospitals.
Methods
We retrospectively analyzed all consecutively treated un-ruptured aneurysm patients between 2000 and 2016. The decision-making took into account the pros and cons of both modalities and considered patient and aneurysm characteristics. Clinical outcome was assessed by the modified Rankin scale (mRS). Occlusion rates were stratified into grade I for 100%, grade II for 99–90%, and grade III for <90% occlusion. To account for the introduction of stents, two treatment periods (p1, 2000 to 2008; p2, 2009 to 2016) were defined.
Results
The study population consisted of 274 patients (median age 55 years) harboring 338 un-ruptured aneurysms. Microsurgery (MS) was performed in 51.8% and endovascular therapy (EVT) in 43.1%; 5.1% required combined treatment. Overall, 93% showed a favorable clinical outcome (mRS 0–2), 94.3% after MS and 91.5% after EVT. Grade I aneurysm occlusion was achieved in 82.6% patients, 91.9% after MS and 72.9% after EVT. Procedure-related complications occurred after MS in 5.6% and after EVT in 4.4% patients. Mortality was recorded for five (1.8%) patients, one patient after MS and four after EVT. For the EVT cohort, significant improvement from p1 to p2 was seen with clinical outcomes (P=0.030, RR = 0.905, CI: 0.8351–0.9802) and occlusion rates (P=0.039, RR = 0.6790, CI: 0.499–0.923).
Conclusion
Hybrid neurosurgeons achieve qualified clinical and angiographic results. Dual training will allow to maintain neurovascular caseloads and preserve future aneurysm treatment within neurosurgery. Furthermore economic benefits could be observed in hospital management.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:The computerized occlusion rating to estimate angiographic occlusion of embolized aneurysms is superior to the subjective occlusion rating. In this study, we compared the 2 methods in the analysis of aneurysms clipped after subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Background
Laminotomy for lumbar stenosis is a well-defined procedure and represents a routine in every neurosurgical department.
It is a common experience that the mono- or bilateral paraspinal muscles detachment together with supra and interspinous ligaments injury can lead to postoperative pain.
In literature has been reported the application at the level of the lumbar spine of a minimally invasive technique defined as lumbar spinous process-splitting technique (LSPST).
Methods
In the current study, we present a case series of 12 patients that underwent LSPSL from September 2019 to April 2020. Two patient suffering from ligamentum flavum cyst, 8 patients with single level lumbar canal stenosis (LCS) and two patients with two-level LCS. The approach was mini-open, with reduced soft tissue dissection and without paraspinal muscles injury.
Moreover, a novel morphological classification of postoperative muscle atrophy is proposed as well as a volumetric analysis of the decompression achieved.
Conclusion
At our knowledge, this is the first description of this surgical technique and the first LSPSL case series in Europe.
Furthermore, cases of ligamentum flavum cyst removal using this safe and effective technique are not yet reported.
Abbreviations
Lumbar canal stenosis (LCS), lumbar spinous process-splitting technique (LSPST), minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS)
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