Enlighten-Research publications by members of the University of Glasgow http://eprints.gla.ac.uk Minimally invasive surgery with thrombolysis in intracerebral haemorrhage evacuation (MISTIE III): a randomised, controlled, open-label phase 3 trial with blinded endpoint

The surgical treatment of greater occipital neuralgia often involves diagnostic anesthetic blockade, followed by chemical or surgical ablation of the greater occipital nerve. The anatomy of this region was studied in microdissections of 2 cadaver specimens. The diagnosis and management of a series of 5 patients with greater occipital neuralgia is discussed. Two patients were treated with atlanto-epistrophic ligament decompression of the C2 dorsal root ganglion and nerve; four patients had C2 ganglionotomy performed. All patients in this series had immediate complete relief of pain following surgery. Patients were followed for a mean of 24 months (range 7-33 months). One patient had a recurrence of her original pain after 26 months following atlanto-epistrophic ligament decompression and required re-operation in the form of bilateral C2 ganglionotomy. All patients experienced transient nausea and dizziness in the several days following surgery. One patient had an incisional cerebrospinal fluid leak. Microsurgical C2 gangliotomy is advocated as the preferred surgical treatment of greater occipital neuralgia of idiopathic origin.

BACKGROUND:Minimally invasive surgery procedures, including stereotactic catheter aspiration and clearance of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator hold a promise to improve outcome of supratentorial brain hemorrhage, a morbid and disabling type of stroke. A recently completed Phase III randomized trial showed improved mortality but was neutral on the primary outcome (modified Rankin scale score 0 to 3 at 1 yr). OBJECTIVE: To assess surgical performance and its impact on the extent of ICH evacuation and functional outcomes. METHODS: Univariate and multivariate models were used to assess the extent of hematoma evacuation efficacy in relation to mRS 0 to 3 outcome and postulated factors related to patient, disease, and protocol adherence in the surgical arm (n = 242) of the MISTIE trial. RESULTS: Greater ICH reduction has a higher likelihood of achieving mRS of 0 to 3 with a minimum evacuation threshold of ≤15 mL end of treatment ICH volume or ≥70% volume reduction when controlling for disease severity factors. Mortality benefit was achieved at ≤30 mL end of treatment ICH volume, or >53% volume reduction. Initial hematoma volume, history of hypertension, irregular-shaped hematoma, number of alteplase doses given, surgical protocol deviations, and catheter manipulation problems were significant factors in failing to achieve ≤15 mL goal evacuation. Greater surgeon/site experiences were associated with avoiding poor hematoma evacuation. CONCLUSION: This is the first surgical trial reporting thresholds for reduction of ICH volume correlating with improved mortality and functional outcomes. To realize the benefit of surgery, protocol objectives, surgeon education, technical enhancements, and case selection should be focused on this goal.

A 54-year-old woman was referred for the evaluation and treatment of spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a right anteromedial intrasphenoidal encephalocele with cisternography showing the flow of contrast into the sphenoid encephalocele. Transcranial surgical repair was performed. This included the use of a vascularized split-thickness calvarial graft fixated over the cranial base defect with a titanium microplate. The technical details of this repair are discussed. Ten cases of temporosphenoidal encephaloceles have been reported. The literature concerning this rare form of encephalocele is reviewed.

No abstract