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The purpose of this study was to present a meta-analysis on the safety and efficacy of different endovascular modalities when treating vertebral artery dissections, since ideal treatment remains controversial. We performed a meta-analysis of 39 retrospective studies involving different treatment modalities for vertebral artery dissections in adults and obtained weighted pooled proportional outcome and mortality ratios with a random effects model. Overall, 75.11 % (confidence interval (CI) 68.89-80.84, I (2) 66.89 %) had excellent outcomes, 10.10 % (CI 6.83-15.56, I (2) 65.64 %) had good outcomes, and 13.70 % (CI 9.64-18.35, I (2) 60.33 %) had poor outcomes. Postoperative complications occurred in 10.52 % (CI 6.87-14.84, I (2) 62.48 %), with 2.73 % (CI 1.64-4.10, I (2) 0.0 %) exhibiting vasospasm, 3.03 % (CI 1.88-4.46, I (2) 0.0 %) experiencing postoperative rebleeding, and 6.31 % (CI 3.57-9.76, I (2) 60.92 %) showing ischemia. Overall mortality was 8.69 % (CI 6.13-11.64, I (2) 33.76 %). When compared to these overall ratios, different treatment modality subgroups did not differ significantly, except for the proximal occlusion group, with poor outcome ratio = 26.96 % (difference 13.26, CI 0.02-30.04, p = 0.0403) and mortality ratio = 21.36 % (difference 12.67, CI 0.94-28.86, p = 0.0189). Different endovascular treatment modalities are comparatively safe and effective in the management of vertebral artery dissection. Their reduced operative time, minimal invasiveness, and overall safety render them a suitable option for intervention-amenable dissections.

Advances in imaging technology and microsurgical techniques have made microsurgical resection the treatment of choice in cases of symptomatic intramedullary tumors. The use of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for spinal tumors is a recent development, and its application to intramedullary lesions is debated. We conducted a literature search through PubMed's MeSH system, compiling information regarding intramedullary neoplasms treated by SRS. We compiled histology, tumor location and size, treatment modality, radiation dose, fractionation, radiation-induced complications, follow-up, and survival. Ten papers reporting on 52 patients with 70 tumors were identified. Metastatic lesions accounted for 33%, while 67% were primary ones. Tumor location was predominantly cervical (53%), followed by thoracic (33%). Mean volume was 0.55 cm(3) (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.26-0.83). Preferred treatment modality was CyberKnife® (87%), followed by Novalis® (7%) and linear particle accelerator (LINAC) (6%). Mean radiation dose was 22.14 Gy (95% CI, 20.75-23.53), with mean fractionation of 4 (95% CI, 3-5). Three hemangioblastomas showed cyst enlargement. Symptom improvement or stabilization was seen in all but two cases. Radionecrotic spots adjacent to treated areas were seen at autopsy in four lesions, without clinical manifestations. Overall, clinical and radiological outcomes were favorable. Although surgery remains the treatment of choice for symptomatic intramedullary lesions, SRS can be a safe and effective option in selected cases. While this review suggests the overall safety and efficacy of SRS in the management of intramedullary tumors, future studies need randomized, homogeneous patient populations followed over a longer period to provide more robust evidence in its favor.

The presence of inflammation and demyelination in a central nervous system (CNS) biopsy points towards a limited, yet heterogeneous group of pathologies, of which multiple sclerosis (MS) represents one of the principal considerations. Inflammatory demyelination has also been reported in patients with clinically suspected primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), especially when steroids had been administered prior to biopsy acquisition. The histopathological changes induced by corticosteroid treatment can range from mild reduction to complete disappearance of lymphoma cells. It has been proposed that in the absence of neoplastic B cells, these biopsies are indistinguishable from MS, yet despite the clinical relevance, no histological studies have specifically compared the two entities. In this work, we analyzed CNS biopsies from eight patients with inflammatory demyelination in whom PCNSL was later histologically confirmed, and compared them with nine well defined early active multiple sclerosis lesions. In the patients with steroid-treated PCNSL (ST-PCNSL) the interval between first and second biopsy ranged from 3 to 32 weeks; all of the patients had received corticosteroids before the first, but not the second biopsy. ST-PCNSL patients were older than MS patients (mean age: ST-PCNSL: 62 ± 4 years, MS: 30 ± 2 years), and histological analysis revealed numerous apoptoses, patchy and incomplete rather than confluent and complete demyelination and a fuzzy lesion edge. The loss of Luxol fast blue histochemistry was more profound than that of myelin proteins in immunohistochemistry, and T cell infiltration in ST-PCNSL exceeded that in MS by around fivefold (P = 0.005). Our data indicate that in the presence of extensive inflammation and incomplete, inhomogeneous demyelination, the neuropathologist should refrain from primarily considering autoimmune inflammatory demyelination and, even in the absence of lymphoma cells, instigate close clinical follow-up of the patient to detect recurrent lymphoma.

Background:Subependymomas are rare benign, noninvasive tumors, classified by the World Health Organization as low grade neoplasms. International data estimate their frequency between 0.2% and 0.7% of the intracranial tumors, and they usually are an incidental finding in autopsies. Preferably located in the fourth ventricle, these tumors tend to become symptomatic when they cause hydrocephalous by obstructing cerebrospinal fluid circulation.Case Presentation:We present the case of a morbidly obese, hypertense, and diabetic patient, who presented with symptoms of gait ataxia, sphincter incontinence, and dysartria in relation to a pedunculated subependymoma in the left lateral ventricle. He underwent a biparietal craniotomy with a microscopic microsurgical approach, through which gross total resection was achieved. No perioperative complications ensued.Conclusions:Given their benign behavior and their excellent response to surgical treatment, subependymomas should be promptly diagnosed and surgically treated to avoid possible neurological damage when they become symptomatic.

Objective: Current evidence-based guidelines for the management of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) focus primarily on timing, modality and technique of aneurysm occlusion, and on prevention and treatment of delayed cerebral ischemia. Significant aspects of management in the intensive care unit (ICU) during the later course of aSAH such as ventilation and sedation (VST) remain unaddressed. aSAH patients present unique challenges not accounted for in general ICU recommendations and guidelines, which is why we attempted to further characterize ICU practices in aSAH patients in Germany. Methods: We conducted a nationwide survey on ICU practices in aSAH in Germany. Secondarily, we assessed the existence of and compliance with current guidelines regarding ICU practices. The questionnaire was designed in interdisciplinary fashion and distributed online through the kwiksurvey ® platform (Bristol, UK). Results: A total of 50 responses were received, accounting for a response rate of 49%. Twenty-one were university hospitals (UH), 23 high-volume centers (HVC), 6 low-volume centers (LVC). Half of the participating centers do not take into consideration WFNS at presentation to indicate ventilation. While 42% of centers rely on the P/F ratio to indicate ventilation, 62% of them have a cutoff value of < 200, and 38% of < 100. While most UH and HVC used propofol for the first phase of sedation (95%), LVC employed benzodiazepines (100%). Sedation deepening was done with ketamine in UH (75%) and HVC (60%), whereas LVC used predominantly clonidine (100%). Conclusions: Our study clearly demonstrates that attitudes and practices pertaining to ICU management in aSAH are enormously heterogeneous, reflecting the lack of good quality evidence and differing interpretations thereof.

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