Hospitals

Neurosurgical Residency Away Rotation

Neurosurgical Residency Away Rotation

Neurosurgical Residency Away Rotation is an important component in the education of a neurosurgical resident. Subspecialization of physicians and regional centers concentrate the volume of certain rare cases into fewer hospitals. Consequently, the primary institution of a Neurosurgical Resident Training Program may not have sufficient case volume to meet the current Residency Review Committee case minimum requirements in some areas. To ensure the competency of graduating residents through comprehensive neurosurgical education, programs may need residents to travel to outside institutions for exposure to cases that are either less common or more regionally focused.

Harvey Williams Cushing 14-month Wanderjahr had a profound effect on his subsequent personal career, which in turn ushered in the modern age of American neurosurgery. From July 1900 to August 1901, he traveled to European neurosurgical centers in England, France, Switzerland, Italy, and Germany. His excursion happened at a crucial moment in his trajectory; it was built on his existing foundation of Halstedian surgical training and occurred at a time when interest in the special field of neurological surgery was emerging. The research and clinical experiences on his journey-good and bad-undoubtedly informed his fledgling neurosurgical practice. Salwi et al. present a concise account of Harvey Cushing’s time in Europe that consolidates accounts from Cushing’s travel journals, biographers, and other neurosurgeons.

The article of Salwi et al. highlights tensions in prior works and reveals new insights into the transformative nature of his Wanderjahr. Furthermore, he contextualizes his travels and achievements within the broader transformation of American medical education at the turn of the 20th century to elucidate how Europe influenced American medicine. They briefly consider the parallel benefits of Harvey Cushing’s Wanderjahr and modern domestic or international training opportunities and present potential areas of implementation 1)

Selection of the area of research

The selection of the area of research is essential. There are many arguments in favor of selecting research projects to be close to the individual trainee‘s clinical interest. Studies far away from the individual’s clinical interest in most cases are less productive and will not be pursued later. There are also many advantages if cooperation is planned with other institutions. The residency program director or staff members play an important role in the selection of the research project, of an appropriate laboratory or institution, and in the process of financing a research rotation 2)

Advantages

A neurosurgical residency away rotation allows a neurosurgical resident to spend time at another institution, usually for several weeks or months, to gain additional experience and training in the field of neurosurgery. Some potential benefits of a neurosurgical away rotation may include:

Exposure to a different patient population: Away rotations can expose neurosurgical residents to a different patient population, which may help broaden their clinical skills and experience.

Exposure to different surgical techniques and approaches: The host institution may use different surgical techniques and approaches than the resident’s home institution, which can broaden the resident’s skill set and knowledge of neurosurgery.

Access to specialized equipment and resources: The host institution may have access to specialized equipment or resources that are not available at the resident’s home institution. This can provide a unique learning opportunity and exposure to cutting-edge technology.

Networking opportunities: Away rotations provide opportunities to build relationships with faculty members, residents, and other medical professionals at the host institution. This can be valuable for future job opportunities or collaborations.

Improved residency application: Completing an away rotation at a program of interest can provide neurosurgical residents with an opportunity to showcase their skills and abilities, potentially improving their chances of being accepted into the program.

Overall, a neurosurgical residency away rotation can provide valuable learning experiences, networking opportunities, and exposure to different clinical scenarios and surgical techniques, which can help to enhance the skills and knowledge of neurosurgical residents.

Disadvantages

While there are many potential benefits to a neurosurgical residency away rotation, there are also some potential disadvantages to consider. These may include:

Disruption of continuity of care: When neurosurgical resident is away from their home institution, they may miss out on some aspects of patient care and continuity of care. This can lead to challenges in communication and follow-up for patients.

Potential differences in practice style: The host institution may have different practice styles, expectations, or protocols than the resident’s home institution. This can create confusion or challenges for the resident in terms of adapting to a new environment and different expectations.

Financial costs: Neurosurgical residents may need to bear the costs of travel, lodging, and other expenses associated with completing an away rotation. This can be a significant financial burden, particularly for residents with limited financial resources.

Challenges adapting to a new environment: Moving to a unique institution, even temporarily, can be stressful and challenging for neurosurgical residents. They may need to adapt to new living arrangements, a new hospital system, and new colleagues.

Limited time for exploration: While an away rotation can provide exposure to a different patient population and clinical setting, the limited amount of time can make it difficult to fully explore and understand the nuances of the institution and its practice.

Overall, a neurosurgical residency away rotation can be a valuable experience, but residents should carefully consider the potential disadvantages before making the decision to participate. It’s important to weigh the potential benefits against the costs and challenges to determine if an away rotation is a right choice for the individual resident.

ACGME rules regarding away rotations

Gephart et al. sought to evaluate off-site rotations to better understand the changing demographics and needs of resident education. This would also allow prospective monitoring of modifications to the neurosurgery training landscape. They completed a survey of neurosurgery program directors and a query of data from the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education to characterize the current use of away rotations in the neurosurgical education of residents. They found that 20% of programs have mandatory away rotations, most commonly for exposure to a pediatric, functional, peripheral nerve, or trauma cases. Most of these rotations are done during postgraduate years 3 to 6, lasting 1 to 15 months. Twenty-six programs have 2 to 3 participating sites and 41 have 4 to 6 sites distinct from the host program. Programs frequently offset potential financial harm to residents rotating at a distant site by the support of housing and transportation costs. As medical systems experience fluctuating treatment paradigms and demographics, over time, more residency programs may adapt to meet the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education case minimum requirements through the implementation of away rotations 3).

In 2019, the ACGME implemented new rules regarding away rotations, in an effort to promote resident well-being, reduce the burden of travel and expense associated with away rotations, and improve the quality of the educational experience for residents. Under these new rules, the ACGME now requires that:

Residency programs must limit the number of away rotations to no more than four weeks per year, per resident. Programs must have a written policy that outlines the process for selecting and approving away rotations, and must ensure that residents receive appropriate supervision and support during their away rotations. Programs must ensure that away rotations do not interfere with resident education and training, and that residents have adequate time to meet program requirements and prepare for board exams. The ACGME’s requirements related to away rotations are part of a larger effort to improve the quality of graduate medical education in the United States, and to ensure that residents receive the training and support they need to become competent and compassionate physicians.

1)

Salwi S, Chitale RV, Kelly PD. Harvey Cushing’s Wanderjahr (1900-1901). World Neurosurg. 2020 Oct;142:476-480. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2020.07.034. Epub 2020 Jul 19. PMID: 32698081; PMCID: PMC8048037.
2)

Reulen HJ. Basic research vs. applied research. Acta Neurochir Suppl. 2002;83:45-8. doi: 10.1007/978-3-7091-6743-4_8. PMID: 12442620.
3)

Gephart MH, Derstine P, Oyesiku NM, Grady MS, Burchiel K, Batjer HH, Popp AJ, Barbaro NM. Resident away rotations allow adaptive neurosurgical training. Neurosurgery. 2015 Apr;76(4):421-5; discussion 425-6. doi: 10.1227/NEU.0000000000000661. PMID: 25635889.

Neurosurgical Training in Germany

Neurosurgical Training in Germany

There has been a fivefold increase in neurosurgeons over the last three decades in Germany, despite a lesser increase in operations. Currently, there are approximately 1000 neurosurgical residents employed at training hospitals.

Neurosurgery remains an attractive specialty in Germany, but there are two concerns that may impede its appeal in the near future. The administrative burden for a neurosurgeon is onerous: Perhaps 50 percent of a neurosurgeon’s time is spent on administrative responsibilities such as coding and other tasks not involving patient care. Of perhaps greater concern is the limited pay. An international ranking of physicians’ pay published in Der Spiegel magazine in 2006 showed German doctors at the bottom, below their colleagues in other European countries as well as those in the U.S. and Australia. Physician pay in Germany increased by 10 percent after physician strikes in 2006, but the dissatisfaction with pay remains, as was evidenced in September by protests for higher physician pay and increased hospital funding. Neurosurgery is a hospital-based specialty, and most neurosurgeons are salaried employees of hospitals. Neurosurgeons, like most physicians, see private patients to supplement their income.

These concerns are likely to negatively influence the recruitment to neurosurgical training programs in the future. This problem is compounded by the fact that approximately 70 percent of medical students are women, to whom other specialties have appealed more than neurosurgery. Roughly one-third of all neurosurgeons in Germany, including those already certified and those in training, are women.

The neurosurgical training program lasts six years, and trainees work 40 to 48 hours or 50 to 66 hours per week, depending on the state and local hospital arrangements. Providing adequate training within the prescribed time frame remains a challenge 1)

Little is known about the overall training experience and career opportunities for these trainees.

Stienen et al. evaluated the current status of neurosurgical training of residents in Germany.

An electronic survey was sent to European neurosurgical trainees between June 2014 and March 2015. The responses of German trainees were compared with those of trainees from other European countries. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the effect size of the relationship between a trainee being from Germany and the outcome (e.g., satisfaction, working time). Results Of 532 responses, 95 were from German trainees (17.8%). In a multivariate analysis corrected for baseline group differences, German trainees were 29% as likely as non-German trainees to be satisfied with clinical lectures given at their teaching facility (odds ratio [OR]: 0.29; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.18-0.49; p < 0.0001). The satisfaction rate with hands-on operating room exposure was 73.9% and equal to the rate in Europe (OR: 0.94; 95% CI, 0.56-1.59; p = 0.834). German trainees were 2.3 times as likely to perform a lumbar spine intervention as the primary surgeon within the first year of training (OR: 2.27; 95% CI, 1.42-3.64; p = 0.001). However, they were less likely to perform a cervical spine procedure within 24 months of training (OR: 0.38; 95% CI, 0.17-0.82; p = 0.014) and less likely to perform a craniotomy within 36 months of training (OR: 0.49; 95% CI, 0.31-0.79; p = 0.003). Only 25.6% of German trainees currently adhere to the weekly limit of 48 hours as requested from the European Working Time Directive 2003/88/EC, and in an international comparison, German trainees were twice as likely to work > 50 hours per week (OR: 2.13; 95% CI, 1.25-3.61; p = 0.005). This working time, however, is less spent in the operating suite (OR: 0.26; 95% CI, 0.11-0.59; p = 0.001) and more doing administrative work (OR: 1.83; 95% CI, 1.13-2.96; p = 0.015).

Some theoretical and practical aspects of neurosurgical training are superior, but a considerable proportion of relevant aspects are inferior in Germany compared with other European countries. This analyses provide the opportunity for a critical review of the local conditions in German training facilities 2).

Survey on training satisfaction

As a resident representative, Lawson McLean et al. implemented a mailing list for interested German neurosurgical trainees. Thereafter, they created a survey including 25 items to assess the trainees’ satisfaction with their training and their perceived career prospects, which they then distributed through the mailing list. The survey was open from 1st April until 31st May 2021.

90 trainees were enrolled in the mailing list and they received 81 completed responses to the survey. Overall, 47% of trainees were very dissatisfied or dissatisfied with their training. 62% of trainees reported a lack of neurosurgical training. 58% of trainees found it difficult to attend courses or classes and only 16% had consistent mentoring. There was an expressed desire for a more structured Neurosurgical Resident Training Program and mentoring projects. In addition, 88% of trainees were willing to relocate for fellowships outside their current hospitals.

Half of the responders were dissatisfied with their neurosurgical training. There are various aspects that require improvement, such as the training curriculum, the lack of structured mentoring, and the amount of administrative work. They propose the implementation of a modernized structured curriculum, which addresses the mentioned aspects, in order to improve neurosurgical training and, consecutively, patient care 3).

1)

https://aansneurosurgeon.org/practicing-neurosurgery-in-germany/
2)

Stienen MN, Gempt J, Gautschi OP, Demetriades AK, Netuka D, Kuhlen DE, Schaller K, Ringel F. Neurosurgical Resident Training in Germany. J Neurol Surg A Cent Eur Neurosurg. 2017 Jul;78(4):337-343. doi: 10.1055/s-0036-1594012. Epub 2016 Nov 30. PubMed PMID: 27903015.
3)

Lawson McLean A, Maurer S, Nistor-Gallo D, Moritz I, Tourbier M. Survey on training satisfaction among German neurosurgical trainees. J Neurol Surg A Cent Eur Neurosurg. 2023 Mar 13. doi: 10.1055/a-2053-3108. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36914157.

Delirium Diagnosis

Delirium Diagnosis

Unlike dementia, delirium has an acute onset, motor signs (tremor, myoclonus, asterixis), slurred speech, altered consciousness (hyperalert/agitated or lethargic, or fluctuations), hallucinations may be florid.

Consultation-liaison psychiatry could improve the recognition rate of postoperative delirium in elderly patients, and shorten hospitalization time. The training of mental health knowledge for non-psychiatrists could improve the ability of early identify and treatment of delirium 1).

It is a corollary of the criteria that a diagnosis of delirium usually cannot be made without a previous assessment, or knowledge, of the affected person’s baseline level of cognitive function. In other words, a mentally disabled person who is suffering from this will be operating at their own baseline level of mental ability and would be expected to appear delirious without a baseline mental functional status against which to compare.

Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit

Early detection is crucial because the longer a patient experiences delirium the worse it becomes and the harder it is to treat. Currently, identification is through intermittent clinical assessment using standardized tools, like the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit. Such tools work well in clinical research but do not translate well into clinical practice because they are subjective, intermittent, and have low sensitivity. As such, healthcare providers using these tools fail to recognize delirium symptoms as much as 80% of the time.

EEG

EEG shows pronounced diffuse slowing.

Delirium-related biochemical derangement leads to electrical changes in electroencephalographic (EEG) patterns followed by behavioral signs and symptoms. However, continuous EEG monitoring is not feasible due to the cost and the need for skilled interpretation. Studies using limited-lead EEG show large differences between patients with and without delirium while discriminating delirium from other causes. The Ceribell is a limited-lead device that analyzes EEG. If it is capable of detecting delirium, it would provide an objective physiological monitor to identify delirium before symptom onset. This pilot study was designed to explore relationships between Ceribell and delirium status. Completion of this study will provide a foundation for further research regarding delirium status using the Ceribell data 2).

Hut SC, Dijkstra-Kersten SM, Numan T, Henriquez NR, Teunissen NW, van den Boogaard M, Leijten FS, Slooter AJ. EEG and clinical assessment in delirium and acute encephalopathy. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2021 May 16. doi: 10.1111/pcn.13225. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33993579.

Early neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) elevation may also predict delayed-onset delirium, potentially implicating systemic inflammation as a contributory delirium mechanism 3).

Neuroimaging

Older age, headache, coagulopathy, decreased level of consciousness, seizures, and history of falls. Conversely, infection was associated with a reduced yield.

In higher-risk patients and settings, there should be a push toward earlier neuroimaging as indicated by clinical examinations and individual risk factors. In the meta-analysis, the yield of head CT was higher in ICU patients and those who had focal neurological deficits in addition to altered mental status and was especially high in neuro ICU settings 4)

Neuroimaging should not replace a clinical exam, even in ICU settings; ICU patients should have their sedation reduced to properly test for delirium 5).

Delirium has a complex and fluctuating course with underlying causes that are often multifactorial; identifying a CNS lesion does not necessarily exclude other causes, and vice-versa 6).

The risks of neuroimaging need to be considered in the decision-making process 7).

CT

The use of CT head to diagnose the etiology of delirium and AMS varied widely and yield has declined. Guidelines and clinical decision support tools could increase the appropriate use of CT head in the diagnostic etiology of delirium/AMS 8).

1)

Xie Q, Liu XB, Jing GW, Jiang X, Liu H, Zhong BL, Li Y. The Effect of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry on Postoperative Delirium in Elderly Hip Fracture Patients in the General Hospital. Orthop Surg. 2023 Jan 3. doi: 10.1111/os.13501. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36597675.
2)

Mulkey MA, Hardin SR, Munro CL, Everhart DE, Kim S, Schoemann AM, Olson DM. Methods of identifying delirium: A research protocol. Res Nurs Health. 2019 May 30. doi: 10.1002/nur.21953. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31148216.
3)

Reznik ME, Kalagara R, Moody S, Drake J, Margolis SA, Cizginer S, Mahta A, Rao SS, Stretz C, Wendell LC, Thompson BB, Asaad WF, Furie KL, Jones RN, Daiello LA. Common biomarkers of physiologic stress and associations with delirium in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage. J Crit Care. 2021 Mar 23;64:62-67. doi: 10.1016/j.jcrc.2021.03.009. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33794468.
4)

MadsenTE, KhouryJ, Cadena R, et al. Potentially missed diagnosis of ischemic stroke in the Emergency Department in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky stroke study.Acad Emerg Med. 2016;23(10):1128-1135. doi:10.1111/acem.13029
5)

Venkat A, Cappelen-Smith C, Askar S, et al. Factors associated with stroke misdiagnosis in the emergency department: a retrospective case-control study. Neuroepidemiology. 2018;51(3–4):123-127. doi:10.1159/000491635
6)

The 2019 American Geriatrics Society Beers Criteria®UpdateExpert Panel. American Geriatrics Society 2019 updated AGSbeers criteria for potentially inappropriate medication use in older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2019;67(4):674-694. doi:10.1111/jgs.15767
7)

Reznik ME, Rudolph JL. “Yield” to the time-brain dilemma: The case for neuroimaging in delirium. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2023 Jan 6. doi: 10.1111/jgs.18206. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36606371.
8)

Akhtar H, Chaudhry SH, Bortolussi-Courval É, Hanula R, Akhtar A, Nauche B, McDonald EG. Diagnostic yield of CT head in delirium and altered mental status-A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2022 Nov 26. doi: 10.1111/jgs.18134. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36434820.

ShuntScope

ShuntScope

Autoclavable reusable SHUNTSCOPE® is designed to facilitate the endoscopic ventricular drainage placement during shunt surgery.

Case series

A retrospective analysis of all pediatric patients undergoing ventricular catheter placement using the ShuntScope from 01/2012 to 01/2022 in the Department of Neurosurgery, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg was performed. Demographic, clinical, and radiological data were evaluated. The visualization quality of the intraoperative endoscopy was stratified into the categories of excellent, medium, and poor and compared to the postoperative catheter tip placement. Follow-up evaluation included the surgical revision rate due to proximal catheter occlusion.

A total of 65 ShuntScope-assisted surgeries have been performed on 51 children. The mean age was 5.1 years. The most common underlying pathology was a tumor- or cyst-related hydrocephalus in 51%. Achieved image quality was excellent in 41.5%, medium in 43%, and poor in 15.5%. Ideal catheter placement was achieved in 77%. There were no intraoperative ventricular catheter placement complications and no technique-related morbidity associated with the ShuntScope. The revision rate due to proximal occlusion was 4.61% during a mean follow-up period of 39.7 years. No statistical correlation between image grade and accuracy of catheter position was observed (p-value was 0.290).

The ShuntScope can be considered a valuable addition to standard surgical tools in pediatric hydrocephalus treatment. Even suboptimal visualization contributes to high rates of correct catheter placement and, thereby, to a favorable clinical outcome 1).

The purpose of the study is to compare the accuracy of catheter placement and the complication and revision rates between SG and freehand (FH) techniques.

A retrospective study based on a prospectively acquired database of patients who underwent VC placement between September 2018 and July 2021. The accuracy of catheter placement was graded on postoperative imaging using a three-point Hayhurst grading system. Complication and revision rates were documented and compared between both groups with an average follow-up period of 20.84 months.

Results: Fifty-seven patients were included. SG technique was used in 29 patients (mean age was 6.3 years, 1.4 -27.7 years, 48.1% females), and FH technique was used in 28 patients (mean age was 26.7 years, 0.83 – 79.5 years, 67.9% female). The success rate for the optimal placement of the VC with a grade I on the Hayhurst scale was significantly higher in the SG group (93.1%) than in the FH group (60.7%), P = 0.012. The revision rate was higher in the FH group with 35.7% vs. 20.7% of in the SG group, P = 0.211.

Conclusion: VC placement using the SG technique is a safe and effective procedure, which enabled a significantly higher success rate and lower revision and complication rate. Accordingly, we recommend using the SG technique especially in patients with difficult anatomy 2)

The experience of shuntscope-guided ventriculoperitoneal shunt in 9 cases done from June 2015 to April 2016. Shuntscope is a 1 mm outer diameter semi-rigid scope from Karl Storz with 10000 pixels of magnification. It has a fiber optic lens system with a camera and light source attachment away from the scope to make it lightweight and easily maneuverable.

Results: In all cases, VC was placed in the ipsilateral frontal horn away from choroid plexuses, septae, or membranes. Septum pellucidum perforation and placement to the opposite side of the ventricle was identified with shunt scope assistance and corrected.

Conclusion: Although our initial results are encouraging, larger case series would be helpful. Complications and cost due to shunt dysfunction can thus be reduced to a great extent with shuntscope 3)

The semi-rigid ShuntScope (Karl Storz GmbH & Co.KG, Tuttlingen, Germany) with an outer diameter of 1.0 mm and an image resolution of 10,000 pixels was used in a series of 27 children and adolescents (18 males, 9 females, age range 2 months-18 years). Indications included catheter placement in aqueductal stenting (n = 4), first-time shunt placement (n = 5), burr hole reservoir insertion (n = 4), catheter placement after endoscopic procedures (n = 7) and revision surgery of the ventricle catheter (n = 7).

ShuntScope-guided precise catheter placement was achieved in 26 of 27 patients. In one case of aqueductal stenting, the procedure had to be abandoned. One single wound healing problem was noted as a complication. Intraventricular image quality was always sufficient to recognize the anatomical structures. In the case of catheter removal, it was helpful to identify adherent vessels or membranes. Penetration of small adhesions or thin membranes was feasible. Postoperative imaging studies demonstrated catheter tip placements analogous to the intraoperative findings.

Misplacements of shunt catheters are completely avoidable with the presented intra-catheter technique including slit ventricles or even aqueductal stenting. Potential complications can be avoided during revision surgery. The implementation of the ShuntScope is recommended in pediatric neurosurgery 4).

Latest articles

1)

Prajsnar-Borak A, Teping F, Oertel J. Image quality and related outcomes of the ShuntScope for catheter implantation in pediatric hydrocephalus-experience of 65 procedures. Childs Nerv Syst. 2022 Dec 2. doi: 10.1007/s00381-022-05776-1. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36459211.
2)

Issa M, Nofal M, Miotik N, Seitz A, Unterberg A, El Damaty A. ShuntScope®-Guided Versus Free Hand Technique for Ventricular Catheter Placement: A Retrospective Comparative Study of Intra-Ventricular Catheter Tip Position and Complication Rate. J Neurol Surg A Cent Eur Neurosurg. 2022 Feb 10. doi: 10.1055/a-1768-3892. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35144299.
3)

Agrawal V, Aher RB. Endoluminal Shuntscope-Guided Ventricular Catheter Placement: Early Experience. Asian J Neurosurg. 2018 Oct-Dec;13(4):1071-1073. doi: 10.4103/ajns.AJNS_98_17. PMID: 30459870; PMCID: PMC6208226.
4)

Senger S, Antes S, Salah M, Tschan C, Linsler S, Oertel J. The view through the ventricle catheter – The new ShuntScope for the therapy of pediatric hydrocephalus. J Clin Neurosci. 2018 Feb;48:196-202. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2017.10.046. Epub 2017 Nov 6. PubMed PMID: 29102235.

Korle-Bu Neuroscience Foundation

Korle-Bu Neuroscience Foundation

https://kbnf.org/

Korle-Bu Neuroscience Foundation (KBNF) is a Canada based charity enhancing the delivery of quality brain and spinal medical care in West Africa and beyond. The vision is to alleviate the suffering of West Africans with a special focus on those affected by diseases of the brain and spine, and to address related health care issues.

KBNF has been working with the Liberian Government since 2014 to develop its neurosurgery capacity, but the program is still in its infancy suffering setbacks from Ebola, lack of trained medical professionals across all disciplines, and extremely limited resources. KBNF works to address these deficits with shipments of equipment and supplies and annual medical missions.

Liberia recently employed the first neurosurgeon in the country‘s history. In a country with a population of 4.7 million people and staggering rates of cranial and spine trauma, as well as hydrocephalus and neural tube defects, neurosurgery is considered a luxury. A study documents the experience of a team of neurosurgeons, critical care nurses, scrub technicians, nurses, and Biomedical engineering who carried out a series of neurosurgical clinics and complex brain and spine surgeries in Liberia. Specifically, Bowen et al. aimed to highlight some of the larger obstacles, beyond staff and equipment, facing the development of a neurosurgical or any other specialty practice in Liberia.

The institutions, in collaboration with the Korle-Bu Neuroscience Foundation, spent 10 days in Liberia, based in Tappita, and performed 18 surgeries in addition to seeing several hundred clinic patients. This is a retrospective review of the cases performed along with outcomes to investigate obstacles in providing neurosurgical services in the country.

Before arriving in Liberia, they evaluated, planned, and supplied staff and materials for treating complex neurosurgical patients. Sixteen patients underwent 18 surgeries at a hospital in Tappita, Liberia, in November 2018. Their ages ranged from 1 month to 72 years (average 20 years). Five patients (28%) were female. Ten patients (56%) were under the age of 18. Surgeries included ventriculoperitoneal shunting (VP-shunt), lumbar myelomeningocele repair, encephalocele repair, laminectomy, and a craniotomy for tumor resection. Ten patients (55%) underwent VP-shunting. Two patients (11%) had a craniotomy for tumor resection. Three patients (17%) had laminectomy for lumbar stenosis. Two patients (11%) had repair of lumbar myelomeningocele.

After an aggressive and in-depth approach to planning, conducting, and supplying complex neurosurgical procedures in Liberia, the greatest limiting factor to successful outcomes lie in real-time is access to health care, which is largely limited by overall infrastructure. The study documents the experience of a team of neurosurgeons, critical care nurses, scrub technicians, nurses, and biomedical engineers who carried out a series of neurosurgical clinics and complex brain and spine surgeries in Liberia. Specifically, they aimed to highlight some of the larger obstacles, beyond staff and equipment, facing the development of a neurosurgical or any other specialty procedural practice in the country of Liberia. Most notably, they focused on infrastructure factors, including power, roads, water, education, and overall health care 1).

1)

Bowen I, Toor H, Zampella B, Doe A, King C, Miulli DE. Infrastructural Limitations in Establishing Neurosurgical Specialty Services in Liberia. Cureus. 2022 Sep 20;14(9):e29373. doi: 10.7759/cureus.29373. PMID: 36284802; PMCID: PMC9584543.

Anterior communicating artery aneurysm endovascular treatment complications

Anterior communicating artery aneurysm endovascular treatment complications

Intraprocedural aneurysm rupture and thrombus formation are serious complications during coiling of ruptured intracranial aneurysms, and they more often occur in patients with anterior communicating artery aneurysms.

It is associated with a high rate of complete angiographic occlusion. However, the procedure-related permanent morbidity and mortality are not negligible for aneurysms in this location 1).

Delgado Acosta et al. from Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía aimed to report the characteristics of patients suffering intra- or peri-procedural ruptures during embolization of cerebral aneurysms.

Between March 1994 and October 2021, 648 consecutive cerebral aneurysms were treated by the endovascular procedure. Medical records were reviewed retrospectively with emphasis on procedure description, potential risk factors, and clinical outcomes related to intra- or peri-procedural rupture.

Of the 648 patients, 17 (2.6%) suffered an intra- or peri-procedural hemorrhagic event. The most common location was the anterior communicating artery. There was no significant difference between previously ruptured and unruptured aneurysms in the incidence of bleeding. In four patients, bleeding was evident within 24 h after the procedure. The clinical evolution at three months was poor and only four patients presented a positive evolution. There were 11 deaths (64.71%). Balloon remodeling was associated with an increased frequency of ruptures, while stenting was a safer treatment.

Aneurysm rupture during endovascular therapy is unpredictable, and its occurrence can be devastating. The incidence is quite low although the outcome is frequently poor. Early detection and proper management, including prompt occlusion of the aneurysm, are important to achieve a positive outcome. Anterior communicating artery aneurysms and those treated with balloon catheters have a higher incidence of rupture. A small number of ruptures of uncertain origin occur that go unnoticed in digital subtraction angiograms 2).

The immediate and long-term outcomes, complications, recurrences and the need for retreatment were analyzed in a series of 280 consecutive patients with anterior communicating artery aneurysms treated with the endovascular technique. From October 1992 to October 2001 280 patients with 282 anterior communicating artery aneurysms were addressed to our center. For the analysis, the population was divided into two major groups: group 1, comprising 239 (85%) patients with ruptured aneurysms and group 2 comprising of 42 (15%) patients with unruptured aneurysms. In group 1, 185 (77.4%) patients had a good initial pre-treatment Hunt and Hess grade of I-III. Aneurysm size was divided into three categories according to the larger diameter: less than 4 mm, between 4 and 10 mm and larger than 10 mm. The sizes of aneurysms in groups 1 and 2 were identical but a less favorable neck to depth ratio of 0.5 was more frequent in group 2. Endovascular treatment was finally performed in 234 patients in group 1 and 34 patients in group 2. Complete obliteration was more frequently obtained in group 2 unlike a residual neck or opacification of the sac that were more frequently seen in group 1. No peri-treatment complications were recorded in group 2. In group 1 the peri-treatment mortality and overall peri-treatment morbidity were 5.1% and 8.1% respectively. Eight patients (3.4%) in group 1 presented early post treatment rebleeding with a mortality of 88%. The mean time to follow-up was 3.09 years. In group 1, 51 (21.7%) recurrences occurred of which 14 were minor and 37 major. In group 2, eight (23.5%) recurrences occurred, five minor and three major. Two patients (0.8%) presented late rebleeding in group 1. Twenty-seven second endovascular retreatments were performed, 24 (10.2%) in group 1 and three (8.8%) in group 2, seven third endovascular retreatments and two surgical clippings in group 1 only. There was no additional morbidity related to retreatments. Endovascular treatment is an effective method for the treatment of anterior communicating artery aneurysms allowing late rebleeding prevention. Peri-treatment rebleeding warrants caution in anticoagulation management. This is a single center experience and the follow-up period is limited. Patients should be followed-up in the long-term as recurrences may occur and warrant additional treatment 3).

Prolonged anterograde amnesia and disorientation after anterior communicating artery aneurysm coil embolization 4)

LVIS stent-assisted coiling for ruptured wide-necked ACoA aneurysms was safe and effective, with a relatively low rate of perioperative complications and a high rate of complete occlusion at follow-up 5)

1)

Fang S, Brinjikji W, Murad MH, Kallmes DF, Cloft HJ, Lanzino G. Endovascular treatment of anterior communicating artery aneurysms: a systematic review and meta-analysis. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2014 May;35(5):943-7. doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A3802. Epub 2013 Nov 28. PMID: 24287090; PMCID: PMC7964525.
2)

Delgado Acosta F, Bravo Rey I, Jiménez Gómez E, Saucedo VR, Toledano A, Oteros Fernández R. Intra- or peri-procedural rupture in the endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms. Acta Neurol Scand. 2022 Aug 17. doi: 10.1111/ane.13686. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35975464.
3)

Finitsis S, Anxionnat R, Lebedinsky A, Albuquerque PC, Clayton MF, Picard L, Bracard S. Endovascular treatment of ACom intracranial aneurysms. Report on series of 280 patients. Interv Neuroradiol. 2010 Mar;16(1):7-16. doi: 10.1177/159101991001600101. Epub 2010 Mar 25. PMID: 20377974; PMCID: PMC3277962.
4)

Al-Atrache Z, Friedler B, Shaikh HA, Kavi T. Prolonged anterograde amnesia and disorientation after anterior communicating artery aneurysm coil embolisation. BMJ Case Rep. 2019 Jul 30;12(7). pii: e230543. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2019-230543. PubMed PMID: 31366616.
5)

Xue G, Liu P, Xu F, Fang Y, Li Q, Hong B, Xu Y, Liu J, Huang Q. Endovascular Treatment of Ruptured Wide-Necked Anterior Communicating Artery Aneurysms Using a Low-Profile Visualized Intraluminal Support (LVIS) Device. Front Neurol. 2021 Jan 28;11:611875. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2020.611875. PMID: 33584512; PMCID: PMC7876256.

terior communicating artery aneurysm endovascular treatment complications

Rhino orbital cerebral mucormycosis

Rhino orbital cerebral mucormycosis

Epidemiology

The second COVID-19 wave in India has been associated with an unprecedented increase in cases of COVID-19 associated mucormycosis (CAM), mainly Rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM).

Rhino orbital cerebral mucormycosis rapidly became an epidemic following the COVID-19 pandemic 1)

Gutiérrez-Delgado et al searched PubMed database from 1964 to 2014 for all available articles in the English language related to rhino-orbital-cerebral chronic infections caused by fungi of the order Mucorales and found 22 cases 2).

Outcome

Rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis is usually associated with a poor prognosis and is almost exclusively seen in immunocompromised patients.

Case series

59 patients were diagnosed with COVID-19 associated mucormycosis (CAM). The median duration from the first positive COVID-19 RT PCR test to the diagnosis of CAM was 17 (IQR: 12,22) days. 90% of patients were diabetic with 89% having uncontrolled sugar level (HbA1c >7%). All patients were prescribed steroids during treatment for COVID-19. 56% of patients were prescribed steroids for non-hypoxemic, mild COVID-19 (irrational steroid therapy) while in 9%, steroids were prescribed in inappropriately high dose. Patients were treated with a combination of surgical debridement (94%), intravenous liposomal Amphotericin B (91%) and concomitant oral Posaconazole (95.4%). 74.6% of patients were discharged after clinical and radiologic recovery while 25.4% died. On Relative risk analysis, COVID-19 CT severity index ≥ 18 (p=0.017), presence of orbital symptoms (p=0.002), presence of diabetic ketoacidosis (p=0.011), and cerebral involvement (p=0.0004) were associated with increased risk of death.

CAM is a rapidly progressive, angio-invasive, opportunistic fungal infection that is fatal if left untreated. The combination of surgical debridement and antifungal therapy leads to clinical and radiologic improvement in the majority of cases 3).

Case reports

2015

A unique case of isolated intracranial mucormycosis of a slowly progressive nature in a healthy immunocompetent child. A 4-year-old girl with a clear medical and surgical history presented with complaints of right side facial asymmetry and unsteady gait for a period of 10 months. Clinical and radiographic investigations revealed right-sided lower motor neuron facial palsy caused by an infiltrative lesion on the right cerebellopontine angle. Initial surgical debulking was performed, a biopsy was sent for histopathological examination, and a course of prophylactic antibiotic and antifungal drugs was prescribed. The pathological report confirmed the mucormycosis fungal infection, and intravenous amphotericin B was administered for 3 weeks. One month after admission, the patient left the hospital with complete recovery. Follow-ups after 4, 8 and 12 weeks revealed no sensory or motor neurological deficits. In conclusion, this is a unique case of mucormycosis with regard to the nature and location of the infection, along with the host being a healthy child. Initial surgical exploration is a very critical step in the early diagnosis and treatment of such rare conditions 4).

2014

A 42-year-old man who developed a cerebellar mucor abscess after undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome. In the post-operative period he was admitted to the neurocritical care unit and received liposomal amphotericin B intravenously and through an external ventricular drain. This patient demonstrates that utilization of an external ventricular drain for intrathecal antifungal therapy in the post-operative period may warrant further study in patients with difficult to treat intracranial fungal abscesses 5).

2013

A case of mucormycosis presenting with extensive necrosis of the maxilla with extension into the retrobulbar and infrabulbar region in an otherwise healthy patient. He underwent extensive debriding surgery followed by amphotericin B first and then oral antifungal therapy, but unfortunately, even after extensive surgery and medical treatment, he did not survive 6).

2010

Yoon et al describe a case of Rhino-orbital-cerebral (ROC) mucormycosis with pericranial abscess occurring in a female patient with uncontrolled diabetes mellitus. The infection initially developed in the right-sided nasal sinus and later progressed through the paranasal sinuses with the invasion of the peri-orbital and frontotemporal region, due to the delayed diagnosis and treatment. Numerous non-septate hyphae of the zygomycetes were identified by a punch biopsy from the nasal cavity and by an open biopsy of the involved dura. The patient was treated successfully with extensive debridement of her necrotic skull and surrounding tissues, drainage of her pericranial abscess and antifungal therapy, including intravenous amphotericin B for 61 days and oral posaconazole for the following 26 days. She returned to a normal life and has had no recurrence since the end of her treatment 15 months ago 7).

2000

A 59-year-old immunocompetent white man sustained a high-pressure water jet injury to the right inner canthus while cleaning an air conditioner filter. He later had “orbital cellulitis” develop that did not respond to antibiotics and progressed to orbital infarction. Imaging studies and biopsy results led to a diagnosis of mucormycosis. Tissue culture grew Apophysomyces elegans, a new genus of the family Mucoraceae first isolated in 1979. Orbital exenteration and radical debridement of involved adjacent structures, combined with intravenous liposomal amphotericin, resulted in patient survival.

After orbital exenteration and debridement of involved adjacent structures along with intravenous liposomal amphotericin, our patient has remained free from relapse with long-term follow-up.

The agent causing this case of rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis (Apophysomyces elegans) contrasts with the three genera most commonly responsible for mucormycosis (Rhizopus, Mucor, and Absidia) in that infections with this agent tend to occur in warm climates, by means of traumatic inoculation, and in immunocompetent patients. Rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis should be considered in all patients with orbital inflammation associated with multiple cranial nerve palsies and retinal or orbital infarction, regardless of their immunologic status. A team approach to management is recommended for early, appropriate surgery and systemic antifungal agents 8).

1)

Soni K, Das A, Sharma V, Goyal A, Choudhury B, Chugh A, Kumar D, Yadav T, Jain V, Agarwal A, Garg M, Bhatnagar K, Elhence P, Bhatia PK, Garg MK, Misra S. Surgical & medical management of ROCM (Rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis) epidemic in COVID-19 era and its outcomes – a tertiary care center experience. J Mycol Med. 2021 Dec 25;32(2):101238. doi: 10.1016/j.mycmed.2021.101238. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34979299.
2)

Gutiérrez-Delgado EM, Treviño-González JL, Montemayor-Alatorre A, Ceceñas-Falcón LA, Ruiz-Holguín E, Andrade-Vázquez CJ, Lara-Medrano R, Ramos-Jiménez J. Chronic rhino-orbito-cerebral mucormycosis: A case report and review of the literature. Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2016 Feb 6;6:87-91. doi: 10.1016/j.amsu.2016.02.003. eCollection 2016 Mar. PubMed PMID: 26981237; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4776268.
3)

Dravid A, Kashiva R, Khan Z, Bande B, Memon D, Kodre A, Mane M, Pawar V, Patil D, Kalyani S, Raut P, Bapte M, Saldanha C, Chandak D, Patil T, Reddy MS, Bhayani K, Laxmi SS, Vishnu PD, Srivastava S, Khandelwal S, More S, Shakeel A, Pawar M, Nande P, Harshe A, Kadam S, Hallikar S, Kamal N, Andrabi D, Bodhale S, Raut A, Chandrashekhar S, Raman C, Mahajan U, Joshi G, Mane D. Epidemiology, clinical presentation and management of COVID-19 associated mucormycosis: A single center experience from Pune, Western India. Mycoses. 2022 Feb 25. doi: 10.1111/myc.13435. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35212032.
4)

Al Barbarawi MM, Allouh MZ. Successful Management of a Unique Condition of Isolated Intracranial Mucormycosis in an Immunocompetent Child. Pediatr Neurosurg. 2015;50(3):165-7. doi: 10.1159/000381750. Epub 2015 May 7. PubMed PMID: 25967858.
5)

Grannan BL, Yanamadala V, Venteicher AS, Walcott BP, Barr JC. Use of external ventriculostomy and intrathecal anti-fungal treatment in cerebral mucormycotic abscess. J Clin Neurosci. 2014 Oct;21(10):1819-21. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2014.01.008. Epub 2014 May 19. Review. PubMed PMID: 24852901.
6)

Rahman A, Akter K, Hossain S, Rashid HU. Rhino-orbital mucourmycosis in a non-immunocompromised patient. BMJ Case Rep. 2013 Feb 6;2013. pii: bcr2012007863. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2012-007863. PubMed PMID: 23391952; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3604437.
7)

Yoon YK, Kim MJ, Chung YG, Shin IY. Successful treatment of a case with rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis by the combination of neurosurgical intervention and the sequential use of amphotericin B and posaconazole. J Korean Neurosurg Soc. 2010 Jan;47(1):74-7. doi: 10.3340/jkns.2010.47.1.74. Epub 2010 Jan 31. PubMed PMID: 20157385; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2817523.
8)

Fairley C, Sullivan TJ, Bartley P, Allworth T, Lewandowski R. Survival after rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis in an immunocompetent patient. Ophthalmology. 2000 Mar;107(3):555-8. PubMed PMID: 10711895.

Relative value units

Relative value units

Relative value units (RVUs) were designed to provide relative economic values for medical care based on the cost of providing services categorized as a physician work, practice expense, and professional liability. … RVUs were designed to provide a rational approach to assessing the relative value of medical services.

The debate surrounding the integration of value in healthcare delivery and reimbursement reform has centered around integrating quality metrics into the current fee-for-service relative value units (RVU) payment model. Although a great amount of literature has been published on the creation and utilization of the RVU, there remains a dearth of information on how clinicians from various specialties view RVU and the quality-of-care metric in the compensation formula. The aim of a review was to analyze and consolidate existing theories on the RVU payment model in neurosurgery. Google and PubMed were searched for English-language literature describing opinions on the RVU in neurosurgery. The commentary was noted to be primary opinions if it was mentioned at least twice in the eight articles included in this review. Overall, seven primary opinions on the RVU were identified across the analyzed articles. Integration of quality into the RVU is viewed favorably by neurosurgeons with a few caveats and opportunities for further improvement 1).

The work relative value unit (wRVU) is a commonly cited surrogate for surgical complexity; however, it is highly susceptible to subjective interpretation and external forces.

The objective of Kim et al. was to evaluate whether wRVU is associated with perioperative outcomes, including complications, after brain tumor surgery. The 2006-2014 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried to identify patients ≥ 18 years who underwent brain tumor resection. Patients were categorized into approximate quintiles based on total wRVU. The relationship between wRVU and several perioperative outcomes was assessed with univariate and multivariate analyses. Subgroup analyses were performed using a Current Procedural Terminology code common to all wRVU groups. The 16,884 patients were categorized into wRVU ranges 0-30.83 (4664 patients), 30.84-34.58 (2548 patients), 34.59-38.04 (3147 patients), 38.05-45.38 (3173 patients), and ≥ 45.39 (3352 patients). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, increasing wRVU did not predict more 30-day postoperative complications, except respiratory complications and need for blood transfusion. Linear regression analysis showed that wRVU was poorly correlated with operative duration and length of stay. On multivariate analysis of the craniectomy subgroup, wRVU was not associated with overall or respiratory complications. The highest wRVU group was still associated with greater risk of requiring blood transfusion (OR 3.01, p < 0.001). Increasing wRVU generally did not correlate with 30 days postoperative complications in patients undergoing any surgery for brain tumor resection; however, the highest wRVU groups may be associated with greater risk of respiratory complications and need for transfusion. These finding suggests that wRVU may be a poor surrogate for case complexity 2).

In a cross-sectional review of registry data using the ACS NSQIP 2016 Participant User File and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services physician procedure time file for 2018. Uppal et al. analyzed total RVUs for surgeries by operative time to calculate RVU per hour and stratified by specialty. Multivariate regression analysis adjusted for patient comorbidities, age, length of stay, and ACS NSQIP mortality and morbidity probabilities. The surgeon self-reported operative times from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services physician were compared with operative times recorded in the ACS NSQIP, with excess time from RUC estimates termed “overreported time.”

Analysis of 901,917 surgeries revealed a wide variation in median RVU per hour between specialties. Orthopedics (14.3), neurosurgery (12.9), and general surgery (12.1) had the highest RVU per hour, whereas gynecology (10.2), plastic surgery (9.5), and otolaryngology (9) had the lowest (P<.001 for all comparisons). These results remained unchanged on multivariate regression analysis. General surgery had the highest median overreported operative time (+26 minutes) followed by neurosurgery (+23.5 minutes) and urology (+20 minutes). Overreporting of the operative time strongly correlated to higher RVU per hour (r=0.87, P=.002).

Despite reliable electronic records, the AMA–RUC continues to use inaccurate self-reported RUC surveys for operative times. This results in discrepancies in RVU per hour (and subsequent reimbursement) across specialties and a persistent disparity for women-specific procedures in gynecology. Relative value units levels should be based on the available objective data to eliminate these disparities 3).

1)

Satarasinghe P, Shah D, Koltz MT. The Perception and Impact of Relative Value Units (RVUs) and Quality-of-Care Compensation in Neurosurgery: A Literature Review. Healthcare (Basel). 2020 Dec 1;8(4):526. doi: 10.3390/healthcare8040526. PMID: 33271871; PMCID: PMC7711854.
2)

Kim RB, Scoville JP, Karsy M, Lim S, Jensen RL, Menacho ST. Work relative value units and perioperative outcomes in patients undergoing brain tumor surgery. Neurosurg Rev. 2021 Jul 8. doi: 10.1007/s10143-021-01601-6. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34236568.
3)

Uppal S, Rice LW, Spencer RJ. Discrepancies Created by Surgeon Self-Reported Operative Time and the Effects on Procedural Relative Value Units and Reimbursement. Obstet Gynecol. 2021 Jul 8. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000004467. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34237766.

Operculoinsular cortectomy

Operculoinsular cortectomy

Operculoinsular cortectomy for refractory epilepsy is a relatively safe therapeutic option but temporary neurological deficits after surgery are frequent. A study of Bouthillier et al. highlighted the role of frontal/parietal opercula resections in postoperative complications. Corona radiata ischemic lesions are not clearly related to motor deficits. There were no obvious permanent neurological consequences of losing a part of an epileptic insula, including on the dominant side for language. A low complication rate can be achieved if the following conditions are met: 1) microsurgical technique is applied to spare cortical branches of the middle cerebral artery; 2) the resection of an opercula is done only if the opercula is part of the epileptic focus; and 3) the neurosurgeon involved has proper training and experience 1).

The goal of a study of Bouthillier et al. of the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, was to document seizure control outcome after operculoinsular cortectomy in a group of patients investigated and treated by an epilepsy team with 20 years of experience with this specific technique.

Clinical, imaging, surgical, and seizure control outcome data of all patients who underwent surgery for refractory epilepsy requiring an operculoinsular cortectomy were retrospectively reviewed. Tumors and progressive encephalitis cases were excluded. Descriptive and uni- and multivariate analyses were done to determine seizure control outcome and predictors.

Forty-three patients with 44 operculoinsular cortectomies were studied. Kaplan-Meier estimates of complete seizure freedom (first seizure recurrence excluding auras) for years 0.5, 1, 2, and 5 were 70.2%, 70.2%, 65.0%, and 65.0%, respectively. With patients with more than 1 year of follow-up, seizure control outcome Engel class I was achieved in 76.9% (mean follow-up duration 5.8 years; range 1.25-20 years). With multivariate analysis, unfavorable seizure outcome predictors were frontal lobe-like seizure semiology, shorter duration of epilepsy, and the use of intracranial electrodes for invasive monitoring. Suspected causes of recurrent seizures were sparing of the language cortex part of the focus, subtotal resection of cortical dysplasia/polymicrogyria, bilateral epilepsy, and residual epileptic cortex with normal preoperative MRI studies (insula, frontal lobe, posterior parieto-temporal, orbitofrontal).

The surgical treatment of operculoinsular refractory epilepsy is as effective as epilepsy surgery in other brain areas. These patients should be referred to centers with appropriate experience. A frontal lobe-like seizure semiology should command more sampling with invasive monitoring. Recordings with intracranial electrodes are not always required if the noninvasive investigation is conclusive. The complete resection of the epileptic zone is crucial to achieving good seizure control outcome 2).

In 2017 Bouthillier et al. published twenty-five patients underwent an epilepsy surgery requiring an operculoinsular cortectomy: mean age at surgery was 35 y (9-51), mean duration of epilepsy was 19 y (5-36), 14 were female, and mean duration of follow-up was 4.7 y (1-16). Magnetic resonance imaging of the operculoinsular area was normal or revealed questionable nonspecific findings in 72% of cases. Investigation with intracranial EEG electrodes was done in 17 patients. Surgery was performed on the dominant side for language in 7 patients. An opercular resection was performed in all but 2 patients who only had an insulectomy. Engel class I seizure control was achieved in 80% of patients. Postoperative neurological deficits (paresis, dysphasia, alteration of taste, smell, hearing, pain, and thermal perceptions) were frequent (75%) but always transient except for 1 patient with persistent mild alteration of thermal and pain perception. 3).

References

1)

Bouthillier A, Weil AG, Martineau L, Létourneau-Guillon L, Nguyen DK. Operculoinsular cortectomy for refractory epilepsy. Part 2: Is it safe? J Neurosurg. 2019 Sep 20:1-11. doi: 10.3171/2019.6.JNS191126. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31597116.
2)

Bouthillier A, Weil AG, Martineau L, Létourneau-Guillon L, Nguyen DK. Operculoinsular cortectomy for refractory epilepsy. Part 1: Is it effective? J Neurosurg. 2019 Sep 20:1-10. doi: 10.3171/2019.4.JNS1912. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31629321.
3)

Bouthillier A, Nguyen DK. Epilepsy Surgeries Requiring an Operculoinsular Cortectomy: Operative Technique and Results. Neurosurgery. 2017 Oct 1;81(4):602-612. doi: 10.1093/neuros/nyx080. PubMed PMID: 28419327.

Unplanned hospital readmission after cranial neurosurgery

Unplanned hospital readmission after cranial neurosurgery

Many readmissions may be preventable and occur at predictable time intervals. The causes and timing of readmission vary significantly across neurosurgical subgroups. Future studies should focus on detecting specific complications in select cohorts at predefined time points, which may allow for interventions to lower costs and reduce patient morbidity 1).

Hospital readmission to a hospital (non-index) other than the one from which patients received their original care (index) has been associated with increases in both morbidity and mortality for cancer patients.

Of patient readmissions following brain tumor resection, 15.6% occur at a non-index facility. Low procedure volume is a confounder for non-index analysis and is associated with an increased likelihood of major complications and mortality, as compared to readmission to high-procedure-volume hospitals. Further studies should evaluate interventions targeting factors associated with unplanned readmission 2).

In a single-center Canadian experience. Almost one-fifth of neurosurgical patients were readmitted within 30 days of discharge. However, only about half of these patients were admitted for an unplanned reason, and only 10% of all readmissions were potentially avoidable. This study demonstrates unique challenges encountered in a publicly funded healthcare setting and supports the growing literature suggesting 30-day readmission rates may serve as an inappropriate quality of care metric in neurosurgical patients. Potentially avoidable readmissions can be predicted, and further research assessing predictors of avoidable readmissions is warranted 3).

A study of Elsamadicy et al. suggested that infection, altered mental status, and new sensory/motor deficits were the primary complications leading to unplanned 30-day readmission after cranial neurosurgery 4).

The preponderance of postdischarge mortality and complications requiring readmission highlights the importance of posthospitalization management 5).

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is known to be associated with negative outcomes and is underdiagnosed. The STOP-Bang questionnaire is a screening tool for OSA that has been validated in both medical and surgical populations. Given that readmission, after surgical intervention is an undesirable event, Caplan et al. sought to investigate, among patients not previously diagnosed with OSA, the capacity of the STOP-Bang questionnaire to predict 30-day readmissions following craniotomy for a supratentorial tumor.

For patients undergoing craniotomy for treatment of a supratentorial neoplasm within a multiple-hospital academic medical center, data were captured in a prospective manner via the Neurosurgery Quality Improvement Initiative (NQII) EpiLog tool. Data were collected over a 1-year period for all supratentorial craniotomy cases. An additional criterion for study inclusion was that the patient was alive at 30 postoperative days. Statistical analysis consisted of simple logistic regression, which assessed the ability of the STOP-Bang questionnaire and additional variables to effectively predict outcomes such as 30-day readmission, 30-day emergency department (ED) visit, and 30-day reoperation. The C-statistic was used to represent the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, which analyzes the discrimination of a variable or model.

Included in the sample were all admissions for supratentorial neoplasms treated with craniotomy (352 patients), 49.72% (n = 175) of which were female. The average STOP-Bang score was 1.91 ± 1.22 (range 0-7). A 1-unit higher STOP-Bang score accurately predicted 30-day readmissions (OR 1.31, p = 0.017) and 30-day ED visits (OR 1.36, p = 0.016) with fair accuracy as confirmed by the ROC curve (C-statistic 0.60-0.61). The STOP-Bang questionnaire did not correlate with 30-day reoperation (p = 0.805) or home discharge (p = 0.315).

The results of this study suggest that undiagnosed OSA, as assessed via the STOP-Bang questionnaire, is a significant predictor of patient health status and readmission risk in the brain tumor craniotomy population. Further investigations should be undertaken to apply this prediction tool in order to enhance postoperative patient care to reduce the need for unplanned readmissions 6).

Lopez Ramos et al., from the Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA, examined clinical risk factors and postoperative complications associated with 30-day unplanned hospital readmissions after cranial neurosurgery.

They queried the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database from 2011-2016 for adult patients that underwent a cranial neurosurgical procedure. Multivariable logistic regression with backwards model selection was used to determine predictors associated with 30-day unplanned hospital readmission.

Of 40,802 cranial neurosurgical cases, 4,147 (10.2%) had an unplanned readmission. Postoperative complications were higher in the readmission cohort (18.5% vs 9.9%, p <0.001). On adjusted analysis, clinical factors predictive of unplanned readmission included hypertension, COPD, diabetes, coagulopathy, chronic steroid use, and preoperative anemia, hyponatremia, and hypoalbuminemia (all p ≤ 0.01). Higher ASA class (III-V), operative time >216 minutes, and unplanned reoperation were also associated with an increased likelihood of readmission (all p ≤0.001). Postoperative complications predictive of unplanned readmissions were wound infection (OR 4.90, p <0.001), pulmonary embolus (OR 3.94, p <0.001), myocardial infarction/cardiac arrest (OR 2.37, p <0.001), sepsis (OR 1.73, p <0.001), deep venous thrombosis (1.50, p=0.002), and urinary tract infection (OR 1.45, p=0.002). Female sex, transfer status, and postoperative pulmonary complications were protective of readmission (all p <0.05)

Unplanned hospital readmission after cranial neurosurgery is a common event. Identification of high-risk patients who undergo cranial procedures may allow hospitals to reduce unplanned readmissions and associated healthcare costs 7).

Cusimano et al., conducted a systematic review of several databases; a manual search of the Journal of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery, Acta Neurochirurgica, Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences; and the cited references of the selected articles. Quality review was performed using the STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) criteria. Findings are reported according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines.

A total of 1344 articles published between 1947 and 2015 were identified; 25 were considered potentially eligible, of which 12 met inclusion criteria. The 30-day readmission rates varied from 6.9% to 23.89%. Complications arising during or after neurosurgical procedures were a prime reason for readmission. Race, comorbidities, and longer hospital stay put patients at risk for readmission.

Although readmission may be an important indicator for good care for the subset of acutely declining patients, neurosurgery should aim to reduce 30-day readmission rates with improved quality of care through systemic changes in the care of neurosurgical patients that promote preventive measures 8).

References

1)

Taylor BE, Youngerman BE, Goldstein H, Kabat DH, Appelboom G, Gold WE, Connolly ES Jr. Causes and Timing of Unplanned Early Readmission After Neurosurgery. Neurosurgery. 2016 Sep;79(3):356-69. doi: 10.1227/NEU.0000000000001110. PubMed PMID: 26562821.
2)

Jarvis CA, Bakhsheshian J, Ding L, Wen T, Tang AM, Yuan E, Giannotta SL, Mack WJ, Attenello FJ. Increased complication and mortality among non-index hospital readmissions after brain tumor resection is associated with low-volume readmitting hospitals. J Neurosurg. 2019 Oct 4:1-13. doi: 10.3171/2019.6.JNS183469. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 31585421.
3)

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