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Superficial siderosis refers to hemosiderin deposition along the pial surface of the brain and spinal cord. It results from chronic and repetitive low-grade bleeding into the subarachnoid space. Dural tears are a common cause of superficial siderosis. Although such tears typically occur in the spine, dural tears can also occur in the posterior fossa. In many cases, posterior fossa dural tears are iatrogenic, and patients may present with neuroimaging evidence of postoperative pseudomeningoceles. We present a case of superficial siderosis caused by a persistent posterior fossa dural leak. The patient presented with superficial siderosis 30 years after a Chiari I malformation repair. A pinhole-sized dural tear was identified preoperatively using computed tomography cisternography. The dural defect was successfully repaired. An additional small tear that was not seen on imaging was also identified at surgery and successfully repaired.

The complex forearm vasodilator response during mental stress (MS) is mediated in part by unchanged or decreased forearm muscle sympathetic nerve activity. However, immediately after MS, nerve activity is increased. To determine the effect of chronic sympathetic denervation on forearm blood flow (FBF, [ml/100ml forearm volume/min]) response to MS, we studied patients pre and post sympathotomy (ETS) for palmar hyperhidrosis. 15 healthy subjects (11 F; 19‐32 yr) with a mean BMI of 23 ± 5 kg/m2 were studied 1 day‐6 mo before ETS and 1‐6 mo after ETS. FBF (plethysmography) was recorded during baseline, 3 min Stroop test, and 2 min post‐MS recovery. ETS did not affect resting HR, BP or FBF. However, resting forearm vascular resistance (FVR, [MAP/FBF]) was reduced after ETS (50 ± 20 vs 33 ± 14, p < 0.01) and forearm vascular conductance (FVC, [(FBF/MAP)*100]) was increased (3 ± 2 vs 4 ± 2, p < 0.05). MS caused significant increases in FBF and FVC, and a decrease in FVR, and these responses were unaffected by ETS. However during post‐MS recovery, ETS caused a significant increase in FBF (2 ± 1 vs 3 ± 1), FVC (3 ± 1 vs 4 ± 2), and a decrease in FVR (52 ± 22 vs 32 ± 16) (p < 0.01). Chronic sympathetic denervation influences post‐MS forearm vasoconstriction, which likely has minor hemodynamic consequences but confirms a greater role for sympathetic control of FBF in the post‐MS period as opposed to during MS. NIH HL‐089331, NS‐32352

OBJECTIVEThe sitting or semisitting position in neurosurgery allows for several technical advantages, including improved visualization of the surgical field. However, it has also been associated with an increased risk of venous air embolisms and positioning-related complications that limit its commonplace adoption. The authors report a large, single-center series of cervical spine procedures performed with patients in the sitting or prone position in order to assess the perceived risk of intraoperative and postoperative complications associated with the sitting position.METHODSNoninstrumented, single-level posterior cervical spine procedures performed with patients in the sitting/semisitting or prone position from 2000 to 2016 at a single institution were reviewed. Institutional abstraction tools (DataMart and Chart Plus) were used to collect data from the medical records. The two positions were compared with regard to preoperative factors, intraoperative variables, and postoperative outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted for 30-day readmission, 30-day return to the operating room, and complication rates.RESULTSA total of 750 patients (sitting, n = 480; prone, n = 270) were analyzed. The median age was 53 years for those who underwent surgery in the prone position and 50 years for those who underwent surgery in the sitting position (IQRs 45–62 years and 43–60 years, respectively), and 35% of the patients were female. Sitting cases were associated with significantly longer anesthetic times (221 minutes [range 199–252 minutes] vs 205 minutes [range 179–254 minutes]) and operative times (126 minutes [range 101–163 minutes] vs 149 minutes [120–181 minutes]). Cardiorespiratory events in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) were comparable between the two groups, with the exception of episodes of apnea (2.6% vs 0.6%, p = 0.041) and hypoventilation (4.4% vs 0.8%, p < 0.003), which were more frequent in the prone-position cohort. On multivariable analysis, the effect of the sitting versus the prone position was not significant for 30-day readmission (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.34–1.71, p = 0.52) or reoperation (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.31–1.60, p = 0.40). The sitting position was associated with lower odds of developing any complication (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.16–0.62, p < 0.001).CONCLUSIONSBased on the intraoperative and postoperative complications chosen in this study, the sitting position confers a similar safety profile to the prone position. This can be explained by a more anatomic positioning accounting for reduced temporary neurological deficits and reduced PACU-associated hypoventilation noted in this series. Nevertheless, the findings may also reflect institutional familiarity, experience, and mastery of this position type, and outcomes may not reflect practices in general.

OBJECTIVE Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is a rare, autosomal-dominant tumor disorder characterized by the development of pituitary tumors and other endocrine neoplasms. Diagnosis is made clinically based on the development of 2 or more canonical lesions (parathyroid gland, anterior pituitary, and enteropancreatic tumors) or in family members of a patient with a clinical diagnosis of MEN1 and the occurrence of one of the MEN1-associated tumors. The goal of this study was to characterize pituitary tumors arising in the setting of MEN1 at a single institution. The probability of tumor progression and the likelihood of surgical intervention in patients with asymptomatic nonfunctional pituitary adenomas were also analyzed. METHODS A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained institutional database was performed for patients with MEN1 diagnosed from 1970 to 2017. Data included patient demographics, tumor characteristics, treatment strategies, and outcomes. RESULTS A review of the database identified 268 patients diagnosed with MEN1, of whom 158 (59%) were female. Among the 268 patients, 139 (51.8%) had pituitary adenomas. There was a higher prevalence in women than in men (65% vs 35%, p < 0.005). Functional adenomas (57%) were more common. Prolactin-secreting adenomas were the most common functional tumors. Macroadenomas were seen in 27% of patients and were more likely to be symptomatic and locally aggressive (p < 0.001). Forty-nine patients (35%) underwent transsphenoidal resection at some point during their disease course. In 52 patients who were initially observed with MEN1 asymptomatic nonfunctional adenomas, only 5 (10%) progressed to need surgery. In MEN1 patients, an initial parathyroid lesion is most likely followed in order by pituitary, pancreatic, adrenal, and, finally, rare carcinoid tumors. CONCLUSIONS Asymptomatic nonfunctional pituitary adenomas in patients with MEN1 may be followed safely with MRI. In this series, parathyroid tumors developed at the lowest median age of all cardinal tumors, and development of additional cardinal MEN1 lesions followed a predictable pattern. This pattern of disease progression could have significant implications for disease surveillance in clinical practice and may help to target clinical resources to the lesions most likely to develop next. This may aid with early detection and treatment and warrants further study.

Objective Cerebrospinal fluid-venous fistula is an uncommon cause of spontaneous spinal cerebrospinal fluid leak (SSCSFL). We aim to describe the clinical presentation, imaging evaluation, treatment and outcome of SSCSFL secondary to cerebrospinal fluid-venous fistula. Methods A retrospective review was undertaken of SSCSFL cases secondary to cerebrospinal fluid-venous fistula confirmed radiologically or intraoperatively, seen at our institution from January 1994 to March 2019. Cases with undetermined SSCSFL etiology, alternative etiology or unconfirmed fistula were excluded. Results Forty-four of 156 patients met the inclusion criteria (31 women, 13 men). Mean age of symptom onset was 52.6 years (SD 8.7, range 33–71 years). Headache was the presenting symptom in almost all, typically daily (69%), and most often in occipital/suboccipital regions. Headache character was most commonly pressure (38%), followed by throbbing/pulsing (21.4%). Orthostatic headache worsening occurred in 69% and an even greater percentage of patients (88%) reported Valsalva-induced headache exacerbation or precipitation. Headache occurred in isolation to Valsalva maneuvers in 12%. Of 37 patients with documented cerebrospinal fluid opening pressure, 13% were <6 cmH 2 O; 84%, 7–20 cmH 2 O; and one, 25 cmH 2 O. Fistulas were almost exclusively thoracic (95.5%). Only one patient responded definitively to epidural blood patch (EBP). Forty-two patients underwent surgery. Most improved following surgery; 48.7% were completely headache free and 26.8% had at least 50% improvement. Conclusion In our series, cerebrospinal fluid-venous fistula was associated with a greater occurrence of Valsalva-induced headache exacerbation or precipitation than orthostatic headache and did not respond to EBP. Surgery provided significant improvement. Cerebrospinal fluid-venous fistula should be considered early in the differential diagnosis of Valsalva-induced (“cough”) headache.

The endoscopic transnasal approach is an evolving technique for treating lesions in the sella turcica. Since this method was introduced at our institution 4 years ago, the majority of transsphenoidal procedures are performed with it. The records of all patients having endoscopic transnasal hypophysectomy at the Mayo Clinic during the last 4 years were reviewed retrospectively. The criteria analyzed were safety, functional and cosmetic outcome, and complications. During the 4-year period, the operative procedure was modified to improve operative exposure and safety. The results of our review showed a significant decrease in length of hospital stay, reduced operative time, reduced need for nasal packing, and elimination of a sublabial incision. The complication rate was equivalent to that reported for the traditional transseptal transsphenoidal approach. As the neurosurgeons at our institution gained experience with this approach, an increasing number of pituitary microadenomas were resected safely and successfully. In addition, because of the limited septal dissection, this approach is particularly helpful for revision operations. This approach also can be used for the full range of pituitary lesions and in conjunction with adjunctive techniques, including frontal craniotomy and -knife irradiation. Currently, the endoscopic transsphenoidal approach is the method preferred for surgically treating pituitary lesions in adults at our institution.

ObjectiveCurrently, there are no reliable biomarkers for predicting therapeutic response in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The synovium may unlock critical information for determining efficacy, since a reduction in the numbers of sublining synovial macrophages remains the most reproducible biomarker. Thus, a clinically actionable method for the collection of synovial tissue, which can be analyzed using high‐throughput strategies, must become a reality. This study was undertaken to assess the feasibility of utilizing synovial biopsies as a precision medicine‐based approach for patients with RA.MethodsRheumatologists at 6 US academic sites were trained in minimally invasive ultrasound‐guided synovial tissue biopsy. Biopsy specimens obtained from patients with RA and synovial tissue from patients with osteoarthritis (OA) were subjected to histologic analysis, fluorescence‐activated cell sorting, and RNA sequencing (RNA‐seq). An optimized protocol for digesting synovial tissue was developed to generate high‐quality RNA‐seq libraries from isolated macrophage populations. Associations were determined between macrophage transcriptional profiles and clinical parameters in RA patients.ResultsPatients with RA reported minimal adverse effects in response to synovial biopsy. Comparable RNA quality was observed from synovial tissue and isolated macrophages between patients with RA and patients with OA. Whole tissue samples from patients with RA demonstrated a high degree of transcriptional heterogeneity. In contrast, the transcriptional profile of isolated RA synovial macrophages highlighted different subpopulations of patients and identified 6 novel transcriptional modules that were associated with disease activity and therapy.ConclusionPerformance of synovial tissue biopsies by rheumatologists in the US is feasible and generates high‐quality samples for research. Through the use of cutting‐edge technologies to analyze synovial biopsy specimens in conjunction with corresponding clinical information, a precision medicine–based approach for patients with RA is attainable.