Gompel, Jamie J. Van

Abstract BACKGROUND: Extradural approach to the cavernous sinus, the “Dolenc” approach recognizing its developing Dr. Vinko Dolenc, is a critically important skull base approach. However, resection of the lateral wall of the cavernous sinus, most commonly for cavernous sinus meningiomas, results commonly in a defect that often cannot be reconstructed in a water-tight fashion. This may result in troublesome pseudomeningocele postoperatively. OBJECTIVE: To describe a technique designed to mitigate the development of pseudomeningocele. METHODS: We found the Dolenc approach critical for resection of cavernous lesions. However, a number of pseudomeningoceles were managed with prolonged external pressure wrapping in the early cohort. Therefore, we incorporated subgaleal to muscular sutures, which were designed to close this potential space and retrospectively analyzed our results. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients treated with a Dolenc approach and resection of the lateral wall of the cavernous sinus over a 2-year period were included. Prior to incorporation of this technique, 12 patients were treated and 3 (25%) experienced postoperative pseudomeningoceles requiring multiple clinic visits and frequent dressing. After incorporation of subgaleal retention sutures, no patient (0%) experienced this complication. CONCLUSION: Although basic, subgaleal to temporalis muscle retention sutures likely aid in eliminating this potential dead space, thereby preventing patient distress postoperatively. This technique is simple and further emphasizes the importance of dead space elimination in complex closures.

PurposeTo investigate the ability of slip interface imaging (SII), a recently developed magnetic resonance elastography (MRE)‐based technique, to predict the degree of meningioma–brain adhesion, using findings at surgery as the reference standard.Materials and MethodsWith Institutional Review Board approval and written informed consent, 25 patients with meningiomas >2.5 cm in maximal diameter underwent preoperative SII assessment. Intracranial shear motions were introduced using a soft, pillow‐like head driver and the resulting displacement field was acquired with an MRE pulse sequence on 3T MR scanners. The displacement data were analyzed to determine tumor–brain adhesion by assessing intensities on shear line images and raw as well as normalized octahedral shear strain (OSS) values along the interface. The SII findings of shear line images, OSS, and normalized OSS were independently and blindly correlated with surgical findings of tumor adhesion by using the Cohen's κ coefficient and chi‐squared test.ResultsNeurosurgeons categorized the surgical plane as extrapial (no adhesion) in 15 patients, mixed in four, and subpial (adhesion) in six. Both shear line images and OSS agreed with the surgical findings in 18 (72%) cases (fair agreement, κ = 0.37, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.05–0.69), while normalized OSS was concordant with the surgical findings in 23 (92%) cases (good agreement, κ = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.67–1). The correlation between SII predictions (shear line images, OSS, and normalized OSS) and the surgical findings were statistically significant (chi‐squared test, P = 0.02, P = 0.02, and P < 0.0001, respectively).ConclusionSII preoperatively evaluates the degree of meningioma–brain adhesion noninvasively, allowing for improved prediction of surgical risk and tumor resectability.Level of Evidence: 1Technical Efficacy: Stage 1J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017;46:1007–1016.

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence, presentation, and treatment outcomes of trigeminal nerve–mediated symptoms secondary to large vestibular schwannomas (VSs) with trigeminal nerve contact. Specifically, the symptomatic results of pain, paresthesias, and numbness after microsurgical resection or stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) were examined.METHODSThe authors conducted a retrospective review of a database for concomitant diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) or trigeminal neuropathy and VS between 1994 and 2014 at a tertiary academic center. All patients with VS with TN or neuropathy were included, with the exception of those patients with neurofibromatosis Type 2 and patients who elected observation. Patient demographic data, symptom evolution, and treatment outcomes were collected. Population data were summarized, and outcome comparisons between microsurgery and SRS were analyzed at last follow-up.RESULTSSixty (2.2%) of 2771 total patients who had large VSs and either TN or neuropathy symptoms met inclusion criteria. The average age of trigeminal symptom onset was 53.6 years (range 24–79 years), the average age at VS diagnosis was 54.4 years (range 25–79 years), and the average follow-up for the microsurgery and SRS groups was 30 and 59 months, respectively (range 3–132 months). Of these patients, 50 (83%) had facial numbness, 16 (27%) had TN pain, and 13 (22%) had paresthesias (i.e., burning or tingling). Subsequently, 50 (83%) patients underwent resection and 10 (17%) patients received SRS.Treatment of VS with SRS did not improve trigeminal symptoms in any patient. This included 2 subjects with unimproved facial numbness and 4 patients with worsened numbness. Similarly, SRS worsened TN pain and paresthesias in 5 patients and failed to improve pain in 2 additional patients. The Barrow Neurological Institute neuralgia and hypesthesia scale scores were significantly worse for patients undergoing SRS compared with microsurgery.Resection alleviated facial numbness in 22 (50%) patients, paresthesias in 5 (42%) patients, and TN in 7 (70%) patients. In several patients, surgery was not successful in relieving facial numbness, which failed to improve in 17 (39%) cases and became worse in 5 (11%) cases. Also, surgery did not change the intensity of facial paresthesias or neuralgia in 6 (50%) and 3 (25%) patients, respectively. Microsurgery exacerbated facial paresthesias in 1 (8%) patient but, notably, did not aggravate TN in any patient.CONCLUSIONSOverall, resection of large VSs provided improved outcomes for patients with concomitant TN, facial paresthesia, and numbness compared with SRS. However, caution should be used when counseling surgical candidates because a number of patients did not experience improvement. This was especially true in patients with preoperative facial numbness and paresthesias, who frequently reported that these symptoms were unchanged following surgery.

OBJECTIVENelson-Salassa syndrome (NSS) is a rare consequence of bilateral adrenalectomy (ADX) for refractory hypercortisolism due to Cushing disease (CD). Although classically defined by rapid growth of a large, invasive, adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH)–secreting pituitary tumor after bilateral ADX that causes cutaneous hyperpigmentation, visual disturbance, and high levels of ACTH, clinical experience suggests more variability.METHODSThe authors conducted a retrospective chart review of all patients 18 years and older with a history of bilateral ADX for CD, adequate pituitary MRI, and at least 2 years of clinical follow-up. Statistical tests included Student's t-test, chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, multivariate analysis, and derived receiver operating characteristic curves.RESULTSBetween 1956 and 2015, 302 patients underwent bilateral ADX for the treatment of hypercortisolism caused by CD; 88 had requisite imaging and follow-up (mean 16 years). Forty-seven patients (53%) had radiographic progression of pituitary disease and were diagnosed with NSS. Compared with patients who did not experience progression, those who developed NSS were significantly younger at the time of CD diagnosis (33 vs 44 years, p = 0.007) and at the time of bilateral ADX (35 vs 49 years, p = 0.007), had larger tumors at the time of CD diagnosis (6 mm vs 1 mm, p = 0.03), and were more likely to have undergone external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT, 43% vs 12%, p = 0.005). Among NSS patients, the mean tumor growth was 7 mm/yr (SE 6 mm/yr); the median tumor growth was 3 mm/yr. Prevalence of pathognomonic symptoms was low; the classic triad occurred in 9%, while hyperpigmentation without visual field deficit was observed in 23%, and 68% remained asymptomatic despite radiographic disease progression. NSS required treatment in 14 patients (30%).CONCLUSIONSNSS is a prevalent sequela of CD after bilateral ADX and affects more than 50% of patients. However, although radiological evidence of NSS is common, it is most often clinically indolent, with only a small minority of patients developing the more aggressive disease phenotype characterized by clinically meaningful symptoms and indications for treatment. Young age at the time of CD diagnosis or treatment with bilateral ADX, large tumor size at CD diagnosis, and EBRT are associated with progression to NSS and may be markers of aggressiveness.

Abstract Objective . Automated behavioral state classification can benefit next generation implantable epilepsy devices. In this study we explored the feasibility of automated awake (AW) and slow wave sleep (SWS) classification using wide bandwidth intracranial EEG (iEEG) in patients undergoing evaluation for epilepsy surgery. Approach . Data from seven patients (age 34 ± 12 , 4 women) who underwent intracranial depth electrode implantation for iEEG monitoring were included. Spectral power features (0.1–600 Hz) spanning several frequency bands from a single electrode were used to train and test a support vector machine classifier. Main results . Classification accuracy of 97.8 ± 0.3% (normal tissue) and 89.4 ± 0.8% (epileptic tissue) across seven subjects using multiple spectral power features from a single electrode was achieved. Spectral power features from electrodes placed in normal temporal neocortex were found to be more useful (accuracy 90.8 ± 0.8%) for sleep-wake state classification than electrodes located in normal hippocampus (87.1 ± 1.6%). Spectral power in high frequency band features (Ripple (80–250 Hz), Fast Ripple (250–600 Hz)) showed comparable performance for AW and SWS classification as the best performing Berger bands (Alpha, Beta, low Gamma) with accuracy ⩾90% using a single electrode contact and single spectral feature. Significance . Automated classification of wake and SWS should prove useful for future implantable epilepsy devices with limited computational power, memory, and number of electrodes. Applications include quantifying patient sleep patterns and behavioral state dependent detection, prediction, and electrical stimulation therapies.

Object Transnasal endoscopic (TNE) approaches have been proposed for the resection of anterior cranial base meningiomas. The purpose of this article was to evaluate the results of endoscopic resection of anterior cranial fossa meningiomas by reviewing available published data in addition to the authors' experience with 13 cases. Methods The literature was searched via OVID to identify all available disaggregate data pertaining to anterior fossa meningiomas treated primarily by TNE. In addition, the authors reviewed the records of a personal series of 13 patients who underwent TNE removal of parasellar meningiomas through a pure TNE approach. Results Meta-analysis from studies included a total of 69 patients with adequate disaggregated data to summarize. Mean age (± SD) at surgery was 53.3 ± 13.0 years (range 27–80 years); 78% of the patients were women. Tumor size was skewed toward smaller lesions, with a mean volume of 24.4 ± 2.9 cm 3 . Intraoperative impressions were of gross-total resection in 76% of cases. The most common complication reported was CSF leakage, occurring in 32% of the cases (22 of 69). The rate of CSF leakage was not affected by size (p = 0.52), location of tumor (p = 0.9), or age (p = 0.56). There was 1 death overall. The mean duration of follow-up was 21 ± 18 months. Conclusions Transnasal endoscopic resection of anterior cranial base meningiomas is feasible in selected cases. Reported resection rates are adequate, although the follow-up in the reported series is too short (mean 21 months) to make definitive conclusions regarding the long-term effectiveness. Cerebrospinal fluid leakage is a common complication, although it appears not to be associated with additional morbidity except for the need for reoperation. Long-term results are necessary before considering TNE resection as a valid alternative, in selected cases, to the more established transcranial techniques.

Gliosarcoma is an uncommon variant of glioblastoma, which commonly demonstrates dural attachment. However, skull base invasion is rarely seen with this entity. Herein, we report a 44-year-old female patient diagnosed with primary intracranial gliosarcoma extensively invading the skull base and muscles of mastication. She presented to our institution with a three-month history of difficult right jaw opening and retro-orbital pressure and one week of severe right-sided postauricular headache. Head CT demonstrated a 6 cm mass with marked bony erosion. Brain MRI at a one-week interval more clearly characterized tumor extension through the right orbit and muscles of mastication, with overall growth to 7 cm and worsening midline shift. The patient underwent a right frontotemporal craniotomy for gross total resection. Pathology confirmed the diagnosis of gliosarcoma, IDH-wildtype (WHO grade IV). Her postoperative course was uneventful and she was discharged at preoperative neurologic baseline. To our knowledge, this is the third reported case of a primary intracranial gliosarcoma with direct invasion of skull base, brain parenchyma, and extracranial compartment. However, this is the first report case of primary GS invading the surrounding musculature and orbit. This case report highlights the rapid aggressiveness of gliosarcomas and further a prior undescribed radiographic and anatomic finding of skull base invasion with this entity.

ObjectiveDemonstrate the association of radiographic dural enhancement with increased tumor adherence at the porus acusticus, which may influence completeness of resection and facial nerve outcome.Study DesignCase series with chart review.SettingAcademic referral center.Subjects and MethodsA total of 205 consecutive patients with histopathologically confirmed vestibular schwannoma (VS) were evaluated. Patients with tumors exhibiting dural enhancement on postgadolinium T1‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging were identified and compared with matched controls. Completeness of resection, intraoperative details, and facial nerve outcomes were analyzed.ResultsExcluding strictly intracanalicular tumors (n = 32, 16%) and those with NF2 (n = 10, 4.9%), the presence of dural enhancement was radiographically confirmed in 16 (9.8%) cases. Paired analysis did not reveal significant baseline differences between cases and controls. Subtotal resection was performed in 5 (31%) of the 16 patients with tumors exhibiting dural enhancement, in contrast to 1 (3%) of the matched controls (P =. 01). Four (25%) demonstrated increased tumor adherence at the porus acusticus intraoperatively, compared with 1 control (3%, P =. 04). Long‐term facial nerve function was similar between cases and controls (81% vs 84% House‐Brackmann I‐II function, P = 1.00).ConclusionDural enhancement is present in approximately 10% of extracanalicular VS. Dural enhancement at the porus acusticus may represent hypervascularity, dural reaction, or infiltration, and portends increased tumor adherence and greater likelihood of subtotal resection to preserve facial nerve function. To our knowledge, this is the first series that reports the prevalence of this phenomenon in VS and the potential surgical implications. Recognition preoperatively may be valuable toward patient counseling.

OBJECTIVE Hypothalamic hamartomas (HHs) are associated with gelastic seizures and the development of medically refractory epilepsy. Magnetic resonance imaging–guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (MRg-LITT) is a minimally invasive ablative treatment that may have applicability for these deep-seated lesions. Here, the authors describe 3 patients with refractory HHs who they treated with MRg-LITT. METHODS An institutional review board–approved prospective database of patients undergoing Visualase MRg-LITT was retrospectively reviewed. Demographic and historical medical data, including seizure and medication histories, previous surgeries, procedural details, and surgical complications, along with radiological interpretation of the HHs, were recorded. The primary outcome was seizure freedom, and secondary outcomes included medication reduction, seizure frequency, operative morbidity, and clinical outcome at the latest follow-up. RESULTS All 3 patients in the multi-institutional database had developed gelastic seizures related to HH at the ages of 7, 7, and 9 years. They presented for further treatment at 25, 28, and 48 years of age, after previous treatments with stereotactic radiosurgery in all cases and partial hamartoma resection in one case. One ablation was complicated by a small tract hemorrhage, which was stable on postoperative imaging. One patient developed hyponatremia and experienced weight gain, which were respectively managed with fluid restriction and counseling. At the most recent follow-up at a mean of 21 months (range 1–32 months), one patient was seizure free while another had meaningful seizure reduction. Medication was reduced in one case. CONCLUSIONS Adults with gelastic seizures despite previous treatments can undergo MRg-LITT with reasonable safety and efficacy. This novel therapy may provide a minimally invasive alternative for primary and recurrent HH as the technique is refined.