Kshettry, Varun R.

Abstract Craniopharyngiomas are rare parasellar tumors, and papillary craniopharyngiomas (PCPs) represent 8 to 20% of cases. Interim analysis of retrospective data collected from the Registry of Adenomas of the Pituitary and Related Disorders (RAPID). Fourteen U.S.-based academic skull base centers between 2011 and 2023. Patients with PCPs. Demographic, imaging, surgical, and outcome variables. Ninety-nine patients with PCPs were included. The mean age was 51.8 ± 14.7, and 57.6% were male. Most tumors showed mixed cystic/solid components (67.5%), were transinfundibular (50.0%), and were treated with an endoscopic endonasal approach (74.5%), with 51.1% demonstrating gross total resection (GTR). Pituitary stalk was preserved in 51.9%. Permanent arginine vasopressin deficiency was seen in 67.1% and was associated with pituitary stalk sacrifice (p = 0.003). Cerebrospinal fluid leak was the most common nonendocrine postsurgical, 30-day complication (9.1%), reason for return to the operating room (3.1%), and reason for 90-day readmission (8.1%). Most patients (63.9%) received no adjuvant therapy; GTR was associated with decreased radiotherapy use (p = 0.0001). BRAFV600E mutation was detected in 64/69 tumors tested, although only one patient was treated with a BRAF inhibitor. A mean follow-up of 12.3 ± 14.6 months was seen for the group. RAPID consortium enabled the largest real-world clinical information dataset for PCPs. Early findings support that GTR and stalk preservation are important to outcomes. Iterative analysis and discussion of data led to the generation of a framework for future studies to fully leverage the capabilities of multicenter registries.

OBJECTIVE Reports of surgical outcomes for Cushing’s disease are mostly limited to single-center experiences by expert surgeons. Therefore, no generalizable surgical outcome metrics for endoscopic endonasal Cushing’s disease surgery are available for practitioners to guide quality-improvement efforts. This is potentially problematic, given the high morbidity and excess mortality observed in patients who do not achieve remission. This study proposes a bundle of evidence-based metrics for low-risk patients with Cushing’s disease, for whom optimal outcomes would be expected, that focus on the cost efficiency of care and surgical outcomes from multicenter collaboration of US pituitary centers. METHODS The steering committee of the Registry of Adenomas of the Pituitary and Related Disorders (RAPID) consortium proposed the metrics based on available data from 12 US pituitary centers. A benchmarking population of low-risk patients undergoing first-time surgery was identified. Patient characteristics and outcomes were aggregated and analyzed by a data coordinating center. Metrics were reported using 2 approaches. RESULTS A total of 431 patients from 12 centers who underwent primary endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2022, were included. There were 227 patients in the low-risk cohort (age < 70 years, BMI < 50, microadenoma, and Knosp grade 0–2). For the cost-efficiency metrics, the mean (SD) length of stay was 3.8 (4.8) midnights, and the percentage of patients readmitted was 11.1%. The rate of disposition to a skilled nursing facility was 2.2%. For surgical outcomes, the rate of postoperative CSF leakage was 1.3%, and the rate of 1-year sustained surgical remission was 81.2%. The rates of permanent and temporary arginine vasopressin deficiencies were 1.8% and 11.9%, respectively. The 75th percentile performance by center was 3.0 midnights for length of stay, 6.3% for 90-day unplanned readmission, < 1% for disposition to a skilled nursing facility, < 1% for CSF leakage, and 92.2% for 1-year sustained remission. The 75th percentile was < 1% for both permanent and temporary arginine vasopressin deficiencies. CONCLUSIONS An evidence-based bundle of metrics in a Cushing’s disease patient population at low risk who underwent first-time endoscopic pituitary surgery is proposed. Surgeons can use these metrics to assess and improve the quality of their clinical pathways.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Schwannomas are benign, slow-growing peripheral nerve sheath tumors. Approximately 8% of intracranial schwannomas originate from the trigeminal nerve. No consensus exists regarding superiority of outcomes after resection vs stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) in the treatment of trigeminal schwannomas (TS). The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and outcomes of resection vs SRS for TS management. METHODS: Embase, PubMed, and SCOPUS databases were queried from the date of inception to July 2023 for primary data reporting TS treatment outcomes after SRS or resection. Risk of bias was reported under Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. RESULTS: Overall, 29 retrospective observational studies comprising 949 patients were included in the analysis. A total of 13 studies (n = 589) reported outcomes after SRS, and 16 studies (n = 360) reported outcomes after surgical resection, and 182 patients in the SRS group had previous resection. To ensure statistical validity of comparing the cohorts, 3 checkpoints were assessed: the median age (SRS: 48 vs surgery: 40 years old, P < .01), tumor volume (5.2 vs 8.9 cm 3 , P = .06), and median follow-up (53.9 vs 48.5 months, P = .59), which reflected the choice of treatment. Compared with surgical resection, the SRS group demonstrated significantly higher rates of facial hypesthesia improvement (44% vs 12%, P < .01) and lower rates of new onset (4% vs 15%, P = .051) at last follow-up. Facial pain was less likely to improve (58% vs 81%, P = .024) after SRS compared with surgery. However, worsened (5% vs 1%, P = .71) and new facial pain (2% vs 1%, P = .55) were comparable between cohorts. CONCLUSION: SRS seems to offer improvement in rates of hypesthesia and trigeminal motor deficits compared with surgical resection for TS. However, facial pain improvement was more favorable after surgery. These findings highlight the importance of individualized treatment decisions based on patient characteristics, tumor profile, and pretreatment symptoms.

Abstract Purpose: Craniopharyngiomas are rare parasellar tumors, and papillary craniopharyngiomas (PCP) represent 8-20% of cases. We assessed surgical outcomes of these very rare tumors among patients treated in the last decade. Methods: Retrospective data from the Registry of Adenomas of the Pituitary and Related Disorders (RAPID) were used to evaluate patients with PCP treated between 2011 and 2023 at 14 US-based academic skull base centers. Demographic, imaging, surgical, and outcome variables were analyzed. Results: Ninety-nine patients with PCP were included. Mean age was 51.8±14.7 and 57.6% were male. Most tumors showed mixed cystic/solid components (67.5%), were trans-infundibular (50.0%), and were treated endoscopically (74.5%), with 51.1% demonstrating gross total resection (GTR). Pituitary stalk was preserved in 51.9%. Permanent arginine vasopressin deficiency was seen in 68.8% and was associated with pituitary stalk sacrifice (p=0.02). Cerebrospinal fluid leak was the most common nonendocrine postsurgical, 30-day complication (9.1%), reason for return to the operating room (3.1%), and reason for 90-day readmission (8.1%). Return to the operating room was associated with discharge to a skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility (p=0.0001). Most patients (63.9%) received no adjuvant therapy; GTR was associated with decreased radiotherapy use (p=0.0001). BRAFV600E mutation was detected in 64/69 tumors tested, although only 1 patient was treated with a BRAF inhibitor. Conclusion: To our knowledge, the RAPID consortium enabled the largest real-world clinical information dataset for PCP. Our data can be used as a benchmark for short-term surgical outcomes. Longer-term follow-up studies are needed to understand how to optimize outcomes from each treatment modality.