Impact of operative length on post-operative complications in meningioma surgery: a NSQIP analysis

Timing and Morbidity of Intracranial Meningioma Resection Complications

BACKGROUND

Intracranial meningioma resection is associated with multiple acute postoperative complications, including cerebrovascular accidents, surgical site infections, and pneumonia. There is a paucity of research on the postoperative timeframe of these complications. Therefore, our objective is to characterize intracranial meningioma resection complications' time courses.

METHODS

The National Surgical Quality Improvement Project registry was queried for intracranial meningioma resection cases using CPT codes 61512 and 61519 from years 2016 to 2021. Baseline patient characteristics and 30-day complication frequency were calculated. The mean, median, and interquartile range of postoperative days to occurrence for 17 complications were calculated. Percent incidence predischarge was recorded. Time-to-occurrence curves were created. Rates of 30-day mortality and increased length-of-stay were compared between patients with and without each complication using a χ2 test. A covariance matrix showing associations between 11 complications using the Pearson method was made. Significance was set at P < 0.05.

RESULTS

Ten thousand eight hundred ninety cases were analyzed. The most frequent complications' median and interquartile range of postoperative days to occurrence and percentage occurring predischarge were bleeding requiring transfusion (0.0, 0.0-0.0, 99.9%), cerebrovascular accident/stroke with neurological deficit (2.0, 1.0-6.0, 83.8%), unplanned intubation (4.0, 1.0-8.0, 75.1%), on a ventilator for >48 hours (3.0; 2.0-5.5; 88.1%), deep vein thrombosis/thrombophlebitis (12.5, 5.2-19.7, 41.3%), urinary tract infection (13.0, 7.0-20.0, 44.2%), pneumonia (8.0, 4.0-16.0, 60.5%), and pulmonary embolism (14.0, 6.0-20.0, 29.1%). Most complications were associated with increased mortality and length-of-stay.

CONCLUSIONS

Postoperative meningioma resection complications have varying morbidity and timeframes. Surgeons should be aware of complication timing to better manage postoperative care.

Factors related to morbidity and mortality of meningiomas resection‑associated venous thromboembolism (Review)

Patients undergoing intracranial meningioma removal have been reported to have an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). The present study aimed to study meningioma operations and ascertain rates of postoperative VTE more closely and to find out the associated parameters with VTE-related morbidity and mortality in meningioma patients following resection. This meta-analysis included articles involving meningiomas surgery and postoperative VTE [thromboembolic complications: deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE)] published in full-text form between January 1980 and January 2021). Collected variables included: First author name, study period covered, publication year, total number of patients and age, number of males, surgical duration, body mass index (BMI), tumor location, proliferation marker for human tumor cells Ki-67 and VTE-related morbidity and mortality. After the initial search and applying all exclusion and inclusion criteria, five articles were left in the final article pool. The total number of patients was 6,505 who underwent surgery for meningiomas and 299 (4.5%) revealed postoperative VTE. The final results showed no potentially significant difference between the total sample and the postoperative VTE group in tumor location and proliferation marker Ki-67 for human cells. By contrast, the results of the analysis for surgical duration and BMI showed a statistically significant difference. Patients who had experienced open surgery for meningiomas were associated with postoperative VTE. Furthermore, surgical duration and BMI were statistically significant VTE-related parameters in patients who underwent meningioma surgery, showing an association with VTE-related morbidity and mortality.

Venous thromboembolism in patients undergoing distal cholangiocarcinoma surgery: Prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes

BACKGROUND

To investigate venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients undergoing distal cholangiocarcinoma (dCCA) surgery, we performed a single-center study to assess its prevalence, risk factors, prognosis.

METHOD

We studied a total of 177 patients undergoing dCCA surgery from January 2017 to April 2022. Demographic, clinical data, laboratory data (including lower extremity ultrasound findings), and outcome variables were obtained, and compared between VTE and non-VTE groups.

RESULTS

Of the 177 patients undergoing dCCA surgery (aged 65.2 ± 9.6 years; 108 (61.0%) male), 64 patients developed VTE after surgery. Logistic multivariate analysis showed that, age, operation procedure, TNM stage, ventilator duration and preoperative D-dimer were independent risk factors. Based on these factors, we constructed the nomogram to predict VTE after dCCA for the first time. The areas under the receiver operating curve (ROC) of the nomogram were 0.80 (95% CI: 0.72-0.88) and 0.79 (95% CI: 0.73-0.89) in the training and validation groups, respectively. Patients developed VTE had a worse prognosis by Kaplan-Meier curve analysis (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of VTE is high and is associated with adverse outcomes in patients undergoing dCCA surgery. We developed a nomogram assessing VTE risk, which may help clinicians to screen out people at high risk for VTE and to undertake rational preventive measures.

Use of tubular retractors to access deep brain lesions: A case series

BACKGROUND

Deep-seated intracranial lesions can be accessed using blade retractors that may disrupt white matter tracts, exert pressure on adjacent tissue, and lead to post-operative venous injury. Tubular retractors may minimize disruption to white matter tracts by radially dispersing pressure onto surrounding tissue. This study characterizes perioperative outcomes in patients undergoing biopsy or resection of intracranial pathologies using tubular retractors.

METHODS

Adult patients (≥18 years) undergoing neurosurgical intervention using tubular retractors at a single health system (January 2016-February 2022) were identified through chart review. Demographics, disease characteristics, management data, and clinical outcomes were collected.

RESULTS

A total of 49 patients were included; 23 (47%) had primary brain tumors, 8 (16%) metastases, 6 (12%) intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), 5 (10%) cavernomas, and 7 (14%) other pathologies. Lesions were located subcortically (n = 19, 39%), intraventricularly (n = 15, 31%), and in deep gray matter (n = 11, 22%). Gross total resection (GTR) or near GTR was achieved in 21 of 26 (80.8%) patients with intracranial lesions where GTR was the goal of surgery; 10 of 11 (90.9%) biopsies in patients with masses were diagnostic. Five of six (83.3%) ICHs were totally or near totally evacuated. Seventeen patients (35%) had major complications post-operatively. The most common complications were DVT/PE (n = 7, 14%) and seizures (n = 6, 12%). For patients who experienced post-operative seizures, 3 had seizures preoperatively and 1 had seizures in the context of electrolyte derangements. No patients died of post-operative complications.

CONCLUSION

This operative approach may facilitate safe and efficacious biopsy or resection of deep-seated intracranial pathologies.

Robot-assisted vs. manually guided stereoelectroencephalography for refractory epilepsy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Robotic assistance has improved electrode implantation precision in stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) for refractory epilepsy patients. We sought to assess the relative safety of the robotic-assisted (RA) procedure compared to the traditional hand-guided one. A systematic search on PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane was performed for studies directly comparing robot-assisted vs. manually guided SEEG to treat refractory epilepsy. The primary outcomes included target point error (TPE), entry point error (EPE), time of implantation of each electrode, operative time, postoperative intracranial hemorrhage, infection, and neurologic deficit. We included 427 patients from 11 studies, of whom 232 (54.3%) underwent robot-assisted surgery and 196 (45.7%) underwent manually guided surgery. The primary endpoint, TPE, was not statistically significant (MD 0.04 mm; 95% CI - 0.21, - 0.29; p = 0.76). Nonetheless, EPE was significantly lower in the intervention group (MD - 0.57 mm; 95% CI - 1.08; - 0.06; p = 0.03). Total operative time was significantly lower in the RA group (MD - 23.66 min; 95% CI - 32.01, - 15.31; p < 0.00001), as well as the individual time of implantation of each electrode (MD - 3.35 min; 95% CI - 3.68, - 3.03; p < 0.00001). Postoperative intracranial hemorrhage did not differ between groups: robotic (9/145; 6.2%) vs. manual (8/139; 5.7%) (RR 0.97; 95% CI 0.40-2.34; p = 0.94). There was no statistically relevant difference in infection (p = 0.4) and postoperative neurological deficit (p = 0.47) incidence between the two groups. In this analysis, there is a potential relevance in the RA procedure when comparing the traditional one, since operative time, time of implantation of each electrode, and EPE were significantly lower in the robotic group. More research is needed to corroborate the superiority of this novel technique.

Effect of systolic blood pressure fluctuations during resuscitation on postoperative complications following meningioma surgery: A retrospective observation study

It is unclear whether blood pressure variability in the post-anesthesia care unit is associated with postoperative complications. This study aims to characterize the impact of blood pressure fluctuations on postoperative complications and postoperative length of stay after meningioma surgery. Adult meningioma patients undergoing general anesthesia were retrospectively recruited. The principal exposure was blood pressure variability in the post-anesthesia care unit, calculated by noninvasive blood pressure measurements. The primary outcome was major postoperative complications, defined as II or higher in the Clavien-Dindo classification grades. Secondary outcomes included healthcare resource utilization parameters among patients. Multivariable logistic regression was used and adjusted for potential confounding variables. Data sensitivity analyses were performed via different variable transformations and propensity score matching analyses. A total of 578 patients qualified for the study, and 161 (27.9%) cases experienced postoperative complications. The multivariable analysis found that increased systolic blood pressure variability in the post-anesthesia care unit was associated with postoperative complications (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-1.22, P < .001) and prolonged postoperative length of stay (adjusted regression coefficients [β] = 1.86; 95% CI, 0.58-3.13, P = .004). Patients with postoperative complications had a higher frequency of intensive care admission (44.1% vs 15.3%), major postoperative interventions (6.6% vs 0%), and 30-day readmission (5.0% vs 0.7%). Systolic blood pressure fluctuations during resuscitation have an independent impact on postoperative complications and postoperative length of stay following meningioma surgery.

Clinical features and surgical outcomes of intracranial and spinal cord subependymomas

OBJECTIVE

Subependymomas are low-grade ependymal tumors whose clinical characteristics, radiographic features, and postsurgical outcomes are incompletely characterized due to their rarity. The authors present an institutional case series and a systematic literature review to achieve a better understanding of subependymomas.

METHODS

Adult patients with histologically confirmed subependymoma or mixed subependymoma-ependymoma surgically treated at a tertiary hospital between 1992 and 2020 were identified. A systematic literature review of the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases from inception until December 4, 2020, was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Data extracted from both groups included demographics, radiographic features, tumor characteristics, management, and follow-up variables.

RESULTS

Forty-eight unique patients with subependymoma were identified by chart review; of these patients, 8 (16.7%) had mixed subependymoma-ependymoma tumors. The median age at diagnosis was 49 years (IQR 19.8 years), and 26 patients (54.2%) were male. Forty-two patients (87.5%) had intracranial subependymomas, and 6 (12.5%) had spinal tumors. The most common presentation was headache (n = 20, 41.7%), although a significant number of tumors were diagnosed incidentally (n = 16, 33.3%). Among the 42 patients with intracranial tumors, 15 (35.7%) had hydrocephalus, and the most common surgical strategy was a suboccipital approach with or without C1 laminectomy (n = 26, 61.9%). Gross-total resection (GTR) was achieved in 33 cases (68.7%), and 2 patients underwent adjuvant radiotherapy. Most patients had no major postsurgical complications (n = 34, 70.8%), and only 1 (2.1%) had recurrence after GTR. Of 2036 reports initially identified in the systematic review, 39 were eligible for inclusion, comprising 477 patients. Of 462 patients for whom tumor location was reported, 406 (87.9%) were intracranial, with the lateral ventricle as the most common location (n = 214, 46.3%). Spinal subependymomas occurred in 53 patients (11.5%), with 3 cases (0.6%) in multiple locations. Similar to the case series at the authors' institution, headache was the most common presenting symptom (n = 231, 54.0%) among the 428 patients whose presentation was reported. Twenty-seven patients (6.3%) were diagnosed incidentally, and 36 cases (8.4%) were found at autopsy. Extent of resection was reported for 350 patients, and GTR was achieved in 250 (71.4%). Fifteen of 337 patients (4.5%) had recurrence or progression.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors' case series and literature review demonstrate that patients with subependymoma are well managed with resection and generally have a favorable prognosis.

Venous thromboembolic and hemorrhagic events after meningioma surgery: A single-center retrospective cohort study of risk factors

Microsurgical resection of meningiomas in a majority of cases leads to a favorable outcome. Therefore, severe postoperative adverse events are less acceptable. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) and hemorrhagic complications in patients after operative treatment of intracranial meningiomas and to identify the risk factors in this patient subgroup. Of 106 patients undergoing elective craniotomy for meningioma overall incidence of symptomatic VTE was noted in 5.7% (six patients). For the risk-factor analysis older age (57.20 ± 11.60 vs. 71.00 ± 0.90 years, p < 0.001), higher body mass index (27.60 ± 4.80 vs. 33.16 ± 0.60 kg/m², p < 0.001), WHO grade II (3.00% vs. 33.33%, p = 0.02), lower intraoperative blood loss (466.00 ± 383.70 vs. 216.70 ± 68.30 mL, p < 0.001), bedridden status and neurologic deficit (0.00% vs. 33.33%, p = 0.003 and 38.00% vs. 100.00%, p = 0.004) were associated with greater VTE risk. No risk factors for hemorrhagic complications were identified on univariate analysis. In conclusion, the incidence of VTE in meningioma patients is not negligible. Identified risk factors should be taken into account in the decision-making process for chemoprophylaxis when the risk of bleeding decreases.

Critical appraisal of minimally invasive keyhole surgery for intracranial meningioma in a large case series

Background

Meningioma surgery has evolved over the last 20 years with increased use of minimally invasive approaches including the endoscopic endonasal route and endoscope-assisted and gravity-assisted transcranial approaches. As the “keyhole” concept remains controversial, we present detailed outcomes in a cohort series.

Methods

Retrospective analysis was done for all patients undergoing meningioma removal at a tertiary brain tumor referral center from 2008–2021. Keyhole approaches were defined as: use of a minimally invasive “retractorless” approach for a given meningioma in which a traditional larger approach is often used instead. The surgical goal was maximal safe removal including conservative (subtotal) removal for some invasive locations. Primary outcomes were resection rates, complications, length of stay and Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS). Secondary outcomes were endoscopy use, perioperative treatments, tumor control and acute MRI FLAIR/T2 changes to assess for brain manipulation and retraction injury.

Results

Of 329 patients, keyhole approaches were utilized in 193(59%) patients (mean age 59±13; 30 (15.5%) had prior surgery) who underwent 213 operations; 205(96%) were skull base location. Approaches included: endoscopic endonasal (n = 74,35%), supraorbital (n = 73,34%), retromastoid (n = 38,18%), mini-pterional (n = 20,9%), suboccipital (n = 4,2%), and contralateral transfalcine (n = 4,2%). Primary outcomes: Gross total/near total (>90%) resection was achieved in 125(59%) (5% for petroclival, cavernous sinus/Meckel’s cave, spheno-cavernous locations vs 77% for all other locations). Major complications included: permanent neurological worsening 12(6%), CSF leak 2(1%) meningitis 2(1%). There were no DVTs, PEs, MIs or 30-day mortality. Median LOS decreased from 3 to 2 days in the last 2 years; 94% were discharged to home with favorable 90-day KPS in 176(96%) patients. Secondary outcomes: Increased FLAIR/T2 changes were noted on POD#1/2 MRI in 36/213(17%) cases, resolving in all but 11 (5.2%). Endoscopy was used in 87/139(63%) craniotomies, facilitating additional tumor removal in 55%. Tumor progression occurred in 26(13%) patients, mean follow-up 42±36 months.

Conclusions & relevance

Our experience suggests minimally invasive keyhole transcranial and endoscopic endonasal meningioma removal is associated with comparable resection rates and low complication rates, short hospitalizations and high 90-day performance scores in comparison to prior reports using traditional skull base approaches. Subtotal removal may be appropriate for invasive/adherent meningiomas to avoid neurological deficits and other post-operative complications, although longer follow-up is needed. With careful patient selection and requisite experience, these approaches may be considered reasonable alternatives to traditional transcranial approaches.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) for Cranial Tumor Resection: A Review

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols describe a standardized method of preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative care to enhance outcomes and minimize complication risks surrounding elective surgical intervention. A growing body of evidence is being generated as we learn to apply principles of ERAS standardization to neurosurgical patients. First applied in spinal surgery, ERAS protocols have been extended to cranial neuro-oncological procedures. This review synthesizes recent findings to generate evidence-based guidelines to manage neurosurgical oncology patients with standardized systems and assess ability of these systems to coordinate multidisciplinary, patient-centric care efforts. Furthermore, we highlight the potential utility of multimedia, app-based communication platforms to facilitate patient education, autonomy, and team communication within each of the three settings.

Intracranial Meningioma in Elderly Patients. Retrospective Multicentric Risk and Surgical Factors Study of Morbidity and Mortality

With the increasing life expectancy, a large number of intracranial meningiomas (IM) have been identified in elderly patients. There is no general consensus regarding the management for IMs nor studies regarding the outcome of older patients undergoing meningioma surgery. We aimed to determine whether preoperative variables and postoperative clinical outcomes differ between age groups after meningioma surgery. We analyzed data from all patients who had undergone IM surgery from our departments. The final cohort consisted of 340 patients affected by IM with ASA class I-II: 188 in the young group (<65) and 152 in the elderly. The two subgroups did not present significant differences concerning biological characteristics of tumor, localization, diameters, lesion and edema volumes and surgical radicality. Despite these comparable data, elderly presented with a significantly lower Karnofsky Performance status value on admission and remained consistently lower during the follow-up. We establish instead that there is no intrinsic correlation to the presence of IM and no significant increased risk of complications or recurrence in elderly patients, but rather only an increased risk of reduced performance status with mortality related to the comorbidity of the patient, primarily cardiovascular disease, and an intrinsic frailty of the aged population.

Surgical strategies for older patients with glioblastoma

Objective

While adjuvant treatment regimens have been modified for older patients with glioblastoma (GBM), surgical strategies have not been tailored.

Methods

Clinical data of 48 consecutive patients aged 70 years or older, who underwent surgical resection for GBM with intraoperative ultrasonography (IoUS) alone or combination with intraoperative MRI (IoMRI) at Yale New Haven Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Variables were analyzed, and comparative analyses were performed.

Results

The addition of IoMRI was not superior to IoUS alone in terms of overall survival (OS) (P = 0.306), Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) at postoperative 6 weeks (P = 0.704) or extent of resection (P = 0.263). Length of surgery (LOSx), however, was significantly longer (P = 0.0002) in the IoMRI group. LOSx (P = 0.015) and hospital stay (P = 0.025) were predictors of postoperative complications. Increased EOR (GTR or NTR) (P = 0.030), postoperative adjuvant treatment (P < 0.0001) and postoperative complications (P = 0.006) were predictive for OS. Patients with relatively lower preoperative KPS scores (<70) showed significant improvement at postoperative 6 weeks (P<0.0001). Patients with complications (P = 0.038) were more likely to have lower KPS at postoperative 6 weeks.

Conclusions

Aggressive management with surgical resection should be considered in older patients with GBM, even those with relatively poor KPS. The use of ioMRI in this population does not appear to confer any measurable benefit over ioUS in experienced hands, but prolongs the length of surgery significantly, which is a preventable prognostic factor for impeding care.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11060-021-03862-z.

Preoperative risk factors associated with new focal neurological deficit and other major adverse events in first-time intracranial meningioma neurosurgery

BACKGROUND

Neurosurgical resection is the mainstay of meningioma treatment. Adverse event (AE) rates of meningioma resections are significant, but preoperative risk factors for major AEs in patients undergoing first-time meningioma surgery are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to explore major AEs and identify preoperative risk factors in patients undergoing first-time meningioma surgery.

METHODS

Data on all meningioma resections performed at the University Hospital Zurich from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2018 were collected in a prospective registry. All AEs that occurred within 3 months of surgery were documented in detail and classified as "minor" or "major." Statistical analysis included initial individual bivariate analyses of all preoperative factors and the occurrence of major AEs. Statistically significant variables were then included in a logistic regression model to identify predictors.

RESULTS

Three hundred forty-five patients were included in the study. Mean age was 58.1 years, and 77.1% of patients were female. The overall major AE rate was 20.6%; the most common of which was a new focal neurological deficit (12.8% of patients). Six preoperative factors showed a significant association with the occurrence of major AEs in bivariate analysis. All variables included in the logistic regression model showed increased odds of occurrence of major AE, but only tumor complexity as measured by the Milan Complexity Scale was a statistically significant predictor, with a score of 4 or more having twice the odds of major AEs (OR: 2.00, 95% CI: 1.15-3.48).

CONCLUSION

High tumor complexity is an independent predictor of the occurrence of major AEs following meningioma resection. Preoperative assessment of tumor complexity using the Milan Complexity Scale is warranted and can aid communication with patients about AE rates and surgical decision-making.

Operative duration and early outcomes in patients having a supratentorial craniotomy for brain tumor: A propensity matched analysis

It is unclear how variations in operative duration affect outcomes after craniotomy for supratentorial brain tumor. We characterized three populations of patients with typical, shorter, and longer durations of craniotomy for supratentorial brain tumor using prospectively collected clinical data from 16,335 patients in the 2012-2018 ACS National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. We compared baseline characteristics including demographics, comorbidities, tumor type, and operative features. We used propensity score matching to attain covariate balance and logistic regression to assess odds of unfavorable outcomes. Patients with the shortest operation durations tended to be older, with fewer males, higher ASA class, more metastatic brain tumors, more medical comorbidities, and less use of intraoperative microscope or ultrasound. Patients with the longest operative durations tended to be younger, with more males, fewer non-white minorities, more obesity, lower ASA classes, more intrinsic brain tumors, fewer medical comorbidities, fewer emergency operations, and increased use of intraoperative microscope. For patients with the shortest operations, after matching, we observed significantly decreased odds of prolonged length-of-stay (LOS), major complication, any complication, reoperation, and discharge to a facility; however, there was a significantly increased risk of 30-day mortality. For patients with the longest operations, after matching, we observed significantly increased odds of prolonged LOS; minor, major, and any complication; discharge to facility; and 30-day reoperation. After matching to balance baseline characteristics, operative duration has implications for outcomes following craniotomy for supratentorial brain tumor.

Work relative value units and perioperative outcomes in patients undergoing brain tumor surgery

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. Our objective 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.

Geriatric Sinus Surgery: A Review of Demographic Variables, Surgical Success and Complications in Elderly Surgical Patients

Objective

Demonstrate feasibility, safety and outcome metrics of geriatric sinus surgery (GESS).

Study Design

Retrospective review of patients undergoing sinus surgery for indication of chronic rhinosinusitis with and without nasal polyposis.

Setting

Tertiary referral center.

Participants

Patients who underwent FESS from 2008–2017; excluding skull base, craniofacial, or oncologic surgery. Primary study group were patients aged 65 years and older. Patients aged 40–64 years of age were included for comparison.

Main Outcomes and Measures: Multivariate analysis was performed to identify independently associated patient characteristics and perioperative variables. Preoperative medical and treatment history, revision and primary surgery, preoperative and post-operative SNOT-22 and NOSE scores, Lund-McKay scores were recorded when available. Post-operative data was assessed at a minimum of two months after the index procedure. Post-operative complications were included.

Results

Ninety-one (91) patients met criteria. 21.2% of the geriatric patients were taking systemic anticoagulation prior to surgery, and underwent treatment with nasal steroids (25.0%), oral antibiotics (67.7%), nasal irrigations (48.4%), and systemic steroids (37.5%) over an average of 7.3 months prior to surgery. There was an average post-operative reduction of 15.0 points (p < 0.0001) and 42.5 points (p = 0.0008) for SNOT-22 and NOSE scores, respectively. Average operative time was 117.4 minutes in geriatric patients compared to 183.4 minutes in younger patients (p = 0.004), with an average estimated blood loss of 55.6 milliliters (mL) compared to younger patients (111.8 mL) (p = 0.04). Linear regression identified revision surgery as associated with reductions in Sinonasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) scores (p = 0.011). Geriatric patients had a shorter operative time (p = 0.011) while male sex was associated with a longer operative time (p = 0.014). Patients over 65 had fewer minor complications (p = 0.01), and there were no major complications in either group.

Conclusions and Relevance

Geriatric sinus surgery is effective and safe in this cohort of patients.

Functional outcome and quality of life after meningioma surgery: a systematic review

Assessment of long-term functional outcomes after meningioma surgery is important. We systematically reviewed the literature on health-related quality of life (HrQoL) and functional disability (FD) of patients after surgery for intracranial meningiomas. Using PRISMA 2015 guidelines, we screened 289 abstracts and 43 titles were retained for full-paper screening. 15 articles did not present enough data to meet the inclusion criteria and 7 articles failed to assess functional assessment and HrQoL. Twenty-two articles were included in our review. HrQol was assessed in N = 18 publications, most frequently using SF-36 (N = 10), followed by EQ5D-5L (N = 4), EORTC-QLQ (N = 4), and the FACT questionnaire (N = 2). The assessment of FD was reported in N = 11 publications, mostly using the KPS (N = 8). The Barthel index was used in N = 2 publications. Follow-up was reported in N = 12 publications, ranging from 6 months to 9 years. Scientific publications assessing long-term postoperative HrQol and FD in patients undergoing meningioma surgery are scarce and the data are heterogeneously reported, using various scales and follow-up protocols. Efforts should be undertaken to uniformly assess long-term post-operative functional outcomes in meningioma patients.

The incidence of venous thromboembolism following surgical resection of intracranial and intraspinal meningioma. A systematic review and retrospective study

INTRODUCTION

Historically, the development of venous thromboembolism (VTE) including deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary thromboembolism (PE) was cited as a higher post-operative risk for patients harboring meningiomas. However, recent literature has suggested that there may be no elevated risk for VTE among these patients. The authors perform both a retrospective review of their own cases as well as a systematic review of the literature in order to determine the frequency of the VTE and rate of post-operative hemorrhage in this patient population.

METHODOLOGY

Patients undergoing surgery for intracranial and spinal meningioma from 2012 to 2019 were retrospectively reviewed for patient demographics, clinical characteristics, and post-operative complications. Logistic regression was used to determine risk factors for the development of VTE. Additionally, a PubMed search was performed to identify patients addressing this topic.

RESULTS

Our retrospective review included 189 patients who underwent 197 operations. The rate of VTE for patients receiving LMWH was 3.55 % vs. 4.06 % for those not receiving LMWH. There were no observed hemorrhages after initiation of LMWH. Multivariate analysis found tumor volume, history of DVT, and length of hospital stay as independent risk factors for VTE. In the systematic review, 11 papers describing 28,954 patients were included. The risk of developing a VTE with or without LMWH was 2.71 % versus 4.07 %, respectively. The hemorrhage risk was 2.23 % on LMWH versus 4.20 % not on LMWH.

DISCUSSION

In several heterogeneous series of all types of neurosurgical procedures, the reported rate of VTE was 11.1 %. In our review of the literature, the VTE rate of 2.71 % was similar to our cohort's rate of 3.55 %, for patients administered LMWH postoperatively. Higher rates of VTE with meningiomas may not be the case as once thought. Regular use of LMWH appears to be a safe, but it also did not necessarily lower the rates of VTE in our cohort. The use of routine lower-extremity duplex ultrasound, mechanical prophylaxis, and early mobilization, may have contributed to these lower rates of VTEs in patients with meningiomas.

Predictors of readmission after craniotomy for meningioma resection: a nationwide readmission database analysis

BACKGROUND

Meningiomas are the most common benign primary brain tumors. The mainstay of treatment, surgical resection, is often curative. Given the excellent prognosis of these lesions, minimizing perioperative complications is of the utmost importance. With the establishment of the National Readmissions Database (NRD), researchers are now able to identify variables associated with postoperative complications beyond the index admission.

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we sought to identify the leading causes for non-elective readmission and variables associated with increased likelihood of readmission at 30 and 90 days after discharge following a craniotomy for meningioma resection.

METHODS

Adult inpatients who underwent craniotomy for meningioma resection between 2010 and 2014 were queried from the NRD. All-cause readmissions following craniotomy at 30 and 90 days were identified, and a multivariable logistic regression model was used to characterize independent risk factors.

RESULTS

Among 26,034 patients who received craniotomy for meningioma resection, 2825 (10.9%) were readmitted at 30 days and 3436 (16.1%) were readmitted at 90 days. Postoperative wound infection was the most common readmission diagnosis, occurring in 9.32% and 10.2% of 30- and 90-day readmissions respectively. Patient factors associated with increased likelihood of readmission included male gender, greater illness severity, non-routine discharge, index length of hospitalization, and having Medicare or Medicaid insurance.

CONCLUSIONS

Readmission following craniotomy for meningioma resection occurs at a clinically significant rate. Several patient factors were identified in association with all-cause 30- and 90-day readmissions. Further studies are required to identify means for preventing complications following discharge in these vulnerable patient populations.

Medical malpractice and meningiomas: an analysis of 47 cases

OBJECTIVE

Among medical practices, surgical fields, including neurosurgery, are at a high risk for medical malpractice litigation. With meningiomas contributing to 10% of the total neurosurgery litigation cases, the aim of this study was to identify demographic characteristics, reasons for litigation, and surgical complications commonly reported in these cases. This analysis serves to increase neurosurgeons’ awareness of factors associated with medical malpractice litigation.

METHODS

The online legal database Westlaw was utilized to query public litigation cases related to the medical management of meningiomas between December 1985 and May 2020. Variables extracted included the following: plaintiff and defendant demographics, litigation category, plaintiff medical complaints, and trial outcomes. The authors compared these characteristics between cases with decisions in favor of the defendant and those with decisions in favor of the plaintiff.

RESULTS

A total of 47 cases met the inclusion criteria. Failure to diagnose (68.1%) was the most common type of malpractice claim, and surgical complications (19.1%), motor weakness (33%), and financial loss (33%) were cited as the most common postoperative complaints. Individual specialties that most often required defense due to malpractice claims were radiology (21.7%) and neurosurgery (19.6%). The jury verdict was in favor of the defense in 51.1% of cases and in favor of the plaintiff in 27.7% of cases. A settlement was reached in 19.1% of cases. The mean payout for a verdict in favor of the plaintiff was $3,409,650.22, while the mean payout for settlements was $867,555.56. The greatest average payout for specialties was in neurosurgery at $3,414,400, followed by radiology at $3,192,960. Cases with a verdict in favor of the plaintiff were more likely to involve an internal medicine physician as a defendant (p = 0.007).

CONCLUSIONS

Over one-half of the cases resulted in a defendant’s verdict with failure to diagnose cited as the most common reason for litigation. Radiology and neurosurgery were the most common specialties for legal cases and also had some of the largest average payouts based on specialty. Motor weakness and financial loss were the most common plaintiff postoperative complaints. These findings may inform surgeons on active measures to take, such as increasing focus on diagnostic accuracy and reducing specific postoperative complaints, such as motor weakness, through risk management and prophylactic measures, to reduce unfavorable legal outcomes.

Preoperative and intraoperative predictors of deep venous thrombosis in adult patients undergoing craniotomy for brain tumors: A Chinese single-center, retrospective study

PURPOSE

Brain tumor resection by craniotomy is associated with a high risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This study evaluated the incidence and preoperative and intraoperative risk factors for DVT within 30 days of surgery.

METHODS

The analysis included: 1) basic clinical variables (patient age, sex, body mass index [BMI], tumor location, and tumor histology); 2) blood test results before operation, such as leukocytes, platelets, and coagulation parameters; and 3) surgical factors (total amount of blood lost, anesthesia mode, and surgery duration).

RESULTS

Of the 1670 patients, 206 (12.34%) had DVT and nine (0.54%) had both DVT and pulmonary embolism (PE) after surgery. Preoperative and intraoperative factors independently associated with DVT/PE were: older age 46-55 years (odds ratio [OR]: 2.87; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.83-4.50; P < 0.001), age 56-65 years (OR: 5.24; 95% CI: 3.27-8.40; P < 0.001), age > 65 years (OR: 6.00; 95% CI: 3.45-10.45; P < 0.001), BMI (OR: 1.03; 95% CI: 1.00-1.05; P = 0.029), activated partial thromboplastin time [APTT] (OR: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.86-0.95; P = 0.000), D-dimer (OR: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.23-2.34; P = 0.001), high-grade glioma (OR: 2.09; 95% CI: 1.28-3.40; P = 0.003), glio-neuronal (OR: 3.30; 95% CI: 1.28-8.47; P = 0.013), craniopharyngioma (OR: 2.16; 95% CI: 1.13-4.10; P = 0.019), and surgery duration (OR: 1.82; 95% CI: 1.27-2.60; P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Older age, BMI, preoperative APTT, D-dimer, tumor histology, and surgery duration independently increased the risk of developing postoperative DVT/PE. These findings provide prognostic information that will guide therapies aimed at minimizing the development of DVT/PE during hospitalization.

Head and Neck Reconstructive Surgery: Characterization of the One-Team and Two-Team Approaches

PURPOSE

To the best of our knowledge, no studies have compared the patient profiles for 1- versus 2-team surgery within head and neck oncosurgery.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective study of the data from 2968 patients who had undergone concurrent head and neck extirpative and reconstructive surgery in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (2010 to 2017) was conducted. Patients were stratified into 1- and 2-team surgery groups, and the demographic data were compared. Univariate analyses of the outcomes before and after propensity score matching were conducted.

RESULTS

Most ablative and reconstructive head and neck procedures (68.5%) were performed using a 1-team approach. The patients who had undergone 2-team surgery were more likely to have a higher American Society of Anesthesiologists classification (P < .001), to require mandibulectomy (P < .001) or glossectomy (P < .001), and to receive a microvascular free flap (P < .001) but were less likely to require parotidectomy (P < .001) or to receive a rotational flap (P < .001). Before propensity score matching, the patients undergoing 2-team surgery had longer operative times (P < .001), longer postoperative stays (P < .001), greater rates of a return to the operating room (P = .001), and an increased rate of complications (P < .001). After propensity score matching, the 2-team approach continued to have longer operative times (P < .001) and an increased incidence of complications (P < .001) but no significant differences in the length of stay or rate of return to the operating room after Bonferroni's correction.

CONCLUSIONS

Nationally, most head and neck ablative and reconstructive surgeries were completed by 1 team. More complicated reconstructive procedures involving microvascular free flaps have been more commonly performed by 2 teams, resulting in slightly longer operative times and greater associated complication rates.

Quality of British and American Nationwide Quality of Care and Patient Safety Benchmarking Programs: Case Neurosurgery

BACKGROUND

Multiple nationwide outcome registries are utilized for quality benchmarking between institutions and individual surgeons.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether nationwide quality of care programs in the United Kingdom and United States can measure differences in neurosurgical quality.

METHODS

This prospective observational study comprised 418 consecutive adult patients undergoing elective craniotomy at Helsinki University Hospital between December 7, 2011 and December 31, 2012.We recorded outcome event rates and categorized them according to British Neurosurgical National Audit Programme (NNAP), American National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP), and American National Neurosurgery Quality and Outcomes Database (N2QOD) to assess the applicability of these programs for quality benchmarking and estimated sample sizes required for reliable quality comparisons.

RESULTS

The rate of in-hospital major and minor morbidity was 18.7% and 38.0%, respectively, and 30-d mortality rate was 2.4%. The NSQIP criteria identified 96.2% of major but only 38.4% of minor complications. N2QOD performed better, but almost one-fourth (23.2%) of all patients with adverse outcomes, mostly minor, went unnoticed. For NNAP, a sample size of over 4200 patients per surgeon is required to detect a 50.0% increase in mortality rates between surgeons. The sample size required for reliable comparisons between the rates of complications exceeds 600 patients per center per year.

CONCLUSION

The implemented benchmarking programs in the United Kingdom and United States fail to identify a considerable number of complications in a high-volume center. Health care policy makers should be cautious as outcome comparisons between most centers and individual surgeons are questionable if based on the programs.

Reporting Methodology of Neurosurgical Studies Utilizing the American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database: A Systematic Review and Critical Appraisal

BACKGROUND

Use of large databases such as the American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) has become increasingly common in neurosurgical research.

OBJECTIVE

To perform a critical appraisal and evaluation of the methodological reporting for studies in neurosurgical literature that utilize the ACS-NSQIP database.

METHODS

We queried Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PubMed databases for all neurosurgical studies utilizing the ACS-NSQIP. We assessed each study according to number of criteria fulfilled with respect to Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) Statement, REporting of studies Conducted using Observational Routinely-collected Health Data (RECORD) Statement, and Journal of American Medical Association–Surgical Section (JAMA-Surgery) Checklist. A separate analysis was conducted among papers published in core and noncore journals in neurosurgery according to Bradford's law.

RESULTS

A total of 117 studies were included. Median (interquartile range [IQR]) scores for number of fulfilled criteria for STROBE Statement, RECORD Statement, and JAMA-Surgery Checklist were 20 (IQR:19-21), 9 (IQR:8-9), and 6 (IQR:5-6), respectively. For STROBE Statement, RECORD Statement, and JAMA-Surgery Checklist, item 9 (potential sources of bias), item 13 (supplemental information), and item 9 (missing data/sensitivity analysis) had the highest number of studies with no fulfillment among all studies (56, 68, 50%), respectively. When comparing core journals vs noncore journals, no significant difference was found (STROBE, P = .94; RECORD, P = .24; JAMA-Surgery checklist, P = .60).

CONCLUSION

While we observed an overall satisfactory reporting of methodology, most studies lacked mention of potential sources of bias, data cleaning methods, supplemental information, and external validity. Given the pervasive role of national databases and registries for research and health care policy, the surgical community needs to ensure the credibility and quality of such studies that ultimately aim to improve the value of surgical care delivery to patients.

Risk Factors and Associated Complications of Symptomatic Venous Thromboembolism in Patients with Craniotomy for Meningioma

OBJECTIVE

Patients undergoing surgical resection of meningioma are at increased risk for developing venous thromboembolism (VTE). The aim of this study was to assess occurrence of VTE in patients who underwent surgical resection of meningioma to determine risk factors and associated complications of VTE.

METHODS

The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project database from 2012 to 2015 was reviewed for patients who had undergone meningioma resection according to primary Current Procedural Terminology codes and International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision.

RESULTS

The study included 5036 patients with meningioma. Rate of VTE was 3.38%, with pulmonary embolism rate of 1.47% and deep venous thrombosis rate of 2.42%. During the first 30 days after surgery, patients with VTE had a mortality rate of 5.88% compared with 1.15% for patients without VTE. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis determined 5 risk factors for VTE,: age ≥60 years, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification III, operative time ≥310 minutes, ventilator dependence, and preoperative transfusions. Univariate analysis revealed a number of complications significantly associated with VTE occurrence, including unplanned intubation, ventilator use for >48 hours, stroke, sepsis, septic shock, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, and transfusions.

CONCLUSIONS

Risk factors of VTE and associated complications were identified. Understanding these risk factors provides physicians with further insight in managing this subgroup of patients in a personalized fashion in the perioperative period to minimize the incidence and morbidity of VTE.

Factors associated with complications in total laryngectomy without microvascular reconstruction

BACKGROUND

There is little population-level data evaluating risk factors for postoperative complications after total laryngectomy.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective review of the American College of Surgeons National Quality Improvement Program identifying patients who underwent total laryngectomy as a primary procedure from 2005 to 2014. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify variables that were independently associated with overall and major complications.

RESULTS

Eight hundred seventy-one cases met inclusion criteria. Three hundred twenty-eight patients (37.7%) had complications, with operative time (hours; P < .0001), class III (P < .001) wound status, and patient age (decade; P = .003) associated with overall complications. Two hundred one patients had major complications that were associated with steroid use (P = .01) and class III (P = .0083) wound classification. Preoperative hematocrit was correlated with a reduction of all and major complications on multivariate analysis (P < .0001 and P = .036).

CONCLUSION

Identifying and optimizing risk factors may improve outcomes in total laryngectomy.

Post-operative cardiovascular complications and time to recurrence in meningioma patients treated with versus without pre-operative embolization: a retrospective cohort study of 741 patients

PURPOSE

Preoperative embolization of radiographically suspected meningiomas is often performed to facilitate tumor resection. Its effects on the subsequent disease course of meningioma patients have not been studied in detail and randomized trials are lacking. The purpose of this study was to explore associations of preoperative meningioma embolization with postoperative outcome.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients undergoing resection of an intracranial meningioma at the University Hospital Zurich 2000-2013 (N = 741) were reviewed for the inclusion of pre-operative embolization in the management strategy. Annotations included demographics, radiographic, surgical, histological and hematological parameters, cardiovascular risk factors, pre- and postoperative neurological function and gene methylation-based classification. Binary regression and Cox proportional hazards models were applied to determine factors associated with outcome.

RESULTS

Pre-operative embolization was performed in 337 patients (42%). Cardiovascular events after surgery comprised mostly deep vein thrombosis (N = 39) and pulmonary embolisms (N = 64). On multivariate analyses of post-operative cardiovascular adverse events controlling for established risk factors, there were associations with embolization (OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.37-4.00), and with female gender (OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.17-4.08). Recurrence-free survival (RFS) of embolized patients was less favorable among patients with WHO grade II or grade III meningiomas (median RFS: 4.3 vs. 7.0 years, P = 0.029) or in patients with intermediate or malignant gene methylation subtype meningiomas (median RFS: 2.0 vs. 8.2 years, P = 0.005).

CONCLUSION

Pre-operative meningioma embolization may cause adverse outcomes. Randomized trials to determine benefit-risk ratios are warranted to clarify the role of pre-operative embolization for the treatment of meningioma patients.