An investigation of life quality of patients after two different acoustic neuroma resections

Translabyrinthine versus Retrosigmoid Approach for Vestibular Schwannoma: A Systematic Review and An Updated Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Several approaches can be used in the surgical treatment of vestibular schwannoma (VS), and the best approach remains uncertain in the literature. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to compare the translabyrinthine approach (TLA) with the retrosigmoid approach (RSA) for VS in terms of postoperative complications.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane.

REVIEW METHODS

The primary outcome was cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak; secondary outcomes were facial nerve dysfunction (FND), length of stay (LOS), and meningitis. Statistical analysis was performed using RStudio 2024.04.1 + 748. Heterogeneity was assessed with I² statistics. We performed sensitivity analysis with subgroup analysis and meta-regression. Risk of bias was assessed using ROBINS-I.

RESULTS

Out of 1140 potential articles, 21 met the inclusion criteria. Among the 4572 patients, 2687 and 1885 patients in the TLA and RSA groups, respectively. No significant differences were found in CSF leak (odds ratio [OR] 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.81,1.32; P = .794) or meningitis (OR 1.05; 95% CI 0.45, 2.43; P = .73). Meta-regression showed no association with CSF leak and the number of cases per center or publication year. The TLA is associated with a shorter LOS (MD -1.20; 95% CI -1.39, -1.01; P < .01) and a higher chance of having and HB 4 or lower compared to patients who underwent RSA (OR 0.30; 95% CI 0.10, 0.89; P = .03).

CONCLUSION

There was no difference in the odds of CSF leak or meningitis between the groups. In addition, the TLA has a shorter LOS and a higher chance of a better facial nerve outcome compared to the RSA.

Impact of Management Strategies on New-Onset Mental Health Disorders and Associated Health Care Utilization in Patients with Vestibular Schwannoma

OBJECTIVE

To compare the impact of different management strategies on diagnosis of new-onset mental health disorders (MHDs) in patients with vestibular schwannoma (VS) and health care utilization at 1-year follow-up.

METHODS

MarketScan databases were queried using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision and Tenth Revision and Current Procedural Terminology, Fourth Edition, 2000-2020. We included patients ≥18 years old with a diagnosis of VS who underwent clinical observation, surgery, or stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) with at least 1 year of follow-up. We looked at health care outcomes and MHDs at 3-month, 6-month, and 1-year follow-up.

RESULTS

The database search identified 23,376 patients. Of these, 94.2% (n = 22,041) were managed conservatively with clinical observation at the initial diagnosis, and 2% (n = 466) underwent surgery. The surgery cohort had the highest incidence of new-onset MHDs followed by SRS and clinical observation cohorts at 3 months (surgery: 17%; SRS: 12%; clinical observation: 7%), 6 months (surgery: 20%; SRS: 16%; clinical observation: 10%), and 12 months (surgery: 27%; SRS: 23%; clinical observation: 16%) (P < 0.0001). The median difference in combined payments between patients with and without MHDs was highest in the surgery cohort followed by SRS and clinical observation cohorts at all time points (12 months: surgery: $14,469; SRS: $10,557; clinical observation: $6439; P = 0.0002).

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with clinical observation only, patients who underwent surgery for VS were 2 times more likely and patients who underwent SRS were 1.5 times more likely to develop MHDs with corresponding increase in health care utilization at 1-year follow-up.

Quality of life reporting in the management of posterior fossa tumours: A systematic review

Introduction

Survival amongst posterior fossa tumour (PFT) patients is improving. Clinical endpoints such as overall survival fail to depict QoL. There is yet to be a review of current QoL instruments used for adult PFTs. Aim of this review is to outline the QoL reporting in the management of PFTs and measure participation level.

Methods

This systematic review was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis. A search strategy to identify adult patients with PFTs who took part in QoL metrics was conducted. Observational and experimental studies published from 1990 to date were included. Studies with a sample size less than 10 and performance measures such as Karnofsky Performance Status were not considered.

Results

A total of 116 studies were included in the final analysis. Vestibular schwannomas were the most common tumour pathology (n = 23,886, 92.6%) followed by pilocytic astrocytomas (n = 657, 2.5%) and meningiomas (n = 437, 1.7%) Twenty-five different QoL measures were used in the study pool. SF-36 was the most common (n = 55, 17 47.4%) QoL metric in the whole study pool, followed by the Penn Acoustic Neuroma QoL scale (n = 24, 20.7%) and Dizziness Handicap Inventory (n = 16, 13.8%). Seventy-two studies reported less-than 100% participation in QoL evaluation. The commonest reason for non-participation was a lack of response (n = 1,718, 60.8%), incomplete questionnaires (n = 268, 9.4%) and cognitive dysfunction (n = 258, 9.1%).

Conclusion

Informed clinical decision-making in PFT patients requires the development of specific QoL outcomes. Core outcome sets, and minimal clinically important differences (MCID) are essential for these metrics to show clinically significant improvements in patient QoL.

Fluorescent Detection of Vestibular Schwannoma Using Intravenous Sodium Fluorescein In Vivo

BACKGROUND

Vestibular schwannoma (VS) are intracranial tumors caused by merlin deficiency. Sodium fluorescein (SF) is a fluorescent compound that accumulates in various intracranial tumors, causing tumors to emit green fluorescence after blue light excitation.

HYPOTHESIS

Intravenous SF preferentially deposits in VS, helping surgeons differentiate tumor from surrounding tissue.

METHODS

Merlin-deficient Schwann cells were grafted onto cochleovestibular nerves of immunodeficient rats. Rats were randomized to receive SF (7.5 mg/kg; n = 5) or saline (n = 3). Tissues were harvested at 1 hour and photographed in white and blue light. Sixteen surgeons identified and marked the tumor-tissue interfaces on images. Fluorescence was measured on tissue specimens using the IVIS imaging system and on tissue cross-sections obtained with confocal microscopy. Western blot was performed to measure levels of organic anion transporting polypeptide (OATP), a drug transporter specific for SF.

RESULTS

Under blue light, tumors from SF rats demonstrated bright green fluorescence under direct visualization, higher fluorescence measurements on tissue specimens (p < 0.001), and more SF deposition on tissue cross-sections (p < 0.001), when compared with surrounding tissues and placebo rats. Surgeons were better able to distinguish the tumor-tissue interfaces in SF rats. Furthermore, the expression level of OATP1C1 was significantly higher in tumors than in surrounding tissues (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

In a xenograft model of VS, intravenous SF preferentially deposits in tumors, compared with normal surrounding tissue. Under blue light, tumors emit an intense green fluorescence that can help surgeons differentiate tumor from critical structures nearby, which may improve clinical outcomes in complicated VS surgery.