[Intracisternal administration of verapamil for the prevention and treatment of vasospasm in patients after microsurgical treatment of cerebral aneurysms in the acute period of hemorrhage]

[Surgical treatment of intracranial aneurysms in acute period of hemorrhage in Hunt-Hess grade IV-V patients at Burdenko Neurosurgical Center between 2006 and 2020]

BACKGROUND

Management of patients in acute period of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage Hunt-Hess grade IV-V is still a complex and unsolved problem, especially regarding surgical treatment and various complications.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing surgery in acute period of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage Hunt-Hess grade IV-V between 2006 and 2020, as well as to assess various factors influencing treatment outcomes.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We analyzed 163 patients who underwent surgery within 21 days after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage Hunt-Hess grade IV-V. All patients were divided into 2 groups depending on the period: 2006-2011 (group 1) and 2012-2020 (group 2).

RESULTS

Mortality reduced from 28.6% in group 1 to 8.3% in group 2. At the same time, incidence of vegetative state (GOS grade 2) increased from 4.8% to 17.4%. Incidence of outcomes GOS grade 3 - 5 was similar.

CONCLUSION

Large or giant aneurysm, repeated preoperative subarachnoid hemorrhage, intraoperative aneurysm rupture and prolonged temporary clipping can impair postoperative outcomes in patients with hemorrhage Hunt-Hess grade IV-V. External ventricular drainage, intraarterial injection of verapamil, intracisternal administration of calcium channel blockers and active surgical tactics improve postoperative outcomes and reduce mortality.

Angiographic investigation of orbital vascular variations in the rabbit and implications for endovascular intra-arterial chemotherapy models

BACKGROUND

The New Zealand White rabbit (NZWR) is the first small-animal experimental model of intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC) for retinoblastoma treatment. The NZWR has dual ophthalmic arteries (OA): the external OA (EOA) arises from the external carotid artery and the internal OA (IOA) from the internal carotid artery. We describe the technique that we have refined for OA catheterization in rabbits, and describe the angioanatomical variations in the OA supply to the NZWR eye and implications for IAC delivery, which were identified as part of a larger project exploring IAC effects in a rabbit retinoblastoma model.

METHODS

We developed techniques to perform angiography of the external and internal carotid arteries and superselective angiography of the EOA and IOA in NZWR using transfemoral access and a microwire/microcatheter system. EOA and IOA supply to the eye was determined angiographically and recorded before selective OA catheterization and angiography.

RESULTS

114 rabbits underwent carotid angiographic evaluation and OA catheterization (161 total eyes evaluated, 112 right, 49 left). Most eyes had a single dominant arterial supply; either IOA or EOA. EOA was dominant in 73% (118/161), and IOA was dominant in 17% (27/161). Co-dominant supply was seen in 10% (16/161). Of the rabbits with bilateral OA catheterization, 25/47 (53%) had bilateral dominant EOA.

CONCLUSION

Successful catheterization of the OA in the NZWR can be readily accomplished with nuanced technique. The external OA is the dominant arterial supply in the majority of NZWR eyes. These findings allow for successful reproduction of OA catheterization studies of IAC for retinoblastoma in NZWR.

[Surgical treatment of patients with cerebral aneurysms in the acute stage of rupture: dynamics of results during 2006-2018]

Treatment of cerebral aneurysms in the acute stage of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SRH) especially on the background of cerebral vasospasm continues to be a difficult task.

OBJECTIVE

Assessment of dynamics of the surgical treatment results of patients with cerebral aneurysms in acute period of SRH.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A comparative analysis of the results of patients' surgical treatment in NMRCN Burdenko about aneurysm in 1-21 days after hemorrhage was made. The following periods were selected: 2006-2014 (343 patients) and 2015-2018 (356 patients). Most patients had microsurgical operations in both periods. The tactics of choosing the surgery time was the main difference between the periods: particularly in 2015-2018 period the surgery was not postponed at patients with severe.

RESULTS

Analysing the post surgical mortality, it was found that since 2006 there is a consistent trend towards a decrease in the number of patients who died after surgery. When calculating the average post surgical mortality for the studied periods this trend is confirmed - number of lethal cases in 2015-2018 reliably decreased when comparing with 2006-2014 - from 6.8 till 3.2%; p=0.03. At the same time, the number of patients with outcome of vegetative status (from 0.3 till 5%).

CONCLUSION

The tactics of surgical treatment of patients with cerebral aneurysms in the acute period of SRH regardless of severity of patient's condition and time of hemorrhage did not lead to worse treatment. In contrast, post surgical mortality rates show a consistent decline. We associate this fact with a number of changes that have occurred in the management and treatment of patients. In particular, we have high hopes for developing new approaches to the treatment of vasospasm, which remains the leading cause of lethal cases. More definite conclusions will be made at the end of the treatment analysis of the respective patient groups.