Case report of hyperacute edema and cavitation following deep brain stimulation lead implantation

Decreased brain volume may be associated with the occurrence of peri-lead edema in Parkinson's disease patients with deep brain stimulation

BACKGROUND

Peri-lead edema (PLE) is a poorly understood complication of deep brain stimulation (DBS), which has been described in patients presenting occasionally with profound and often delayed symptoms with an incidence ranging from 0.4% up to even 100%. Therefore, our study aims to investigate the association of brain and brain compartment volumes on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with the occurrence of PLE in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients after DBS implantation in subthalamic nuclei (STN).

METHODS

This retrospective study included 125 consecutive PD patients who underwent STN DBS at the Department of Neurosurgery, Dubrava University Hospital from 2010 to 2022. Qualitative analysis was done on postoperative MRI T2-weighted sequence by two independent observers, marking PLE on midbrain, thalamus, and subcortical levels as mild, moderate, or severe. Quantitative volumetric analysis of brain and brain compartment volumes was conducted using an automated CIVET processing pipeline on preoperative MRI T1 MPRAGE sequences. In addition, observed PLE on individual hemispheres was delineated manually and measured using Analyze 14.0 software.

RESULTS

In our cohort, PLE was observed in 32.17%, mostly bilaterally. Mild PLE was observed in the majority of patients, regardless of the level observed. Age, sex, diabetes, hypertension, vascular disease, and the use of anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy showed no significant association with the occurrence of PLE. Total grey matter volume showed a significant association with the PLE occurrence (r = -0.22, p = 0.04), as well as cortex volume (r = -0.32, p = 0.0005). Cortical volumes of hemispheres, overall hemisphere volumes, as well as hemisphere/total intracranial volume ratio showed significant association with the PLE occurrence. Furthermore, the volume of the cortex and total grey volume represent moderate indicators, while hemisphere volumes, cortical volumes of hemispheres, and hemisphere/total intracranial volume ratio represent mild to moderate indicators of possible PLE occurrence.

CONCLUSION

The results of our study suggest that the morphometric MRI measurements, as a useful tool, can provide relevant information about the structural status of the brain in patients with PD and represent moderate indicators of possible PLE occurrence. Identifying patients with greater brain atrophy, especially regarding grey matter before DBS implantation, will allow us to estimate the possible postoperative symptoms and intervene in a timely manner. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings and to investigate other potential predictors and risk factors of PLE occurrence.

Impedance trend from a symptomatic perielectrode cystic cavity following deep brain stimulation: illustrative case

BACKGROUND

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a well-established neurosurgical intervention for a growing number of neurological and psychiatric diseases. Patients who are affected by Parkinson's disease may benefit from DBS of either the subthalamic nucleus or the globus pallidus internus. Patients who undergo DBS often notice a significant reduction in their clinical symptoms; however, the procedure is not without risks. Multicenter studies have reported postoperative complications such as hardware infection, intracranial hemorrhage, and perielectrode edema.

OBSERVATIONS

The authors report a case of a perielectrode cyst managed conservatively. Tracking the impedance trend was a novel approach to monitor for changes within the cyst and to herald a clinical change in the patient. Perielectrode cystic formation can be a transient process that resolves spontaneously or with conservative, nonoperative management, and all diagnostic information is valuable in making clinical decisions.

LESSONS

Impedance values have provided an appropriate estimation of this patient's clinical picture. The authors suggest treatment of edema and a cyst after DBS lead implantation through conservative management and observation, avoiding the removal of hardware if a patient's clinical picture is either stable or improving and forgoing additional clinical imaging if the impedance values are trending in an appropriate direction.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage to the Chest Subcutaneous Pocket Due to Aggressive Brain Edema around the Leads for Deep Brain Stimulation: A Case Report and Literature Review

Cerebral edema around the lead has been reported as a complication of deep brain stimulation; however, the causes remain unknown. Herein, we present a rare case of sudden cerebral edema around the lead occurring after deep brain stimulation. This was accompanied by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage into the subcutaneous thoracic pocket around the implantable pulse generator in a 53-year-old man with Parkinson's disease. No such case has been reported thus far. Lumbar drainage was performed to improve CSF leakage. The cerebral edema initially responded to steroids, but then it stopped responding to treatment. The edema appeared alternately on the left and right sides, and cyst formation was noted around the left lead. There are some reports of cyst formation around the lead; however, in our case, images were used to monitor the edema and cyst from their appearance to their disappearance. Our data suggest that cyst formation and cerebral edema are related.

The need to be alert to complications of peri‐lead cerebral edema caused by deep brain stimulation implantation: A systematic literature review and meta‐analysis study

Background

The compatibility of deep brain stimulation (DBS) hardware and MRI scans has greatly improved the diagnostic rate of postoperative peri‐lead edema (PLE). However, the etiology, incidence, and prognostic outcomes of this complication have not been established.

Objective

The incidence of PLE and associated symptoms, the process of occurrence and progression of this complication, as well as treatment strategies were evaluated.

Methods

We conducted a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses compliant systematic review of all studies that reported on incidences of PLE and associated symptoms after DBS implantation. Through systematic literature review, we evaluated its causes, neuropsychiatric symptoms, duration, treatment methods, and prognostic outcomes.

Results

Our search retrieved 10 articles, including 5 articles on PLE and 10 articles on symptomatic PLE. The incidence of PLE was 35.8% (95% CI: 17.0%–54.6%), while the incidence of symptomatic PLE was 3.1% (95% CI: 1.5%–4.7%) accounting for 8.7% of PLE.

Conclusions

This complication is not as rare as previously reported. Therefore, it requires significant attention after DBS implantation. The correlation between its causes, duration, symptoms, and the area involved in edema should be assessed in long‐term prospective clinical studies with large sample sizes.

Use of intra-operative stimulation of brainstem lesion target sites for frameless stereotactic biopsies

INTRODUCTION

Frameless stereotactic navigation is used to direct the trajectory and biopsy site of target lesions. We report on a novel intra-operative stimulating (IOS) probe that is integrated into a commercially available stereotactic biopsy needle with the rationale that stimulation of the intended biopsy site should predict functional tissue thus preventing inadvertent biopsy of eloquent tissue.

METHODS

Patients undergoing brainstem biopsies for atypical lesions were offered the additional stimulation procedure. The IOS probe was used to deliver stimulation in an attempt to determine the proximity of eloquent tissue. Once the desired location of the biopsy needle was achieved, the IOS probe was inserted down the centre of the biopsy needle and the stimulus applied. If no action potential was recorded, biopsies from four quadrants of the lesion were taken. If however a compound action potential was recorded, a new target was selected.

RESULTS

Nine patients had the biopsy and stimulation procedure performed. The median age was 36 months. A minimum of 8 samples were obtained from each patient. Biopsy material was adequate to obtain a diagnosis in all 9 patients. In 2 cases use of the device influenced the insertion trajectory or biopsy site. No patients experienced any complications directly attributable to either the biopsy procedure or application of the stimulation.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of the IOS probe for intra-operative stimulation of the intended brainstem biopsy site was found to be safe and feasible. The addition of stimulation using the IOS probe can be done with minimal change in workflow.