Endoscopic transmastoid posterior petrosal approach for locally aggressive tumors in the petrous part of the temporal bone involving the internal auditory canal, jugular foramen, and hypoglossal canal

Quality of life following awake surgery depends on ability of executive function, verbal fluency, and movement

INTRODUCTION

The outcome of awake surgery has been evaluated based on functional factors, return to work, and oncological aspects, and there have been no reports directly examining QOL. This study aimed to investigate the outcome of QOL following awake surgery and to determine the functional factors influencing QOL.

METHODS

Seventy patients with WHO grade II/III gliomas were included. For the assessment of QOL, we used the SF-36 and calculated summary and sub-component scores. Three summary component scores, including physical (PCS), mental (MCS), and role/social summary (RCS) component scores, were computed based on sub-component scores. Additionally, various assessments of neurological/neuropsychological function were performed. We performed univariate and multiple regression analyses to investigate the functional factors influencing the SF-36.

RESULTS

PCS and MCS were maintained, but only RCS was low to 42.0 ± 16.1. We then focused on the RCS and its sub-components: general health (GH), role physical (RP), social functioning (SF), and role emotional (RE). Multiple regression analysis showed following significant correlations between the sub-component scores and brain functions: GH to executive function and movement (p = 0.0033 and 0.032), RP to verbal fluency and movement (p = 0.0057 and 0.0010), and RE to verbal fluency (p = 0.020). Furthermore, when the sub-component scores were compared between groups with and without functional deficits related to GH, RP, and RE, each score was significantly lower in the groups with functional deficits (p = 0.012, 0.014, and 0.0049, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients who underwent awake surgery, a subset of patients had low QOL because of poor RCS. Functional factors influencing QOL included executive function, verbal fluency, and movement.

[Application of the "five-line division method" in selecting surgical approach for spaceoccupying lesions in the saddle area and the adjacent areas]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the application of the"five-line division method "in selecting the surgical approach for occupying lesions in the saddle area and its adjacent areas.

METHODS

Based on the natural anatomic structures, 5 lines (alpha, beta, theta line and lambda, epsilon line) were drawn on the images of the craniocerebral axial plane crossing the middle of the saddle area and the craniocerebral median sagittal plane, thus dividing the saddle area and its adjacent areas into 6 regions in the axial plane (1, 2, 3, 1', 2', and 3' regions) and into 4 regions in the sagittal plane (I, II, III, and IV regions). Based on these divisions, the large space-occupying lesions in the saddle area and adjacent areas were classified and their respective surgical approaches were determined after reviewing the commonly used approaches in the saddle area and clinical experiences. We collected the data of 116 patients undergoing surgeries for space-occupying lesions involving the saddle and the adjacent areas in our hospital between September, 2014 and August, 2017, and analyzed their classifications and the corresponding surgical approaches based on the "five- line division method " to compare the consistency between the hypothetic approaches and the approaches adopted in the actual surgeries.

RESULTS

The actual surgical approaches adopted in the 116 cases were all selected under the guidance of experts in our hospital. The hypothetic surgical approaches selected based on the"five- line division method "showed a good consistency with the actually adopted approaches.

CONCLUSIONS

The"five-line division method "can spatially classify the commonly seen space-occupying lesions involving the saddle area and its adjacent area to provide assistance in the selection of surgical approaches for such lesions.