Prognostic Value of Serum Biomarkers in Patients With Moderate-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury, Differentiated by Marshall Computer Tomography Classification

Prognostication is challenging in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in whom computed tomography (CT) fails to fully explain a low level of consciousness. Serum biomarkers reflect the extent of structural damage in a different way than CT does, but it is unclear whether biomarkers provide additional prognostic value across the range of CT abnormalities. This study aimed to determine the added predictive value of biomarkers, differentiated by imaging severity. This prognostic study used data from the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI) study (2014-2017). The analysis included patients aged ≥16 years with a moderate-severe TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] <13) who had an acute CT and serum biomarkers obtained ≤24h of injury. Of six protein biomarkers (GFAP, NFL, NSE, S100B, Tau, UCH-L1), the most prognostic panel was selected using lasso regression. The performance of established prognostic models (CRASH and IMPACT) was assessed before and after the addition of the biomarker panel and compared between patients with different CT Marshall scores (Marshall score <3 vs. Marshall score ≥3). Outcome was assessed at six months post-injury using the extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOSE), and dichotomized into favorable and unfavorable (GOSE <5). We included 872 patients with moderate-severe TBI. The mean age was 47 years (range 16-95); 647 (74%) were male and 438 (50%) had a Marshall CT score <3. The serum biomarkers GFAP, NFL, S100B and UCH-L1 provided complementary prognostic information; NSE and Tau showed no added value. The addition of the biomarker panel to established prognostic models increased the area under the curve (AUC) by 0.08 and 0.03, and the explained variation in outcome by 13-14% and 7-8%, for patients with a Marshall score of <3 and ≥3, respectively. The incremental AUC of biomarkers for individual models was significantly greater when the Marshall score was <3 compared with ≥3 (p < 0.001). Serum biomarkers improve outcome prediction after moderate-severe TBI across the range of imaging severities and especially in patients with a Marshall score <3.

Traumatic brain injury: progress and challenges in prevention, clinical care, and research

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has the highest incidence of all common neurological disorders, and poses a substantial public health burden. TBI is increasingly documented not only as an acute condition but also as a chronic disease with long-term consequences, including an increased risk of late-onset neurodegeneration. The first Lancet Neurology Commission on TBI, published in 2017, called for a concerted effort to tackle the global health problem posed by TBI. Since then, funding agencies have supported research both in high-income countries (HICs) and in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). In November 2020, the World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of WHO, passed resolution WHA73.10 for global actions on epilepsy and other neurological disorders, and WHO launched the Decade for Action on Road Safety plan in 2021. New knowledge has been generated by large observational studies, including those conducted under the umbrella of the International Traumatic Brain Injury Research (InTBIR) initiative, established as a collaboration of funding agencies in 2011. InTBIR has also provided a huge stimulus to collaborative research in TBI and has facilitated participation of global partners. The return on investment has been high, but many needs of patients with TBI remain unaddressed. This update to the 2017 Commission presents advances and discusses persisting and new challenges in prevention, clinical care, and research.

In LMICs, the occurrence of TBI is driven by road traffic incidents, often involving vulnerable road users such as motorcyclists and pedestrians. In HICs, most TBI is caused by falls, particularly in older people (aged ≥65 years), who often have comorbidities. Risk factors such as frailty and alcohol misuse provide opportunities for targeted prevention actions. Little evidence exists to inform treatment of older patients, who have been commonly excluded from past clinical trials—consequently, appropriate evidence is urgently required. Although increasing age is associated with worse outcomes from TBI, age should not dictate limitations in therapy. However, patients injured by low-energy falls (who are mostly older people) are about 50% less likely to receive critical care or emergency interventions, compared with those injured by high-energy mechanisms, such as road traffic incidents.

Mild TBI, defined as a Glasgow Coma sum score of 13–15, comprises most of the TBI cases (over 90%) presenting to hospital. Around 50% of adult patients with mild TBI presenting to hospital do not recover to pre-TBI levels of health by 6 months after their injury. Fewer than 10% of patients discharged after presenting to an emergency department for TBI in Europe currently receive follow-up. Structured follow-up after mild TBI should be considered good practice, and urgent research is needed to identify which patients with mild TBI are at risk for incomplete recovery.

The selection of patients for CT is an important triage decision in mild TBI since it allows early identification of lesions that can trigger hospital admission or life-saving surgery. Current decision making for deciding on CT is inefficient, with 90–95% of scanned patients showing no intracranial injury but being subjected to radiation risks. InTBIR studies have shown that measurement of blood-based biomarkers adds value to previously proposed clinical decision rules, holding the potential to improve efficiency while reducing radiation exposure. Increased concentrations of biomarkers in the blood of patients with a normal presentation CT scan suggest structural brain damage, which is seen on MR scanning in up to 30% of patients with mild TBI. Advanced MRI, including diffusion tensor imaging and volumetric analyses, can identify additional injuries not detectable by visual inspection of standard clinical MR images. Thus, the absence of CT abnormalities does not exclude structural damage—an observation relevant to litigation procedures, to management of mild TBI, and when CT scans are insufficient to explain the severity of the clinical condition.

Although blood-based protein biomarkers have been shown to have important roles in the evaluation of TBI, most available assays are for research use only. To date, there is only one vendor of such assays with regulatory clearance in Europe and the USA with an indication to rule out the need for CT imaging for patients with suspected TBI. Regulatory clearance is provided for a combination of biomarkers, although evidence is accumulating that a single biomarker can perform as well as a combination. Additional biomarkers and more clinical-use platforms are on the horizon, but cross-platform harmonisation of results is needed. Health-care efficiency would benefit from diversity in providers.

In the intensive care setting, automated analysis of blood pressure and intracranial pressure with calculation of derived parameters can help individualise management of TBI. Interest in the identification of subgroups of patients who might benefit more from some specific therapeutic approaches than others represents a welcome shift towards precision medicine. Comparative-effectiveness research to identify best practice has delivered on expectations for providing evidence in support of best practices, both in adult and paediatric patients with TBI.

Progress has also been made in improving outcome assessment after TBI. Key instruments have been translated into up to 20 languages and linguistically validated, and are now internationally available for clinical and research use. TBI affects multiple domains of functioning, and outcomes are affected by personal characteristics and life-course events, consistent with a multifactorial bio-psycho-socio-ecological model of TBI, as presented in the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) 2022 report. Multidimensional assessment is desirable and might be best based on measurement of global functional impairment. More work is required to develop and implement recommendations for multidimensional assessment. Prediction of outcome is relevant to patients and their families, and can facilitate the benchmarking of quality of care. InTBIR studies have identified new building blocks (eg, blood biomarkers and quantitative CT analysis) to refine existing prognostic models. Further improvement in prognostication could come from MRI, genetics, and the integration of dynamic changes in patient status after presentation.

Neurotrauma researchers traditionally seek translation of their research findings through publications, clinical guidelines, and industry collaborations. However, to effectively impact clinical care and outcome, interactions are also needed with research funders, regulators, and policy makers, and partnership with patient organisations. Such interactions are increasingly taking place, with exemplars including interactions with the All Party Parliamentary Group on Acquired Brain Injury in the UK, the production of the NASEM report in the USA, and interactions with the US Food and Drug Administration. More interactions should be encouraged, and future discussions with regulators should include debates around consent from patients with acute mental incapacity and data sharing. Data sharing is strongly advocated by funding agencies. From January 2023, the US National Institutes of Health will require upload of research data into public repositories, but the EU requires data controllers to safeguard data security and privacy regulation. The tension between open data-sharing and adherence to privacy regulation could be resolved by cross-dataset analyses on federated platforms, with the data remaining at their original safe location. Tools already exist for conventional statistical analyses on federated platforms, however federated machine learning requires further development. Support for further development of federated platforms, and neuroinformatics more generally, should be a priority.

This update to the 2017 Commission presents new insights and challenges across a range of topics around TBI: epidemiology and prevention (section 1 ); system of care (section 2 ); clinical management (section 3 ); characterisation of TBI (section 4 ); outcome assessment (section 5 ); prognosis (Section 6 ); and new directions for acquiring and implementing evidence (section 7 ). Table 1 summarises key messages from this Commission and proposes recommendations for the way forward to advance research and clinical management of TBI.

Serum metabolome associated with severity of acute traumatic brain injury

Complex metabolic disruption is a crucial aspect of the pathophysiology of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Associations between this and systemic metabolism and their potential prognostic value are poorly understood. Here, we aimed to describe the serum metabolome (including lipidome) associated with acute TBI within 24 h post-injury, and its relationship to severity of injury and patient outcome. We performed a comprehensive metabolomics study in a cohort of 716 patients with TBI and non-TBI reference patients (orthopedic, internal medicine, and other neurological patients) from the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI) cohort. We identified panels of metabolites specifically associated with TBI severity and patient outcomes. Choline phospholipids (lysophosphatidylcholines, ether phosphatidylcholines and sphingomyelins) were inversely associated with TBI severity and were among the strongest predictors of TBI patient outcomes, which was further confirmed in a separate validation dataset of 558 patients. The observed metabolic patterns may reflect different pathophysiological mechanisms, including protective changes of systemic lipid metabolism aiming to maintain lipid homeostasis in the brain.

Blood Biomarkers and Structural Imaging Correlations Post-Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Blood biomarkers are of increasing importance in the diagnosis and assessment of traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, the relationship between them and lesions seen on imaging remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To perform a systematic review of the relationship between blood biomarkers and intracranial lesion types, intracranial lesion injury patterns, volume/number of intracranial lesions, and imaging classification systems.

METHODS

We searched Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, Excerpta Medica dataBASE, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature from inception to May 2021, and the references of included studies were also screened. Heterogeneity in study design, biomarker types, imaging modalities, and analyses inhibited quantitative analysis, with a qualitative synthesis presented.

RESULTS

Fifty-nine papers were included assessing one or more biomarker to imaging comparisons per paper: 30 assessed imaging classifications or injury patterns, 28 assessed lesion type, and 11 assessed lesion volume or number. Biomarker concentrations were associated with the burden of brain injury, as assessed by increasing intracranial lesion volume, increasing numbers of traumatic intracranial lesions, and positive correlations with imaging classification scores. There were inconsistent findings associating different biomarkers with specific imaging phenotypes including diffuse axonal injury, cerebral edema, and intracranial hemorrhage.

CONCLUSION

Blood-based biomarker concentrations after TBI are consistently demonstrated to correlate burden of intracranial disease. The relation with specific injury types is unclear suggesting a lack of diagnostic specificity and/or is the result of the complex and heterogeneous nature of TBI.

[The role of intravenous thrombolysis before mechanical thrombectomy in the treatment of large vessel occlusion strokes]

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The efficacy of intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) is moderate in the proximal vascular segments of intracranial arteries, as opposed to mecha-nical thrombectomy (MT). In the management of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) caused by large vessel occlusions (LVO), IVT prior to MT is highly recommended based on the latest guidelines, but the necessity of IVT has been questioned by the latest studies of the past years. The aim of our study was to investigate and compare the efficacy and safety of direct mechanical thrombectomy (dMT) and combined therapy (CT) for patients who suffered an AIS with LVO and were treated in our department.

METHODS

We investigated patients with AIS caused by LVO who were admitted up to 4.5 hours after symptom onset and underwent MT in our department between November 2017 and August 2019. Patients' data were collected in our stroke register. Patients enrolled in our study were divided into two groups depending on whether dMT or CT was used. Our primary outcome was the 30- and 90- day functional outcome measured by modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Mortality at 30- and 90- day, successful recanalization rates, and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage were considered as secondary outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 142 patients (age: 68.3 ± 12.6 years, 53.5% female) were enrolled in our study, including 81 (57.0%) dMT cases, and 61 (43.0%) patients who received CT. The vascular risk factors and comorbidities were significantly higher in the dMT-treated group. At day 30, the rate of favorable functional outcomes was 34.7% in dMT vs. 43.6% among those who received CT (p = 0.307), by day 90 this ratio changed to 40.8% vs. 46.3% (p = 0.542). Mortality rates at day 30 were 22.2% and 23.6% (p = 0.851), and at day 90 33.8% and 25.9% (p = 0.343). The rate of effective recanalization was 94.2% for dMT-treated patients and 98.0% for CT-treated patients (p = 0.318). Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage was detected in 2.5% of dMT-treated patients and 3.4% of CT-treated group (p = 0.757).

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that CT is associated with a moderately better outcome compared to dMT. IVT prior to MT did not increase the risk of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhages.

[Minimally invasive and O-arm assisted en bloc spinal tumor resections]

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The en bloc resection of spinal tumors is required in primary spine tumors and in selected cases of secondary spine tumors, where the primary disease is under control and long survival time is expected. Three cases are presented, applying O-arm assisted navigation or minimally invasive anterior approaches for en bloc tumor removal.

METHODS

O-arm navigation assisted osteotomies were carried out to remove a Th.V. breast tumor metastasis en bloc, intact bony part of the Th.V. vertebra was spared. Vertebral corpectomies of a patient with L.IV. chordoma and of a patient with L.V. carcinoid were also performed using minimally invasive, microscope assisted, anterior approaches to the lumbar spine.

RESULTS

No morbidity or local recurrence were detected in the patient with breast cancer 1 year after the operation. Nevertheless, new spinal metastasis were revealed 1 year after surgery despite the appropriate oncological treatment. The patient with L.IV. chordoma is still tumor free (last follow-up: 18 month after surgery), but post operatively detected lower limb paresis and gait disturbances are persisted. The posterior healthy bony parts of the spinal column remained intact, since only anterior approaches were used for en bloc L.IV. corpectomy. No morbidity or recurrence was detected in patient with L.V. carcinoid tumor on 1 year follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Both the O-arm navigation assisted surgery and the minimally invasive anterior approaches to the spine can help to reduce surgical morbidity and to spare healthy bony structures of the spine. The later could play important role to provide long term spine stability. The presented new surgical technologies can be accepted only, if they produce at least the same oncological results on longer follow-ups as conventional surgical approaches.

Relationship of admission blood proteomic biomarkers levels to lesion type and lesion burden in traumatic brain injury: A CENTER-TBI study

BACKGROUND

We aimed to understand the relationship between serum biomarker concentration and lesion type and volume found on computed tomography (CT) following all severities of TBI.

METHODS

Concentrations of six serum biomarkers (GFAP, NFL, NSE, S100B, t-tau and UCH-L1) were measured in samples obtained <24 hours post-injury from 2869 patients with all severities of TBI, enrolled in the CENTER-TBI prospective cohort study (NCT02210221). Imaging phenotypes were defined as intraparenchymal haemorrhage (IPH), oedema, subdural haematoma (SDH), extradural haematoma (EDH), traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage (tSAH), diffuse axonal injury (DAI), and intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH). Multivariable polynomial regression was performed to examine the association between biomarker levels and both distinct lesion types and lesion volumes. Hierarchical clustering was used to explore imaging phenotypes; and principal component analysis and k-means clustering of acute biomarker concentrations to explore patterns of biomarker clustering.

FINDINGS

2869 patient were included, 68% (n=1946) male with a median age of 49 years (range 2-96). All severities of TBI (mild, moderate and severe) were included for analysis with majority (n=1946, 68%) having a mild injury (GCS 13-15). Patients with severe diffuse injury (Marshall III/IV) showed significantly higher levels of all measured biomarkers, with the exception of NFL, than patients with focal mass lesions (Marshall grades V/VI). Patients with either DAI+IVH or SDH+IPH+tSAH, had significantly higher biomarker concentrations than patients with EDH. Higher biomarker concentrations were associated with greater volume of IPH (GFAP, S100B, t-tau;adj r2 range:0·48-0·49; p<0·05), oedema (GFAP, NFL, NSE, t-tau, UCH-L1;adj r2 range:0·44-0·44; p<0·01), IVH (S100B;adj r2 range:0.48-0.49; p<0.05), Unsupervised k-means biomarker clustering revealed two clusters explaining 83·9% of variance, with phenotyping characteristics related to clinical injury severity.

INTERPRETATION

Interpretation: Biomarker concentration within 24 hours of TBI is primarily related to severity of injury and intracranial disease burden, rather than pathoanatomical type of injury.

FUNDING

CENTER-TBI is funded by the European Union 7th Framework programme (EC grant 602150).

Percutaneous Spine Fusion Combined with Whole-Body Traction in the Acute Surgical Treatment of AO A- and C-Type Fractures: A Technical Note

BACKGROUND

A diminished level of pain following the operation and shortened hospitalization are the distinct advantages of minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS). However, manipulating the spine with additional MISS tools (e.g., distraction and compression devices) is often cumbersome. Our paper draws attention to a cost-free, fast, indirect decompression method that can be used in the acute treatment of thoracolumbar spine fractures. The presented method involves ligamentotaxis by whole-body traction in the operating room combined with percutaneous spine fixation.

METHODS

Fifteen patients with thoracolumbar injuries A type and C type (without distraction) by AO classification were operated sequentially with the combination of whole-body traction and percutaneous minimally invasive spine fixation. Data were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS

A total of 139 screws were implanted into 70 segments in 6 female and 9 male patients. The average clinical follow-up was 16 months. Average preoperative traumatic kyphosis was 17 degrees, and an average postoperative kyphosis was 1.8 degrees. The fractured vertebrae's height gain was an average of 11.0 mm (range 3.9-21.9 mm) ventrally and an average of 5.4 mm (range 1-11.2 mm) dorsally after the surgeries. The spinal canal space narrowing showed an average 6.5 mm improvement postoperatively. Operative time averaged 2 hours and 34 minutes, and blood loss averaged 250 mL (range 150-400 mL). No neurologic complications and wound healing problems were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of MISS and whole-body traction provided successful anatomical correction in thirteen of the fifteen cases of compression type thoracolumbar fractures without extensive surgical exploration.

Blood-based traumatic brain injury biomarkers - Clinical utilities and regulatory pathways in the United States, Europe and Canada

INTRODUCTION

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major global health issue, resulting in debilitating consequences to families, communities, and health-care systems. Prior research has found that biomarkers aid in the pathophysiological characterization and diagnosis of TBI. Significantly, the FDA has recently cleared both a bench-top assay and a rapid point-of-care assays of tandem biomarker (UCH-L1/GFAP)-based blood test to aid in the diagnosis mTBI patients. With the global necessity of TBI biomarkers research, several major consortium multicenter observational studies with biosample collection and biomarker analysis have been created in the USA, Europe, and Canada. As each geographical region regulates its data and findings, the International Initiative for Traumatic Brain Injury Research (InTBIR) was formed to facilitate data integration and dissemination across these consortia.

AREAS COVERED

This paper covers heavily investigated TBI biomarkers and emerging non-protein markers. Finally, we analyze the regulatory pathways for converting promising TBI biomarkers into approved in-vitro diagnostic tests in the United States, European Union, and Canada.

EXPERT OPINION

TBI biomarker research has significantly advanced in the last decade. The recent approval of an iSTAT point of care test to detect mild TBI has paved the way for future biomarker clearance and appropriate clinical use across the globe.

Cerebral Microbleeds May Be Less Detectable by Susceptibility Weighted Imaging MRI From 24 to 72 Hours After Traumatic Brain Injury

Purpose: A former rodent study showed that cerebral traumatic microbleeds (TMBs) may temporarily become invisible shortly after injury when detected by susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI). The present study aims to validate this phenomenon in human SWI.

Methods: In this retrospective study, 46 traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients in various forms of severity were included and willingly complied with our strict selection criteria. Clinical parameters potentially affecting TMB count, Rotterdam and Marshall CT score, Mayo Clinic Classification, contusion number, and total volume were registered. The precise time between trauma and MRI [5 h 19 min to 141 h 54 min, including SWI and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR)] was individually recorded; TMB and FLAIR lesion counts were assessed. Four groups were created based on elapsed time between the trauma and MRI: 0–24, 24–48, 48–72, and >72 h. Kruskal–Wallis, ANOVA, Chi-square, and Fisher’s exact tests were used to reveal differences among the groups within clinical and imaging parameters; statistical power was calculated retrospectively for each comparison.

Results: The Kruskal–Wallis ANOVA with Conover post hoc analysis showed significant (p = 0.01; 1−β > 0.9) median TMB number differences in the subacute period: 0–24 h = 4.00 (n = 11); 24–48 h = 1 (n = 14); 48–72 h = 1 (n = 11); and 72 h ≤ 7.5 (n = 10). Neither clinical parameters nor FLAIR lesions depicted significant differences among the groups.

Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that TMBs on SWI MRI may temporarily become less detectable at 24–72 h following TBI.

[Mentalizing deficit among patients with traumatic brain injury]

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Mentalization or theory of mind as an aspect of our social cognition, is our ability to infer mental states of others (intentions, desires, thoughts, emotions) and to predict their behavior accordingly. This function significantly affects our participation and orientation in the social world and plays an important role in conversational situations, social interactions, social integ-ration and adaptation. The brain regions that serve as the basis for mind-reading function can be damaged as a consequence of traumatic brain injury, which frequently occurs among the younger population. Traumatic brain injury can cause focal or diffuse cerebral injuries, often leading to theory of mind deficit.

METHODS

In this topic such publications were researched that compared theory of mind ability between traumatic brain injury patients and control subjects (comparative case-control studies). We searched for the studies in the following internet based/online databases: PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, APA PsycNET (PsycARTICLES) and EBSCO Host. The search was performed using the following key word combinations: theory of mind or mentalizing or social cognition AND traumatic brain injury or head/brain injury or diffuse axonal injury.

RESULTS

Based on the results of the included and processed studies (21 pc), traumatic brain injury often leads to mentalization deficit with different severity.

CONCLUSION

With this present review we aim to draw attention to the fact that the appearance and severity of mind reading dysfunction can considerably affect the outcome of the disease, the length of rehabilitation time and the prognosis of traumatic brain injury patients. Besides this, with this review, we aim to take sides in whether theory of mind ability is domain-specific or domian-general based on studies including traumatic brain injury patients.

Mapping and Preserving the Visuospatial Network by repetitive nTMS and DTI Tractography in Patients With Right Parietal Lobe Tumors

Introduction

The goal of brain tumor surgery is the maximal resection of neoplastic tissue, while preserving the adjacent functional brain tissues. The identification of functional networks involved in complex brain functions, including visuospatial abilities (VSAs), is usually difficult. We report our preliminary experience using a preoperative planning based on the combination of navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS) and DTI tractography to provide the preoperative 3D reconstruction of the visuospatial (VS) cortico-subcortical network in patients with right parietal lobe tumors.

Material and Methods

Patients affected by right parietal lobe tumors underwent mapping of both hemispheres using an nTMS-implemented version of the Hooper Visual Organization Test (HVOT) to identify cortical areas involved in the VS network. DTI tractography was used to compute the subcortical component of the network, consisting of the three branches of the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF). The 3D reconstruction of the VS network was used to plan and guide the safest surgical approach to resect the tumor and avoid damage to the network. We retrospectively analyzed the cortical distribution of nTMS-induced errors, and assessed the impact of the planning on surgery by analyzing the extent of tumor resection (EOR) and the occurrence of postoperative VSAs deficits in comparison with a matched historical control group of patients operated without using the nTMS-based preoperative reconstruction of the VS network.

Results

Twenty patients were enrolled in the study (Group A). The error rate (ER) induced by nTMS was higher in the right vs. the left hemisphere (p=0.02). In the right hemisphere, the ER was higher in the anterior supramarginal gyrus (aSMG) (1.7%), angular gyrus (1.4%) superior parietal lobule (SPL) (1.3%), and dorsal lateral occipital gyrus (dLoG) (1.2%). The reconstruction of the cortico-subcortical VS network was successfully used to plan and guide tumor resection. A gross total resection (GTR) was achieved in 85% of cases. After surgery no new VSAs deficits were observed and a slightly significant improvement of the HVOT score (p=0.02) was documented. The historical control group (Group B) included 20 patients matched for main clinical characteristics with patients in Group A, operated without the support of the nTMS-based planning. A GTR was achieved in 90% of cases, but the postoperative HVOT score resulted to be worsened as compared to the preoperative period (p=0.03). The comparison between groups showed a significantly improved postoperative HVOT score in Group A vs. Group B (p=0.03).

Conclusions

The nTMS-implemented HVOT is a feasible approach to map cortical areas involved in VSAs. It can be combined with DTI tractography, thus providing a reconstruction of the VS network that could guide neurosurgeons to preserve the VS network during tumor resection, thus reducing the occurrence of postoperative VSAs deficits as compared to standard asleep surgery.

[A case of destructive cervical spondylarthropathy related to chronic dialysis]

A case of a 61-year-old male patient suffered chronic renal failure and dialysed for 23 years with destructive cervical spondylarthropathy is presented. The patient presented with sudden onset of cervical pain radiating into his shoulders without neurological deficits. CT and MRI of the cervical and thoracic spine revealed severe destructive changes and compressive fractures of C6 and C7 vertebrae which caused the narrowing of the nerve root canals at these levels. A 360-degree fixation was performed to treat the unstable fracture and the patient's pain (C6 and C7 corpectomy, autolog bone graft replacement of the two vertebral bodies, anterior plate fixation and posterior instrumentation with screws and rods). Postoperatively the patient had no significant pain, no neurological deficit and he was able to manage independent life himself. During the immediate follow-up CT of the neck showed the satisfactory position of the bone graft and the metal implantations. The 6 months follow-up CT revealed the anterior migration of the two screws from the Th1 vertebral body and 2 mm ventral elevation of the caudal end of the plate from the anterior surface of the Th1 vertebral body. The 1-year follow-up could not be performed because the patient died due to cardio-pulmonary insufficiency. This is the second Hungarian report of a chronic dialysis related severe spondylarthropathy which may cause pathologic fractures of the vertebral bodies. The typical radiological and histological findings are discussed. This disease affect patients' quality of life and the conservative treatment alone seems to be ineffective in most cases. Based on the literature and personal experiences, the authors suggest 360-degree fixation of the spine to provide sufficient stability for the vertebrae of "bad bone quality", and early mobilisation of the patient can be achieved.

Teleradiology-based stroke network in Western and Southern Transdanubia in Hungary

Összefoglaló. Bevezetés: A stroke kezelésének lehetőségei az utóbbi években jelentősen megváltoztak: a thrombolysis után bevezetésre került a mechanikus thrombectomia, és a terápiás időablak is jelentősen kitágult az utóbbi évek nagy multicentrikus tanulmányai alapján. Ezek a lehetőségek új igényeket fogalmaztak meg a képalkotó diagnosztikával szemben: az ischaemia okozta morfológiai elváltozások mellett az artériás és a kollaterális rendszer állapotát, valamint bizonyos esetekben az agy szöveti perfúzióját is szükséges meghatározni. Ezeket a komplex kiértékelési feladatokat ma már mesterségesintelligencia-algoritmusok támogathatják, melyek a kiértékelést pár perc alatt elvégezve segítenek a terápiás döntés kialakításában. Célkitűzés: A Dél- és a Nyugat-dunántúli régióban hat intézmény részvételével egy dedikált stroke teleradiológiai hálózat kialakítása. Módszer: A stroke-CT-kiértékelő szoftver és a képkommunikáció integrációja, a vizsgálati protokollok technikai paramétereinek egységesítése, a kiértékelési eredmények teleradiológiai megjelenítése valósult meg a hálózat kialakítása során. Eredmények: A hálózat egységesítette nemcsak a stroke-CT-protokollok beállításait, de beutalási és értékelési szempontjait is. A stroke-CT-kiértékelések és a mechanikus thrombectomiák száma is emelkedett az elmúlt egy évben. Következtetés: A dedikált teleradiológiai stroke-hálózat segítségével optimalizálni kívánjuk a régió stroke-ellátását: egyrészt lehetőleg ne maradjanak ellátatlanul a thrombectomiából valószínűleg profitáló betegek, másrészt ne terheljük az ellátórendszert olyan esetekkel, melyekről a teljes dokumentáció ismeretében derül ki, hogy nem javasolt a beavatkozás. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(17): 668-675.

SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

The possibilities of cerebral stroke management have changed substantially during the last few years. Following a few multicentric studies, mechanical thrombectomy became an established method besides thrombolysis. In addition, the therapeutic window for both methods is much wider now than before. These changes described above demanded more information of CT morphological changes due to ischemia, but the condition and functionality of the arterial and collateral system, and occasionally tissue perfusion performance should also be characterized. Recently, evaluation of different computer tomographic (CT) measurements can be done using artificial intelligence based methods, which perform data analysis in a few minutes.

OBJECTIVE

To establish a dedicated stroke teleradiology network with artificial intelligence based image analysis in Western and Southern Transdanubia in Hungary that involves six partner institutes.

METHOD

Integration of automated image analysis with teleradiology software was established, and the technical parameters of examination protocols were unified. Results of stroke CT image analysis became accessible through the teleradiology network.

RESULTS

The daily use of integrated central image analysis and image communication had a positive impact on referrals and therapeutic evaluation of stroke cases. The number of image processing and mechanical thrombectomy increased during the last year.

CONCLUSION

With the help of the dedicated teleradiology stroke network, we want to optimize the stroke care in the region: on the one hand, patients who are likely to benefit from thrombectomy should not be left unattended, on the other, the health care system should not be burdened with cases, when intervention is not recommended having the complete clinical data accessed. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(17): 668-675.

358 The relationship between serum biomarkers of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients discharged from the emergency department (ED) with a normal acute CT

Aims/Objectives/Background

CT remains the neuroimaging of choice in patients with TBI, however the relative lack of sensitivity as compared to MRI for certain traumatic lesion types, including diffuse axonal injury (DAI), could lead to missing important intracranial findings.1 Serum biomarkers may allow screening of ED patients, highlighting those who will benefit from MRI and offer a pathway for further imaging in mild TBI patients.

Methods/Design

Patients discharged from ED with a panel of 6 biomarkers (GFAP, NFL, NSE, S100B, t-tau and UCH-L1), acute CT < 24 hrs of injury and acute MRI, were extracted from the CENTER-TBI core dataset.2 Mann Whitney U test to compare median biomarker levels in relation to +ve or –ve MRI. Unadjusted Area Under ROC (AUC) calculated for detection of MRI abnormality.

Results/Conclusions

80 patients met inclusion criteria, 45 (56%) male, median age 36.5 yr [IQR 24.5–51.3], median GCS 15 [IQR 15–15]. 17/80 (21.25%) had MRI abnormalities. 1 intraventricular haemorrhage, 2 traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhages, 3 intraparenchymal haemorrhages and 13 DAI. Of the biomarkers (median): GFAP (0.28 vs 1.88 ng/ml, p = 0.002), NSE (13.08 vs 15.19 ng/ml, p= 0.013), S100B (0.06 vs 0.12 µg/L, p=0.002), t-tau (0.82 vs 1.58 pg/ml, p=0.002), UCH-L1 (22.33 vs 57.68 pg/ml p<0.001) were significantly raised in patients with MRI abnormality. Serum NFL concentration was not significant (5.80 vs 8.18 pg/ml, p=0.096). AUC [95% CI] for detection of MRI abnormality: GFAP (0.75 [0.61–0.89]), NFL (0.63 [0.48–0.79]), NSE (0.70 [0.55–0.85]), S100B (0.75 [0.61–0.90]), tau (0.75 [0.61–0.89]), UCH-L1 (0.82 [0.69–0.95])

The results demonstrate potential utility in several acute serum biomarkers for screening of patients with a negative CT. Fair discrimination for detection of MRI pathology in this cohort was demonstrated by GFAP, NSE, S100B, total tau and UCH-L1. Further prospective analysis is required to assess the utility for biomarkers to determine MRI requirement in an ED population.

References

Metting Z, Rödiger LA, De Keyser J, et al. Structural and functional neuroimaging in mild-to-moderate head injury. Lancet Neurol 2007;6:699–710. doi:10.1016/S1474-4422(07)70191-6

Maas AIR, Menon DK, Steyerberg EW, et al. Collaborative European neurotrauma effectiveness research in traumatic brain injury (CENTER-TBI): A prospective longitudinal observational study. Neurosurgery 2015;76:67–80. doi:10.1227/NEU.0000000000000575

Rehabilitation of traumatic spinal cord injury with lower limb exoskeleton

In recent years, several technological innovations have emerged to improve the rehabilitation of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Among them, robotic orthosis, also known as human exoskeletons, are prominent devices for lower limb therapy. Since the early 2000s, numerous clinical studies have begun to investigate the efficacy of these devices, demonstrating the beneficial effects of exoskeletons regarding the prevention and deceleration of the progression of complications following spinal cord injury and subsequent immobilization. Previous works also deal with physiological, psycho-social and social effects, and presents possible risk factors following SCI. In this paper, the main results of the relevant international research is reviewed, the structure and operation of the first devices (ReWalkTM P6.0) in Hungary are presented, also, the main modalities of robotic assisted rehabilitation activity at international level are demonstrated. Based on the international results, the training protocol for a multicentre controlled clinical trial, involving the University of Pécs and the National Institute for Medical Rehabilitation is presented in this work. According to our hypothesis, high intensity exoskeleton-assisted complex rehabilitation induces positive changes in bone density, in the urogenital and gastrointestinal tract. Changes are quantified by objective urodynamic and defecative parameters. The difference in bone density is assessed with DEXA scan, and the effects on mental status are evaluated by questionnaires. The aim of this research is to promote a complementary therapeutic procedure based on validated results for SCI patients with paraplegia, also to establish recommendations for home use of the robotic exoskeletons, and to conceivably join to international scientific research projects. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(29): 1200-1207.

Blood biomarkers on admission in acute traumatic brain injury: Relations to severity, CT findings and care path in the CENTER-TBI study

Background

Serum biomarkers may inform and improve care in traumatic brain injury (TBI). We aimed to correlate serum biomarkers with clinical severity, care path and imaging abnormalities in TBI, and explore their incremental value over clinical characteristics in predicting computed tomographic (CT) abnormalities.

Methods

We analyzed six serum biomarkers (S100B, NSE, GFAP, UCH-L1, NFL and t-tau) obtained <24 h post-injury from 2867 patients with any severity of TBI in the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research (CENTER-TBI) Core Study, a prospective, multicenter, cohort study. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. Discrimination was assessed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) with 95% confidence intervals.

Findings

All biomarkers scaled with clinical severity and care path (ER only, ward admission, or ICU), and with presence of CT abnormalities. GFAP achieved the highest discrimination for predicting CT abnormalities (AUC 0•89 [95%CI: 0•87–0•90]), with a 99% likelihood of better discriminating CT-positive patients than clinical characteristics used in contemporary decision rules. In patients with mild TBI, GFAP also showed incremental diagnostic value: discrimination increased from 0•84 [95%CI: 0•83–0•86] to 0•89 [95%CI: 0•87–0•90] when GFAP was included. Results were consistent across strata, and injury severity. Combinations of biomarkers did not improve discrimination compared to GFAP alone.

Interpretation

Currently available biomarkers reflect injury severity, and serum GFAP, measured within 24 h after injury, outperforms clinical characteristics in predicting CT abnormalities. Our results support the further development of serum GFAP assays towards implementation in clinical practice, for which robust clinical assay platforms are required.

Funding

CENTER-TBI study was supported by the European Union 7th Framework program (EC grant 602150).

Engineering optimization of decompressive craniectomy based on finite element simulations

Purpose: The optimal execution of decompressive craniectomy in terms of the size and location of the skull opening is not straightforward. Our main goals are twofold: (1) constructing a design optimization method which can be applied to determine optimal skull opening for individual patient-specific cases and (2) performing a large-scale parametric optimization study to give some guidance in general about the optimal skull opening in case of oedematous brain tissue. Methods: A large number of virtual experiments performed by finite element simulations were applied to determine tendencies of tissue behaviour during surgery. The multiobjective optimization is performed by Goal Programming and Physical Programming methods. Results: Our results show that the postoperative pressure has an approximately linear dependence on the preoperative pressure and the skull opening area, while the damaged brain volume could have a more complex nonlinear dependence on the input data. Based on the averaged results of the parametric optimization study, the optimal skull opening has been determined in the function of the preoperative pressure and the relative importance of the pressure reduction. These results show that the optimal size of the unilateral skull opening is usually between 130–180 cm2 and these openings are more beneficial than the currently analysed bifrontal openings. Conclusions: The optimal skull opening is patient-specific and depends on several input data. The presented methodology can be applied to optimize surgery based on these input parameters for different injury types. Based on the results of large-scale parametric study generally applicable approximate results have been provided.

Engineering optimization of decompressive craniectomy based on finite element simulations

PURPOSE

The optimal execution of decompressive craniectomy in terms of the size and location of the skull opening is not straightforward. Our main goals are twofold: (1) constructing a design optimization method which can be applied to determine optimal skull opening for individual patient-specific cases and (2) performing a large-scale parametric optimization study to give some guidance in general about the optimal skull opening in case of oedematous brain tissue.

METHODS

A large number of virtual experiments performed by finite element simulations were applied to determine tendencies of tissue behaviour during surgery. The multiobjective optimization is performed by Goal Programming and Physical Programming methods.

RESULTS

Our results show that the postoperative pressure has an approximately linear dependence on the preoperative pressure and the skull opening area, while the damaged brain volume could have a more complex nonlinear dependence on the input data. Based on the averaged results of the parametric optimization study, the optimal skull opening has been determined in the function of the preoperative pressure and the relative importance of the pressure reduction. These results show that the optimal size of the unilateral skull opening is usually between 130-180 cm² and these openings are more beneficial than the currently analysed bifrontal openings.

CONCLUSIONS

The optimal skull opening is patient-specific and depends on several input data. The presented methodology can be applied to optimize surgery based on these input parameters for different injury types. Based on the results of large-scale parametric study generally applicable approximate results have been provided.

[The role of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in the treatment of mental disorders, especially in treatment-resistant major depressive disorder]

The rapidly evolving field of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation as a neuromodulational technique may mean a safe, alternative approach to the management of several mental disorders, especially treatment-resistant major depressive disorder. Our aim is to describe the current role of transcranial magnetic stimulation in research and routine clinical practice, based on the literature and clinical protocols. Since the discovery, that an outer magnetic source can depolarize neurons, both neurology and psychiatry seek the method's possible clinical utility. To date, in the field of psychiatry, the method is only approved in the treatment of major depressive disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, but research continues to find application in other mental disorders (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder), too. The next step in the evolution of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation is based on magnetic resonance guided, real-time navigation with the help of positioning algorithms. The so-called neuronavigational systems make precise aiming of neuronal circuits responsible for the development of depression, thus increasing the excitability of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and decreasing it on the right hemisphere. The method has few contraindications, and the occurrence of side effects can be minimized by carefully selected patient population. For today, transcranial magnetic stimulation became an evidence-based, effective treatment for some mental disorders, especially treatment-resistant major depressive disorder. It is to be assumed that in the future neuronavigational neuromodulation techniques, including repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, will be widely used in the field of psychiatry and neurology. Magnetic stimulation is currently available in a number of centres in Hungary, but the financial approval and the implementation of this neuromodulation method for treating mental disorders in the everyday clinical practice are still in progress. Orv Hetil. 2020; 161(1): 3-10.

[Minimally invasive endoscopic transcribriform resection of malignant lesions of the skull base]

Introduction: Malignant tumours of the sinonasal region - including those with invasion of the skull base - necessitate surgical resection. The majority of the cases give an opportunity to perform the procedure via minimally invasive, endoscopic approach, without external, craniofacial surgery. Aim: To assess our clinical experience in treating anterior skull base malignancies, performing minimally invasive endoscopic transcribriform resection. Method: Between February 2015 and July 2017, four male and one female patient underwent minimally invasive, endoscopic skull base procedure. The mean age was 64.6 years (59-70, median: 66). Every surgery was performed via transnasal, endoscopic transcribriform approach. In two cases Kadish C esthesioneuroblastomas, while in one case a T3N0 sinonasal non-differentiated carcinoma, a T1N0 intestinal type adenocarcinoma and a T4N0 squamous cell carcinoma was the indication of surgery, respectively. Results: The mean follow-up time was 22.8 months, between 14 and 46 months. Intraoperative complications did not occur during the procedures. Regarding the postoperative period, liquorrhoea and pneumocephalus occurred in one case. Complications were solved with lumbar drainage. During follow-up, neither residual nor recurrent tumour was observed in our patients. Conclusion: Endoscopic transcribriform resection of the skull base malignancies is a safe and viable alternative to the traditional open approach. Orv Hetil. 2019; 160(40): 1584-1590.

Long-term cognitive impairment without diffuse axonal injury following repetitive mild traumatic brain injury in rats

Repetitive mild traumatic brain injuries (TBI) impair cognitive abilities and increase risk of neurodegenerative disorders in humans. We developed two repetitive mild TBI models in rats with different time intervals between successive weight-drop injuries. Rats were subjected to repetitive Sham (no injury), single mild (mTBI), repetitive mild (rmTBI - 5 hits, 24 h apart), rapid repetitive mild (rapTBI - 5 hits, 5 min apart) or a single severe (sTBI) TBI. Cognitive performance was assessed 2 and 8 weeks after TBI in the novel object recognition test (NOR), and 6-7 weeks after TBI in the water maze (MWM). Acute immunohistochemical markers were evaluated 24 h after TBI, and blood biomarkers were measured with ELISA 8 weeks after TBI. In the NOR, both rmTBI and rapTBI showed poor performance at 2 weeks post-injury. At 8 weeks post-injury, the rmTBI group still performed worse than the Sham and mTBI groups, while the rapTBI group recovered. In the MWM, the rapTBI group performed worse than the Sham and mTBI groups. Acute APP and RMO-14 immunohistochemistry showed axonal injury at the pontomedullary junction in the sTBI, but not in other groups. ELISA showed increased serum GFAP levels 8 weeks after sTBI, while no differences were found between the injury groups in the levels of phosphorylated-tau and S100β. Results suggest that the rmTBI protocol is the most suitable model for testing cognitive impairment after mild repetitive head injuries and that the prolonged cognitive impairment after repetitive mild TBI originates from different structural and molecular mechanisms compared to similar impairments after single sTBI.

Cerebral Microbleeds Temporarily Become Less Visible or Invisible in Acute Susceptibility Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Rat Study

Previously, we reported human traumatic brain injury cases demonstrating acute to subacute microbleed appearance changes in susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI—magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]). This study aims to confirm and characterize such temporal microbleed appearance alterations in an experimental model. To elicit microbleed formation, brains of male Sprague Dawley rats were pierced in a depth of 4 mm, in a parasagittal position bilaterally using 159 μm and 474 μm needles, without the injection of autologous blood or any agent. Rats underwent 4.7 T MRI immediately, then at multiple time points until 125 h. Volumes of hypointensities consistent with microbleeds in SWI were measured using an intensity threshold-based approach. Microbleed volumes across time points were compared using repeated measures analysis of variance. Microbleeds were assessed by Prussian blue histology at different time points. Hypointensity volumes referring to microbleeds were significantly decreased (corrected p < 0.05) at 24 h compared with the immediate or the 125 h time points. By visual inspection, microbleeds were similarly detectable at the immediate and 125 h imaging but were decreased in extent or completely absent at 24 h or 48 h. Histology confirmed the presence of microbleeds at all time points and in all animals. This study confirmed a general temporary reduction in visibility of microbleeds in the acute phase in SWI. Such short-term appearance dynamics of microbleeds should be considered when using SWI as a diagnostic tool for microbleeds in traumatic brain injury and various diseases.

The Young Male Syndrome-An Analysis of Sex, Age, Risk Taking and Mortality in Patients With Severe Traumatic Brain Injuries

Higher risk taking is particularly characteristic for males between 15 and 35 years, the age when intrasexual competition is the strongest. This fitness-maximizing strategy, however, also has negative consequences; previous data revealed that males have a significantly higher tendency to die in accidents. This retrospective study aimed to assess whether age-related risk taking, often associated with the reproductive competition between males, and referred to as the Young Male Syndrome (YMS), may play a role in the high incidence of severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) in young males. Derived from the available evidence and the main assumptions of the YMS, we expected that men, especially when they are in the age when their reproductive potential peaks, are more likely to suffer sTBI from highly risky behaviors that also lead to higher mortality. It was also expected that alcohol intoxication makes the demographic pattern of sTBI even more similar to what previous research on the YMS implies. We analyzed demographic data of patients with sTBI (N = 365) registered in a clinical database. To this end, we built Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMM) to reveal which of the demographic characteristics are the best predictors for risky behaviors leading to sTBI and death as a consequence of the injury. The data suggest that younger people acquired sTBI from riskier behaviors compared to members of older age groups, irrespective of their sex. Moreover, being male and being alcohol intoxicated also contributed significantly to risk-taking behavior. Mortality rate after the injury, however, increased with the age of the patient and did not depend on the riskiness of the behavior. The results indicate that the demographic distribution of the specific patient population in our focus cannot be simply explained by the YMS. However, higher incidence rates of males among the patients are in line with the core assumptions of the YMS. These data indicate that epidemiological studies should also take into consideration evolutionary theories and highlight the importance of age and sex specific prevention strategies.

[Guidelines for the treatment of traumatic brain injury - 2017]

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is recognized to be the main cause of death and disability in the first four decades representing a major socio-economical problem worldwide. Recent communications revealed a particularly worrying image about the quality of care for TBI in Hungary. For any improvement a systematic approach characterized by utilization of scientific evidence based guidelines forming the basis for close monitoring of the actual care are considered a prerequisite. In Hungary the first evidence based guidelines in the field of TBI have been issued by the National Society for Anesthesiology and Intensive Care more than two decades ago followed by joint guidelines of the Hungarian Neurosurgical Society and the Hungarian College of Neurosurgeons. These publications were primarily based on the work of the European Brain Injury Consortium as well as guidelines issued by the Brain Trauma Foundation. Recent renewal of the latter and a need to refresh the outdated national guidelines was met by a call from regulatory authorities to issue the updated version of the Hungarian TBI-guidelines. The present review is aimed to briefly summarize the most fundamental elements of the national head injury guidelines that would hopefully be officially issued in a far more detailed format soon.

[Comparison of subthalamic nucleus planning coordinates in 1Tesla and 3Tesla MRI for deep brain stimulation targeting]

Background and purpose

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) involves placing electrodes within specific deep brain nuclei. For movement disorders the most common indications are tremors, Parkinsons disease and dystonias. Surgeons mostly employ MR imaging for preoperative target selection. MR field geometrical distortion may contribute to target-selection error in the MR scan which can contribute to error in electrode placement.

Methods

In this paper we compared the STN target planning coordinates in six parkinsonian DBS patients. Each patient underwent target planning in 1T and 3T MRI. We statistically compared and analysed the target-, and the fiducial coordinates in two different magnetic fileds.

Results

The target coordinates showed no significant differences (Mann-Whitney test, p > 0.05), however we found significant difference in fiducial coordinates (p < 0.01), in 3T MRI it was more pronounced (mean ± SD: 0.8 ± 0.3 mm) comparing to 1T (mean ± SD: 0.4 ± 0.2 mm).

Conclusion

Preliminary results showed no significant differences in planning of target coordinates comparing 1T to 3T magnetic fields.

[Minimally invasive, extrapleural-anterolateral approach to the spine]

In spine surgery, minimally invasive approaches (MIS) are getting accepted and more popular worldwide during the last decades. It is due to the reduced intraoperative blood loss, decreased infection rate, less postoperative pain and earlier discharge from hospital compared to traditional approaches. The present paper puts forward a minimally invasive extrapleural approach to the thoracic spine that is not applied in Hungary. This new approach, in contrast to the standard costotransversectomy, provides direct visual control over the ventral surface of the dural sac. Furthermore, contrary to the transthoracic way, following minimally invasive extrapleural surgery thoracic drainage and intensive care are not necessary. The approach can be applied safely in treatment of ventral or ventrolateral pathologies of the thoracic spine.

Serial Sampling of Serum Protein Biomarkers for Monitoring Human Traumatic Brain Injury Dynamics: A Systematic Review

Background

The proteins S100B, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1), and neurofilament light (NF-L) have been serially sampled in serum of patients suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) in order to assess injury severity and tissue fate. We review the current literature of serum level dynamics of these proteins following TBI and used the term “effective half-life” (t_1/2) in order to describe the “fall” rate in serum.

Materials and methods

Through searches on EMBASE, Medline, and Scopus, we looked for articles where these proteins had been serially sampled in serum in human TBI. We excluded animal studies, studies with only one presented sample and studies without neuroradiological examinations.

Results

Following screening (10,389 papers), n = 122 papers were included. The proteins S100B (n = 66) and NSE (n = 27) were the two most frequent biomarkers that were serially sampled. For S100B in severe TBI, a majority of studies indicate a t_1/2 of about 24 h, even if very early sampling in these patients reveals rapid decreases (1–2 h) though possibly of non-cerebral origin. In contrast, the t_1/2 for NSE is comparably longer, ranging from 48 to 72 h in severe TBI cases. The protein GFAP (n = 18) appears to have t_1/2 of about 24–48 h in severe TBI. The protein UCH-L1 (n = 9) presents a t_1/2 around 7 h in mild TBI and about 10 h in severe. Frequent sampling of these proteins revealed different trajectories with persisting high serum levels, or secondary peaks, in patients with unfavorable outcome or in patients developing secondary detrimental events. Finally, NF-L (n = 2) only increased in the few studies available, suggesting a serum availability of >10 days. To date, automated assays are available for S100B and NSE making them faster and more practical to use.

Conclusion

Serial sampling of brain-specific proteins in serum reveals different temporal trajectories that should be acknowledged. Proteins with shorter serum availability, like S100B, may be superior to proteins such as NF-L in detection of secondary harmful events when monitoring patients with TBI.

[Relationship between sport and traumatic brain injury - risks and sequelaes]

Traumatic brain injury represents major public health problem worldwide. A typical form of brain injuries is the injury suffered during sports, which according to severity ranges from mild injuries to fatal damages. The significance of the sport related minor head injuries derives form the high incidence, the excessive involvement of the younger age groups, and their potential repetitive nature. The repeated mild head injuries may accumulate, leading to complex structural, neurochemical, neuroendocrine, and psychological alterations, which in long term may result in changes of the patients quality of life and in significant deterioration of participation in the everyday activity. Actually we neither have enough knowledge about the ne-gative consequences, nor the way of prevention, or protection against the harmful long term results. With this study summary we would like to draw attention to the potential hazards emerging from sport injuries, moreover we would like to emphasize the importance of study participation and follow up of articles in this field.

Combination of severe facial and cervical vascular malformation with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: diagnostic and therapeutic approaches

The combination of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and vascular malformation within the head and neck region is a rare condition, and interestingly, only a few cases have recently been published. Propagation of the vascular mass to the larynx and pharynx can cause breathing and swallowing difficulties. Due to these sypmtoms, examination and initiation of appropriate therapy for such patients are indeed challenging. We reviewed the literature available and present our case of a 64 year old woman emphasizing the complaints of sleep apnea syndrome and vascular malformation of the face and neck region. Polygraphic examination detected severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. The MR examination of the neck revealed extensive vascular mass narrowing the pharyngo-laryngeal region, thereby causing temporal bone destruction on the right side with intracranial propagation. ENT examination demonstrated significant narrowing of the pharyngeal lumen and the laryngeal aditus caused by multiple hemangiomas. CPAP titration showed the minimalization of the apnea-hypopnea index on the effective pressure level. Regular CPAP usage resulted in diminishing a majority of the patient's complaints. Our examination clearly demonstrates, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome coupled with significantly obstructing vascular malformation in the head and neck region can be effectively treated safely with a CPAP device, if surgical therapy is not possible. We summarized our findings and the data available in the literature to set up recommendations for the appropriate examination and therapy (including mask fit, etc.) of vascular malformations and hemangiomas causing pharyngo-laryngeal obstruction.

[CLOSURE OF NASOCRANIAL FISTULAS WITH "BATH-PLUG" TECHNIQUE AND MULTILAYER RECONSTRUCTION]

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

In case of dehiscenses developing on the anterior scull base, complete closure resulting in the cessation of the communication between the nasal cavity and the intracranial space is mandatory as soon as possible, in order to prevent serious complications. With the development of the endoscopic techniques, the endonasal management for the reconstruction has become available in recent decades.

METHODS

We aim to present the reconstruction techniques applied in our department in the cases of two patients recently operated at our institute. The choice of methods primarily depends on the size and the localization of the defect. Dehiscenses under 5 mm of diameter can be closed with the so called "bath-plug" technique, while bigger defects, where the required closure of the plug is not possible, can be solved with multilayer reconstruction. We use autogenous fascia, fat and muco-periosteum in both cases.

RESULTS

Our patient, who underwent the aforementioned "bath-plug" procedure, could be discharged after a few days of uneventful postoperative period. During a ten-month follow-up period new fistula formation was not observed. In the case of a patient who underwent multilayer reconstruction, meningitis occurred postoperatively, which was resolved after antibiotic therapy. During a 17-month follow-up period recurrent liquorrhoea did not occur.

CONCLUSION

With suitable technical background and appropriate endoscopic skills the surgeries of the anterior skull base cerebrospinal fluid fistulas can be performed efficiently and with low complication rate. These are minimally invasive procedures accompanied by less surgical trauma, morbidity and shorter hospitalization, hence these techniques are considered to be cost-effective and well-tolerated for the patients.

[TREATMENT OF POST-SPONDYLODESIS, ADJACENT-SEGMENT DISEASE WITH MINIMALLY INVASIVE, ANTEROLATERAL SURGERY ON THE LUMBAR SPINE: IS THERE IS NO NEED FOR DORSAL OPERATION?]

Adjacent segment disease (ASD) occurs with a probability of 30% in the lumbar spine following spinal fusion surgery. Usually advanced degenerative changes happen cranially to the fused lumbar segment. Thus, secondary spinal instability, stenosis, spodylolisthesis, foraminal stenosis can lead to the recurrence of the pain not always amenable to conservative measures. A typical surgical solution to treat ASD consists of posterior revision surgery including decompression, change or extension of the instrumentation and fusion to the rostral level. It results in a larger operation with considerable risk of complications. We present a typical case of ASD treated surgically with a new minimally invasive method not yet performed in Hungary. We use anterolateral abdominal muscle splitting approach to reach the lumbar spine through the retroperitoneum. A discectomy is performed by retracting the psoas muscle dorsally. The intervertebral bony fusion is achieved by implanting a cage with large volume that is stuffed with autologous bone or tricalcium phosphate. A cage with large volume results in excellent annulus fibrosus tension, immediate stability and provides large surface for bony fusion. A stand-alone cage construct can be supplemented with lateral screw/rod/plate fixation. The advantage of the new technique for the treatment of ASD includes minimal blood loss, short operation time, significantly less postoperative pain and much lower complication rate.

Lateral Ventricle Volume Asymmetry Predicts Midline Shift in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Midline shift following severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) detected on computed tomography (CT) scans is an established predictor of poor outcome. We hypothesized that lateral ventricular volume (LVV) asymmetry is an earlier sign of developing asymmetric intracranial pathology than midline shift. This retrospective analysis was performed on data from 84 adults with blunt sTBI requiring a ventriculostomy who presented to a Level I trauma center. Seventy-six patients underwent serial CTs within 3 h and an average of three scans within the first 10 d of sTBI. Left and right LVVs were quantified by computer-assisted manual volumetric measurements. LVV ratios (LVR) were determined on the admission CT to evaluate ventricular asymmetry. The relationship between the admission LVR value and subsequent midline shift development was tested using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, and odds ratio (OR) and relative risk tests. Sixty patients had no >5 mm midline shift on the initial admission scan. Of these, 15 patients developed it subsequently (16 patients already had >5 mm midline shift on admission scans). For >5 mm midline shift development, admission LVR of >1.67 was shown to have a sensitivity of 73.3% and a specificity of 73.3% (area under the curve=0.782; p<0.0001). LVR of >1.67 as exposure yielded an OR of 7.56 (p<0.01), and a risk ratio of 4.42 (p<0.01) for midline shift development as unfavorable outcome. We propose that LVR captures LVV asymmetry and is not only related to, but also predicts the development of midline shift already at admission CT examination. Lateral ventricles may have a higher "compliance" than midline structures to developing asymmetric brain pathology. LVR analysis is simple, rapidly accomplished and may allow earlier interventions to attenuate midline shift and potentially improve ultimate outcomes.

[The use of minimally invasive instrumental spinal surgical technique in lumbar diseases of degenerative or traumatic origin]

Paradigm change has recently taken place in spine surgery with the application of minimally invasive techniques. Minimally invasive techniques have several advantages over the open traditional techniques: less blood loss, preservation of spine muscle integrity, shorter hospitalization, early mobilization, reduced pain levels, lower risk of infection. The presented cases cover following lumbar pathologies: segmental spinal instability, LV-SI grade II. spondylolisthesis, degenerative spondylolisthesis, spine trauma. Unilateral or bilateral mini-open technique was employed in the degenerative cases, depending on symptoms and signes. If unilateral symptoms--pathology was identified, screws and rod were implanted percutaneously on the side contralateral to the pathology. The segmental fusion between vertebral bodies was always assured by a cage and autologous bone. The presented trauma case involved combined AO type A2 and B fractures. The anterior column was strengthened with vertebral body stents filled with bone cement, the posterior column was fixed with a percutaneously implanted screw rod system. Insertion of stents in the collapsed vertebra significantly increased the vertebral body height and also improved the stability of the spine. Minimally invasive spine surgery techniques appear more advantageous over the traditional open spine surgery that necessitates for large midline approaches.

A novel PARP inhibitor L-2286 in a rat model of impact acceleration head injury: an immunohistochemical and behavioral study

We examined the neuro/axono-protective potential of a novel poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor L-2286 in a rat impact acceleration brain injury model. Male Wistar rats (n = 70) weighing 300–350 grams were used to determine the most effective intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) dose of L-2286 administered 30 min after injury, and to test the neuroprotective effect at two time points (immediately, and 30 min after injury). The neuroprotective effect of L-2286 was tested using immunohistochemical (amyloid precursor protein and mid-sized mouse anti-neurofilament clone RMO-14.9 antibody) and behavioral tests (beam-balance, open-field and elevated plus maze). At both time-points, a 100 μg/rat dose of i.c.v. L-2286 significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the density of damaged axons in the corticospinal tract and medial longitudinal fascicle compared to controls. In the behavioral tests, treatment 30 min post-injury improved motor function, while the level of anxiety was reduced in both treatment protocols.

Update on protein biomarkers in traumatic brain injury with emphasis on clinical use in adults and pediatrics

PURPOSE

This review summarizes protein biomarkers in mild and severe traumatic brain injury in adults and children and presents a strategy for conducting rationally designed clinical studies on biomarkers in head trauma.

METHODS

We performed an electronic search of the National Library of Medicine's MEDLINE and Biomedical Library of University of Pennsylvania database in March 2008 using a search heading of traumatic head injury and protein biomarkers. The search was focused especially on protein degradation products (spectrin breakdown product, c-tau, amyloid-beta(1-42)) in the last 10 years, but recent data on "classical" markers (S-100B, neuron-specific enolase, etc.) were also examined.

RESULTS

We identified 85 articles focusing on clinical use of biomarkers; 58 articles were prospective cohort studies with injury and/or outcome assessment.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that only S-100B in severe traumatic brain injury has consistently demonstrated the ability to predict injury and outcome in adults. The number of studies with protein degradation products is insufficient especially in the pediatric care. Cohort studies with well-defined end points and further neuroproteomic search for biomarkers in mild injury should be triggered. After critically reviewing the study designs, we found that large homogenous patient populations, consistent injury, and outcome measures prospectively determined cutoff values, and a combined use of different predictors should be considered in future studies.

Calpain inhibition reduces axolemmal leakage in traumatic axonal injury

Calcium-induced, calpain-mediated proteolysis (CMSP) has recently been implicated to the pathogenesis of diffuse (traumatic) axonal injury (TAI). Some studies suggested that subaxolemmal CMSP may contribute to axolemmal permeability (AP) alterations observed in TAI. Seeking direct evidence for this premise we investigated whether subaxolemmal CMSP may contribute to axolemmal permeability alterations (APA) and pre-injury calpain-inhibition could reduce AP in a rat model of TAI. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP, a tracer that accumulates in axons with APA) was administered one hour prior to injury into the lateral ventricle; 30 min preinjury a single tail vein bolus injection of 30 mg/kg MDL-28170 (a calpain inhibitor) or its vehicle was applied in Wistar rats exposed to impact acceleration brain injury. Histological detection of traumatically injured axonal segments accumulating HRP and statistical analysis revealed that pre-injury administration of the calpain inhibitor MDL-28170 significantly reduced the average length of HRP-labeled axonal segments. The axono-protective effect of pre-injury calpain inhibition recently demonstrated with classical immunohistochemical markers of TAI was further corroborated in this experiment; significant reduction of the length of labeled axons in the drug-treated rats implicate CMSP in the progression of altered AP in TAI.

Clinical and model research of neurotrauma

Modeling traumatic brain injury represents a major challenge for neuroscientists - to represent extremely complex pathobiological processes kept under close surveillance in the most complex organ of a laboratory animal. To ensure that such models also reflect those alterations evoked by and/or associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI) in man, well-defined, graded, simple injury paradigms should be used with clear endpoints that also enable us to assess the relevance of our findings to human observations. It is of particular importance that our endpoints should harbor clinical significance, and to this end, biological markers ultimately associated with the pathological processes operant in TBI are considered the best candidate. This chapter provides protocols for relevant experimental models of TBI and clinical materials for neuroproteomic analysis.

[Diffusion tensor and functional MR imaging of severe traumatic craniocerebral injury at low magnetic field]

AIM OF THE STUDY

Presentation of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) performed at low magnetic field (1 Tesla) in the algorithm of work-up of a patient suffering from severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).

METHOD

DTI and functional MRI (fMRI) were applied at 1 Tesla for visualization of neural pathways and examination of sensory functions of a patient with severe TBI. DTI-measurement was also performed on a healthy patient for comparison.

RESULTS

DTI acquired at low magnetic field yielded appropriate visualization of neural pathways. DTI confirmed the results of the clinical and fMRI examinations in the patient suffering from severe TBI.

CONCLUSION

An optimized DTI can be useful in the examination of patients with TBI, moreover, it may also help in the establishment of diagnoses of other central nervous system diseases affecting neuronal pathways. The presented results suggest that DTI of appropriate quality can be performed at low magnetic field.