What are the predictors of delayed cerebral ischaemia (DCI) after aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage? An up-to-date systematic review

PURPOSE

Delayed Cerebral Ischaemia (DCI) remains an important preventable driver of poor outcome in aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH). Our ability to predict DCI is based on historical patient cohorts, which use inconsistent definitions for DCI. In 2010, a definition of DCI was agreed upon and published by a group of aSAH experts. The aim of this study was to identify predictors using this agreed definition of DCI.

METHODS

We conducted a literature search of Medline (PubMed) to identify articles published since the publication of the 2010 consensus definition. Risk factors and prediction models for DCI were included if they: (1) adjusted for confounding factors or were derived from randomised trials, (2) were derived from prospectively collected data and (3) included adults with aSAH. The strength of studies was assessed based on quality, risk of bias and applicability of studies using PROBAST.

RESULTS

Eight studies totalling 4,542 patients were included from 105 relevant articles from 4,982 records. The most common reason for not including studies was failure to use the consensus definition of DCI (75%). No prediction models were identified in the eligible studies. Significant risk factors for DCI included the presence of onsite neuro-interventional services, high Neuropeptide Y, admission leucocytosis, neutrophil:lymphocyte >5.9 and Fisher Grade > 2. All studies had a high or unclear risk of bias.

CONCLUSIONS

Only a few studies with high risk of bias have investigated the predictors using consensus-defined DCI. Further studies are warranted to clarify risk factors of DCI in the modern era.

Perioperative Means to Prevent Surgical Site Infections following Elective Craniotomies: A Single-Center Experience

Background  Postoperative surgical site infections are a recognized complication following craniotomies with an associated increase in morbidity and mortality. Several studies have attempted to identify bundles of care to reduce the incidence of infections. Our study aims to clarify which perioperative measures play a role in reducing surgical infection rates further. Methods  This study is a retrospective audit of all elective craniotomies in years 2018 to 2019. The primary endpoint was the surgical site infection rate at 30 days and 4 months after the procedure. Univariate analysis was used to identify factors predictive of postoperative infection. Results  344 patients were included in this study. Postoperative infections were observed in 5.2% of our cohort. No postoperative infections occurred within 4 months in patients receiving perioperative hair wash and intrawound vancomycin powder. In univariate analysis, craniotomy size (Fisher's exact test, p  = 0.05), lack of perioperative hair wash, and vancomycin powder use (Fisher's exact test, p  = 0.01) were predictive of postoperative infection. No complications relative to the use of intrawound vancomycin were observed. Conclusion  Our study demonstrates that simple measures such as perioperative hair wash combined with intrawound vancomycin powder in addition to standard practice can help reducing infection rates with negligible risks and acceptable costs. Our results should be validated further in future prospective studies.

Radiological follow-up of endovascularly treated intracranial aneurysms: a survey of current practice in the UK and Ireland

PURPOSE

Due to the risk of intracranial aneurysm (IA) recurrence and the potential requirement for re-treatment following endovascular treatment (EVT), radiological follow-up of these aneurysms is necessary. There is little evidence to guide the duration and frequency of this follow-up. The aim of this study was to establish the current practice in neurosurgical units in the UK and Ireland.

METHODS

A survey was designed with input from interventional neuroradiologists and neurosurgeons. Neurovascular consultants in each of the 30 neurosurgical units providing a neurovascular service in the UK and Ireland were contacted and asked to respond to questions regarding the follow-up practice for IA treated with EVT in their department.

RESULTS

Responses were obtained from 28/30 (94%) of departments. There was evidence of wide variations in the duration and frequency of follow-up, with a minimum follow-up duration for ruptured IA that varied from 18 months in 5/28 (18%) units to 5 years in 11/28 (39%) of units. Young patient age, previous subarachnoid haemorrhage and incomplete IA occlusion were cited as factors that would prompt more intensive surveillance, although larger and broad-necked IA were not followed-up more closely in the majority of departments.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a wide variation in the radiological follow-up of IA treated with EVT in the UK and Ireland. Further standardisation of this aspect of patient care is likely to be beneficial, but further evidence on the behaviour of IA following EVT is required in order to inform this process.

Simple endovascular coiling: An effective long-term solution for wide-necked ruptured middle cerebral artery aneurysms? A 10-years retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Endovascular coiling is usually the first line treatment modality for most ruptured intracranial aneurysms. However, there is still some debate as to whether microsurgical clipping or coiling is the treatment of choice for complex wide-necked ruptured middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms. Our aim was to assess the efficacy, safety and longevity of simple endovascular coiling for ruptured MCA aneurysms.

METHODS

This was a single-centre 10 years retrospective study (2008-2019) of all endovascularly treated patients with ruptured MCA aneurysms (n = 148). Patients were treated with simple coiling (n = 111), balloon-assisted coiling (n = 13), dual micro-catheter coiling (n = 19), balloon-assisted and dual micro-catheter coiling (n = 4) and woven endobridge (WEB) device (n = 1). The standard follow-up protocol consisted of Magnetic Resonance angiography at 6, 12 and 24 months. Our primary endpoints were mortality at 2, 12 and 24 months and dependency at discharge. Secondary endpoints included aneurysm occlusion, complications, re-canalisation, rebleeding and retreatment rates.

RESULTS

All-cause mortality at 2, 12 and 24 months was 4.7% (n = 7), 8.1% (n = 12) and 10.8% (n = 16), respectively. 81.3% of patients remained independent in activities of daily livings (ADLs) at the point of discharge. Over a mean follow-up period of 19.7 months, we demonstrated re-bleeding and re-treatment rates of 2.7% (n = 4) and 4.1% (n = 6) respectively. Complete occlusion was achieved in 54% (n = 79) of aneurysms, with recanalisation observed in 18.2% (n = 27) of the patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate that simple endovascular coiling techniques offer a safe and effective solution in the management of ruptured MCA aneurysms without the requirement for re-treatment either surgically or endovascularly using endoluminal stents or other devices.

Scale-up of ABC care bundle for intracerebral haemorrhage across two hyperacute stroke units in one region in England: a mixed methods evaluation of a quality improvement project

Background

Intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) accounts for 10%–15% of strokes in the UK, but is responsible for half of all annual global stroke deaths. The ABC bundle for ICH was developed and implemented at Salford Royal Hospital, and was associated with a 44% reduction in 30-day case fatality. Implementation of the bundle was scaled out to the other hyperacute stroke units (HASUs) in the region from April 2017. A mixed methods evaluation was conducted alongside to investigate factors influencing implementation of the bundle across new settings, in order to provide lessons for future spread.

Methods

A harmonised quality improvement registry at each HASU captured consecutive patients with spontaneous ICH from October 2016 to March 2018 to capture process and outcome measures for preimplementation (October 2016 to March 2017) and implementation (April 2017 to March 2018) time periods. Statistical analyses were performed to determine differences in process measures and outcomes before and during implementation. Multiple qualitative methods (interviews, non-participant observation and project document analysis) captured how the bundle was implemented across the HASUs.

Results

HASU1 significantly reduced median anticoagulant reversal door-to-needle time from 132 min (IQR: 117–342) preimplementation to 76 min (64–113.5) after implementation and intensive blood pressure lowering door to target time from 345 min (204–866) preimplementation to 84 min (60–117) after implementation. No statistically significant improvements in process targets were observed at HASU2. No significant change was seen in 30-day mortality at either HASU. Qualitative evaluation identified the importance of facilitation during implementation and identified how contextual changes over time impacted on implementation. This identified the need for continued implementation support.

Conclusion

The findings show how the ABC bundle can be successfully implemented into new settings and how challenges can impede implementation. Findings have been used to develop an implementation strategy to support future roll out of the bundle outside the region.

Radiologically defined acute hydrocephalus in aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage

BACKGROUND

Ventriculomegaly is common in aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH). An imaging measure to predict the need for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion may be useful. The bicaudate index (BCI) has been previously applied to aSAH. Our aim was to derive and test a threshold BCI above which CSF diversion may be required.

METHODS

Review of prospective registry. The derivation group (2009-2015) included WFNS grade 1-2 aSAH patients who deteriorated clinically, had a repeat CT brain and underwent CSF diversion. BCI was measured on post-deterioration CTs and the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was the hydrocephalus threshold. In a separate test group (2016), in WFNS ≥ 2 patients, we compared BCI on diagnostic CTs with CSF diversion within 24 hours.

RESULTS

The derivation group (n = 62) received an external ventricular (n = 57, 92%) or lumbar drain (n = 5, 8%). Mean post-deterioration BCI was 0.19 (95%CI 0.17-0.22) for age ≤49 years, 0.22 (95%CI 0.20-0.23) for age 50-64 years and 0.24 (95%CI 0.22-0.27) for age ≥65 years. Hydrocephalus thresholds were therefore 0.17, 0.20 and 0.22, respectively. In the test group (n = 105), there was no significant difference in BCI on the diagnostic CT between good and poor grade patients aged ≤49 years (p = 0.31) and ≥65 years (p = 0.96). 30/66 WFNS ≥ 2 patients underwent CSF diversion, although only 15/30 (50%) exceeded BCI thresholds for hydrocephalus.

CONCLUSION

A significant proportion of aSAH patients may undergo CSF diversion without objective evidence of hydrocephalus. Our threshold values require further testing but may provide an objective measure to aid clinical decision making in aSAH.

Chlorhexidine dressings could reduce external ventricular drain infections: results from a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The incidence of external ventricular drain (EVD) infections remains high. Chlorhexidine dressings have demonstrated efficacy in reducing infections associated with indwelling catheters at other body sites, although evidence for their use with EVDs is limited.

AIM

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of chlorhexidine dressings in reducing EVD associated cerebrospinal fluid infection (EVDAI).

METHODS

Systematic review and meta-analysis. MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane library were queried for articles from inception. The primary outcome was the incidence of EVDAI. Secondary outcomes included device safety, microbiological outcomes and shunt-dependency.

FINDINGS

From 896 unique records, 5 studies were included of which 4 presented suitable data for quantitative analysis including 3 case series and one underpowered randomised controlled trial. There was a high risk of bias in all studies. 880 patients were included with a mean age of 57.7 years (95% CI 57.4-58.0 years). In primary outcome analysis, the chlorhexidine dressing group had a significantly lower incidence of EVDAI (1.7% vs. 7.9%, RD = 0.07, 95% CI 0.00 - 0.13, p = 0.04).

CONCLUSION

Chlorhexidine dressings may reduce the incidence of EVDAI but require future study in randomised trials to definitively determine efficacy.

The Immune System's Role in the Consequences of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (Concussion)

Mild traumatic brain injury (mild TBI), often referred to as concussion, is the most common form of TBI and affects millions of people each year. A history of mild TBI increases the risk of developing emotional and neurocognitive disorders later in life that can impact on day to day living. These include anxiety and depression, as well as neurodegenerative conditions such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Actions of brain resident or peripherally recruited immune cells are proposed to be key regulators across these diseases and mood disorders. Here, we will assess the impact of mild TBI on brain and patient health, and evaluate the recent evidence for immune cell involvement in its pathogenesis.

Are do-not-resuscitate orders associated with limitations of care beyond their intended purpose in patients with acute intracerebral haemorrhage? Analysis of the ABC-ICH study

Implementation of an acute bundle of care for intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) was associated with a marked improvement in survival at our centre, mediated by a reduction in early (<24 hours) do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders. The aim of this study was to identify possible mechanisms for this mediation. We retrospectively extracted additional data on resuscitation attempts and supportive care. This observational study utilised existing data collected for the Acute Bundle of Care for ICH (ABC-ICH) quality improvement project between from 2013 to 2017. The primary outcome was whether a patient received an early (<24 hours) DNR order. We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate the adjusted association between clinically meaningful factors, including an indicator for a change in treatment on the introduction of the ABC care bundle. Early DNR orders were associated with a reduced odds of escalation to critical care (OR: 0.07, 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.17, p<0.001). Commencement of palliative care within 72 hours was far more likely (OR: 8.76, 95% CI: 4.74 to 16.61, p<0.001) if an early DNR was in place. The cardiac arrest team were not called for an ICH patient before implementation but were called on five occasions overall during and after implementation. Further qualitative evaluation revealed that on only one occasion was there a cardiac or respiratory arrest with cardiopulmonary resuscitation performed. We found no significant increase in resuscitation attempts after bundle implementation but early DNR orders were associated with less admission to critical care and more early palliation. Early DNR orders are associated with less aggressive supportive care and should be judiciously used in acute ICH.

What do neurosurgical trainees think about neuro-interventional training and service provision in the United Kingdom?

Background:

There is a disparity between the number of interventional neuroradiologists (INRs) in the UK and the number needed to provide a comprehensive 24/7 interventional neurovascular service. It is recognized that trainees from other specialties such as neurosurgery may be able to provide INR services after appropriate training. At present gaining skills in INR is not a mandatory requirement of the neurosurgical training curriculum in the UK. The views on this issue of current neurosurgical trainees are unknown. We aimed to address this knowledge gap.

Methods:

We performed an anonymized online survey to gauge the opinion of neurosurgical trainees about their attitudes to INR training and service provision.

Results:

90/265 (34%) UK neurosurgical trainees responded to the survey. About 56% of respondents reported they were likely or very likely to pursue interventional training if a curriculum was approved by the general medical council. About 80% thought training should take up to 2 years. About 90% of those very likely or likely to pursue INR wanted a hybrid neurosurgical practice and 92% were willing to provide endovascular services out of hours.

Conclusion:

The responses described suggest that a significant proportion of neurosurgical trainees would pursue INR training and have realistic expectation regarding out of hours commitment and length of training.

Value of dynamic clinical and biomarker data for mortality risk prediction in COVID-19: a multicentre retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

Being able to predict which patients with COVID-19 are going to deteriorate is important to help identify patients for clinical and research practice. Clinical prediction models play a critical role in this process, but current models are of limited value because they are typically restricted to baseline predictors and do not always use contemporary statistical methods. We sought to explore the benefits of incorporating dynamic changes in routinely measured biomarkers, non-linear effects and applying 'state-of-the-art' statistical methods in the development of a prognostic model to predict death in hospitalised patients with COVID-19.

DESIGN

The data were analysed from admissions with COVID-19 to three hospital sites. Exploratory data analysis included a graphical approach to partial correlations. Dynamic biomarkers were considered up to 5 days following admission rather than depending solely on baseline or single time-point data. Marked departures from linear effects of covariates were identified by employing smoothing splines within a generalised additive modelling framework.

SETTING

3 secondary and tertiary level centres in Greater Manchester, the UK.

PARTICIPANTS

392 hospitalised patients with a diagnosis of COVID-19.

RESULTS

392 patients with a COVID-19 diagnosis were identified. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve increased from 0.73 using admission data alone to 0.75 when also considering results of baseline blood samples and to 0.83 when considering dynamic values of routinely collected markers. There was clear non-linearity in the association of age with patient outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that clinical prediction models to predict death in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 can be improved by taking into account both non-linear effects in covariates such as age and dynamic changes in values of biomarkers.

An unusual suspect for heart failure

A 71-year old retired missionary presented with a 2- week history of increasing dyspnoea, orthopnoea, and peripheral oedema. The patient had no previous significant past medical history. On clinical examination, his heart sounds were dual and his jugular venous pressure was elevated to 7cm. On chest auscultation there were bilateral crepitations at his lung bases.

An unusual suspect for heart failure

Constrictive pericarditis though an uncommon diagnosis is a potentially reversible form of heart failure (with surgical pericardiectomy) and hence is imperative to diagnose. Diagnosis is dependent on a high index of clinical suspicion and further testing with appropriate cardiac investigations including cardiac imaging with invasive cardiac catheterisation as the gold standard.

How is vasospasm screening using transcranial Doppler associated with delayed cerebral ischemia and outcomes in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage?

BACKGROUND

Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is an independent predictor of an unfavorable outcome after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Many centers, but not all, use transcranial Doppler (TCD) to screen for vasospasm to help predict DCI. We used the United Kingdom and Ireland Subarachnoid Haemorrhage (UKISAH) Registry to see if outcomes were better in centers that used TCD to identify vasospasm compared to those that did not.

METHODS

TCD screening practices were ascertained by national survey in 13 participating centers of the UKISAH. The routine use of TCD was reported by 5 "screening" centers, leaving 7 "non-screening" centers. Using a cross-sectional cohort study design, prospectively collected data from the UKISAH Registry was used to compare DCI diagnosis and favorable outcome (Glasgow Outcome Score 4 or 5) at discharge based on reported screening practice.

RESULTS

A cohort of 2028 aSAH patients treated ≤ 3 days of hemorrhage was analyzed. DCI was diagnosed in 239/1065 (22.4%) and 220/963 (22.8%) of patients in non-screening and screening centers respectively while 847/1065 (79.5%) and 648/963 (67.2%) achieved a favorable outcome. Odds ratios adjusted for age, injury severity, comorbidities, need for cerebrospinal fluid diversion, and re-bleed returned neutral odds of diagnosing DCI of 0.90 (95% CI 0.72-1.12; p value = 0.347) in screening units compared to those of non-screening units but significantly decreased odds of achieving a favorable outcome 0.56 (95% CI 0.42-0.82; p value < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Centers that screened for vasospasm using TCD had poorer in-hospital outcomes and similar rates of DCI diagnosis compared to centers that did not.

Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery/Vertebral Artery Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Comparison of Saccular vs Dissecting Aneurysms

BACKGROUND

Two distinct categories of aneurysms are described in relation to the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) and vertebral artery (VA): saccular (SA) and dissecting (DA) types. This distinction is often unrecognized because abnormalities here are uncommon and most studies are small.

OBJECTIVE

To determine if there are any differences in the clinical presentation, in-hospital course, or outcomes in patients with DA vs SA of the PICA or VA.

METHODS

Thirty-eight patients with a VA or PICA aneurysm were identified from a departmental subarachnoid hemorrhage database and categorized into DA or SA types. Prospectively collected demographic and outcome data (length of stay, discharge Glasgow Outcome Score) were supplemented by abstracting records for procedural data (extraventricular drain [EVD], ventriculoperitoneal [VP] shunt, tracheostomy, and nasogastric feeding). Univariate, binary logistic regression, and Cox regression analysis was used to compare patients with SA vs DA.

RESULTS

Three aneurysms related to arteriovenous malformation were excluded. Five patients were conservatively managed. Of the 30 treated cases, more patients with a DA presented in poor grade (6/13 vs 2/17 SA; P = .035). More DA patients required an EVD (85% vs 29%; P = .003), VP shunt (54% vs 6%; P = .003), tracheostomy (46% vs 6%; P < .01), and nasogastric feeding (85% vs 35%; P = .007). The median length of stay (41 vs 17 d, P < .001) was longer, and the age and injury severity adjusted odds of discharge home were significantly lower in the DA group (P = .008). Thirty-day mortality was not significantly different (23% of DA vs 24% of SA; P = .2).

CONCLUSION

The presentation, clinical course, and outcomes differ in patients with DA vs SA of the PICA and VA.

Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery/Vertebral Artery Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Comparison of Saccular vs Dissecting Aneurysms

BACKGROUND

Two distinct categories of aneurysms are described in relation to the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) and vertebral artery (VA): saccular (SA) and dissecting (DA) types. This distinction is often unrecognized because abnormalities here are uncommon and most studies are small.

OBJECTIVE

To determine if there are any differences in the clinical presentation, in-hospital course, or outcomes in patients with DA vs SA of the PICA or VA.

METHODS

Thirty-eight patients with a VA or PICA aneurysm were identified from a departmental subarachnoid hemorrhage database and categorized into DA or SA types. Prospectively collected demographic and outcome data (length of stay, discharge Glasgow Outcome Score) were supplemented by abstracting records for procedural data (extraventricular drain [EVD], ventriculoperitoneal [VP] shunt, tracheostomy, and nasogastric feeding). Univariate, binary logistic regression, and Cox regression analysis was used to compare patients with SA vs DA.

RESULTS

Three aneurysms related to arteriovenous malformation were excluded. Five patients were conservatively managed. Of the 30 treated cases, more patients with a DA presented in poor grade (6/13 vs 2/17 SA; P = .035). More DA patients required an EVD (85% vs 29%; P = .003), VP shunt (54% vs 6%; P = .003), tracheostomy (46% vs 6%; P &lt; .01), and nasogastric feeding (85% vs 35%; P = .007). The median length of stay (41 vs 17 d, P &lt; .001) was longer, and the age and injury severity adjusted odds of discharge home were significantly lower in the DA group (P = .008). Thirty-day mortality was not significantly different (23% of DA vs 24% of SA; P = .2).

CONCLUSION

The presentation, clinical course, and outcomes differ in patients with DA vs SA of the PICA and VA.

Short-term neurocognitive and symptomatic outcomes following mild traumatic brain injury: A prospective multi-centre observational cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To determine the short-term cognitive and symptomatic outcome following mild traumatic brain injury.

METHODS

Setting: Emergency Departments of two UK tertiary referral hospitals.

PARTICIPANTS

Adult patients presenting to the Emergency Departments of the Royal London Hospital and Salford Royal Hospital with suspected traumatic brain injury within 24 hours and Glasgow Coma Score > 8. A non-TBI comparison group included adult patients with no head or neck injury.

DESIGN

Prospective multi-centre cohort study.

MAIN MEASURES

The Standardized Assessment of Concussion (SAC), the Concussion Symptom Inventory (CSI) and total number of symptoms, measured at baseline and 72 hours.

RESULTS

This study enrolled 189 patients with and 51 patients without TBI. Patients with TBI had marked cognitive impairment which persisted at 72 hours (SAC score at baseline = 25 [23-27] vs 72 hours = 25 [22-27]; p = 0.1). Patients with TBI had persistent high symptom severity, although this had decreased at 72 hours (CSI score at baseline = 9 [4-22] vs 72 hours = 5 [1-19], p = 0.002). A similar pattern was observed with the total number of symptoms (baseline = 4 [2-8] vs 72 hours = 0 [0-4]; p < 0.001). Patients with TBI had worse neurocognitive function, higher overall symptom severity and higher total number of symptoms compared with patients without TBI. Patients without TBI' neurocognitive function and symptom severity remained constant, but the number of symptoms reduced between baseline and 72 hours.

CONCLUSION

There is a cognitive deficit and symptom burden in patients with mild TBI presenting to the Emergency Department which persists at 72 hours.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Preoperative Antisepsis with Combination Chlorhexidine and Povidone-Iodine

Importance  Effective preoperative antisepsis is recognized to prevent surgical site infection (SSI), although the definitive method is unclear. Many have compared chlorhexidine (CHG) with povidone-iodine (PVI), but there is emerging evidence for combination usage.

Objective  To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate if combination skin preparation (1) reduces colonization at the operative site and (2) prevents SSI compared with single-agent use.

Data Sources  A literature search of MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Database of Clinical Trials was performed.

Study Selection  Comparative, human trials considering the combination use of CHG and PVI, as preoperative antisepsis, to single-agent CHG or PVI use were included. Studies were excluded from meta-analysis if the use or absence of alcohol was inconsistent between study arms.

Data Extraction and Synthesis  The study was performed using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines.

Main Outcomes and Measures  The primary outcome for meta-analysis was surgical site infection. The secondary outcome was colonization at the operative site.

Results  Eighteen publications with a combination of CHG and PVI use were identified. Of these, 12/14 inferred promise for combination usage, including four trials eligible for meta-analysis. Only one trial reported SSI as its outcome. The remaining three considered bacterial colonization. Combination preparation had a pooled odds ratio for complete decolonization of 5.62 (95% confidence interval 3.2 to 9.7, p  < 0.00001). There was no evidence of heterogeneity (Cochran's Q 2.1, 2 df , p  = 0.35).

Conclusions and Relevance  There is emerging, albeit low-quality, evidence in favor of combination CHG and PVI preoperative antisepsis. Further rigorous investigation is indicated.

Does chlorhexidine and povidone-iodine preoperative antisepsis reduce surgical site infection in cranial neurosurgery?

Introduction Surgical site infection (SSI) is a significant cause of postoperative morbidity and mortality. Effective preoperative antisepsis is a recognised prophylactic, with commonly used agents including chlorhexidine (CHG) and povidone-iodine (PVI). However, there is emerging evidence to suggest an additional benefit when they are used in combination. Methods We analysed data from our prospective SSI database on patients undergoing clean cranial neurosurgery between October 2011 and April 2014. We compared the case-mix adjusted odds of developing a SSI in patients undergoing skin preparation with CGH or PVI alone or in combination. Results SSIs were detected in 2.6% of 1146 cases. Antisepsis with PVI alone was performed in 654 (57%) procedures, while 276 (24%) had CHG alone and 216 (19%) CHG and PVI together. SSIs were associated with longer operating time (p<0.001) and younger age (p=0.03). Surgery type (p<0.001) and length of operation (p<0.001) were significantly different between antisepsis groups. In a binary logistic regression model, CHG and PVI was associated with a significant reduction in the likelihood of developing an SSI (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.02-0.63) than either agent alone. There was no difference in SSI rates between CHG and PVI alone (AOR 0.60, 95% CI 0.24-1.5). Conclusions Combination skin preparation with CHG and PVI significantly reduced SSI rates compared to CHG or PVI alone. A prospective, randomized study validating these findings is now warranted.

Effect of weekend admission on in-hospital mortality and functional outcomes for patients with acute subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH)

Background

Aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH) is an acute cerebrovascular event with high socioeconomic impact as it tends to affect younger patients. The recent NCEPOD study looking into management of aSAH has recommended that neurovascular units in the United Kingdom should aim to secure cerebral aneurysms within 48 h and that delays because of weekend admissions can increase the mortality and morbidity attributed to aSAH.

Method

We used data from a prospective audit of aSAH patients admitted between January 2009 and December 2011. The baseline demographic and clinical features of the weekend and weekday groups were compared using the chi-squared test and T-test. Cox proportional hazards models (Proc Phreg in SAS) were used to calculate the adjusted overall hazard of in-hospital death associated with admission on weekend, adjusting for age, sex, baseline WFNS grade, type of treatment received and time from scan to treatment. Sliding dichotomy analysis was used to estimate the difference in outcomes after SAH at 3 months in weekend and weekday admissions.

Results

Those admitted on weekends had a significantly higher scan to treatment time (83.05 ± 83.4 h vs 40.4 ± 53.4 h, P < 0.0001) and admission to treatment (71.59 ± 79.8 h vs 27.5 ± 44.3 h, P < 0.0001) time. After adjustments for adjusted for relevant covariates weekend admission was statistically significantly associated with excess in-hospital mortality (HR = 2.1, CL [1.13–4.0], P = 0.01). After adjustments for all the baseline covariates, the sliding dichotomy analysis did not show effects of weekend admission on long-term outcomes on the good, intermediate and worst prognostic bands.

Conclusions

This study provides important data showing excess in-hospital mortality of patients with SAH on weekend admissions served by the United Kingdom’s National Health Service.; However, there were no effects of weekend admission on long-term outcomes.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00701-016-2746-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Silver-impregnated external-ventricular-drain-related cerebrospinal fluid infections: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) infection is the primary complication associated with placement of an external ventricular drain (EVD). The use of silver-impregnated EVD catheters has become commonplace in many neurosurgical centres.

AIM

To assess the effect of silver-impregnated EVD catheter usage on catheter-related CSF infections.

METHODS

A meta-analysis was performed by systematically searching Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Library. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs comparing silver-impregnated and plain EVD catheters were identified and analysed.

FINDINGS

Six non-RCTs were included. The crude infection rate was 10.8% for plain catheters and 8.9% for silver-impregnated catheters [pooled odds ratio (OR) 0.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.46-1.08; P = 0.11]. In a microbiological spectrum analysis, silver-impregnated catheters demonstrated a significantly lower rate of CSF infections caused by Gram-positive organisms (2.0% vs 6.7% in the silver-impregnated and plain catheter groups, respectively; pooled OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.11-0.63; P = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

The antimicrobial effects of silver-impregnated EVD catheters may be selective, and may need to be evaluated further in a prospective, controlled manner.

A simple tool to identify elderly patients with a surgically important acute subdural haematoma

OBJECTIVES

ASDH in the elderly is a common and increasing problem, and differs in its pathophysiology from ASDH in younger people. Admitting doctors may have difficulty identifying those elderly patients whose lesions may benefit from surgery. The objective of this study was to determine whether simple neuroradiological measurements could identify those patients, who need urgent neurosurgical referral for consideration for surgery.

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS

All patients aged 65 years or greater referred to Salford Royal Foundation Trust with the diagnosis of ASDH between 01/01/2008 and 31/12/2011.

METHODS

The initial presenting CT brain scans were reviewed. The linear dimensions, degree of midline shift and haematoma volume (using ABC/2 method) of all scans were measured and recorded. All presenting radiology was also assessed by a consultant neurosurgeon blind to clinical and CT scan measurement data and patients were categorised as having "surgical" lesions or not. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated and cut point value for 100% sensitivity and specificity were tabled to assess which combination of scan parameters best predicted a "surgical" ASDH.

RESULTS

212/483 patients were considered to have a 'surgical' lesion. All 'surgical' lesions had a volume of >35ml (range 35-435), maximum thickness of ≥10mm (range 10-49) and 99% had midline shift ≥1mm (range 0-32). The best predictor of a 'surgical' lesion was a combination of maximum haematoma thickness and midline shift which offered 100% (95% CI 98.3-100) sensitivity with 83% (95% CI 77.6-87) specificity.

CONCLUSION

Surgically relevant cases of ASDH in the elderly can be reliably and objectively identified by two easily performed scan measurements, haematoma thickness and midline shift. If used in routine practice, these measurements could clarify those patients who may need urgent neurosurgical referral and might avoid unnecessary transfer to neurosurgical units in this cohort.

Intracranial hypertension in subarachnoid hamorrhage: outcome after decompressive craniectomy

Intracranial hypertension can occur following aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). It can be treated with decompressive craniectomy (DC) with the aim of reducing intracranial pressure, increasing cerebral perfusion and reducing further morbidity and mortality. We studied the outcome of patients undergoing DC following SAH at our institution, to ascertain whether the use of this treatment can be rationalized.

Which factors influence decisions to transfer and treat patients with acute intracerebral haemorrhage and which are associated with prognosis? A retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

To identify factors associated with the decision to transfer and/or operate on patients with intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) at a UK regional neurosurgical centre and test whether these decisions were associated with patient survival.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

14 acute and specialist hospitals served by the neurosurgical unit at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Salford, UK.

PARTICIPANTS

All patients referred acutely to neurosurgery from January 2008 to October 2010.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Primary outcome was survival and secondary outcomes were transfer to the neurosurgical centre and acute neurosurgery.

RESULTS

We obtained clinical data from 1364 consecutive spontaneous patients with ICH and 1175 cases were included in the final analysis. 140 (12%) patients were transferred and 75 (6%) had surgery. In a multifactorial analysis, the decision to transfer was more likely with younger age, women, brainstem and cerebellar location and larger haematomas. Risk of death in the following year was higher with advancing age, lower Glasgow Coma Scale, larger haematomas, brainstem ICH and intraventricular haemorrhage. The transferred patients had a lower risk of death relative to those remaining at the referring centre whether they had surgery (HR 0.46, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.67) or not (HR 0.41, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.73). Acute management decisions were included in the regression model for the 227 patients under either stroke medicine or neurosurgery at the neurosurgical centre and early do-not-resuscitate orders accounted for much of the observed difference, independently associated with an increased risk of death (HR 4.8, 95% CI 2.7 to 8.6).

CONCLUSIONS

The clear association between transfer to a specialist centre and survival, independent of established prognostic factors, suggests aggressive supportive care at a specialist centre may improve survival in ICH and warrants further investigation in prospective studies.

Accuracy and clinical usefulness of intracerebral hemorrhage grading scores: a direct comparison in a UK population

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Various grading scores to predict survival after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) have been described. We aimed to test the accuracy and clinical usefulness of 3 well-known scores (original ICH score, modified ICH score, and ICH grading scale) in a large unselected cohort of typical ICH patients.

METHODS

A total of 1364 ICH cases were referred to our center from January 1, 2008, to October 17, 2010. Clinical details were prospectively recorded, and the first computed tomography brain scan was retrospectively reviewed to determine ICH volume and location and to identify intraventricular hemorrhage. The original ICH, ICH grading scale, and modified ICH score were calculated. Receiver operating characteristic and decision curves for 30-day mortality were generated.

RESULTS

A total of 1175 patients were included in the final analysis. All 3 scores and the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) divided cases into groups with highly significant differences in mortality. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was very similar for original ICH (0.861), ICH grading scale (0.874), and GCS (0.872), but was less for modified ICH score (0.824). Age was much less predictive (0.565). Combining GCS with age, log ICH volume, and intraventricular hemorrhage to derive a multifactorial risk of death at 30 days significantly increased the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.897). All scores and GCS demonstrated a similar net benefit for threshold probabilities of 10% to 95%. Above 95%, the net benefit of GCS became inferior to the prognostic scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Although existing grading scores are highly predictive of 30-day mortality, GCS alone was as predictive in our cohort, but age was not.

Rate and clinical impact of intra-procedural complications during coil embolisation of ruptured small (3 mm or less) cerebral aneurysms

OBJECTIVE

Coiling of small (≤3 mm) cerebral aneurysms can be technically challenging and is associated with increased procedural-related morbidity and mortality. The authors report the clinical and radiological results following coiling of ruptured small cerebral aneurysms in a single-institution, and define the rates of intra-procedural rupture and thromboembolism.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted on consecutive patients from 01/01/2008 to 31/12/2010 with subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) from ruptured cerebral aneurysms (≤3 mm) managed in a tertiary neurosurgical institution in the United Kingdom.

RESULTS

Of the 108 patients identified, 72 patients (66.7%) underwent coil embolisation. A favourable outcome, defined as a Glasgow outcome score of 4-5, was achieved in 63 (87.5%) of these patients. Intra-procedural complications were observed in 11.1% (±7.3% 95% CI) of cases, wherein the rate of intra-procedural rupture was determined to be 8.3% (±6.4% 95% CI) and intra-procedural thromboembolism to be 2.8% (±3.8% 95% CI).

CONCLUSION

Although coil embolisation of small ruptured cerebral aneurysms is technically feasible and an efficacious means of treatment, it is associated with an increased rate of intra-procedural complications. This should be taken into account when embarking upon treatment of patients with ruptured small cerebral aneurysms.

Imaging in young adults with intracerebral hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE

Vascular malformations are a common yet treatable cause of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in the young. The goal of this study was to review the implementation of appropriate secondary angiographic/venographic imaging to identify vascular malformations in young adults with ICH at our specialist neuroscience center.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was undertaken of five years of prospectively recorded referral data to the on-call neurosurgery service at the Greater Manchester Neuroscience Centre.

RESULTS

The authors identified 111 ICH patients aged 18-40 over the five-year period, with a wide etiologic spectrum. When assessing the implementation of secondary imaging, they focused on 90 individuals, incorporating those without an identifiable precipitant for their ICH and those with recent recreational drug use and hypertension. Of these 90, 52 (58%) were admitted to the neuroscience center for further management; when excluding three with bilateral fixed and dilated pupils, the remaining 49 all underwent appropriate secondary imaging. Of the 38 subjects not accepted to the neuroscience center, 13 (34%) had bilateral fixed and dilated pupils, 10 (26%) underwent appropriate secondary imaging, and 15 did not - all but two of these 15 were referred outside of normal working hours. The positive yield from secondary imaging was 63%.

CONCLUSION

Young adults with ICH are more likely to get appropriate imaging to identify vascular malformations in a specialist neuroscience center compared to a non-specialist center. Out of hours care appears to be a significant contributor to this shortfall. This study suggests a need for service redevelopment and specialist neuroscience center input for all cases of young ICH.

External ventricular drain infection: improved technique can reduce infection rates

INTRODUCTION

The placement of external ventricular drain (EVD) is a common neurosurgical procedure to drain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in many acute neurosurgical conditions that disrupt the normal CSF absorption pathway. Infection is the primary complication with infection rates ranging between 0% and 45%, and this is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, prolonged hospital stay and increased hospital costs.This article compares and discusses the differences in rates of EVD CSF infection between clinical neurosurgical practice and the infection rates in a group of research patients where EVDs were sampled frequently as part of the study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients who had EVD placed were identified by review of theatre logs from 2005-2008. A retrospective case-note review was performed with the primary end point being those patients treated with intrathecal antibiotics. Patients within the research group were identified from established data and the same primary endpoint was used. A standard silicone catheter was the EVD used in both cohorts. Patients were excluded if the EVD was placed for diagnoses other than hydrocephalus associated with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH).

RESULTS

Ninety-four patients had 156 EVDs placed within the clinical group, 49 patients were treated giving an infection rate within this group of 52.1% per patient and 31.4% per EVD. Thirty-nine patients had 39 EVDs placed within the research group, four patients were treated, the infection rate within this group was 10.3% per EVD, p = 0.0001.

CONCLUSION

Sampling or irrigating ventricular drainage systems does not increase the risk of CNS infection providing the operator has appropriate experience and has used theatre standard aseptic technique.

High flow extra-cranial to intra-cranial bypass for complex internal carotid aneurysms

Cerebral revascularisation with extracranial - intracranial (EC-IC) bypass is generally indicated in patients with complex anterior circulation aneurysms who have failed parent artery occlusion. We report on the process and outcome of our early experience of performing high flow bypass in patients with complex anterior circulation aneurysms. We have reviewed patients who have undergone an EC-IC bypass for treatment of complex anterior circulation aneurysms, and report our outcome on graft patency, surgical complications, discharge destination, and obliteration rates. Nine patients that underwent 11 bypasses are described. Seven patients had a giant saccular aneurysm of the carotid, and these were all obliterated on post-operative imaging. Two patients presenting with an intracranial carotid dissection required trapping of the diseased segment following the bypass. The overall graft patency rate was 88%. One patient developed a post operative subdural collection (managed conservatively), and one patient required early graft revision. Discharge destination was home in 8/9 patients. There was no mortality. Although EC-IC bypass is a technically challenging procedure, it provides a valuable treatment option for patients with complex anterior circulation aneurysms. Good graft patency rates can be achieved with low surgical morbidity in patients with a disease process that otherwise attracts a highly unfavourable natural history.

Clinical article: mortality associated with severe head injury in the elderly

BACKGROUND

Age is an important factor in determining prognosis following severe head injury (SHI), although mortality in patients > or =65 years is poorly reported. The aim of this study was to document mortality in patients with SHI > or =65 years.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from the TARN (Trauma Audit and Research Network) database (1996-2004) was performed. Six hundred and sixty-nine patients aged > or =65 with a GCS <9 after a head injury were identified, and mortality at 3 months was recorded.

FINDINGS

Mortality was 71% in 65- to 70-year-old patients (n = 137) (CI, 64-79), 75% for patients aged 70-75 years (n = 147) (CI, 68-82), 85% in patients aged 75-80 years (n = 160) (79-91), and 87% for patients >80 years (n = 225) (CI, 83-91). Mortality for all patients > or =65 years with a GCS 3-5 was >80%. A better outcome was observed in patients with a GCS = 6-8 [65-70 years, 47% (CI, 30-64); 70-75 years, 56% (CI, 43-69); 75-80 years, 73% (CI, 62-85); >80 years, 79% (CI, 70-87)].

CONCLUSIONS

SHI-related mortality continues to increase with age. Overall, these data support a conservative approach to the severely head-injured elderly patient; however, patients presenting with a GCS = 6-8 and below the age of 75 may represent a group where more aggressive therapy may be indicated.

Graft aneurysm complicating an extracranial-intracranial bypass

We report a patient that developed an aneurysm on a grafted saphenous vein following an extracranial-intracranial (EC-IC) bypass. Although saphenous vein graft aneurysms (SVGAs) have been described as a rare complication following coronary surgery, we are unaware of any previously reported cases of SVGAs following EC-IC bypass.

Outcome after severe head injury: focal surgical lesions do not imply a better Glasgow Outcome Score than diffuse injuries at 3 months

BACKGROUND

Historically neurosurgeons have accepted head injured patients only in the presence of a mass lesion requiring surgical decompression. Underpinning this is an assumption that these patients have a better outcome than patients without a surgical lesion. This has meant that many patients without a surgical lesion have been managed locally in the referring hospital. However, there is now evidence that treatment of all head injured patients in a specialist centre leads to improved outcomes. Therefore, we have asked the question: does the presence of a surgical lesion imply better outcome from severe head injury?

RESULTS

We prospectively recorded the Glasgow Outcome score (GOS), at 3 months, of all the severely head injured patients treated at our institution over a two and a half year period. Of 116 patients admitted with an initial Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) of 8 or less, 58 had surgical lesions and 58 non-surgical head injuries. The two groups were well matched for presenting GCS and age. Overall our favourable outcome rate (GOS 4 and 5) at 3-months for the patients with a surgical lesion and for the non-surgical group were 47.3% and 46.6% respectively, with no significant difference between the two (P = 0.54).

CONCLUSION

The assumption in the past has always been that patients presenting in coma from traumatic diffuse brain injury will do worse than those that have a mass lesion amenable to surgical decompression. Our series would suggest that this is not the case and all severely head injured patients should expect similar outcome when cared for in a neuroscience centre.

High flow extracranial to intracranial vascular bypass procedure for giant aneurysms: indications, surgical technique, complications and outcome

High flow extracranial-intracranial (hfEC-IC) vascular bypass remains an important surgical technique in selected patients. For example, in those with giant aneurysms where the natural history of the condition is poor, and direct surgical approaches are recognised as excessively hazardous. hfEC-IC also allows for major carotid vessel occlusion in the treatment of skull base tumours which would otherwise be untreatable. We describe the indications, techniques, complications, and outcomes of this procedure in an era where few neurosurgeons are exposed to high volume vascular neurosurgery, and fewer still are trained to perform hfEC-IC. We emphasise the need for a stereo-typed and meticulous technique, highlighting key points at each stage of the operation, to ensure graft survival and minimal chances of morbidity.

Radiation-induced brain tumours in nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome: implications for treatment and surveillance

INTRODUCTION

We report two cases of radiation-induced intracranial tumours after treatment for medulloblastoma presenting in children with nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome.

DISCUSSION

These cases illustrate the need for judicious use of post-operative radiotherapy as secondary tumors are commonly reported. This is particularly important as the initial tumour in this cohort is of the 'less aggressive' desmoplastic subtype.

Otitis media in adults with chlamydial conjunctivitis

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of otological symptoms in patients with chlamydial conjunctivitis. We report four cases of chlamydial conjunctivitis, in association with otitis media, that were investigated by an otologist.

Neurodegenerative actions of interleukin-1 in the rat brain are mediated through increases in seizure activity

The cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) is an established and important mediator of diverse forms of neuronal injury in experimental animals. However, its mechanisms of action remain largely unknown. We have reported previously that IL-1 markedly enhances excitotoxic injury induced in the rat by striatal administration of the excitotoxin alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA), leading to widespread neuronal loss throughout the ipsilateral cortex. Here we tested the hypothesis that IL-1 causes this injury through induction and/or enhancement of seizure activity in the rat. Consistently with this hypothesis, intrastriatal injection of AMPA or AMPA with IL-1 in the rat brain increased c-Fos expression in regions similar to those in which c-Fos has been reported previously in response to seizures. A significant increase in cortical neuronal activity (number of c-Fos positive cells) was observed in response to AMPA with IL-1 compared with AMPA (8 hr after injection). Increased seizure duration [3,522 +/- 660 sec (SEM) vs. 1,415 +/- 301 sec; P < 0.001] and cell death volume (140 +/- 20 mm3 vs. 52 +/- 6 mm3; P < 0.001) were seen in response to coinfusion of AMPA with IL-1 vs. AMPA alone. In addition, the anticonvulsant diazepam (intraperitoneal) significantly reduced cell death (P < 0.001) and seizure duration (P < 0.001) induced by AMPA with IL-1, and a significant correlation was found between seizure duration and cell death volume. These findings support our hypothesis that IL-1 enhances excitotoxic injury by enhancement of seizures, which may be of relevance to IL-1 actions in other forms of neuronal injury, including cerebral ischemia.