Mechanisms of hydrocephalus after intraventricular haemorrhage in adults

Serial Diffusion Tensor Imaging and Rate of Ventricular Blood Clearance in Patients with Intraventricular Hemorrhage

BACKGROUND

We developed a noninvasive biomarker to quantify the rate of ventricular blood clearance in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage and extension to the ventricles-intraventricular hemorrhage.

METHODS

We performed magnetic resonance imaging in 26 patients at 1, 14, 28, and 42 days of onset and measured their hematoma volume (HV), ventricular blood volume (VBV), and two diffusion metrics: fractional anisotropy (FA), and mean diffusivity (MD). The ipasilesional ventricular cerebral spinal fluid's FA and MD were associated with VBV and stroke severity scores (National Institute of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS]). A subcohort of 14 patients were treated with external ventricular drain (EVD). A generalized linear mixed model was applied for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

At day 1, the average HVs and NIHSS scores were 14.6 ± 16.7 cm3 and 16 ± 8, respectively. A daily rate of 2.1% and 1.3% blood clearance/resolution were recorded in HV and VBV, respectively. Ipsilesional ventricular FA (vFA) and ventricular MD (vMD) were simultaneously decreased (vFA = 1.3% per day, posterior probability [PP] > 99%) and increased (vMD = 1.5% per day, PP > 99%), respectively. Patients with EVD exhibited a faster decline in vFA (1.5% vs. 1.1% per day) and an increase in vMD (1.8% vs. 1.5% per day) as compared with patients without EVD. Temporal change in vMD was associated with VBV; a 1.00-cm3 increase in VBV resulted in a 5.2% decrease in vMD (PP < 99%). VBV was strongly associated with NIHSS score (PP = 97-99%). A larger cerebral spinal fluid drained volume was associated with a greater decrease (PP = 83.4%) in vFA, whereas a smaller volume exhibited a greater increase (PP = 94.8%) in vMD.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, vFA and vMD may serve as biomarkers for VBV status.

Incidence of Communicating Hydrocephalus Following Intraventricular Hemorrhage Among Adult Patients Treated at a Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Study

Introduction Intraventricular hemorrhage is a severe condition caused by bleeding within the brain ventricles. It is often due to trauma, tumors, vascular malformation, aneurysm, oxygen deprivation, or idiopathic. A common complication associated with intraventricular hemorrhage is hydrocephalus, which is the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles. Hydrocephalus can be classified as communicating or non-communicating. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence of communicating hydrocephalus after intraventricular hemorrhage. Methods This retrospective study was conducted at King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and included 52 adult patients treated between 2012-2022 who met the eligibility criteria. We examined the relationships among age, sex, length of hospitalization, presenting symptoms, co-morbidities, Evans index, Graeb score, Glasgow Coma Score, survival, and ventriculoperitoneal shunt complications through univariate and bivariate analyses. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to evaluate data distribution. Differences between groups were analyzed using the chi-square test for categorical variables and the Mann-Whitney U test for non-parametric variables. Results The median age of the participants was 54 years, with a male predominance (57.7%). Motor dysfunction was the most frequently reported symptom at presentation (48.1%). Among the 30 patients who developed hydrocephalus after intraventricular hemorrhage, 70% had communicating hydrocephalus. There was a substantial correlation between mortality and hydrocephalus type (P =0.020). Conclusion Intraventricular bleeding is associated with an increased risk of communicating hydrocephalus, with an incidence rate of 3% per person-year.

Mechanisms of hydrocephalus after intraventricular haemorrhage: a review

Intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) is bleeding within the ventricular system, which in adults is usually mainly secondary to cerebral haemorrhage and subarachnoid haemorrhage. Hydrocephalus is one of the most common complications of intraventricular haemorrhage, which is characterised by an increase in intracranial pressure due to an increased accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid within the ventricular system, and is closely related to the patient's prognosis. Surgical methods such as shunt surgery have been used to treat secondary hydrocephalus in recent years and have been effective in improving the survival and prognosis of patients with hydrocephalus. However, complications such as shunt blockage and intracranial infection are often faced after surgery. Moreover, little is known about the mechanism of hydrocephalus secondary to intraventricular haemorrhage. This review discusses the mechanisms regarding the occurrence of secondary hydrocephalus after intraventricular haemorrhage in adults in terms of blood clot obstruction, altered cerebrospinal fluid dynamics, inflammation, and blood composition.

Recent and future advances in intracerebral hemorrhage

Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is defined by the rupture of a cerebral blood vessel and the entry of blood into the brain parenchyma. With a global incidence of around 3.5 million, ICH accounts for almost 30 % of all new strokes worldwide. It is also the deadliest form of acute stroke and survivors are at risk of poor functional outcome. The pathophysiology of ICH is a dynamic process with key stages occurring at successive times: vessel rupture and initial bleeding; hematoma expansion, mechanical mass effect and secondary brain injury (peri-hematomal edema). While deep perforating vasculopathy and cerebral amyloid angiopathy are responsible for 80 % of ICH, a prompt diagnostic work-up, including advanced imaging is require to exclude a treatable cause. ICH is a neurological emergency and simple therapeutic measures such as blood pressure lowering and anticoagulant reversal should be implemented as early as possible as part of a bundle of care. Although ICH is still devoided of specific treatment, recent advances give hope for a cautious optimism. Therapeutic approaches under the scope are focusing on fighting against hemorrhage expansion, promoting hematoma evacuation by minimally invasive surgery, and reducing secondary brain injury. Among survivors, the global vascular risk is now better established, but optimal secondary prevention is still unclear and is based on an individual benefit-risk balance evaluation.

Hydrocephalus: An update on latest progress in pathophysiological and therapeutic research

Hydrocephalus is a severe and life-threatening disease associated with the imbalance of CSF dynamics and affects millions globally at any age, including infants. One cause of pathology that is wide-ranging is genetic mutations to post-traumatic injury. The most effective current pharmacological treatments provide only symptomatic relief and do not address the underlying pathology. At the same time, surgical procedures such as VP shunts performed in lower-income countries are often poorly tolerated due to insufficient diagnostic resources and suboptimal outcomes partially attributable to inferior materials. These problems are compounded by an overall lack of funding that keeps high-quality medical devices out of reach for all but the most developed countries and even among those states. There is a massive variance in treatment effectiveness. This review indicates the necessity for innovative and low-cost, accessible treatment strategies to close these gaps, focusing on current advances in novel therapies, including Pharmacological, gene therapy, and nano-based technologies, which are currently at different stages of clinical trial phases. This review provides an overview of pathophysiology, current treatments, and promising new therapeutic strategies for hydrocephalus.

Imaging Findings in Acute Traumatic Brain Injury: a National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Common Data Element-Based Pictorial Review and Analysis of Over 4000 Admission Brain Computed Tomography Scans from the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI) Study

In 2010, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) created a set of common data elements (CDEs) to help standardize the assessment and reporting of imaging findings in traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, as opposed to other standardized radiology reporting systems, a visual overview and data to support the proposed standardized lexicon are lacking. We used over 4000 admission computed tomography (CT) scans of patients with TBI from the Collaborative European NeuroTrauma Effectiveness Research in Traumatic Brain Injury (CENTER-TBI) study to develop an extensive pictorial overview of the NINDS TBI CDEs, with visual examples and background information on individual pathoanatomical lesion types, up to the level of supplemental and emerging information (e.g., location and estimated volumes). We documented the frequency of lesion occurrence, aiming to quantify the relative importance of different CDEs for characterizing TBI, and performed a critical appraisal of our experience with the intent to inform updating of the CDEs. In addition, we investigated the co-occurrence and clustering of lesion types and the distribution of six CT classification systems. The median age of the 4087 patients in our dataset was 50 years (interquartile range, 29-66; range, 0-96), including 238 patients under 18 years old (5.8%). Traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (45.3%), skull fractures (37.4%), contusions (31.3%), and acute subdural hematoma (28.9%) were the most frequently occurring CT findings in acute TBI. The ranking of these lesions was the same in patients with mild TBI (baseline Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] score 13-15) compared with those with moderate-severe TBI (baseline GCS score 3-12), but the frequency of occurrence was up to three times higher in moderate-severe TBI. In most TBI patients with CT abnormalities, there was co-occurrence and clustering of different lesion types, with significant differences between mild and moderate-severe TBI patients. More specifically, lesion patterns were more complex in moderate-severe TBI patients, with more co-existing lesions and more frequent signs of mass effect. These patients also had higher and more heterogeneous CT score distributions, associated with worse predicted outcomes. The critical appraisal of the NINDS CDEs was highly positive, but revealed that full assessment can be time consuming, that some CDEs had very low frequencies, and identified a few redundancies and ambiguity in some definitions. Whilst primarily developed for research, implementation of CDE templates for use in clinical practice is advocated, but this will require development of an abbreviated version. In conclusion, with this study, we provide an educational resource for clinicians and researchers to help assess, characterize, and report the vast and complex spectrum of imaging findings in patients with TBI. Our data provides a comprehensive overview of the contemporary landscape of TBI imaging pathology in Europe, and the findings can serve as empirical evidence for updating the current NINDS radiologic CDEs to version 3.0.

Therapy management and outcome of acute hydrocephalus secondary to intraventricular hemorrhage in adults

BACKGROUND

Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) refers to bleeding within the brain's ventricular system, and hydrocephalus is a life-threatening complication of IVH characterized by increased cerebrospinal fluid accumulation in the ventricles resulting in elevated intracranial pressure. IVH poses significant challenges for healthcare providers due to the complexity of the underlying pathophysiology and lack of standardized treatment guidelines. Herein, we performed a systematic review of the treatment strategies for hydrocephalus secondary to IVH.

METHODS

This systematic review was prospectively registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023450786). The search was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science on July 15, 2023. We included original studies containing valid information on therapy management and outcome of hydrocephalus secondary to primary, spontaneous, and subarachnoid or intracranial hemorrhage following IVH in adults that were published between 2000 and 2023. Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) or modified Ranking Scale (mRS) scores during follow-up were extracted as primary outcomes. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for Cohort Studies or Cochrane Risk of Bias 2.0 Tool.

RESULTS

Two hundred and seven patients from nine published papers, including two randomized controlled trials, were included in the analysis. The GOS was used in five studies, while the mRS was used in four. Seven interventions were applied, including craniotomy for removal of hematoma, endoscopic removal of hematoma with/without endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV), traditional external ventricular drainage (EVD), and various combinations of EVD, lumbar drainage (LD), and intraventricular fibrinolysis (IVF). Endoscopic removal of hematoma was performed in five of nine studies. Traditional EVD had no obvious benefit compared with new management strategies. Three different combinations of EVD, LD, and IVF demonstrated satisfactory outcomes, although more studies are required to confirm their reliability. Removal of hematoma through craniotomy generated reliable result. Generally, endoscopic removal of hematoma with ETV, removal of hematoma through craniotomy, EVD with IVF, and EVD with early continuous LD were useful.

CONCLUSION

EVD is still crucial for the management of IVH and hydrocephalus. Despite a more reliable result from the removal of hematoma through craniotomy, a trend toward endoscopic approach was observed due to a less invasive profile.

Incidence and Risk Model of Post-Traumatic Hydrocephalus in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury

OBJECTIVE

Post-traumatic hydrocephalus (PTH) is a complication following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Early diagnosis and treatment are essential to improving outcomes. We report the incidence and risk factors of PTH in a large TBI population while considering death as a competing risk.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study on consecutive TBI patients with radiographic intracranial abnormalities admitted to our academic medical center from 2009 to 2015. We assessed patient demographics, perioperative data, and in-hospital data as risk factors for PTH using survival analysis with death as a competing risk.

RESULTS

Among 7,473 patients, the overall incidence of PTH requiring shunt surgery was 0.94%. The adjusted cumulative incidence was 0.99%. The all-cause cumulative hazard for death was 32.6%, which was considered a competing risk during analysis. Craniectomy (HR 11.53, P < 0.001, 95% CI 5.57-223.85), venous sinus injury (HR 4.13, P = 0.01, 95% CI 1.53-11.16), and age ≤5 (P < 0.001) were significant risk factors for PTH. Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) > 13 was protective against shunt placement (HR 0.50, P = 0.04, 95% CI 0.26-0.97). Shunt surgery occurred after hospital discharge in 60% of patients.

CONCLUSIONS

We describe the incidence and risk factors for PTH in a large traumatic brain injury (TBI) population. Most cases of PTH were diagnosed after hospital discharge, suggesting that close follow-up and multidisciplinary diagnostic vigilance for PTH are needed to prevent morbidity and disability.

Descriptive registry study on outcome and complications of external ventricular drainage treatment of intraventricular haemorrhage in a Danish cohort: a study protocol

INTRODUCTION

Intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. External ventricular drainage (EVD) has been shown to decrease mortality. Although EVD is widely used, outcome and complication rates in EVD-treated patients with IVH are not fully elucidated. This study aims to describe EVD complication rates and outcomes in patients with primary and secondary IVH at two university hospitals in Denmark. The study will provide a historical reference of relevant endpoints for use in future clinical trials involving patients with IVH.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This descriptive, multicentre registry study included adult patients (age 18+) with primary or secondary IVH and treated with at least one EVD between 2017 and 2021 at Aarhus University Hospital or Odense University Hospital. Patients are identified using the Danish National Patient Register. Data are collected and recorded from patient medical records. Relevant descriptive statistics and correlation analyses will be applied.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethical approval and authorisation to access, store and analyse data have been obtained (Central Denmark Region Committee on Health Research Ethics). The research lead will present the results of the study. Data will be reported according to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology and results submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Continuous irrigation with thrombolytics for intraventricular hemorrhage: case-control study

Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a complication of a spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage. Standard treatment is with external ventricular drain (EVD). Intraventricular thrombolysis may improve mortality but does not improve functional outcomes. We present our initial experience with a novel irrigating EVD (IRRAflow) that automates continuous irrigation with thrombolysis.Single-center case-control study including patients with IVH treated with EVD compared to IRRAflow. We compared standard demographics, treatment, and outcome parameters between groups. We developed a brain phantom injected with a human clot and assessed clot clearance using EVD/IRRAflow approaches with CT imaging.Twenty-one patients were treated with standard EVD and 9 patients with IRRAflow. Demographics were similar between groups. Thirty-three percent of patients with EVD also had at least one dose of t-PA and 89% of patients with IRRAflow received irrigation with t-PA (p = 0.01). Mean drain days were 8.8 for EVD versus 4.1 for IRRAflow (p = 0.02). Days-to-clearance of ventricular outflow was 5.8 for EVD versus 2.5 for IRRAflow (p = 0.02). Overall clearance was not different. Thirty-seven percent of EVD patients achieved good outcome (mRS ≥ 3) at 90 days versus 86% of IRRAflow patients (p = 0.03). Assessing only t-PA, reduction in mean days-to-clearance (p = 0.0004) and ICU days (p = 0.04) was observed. In the benchtop model, the clot treated with IRRAflow and t-PA showed a significant reduction of volume compared to control.Irrigation with IRRAflow and t-PA is feasible and safe for patients with IVH. Improving clot clearance with IRRAflow may result in improved clinical outcomes and should be incorporated into randomized trials.

A nomogram for predicting post-operative hydrocephalus in children with medulloblastoma

Post-operative hydrocephalus is common among children with medulloblastoma after initial tumor resection. This study aimed to establish a novel model for predicting the development of post-operative hydrocephalus in children with medulloblastoma. Only pediatric patients who received initial medulloblastoma resection at Beijing Tiantan Hospital between January 2018 and May 2021 were included in this study. The potential risk factors associated with post-operative hydrocephalus were identified based on multivariate logistic regression and the nomogram. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to evaluate the performance of the nomogram model based on an independent cohort of medulloblastoma patients who underwent surgery from June 2021 to March 2022. A total of 105 patients were included in the primary cohort. Superior invasion (P = 0.007), caudal invasion (P = 0.025), and intraventricular blood ≥ 5 mm (P = 0.045) were significantly related to the development of post-operative hydrocephalus and thus were assembled into the nomogram model. The model accurately predicted post-operative hydrocephalus based on the calibration curve. The area under the ROC curves for the primary and validation cohorts was 0.849 and 0.855, respectively. In total, the nomogram we developed may aid clinicians in assessing the potential risk of pediatric patients with MB developing post-operative hydrocephalus, especially those who would otherwise not have received a diversionary procedure at presentation.

Sustained ICP Elevation Is a Driver of Spatial Memory Deficits After Intraventricular Hemorrhage and Leads to Activation of Distinct Microglial Signaling Pathways

The mechanisms of cognitive decline after intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) in some patients continue to be poorly understood. Multiple rodent models of intraventricular or subarachnoid hemorrhage have only shown mild or even no cognitive impairment on subsequent behavioral testing. In this study, we show that intraventricular hemorrhage only leads to a significant spatial memory deficit in the Morris water maze if it occurs in the setting of an elevated intracranial pressure (ICP). Histopathological analysis of these IVH + ICP animals did not show evidence of neuronal degeneration in the hippocampal formation after 2 weeks but instead showed significant microglial activation measured by lacunarity and fractal dimensions. RNA sequencing of the hippocampus showed distinct enrichment of genes in the IVH + ICP group but not in IVH alone having activated microglial signaling pathways. The most significantly activated signaling pathway was the classical complement pathway, which is used by microglia to remove synapses, followed by activation of the Fc receptor and DAP12 pathways. Thus, our study lays the groundwork for identifying signaling pathways that could be targeted to ameliorate behavioral deficits after IVH.

Inpatient healthcare burden and variables influencing hydrocephalus-related admissions across the lifespan

OBJECTIVE

The aims of this study were to quantify inpatient healthcare costs, describe patient demographics, and analyze variables influencing costs for pediatric and adult hydrocephalus shunt-related admissions in the US.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was performed using the 2019 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) and National Inpatient Sample (NIS), nationally representative weighted data sets of hospital discharges for pediatric and adult patients, respectively. International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification and Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-CM/PCS) code filters for data extraction were queried for admission information. Age at admission was categorized into five groups (≤ 28 days, 29 days to < 1 year, 1-18 years, 19-64 years, and ≥ 65 years).

RESULTS

In 2019, there were 36,898 shunt-related hospital admissions accounting for 495,138 hospital days and a total cost of more than $2.06 billion. Initial shunt placements accounted for 53.5% of all admissions and nearly 60% of the total cost. The median cost per admission was $22,700 and the median length of stay was 5 days. Admissions for shunt infection requiring revision had the highest median cost at $71,300 (p < 0.001) and the longest median length of stay at 25 days (p < 0.001) compared with initial shunt placements. By age, admissions that occurred in the first 28 days of life cost almost 5 times more than the median, $110,500 versus $22,700, respectively, and resulted in hospital stays that were 8 times longer than the median, 41 versus 5 days, respectively. Individuals aged ≥ 65 years accounted for 28% of the total shunt-related admissions. Almost two-thirds (65.3%) of shunt-related admissions were classified as nonelective. The median cost of nonelective procedures was double that of elective admissions, $33,900 versus $15,100, respectively (p < 0.001), and resulted in almost 5 times longer hospital stays, 9 versus 2 days, respectively (p < 0.001). Shunt-related admissions were predominantly male across all age groups (54.7%-57.4% male) except the 19- to 64-year age group. In the 19- to 64-year age group, females accounted for 51.1% of admissions. Insurance status was largely age dependent. Of all admissions, 33.1% used private insurance, 32.9% Medicare, and 27.7% Medicaid.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to quantify the patient demographics and cost of hydrocephalus shunt-related admissions across the entire age spectrum. Shunt-related admissions cost the US more than $2.06 billion dollars per year and represent only a fraction of the total cost of hydrocephalus care.

Outcomes of Combined Endoscopic Surgery and Fibrinolytic Treatment Protocol for Intraventricular Hemorrhage: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Intraventricular fibrinolysis (IVF) and endoscopic surgery (ES) are the new promising treatment strategies to enhance the rate of hematoma clearance, which might improve functional outcome. This study investigated and compared the outcomes among these interventions.

METHODS

A randomized (1:1) double-blinded trial was carried out between August 2018 and December 2021. The intervention and control groups comprised patients receiving IVF and/or ES and external ventricular drainage (EVD), respectively. All participants had experienced primary or secondary intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) from spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage with obstructive hydrocephalus complications. The primary outcome was modified Rankin Scale score 180 days post treatment. Interim assessments were planned for every 50 participants enrolled to ensure safety and efficacy.

RESULTS

After enrollment of 110 participants (55 participants in each group), there was a difference in 30-day mortality (2 [3.6%] vs. 13 [32.7%] in the EVD group, P = 0.002), reaching the predetermined boundaries for termination of the trial. We demonstrated a better favorable outcome (modified Rankin Scale score 0-3) at 180 days in the intervention group, compared with the control group (35 [63.6%] vs. 24 [43.6%], P = 0.04). Participants in the intervention group experienced a higher IVH removal rate (91% [9.0] vs. 69.5% [38.0], P < 0.01) and had lower shunt conversion (1 [1.8%] vs. 16 [29.3%], P < 0.01). Treatment complications were comparable between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that combined ES and IVF is safe and effective for the treatment of IVH. In addition, it concluded that aggressive but safe procedures used to remove IVH could improve clinical outcome in patients with IVH.

Intracerebral haemorrhage

Intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) is a dramatic condition caused by the rupture of a cerebral vessel and the entry of blood into the brain parenchyma. ICH is a major contributor to stroke-related mortality and dependency: only half of patients survive for 1 year after ICH, and patients who survive have sequelae that affect their quality of life. The incidence of ICH has increased in the past few decades with shifts in the underlying vessel disease over time as vascular prevention has improved and use of antithrombotic agents has increased. The pathophysiology of ICH is complex and encompasses mechanical mass effect, haematoma expansion and secondary injury. Identifying the causes of ICH and predicting the vital and functional outcome of patients and their long-term vascular risk have improved in the past decade; however, no specific treatment is available for ICH. ICH remains a medical emergency, with prevention of haematoma expansion as the key therapeutic target. After discharge, secondary prevention and management of vascular risk factors in patients remains challenging and is based on an individual benefit-risk balance evaluation.

Factors affecting ventriculoperitoneal shunt revision: a post hoc analysis of the British Antibiotic and Silver Impregnated Catheter Shunt multicenter randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

The British Antibiotic and Silver Impregnated Catheter Shunt (BASICS) trial established level I evidence of the superiority of antibiotic-impregnated catheters in the prevention of infection of newly implanted ventriculoperitoneal shunts (VPSs). A wealth of patient, shunt, and surgery-specific data were collected from trial participants beyond that of the prespecified trial objectives.

METHODS

This post hoc analysis of the BASICS survival data explores the impact of patient age, hydrocephalus etiology, catheter type, valve type, and previous external ventricular drain on the risk of infection or mechanical failure. Time to failure was analyzed using Fine and Gray survival regression models for competing risk.

RESULTS

Among 1594 participants, 75 patients underwent revision for infection and 323 for mechanical failure. Multivariable analysis demonstrated an increased risk of shunt infection associated with patient ages < 1 month (subdistribution hazard ratio [sHR] 4.48, 95% CI 2.06-9.72; p < 0.001) and 1 month to < 1 year (sHR 2.67, 95% CI 1.27-5.59; p = 0.009), as well as for adults with posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (sHR 2.75, 95% CI 1.21-6.26; p = 0.016). Age ≥ 65 years was found to be independently associated with reduced infection risk (sHR 0.26, 95% CI 0.10-0.69; p = 0.007). Antibiotic-impregnated catheter use was also associated with reduced infection risk (sHR 0.43, 95% CI 0.22-0.84; p = 0.014). Independent risk factors predisposing to mechanical failure were age < 1 month (sHR 1.51, 95% CI 1.03-2.21; p = 0.032) and 1 month to < 1 year (sHR 1.31, 95% CI 0.95-1.81; p = 0.046). Age ≥ 65 years was demonstrated to be the only independent protective factor against mechanical failure risk (sHR 0.64, 95% CI 0.40-0.94; p = 0.024).

CONCLUSIONS

Age is the predominant risk for VPS revision for infection and/or mechanical failure, with neonates and infants being the most vulnerable.

Fluids and flows in brain cancer and neurological disorders

Interstitial fluid (IF) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are an integral part of the brain, serving to cushion and protect the brain parenchymal cells against damage and aid in their function. The brain IF contains various ions, nutrients, waste products, peptides, hormones, and neurotransmitters. IF moves primarily by pressure-dependent bulk flow through brain parenchyma, draining into the ventricular CSF. The brain ventricles and subarachnoid spaces are filled with CSF which circulates through the perivascular spaces. It also flows into the IF space regulated, in part, by aquaporin channels, removing waste solutes through a process of IF-CSF mixing. During disease development, the composition, flow, and volume of these fluids changes and can lead to brain cell dysfunction. With the improvement of imaging technology and the help of genomic profiling, more information has been and can be obtained from brain fluids; however, the role of CSF and IF in brain cancer and neurobiological disease is still limited. Here we outline recent advances of our knowledge of brain fluid flow in cancer and neurodegenerative disease based on our understanding of its dynamics and composition. This article is categorized under: Cancer > Biomedical Engineering Neurological Diseases > Biomedical Engineering.

Computed tomography in acute intracerebral hemorrhage: neuroimaging predictors of hematoma expansion and outcome

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) accounts for 10–20% of all strokes worldwide and is associated with serious outcomes, including a 30-day mortality rate of up to 40%. Neuroimaging is pivotal in diagnosing ICH as early detection and determination of underlying cause, and risk for expansion/rebleeding is essential in providing the correct treatment. Non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) is the most used modality for detection of ICH, identification of prognostic markers and measurements of hematoma volume, all of which are of major importance to predict outcome. The strongest predictors of 30-day mortality and functional outcome for ICH patients are baseline hematoma volume and hematoma expansion. Even so, exact hematoma measurement is rare in clinical routine practice, primarily due to a lack of tools available for fast, effective, and reliable volumetric tools. In this educational review, we discuss neuroimaging findings for ICH from NCCT images, and their prognostic value, as well as the use of semi-automatic and fully automated hematoma volumetric methods and assessment of hematoma expansion in prognostic studies.

The Incidence of Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy in Patients with Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A US Nationwide Study

BACKGROUND

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) is a commonly observed complication among patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH); however, the incidence of TC in patients with ICH have not been investigated yet. The goal of this study was to examine the incidence of TC in ICH and identify its risk factors, incidence rate, and outcomes of TC in patients with ICH in a US nationwide scale.

METHODS

Data for patients with ICH between the years of 2015 and 2018 were extracted from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample and stratified based on the diagnosis of TC.

RESULTS

Our results showed that the incidence rate of TC in ICH discharges was 0.27% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.24-0.31). The mean age of patients with ICH developing TC was 66.28 years ± 17.11. There were significantly more women in the TC group, with an odds ratio (OR) of 3.65 (95% CI 2.63-5.05). Acute myocardial infarction (OR 7.91, 95% CI 5.80-10.80) was significantly higher in the TC group. The mortality rate of patients with ICH who had TC was significantly higher (33.48%, p < 0.0001). Length of stay (mean days; 15.72 ± 13.56 vs. 9.56 ± 14.10, p < 0.0001) significantly increased in patients with ICH who had TC. Patients with intraventricular ICH (OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.88-3.22) had the highest odds of TC.

CONCLUSIONS

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is associated with a higher mortality, longer hospitalization period, and more acute myocardial infarctions in patients with ICH. It is illustrated that intraventricular ICH is associated with higher odds of TC.

Immune activation after intraventricular hemorrhage

OBJECTIVES

Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a subtype of stroke which has high mortality and morbidity, while comprehensive mechanism investigations and effective therapies are still in great need. Plenty of studies have shown that inflammation after stroke plays a critical role in disease outcomes. However, the inflammation after IVH remains unclear. This study aims to observe the immune response after IVH, thus providing therapeutic targets for IVH treatments.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

IVH was induced by autologous blood infusion model in SD rats. Totally 588 rats were assigned either in the sham or IVH group. T2* lesion and hemoglobin quantities, ventricular volume, brain edema, ventricular wall damage, blood-brain-barrier (BBB) continuity and immune response were observed by magnetic resonance image (MRI), hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE), Evans Blue, flow cytometry (FACS), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at baseline, 6 h, 1 d, 3 d, 7 d, 14 d after surgery.

RESULTS

We found that ventricular volume enlargement occurred hours after IVH and peaked at 3 d after IVH, then mildly reduced till 14 d. Similar changes happened in brain edema, ventricular wall damage and BBB leakage. Immune cells and cytokines in the central nervous system and peripheral blood also increased after IVH and experienced similar trends as ventricular enlargement. T2* lesion and hemoglobin degradation occurred 6 h after IVH and kept decreasing till 14 d after IVH.

CONCLUSIONS

Our investigation illustrates that immune response exists after IVH, which may have a close relationship with disease outcomes. These results may provide promising immune related clues for mechanism and intervention studies in IVH.

Metformin Preserves VE–Cadherin in Choroid Plexus and Attenuates Hydrocephalus via VEGF/VEGFR2/p-Src in an Intraventricular Hemorrhage Rat Model

Hydrocephalus induced by intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is associated with unfavorable prognosis. The increased permeability of choroid plexus and breakdown of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) was reported as a prominent mechanism of IVH-induced hydrocephalus, and vascular endothelial–cadherin (VE–cadherin) was demonstrated to be relevant. Metformin was reported to protect endothelial junction and preserve permeability widely; however, its role in hydrocephalus remains unclear. In this study, the decreased expression of VE–cadherin in the choroid plexus, accompanied with ventricle dilation, was investigated in an IVH rat model induced by intraventricular injection of autologous blood. Metformin treatment ameliorated hydrocephalus and upregulated VE–cadherin expression in choroid plexus meanwhile. We then observed that the internalization of VE–cadherin caused by the activation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling after IVH was related to the occurrence of hydrocephalus, whereas it can be reversed by metformin treatment. Restraining VEGF signaling by antagonizing VEGFR2 or inhibiting Src phosphorylation increased the expression of VE–cadherin and decreased the severity of hydrocephalus after IVH. Our study demonstrated that the internalization of VE–cadherin via the activation of VEGF signaling may contribute to IVH-induced hydrocephalus, and metformin may be a potential protector via suppressing this pathway.

Metformin Alleviates Delayed Hydrocephalus after Intraventricular Hemorrhage by Inhibiting Inflammation and Fibrosis

Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a subtype of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) with high morbidity and mortality. Posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH) is a common and major complication that affects prognosis, but the mechanism is still unclear. Inflammation and fibrosis have been well established as the major causes of PHH after IVH. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of metformin on IVH in adult male mice and further explored the underlying molecular mechanisms of these effects. In the acute phase, metformin treatment exerted dose-dependent neuroprotective effects by reducing periependymal apoptosis and neuronal degeneration and decreasing brain edema. Moreover, high-dose metformin reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and the release of proinflammatory factors, thus protecting ependymal structure integrity and subependymal neurons. In the chronic phase, metformin administration improved neurocognitive function and reduced delayed hydrocephalus. Additionally, metformin significantly inhibited basal subarachnoid fibrosis and ependymal glial scarring. The ependymal structures partially restored. Mechanically, IVH reduced phospho-AMPK (p-AMPK) and SIRT1 expression and activated the phospho-NF-κB (p-NF-κB) inflammatory signaling pathway. However, metformin treatment increased AMPK/SIRT1 expression and lowered the protein expression of p-NF-κB and its downstream inflammation. Compound C and EX527 administration reversed the anti-inflammatory effect of metformin. In conclusion, metformin attenuated neuroinflammation and subsequent fibrosis after IVH by regulating AMPK /SIRT1/ NF-κB pathways, thereby reducing delayed hydrocephalus. Metformin may be a promising therapeutic agent to prevent delayed hydrocephalus following IVH.

Prediction of adult post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus: a risk score based on clinical data

There is lacking research on risk factors and prediction models associated with Post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH). Thus, this present study aimed to analyze the risk factors of PHH and establish a risk-scoring system through a large-scale study. A retrospective study of 382 patients with intracranial hemorrhage assessed age, history and diagnosis, Glasgow coma score (GCS), and fever time. After univariate and logistic regression analysis, a risk scoring system was established according to independent risk factors and evaluated using the area under the curve (AUC). Of the 382 patients, 133 (34.8%) had PHH, 43 (11.3%) received surgical treatment. Factor classification showed that age > 60 years old [odds ratio (OR): 0.347, II = 5 points], GCS < 5 (OR: 0.09, IV = 10 points), GCS 6‒8 (OR = 0.232, III = 6 points), fever time > 9 (OR: 0.202, III = 7 points), fever time 5-9 (OR: 0.341, II = 5 points), CSF-TP x time > 14,4000 group (OR: 0.267, IV = 6 points), and CSF-TP x time 9,601‒14,400 group (OR: 0.502, III = 3 points) were independent risk factors. The result of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) prediction showed that AUC = 0.790 (0.744‒0.836). Low-risk (IV-VII), moderate (VIII-X), and high-risk group (XI-XIII) incidence of PHH were 11.76%, 50.55%, and 70.00% (p < 0.001), respectively. The coincidence rates in the validation cohort were 26.00%, 74.07%, and 100.0% (p < 0.001), respectively. AUC value was 0.860 (0.780‒0.941). The predictive model was conducive to determining the occurrence of PHH and facilitating early intervention.

Inhibiting Microglia-Derived NLRP3 Alleviates Subependymal Edema and Cognitive Dysfunction in Posthemorrhagic Hydrocephalus after Intracerebral Hemorrhage via AMPK/Beclin-1 Pathway

For posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH) patients, whether occur subependymal edema indicates poor outcomes, partially manifested as cognitive impairment. In the brain, NLRP3 inflammasome mainly derived from microglia/macrophages is involved in proinflammatory and neurodeficits after hemorrhage, and autophagy is vital for neuronal homeostasis and functions. Accumulating evidence suggest that NLRP3 inflammasome and autophagy played an essential role after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). We aimed to dissect the mechanisms underlying subependymal edema formation and cognitive dysfunction. Here, based on the hydrocephalus secondary to ICH break into ventricular (ICH-IVH) in rats, this study investigated whether microglia/macrophage-derived NLRP3 induced subependymal edema formation and neuron apoptosis in subventricular zones (SVZ). In the acute phase of ICH-IVH, both the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome of microglia/macrophages and the autophagy of neurons were upregulated. The activated NLRP3 in microglia/macrophages promoted the release of IL-1beta to extracellular, which contributed to excessive autophagy, leading to neurons apoptosis both in vivo and in vitro through the AMPK/Beclin-1 pathway combined with transcriptomics. Administration of MCC950 (NLRP3 inflammasome specific inhibitor) after ICH-IVH significantly reduced edema formation and improved cognitive dysfunction. Thus, inhibiting NLRP3 activation in SVZ may be a promising therapeutic strategy for PHH patients that warrants further investigation.

Development of an integrated risk scale for prediction of shunt placement after neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE

Neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity, particularly following premature birth. Even after the acute phase, posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus is a long-term complication, frequently requiring permanent ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) placement. Currently, there are no risk classification methods integrating the constellation of clinical data to predict short- and long-term prognosis in neonatal IVH. To address this need, the authors developed a two-part machine learning approach for predicting short- and long-term outcomes after diagnosis of neonatal IVH. Integrating both maternal and neonatal characteristics, they developed a binary classifier to predict short-term mortality risk and a clinical scale to predict the long-term risk of VPS placement.

METHODS

Neonates with IVH were identified from the Optum Clinformatics Data Mart administrative claims database. Matched maternal and childbirth characteristics were obtained for all patients. The primary endpoints of interest were short-term (30 day) mortality and long-term VPS placement. Classification of short-term mortality risk was evaluated using 5 different machine learning approaches and the best-performing method was validated using a withheld validation subset. Prediction of long-term shunt risk was performed using a multivariable Cox regression model with stepwise variable selection, which was subsequently converted to an easily applied integer risk scale.

RESULTS

A total of 5926 neonates with IVH were identified. Most patients were born before 32 weeks' gestation (67.2%) and with low birth weight (81.2%). Empirical 30-day mortality risk was 10.9% across all IVH grades and highest among grade IV IVH (34.3%). Among the neonates who survived > 30 days, actuarial 12-month postdiagnosis risk of shunt placement was 5.4% across all IVH grades and 31.3% for grade IV IVH. The optimal short-term risk classifier was a random forest model achieving an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.882 with important predictors ranging from gestational age to diverse comorbid medical conditions. Selected features for long-term shunt risk stratification were IVH grade, respiratory distress syndrome, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and maternal preeclampsia or eclampsia. An integer risk scale, termed the Shunt Prediction After IVH in Neonates (SPAIN) scale, was developed from these 4 features, which, evaluated on withheld cases, demonstrated improved risk stratification compared with IVH grade alone (Harrell's concordance index 0.869 vs 0.852).

CONCLUSIONS

In a large cohort of neonates with IVH, the authors developed a two-pronged, integrated, risk classification approach to anticipate short-term mortality and long-term shunt risk. The application of such approaches may improve the prognostication of outcomes and identification of higher-risk individuals who warrant careful surveillance and early intervention.

Navigating the ventricles: Novel insights into the pathogenesis of hydrocephalus

Congenital hydrocephalus occurs in one in 500-1000 babies born in the United States and acquired hydrocephalus may occur as the consequence of stroke, intraventricular and subarachnoid hemorrhage, traumatic brain injuries, brain tumors, craniectomy or may be idiopathic, as in the case of normal pressure hydrocephalus. Irrespective of its prevalence and significant impact on quality of life, neurosurgeons still rely on invasive cerebrospinal fluid shunt systems for the treatment of hydrocephalus that are exceptionally prone to failure and/or infection. Further understanding of this process at a molecular level, therefore, may have profound implications for improving treatment and quality of life for millions of individuals worldwide. The purpose of this article is to review the current research landscape on hydrocephalus with a focus on recent advances in our understanding of cerebrospinal fluid pathways from an evolutionary, genetics and molecular perspective.

Mechanisms of neuroinflammation in hydrocephalus after intraventricular hemorrhage: a review

Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in both neonatal and adult populations. IVH not only causes immediate damage to surrounding structures by way of mass effect and elevated intracranial pressure; the subsequent inflammation causes additional brain injury and edema. Of those neonates who experience severe IVH, 25-30% will go on to develop post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH). PHH places neonates and adults at risk for white matter injury, seizures, and death. Unfortunately, the molecular determinants of PHH are not well understood. Within the past decade an emphasis has been placed on neuroinflammation in IVH and PHH. More information has come to light regarding inflammation-induced fibrosis and cerebrospinal fluid hypersecretion in response to IVH. The aim of this review is to discuss the role of neuroinflammation involving clot-derived neuroinflammatory factors including hemoglobin/iron, peroxiredoxin-2 and thrombin, as well as macrophages/microglia, cytokines and complement in the development of PHH. Understanding the mechanisms of neuroinflammation after IVH may highlight potential novel therapeutic targets for PHH.

A comparison of Adult and Pediatric Hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus is a common clinical problem encountered in neurosurgical practice. With greater subspecialisation, pediatric neurosurgery has emerged as a special discipline in several countries. However, in the developing world, which inhabits a large pediatric population, a limited number of neurosurgeons manage all types of hydrocephalus across all ages. There are some essential differences in pediatric and adult hydrocephalus. The spectrum of hydrocephalus of dysgenetic origin in a neonate and that of normal pressure hydrocephalus of the old age has a completely different strategy of management. Endoscopic third ventriculostomy outcomes are known to be closely associated with age at presentation and surgery. Efficacy of alternative pathways of CSF absorption also differs according to age. Managing this disease in various age groups is challenging because of these differences in etiopathology, tempo of the disease, modalities of investigations and various treatment protocols as well as prognosis.

Neuroendoscopic lavage for the management of neonatal post-haemorrhagic hydrocephalus: a retrospective series

INTRODUCTION

Intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) is a common complication of preterm birth, and optimal treatment remains uncertain. Neuroendoscopic lavage (NEL) has gained interest as a method for removal of intraventricular haematoma, with outcomes suggesting it to be safe and potentially effective.

METHODS

A retrospective review was carried identifying infants who underwent NEL for post-IVH hydrocephalus at our institution. Data was extracted on patient baseline demographics, comorbidities, complications, re-operation requirement, and neurodevelopmental outcomes.

RESULTS

Twenty-six patients (17 male) were identified, who underwent NEL at a mean age of 39 weeks and 4 days. Eighteen patients underwent simultaneous endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV). Mean patient follow-up was 57.7 months ± 11.8 months. A total of 17/26 patients went on to require a ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS). Nine patients did not require further surgical management of hydrocephalus; all had been managed with NEL + ETV. The relative risk of requiring VPS with NEL + ETV compared with NEL alone was 0.500 (CI: 0.315-0.794; p = 0.0033). The 24-month survival rate of VPS inserted following NEL was 64.7%. Exactly 5/26 (19.2%) had post-procedure complications: 2 CSF leaks (7.7%), 2 infections (7.7%), and 1 rebleed within 72 h of NEL (3.8%). On long-term follow-up, 22/25 patients achieved good motor outcome, either walking independently or with mobility aids. A total of 8/15 children attended mainstream schooling with adaption.

DISCUSSION

NEL is safe and potentially efficacious treatment for neonatal IVH. The procedure may reduce shunt dependence and, for those who require CSF diversion, improve shunt survival. Neurodevelopmentally, good motor and cognitive outcome can be achieved.

Primary intraventricular haemorrhage: the role of frontal minicraniotomy and external ventricular drainage

Primary intraventricular haemorrhage (PIVH) is an uncommon type of intracerebral haemorrhage, accounting for only 0.31% of all strokes and 3.1% of all intracerebral haemorrhages. Due to the low incidence of PIVH, little is known about its clinical characteristics, risk factors, aetiologies, prognosis and treatment. Acute hydrocephalus is common and is associated with a poor prognosis. External ventricular drainage (EVD) could promptly reduce intracranial pressure by diverting cerebrospinal fluid and intraventricular blood; however, the incidence of complications such as central nervous system infection, catheter occlusion and rebleeding are relatively common. Despite being an invasive procedure, frontal minicraniotomy is an available therapeutic option to avoid complications of EVD. The authors report a case of a PIVH managed with frontal minicraniotomy and perform a literature review about epidemiological data, clinical features and treatment of PIVH.

Thrombocytopenia: is it a prognostic factor for development of post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus in neonates?

PURPOSE

Post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH) is a rare but serious complication among premature babies in the neonatal intensive care unit. The causes of PHH are still not entirely understood, and its prevention and treatment are controversial. We tried to analyze the risk factors for such complication in our cohort.

METHODS

We reviewed our neonatology data bank and included all preterms below 28 weeks who were born in the period between 1999 and 2014 and suffered from an intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). We reviewed gestational age, gender, birth weight, type of birth, IVH degree, comorbidities, therapy, complications, time to event, protein content of cerebrospinal fluid, and clinical follow-up.

RESULTS

We identified 180 patients, divided into two subgroups, "B1" with 37 cases (IVH + PHH) and "B2" with 143 cases (IVH - PHH). In group B1, the presence of IVH grades I, II, III, or IV was in 11%, 19%, and 70% respectively. Nineteen patients were treated with a ventricular access device (VAD) or external ventricular drain (EVD). A total of 20 shunts were implanted, with 11 revisions (55%). One patient suffered from thrombocytopenia. In subgroup B2, 51% showed IVH grade I, whereas severe IVH grades were only present in 22%. 25.9% suffered from thrombocytopenia. Thrombocytopenia was significantly higher in patients who did not develop PHH (p value: 0.002).

CONCLUSION

According to our results, thrombocytopenia could play a decisive role in avoiding development of PHH as a sequel of IVH. We recommend a randomized controlled trial to assess the possible efficacy of antiplatelet drugs in avoiding PHH in this vulnerable group.

Factors Impacting Hydrocephalus Incidence in Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A Retrospective Analysis

OBJECTIVE

To test which intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) characteristics impact incidence of hydrocephalus and characterize subsequent impact on outcomes.

METHODS

A search of the electronic medical record of Sinai Grace Hospital between January 2009 and April 2018 using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision and Tenth Revision codes for ICH identified 847 patients. After excluding patients with hemorrhagic conversion of stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and traumatic hemorrhage, 560 patients remained for analysis. Generalized linear modeling was used to assess variance in modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score and length of stay.

RESULTS

Incidence of hydrocephalus on arrival varied with ICH volume (P < 0.001), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) status (P < 0.001), bleed location (P < 0.001), and external ventricular drain (EVD) status (P < 0.001). An EVD was inserted in 47% of patients presenting with IVH (n = 102/217), while 4% of patients without IVH received an EVD (n = 14/343) (P < 0.001). Hemorrhage locations had different rates of EVD placement: thalamic 43%, basal ganglia 22%, cerebellar 28%, brainstem 21%, lobar 7% (P < 0.001). Shunt dependency did not vary between bleed locations (P = 0.072). Variance in mRS score was explained by IVH, bleed location, hydrocephalus on arrival, and ICH volumes. In particular, cerebellar hemorrhage location was associated with better outcomes (mean discharge mRS score of 3.3 vs. 3.9, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Bleed characteristics affect incidence of hydrocephalus on admission, rates of long-term shunt dependency, and outcomes. Hemorrhage location did not predict shunt dependency; however, it did predict outcomes. Specifically, cerebellar ICH was associated with a better discharge mRS score.

Neuroprotective Methodologies of Co-Enzyme Q10 Mediated Brain Hemorrhagic Treatment: Clinical and Pre-Clinical Findings

Cerebral brain hemorrhage is associated with the highest mortality and morbidity despite only constituting approximately 10-15% of all strokes classified into intracerebral and intraventricular hemorrhage where most of the patients suffer from impairment in memory, weakness or paralysis in arms or legs, headache, fatigue, gait abnormality and cognitive dysfunctions. Understanding molecular pathology and finding the worsening cause of hemorrhage will lead to explore the therapeutic interventions that could prevent and cure the disease. Mitochondrial ETC-complexes dysfunction has been found to increase neuroinflammatory cytokines, oxidative free radicals, excitotoxicity, neurotransmitter and energy imbalance that are the key neuropathological hallmarks of cerebral hemorrhage. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), as a part of the mitochondrial respiratory chain can effectively restore these neuronal dysfunctions by preventing the opening of mitochondrial membrane transition pore, thereby counteracting cell death events as well as exerts an anti-inflammatory effect by influencing the expression of NF-kB1 dependent genes thus preventing the neuroinflammation and energy restoration. Due to behavior and biochemical heterogeneity in post cerebral brain hemorrhagic pattern different preclinical autologous blood injection models are required to precisely investigate the forthcoming therapeutic strategies. Despite emerging pre-clinical research and resultant large clinical trials for promising symptomatic treatments, there are very less pharmacological interventions demonstrated to improve post operative condition of patients where intensive care is required. Therefore, in current review, we explore the disease pattern, clinical and pre-clinical interventions under investigation and neuroprotective methodologies of CoQ10 precursors to ameliorate post brain hemorrhagic conditions.

Mechanical injury and blood are drivers of spatial memory deficits after rapid intraventricular hemorrhage

Aneurysmal intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) survivors may recover with significant deficits in learning and memory. The goal of this study was to investigate the mechanism of memory decline after intraventricular aneurysm rupture. We developed an aneurysmal IVH rat model by injecting autologous, arterial blood over the period of two minutes into the right lateral ventricle. We also evaluated the effects of a volume-matched artificial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) control, thrombin and the mode of delivery (pulsed hand injection versus continuous pump infusion). We performed magnetic resonance brain imaging after 1 and 5 weeks to evaluate for hydrocephalus and histological analysis of the dentate gyrus after 6 weeks. Only animals which underwent a whole blood pulsed hand injection had a spatial memory acquisition and retention deficit 5 weeks later. These animals had larger ventricles at 1 and 5 weeks than animals which underwent a continuous pump infusion of whole blood. We did not find a decline in dentate gyrus granule cell neurons or an impairment in dentate gyrus neurogenesis or differentiation 6 weeks after IVH. Rapid injections of blood or volume resulted in microglial activation in the dentate gyrus. In conclusion, our results point to mechanical injury as the predominant mechanism of memory decline after intraventricular aneurysmal rupture. However, volume-matched pulsed injections of artificial CSF did not create a spatial memory deficit at 5 weeks. Therefore, whole blood itself must play a role in the mechanism. Further research is required to evaluate whether the viscosity of blood causes additional mechanical disruption and hydrocephalus through a primary injury mechanism or whether the toxicity of blood causes a secondary injury mechanism that leads to the observed spatial memory deficit after 5 weeks.

Surgical Management and Outcomes of Aneurysms of Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery: Location-Based Approaches with Review of Literature

Background  Posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) is a tortuous, variable, and uncommon site for aneurysms. Surgical management of PICA aneurysms involves careful selection of approach based on the location of the aneurysm and meticulous dissection of the neurovascular structures and perforators.

Materials and Methods  We did a retrospective review of all the PICA aneurysms operated at our institute in the past 10 years along with the site, presentation, and approach used for the same. Preoperative World Federation of Neurosurgical Society scores and follow-up modified Rankin scores (mRS) were also evaluated. During the same period, data for intervention cases of PICA aneurysm were also collected with follow-ups for a comparative analysis.

Results  A total of 20 patients with 21 PICA aneurysms were reviewed. All the reviewed cases presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage, and the most common location was the lateral medullary segment and vertebral artery (VA)–PICA junction. Midline approaches were used for distal PICA cases, with far-lateral approach reserved for anterior medullary/VA–PICA junction. No lower cranial nerve palsies were recorded at follow-up. Four cases needed cerebrospinal fluid diversion and two developed cerebellar infarcts. All cases were mRS 0 to 2 at follow-up.

Conclusion  Our series compares well with some of the larger surgical series of PICA aneurysms. This may be due to early referral patterns and early surgery (<24 hours) policy at our institution. Anatomical knowledge of PICA anatomy and sound perioperative management are keys to good outcomes in these cases.

A nomogram to predict cognitive impairment after supratentorial spontaneous intracranial hematoma in adult patients: A retrospective cohort study

To establish a nomogram model to predict early cognitive impairment after supratentorial spontaneous intracranial hematoma in adult patients.A retrospective cohort study was held between January 2016 and October 2018. One hundred twenty seven out of 170 consecutive patients with supratentorial spontaneous intracranial hematoma were enrolled in this study. They were divided into development (n = 92) and validation (n = 35) dataset according to their admission time. Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) was conducted between the third and the sixth month after the onset of stroke. MMSE ≤ 24 was considered as cognitive impairment. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to screen for independent risk factors which correlate with cognitive impairment on the development dataset. A nomogram was built based on Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and calibration curve on development and validation dataset was drawn with each area under the curves (AUC) calculated. The decision curve analysis was also conducted with the development dataset.The bleeding volume, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) are the most significant risk factors which may cause cognitive impairment both in the univariate and multivariate analysis. The finial model performed good discrimination ability on both development and validation dataset with AUC 0.911 and 0.919. Most patients would benefit from the model according to the decision curve analysis.A nomogram, constructed based on bleeding volume, GCS, and IVH can provide a feasible tool to evaluate cognitive impairment after supratentorial spontaneous intracranial hematoma in adult patients.

New and expanding ventricular hemorrhage predicts poor outcome in acute intracerebral hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE

To describe the relationship between intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) expansion and long-term outcome and to use this relationship to select and validate clinically relevant thresholds of IVH expansion in 2 separate intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) populations.

METHODS

We used fractional polynomial analysis to test linear and nonlinear models of 24-hour IVH volume change and clinical outcome with data from the Predicting Hematoma Growth and Outcome in Intracerebral Hemorrhage Using Contrast Bolus CT (PREDICT)-ICH study. The primary outcome was poor clinical outcome (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score 4-6) at 90 days. We derived dichotomous thresholds from the selected model and calculated diagnostic accuracy measures. We validated all thresholds in an independent single-center ICH cohort (Massachusetts General Hospital).

RESULTS

Of the 256 patients from PREDICT, 127 (49.6%) had an mRS score of 4 to 6. Twenty-four-hour IVH volume change and poor outcome fit a nonlinear relationship, in which minimal increases in IVH were associated with a high probability of an mRS score of 4 to 6. IVH expansion ≥1 mL (n = 53, sensitivity 33%, specificity 92%, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-6.46) and development of any new IVH (n = 74, sensitivity 43%, specificity 85%, aOR 2.53, 95% CI 1.22-5.26) strongly predicted poor outcome at 90 days. The dichotomous thresholds reproduced well in a validation cohort of 169 patients.

CONCLUSION

IVH expansion as small as 1 mL or any new IVH is strongly predictive of poor outcome. These findings may assist clinicians with bedside prognostication and could be incorporated into definitions of hematoma expansion to inform future ICH treatment trials.

Postoperative intraventricular blood: a new modifiable risk factor for early postoperative symptomatic hydrocephalus in children with posterior fossa tumors

OBJECTIVE

To analyze factors associated with the development of early symptomatic hydrocephalus following posterior fossa tumor (PFT) surgery in children.

METHODS

In this retrospective study, data from 148 children (age < 18 years) who underwent primary resection of their PFTs without preoperative permanent CSF diversion procedures were collected. The incidence of symptomatic hydrocephalus within 30 days of tumor resection was studied and its association with various demographic, tumor-related, and surgery-related risk factors was analyzed.

RESULTS

At presentation, 131 (89%) of the 148 patients had symptomatic hydrocephalus. There were 99 males and 49 females (mean age 8.7 years; range 1 to 17 years). Postoperatively, 14 (9.4%) patients required shunt placement for symptomatic hydrocephalus. The indications for shunt surgery were persistent symptoms of raised intracranial pressure (n = 6, 43%), CSF leak from the wound (n = 7, 50%), and tense pseudomeningocele (n = 1, 7%). On multivariate analysis, age < 6 years (OR 5.9, 95% CI 1.6-22.6, p = 0.009) and the presence of intraventricular blood (IVB) on postoperative CT (OR 6.4, 95% CI 1.7-23.7, p = 0.006) were independent risk factors for developing symptomatic hydrocephalus.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of postoperative symptomatic hydrocephalus in our series (9.4%) is lower than that reported in most previous studies. Age < 6 years and the presence of postoperative IVB were independent risk factors for developing symptomatic hydrocephalus. Of these, postoperative IVB is probably the only modifiable risk factor.

Inline flow sensor for ventriculoperitoneal shunts: Experimental evaluation in swine

Shunts are commonly employed to treat hydrocephalus, a severe central nervous disease caused by the buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. These shunts divert excessive cerebrospinal fluid from brain ventricles to other body cavities, thereby relieving the symptoms. However, these shunts are highly prone to failure due to obstruction from cellular debris, leading to cerebrospinal fluid accumulation in the brain and exacerbation of neurological symptoms. Therefore, there is a clinical need for a reliable, non-invasive method of monitoring shunt performance. Recently, a simple inline flow sensor was reported for monitoring ventriculoperitoneal shunting of cerebrospinal fluid in hydrocephalus treatment. The present work aimed to evaluate performance of the device in an animal model of hydrocephalus. Sensor-equipped shunt tubes were placed in anesthetized, juvenile swine. The flows reported by the sensor were compared with gravimetric flow measurements. Robust correlations (r ≈ 0.87-0.96) between the gravimetric and sensor-reported flows were obtained in 4 of the 6 experiments. The mean slope of the linear relationship of the gravimetrically determined vs. sensor flow rates was 0.98 ± 0.09 in the 6 experiments, indicating the sensor accurately reported shunt flows up to 35 ml/h. The sensor responded immediately to abrupt flow changes following cerebroventricular fluid injections. Minor hardware problems were identified and corrected. These experiments provide practical guidance for future preclinical testing of the device.

Cotransporter-mediated water transport underlying cerebrospinal fluid formation

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) production occurs at a rate of 500 ml per day in the adult human. Conventional osmotic forces do not suffice to support such production rate and the molecular mechanisms underlying this fluid production remain elusive. Using ex vivo choroid plexus live imaging and isotope flux in combination with in vivo CSF production determination in mice, we identify a key component in the CSF production machinery. The Na⁺/K⁺/2Cl⁻ cotransporter (NKCC1) expressed in the luminal membrane of choroid plexus contributes approximately half of the CSF production, via its unusual outward transport direction and its unique ability to directly couple water transport to ion translocation. We thereby establish the concept of cotransport of water as a missing link in the search for molecular pathways sustaining CSF production and redefine the current model of this pivotal physiological process. Our results provide a rational pharmacological target for pathologies involving disturbed brain fluid dynamics.

Osmotic forces do not suffice to explain the rate of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) production. Here, the authors show that the Na⁺/K⁺/2Cl⁻ cotransporter in the choroid plexus contributes substantially to CSF production via its inherent ability to cotransport water.

Post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus: Recent advances and new therapeutic insights

Post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH), also referred to as progressive ventricular dilatation, is caused by disturbances in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow or absorption following hemorrhage in the brain. As one of the most serious complications of neonatal/adult intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), and traumatic brain injury (TBI), PHH is associated with increased morbidity and disability of these events. Common sequelae of PHH include neurocognitive impairment, motor dysfunction, and growth impairment. Non-surgical measures to reduce increased intracranial pressure (ICP) in PHH have shown little success and most patients will ultimately require surgical management, such as external ventricular drainage and shunting which mostly by inserting a CSF drainage shunt. Unfortunately, shunt complications are common and the optimum time for intervention is unclear. To date, there remains no comprehensive strategy for PHH management and it becomes imperative that to explore new therapeutic targets and methods for PHH. Over past decades, increasing evidence have indicated that hemorrhage-derived blood and subsequent metabolic products may play a key role in the development of IVH-, SAH- and TBI-associated PHH. Several intervention strategies have recently been evaluated and cross-referenced. In this review, we summarized and discussed the common aspects of hydrocephalus following IVH, SAH and TBI, relevant experimental animal models, clinical translation of in vivo experiments, and potential preventive and therapeutic targets for PHH.