PrImary decompressive Craniectomy in AneurySmal Subarachnoid hemOrrhage (PICASSO) trial: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

The impact of primary decompressive craniectomy in ruptured middle cerebral artery aneurysms with intraparenchymal hematoma

BACKGROUND

Ruptured middle cerebral artery aneurysm (MCAa) with intraparenchymal hematoma (IPH) can benefit at the same time from evacuation of the hematoma and exclusion of the aneurysm of a decompressive craniectomy (DC). To date, there are no clear recommendations for performing a DC in such cases.

METHODS

We retrospectively collected data from nine French neurosurgical units from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2020. All MCAa patients with IPH requiring evacuation of the IPH were included in this study. Poor outcomes were defined by an mRs score of 3-6 at 6 months. Propensity score matching was used to analyze the potential effects of DC.

RESULTS

Between January 2013 and December 2020, 198 MCAa ruptured with IPH were treated, including 162 MCAa requiring evacuation of the IPH. 50 were treated with DC and 112 without DC. After matching 72 patients, poor neurological prognosis was observed in 27/36 patients (75%) in the DC group versus 18/36 (50%) in the non-DC group (p = 0.026).

CONCLUSION

Primary decompressive craniectomy in patients with ruptured MCAa and IPH requiring surgical evacuation increases the risk of poor neurological outcome. RCT are needed to confirm this hypothesis.

Decompressive craniectomy in subarachnoid hemorrhage compared to other etiologies: An institutional experience of 11 years

Introduction

Decompressive craniectomy (DC) is a last-tier procedure to lower intracranial pressure in otherwise fatal brain injuries. DC significantly reduces mortality following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and ischemic stroke, but benefits in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) are less clear.

Research question

We compared the mortality and functional outcomes in patients who underwent DC after SAH with those who underwent DC following TBI or ischemic stroke.

Materials and methods

All DC procedures performed in the Oulu University Hospital between January 2009 and December 2019 were retrospectively identified. Mortality and functional outcomes were assessed during a median follow-up of 20.7 months. Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale scores ≥5 were considered favorable.

Results

One hundred twenty-four DCs were conducted to patients aged a median of 40 years (SD 16), of whom 88 (71%) were male. Fifty-eight (47%) DCs were due to TBI and 66 (53%) due to stroke. Of the strokes, 41 (62%) were ischemic and 21 (32%) SAH.In multivariate models, the rates of unfavorable outcome were 48% in TBI, 78% in ischemic stroke (OR 2.73, 95% CI 0.70-10.64) and 86% in SAH (OR 3.15, 95%CI 0.67-14.77). Mortality rates were 22% in TBI, 17% in ischemic stroke (OR 0.50, 95%CI 0.11-2.31) and 33% in SAH (OR 0.97, 95%CI 0.24-3.99).

Discussion and conclusion

Favorable outcomes were more common in TBI compared to stroke in univariate but not in multivariate analysis. There was no statistically significant difference in the rates of favorable outcomes between SAH and ischemic stroke.

Beyond traditional prognostics: integrating RAG-enhanced AtlasGPT and ChatGPT 4.0 into aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage outcome prediction

To assess the predictive accuracy of advanced AI language models and established clinical scales in prognosticating outcomes for patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). This retrospective cohort study included 82 patients suffering from aSAH. We evaluated the predictive efficacy of AtlasGPT and ChatGPT 4.0 by examining the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and Youden's Index, in comparison to established clinical grading scales such as the World Federation of Neurological Surgeons (WFNS) scale, Simplified Endovascular Brain Edema Score (SEBES), and Fisher scale. This assessment focused on four endpoints: in-hospital mortality, need for decompressive hemicraniectomy, and functional outcomes at discharge and after 6-month follow-up. In-hospital mortality occurred in 22% of the cohort, and 34.1% required decompressive hemicraniectomy during treatment. At hospital discharge, 28% of patients exhibited a favorable outcome (mRS ≤ 2), which improved to 46.9% at the 6-month follow-up. Prognostication utilizing the WFNS grading scale for 30-day in-hospital survival revealed an AUC of 0.72 with 59.4% sensitivity and 83.3% specificity. AtlasGPT provided the highest diagnostic accuracy (AUC 0.80, 95% CI: 0.70-0.91) for predicting the need for decompressive hemicraniectomy, with 82.1% sensitivity and 77.8% specificity. Similarly, for discharge outcomes, the WFNS score and AtlasGPT demonstrated high prognostic values with AUCs of 0.74 and 0.75, respectively. Long-term functional outcome predictions were best indicated by the WFNS scale, with an AUC of 0.76. The study demonstrates the potential of integrating AI models such as AtlasGPT with clinical scales to enhance outcome prediction in aSAH patients. While established scales like WFNS remain reliable, AI language models show promise, particularly in predicting the necessity for surgical intervention and short-term functional outcomes. The study explored the use of advanced AI language models, AtlasGPT and ChatGPT 4.0, to predict outcomes for patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). It found that AtlasGPT provided the highest diagnostic accuracy for predicting the need for decompressive hemicraniectomy, outperforming traditional clinical scales, while both AI models showed promise in enhancing outcome predictions when integrated with established clinical assessment tools.

Update on Strategies to Reduce Early Brain Injury after Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Early brain injury (EBI) after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is the most influential clinical determinant of outcomes. Despite significant advances in understanding of the pathophysiology of EBI, currently no treatments to target EBI have been developed. This review summarizes recent advances in EBI research over the past five years with a focus on potential therapeutic targets.

RECENT FINDINGS

Mechanism-specific translational studies are converging on several pathophysiologic pathways: improved antioxidant delivery and the Sirt1/Nrf2 pathway for reactive oxygen species; NLRP3 inflammasome and microglial polarization for inflammation; and the PI3K/Akt pathway for apoptosis. Recently identified mechanistic components, such as microcirculatory failure and ferroptosis, need particular attention. Clinical studies developing radiographic markers and mechanism-specific, biofluid markers are attempting to bridge the translational therapeutic gap. There has been an exponential growth in EBI research. Further clinical studies which address specific pathophysiology mechanisms need to be performed to identify novel therapeutic approaches.

Systematic assessment of early brain injury severity at admission with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

Early brain injury (EBI) after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) has been increasingly recognized as a risk factor for delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI). While several clinical and radiological EBI biomarkers have been identified, no tool for systematic assessment of EBI severity has been established so far. This study aimed to develop an EBI grading system based on clinical signs and neuroimaging for estimation of EBI severity at admission. This is a retrospective observational study assessing imaging parameters (intracranial blood amount, global cerebral edema (GCE)), and clinical signs (persistent loss of consciousness [LOC]) representative for EBI. The intracranial blood amount was semi-quantitatively assessed. One point was added for GCE and LOC, respectively. All points were summed up resulting in an EBI grading ranging from 1 to 5. The estimated EBI severity was correlated with progressive GCE requiring decompressive hemicraniectomy (DHC), DCI-associated infarction, and outcome according to the modified Rankin scale (mRS) at 3-month-follow up. A consecutive cohort including 324 aSAH-patients with a mean age of 55.9 years, was analyzed. The probability of developing progressive GCE was 9% for EBI grade 1, 28% for EBI grade 2, 43% for EBI grade 3, 61% for EBI grade 4, and 89% for EBI grade 5. The EBI grading correlated significantly with the need for DHC (r = 0.25, p < 0.0001), delayed infarction (r = 0.30, p < 0.0001), and outcome (r = 0.31, p < 0.0001). An EBI grading based on clinical and imaging parameters allowed an early systematic estimation of EBI severity with a higher EBI grade associated not only with a progressive GCE but also with DCI and poor outcome.

Treatment factors to suppress delayed cerebral ischemia after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage based on VASOGRADE: multicenter cohort study

Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) is one of the most important outcome determinants for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). VASOGRADE, which combines World Federation of Neurological Surgeons grade and modified Fisher grade, is a useful scale for predicting DCI after aSAH. However, no studies have investigated whether VASOGRADE influences the treatment options. We retrospectively analyzed 781 aSAH patients who were prospectively enrolled in 9 primary stroke centers from 2013 to 2021. The total cohort consisted of 76 patients (9.7%) with VASOGRADE-Green, 390 patients (49.9%) with VASOGRADE-Yellow, and 315 patients (40.3%) with VASOGRADE-Red. Worse VASOGRADE had higher incidences of DCI, which occurred in 190 patients (24.3%). As only 5 patients (6.6%) with VASOGRADE-Green developed DCI, we searched for DCI-associated factors in patients with VASOGRADEs-Yellow and -Red. Multivariate analyses revealed independent treatment factors suppressing DCI as follows: no postoperative hemorrhagic complication, combined administration of fasudil hydrochloride and cilostazol, combination of clipping and cisternal drainage, and coiling for VASOGRADE-Yellow; and clipping, and administration of fasudil hydrochloride with or without cilostazol for VASOGRADE-Red. The findings suggest that treatment strategies should be determined based on VASOGRADE to prevent DCI after aSAH.

Decompressive craniectomy to cranioplasty: a retrospective observational study using Hospital Episode Statistics in England

Objectives

To investigate the longitudinal trends of decompressive craniectomy (DC) following traumatic brain injury (TBI) or stroke and explore whether the timing of cranial reconstruction affected revision or removal rates using Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) between 2014 and 2019.

Design

Retrospective observational cohort study using HES. The time frame definitions mirror those often used in clinical practice.

Setting

HES data from neurosurgical centres in England.

Participants

HES data related to decompressive craniectomy procedures and cranioplasty following TBI or stroke between 2014 and 2019.

Main outcome measures

The primary outcome was the timing and rate of revision/removal compared with cranioplasty within <12 weeks to ≥12 weeks.

Results

There were 4627 DC procedures, of which 1847 (40%) were due to head injury, 1116 (24%) were due to stroke, 728 (16%) were due to other cerebrovascular diagnoses, 317 (7%) had mixed diagnosis and 619 (13%) had no pre-specified diagnoses. The number of DC procedures performed per year ranged from 876 in 2014-2015 to 967 in 2018-2019. There were 4466 cranioplasty procedures, with 309 (7%) revisions and/or removals during the first postoperative year. There was a 33% increase in the overall number of cranioplasty procedures performed within 12 weeks, and there were 1823 patients who underwent both craniectomy and cranioplasty during the study period, with 1436 (79%) having a cranioplasty within 1 year. However, relating to the timing of cranial reconstruction, there was no evidence of any difference in the rate of revision or removal surgery in the early timing group (6.5%) compared with standard care (7.9%) (adjusted HR 0.93, 95% CIs 0.61 to 1.43; p=0.75).

Conclusions

Overall number of craniectomies and the subsequent requirements for cranioplasty increased steadily during the study period. However, relating to the timing of cranial reconstruction, there was no evidence of an overall difference in the rate of revision or removal surgery in the early timing group.

Hemorrhage Volume Drives Early Brain Injury and Outcome in Poor-Grade Aneurysmal SAH

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Early brain injury is a major determinant of clinical outcome in poor-grade (World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies [WFNS] IV-V) aneurysmal SAH and is radiologically defined by global cerebral edema. Little is known, though, about the effect of global intracranial hemorrhage volume on early brain injury development and clinical outcome.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data from the multicentric prospective Poor-Grade Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (POGASH) Registry of consecutive patients with poor-grade aneurysmal SAH admitted from January 1, 2015, to August 31, 2022, was retrospectively evaluated. Poor grade was defined according to the worst-pretreatment WFNS grade. Global intracranial hemorrhage volume as well as the volumes of intracerebral hemorrhage, intraventricular hemorrhage, and SAH were calculated by means of analytic software in a semiautomated setting. Outcomes included severe global cerebral edema (defined by Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Early Brain Edema Score grades 3-4), in-hospital mortality (mRS 6), and functional independence (mRS 0-2) at follow-up.

RESULTS

Among 400 patients (median global intracranial hemorrhage volume of 91 mL; interquartile range, 59-128), severe global cerebral edema was detected in 218/400 (54.5%) patients. One hundred twenty-three (30.8%) patients died during the acute phase of hospitalization. One hundred fifty-five (38.8%) patients achieved mRS 0-2 at a median of 13 (interquartile range, 3-26) months of follow-up. Multivariable analyses showed global intracranial hemorrhage volume as independently associated with severe global cerebral edema (adjusted OR, 1.009; 95% CI, 1.004-1.014; P < .001), mortality (adjusted OR, 1.006; 95% CI, 1.001-1.01; P = .018) and worse clinical outcome (adjusted OR, 0.992; 95% CI, 0.98-0.996; P < .010). The effect of global intracranial hemorrhage volume on clinical-radiologic outcomes changed significantly according to different age groups (younger than 50, 50-70, older than 70 year of age). Volumes of intracerebral hemorrhage, intraventricular hemorrhage, and SAH affected the 3 predefined outcomes differently. Intracerebral hemorrhage volume independently predicted global cerebral edema and long-term outcome, intraventricular hemorrhage volume predicted mortality and long-term outcome, and SAH volume predicted long-term clinical outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Global intracranial hemorrhage volume plays a pivotal role in global cerebral edema development and emerged as an independent predictor of both mortality and long-term clinical outcome. Aging emerged as a reducing predictor in the relationship between global intracranial hemorrhage volume and global cerebral edema.

The role of decompressive craniectomy following microsurgical repair of a ruptured aneurysm: Analysis of a South Australian cerebrovascular registry

OBJECTIVE

Decompressive craniectomy (DC) remains a controversial intervention for intracranial hypertension among patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH).

METHODS

We identified aSAH patients who underwent DC following microsurgical aneurysm repair from a prospectively maintained registry and compared their outcomes with a propensity-matched cohort who did not. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of undergoing decompressive surgery and post-operative outcome. Outcomes of interest were inpatient mortality, unfavourable outcome, NIS-Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Outcome Measure and modified Rankin Score (mRS).

RESULTS

A total of 246 patients with aSAH underwent clipping of the culprit aneurysm between 01/09/2011 and 20/07/2020. Of these, 46 underwent DC and were included in the final analysis. Unsurprisingly, DC patients had a greater chance of unfavourable outcome (p < 0.001) and higher median mRS (p < 0.001) at final follow-up. Despite this, almost two-thirds (64.1 %) of DC patients had a favourable outcome at this time-point. When compared with a propensity-matched cohort who did not, patients treated with DC fared worse at all endpoints. Multivariable logistic regression revealed that the presence of intracerebral haemorrhage and increased pre-operative mid-line shift were predictive of undergoing DC, and WFNS grade ≥ 4 and a delayed ischaemic neurological deficit requiring endovascular angioplasty were associated with an unfavourable outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that DC can be performed with acceptable rates of morbidity and mortality. Further research is required to determine the superiority, or otherwise, of DC compared with structured medical management of intracranial hypertension in this context, and to identify predictors of requiring decompressive surgery and patient outcome.

Emergency Medical Management of Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage is a medical emergency that necessitates direct transfer to a tertiary referral center specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of this condition. The initial hours after aneurysmal rupture are critical for patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, both in terms of rebleeding and combating the effect of early brain injury. No good treatment options are available to reduce the risk of rebleeding before aneurysm occlusion. Lowering the blood pressure may reduce the risk of rebleeding but carries a risk of inducing delayed cerebral ischemia or aggravating the consequences of early brain injury. Early brain injury after aneurysmal rupture has an important effect on final clinical outcome. Proper cerebral perfusion is pivotal in these initial hours after aneurysmal rupture but threatened by complications such as neurogenic pulmonary edema and cardiac stunning, or by acute hydrocephalus, which may necessitate early drainage of cerebrospinal fluid.

Size of Craniectomy Predicts Approach-Related Shear Bleeding in Poor-Grade Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Decompressive craniectomy is an option to decrease elevated intracranial pressure in poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) patients. The aim of the present study was to analyze the size of the bone flap according to approach-related complications in patients with poor-grade SAH. We retrospectively analyzed poor-grade SAH patients (WFNS 4 and 5) who underwent aneurysm clipping and craniectomy (DC or ommitance of bone flap reinsertion). Postoperative CT scans were analyzed for approach-related tissue injury at the margin of the craniectomy (shear bleeding). The size of the bone flap was calculated using the De Bonis equation. Between 01/2012 and 01/2020, 67 poor-grade SAH patients underwent clipping and craniectomy at our institution. We found 14 patients with new shear bleeding lesion in postoperative CT scan. In patients with shear bleeding, the size of the bone flap was significantly smaller compared to patients without shear bleeding (102.1 ± 45.2 cm2 vs. 150.8 ± 37.43 cm2, p > 0.0001). However, we found no difference in mortality rates (10/14 vs. 23/53, p = 0.07) or number of implanted VP shunts (2/14 vs. 18/53, p = 0.2). We found no difference regarding modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 6 months postoperatively. In poor-grade aneurysmal SAH, the initial planning of DC—if deemed necessary —and enlargement of the flap size seems to decrease the rate of postoperatively developed shear bleeding lesions.