Intracranial complications of sinogenic and otogenic infections in children: an ESPN survey on their occurrence in the pre-COVID and post-COVID era

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 pandemic is thought to have changed the epidemiology of some pediatric neurosurgical disease: among them are the intracranial complications of sinusitis and otitis (ICSO). According to some studies on a limited number of cases, both streptococci-related sinusitis and ICSO would have increased immediately after the pandemic, although the reason is not clear yet (seasonal changes versus pandemic-related effects). The goal of the present survey of the European Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery (ESPN) was to collect a large number of cases from different European countries encompassing the pre-COVID (2017-2019), COVID (2020-2021), and post-COVID period (2022-June 2023) looking for possible epidemiological and/or clinical changes.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

An English language questionnaire was sent to ESPN members about year of the event, patient's age and gender, presence of immune-deficit or other favoring risk factors, COVID infection, signs and symptoms at onset, site of primary infection, type of intracranial complication, identified germ, type and number of surgical operations, type and duration of medical treatment, clinical and radiological outcome, duration of the follow-up.

RESULTS

Two hundred fifty-four cases were collected by 30 centers coming from 14 different European countries. There was a statistically significant difference between the post-COVID period (129 children, 86 cases/year, 50.7% of the whole series) and the COVID (40 children, 20 cases/year, 15.7%) or the pre-COVID period (85 children, 28.3 cases/year, 33.5%). Other significant differences concerned the presence of predisposing factors/concurrent diseases (higher in the pre-COVID period) and previous COVID infection (higher in the post-COVID period). No relevant differences occurred as far as demographic, microbiological, clinical, radiological, outcome, morbidity, and mortality data were concerned. Paranasal sinuses and middle ear/mastoid were the most involved primary site of infection (71% and 27%, respectively), while extradural or subdural empyema and brain abscess were the most common ICSO (73% and 17%, respectively). Surgery was required in 95% of cases (neurosurgical and ENT procedure in 71% and 62% of cases, respectively) while antibiotics in 99% of cases. After a 12.4-month follow-up, a full clinical and radiological recovery was obtained in 85% and 84% of cases, respectively. The mortality rate was 2.7%.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that the occurrence of ICSO was significantly increased after the pandemic. Such an increase seems to be related to the indirect effects of the pandemic (e.g., immunity debt) rather than to a direct effect of COVID infection or to seasonal fluctuations. ICSO remain challenging diseases but the pandemic did not affect the management strategies nor their prognosis. The epidemiological change of sinusitis/otitis and ICSO should alert about the appropriate follow-up of children with sinusitis/otitis.

Spontaneous resolution of intracranial hypertension following radiotherapy for posterior parasagittal meningioma: About two cases and review of the literature

We report the cases of two patients who underwent normofractionated radiotherapy for evolutive asymptomatic parasagittal meningiomas. After completion of radiotherapy, both patients presented severe headache and vomiting episodes without papillar edema. We then decided a "wait-and-scan" strategy because of the slit-ventricles, and symptoms regressed spontaneously. MRI showed significant tumor regression a year after radiotherapy with a newly developed collateral venous drainage system in the first patient and a left, unusually large, superior anastomotic vein in the second. These clinical presentation and radiological evolution are compatible with venous stenosis caused by radiation-induced symptomatic edema, fading after the development of a collateral venous drainage system. The relation between pressure-related headaches and venous anatomy remains unclear in parasagittal meningiomas. These observations underline the importance of the study of venous anatomy when pressure-related headaches are suspected. Further clinical descriptions might help the clinicians to treat these patients' symptoms.

Surgical or Endovascular Treatment of MCA Aneurysms: An Agreement Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

MCA aneurysms are still commonly clipped surgically despite the recent development of a number of endovascular tools and techniques. We measured clinical uncertainty by studying the reliability of decisions made for patients with middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A portfolio of 60 MCA aneurysms was presented to surgical and endovascular specialists who were asked whether they considered surgery or endovascular treatment to be an option, whether they would consider recruitment of the patient in a randomized trial, and whether they would provide their final management recommendation. Agreement was studied using κ statistics. Intrarater reliability was assessed with the same, permuted portfolio of cases of MCA aneurysm sent to the same specialists 1 month later.

RESULTS

Surgical management was the preferred option for neurosurgeons (n = 844/1320; [64%] responses/22 raters), while endovascular treatment was more commonly chosen by interventional neuroradiologists (1149/1500 [76.6%] responses/25 raters). Interrater agreement was only "slight" for all cases and all judges (κ = 0.094; 95% CI, 0.068-0.130). Agreement was no better within specialties or with more experience. On delayed requestioning, 11 of 35 raters (31%) disagreed with themselves on at least 20% of cases. Surgical management and endovascular treatment were always judged to be a treatment option, for all patients. Trial participation was offered to patients 65% of the time.

CONCLUSIONS

Individual clinicians did not agree regarding the best management of patients with MCA aneurysms. A randomized trial comparing endovascular with surgical management of patients with MCA aneurysms is in order.

Subarachnoid space of the optic nerve sheath and intracranial hypertension: a macroscopic, light and electron microscopic study

PURPOSE

The optic nerve (ON) is an extension of the central nervous system via the optic canal to the orbital cavity. It is accompanied by meninges whose arachnoid layer is in continuity with that of the chiasmatic cistern. This arachnoid layer is extended along the ON, delimiting a subarachnoid space (SAS) around the ON. Not all forms of chronic intracranial hypertension (ICH) present papilledema. The latter is sometimes asymmetric, unilateral, or absent. The radiological signs of optic nerve sheath (ONS) dilation, in magnetic resonance imaging, are inconsistent or difficult to interpret. The objective of this study was to analyze the anatomy, the constitution, and the variability of the SAS around the ON in its intraorbital segment to improve the understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanism of asymmetric or unilateral or absent papilledema in certain ICH.

METHODS

The study was carried out on nine cadaveric specimens. In four embalmed specimens, macroscopic analysis of the SAS of the ONS were performed, with description about density of the arachnoid trabecular meshwork in three distinct areas (bulbar segment, mid-orbital segment and the precanal segment). In three other embalmed specimens, after staining of SAS by methylene blue (MB), we performed macroscopic analysis of MB progression in the SAS of the ONS. Then, in two non-embalmed specimens, light and electron microscopy (EM) analysis were also done.

RESULTS

On the macroscopic level, after staining of SAS, we found in all cases that MB progressed on 16 mm average throughout the SAS of the ONS without reaching the papilla. In four embalmed specimens, in the SAS of the ONS, the density of the arachnoid trabecular meshwork showed inter-individual variability (100%) and intra-individual variability with bilateral variability (50%) and/or variability within the same ONS (88%). On the microscopic level, the arachnoid trabeculae of the ONS are composed of dense connective tissue. The EM perfectly depicted its composition which is mainly of collagen fibers of parallel orientation.

CONCLUSION

The variability of the SAS around the ONS probably impacts the symmetrical or asymmetrical nature of papilledema in ICH.

Anatomy of the greater occipital nerve: implications in posterior fossa approaches

PURPOSE

Because of its superficial location in the dorsal regions of the scalp, the greater occipital nerve (GON) can be injured during neurosurgical procedures, resulting in post-operative pain and postural disturbances. The aim of this work is to specify the course of the GON and how its injuries can be avoided while performing posterior fossa approaches.

METHODS

This study was carried out at the department of anatomy at Bordeaux University. 4 specimens were dissected to study the GON course. Posterior fossa approaches (midline suboccipital, paramedian suboccipital, retrosigmoid and petrosal) were performed on 4 other specimens to assess potential risks of GON injuries.

RESULTS

The GON runs around the obliquus capitis inferior (100%), crosses the semispinalis capitis (100%) and the trapezius (75%) or its aponeurosis (25%). Direct GON injuries can be seen in paramedian suboccipital approaches. Stretching of the GON can occur in midline suboccipital and paramedian suboccipital approaches. We found no evidence of direct or indirect GON injury in retrosigmoid or petrosal approaches.

CONCLUSION

Our study provides interesting data regarding the risk GON injury in posterior fossa approaches. Direct GON injuries in paramedian suboccipital approaches can be avoided with careful dissection. Placing retractors in contact with the periosteum and performing a minimal retraction may help to avoid excessive GON stretching in midline suboccipital and paramedian suboccipital approaches. Furthermore, the incision for retrosigmoid approaches should be as lateral as possible and not too caudal. Finally, avoiding extreme patient positioning reduces the risk of GON stretching in all approaches.

Communicating chronic hydrocephalus: A review

Formerly called normal pressure hydrocephalus, communicating chronic hydrocephalus (CCH) is a condition affecting 0.1 to 0.5% of patients over 60years of age. The pathophysiology of this disease is poorly understood, but a defect in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) resorption appears to be commonly defined as the cause of the neurological disorders. The last important discovery is the description of the glymphatic system and its implication in CCH and CSF resorption. Comorbidities (Alzheimer's disease, microangiopathy, parkinsonism) are very frequent, and involve a diagnostic challenge. The clinical presentation is based on the Hakim and Adams triad, comprising gait disorders, mainly impairing walking, cognitive disorders, affecting executive functions, episodic memory, visuospatial cognition, and sphincter disorders as urinary incontinence (detrusor hyperactivity). The diagnosis is suspected through a set of arguments, combining the clinical presentation, the radiological data of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showing a ventriculomegaly associated with signs of transependymomous resorption of the CSF and disappearance of the cortical sulci, and the clinical response to the depletion of CSF. In the presence of all these elements, or a strong clinical suspicion, the standard treatment will be of a permanent CSF shunt, using a ventriculoatrial or ventriculoperitoneal shunt. The effectiveness of this treatment defines the diagnosis. The clinical improvement is better when treatment occurs early after the onset of the disorders, reaching 75 to 90% of motor improvement.

Hydrocephalus and Chiari malformation pathophysiology in FGFR2-related faciocraniosynostosis: A review

BACKGROUND

Patients with syndromic faciocraniosynostosis due to the mutation of the fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) 2 gene present premature fusion of the coronal sutures and of the cranial base synchondrosis. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation disorders and cerebellar tonsil prolapse are frequent findings in faciocraniosynostosis.

OBJECTIVE

We reviewed the medical literature on the pathophysiological mechanisms of CSF disorders such as hydrocephalus and of cerebellar tonsil prolapse in FGFR2-related faciocraniosynostosis.

DISCUSSION

Different pathophysiological theories have been proposed, but none elucidated all the symptoms present in Apert, Crouzon and Pfeiffer syndromes. The first theory that addressed CSF circulation disruption was the constrictive theory (cephalocranial disproportion): cerebellum and brain stem are constricted by the small volume of the posterior fossa. The second theory proposed venous hyperpressure due to jugular foramens stenosis. The most recent theory proposed a pressure differential between CSF in the posterior fossa and in the vertebral canal, due to foramen magnum stenosis.

[Pial synangiosis for moyamoya disease. The Bordeaux experience]

BACKGROUND

Different surgical methods may be used for the treatment of moyamoya disease. The authors report their experience with pial synangiosis revascularization.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We reviewed the clinical, surgical as well as radiographic records of all patients who underwent cerebral revascularization surgery using pial synangiosis for a symptomatic moyamoya disease at a single institution, Bordeaux University Hospital.

RESULTS

Over a 6-year period (2007-2013), 17 procedures were performed in 9 patients. Median age at presentation was 11.5 years and six patients presented with an ischemic event. As regards previous medical history, five patients were diagnosed with moyamoya syndrome. Median time between the symptoms onset and the first surgical procedure was 5.9 months. The average age of the first surgery was 11.8 years and the median time between the two synangiosis was 3.5 months. One patient died of a malignant ischemic stroke after the second procedure. At long-term follow-up, no patient experienced any symptoms recurrence.

CONCLUSION

Pial synangiosis typically results in an increase in collaterals from the superficial temporal artery or middle meningeal artery to the brain. It is a simple and effective surgical technique to prevent further moyamoya manifestation and to stabilize or improve the neurologic prognosis.

[The relationship between aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and meteorological parameters based on a series of 236 French patients]

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a sudden and potentially severe event with mortality rates ranging between 24 and 30 % depending on the initial clinical condition. Studies have attempted to assess the possible influence of meteorological parameters on the occurrence of SAH. However, this idea remains very controversial and the results vary widely from one study to another. Our study is the second largest French series, and first performed in a homogeneous series of patients. The aim of our study was to attempt to establish a relationship between the weather (i.e.) temperature variations and daily variations of atmospheric pressure in the days before the onset of SAH and the same day and the occurrence of non-traumatic SAH in a homogeneous population of 236 patients from a single center, over a period of 7 years (2002 to 2008). This retrospective study does not suggest any relationship between the occurrence of SAH and meteorological data studied. Moreover, no relationship was observed between mean changes in temperature or pressure and the occurrence of SAH, that the day of the bleeding or the days preceding the SAH. However, a female predominance was observed and a relatively high mortality rate of 18.3 %. The distribution of the occurrence of an SAH was random. As it seems impossible to provide logistics and organization of care for non-traumatic SAH, the care system must remain vigilant throughout the year.