Object: The object of this study was to evaluate cases of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) from ruptured blood blister–like aneurysms (BBAs) of the internal carotid artery (ICA) trunk. Methods: The authors performed a single-center, retrospective study. Data analyzed were patient age, sex, Hunt and Hess grade, Fisher grade, time from SAH to hospitalization, aneurysm size and location, collateral capacity of the circle of Willis, time from hospitalization to aneurysm repair, type of aneurysm repair, complications, and Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score at follow-up. Results: A total of 211 patients suffered SAH from ICA aneurysms. Of these, 14 patients (6.6%) had ICA trunk BBAs; 6 men and 8 women. The median age was 47.8 years (range 29.9–67.7 years). The Hunt and Hess grade was IV or V in 7 cases, and SAH was Fisher Grade 3 + 4 in 6. All aneurysms were small (< 1 cm), without relation to vessel bifurcations, and usually located anteromedially on the ICA trunk. Three patients were treated with coil placement and 11 with clip placement. Of the 7 patients in whom the ICA was preserved, only 1 had poor outcome (GOS Score 2). In contrast, cerebral infarcts developed in all patients treated with ICA sacrifice, directly postoperatively in 2 and after delay in 5. Six patients died, 1 survived in poor condition (GOS Score 3; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Internal carotid BBAs are rare, small, and difficult to treat endovascularly, with only 2 of 14 patients successfully treated with coil placement. The BBAs rupture easily during surgery (ruptured in 6 of 11 surgical cases). Intraoperative aneurysm rupture invariably led to ICA trap ligation. Sacrifice of the ICA within 48 hours of an SAH led to very poor outcome, even in patients with adequate collateral capacity on preoperative angiograms, probably because of vasospasm-induced compromise of the cerebral collaterals.

Incidence of Chronic Subdural Hematoma (cSDH) is rising worldwide, partly due to an aging population, but also due to increased use of antithrombotic medication. Many recent studies have emerged to address current cSDH management strategies. What is the state of the art of cSDH management. Review. Head trauma, antithrombotic use and craniocerebral disproportion increase the risk of cSDH development. Most patients present with disorientation, GCS 13–15, and symptoms arising from cortical irritation and increased intracranial pressure. cSDH occurs bilaterally in 9–22%. CT allows assessment of cerebral compression (herniation, hematoma thickness, ventricle collapse, midline shift), hematoma age and presence of membranes, factors that ultimately determine treatment urgency and surgical approach. Recurrence remains the principle complication (9–33%), occurring more commonly with older age and bilateral cSDHs. While incompletely understood, it is generally believed that injury in the dural cell layer results in bleeding from bridging veins, resulting in a hematoma formation, with or without a preceding hygroma, in a potential space approximating the junction between the dura and arachnoid. Neovascularization and leaking from the outer membrane are thought to propagate this process. Evidence that MMA embolization may reduce recurrence rates is a potentially exciting new treatment option, but also supports the theory that the MMA is implicated in the cSDH pathophysiology. The use of steroids remains a controversial topic without clear treatment guidelines. cSDH represents a common neurosurgical problem with burr-hole treatment remaining the gold standard, often in conjunction with subgaleal drains. MMA embolization to stop recurrence may represent an important evolution in understanding the pathophysiology of cSDH and improving treatment.

Helseth R, Helseth E, Johannesen TB, Langberg CW, Lote K, Rønning P, Scheie D, Vik A, Meling TR. Overall survival, prognostic factors, and repeated surgery in a consecutive series of 516 patients with glioblastoma multiforme. Acta Neurol Scand: 122: 159–167.© 2010 The Authors Journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Munksgaard. Objectives – To study overall survival (OS), prognostic factors, and repeated surgery in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Material and methods– Retrospective study of 516 consecutive adult patients who underwent primary surgery for a GBM in year 2003–2008. Results – Median age at primary surgery was 63.7 years (range 18.0–88.0). Median OS was 9.9 months. Age >60 years, poor preoperative ECOG score, bilateral tumor, biopsy rather than resection, and no temozolomide chemoradiotherapy were negative risk factors. Repeat surgery was performed in 65 patients (13%). Median time between first and second surgery was 7 months. Indications for second surgery were increasing neurological deficits (35.4%), raised ICP (33.8%), asymptomatic but reoperated because of tumor progression verified on MRI (20.0%), and epileptic seizures (11%). Patients who underwent repeated surgery had longer OS; 18.4 months vs 8.6 months (P < 0.001). Conclusions – OS for adult GBM patients was 9.9 months. Negative prognostic factors were increasing age, poor neurological function, bilateral tumor involvement, biopsy instead of resection, and RT alone compared to temozolomide chemoradiotherapy. Our rate of repeated surgery for GBM was 13% and the main indications for second surgery were raised ICP and increasing neurological deficits. In a carefully selected group of patients, repeat surgery significantly prolongs OS.

Object: Recently the relevance of Simpson resection grade as a prognostic factor for recurrence of WHO Grade I meningiomas was challenged, contradicting many previous scientific reports and traditional neurosurgical teaching. The objective of this study was to determine whether the predictive value of Simpson resection grade is outdated or remains valid with respect to meningioma recurrence and overall survival. Methods: All patients at least 16 years old who underwent primary craniotomies for convexity meningiomas at Oslo University–affiliated hospitals (Rikshospitalet and Ullevål University Hospitals) in the period between January 1, 1990, and January 27, 2011, were included. Overall survival and retreatment-free survival rates were correlated with patient- and surgery-specific factors. Results: Three hundred ninety-one consecutive patients were included in the study. The median patient age was 60.1 years (range 19–92 years). The female-to-male ratio was 2.1:1. The WHO grades were Grade I in 353 (90.3%), Grade II in 22 (5.6%), and Grade III in 16 (4.1%). The follow-up rate was 100%. Median follow-up time was 7.1 years (range 0.0–20.9 years) and total observation time was 3147 patient-years. The 1-, 5-, and 10-year overall survival rates were 96%, 89%, and 78%, respectively. Age, sex, WHO grade, and Simpson grade were significantly associated with overall survival. The 1-, 5-, and 10-year retreatment-free survival rates were 99%, 94%, and 90%, respectively. Simpson resection grade and WHO grade were significantly associated with retreatment-free survival. The hazard ratios for retreatment after combined Simpson resection Grades II+III and IV+V were 4.9- and 13.2-times higher than after Simpson Grade I resection, respectively. Conclusions: Simpson Grade I resection should continue to be the goal for convexity meningiomas.

In order to weigh the risks of surgery against the presumed advantages, it is important to have specific knowledge about complication rates. To study the surgical mortality and rate of reoperations for hematomas and infections after intracranial surgery for brain tumors in a large, contemporary, single-institution consecutive series. All adult patients from a well-defined population of 2.7 million inhabitants who underwent craniotomies for intracranial tumors at Oslo University Hospital from 2003 to 2008 were included (n = 2630). The patients were identified from our prospectively collected database and their charts studied retrospectively. Follow-up was 100%. The overall surgical mortality, defined as death within 30 days of surgery, was 2.3% (n = 60). The mortality rates for high- and low-grade gliomas, meningiomas, and metastases were 2.9%, 1.0%, 0.9%, and 4.5%, respectively. Age >60 (odds ratio 1.84, P < 0.05) and biopsy compared with resection (odds ratio 4.67, P < 0.01) were significantly positively associated with increased surgical mortality. Hematomas accounted for 35% of the surgical mortality. Postoperative hematomas needing evacuation occurred in 2.1% (n = 54). Age >60 was significantly correlated to increased risk of postoperative hematomas (odds ratio 2.43, P < 0.001). A total of 39 patients (1.5%) were reoperated for postoperative infection. Meningiomas had an increased risk of infections compared with high-grade gliomas (odds ratio 4.61, P < 0.001). The surgical mortality within 30 days of surgery was 2.3%, with age >60 and biopsy vs resection being the 2 factors significantly associated with increased mortality. Postoperative hematomas caused about one third of the surgical mortality.