With advances in stereotactic and neuroimaging techniques, various minimally invasive image-guided techniques have gained widespread acceptance in the field of neuro-oncology. Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is an image-guided technique that involves generation of high temperatures using a laser fiber, to ablate pathological tissue. Radiation necrosis (RN) and radiosurgery resistant brain metastasis often pose significant challenges to the treating physicians. In the last two decades, various studies have documented the efficacy of LITT in managing radiosurgery resistant metastases, radiation necrosis, surgically inaccessible malignant gliomas and ablation of epileptogenic foci. The aim of this paper is to summarize the current literature on the efficacy of LITT in patients with radiation necrosis and brain metastasis. We have also touched upon the physical properties of currently available LITT systems and the mechanism of action of laser therapy including histopathological changes.

Background: Demarcation of malignant brain tumor boundaries is critical to achieve complete resection and to improve patient survival. Contrast-enhanced brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the gold standard for diagnosis and pre-surgical planning, despite limitations of gadolinium (Gd)-based contrast agents to depict tumor margins. Recently, solid metal-based nanoparticles (NPs) have shown potential as diagnostic probes for brain tumors. Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) emerged among those, because of their unique physical and chemical properties and biocompatibility. The aim of the present study is to review the application of GNPs for in vitro and in vivo brain tumor diagnosis. Methods: We performed a PubMed search of reports exploring the application of GNPs in the diagnosis of brain tumors in biological models including cells, animals, primates, and humans. The search words were “gold” AND “NP” AND “brain tumor.” Two reviewers performed eligibility assessment independently in an unblinded standardized manner. The following data were extracted from each paper: first author, year of publication, animal/cellular model, GNP geometry, GNP size, GNP coating [i.e., polyethylene glycol (PEG) and Gd], blood-brain barrier (BBB) crossing aids, imaging modalities, and therapeutic agents conjugated to the GNPs. Results: The PubMed search provided 100 items. A total of 16 studies, published between the 2011 and 2017, were included in our review. No studies on humans were found. Thirteen studies were conducted in vivo on rodent models. The most common shape was a nanosphere (12 studies). The size of GNPs ranged between 20 and 120 nm. In eight studies, the GNPs were covered in PEG. The BBB penetration was increased by surface molecules (nine studies) or by means of external energy sources (in two studies). The most commonly used imaging modalities were MRI (four studies), surface-enhanced Raman scattering (three studies), and fluorescent microscopy (three studies). In two studies, the GNPs were conjugated with therapeutic agents. Conclusion: Experimental studies demonstrated that GNPs might be versatile, persistent, and safe contrast agents for multimodality imaging, thus enhancing the tumor edges pre-, intra-, and post-operatively improving microscopic precision. The diagnostic GNPs might also be used for multiple therapeutic approaches, namely as “theranostic” NPs.

Object: The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence of adverse outcomes and inpatient mortality following resection of intramedullary spinal cord tumors by using the US Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. The overall complication rate, length of the hospital stay, and the total cost of hospitalization were also analyzed from the database.Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study conducted using the NIS data from 2003 to 2010. Various patient-related (demographic categories, complications, comorbidities, and median household income) and hospital-related variables (number of beds, high/low case volume, rural/urban location, region, ownership, and teaching status) were analyzed from the database. The adverse discharge disposition, in-hospital mortality, and the higher cost of hospitalization were taken as the dependent variables.Results: A total of 15,545 admissions were identified from the NIS database. The mean patient age was 44.84 ± 19.49 years (mean ± SD), and 7938 (52%) of the patients were male. Regarding discharge disposition, 64.1% (n = 9917) of the patients were discharged to home or self-care, and the overall in-hospital mortality rate was 0.46% (n = 71). The mean total charges for hospitalization increased from $45,452.24 in 2003 to $76,698.96 in 2010. Elderly patients, female sex, black race, and lower income based on ZIP code were the independent predictors of other than routine (OTR) disposition (p < 0.001). Private insurance showed a protective effect against OTR disposition. Patients with a higher comorbidity index (OR 1.908, 95% CI 1.733–2.101; p < 0.001) and with complications (OR 2.214, 95% CI 1.768–2.772; p < 0.001) were more likely to have an adverse discharge disposition. Hospitals with a larger number of beds and those in the Northeast region were independent predictors of the OTR discharge disposition (p < 0.001). Admissions on weekends and nonelective admission had significant influence on the disposition (p < 0.001). Weekend and nonelective admissions were found to be independent predictors of inpatient mortality and the higher cost incurred to the hospitals (p < 0.001). High-volume and large hospitals, West region, and teaching hospitals were also the predictors of higher cost incurred to the hospitals (p < 0.001). The following variables (young patients, higher median household income, nonprivate insurance, presence of complications, and a higher comorbidity index) were significantly correlated with higher hospital charges (p < 0.001), whereas the variables young patients, nonprivate insurance, higher median household income, and higher comorbidity index independently predicted for inpatient mortality (p < 0.001).Conclusions: The independent predictors of adverse discharge disposition were as follows: elderly patients, female sex, black race, lower median household income, nonprivate insurance, higher comorbidity index, presence of complications, larger hospital size, Northeast region, and weekend and nonelective admissions. The predictors of higher cost incurred to the hospitals were as follows: young patients, higher median household income, nonprivate insurance, presence of complications, higher comorbidity index, hospitals with high volume and a large number of beds, West region, teaching hospitals, and weekend and nonelective admissions.