Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Presenting with Seizure due to Cerebrospinal Fluid Leakage after Spinal Surgery

Cerebrospinal fluid leakage may commonly occur during spinal surgeries and it may cause dural tears. These tears may result in hemorrhage in the entire compartments of the brain. Most common site of such hemorrhages are the veins in the cerebellar region. We report a case of hemorrhage, mimicking aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage due to a cerebrospinal fluid leakage following lumbar spinal surgery and discuss the possible mechanisms of action.     

Incidence and Risk Factors for Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis in Breast Cancer Patients with Parenchymal Brain Metastases

Objective

The objective of study is to evaluate the incidence of leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LMC) in breast cancer patients with parenchymal brain metastases (PBM) and clinical risk factors for the development of LMC.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 27 patients who had undergone surgical resection (SR) and 156 patients with whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) as an initial treatment for their PBM from breast cancer in our institution and compared the difference of incidence of LMC according to clinical factors. The diagnosis of LMC was made by cerebrospinal fluid cytology and/or magnetic resonance imaging.

Results

A total of 27 patients (14%) in the study population developed LMC at a median of 6.0 months (range, 1.0-50). Ten of 27 patients (37%) developed LMC after SR, whereas 17 of 156 (11%) patients who received WBRT were diagnosed with LMC after the index procedure. The incidence of LMC was significantly higher in the SR group compared with the WBRT group and the hazard ratio was 2.95 (95% confidence interval; 1.33-6.54, p<0.01). Three additional factors were identified in the multivariable analysis : the younger age group (<40 years old), the progressing systemic disease showed significantly increased incidence of LMC, whereas the adjuvant chemotherapy reduce the incidence.

Conclusion

There is an increased risk of LMC after SR for PBM from breast cancer compared with WBRT. The young age (<40) and systemic burden of cancer in terms of progressing systemic disease without adjuvant chemotherapy could be additional risk factors for the development of LMC.     

Reliability of Early Ambulation after Intradural Spine Surgery : Risk Factors and a Preventive Method for Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak Related Complications

ObjectiveCerebrospinal fluid leakage related complications (CLC) occasionally occur after intradural spinal surgery. We sought to investigate the effectiveness of early ambulation after intradural spinal surgery and analyze the risk factors for CLC. MethodsFor this retrospective cohort study, we enrolled 314 patients who underwent intradural spinal surgery at a single institution. The early group contained 79 patients who started ambulation after 1 day of bedrest without position restrictions, while the late group consisted of 235 patients who started ambulation after at least 3 days of bed rest and were limited to the prone position after surgery. In the early group, Prolene 6–0 was used as the dura suture material, while black silk 5–0 was used as the dura suture material in the late group. ResultsThe overall incidence rate of CLC was 10.8%. Significant differences between the early and late groups were identified in the rate of CLC (2.5% vs. 13.6%), surgical repair required (1.3% vs. 7.7%), and length of hospital stay (2.99 vs. 9.29 days) (p<0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that CLC was associated with practices specific to the late group (p=0.011) and the revision surgery (p=0.022). ConclusionUsing Prolene 6–0 as a dura suture material for intradural spinal surgery resulted in lower CLC rates compared to black silk 5–0 sutures despite a shorter bed rest period. Our findings revealed that suture - needle ratio related to dura defect was the most critical factor for CLC. One-day ambulation after primary dura closure using Prolene 6–0 sutures appears to be a cost-effective and safe strategy for intradural spinal surgery.     

Increased Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in the Ventricular Cerebrospinal Fluid as a Predictive Marker for Subsequent Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Infection : A Comparison Study among Hydrocephalic Patients

Objective

The aim of this study is to determine the association between the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers and inflammation, and the predictive value of these CSF biomarkers for subsequent shunt associated infection.

Methods

We obtained CSF samples from the patients with hydrocephalus during ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt operations. Twenty-two patients were enrolled for this study and divided into 3 groups: subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH)-induced hydrocephalus, idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH) and hydrocephalus with a subsequent shunt infection. We analyzed the transforming growth factor-β1, tumor necrosis factor-α, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and total tau in the CSF by performing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The subsequent development of shunt infection was confirmed by the clinical presentations, the CSF parameters and CSF culture from the shunt devices.

Results

The mean VEGF concentration (±standard deviation) in the CSF of the SAH-induced hydrocephalus, INPH and shunt infection groups was 236±138, 237±80 and 627±391 pg/mL, respectively. There was a significant difference among the three groups (p=0.01). Between the SAH-induced hydrocephalus and infection groups and between the INPH and infection groups, there was a significant difference of the VEGF levels (p<0.01). However, the other marker levels did not differ among them.

Conclusion

The present study showed that only the CSF VEGF levels are associated with the subsequent development of shunt infection. Our results suggest that increased CSF VEGF could provide a good condition for bacteria that are introduced at the time of surgery to grow in the brain, rather than reflecting a sequel of bacterial infection before VP shunt.     

Cerebrospinal Fluid Levels of Neuropeptides, Cortisol, and Amino Acids in Patients with Epilepsy

Summary: We measured lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of somatostatin, cholecystokinin, neurotensin, atrial natriuretic factor, vasoactive inhibitory peptide, neuropeptide Y, adrenocorticotrophic hormone, corticotropin releasing hormone, β-endorphin, metenkephalin, cortisol, alanine, glycine, aspartate, glutamate, taurine, and γ-aminobutyric acid in 25 inpatients with epilepsy at known interictal and postictal times and in 11 neurologically normal volunteers. There were no significant differences between interictal or postictal complex partial seizures (CPS), postictal generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTC), and control CSF neuropeptide, cortisol, and amino acid (AA) levels. However, there were nonsignificant trends for CSF levels of several neuropeptides to be increased after CPS and GTC as compared with interictal baseline levels. There were significant correlations between levels of certain CSF neuropeptides or (AAs) and serum antiepileptic drug (AED) levels. Several correlations were noted between CSF levels of AAs, including a correlation between the excitatory neurotransmitters aspartate and glutamate identified only after CPS.     

抗N-甲基-D-天冬氨酸受体脑炎患者的脑脊液指标异常及其与病程相关性分析

目的分析抗N-甲基-D-天冬氨酸受体(NMDAR)脑炎患者脑脊液常规、生化及免疫参数特征,探讨脑脊液指标在诊断及指导治疗该病中的价值。方法收集63例确诊为抗NMDAR脑炎患者的临床资料。检测脑脊液常规、生化及IgG指数、24 h鞘内IgG合成率、寡克隆区带和血脑屏障破坏情况,并对脑脊液指标和临床表现进行分析。结果 63例抗NMDAR脑炎患者脑脊液白细胞计数、蛋白含量增高的比例分别为49.2%和30.2%;24 h鞘内IgG合成率增高、IgG指数增高、寡克隆区带阳性和血脑屏障破坏的比例分别为33.3%、28.6%、28.6%和34.9%。38例(60.3%)脑脊液白细胞升高或寡克隆区带阳性。抗NMDAR脑炎发病1个月脑脊液异常仅为白细胞升高而无寡克隆区带阳性患者的比例显著高于发病1个月者(P0.05);而发病1个月鞘内IgG合成异常患者的比例率显著低于发病1个月患者(P0.05)。脑脊液白细胞计数与检测时的病程时间呈负相关(r=-0.284,P0.05),而脑脊液蛋白水平与检测时的病程时间呈正相关(r=0.308,P0.05)。结论抗NMDAR脑炎存在中枢神经系统的炎症反应,但中国人群中抗NMDAR脑炎患者出现脑脊液异常的比例不高。病程早期脑脊液异常表现以白细胞增多为主,病程中后期以鞘内IgG合成增加、出现寡克隆区带为主,提示抗NMDAR脑炎在不同临床阶段具有不同的脑脊液异常表现。     

ASPECTS、DRAGON和THRIVE评分对我国接受静脉溶栓治疗的急性缺血性卒中患者3个月不良预后的预测价值分析

目的 比较Alberta卒中项目早期CT评分（Alberta stroke program early CT score,ASPECTS）、DRAGON评分和血管事件患者总体健康风险评分（totaled health risks in vascular events score,THRIVE）对我国行静脉溶栓的急性缺血性卒中（acute ischemic stroke,AIS）患者3个月不良预后的预测价值。方法 回顾性连续收集2012年12月-2017年12月在同济大学附属同济医院神经内科急诊入院行静脉溶栓的AIS患者214例的临床资料,并对患者使用ASPECTS、DRAGON和THRIVE量表进行评分。以卒中后3个月临床预后为观察终点,不良预后定义为mRS评分≥3分。应用受试者工作特征（receiver operatingcharacteristic,ROC）曲线分析各评分对3个月不良预后的预测价值,ROC曲线下面积采用C值表示,通过C值比较3个评分的预测价值;应用Hosmer-Lemeshow（H-L）拟合优度[χ 2（P）]检验评价各模型与实际结果的拟合度;应用Spearman相关分析评估实际与预期结局事件的关联程度。结果 最终纳入207例患者,有58例（28%）预后不良。ROC曲线分析,ASPECTS、DRAGON和THRIVE评分对应C值在总体患者分别为0.825、0.800、0.765,在前循环分别为0.850、0.817、0.797,在男性组分别为0.764、0.736、0.697,在女性组分别为0.909、0.878、0.861（均P ﹤0.05）。对ASPECTS、DRAGON和THRIVE评分进行H-L拟合优度检验,各评分对应χ 2（P）值在总体患者分别为4.865、6.758、7.836,在前循环分别为3.932、6.060、4.328,在男性组分别为7.021、6.631、4.647,在女性组分别为2.493、2.972、10.788（均P＞0.05）。对ASPECTS、DRAGON和THRIVE评分进行Spearman相关分析,各评分对应r值在总体患者分别为-0.532、0.473、0.418,在前循环分别为-0.572、0.501、0.471,在男性组分别为-0.427、0.359、0.300,在女性组分别为-0.688、0.626、0.601（均P ﹤0.05）。结论 ASPECTS、DRAGON和THRIVE评分模型都能预测静脉溶栓治疗的AIS患者3个月不良预后风险,其中ASPECTS评分预测诊断价值最高。