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Background Decompressive hemicraniectomy (DHC) has proven efficacious for the treatment of malignant middle cerebral artery infarction (mMCAI) only in patients less than 60 years. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of DHC in patients up to 80. Methods This is a prospective, randomized, controlled trail comparing the outcomes with or without DHC in patients aged 18–80 with mMCAI (ChiCTR–TRC–11001757). The primary outcome measure was the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores at 6 months. The secondary outcome measures included the 6- and 12-month mortality and the mRS scores after 1 year. The prognosis of patients was evaluated independently by two blinded investigators. In addition, subgroup analyses were done for those above 60 years of age. All analyses were by intention-to-treat. Results A significant reduction in the poor outcome (mRS > 4) following DHC was reached after 36 patients had completed the follow-up period of 6 months. The trial was then terminated when 47 participants (24 in the surgical group vs. 23 in the medical group) had been recruited. The final analysis, based on the outcome data of the 47 patients, showed that DHC significantly reduced mortality at 6 and 12 months (12.5 vs. 60.9 %, P  = 0.001 and 16.7 vs. 69.6 %, P  < 0.001, respectively), and significantly fewer patients had a mRS score >4 after surgery (33.3 vs. 82.6 %, P  = 0.001 and 25.0 vs. 87.0 %, P  < 0.001, respectively). Similar results were present in the subgroup analyses of elderly participants Conclusions For patients up to 80 years who suffered mMCAI, DHC within 48 h of stroke onset not only is a life-saving treatment, but also increases the possibility of surviving without severe disability (mRS = 5).

Background Intracranial meningiomas(IM) are often associated with peritumoral brain edema(PTBE), visible as hyperintensities on T2/FLAIR MRI. Postoperative persisting PTBE-like changes likely represent gliosis that, in turn, contributes to surgical morbidity. Since the human eye is unable to distinguish between PTBE and gliosis on MR images, we hypothesized that radiomic analysis of preoperative peritumoral T2/FLAIR hyperintensities could distinguish preoperatively established gliosis from reversible edema. Methods MRI of patients with gross totally resected IM were retrospectively analyzed. Preoperative and 1-year postoperative PTBE were segmented on MRI. One-year MRI were classified into two categories based on whether PTBE resolution exceeded 80% of the initial volume. RF were extracted from meningioma and PTBE regions on T1-contrast-enhanced, T2, and FLAIR MRI sequences. The dataset was split into training, validation, and test cohorts(70–10-20%). Feature reduction used correlation-based exclusion and recursive feature elimination with cross-validation. Nine ML algorithms were trained and evaluated, and best model’s interpretability assessed using Shapley Additive Explanations(SHAP). Results 644 RF were extracted per individual from the pre and postoperative MRI of 123 operated patients. The Random Forest model utilizing 10 RF achieved the best performance (accuracy:0.91;precision:0.92;F1-score:0.92;ROC-AUC:0.94), demonstrating radiomics’ utility in predicting PTBE resolution at 1-year post-surgery. SHAP analysis provided interpretability, highlighting key RF, differences between patient groups, and potential sources of algorithmic error. Conclusions These results underscore the potential of radiomics and ML to accurately predict postoperative PTBE resolution, differentiating transient PTBE from persistent PTBE-like changes (gliosis). This study provides initial insights into the potential of advanced imaging and computational techniques for non-invasive preoperative assessment, which may contribute to more personalized surgical strategies.

Sphenoid wing meningiomas (SWMs) often cause occlusion or stenosis of the superficial middle cerebral vein (SMCV) by tumor compression. This study aimed to analyze the correlation between SMCV compression and peritumoral brain edema (PTBE) in SWM patients and to clarify the importance of surgical preservation of the SMCV in SWM surgery. This retrospective study included 31 patients who underwent surgery for SWM at our institution from April 2011 to March 2022. Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, PTBE size, and SMCV patency before and after surgery were evaluated using preoperative and postoperative MRI or digital subtraction angiography. Of the 31 patients, 24 (77.4 %) exhibited PTBE, with varying degrees of severity: mild (32.3 %), moderate (25.8 %), and severe (41.9 %). Preoperative MRI showed SMCV patency in 14 patients (45.2 %) and SMCV compression in 17 patients (54.8 %). There was a significant association between PTBE severity and SMCV compression (p = 0.002). Postoperatively, SMCV recanalization was observed in 4 out of 16 patients (25.0 %) with preoperative SMCV compression. These patients had significantly smaller tumors (p = 0.013) and larger preoperative PTBE volumes (p = 0.042) compared to those without recanalization. Our study demonstrates a significant correlation between SMCV compression and severe PTBE in SWM patients. A subset of patients showed postoperative SMCV recanalization, particularly those with smaller tumors and more pronounced PTBE. These findings highlight the importance of SMCV preservation during SWM surgery to potentially improve postoperative outcomes. •Sphenoid wing meningioma often cause compression to superficial middle cerebral vein.•Venous compression correlate with severe brain edema in sphenoid wing meningioma.•Postoperative venous recanalization observed in smaller tumors with severe edema.•Venous preserving strategy may improve outcomes in sphenoid wing meningioma surgery.

PurposeProgressive cerebral edema with refractory intracranial hypertension (ICP) requiring decompressive hemicraniectomy (DHC) is a severe manifestation of early brain injury (EBI) after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). The purpose of the study was to investigate whether a more pronounced cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage has an influence on cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) and the extent of EBI after aSAH.MethodsPatients with aSAH and indication for ICP-monitoring admitted to our center between 2012 and 2020 were retrospectively included. EBI was categorized based on intracranial blood burden, persistent loss of consciousness, and SEBES (Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Early Brain Edema Score) score on the third day after ictus. The draining CSF and vital signs such as ICP and CPP were documented daily.Results90 out of 324 eligible aSAH patients (28%) were included. The mean age was 54.2 ± 11.9 years. DHC was performed in 24% (22/90) of patients. Mean CSF drainage within 72 h after ictus was 168.5 ± 78.5 ml. A higher CSF drainage within 72 h after ictus correlated with a less severe EBI and a less frequent need for DHC (r=-0.33, p = 0.001) and with a higher mean CPP on day 3 after ictus (r = 0.2351, p = 0.02).ConclusionA more pronounced CSF drainage in the first 3 days of aSAH was associated with higher CPP and a less severe course of EBI and required less frequently a DHC. These results support the hypothesis that an early and pronounced CSF drainage may facilitate blood clearance and positively influence the course of EBI.

Resection of large anterior midline skull base meningiomas with extensive peritumoral edema poses high risks due to postoperative edema decompensation leading to increased intracranial pressure. Initial craniectomy prevents intracranial pressure decompensation but requires secondary cranioplasty. This study compares single-stage osteoplastic craniotomy with tumor resection to a two-stage approach using bifrontal craniectomy, tumor resection and subsequent cranioplasty after edema recovery in a second surgical step. Patients with large anterior midline skull base meningiomas (> 50 mm) and extensive peritumoral edema were included. Group 1 underwent single-stage resection (2002–2016), while Group 2 had a two-stage approach (2012–2022). The primary outcome was the Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) at three months post-surgery. Secondary outcomes included preoperative KPS, KPS at discharge and last follow-up, ICU stay, hospital stay length and complication rates. A total of 25 patients were analyzed (Group 1: n  = 9; Group 2: n  = 16). Group 2 demonstrated significantly improved KPS at three months postoperatively (median KPS 70% vs. 50%; p  = 0.0204) with a non-significant reduction in ICU stay (10 vs. 6.5 days; p  = 0.3284). Although no significant differences were observed in KPS at discharge (Group 1: KPS 30% vs. Group 2: KPS 50%; p  = 0.1829) or last follow-up (Group 1: KPS 60% vs. Group 2: KPS 80%; p  = 0.1630), Group 2 patients required fewer postoperative interventions for complications unrelated to cranioplasty. Overall complication rates were comparable in both groups (Group 1: 67% vs. Group 2: 56%; p  = 0.6274). Two-stage resection of large anterior midline skull base meningiomas with extensive edema provides superior clinical outcomes at three months postoperatively without increasing overall complication rates. These findings support the use of a two-stage surgical strategy for highly selected patients. However, further multicenter studies are warranted to validate these results in larger cohorts.

Abstract Severe ischemic stroke carries a high rate of disability and death. The severity of stroke is often assessed by the degree of neurological deficits or the extent of brain infarct, defined as severe stroke and large infarction, respectively. Critically severe stroke is a life-threatening condition that requires neurocritical care or neurosurgical intervention, which includes stroke with malignant brain edema, a leading cause of death during the acute phase, and stroke with severe complications of other vital systems. Early prediction of high-risk patients with critically severe stroke would inform early prevention and treatment to interrupt the malignant course to fatal status. Selected patients with severe stroke could benefit from intravenous thrombolysis and endovascular treatment in improving functional outcome. There is insufficient evidence to inform dual antiplatelet therapy and the timing of anticoagulation initiation after severe stroke. Decompressive hemicraniectomy (DHC) <48 h improves survival in patients aged <60 years with large hemispheric infarction. Studies are ongoing to provide evidence to inform more precise prediction of malignant brain edema, optimal indications for acute reperfusion therapies and neurosurgery, and the individualized management of complications and secondary prevention. We present an evidence-based review for severe ischemic stroke, with the aims of proposing operational definitions, emphasizing the importance of early prediction and prevention of the evolution to critically severe status, summarizing specialized treatment for severe stroke, and proposing directions for future research.

Serum biomarkers are associated with hemorrhagic transformation and brain edema after cerebral infarction. However, whether serum biomarkers predict hemorrhagic transformation in large vessel occlusion stroke even after mechanical thrombectomy, which has become widely used, remains uncertain. In this prospective study, we enrolled patients with large vessel occlusion stroke in the anterior circulation. We analyzed 91 patients with serum samples obtained on admission. The levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), amyloid precursor protein (APP) 770, endothelin-1, S100B, and claudin-5 were measured. We examined the association between serum biomarkers and hemorrhagic transformation within one week. Fifty-four patients underwent mechanical thrombectomy, and 17 patients developed relevant hemorrhagic transformation (rHT, defined as hemorrhagic changes ≥ hemorrhagic infarction type 2). Neither MMP-9 (no rHT: 46 ± 48 vs. rHT: 15 ± 4 ng/mL, P = 0.30), APP770 (80 ± 31 vs. 85 ± 8 ng/mL, P = 0.53), endothelin-1 (7.0 ± 25.7 vs. 2.0 ± 2.1 pg/mL, P = 0.42), S100B (13 ± 42 vs. 12 ± 15 pg/mL, P = 0.97), nor claudin-5 (1.7 ± 2.3 vs. 1.9 ± 1.5 ng/mL, P = 0.68) levels on admission were associated with subsequent rHT. When limited to patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy, the level of claudin-5 was higher in patients with rHT than in those without (1.2 ± 1.0 vs. 2.1 ± 1.7 ng/mL, P = 0.0181). APP770 levels were marginally higher in patients with a midline shift ≥ 5 mm than in those without (79 ± 29 vs. 97 ± 41 ng/mL, P = 0.084). The predictive role of serum biomarkers has to be reexamined in the mechanical thrombectomy era because some previously reported serum biomarkers may not predict hemorrhagic transformation, whereas the level of APP770 may be useful for predicting brain edema.

PurposeTo assess the association of peritumoral brain edema (PTBE) with postoperative outcome in old (≥ 80 years) meningioma patients.MethodsAll supratentorial meningioma patients (≥ 80 years old) who underwent surgery between 2010 and 2018 were retrospectively identified. Patients were classified into poor (≤ 40), intermediate (50–70), or good (≥ 80) preoperative Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) subgroups. Outcome was evaluated at 3 months and at last follow-up within the first year after surgery, and categorized as improved, stable, or deteriorated. Three-dimensional volumetric assessment of tumor and PTBE volume was conducted. Volumes were categorized as small (< 10 cm3), medium (10–50 cm3), large (> 50 cm3).ResultsSeventy-two patients (mean age 83 ± 3 years, median 83; median follow-up 3 years) were included. The mean tumor volume was 39 ± 31 cm3 (median 27), and mean PTBE volume was 57 ± 79 cm3 (median 27). The mean preoperative KPS and at last follow-up was 58 ± 16 (median 60) and 59 ± 30 (median 70). Thirty-three patients were classified as improved, 16 as stable, and 23 deteriorated; eleven patients died within the first year. Large PTBE volume was more common for patients with poor preoperative status (p = 0.001). However, patients with large PTBE and poor preoperative status improved most frequently following surgery (p = 0.037 at 3 months, p = 0.074 at last follow-up). Large PTBE volume was not associated with treatment-associated complications (p = 0.538) or mortality (p = 0.721). A decision support tool to predict outcome was developed (p = 0.038).ConclusionElderly patients with large PTBE volumes usually had a poor preoperative performance status, but appeared to benefit most often from surgery.

Although biopsies and tumor resection are prognostically beneficial for glioblastomas (GBM), potential negative effects have also been suggested. Here, using retrospective study of patients and intravital imaging of mice, we identify some of these negative aspects, including stimulation of proliferation and migration of non-resected tumor cells, and provide a strategy to prevent these adverse effects. By repeated high-resolution intravital microscopy, we show that biopsy-like injury in GBM induces migration and proliferation of tumor cells through chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL-2)-dependent recruitment of macrophages. Blocking macrophage recruitment or administrating dexamethasone, a commonly used glucocorticoid to prevent brain edema in GBM patients, suppressed the observed inflammatory response and subsequent tumor growth upon biopsy both in mice and in multifocal GBM patients. Taken together, our study suggests that inhibiting CCL-2-dependent recruitment of macrophages may further increase the clinical benefits from surgical and biopsy procedures.

Space occupying cerebral edema is a feared complication after large ischemic stroke, occurring in up to 30% of patients with middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion and peaking 2–4 days after injury. Little is known about the factors and outcomes associated with peak edema timing, especially after 96 h. We aimed to characterize differences and compare discharge status between patients who experienced maximum midline shift (MLS) or decompressive hemicraniectomy (DHC) in the acute (< 48 h), average (48–96 h), and subacute (> 96 h) groups. We performed a two-center, retrospective study of patients with ≥ 1/2 MCA territory infarct and MLS. We constructed a multivariable model to test the association of subacute peak edema and favorable discharge status, adjusting for various confounders. Of 321 eligible patients, 32%, 36%, and 32% experienced acute, average, and subacute peak edema. Subacute peak edema was significantly associated with higher odds of favorable discharge than acute peak edema (aOR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.03–4.11). Subacute peak edema after large MCA stroke is associated with better discharge status compared to acute peak edema courses. Understanding how the timing of cerebral edema affects risk of unfavorable discharge has important implications for treatment decisions and prognostication.