Background: Despite a paucity of evidence or literature to support routine in-hospital post-operative radiographs (POXR) of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) surgery, it remains accepted practice. Most spinal surgeons consider it part of their standard post-operative routine for ACDF despite nearly always documenting a 'satisfactory intra-operative image' at the end of the operation. With an increasing financial pressure on NHS resources, our investigations should be clinically justified and evidence-based. Purpose: To evaluate whether a post-operative radiograph of the cervical spine before discharge is either clinically justified or cost-effective in patients who have undergone an ACDF, despite having satisfactory intra-operative imaging. Design: A retrospective review of 101 consecutive ACDF patients of radiographs performed before discharge, associated length of inpatient stay, and any complications involved. Methods: A retrospective review was performed of 101 ACDF patients who had single or multi-level instrumentation for degenerative spinal disease from a single neurosurgical centre from all surgeons. Seventy-eight had an in-hospital post-operative anteroposterior (AP) and lateral radiograph, 23 did not. In 95 of these, it was documented that there was 'satisfactory intra-operative imaging' before the closure of skin, six lacked documentation of this. All patients had intra-operative imaging of completed instrumentation on the radiology system. Any post-operative complications were noted, and the length of hospital stay (LOS) was recorded. Six patients underwent ACDF following trauma, therefore leaving 95 elective cases. Study parameters also included: number of levels operated on, whether or not a plate was used with a cage, hospital costings for 2-view imaging and additional days of inpatient stay. Results There was one out of our 101 patients where the post-operative radiograph confirmed unsatisfactory placement of metalwork and warranted a return to surgery. However, the decision to perform this x-ray was based purely on the deteriorating post-operative clinical picture. In the cohort that had POXR's, the average length of stay was 66.7 hours. Without POXR, it was 21 hours. The additional cost to the trust of performing the in-hospital radiographs was calculated to be £71,523 per year. Conclusion: In patients who undergo ACDF surgery with an uneventful post-operative course and have satisfactory intra-operative imaging, in-hospital post-operative radiographs serve no clinical purpose and delay discharge. This gives additional cost to the trust, unnecessary radiation exposure and occupies potential bedspace.

Introduction: Gliomas are the most common primary malignant intraparenchymal brain tumors with a dismal prognosis. With growing advances in artificial intelligence, machine learning and deep learning models are being utilized for preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative neurological decision-making. We aimed to compile published literature in one format and evaluate the quality of level 1a evidence currently available. Methodology: Using PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive literature search was conducted within databases including Medline, Scopus, and Cochrane Library, and records with the application of artificial intelligence in glioma management were included. The AMSTAR 2 tool was used to assess the quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses by two independent researchers. Results: From 812 studies, 23 studies were included. AMSTAR II appraised most reviews as either low or critically low in quality. Most reviews failed to deliver in critical domains related to the exclusion of studies, appropriateness of meta-analytical methods, and assessment of publication bias. Similarly, compliance was lowest in non-critical areas related to study design selection and the disclosure of funding sources in individual records. Evidence is moderate to low in quality in reviews on multiple neuro-oncological applications, low quality in glioma diagnosis and individual molecular markers like MGMT promoter methylation status, IDH, and 1p19q identification, and critically low in tumor segmentation, glioma grading, and multiple molecular markers identification. Conclusion: AMSTAR 2 is a robust tool to identify high-quality systematic reviews. There is a paucity of high-quality systematic reviews on the utility of artificial intelligence in glioma management, with some demonstrating critically low quality. Therefore, caution must be exercised when drawing inferences from these results

Collaboration and successful teamworking are important components of clinical practise, and these skills should be cultivated early in medical school. The breadth of current medical school curricula means that students often have limited exposure to clinical neurosciences. Since its inception in 2009, the Neurology and Neurosurgery Interest Group (NANSIG) has become a national (UK and Republic of Ireland) example of student and junior doctor synergistic collaboration to deliver educational materials, research, conferences, seminars and workshops, as well as advocating for diversity in this field. Recently, it has expanded to incorporate an international audience and cater for a larger group of young medical professionals. The organisation has overcome numerous challenges and is constantly innovating new approaches to harness the necessary knowledge, skills and network to succeed in a career in neurosciences, neurology and neurosurgery. This article summarises the initiatives undertaken by the group over its first 10 years of existence and its organisational structure, as well as its future plans.

Objective: The objective of this review is to qualitatively appraise the available literature to evaluate the efficacy of circulatory systemic oxidative stress markers (OSMx) in determining the diagnosis and outcome of TBI. Methods: A systematic review was conducted of PubMed/Medline, Embase and Google Scholar databases per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) for studies which employed serum or plasma OSMx analysis for diagnostic or prognostic purposes in patients with TBI. Results: Eight studies were included. There were 654 patients across the eight studies, of which 518 (79.2%) patients had sustained a TBI. The heterogeneity between studies in terms of OSMxs analyzed ultimately made collective analysis inappropriate. Nevertheless, several studies highlighted the potential role of circulatory OSMx levels in determining the diagnosis (presence and severity) and prognosis (functional outcome and mortality) of TBI. Conclusion: The care for patients with TBI remains a complex clinical challenge with a high morbidity and mortality profile. Evidenced by this review, circulatory OSMxs appear to have the potential to supplement current diagnostic measures, in addition to identifying new treatment strategies and monitoring recovery. Despite early promise, the evidence for such markers remains in its infancy and robust prospective studies are needed.

Lithium is a psychotropic drug used primarily in the treatment of bipolar disorder. It is renally excreted and characteristically causes nephrogenic diabetes insipidus as an adverse drug reaction. Lithium also requires serum level monitoring as there is a narrow therapeutic window and untreated toxicity can result in neurological sequelae including drowsiness, coma, seizures, and ultimately death. We present the case of a 65-year old man admitted for pituitary surgery complicated by post-operative difficult fluid management and subsequent lithium toxicity. We highlight this rare situation and the need to be vigilant in the peri-operative period with any patients on lithium who undergo pituitary surgery.

Background: The T2-FLAIR mismatch sign is an imaging correlate for isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-mutant 1p19q non-codeleted astrocytomas. However, it is only seen in a part of the cases at certain stages. Many of the tumors likely lose T2 homogeneity as they grow in size, and become heterogenous. The aim of this study was to investigate the timecourse of T2-FLAIR mismatch sign, and assess intratumoral heterogeneity using multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging techniques. Methods: A total of 128 IDH-mutant gliomas were retrospectively analyzed. Observers blinded to molecular status used strict criteria to select T2-FLAIR mismatch astrocytomas. Pre-biopsy and follow-up standard structural sequences of T2, FLAIR and apparent diffusion coefficient, MR spectroscopy (both single- and multi-voxel techniques), and DSC perfusion were observed. Results: Nine T2-FLAIR mismatch astrocytomas were identified. 7 had MR spectroscopy and perfusion data. The smallest astrocytomas began as rounded T2 homogeneous lesions without FLAIR suppression, and developed T2-FLAIR mismatch during follow-up with falls in NAA and raised Cho/Cr ratio. Larger tumors at baseline with T2-FLAIR mismatch signs developed intratumoral heterogeneity, and showed elevated Cho/Cr ratio and raised relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV). The highest levels of intratumoral Cho/Cr and rCBV changes were located within the tumor core, and this area signifies the progression of the tumors toward high grade. Conclusions: T2-FLAIR mismatch sign is seen at a specific stage in the development of astrocytoma. By assessing the subsequent heterogeneity, MR spectroscopy and perfusion imaging are able to predict the progression of the tumor towards high grade, thereby can assist targeting for biopsy and selective debulking. Keywords: 1p19q non-codeleted astrocytoma; IDH mutant; T2-FLAIR mismatch; intratumoral heterogeneity; spectroscopy.

Objective: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunting in idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is associated with high complication rates, primarily because of the technical challenges that are related to small ventricles and a large body habitus. In this study, the authors report the benefits of a standardized protocol for CSF shunting in patients with IIH as relates to shunt revisions. Methods: This was a retrospective study of consecutive patients with IIH who had undergone primary insertion of a CSF shunt between January 2014 and December 2020 at the authors' hospital. In July 2019, they implemented a surgical protocol for shunting in IIH. This protocol recommended IIH shunt insertion by neurosurgeons with expertise in CSF disorders, a frontal ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt with an adjustable gravitational valve and integrated intracranial pressure monitoring device, frameless stereotactic insertion of the ventricular catheter, and laparoscopic insertion of the peritoneal catheter. Thirty-day revision rates before and after implementation of the protocol were compared in order to assess the impact of standardizing shunting for IIH on shunt complications. Results: The 81 patients included in the study were predominantly female (93%), with a mean age of 31 years at primary surgery and mean body mass index (BMI) of 37 kg/m2. Forty-five patients underwent primary surgery prior to implementation of the protocol and 36 patients after. Overall, 12 (15%) of 81 patients needed CSF shunt revision in the first 30 days, 10 before and 2 after introduction of the protocol. This represented a significant reduction in the early revision rate from 22% to 6% after the protocol (p = 0.036). The most common cause of shunt revision for the whole cohort was migration or misplacement of the peritoneal catheter, occurring in 6 of the 12 patients. Patients with a higher BMI were significantly more likely to have a shunt revision within 30 days (p = 0.022). Conclusions: The Birmingham standardized IIH shunt protocol resulted in a significant reduction in revisions within 30 days of primary shunt surgery in patients with IIH. The authors recommend standardization for shunting in IIH as a method for improving surgical outcomes. They support the notion of subspecialization for IIH shunts, the use of a frontal VP shunt with sophisticated technology, and laparoscopic insertion of the peritoneal end.

Background: Endovascular techniques are becoming more common for cerebral aneurysms, but not all patients are suitable and open surgery is necessary for some. The traditional pterional approach requires a large craniotomy and this carries some morbidity in itself. With the growing expectation for minimally invasive surgery, we present our experience in supraorbital mini-craniotomy for good grade aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage. Methods: Data on good-grade subarachnoid haemorrhage patients having aneurysms clipped via this approach were collected prospectively. Aneurysms at all anterior circulation sites were included, with the exception of the pericallosal artery, which was not within reach. A long-term follow-up questionnaire was sent to patients who had a supraorbital approach to clip the aneurysm at more than 1 year from hospital discharge. Results: Our results demonstrate mortality of 1% and severe residual disability in 10% of patients. Approach-related complications were low and it was considered that the operating space was not restricted in any of our cases. Return to work was achieved in 70% of patients who were working at the time of their haemorrhage. Conclusions: Supraorbital micro-craniotomy is a safe approach for patients with proximal anterior circulation aneurysms, with low mortality and morbidity.

Background: Craniosynostosis is a birth defect involving premature cranial sutures' fusion with an increasing prevalence and unknown underlying causes in nearly 80% of cases. The current study investigates a series of high-risk factors associated with a non-syndromic craniosynostosis. Methods: Ninety-seven (97) children were included in the retrospective case-control study, 62 controls and 35 with craniosynostosis. A questionnaire with 143 questions was used in face-to-face interviews. After univariate analyses, stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis was implemented. Results: In craniosynostosis group, 3 out of 4 were male subjects and 2 out of 3 born with caesarian section. History for central nervous system abnormalities in their younger siblings, low birth weight, extended use of mobile phone from the parents and medications' use differed significantly between craniosynostosis and control group. After adjustment for all factors, only maternal medication use (aOR 6,1 [2.1 - 19], CI 95%) and oral progesterone intake (aOR 4 [1.2 - 14], CI 95%) were significantly associated with an increased risk in craniosynostosis group. Conclusion: The maternal medications' use and particular oral progesterone intake is associated with an increased risk for non-syndromic craniosynostosis. However, due to the study's limitations, further research is warranted.

No abstract available