Multidisciplinary neurosurgical rounds incorporating antimicrobial stewardship. Are they of benefit?

Background: In an era of increasing antimicrobial resistance, appropriate antimicrobials are essential to optimise patient outcomes. In 2017, antimicrobial use prevalence (AMU) on the two neurosurgical wards in our tertiary teaching hospital varied from 23% on ward A to 33% on ward B with 67% and 100% 'appropriate' prescriptions, respectively. In July 2018, a weekly antimicrobial stewardship multidisciplinary round led by a senior neurosurgery registrar commenced, attended by the antimicrobial stewardship team (AST).

Group B Streptoccocal Meningitis and Ventriculo-peritoneal Shunts.

There is no available Irish data on the rate of Ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunt insertion in infants with group B streptococcus (GBS) meningitis. We performed a retrospective case series of 40 infants with GBS meningitis over 6 years. Four (10%) infants required insertion of VP shunt for hydrocephalus.

Unilateral abducens and bilateral facial nerve palsies associated with posterior fossa exploration surgery.

Multiple cranial nerves palsies following a posterior fossa exploration confined to an extradural compartment is a rare clinical presentation. This case report describes a young man who developed a unilateral abducens and bilateral facial nerve palsies following a posterior fossa exploration confined to an extradural compartment. There are different theories to explain this presentation, but the exact mechanism remains unclear.

Routine cerebrospinal fluid analysis during 'de novo' ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion: Single Institution Experience.

Background Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sampling is performed during ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunting procedure surgery for early detection of infection. We have performed a retrospective study to determine whether routine intraoperative CSF sampling at new VP shunt insertion has predicted shunt infection or changed subsequent surveillance or management. Method From January 2011 to December 2013, 99 patients underwent first time VP shunt insertion at our hospital.

Holoprosencephaly: antenatal and postnatal diagnosis and outcome.

Objectives: The objectives of this study are to ascertain the clinical outcome and overall survival of holoprosencephaly (HPE) patients diagnosed antenatally and postnatally, to determine the accuracy of antenatal diagnosis and to determine the role of neurosurgical intervention in HPE.

Design: This is a retrospective review over a 10-year period.

Patients: Sixty-three patients were included in the study, 45 were diagnosed by antenatal radiological imaging and 18 were diagnosed by postnatal radiological imaging.

The natural history of neural tube defects in the setting of an Irish tertiary referral foetal medicine unit.

Neural tube defects (NTDs) carry a heavy burden for affected individuals and their family. Physical and neurological outcome measures may help in counselling couples. The aim of this audit was to review all cases of NTDs seen at a tertiary referral foetal medicine unit.

Suprasellar pilocytic astrocytoma: one national centre's experience.

Introduction: Pilocytic astrocytomas in the supratentorial compartment make up 20 % of all brain tumours in children with only 5 % of these arising in the suprasellar region. Optic pathway gliomas or suprasellar gliomas are often seen in neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) patients. Given their location, suprasellar pilocytic astrocytomas are challenging to manage surgically with high morbidity rates from surgical resection.

ETV as a last resort.

Introduction: The field of neuroendoscopy is rapidly expanding with increasing indications for endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV).

Discussion: As a treatment for hydrocephalus, ETV has the advantage of providing a more physiological cerebrospinal fluid diversion without shunt hardware which reduces the risk of recurrent infection and malfunction. The success rate of ETV has been increasing with decreasing morbidity and mortality.

Routine preoperative blood testing in pediatric neurosurgery.

Object: The frequency with which routine preoperative blood test results predict perioperative or postoperative complications is insignificant. The unnecessary ordering of routine tests increases the financial costs and patients' distress. The authors evaluated the effects of routine preoperative testing on patient management and the overall financial costs.

The open fontanelle: a window to less radiation.

Introduction: Over the years, there has been increasing awareness of the radiation doses from medical investigation and treatment modalities and the long-term effect of this radiation. In no other patient population is this more of an issue than in the paediatric population who are more radiosensitive and have a longer life span in which to express any negative effects of radiation. In children under the age of one, the anterior fontanelle is an acoustic window to intracranial structures allowing for the use of cranial ultrasound (CRUSS) instead of CT.

Central brain herniation in shunted Dandy Walker cyst.

Introduction: Dandy-Walker Syndrome (DWS) is a constellation of congenital anomalies of the central nervous system consisting of cerebellar vermis hypoplasia or agenesis, cystic dilatation of the fourth ventricle, enlarged posterior fossa, and a high tentorium. Hydrocephalus is a common occurrence in DWS and its treatment varies between shunting-ventriculoperitoneal or cystoperitoneal or both, endoscopic cyst fenestration, and third ventriculostomy. Chronic cerebral herniation is a known complication of treatment in DWS; however, we present an unusual case of central brain herniation.