Detecting Tumor-Associated Intracranial Hemorrhage Using Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy.

Intracranial hemorrhage associated with primary or metastatic brain tumors is a critical condition that requires urgent intervention, often through open surgery. Nevertheless, surgical interventions may not always be feasible due to two main reasons: (1) extensive hemorrhage can obscure the underlying tumor mass, limiting radiological assessment; and (2) intracranial hemorrhage may occasionally present as the first symptom of a brain tumor without prior knowledge of its existence. The current review of case studies suggests that advanced radiological imaging techniques can improve diagnostic power for tumoral hemorrhage.

Surgical management of symptomatic recurrent Rathke's cleft cysts: A systematic review and individual-participant data meta-analysis.

The optimal management of symptomatic recurrent Rathke's cleft cysts (RCCs) is unclear. Here, we compared the outcomes of various surgical approaches for symptomatic recurrent RCCs. PubMed and Embase were systematically reviewed for studies that reported individual-participant data on outcomes after surgical treatment for symptomatic recurrent RCCs presenting with headache and/or visual field defect.

The effect of frailty on mortality and functional outcomes in spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage.

Introduction: Limited data in patients with spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage (SICH) showed that frailty was associated with mortality; however, there was insufficient data on functional outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the effect of frailty on overall mortality and 90-day functional outcomes in SICH.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of 1223 patients diagnosed with SICH from January 2014 to December 2020.

Evaluation of ex vivo drug combination optimization platform in recurrent high grade astrocytic glioma: An interventional, non-randomized, open-label trial protocol.

Introduction: High grade astrocytic glioma (HGG) is a lethal solid malignancy with high recurrence rates and limited survival. While several cytotoxic agents have demonstrated efficacy against HGG, drug sensitivity testing platforms to aid in therapy selection are lacking. Patient-derived organoids (PDOs) have been shown to faithfully preserve the biological characteristics of several cancer types including HGG, and coupled with the experimental-analytical hybrid platform Quadratic Phenotypic Optimization Platform (QPOP) which evaluates therapeutic sensitivity at a patient-specific level, may aid as a tool for personalized medical decisions to improve treatment outcomes for HGG patients.

Effect of psoas muscle index on early postoperative outcomes in surgically treated spinal tumours in an Asian population.

Background: Sarcopenia has been purported to be a pre-operative risk factor that affects patient outcomes in oncological surgery, but no study as of yet has investigated the effect of sarcopenia in patients with spinal tumours. Psoas muscle measurements, including the psoas muscle index (PMI), are an objective way to determine sarcopenia.

Objectives: We investigated if PMI could predict post-operative outcomes (length of hospital stay and post-operative complications) in surgically treated spinal tumour patients in a multi-ethnic Asian population.

METTL8 links mt-tRNA mC modification to the HIF1α/RTK/Akt axis to sustain GBM stemness and tumorigenicity.

Epitranscriptomic RNA modifications are crucial for the maintenance of glioma stem cells (GSCs), the most malignant cells in glioblastoma (GBM). 3-methylcytosine (mC) is a new epitranscriptomic mark on RNAs and METTL8 represents an mC writer that is dysregulated in cancer. Although METTL8 has an established function in mitochondrial tRNA (mt-tRNA) mC modification, alternative splicing of METTL8 can also generate isoforms that localize to the nucleolus where they may regulate R-loop formation.

Effect of sarcopenia and frailty on outcomes among patients with brain metastases.

Purpose: Sarcopenia and frailty have been associated with increased mortality and duration of hospitalization in cancer. However, data investigating these effects in patients with brain metastases remain limited. This study aimed to investigate the effects of sarcopenia and frailty on clinical outcomes in patients with surgically treated brain metastases.

Prognostication of Outcomes in Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis with Support Vector Machine.

Objective: The role of surgery in spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) remains controversial. We aimed to use explainable machine learning (ML) combined with propensity-score matching to investigate the effects of surgery and identify subgroups of patients with SICH who may benefit from surgery in an interpretable fashion.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of a cohort of 282 patients aged ≥21 years with SICH.

Outcomes after surgical revascularization for adult Moyamoya disease: A Southeast Asian tertiary centre experience.

There are numerous studies on the natural history and outcomes of adult Moyamoya disease (MMD) in the literature, but limited data from Southeast Asian cohorts. Hence, we aimed to retrospectively review the clinical characteristics and outcomes after surgical revascularization for adult MMD in our Southeast Asian cohort. Patients were included if they were above 18 years old at the first surgical revascularization for MMD, and underwent surgery between 2012 and 2022 at the National University Hospital, Singapore.

Management of first recurrence or progression of craniopharyngioma after resection alone: A systematic review and individual-participant data meta-analysis.

The initial management of craniopharyngioma is generally either gross total resection (GTR) or subtotal resection (STR) with adjuvant radiotherapy (RT). However, the optimal management strategy for recurrent/progressive craniopharyngioma remains unclear. In this systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis, we aimed to compare the outcomes of surgery and/or RT for the first recurrence/progression of craniopharyngioma after resection alone.

Trends in hemorrhagic stroke incidence and mortality in a National Stroke Registry of a multi-ethnic Asian population.

Introduction: High-quality epidemiological data on hemorrhagic stroke (HS) and its subtypes, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), remains limited in Asian ethnicities. We investigated the trends in HS incidence and 30-day mortality from 2005 to 2019 in a multi-ethnic Asian population from a national registry.

Patients And Methods: Data on all stroke cases from the Singapore Stroke Registry from 2005 to 2019 were collected.

Ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes in young adults: Comparison of functional outcomes and return to work after stroke.

Background: Functional recovery and return to work (RTW) after stroke are important rehabilitation goals that have significant impact on quality of life. Comparisons of functional outcomes and RTW between ischemic stroke (IS) and hemorrhagic stroke (HS), especially among young adults with stroke, have either been limited or yielded inconsistent results. We aimed to assess functional outcomes and ability to RTW in young adults with IS and HS, specifically primary spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage (SICH).

Effect of blood type on mortality among patients with brain metastases.

Objective: ABO blood type has been associated with mortality among patients with cancer, but this association has thus far not been investigated among patients with brain metastases. Hence, we aimed to investigate the association between ABO blood type and mortality among patients who underwent surgical resection of brain metastases.

Methods: A single-center retrospective study of patients who underwent surgical resection of brain metastases between 2011 and 2019 was conducted.

Antiplatelet therapy in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: an updated meta-analysis.

Antiplatelet therapy (AT) may serve to reduce the effects of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH)-induced pro-coagulant state in the cerebral circulation. Several studies, however, have delivered conflicting conclusions on the efficacy of AT post aSAH. Systematic searches of Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Central were undertaken on 27th March 2023.

Management and Outcomes of Pediatric Craniopharyngioma: A 15-Year Experience in Singapore.

Background: Craniopharyngiomas arise from the Rathke pouch and account for 1.2%-18.4% of pediatric primary brain tumors.

Postsurgical outcomes of nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas: a patient-level meta-analysis.

Background: Surgical resection is the main treatment for symptomatic nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFPA). We aimed to analyze the impact of surgical approach, completeness of resection, and postoperative radiotherapy on long-term progression-free survival (PFS) of NFPA, using individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis.

Methods: An electronic literature searched was conducted on PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science from database inception to 6 November 2022.

The role of intracranial pressure variability as a predictor of intracranial hypertension and mortality in critically ill patients.

Objective: Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is a widely utilized and essential tool for tracking neurosurgical patients, but there are limitations to the use of a solely ICP-based paradigm for guiding management. It has been suggested that ICP variability (ICPV), in addition to mean ICP, may be a useful predictor of neurological outcomes, as it represents an indirect measure of intact cerebral pressure autoregulation. However, the current literature regarding the applicability of ICPV shows conflicting associations between ICPV and mortality.

Functional and Mortality Outcomes with Medical and Surgical Therapy in Malignant Posterior Circulation Infarcts: A Systematic Review.

Background: There remains uncertainty regarding optimal definitive management for malignant posterior circulation infarcts (MPCI). While guidelines recommend neurosurgery for malignant cerebellar infarcts that are refractory to medical therapy, concerns exist about the functional outcome and quality of life after decompressive surgery.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the outcomes of surgical intervention compared to medical therapy in MPCI.

Risk factors for 30-day postoperative surgical site hematoma requiring evacuation after resection of brain metastases.

Objective: To identify the risk factors for a 30-day postoperative surgical site hematoma requiring evacuation (POH) after surgical resection of brain metastases.

Methods: Patients who underwent surgical resection of brain metastases between 2011 and 2019 at our institution were included. Risk factors for a 30-day POH were identified using a multivariate logistic regression model.

Characteristics of subarachnoid hemorrhage associated with COVID-19 infection: A systematic review and descriptive analysis.

Objective: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) has been reported as a neurological manifestation in 0.1% of COVID-19 patients. This systematic review investigated the outcomes and predictive factors of SAH in patients with COVID-19.