Purpose: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) refers to both deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). The risk of VTE in adult neurosurgical patients is thoroughly studied. However, the incidence and risk of VTE in a comprehensive pediatric neurosurgical population is not well-defined. The available pediatric data consists of reviews of specific high-risk groups, such as trauma, critical care, or cancer patients. This may not be reflective of the entire spectrum of a high-volume pediatric neurosurgery practice. This study was undertaken to analyze the incidence and risk factors of VTE in all hospitalizations evaluated by a pediatric neurosurgery service over a 25-year period.
Methods: A retrospective review of electronic medical records was performed for 9149 hospitalizations in 6374 unique patients evaluated by the pediatric neurosurgery service at Riley Hospital for Children (Indianapolis, IN, USA) from 1990-2014. During this time period, there was no standardized VTE prevention protocol. The study group included all patients less than 18 years of age. Patients with a known pre-existing VTE or pregnancy were excluded.
Results: VTE was diagnosed in 20 of the 9149 (0.22%) hospitalizations, in 18 unique patients. All DVTs were diagnosed via Doppler ultrasound and/or computed tomography. Anatomic clot locations included 9 in the upper extremity (0.098% of hospitalizations), 8 in the lower extremity (0.087%), and 4 (0.044%) pulmonary emboli. Ten of the 20 occurred in hospitalizations where the patient underwent surgery, although the need for surgery was not a statistically significant risk factor. Sixteen of the 20 (80%) occurred in patients with at least one form of central venous line (p < 0.00001). There was one VTE-related death (0.01%).
Conclusions: In all pediatric neurosurgical patients, a VTE was found in 0.22% of hospitalizations over a 25-year span. Statistically significant risk factors for VTE included central venous line placement, paralysis, malignancy, intubation greater than 48 h, and hypercoagulable state.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00381-019-04389-5 | DOI Listing |
J Neurosurg Pediatr
January 2025
4Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora; and.
Objective: Pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) represents a significant public health concern and source of resource utilization. The aim of this study was to establish the ability of the previously published pediatric Brain Injury Guidelines (pBIG) to identify patients with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) who might not require routine repeat neuroimaging, neurosurgical consultation, or hospital admission in a large level I and level II trauma cohort.
Methods: Pediatric patients who presented with traumatic ICH between 2018 and 2022 at the included institutions were retrospectively reviewed and sorted into pBIG categories using clinical and radiographic criteria.
J Med Syst
January 2025
Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
This study aimed to develop and validate a cost-effective, customizable patient-specific phantom for simulating external ventricular drain placement, combining image segmentation, 3-D printing and molding techniques. Two variations of the phantom were created based on patient MRI data, integrating a realistic skin layer with anatomical landmarks, a 3-D printed skull, an agarose polysaccharide gel brain, and a ventricular cavity. To validate the phantom, 15 neurosurgeons, residents, and physician assistants performed 30 EVD placements.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlzheimers Dement
December 2024
Department of Neurosurgery, Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Background: An emerging theory suggests a link between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and microbial infection. Notably, various microbes have been detected in the post-mortem brains of AD patients and murine models. However, there exists a gap in research concerning the presence and role of microbial infection in the AD retina, which shares common pathogenesis with the brain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlzheimers Dement
December 2024
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive irreversible dementia characterized by beta-amyloid protein plaque deposition and hyperphosphorylation of tau forming neurofibrillary tangles, and neurodegeneration. An emerging theory posits that infections could be one of the triggering factors in AD development and progression. Multiple lines of evidence have linked Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cp), a gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterium with AD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNeurosurg Focus
January 2025
1Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Hôpital Necker - Enfants Malades, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris.
Objective: Craniosynostoses are an underrecognized cause of intracranial hypertension (ICH), especially when associated with congenital syndromes. Alagille syndrome (ALGS) is a multisystem disorder with typical facial features and hepatobiliary, cardiac, vascular, skeletal, and ocular manifestations. The occurrence of craniosynostosis in ALGS is rare and can be associated with chronic ICH, requiring craniofacial surgery to increase the intracranial volume.
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