Clinical management of dural defects:A review

Dural defects are common in spinal and cranial neurosurgery.A series of complications,such as cerebrospinal fluid leakage,occur after rupture of the dura.Therefore,treatment strategies are necessary to reduce or avoid complications.This review comprehensively summarizes the common causes,risk factors,clinical complications,and repair methods of dural defects.The latest research progress on dural repair methods and materials is summarized,including direct sutures,grafts,biomaterials,non-biomaterial materials,and composites formed by different materials.The characteristics and efficacy of these dural substitutes are reviewed,and these materials and methods are systematically evaluated.Finally,the best methods for dural repair and the challenges and future prospects of new dural repair materials are discussed.

Late presentation of dural tears:Two case reports and review of literature

BACKGROUND The late presentation of dural tears(LPDT)has a low incidence rate and hidden symptoms and is easily ignored in clinical practice.If the disease is not treated in time,a series of complications may occur,including low intracranial pressure headache,infection,pseudodural cyst formation,and sinus formation.Here,we describe two cases of LPDT.CASE SUMMARY Two patients had sudden fever 1 wk after lumbar surgery.Physical examination showed obvious tenderness in the operation area.The patients were confirmed as having LPDT by lumbar magnetic resonance imaging and surgical exploration.One case was caused by continuous negative pressure suction and malnutrition,and the other was caused by decreased dural ductility and low postoperative nutritional status.The first symptom of both patients was fever,with occasional headache.Both patients underwent secondary surgery to treat the LPDT.Dural defects were observed and dural sealants were used to seal the dural defects,then drainage tubes were retained for drainage.After the operation,the patients were treated with antibiotics and the patients’surgical incisions healed well,without fever or incision tenderness.Both recovered and were discharged 1 wk after the operation.CONCLUSION LPDT is a rare complication of spinal surgery or neurosurgery that has hidden symptoms and can easily be overlooked.Since it may cause a series of complic-ations,LPDT needs to be actively addressed in clinical practice.

Is It Safe to Perform an Autologous Epidural Blood Patch on Patients with Underlying Spinal Stenosis or Lumbar Disc Disease? Case Report and Literature Review

The most common spinal pathology seen in the obstetric population is lumbar disc herniation. There is currently no literature documenting the safety of performing an epidural blood patch on obstetric patients with underlying spinal pathology. We present a case of a patient with known severe lumbar spinal stenosis with compressive radiculopathy who received a successful epidural blood patch without worsening her underlying neurologic symptoms. Epidural blood patches can be safely performed in this patient population. However, the anesthesiologist should be aware of the risk of potentially worsening preexisting neurological deficits. Thus, we advise caution prior to placing an epidural blood patch on these patients. The risks and benefits of the procedure should be carefully weighed and considered. It is important to have a thorough discussion with the patient regarding the risks of an epidural blood patch prior to performing the procedure.

Epidural Blood Patches Performed with Miethke Sensor Reservoir for Continuous Intracranial Pressure Monitoring

An epidural blood patch (EBP) is a procedure performed by injecting autologous blood into a patient’s epidural space, usually at the site of a suspected CSF leak. It is typically performed in patients with characteristic postural headaches due to low intracranial pressure. We report a case of a young female with an implanted Miethke Sensor Reservoir, which was used for continuous intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring during a two-level epidural blood patch. ICP increased only with thoracic injection, suggesting thoracic EBP may have greater efficacy than lumbar EBP in treating SIH and PDPH when the site of CSF leak is unknown.

Multimodal MRI diagnosis and transvenous embolization of a basicranial emissary vein dural arteriovenous fistula:A case report

A dural arteriovenous fistula(DAVF) is an abnormal linkage connecting the arterial and venous systems within the intracranial dura mater. A basicranial emissary vein DAVF drains into the cavernous sinus and the ophthalmic vein, similar to a cavernous sinus DAVF. Precise preoperative identification of the DAVF location is a prerequisite for appropriate treatment. Treatment options include microsurgical disconnection, endovascular transarterial embolization(TAE), transvenous embolization(TVE), or a combination thereof. TVE is an increasingly popular approach for the treatment of DAVFs and the preferred approach for skull base locations, due to the risk of cranial neuropathy caused by dangerous anastomosis from arterial approaches. Multimodal magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) can provide anatomical and hemodynamic information for TVE. The therapeutic target must be precisely embolized in the emissary vein, which requires guidance via multimodal MRI. Here, we report a rare case of successful TVE for a basicranial emissary vein DAVF, utilizing multimodal MRI assistance. The fistula had vanished, pterygoid plexus drainage had improved, and the inferior petrosal sinus had recanalized, as observed on 8-month follow-up angiography. Symptoms and signs of double vision, caused by abduction deficiency, disappeared. Detailed anatomic and hemodynamic assessment by multimodal MRI is the key to guiding successful diagnosis and treatment.

Standardizing Management of Post-Dural Puncture Headache in Obstetric Patients: A Literature Review

Post-dural puncture headache continues to be a significant cause of morbidity in parturients. Despite being a common complication faced by many anesthesiologists, there is a lack of consensus regarding its management. Many still use traditionally taught treatments such as strict bed rest and aggressive hydration despite lack of evidence for their usage. Few are using newly tested treatments such as gabapentin and ACTH despite being proven effective in randomized controlled trials. Furthermore, when and how the epidural blood patch should be used is contentious between different practitioners. This review aims at answering what is the best strategy to manage post-dural puncture headache and proposes an evidence-based practice guideline.

Epidural analgesia followed by epidural hydroxyethyl starch prevented post-dural puncture headache:Twenty case reports and a review of the literature

BACKGROUND Accidental dural puncture(ADP)and subsequent post-dural puncture headache(PDPH)remain common complications of epidural procedures for obstetric anesthesia and analgesia.No clear consensus exists on the best way to prevent PDPH after ADP.CASE SUMMARY We report our findings in twenty parturients who underwent an incorporated strategy of epidural analgesia followed by epidural hydroxyethyl starch(HES)to prevent PDPH after ADP with a 16-gauge Tuohy needle during epidural procedures.ADP with a 16-gauge Tuohy needle occurred in nine parturients undergoing a cesarean section(CS)and in eleven parturients receiving labor analgesia.An epidural catheter was re-sited at the same or adjacent intervertebral space in all patients.After CS,the epidural catheter was used for postoperative pain relief over a 48-h period.After delivery in eleven cases,epidural infusion was maintained for 24 h.Thereafter,15 mL of 6%HES 130/0.4 was administered via the epidural catheter immediately prior to catheter removal.None of the parturients developed PDPH or neurologic deficits over a follow-up period of at least two months to up to one year postpartum.CONCLUSION An incorporated strategy of epidural analgesia followed by epidural hydroxyethyl starch may have great efficacy in preventing PDPH after ADP.

Dural puncture epidural technique provides better anesthesia quality in repeat cesarean delivery than epidural technique:Randomized controlled study

BACKGROUND Repeat cesarean deliverys involve a longer surgery and more severe visceral traction than primary cesarean deliverys.The dural puncture epidural(DPE)technique provides faster and more effective analgesia for labor,but there is no sufficient evidence to indicate whether it is suitable for parturients undergoing repeat cesarean delivery.AIM To determine the efficacy and safety of the DPE anesthesia technique in patients undergoing repeat cesarean delivery.METHODS Patients undergoing repeat cesarean delivery were randomly divided into the DPE and epidural anesthesia(EA)groups.A 25-G spinal needle was used for dural puncture via a 19-G epidural needle.The patients in the two groups were injected with 5 mL of 2%lidocaine followed by 15 mL of a mixture of 1%lidocaine+0.5%ropivacaine as the epidural dosage.The primary outcome was the onset time of sensory block to the T6 dermatome level and the sensory and motor block degree.RESULTS A total of 115 women were included(EA:57,DPE:58).The mean time to sensory block to the T6 Level was significantly shorter in the DPE group than in the EA group(14.7 min vs 16.6 min;95%confidence interval,13.9 to 15.4 vs 15.8 to 17.4;P=0.001).The cranial sensory block level was significantly higher at 5,10,and 15 min after the initial dose in the DPE group than in the EA group(P<0.05).The sacral sensory block level was significantly higher and the modified bromage score was significantly lower in the DPE group at each time point(P<0.05).Adverse effects and neonatal outcomes were comparable between the two groups(P>0.05).CONCLUSION The DPE technique provided higher-quality anesthesia than the EA technique,with a rapid onset of surgical anesthesia,better cranial and sacral sensory block spread and a higher motor block degree,without increasing the incidence of maternal or fetal side effects in patients undergoing repeat cesarean delivery.

Acute Epidural Hematoma Compressing the Dominant Sigmoid Sinus as an Unusual Cause of Intracranial Hypertension: Case Report and Review of Literature

Post traumatic dural sinus vein stenosis has been rarely described in pediatric population. We present a case of a 9-year-old child that had sustained a head injury after a fall from height causing an acute epidural hematoma compressing the dominant sigmoid sinus. The patient had developed sub acutely signs and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure. Prophylactic treatment with anticoagulants was initiated despite the presence of an intracranial bleeding. Clinical and radiological improvements were achieved. We had also reviewed the literature regarding this uncommon entity and discussed other existing diagnostic and therapeutic alternatives. Further gathering of information is essential in order to form a therapeutic protocol.

Post traumatic dural sinus thrombosis following epidural hematoma: Literature review and case report

Dural sinus thrombosis following a head trauma is a rare condition,described in literature along with the lack of consensus regarding diagnosis and management.We present a case of a fifty-year-old man with a head injury and combined supratentorial-subtentorial epidural hematoma who was treated conservatively through the administration of low molecular weight heparin.The diagnosis and management of this condition are discussed based on a literature review.The early diagnosis may prevent potentially treatable poor outcomes.

Intradural Metastases 硬脑膜转移瘤

Key Facts In adults, intradural <<extradural spinal metastases(Leptomeningeal>> cord metastases).In children, intradural> extradural metastases.Classic imaging appearance="carcinomatous meningitis"can be caused by spread from intracranial neoplasm ("drop mets") or non-CNS primary tumor.

Spontaneous acute epidural hematoma secondary to skull and dural metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma: A case report

BACKGROUND The skull and dura are uncommon sites for the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Spontaneous acute epidural hematoma(AEDH)is also very rare.We report here a spontaneous AEDH secondary to skull and dural metastasis of HCC.This case is extremely rare.CASE SUMMARY A 48-year-old male patient with a history of HCC developed unconsciousness spontaneously.Head computed tomography showed"a huge AEDH in the left parietal and occipital region with osteolytic destruction of the left parietal bone.Emergent operation was performed to evacuate the hematoma and resect the lesion.Pathological study revealed that the lesion was the metastases from HCC.The patient died of lung infection,anemia,and liver failure 3 wk after operation.CONCLUSION Spontaneous AEDH caused by hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)dural and skull metastases is extremely rare,the outcome is poor.So,early diagnosis is important.If the level of AFP does not decrease with the shrinkage of intrahepatic lesions after treatment,it is necessary to be alert to the existence of extrahepatic metastases.Since most of the patients had scalp and bone masses,physicians should pay attention to the patient's head palpation.Once a patient with the history of HCC had sudden neurological dysfunction,the possibility of spontaneous AEDH caused by the skull and dura mater metastases should be considered.Since hemorrhage is common in the skull HCC metastases,for patients with spontaneous AEDH accompanied by skull osteolytic lesions,it is also necessary to be alert to the possibility of HCC.For AEDH secondary to HCC metastases,early diagnosis and timely treatment are critical to improve the patients’outcomes.

Post Dural Puncture Headache—Review and Suggested New Treatment

Objectives: After reading this article, readers should be able to recognize Post Dural Puncture Headache, understand its mechanism and diagnostic criteria, evaluate the different treatment options available, and be familiar with a novel treatment option. Background: Post-dural puncture headache is the most common serious complication resulting from lumbar puncture and epidural or spinal anesthetics. The syndrome is characterized by severe headache that occurs within 48 hours following the puncture, located in the frontal and/or occipital region, worsened in the upright position and refractory to routine analgesia. The syndrome incidence was reported to be approximately 1% with typical obstetric anesthesiology practice which reflects more than 20,000 cases per 2014 in the US. Two possible mechanisms are hypothesized as responsible for this syndrome;cerebrospinal fluid leakage and pneumocephalus. Multiple methods of treatment have been applied with wide-ranging results. Design or Methods: Review article with introduction of a novel treatment option. Results: We postulate that Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy can be used to treat post-dural puncture headache. The rationale for treatment is dual: enhancement of fibroblast proliferation at the site of dural puncture to facilitate faster closure of the tear and compression of air bubbles in case of pneumocephalus according to Boyle’s law. We also claim that hyperbaric oxygen therapy should be considered a prophylactic treatment, if a dural tear is suspected.

A review on dural tail sign

"Dural tail sign" (DTS) which is a thickening of the dura adjacent to an intracranial pathology on contrast-enhanced T1 MR Images, was first thought to be pathognomonic of meningioma, however, many subsequent studies demonstrated this sign adjacent to various intra and extra-cranial pathologies and in spinal lesions. In this paper we outline the history, accompanying pathologies and the differentiation and probable pathophysiology of DTS. We also discuss whether we can predict tumoral involvement of the dural tail before surgery and whether the dural tail adjacent to a tumor should be resected.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with dural and bone marrow metastases

Patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma generally present at an advanced stage at the time of diagnosis.The most common sites of visceral metastasis are the lung,liver and bone,but brain and bone marrow involvement is exceedingly rare.Herein,we report a 62-year-old man with a 4-wk history of progressive low back pain with radiation to bilateral lower legs,dysphagia and body weight loss.Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with regional lymph node,liver and bone metastases was diagnosed.He underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy and got a partial response.Four months later,he complained of headache,diplopia and severe hearing impairment in the left ear.There was no evidence for bacterial,fungal,tuberculous infection or neoplastic infiltration.Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain demonstrated thickening and enhancement of bilateral pachymeninges and multiple enhancing masses in bilateral skull.Dural metastasis was diagnosed and he received whole brain irradiation.In addition,laboratory examination revealed severe thrombocytopenia and leucopenia,and bone marrow study confirmed the diagnosis of metastatic squamous cell carcinoma.This is the first described case of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with dural and bone marrow metastases.We also discuss the pathogenesis of unusual metastatic diseases and differential diagnosis of pachymeningeal thickening.

Application of hybrid operating rooms for treating spinal dural arteriovenous fistula

BACKGROUND A hybrid operating room(hybrid-OR)is a surgical space that combines a conventional operating room with advanced medical imaging devices.AIM To explore and summarize the technical features and effectiveness of the application of a hybrid-OR in dealing with spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas(SDAVFs).METHODS Eleven patients with SDAVFs were treated with the use of a hybrid-OR at the Department of Neurosurgery of our hospital between January 2015 and December 2018.The dual-marker localization technique was used in the hybrid-OR to locate the SDAVFs and skin incision,and the interoperative digital subtraction angiography(DSA)technique was used before and after microsurgical ligation of the fistulae in the hybrid-OR to verify the accuracy of obliteration.The patients were followed for an average of 2 years after the operation,and the preoperative American Spinal Cord Injury Association(ASIA)score and postoperative ASIA score at 6 mo after the operation were compared.RESULTS The location and skin incision of the SDAVFs were accurately obtained by using the dual-marker localization technique in the hybrid-OR in all patients,and there were no cases that required expansion of the range of the bone window in order to expose the lesions.Intraoperative error obliteration occurred and was identified in two patients by using the intraoperative DSA technique;therefore,the findings provided by the intraoperative DSA system significantly changed the surgical procedure in these two patients.With the assistance of the hybrid-OR,the feeding artery was correctly ligated in all cases,and the intraoperative error obliteration rate decreased from 18.2%(2/11)to 0%.All 11 patients were followed for an average of 2 years.The ASIA score at 6 mo after the operation was significantly improved compared with the preoperative ASIA score,and there were no patients with late recurrence during the follow-up.CONCLUSION Compared with intra-arterial embolization for the treatment of SDAVFs,hybrid-ORs can solve the problem of a higher incidence of initial failure and late recurrence.Compared with direct occlusion of SDAVFs in microsurgery,hybrid-ORs can take advantage of the intraoperative DSA system for locating the shunt and verifying the obliteration of fistulae in order to reduce the error obliteration rate.At this point,our experience suggests that the safety and ease of use make hybrid-ORs combined with microsurgery and intraoperative DSA systems an attractive modality for dealing with SDAVFs.

Tentorial dural arteriovenous fistula presenting as myelopathy: Case series and review of literature

Dural arteriovenous fistula(DAVF) is a rare type of cerebral arteriovenous malformation. Common presenting symptoms are related to hemorrhage. However, rarely these patients may present with myelopathy. We present two cases of DAVF presenting as rapidly progressive myelopathy. Two treatment options are available: microsurgical interruption of the fistula and endovascular embolization. These treatment options of DAVFs have improved significantly in the last decade. The optimal treatment of DAVFs remains controversial, and there is an ongoing debate as to whether primary endovascular or primary microsurgical treatment is the optimal management for these lesions. However, despite treatment a high percentage of patients are still left with severe disability. The potential for functional ambulation in patients with DAVF is related to the time of intervention. This emphasizes the important of early diagnosis and early intervention in DAVF. The eventual outcome may depend on several factors, such as the duration of symptoms, the degree of disability before treatment, and the success of the initial procedure to close the fistula. The usage of magnetic resonance imaging and selective angiography has significantly improved the ability to characterize DAVFs, however, these lesions remain inefficiently diagnosed. If intervention is delayed even prolonged time in rehabilitation does not change the grave prognosis. This review outlines the presentation, classication and management of DAVF as well as discussing patient outcomes.

Treatment of cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistula using different surgical approaches:Analysis of 32 consecutive cases

Objective:Transarterial and transvenous embolization methods are considered effective and safe approaches for the treatment of cavernous sinus dural arteriovenous fistula(CSDAVF).Here.,we report the angioarchitectural features and clinical outcomes of CSDAVF in patients treated with either the inferior arterial approach(IAA) or the inferior petrosal sinus approach(IPSA).Methods:The clinical data of 32 patients with CSDAVF treated at our institution from May 2008 to May 2014 were retrospectively analyzed.All patients underwent routine diagnostic digital subtraction angiography(DSA) before surgery.Embolization was performed using the IPSA through the internal jugular vein or IAA,based on angioarchitectural features.Results:Of the 32 patients with CSDAVF,24 underwent embolization treatment through the internal jugular veinIPSA and 8 patients underwent treatment through IAA.Nineteen patients in the IPSA group experienced mild headache,which improved after specific treatment.The immediate postembolization angiographic results revealed complete occlusion in 26 cases(18 IPSA and 8 IAA) and almost complete occlusion in 6 cases(IPSA).Complications that occurred during the procedure included abducens nerve palsy(n=1,IPSA) and prosopoplegia(n=1,IAA).One patient developed tinnitus,which was diagnosed as anterior cranial fossa new-onset dural arteriovenous fistula on DSA,whereas the symptoms of other patients all improved with no recurrence.Conclusions:On the basis of the angioarchitectural features of CSDAVF,IAA can be considered the primary treatment when the blood-supplying artery and fistula are relatively singular,and when the microcatheter can easily reach the fistula through the artery.The venous approach should be selected as the primary approach when the fistula is indistinguishable and blood is supplied by multiple arteries through small plexiform vessels.Choosing the optimal surgical approach may increase the success rate of intravascular CSDAVF surgery and may help avoid complications.

Establishment of an animal model of dural venous sinus embolism

BACKGROUND： The pathological mechanism of secondary brain lesion following an embolism remains unclear. The establishment of an animal model that imitates the clinical pathophysiological processes is crucial to better study this disease during a certain time window. OBJECTIVE： To establish a new animal model of dural venous sinus embolism that is simple, has a high success rate, and emulates the pathophysiological course of clinical disease. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： A randomized block design trial was performed at the Department of Anatomy, Ningxia Medical College between March and December 2007. MATERIALS： Fifty-eight healthy, adult, Sprague Dawley rats were used in the present study. Plastic emboli, with a total length of 0.4 cm, were self-made. Each plastic embolus had a conical anterior segment; the largest diameter being 0.12 cm. The posterior segment became gradually thin and flat, with a width of 0.2 cm and length of 0.1 cm. METHODS： The fifty-eight rats were randomly divided into three groups： control （n = 6）, embolism （n = 26）, and sham-embolism （n = 26） groups. In the embolism group, a solid embolus was slowly inserted and fixed into the posterior part of the superior sagittal sinus against the flow of blood. The posterior segment was detained outside the superior sagittal sinus for fixing. In the sham-embolism group, rats were subjected only to sinus sagittalis superior exposure. In the control group, rats received no treatments. In both the embolism and the sham-embolism groups, the rat brains were resected at 6 hours, 1, 3, and 5 days post-surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： （1） Brain surface appearance in the embolism and sham-embolism groups. （2） Thrombosis in the embolism group. （3） Cerebrospinal fluid content in the above-mentioned two groups. RESULTS： In the embolism group, the model success rate was 92% （24/26）. There was visible thrombosis in the superior sagittal sinus. Cerebral edema was noticeable under a microscope. These changes were visible at 6 hours after embolism and were most obvious at 1 day after surgery. In the embolism group, cerebrospinal fluid content reached a peak level at 6 hours post-surgery and was significantly increased compared with the sham-embolism and the control groups （P 〈 0.05）. At 1 day post-surgery, the amount of cerebrospinal fluid was still greater in the embolism group compared to the control group （P 〈 0.05） CONCLUSION： The method of inserting a solid embolus has many benefits, such as being able to directly observe, short cycle time, and minimal wound. The detained posterior segment prevents movement and perfusion of embolus, which results in a high success rate.

A Novel Combined Approach for Metastatic Breast Cancer with Dural and Leptomeningeal Disease with an Impressive Clinical Outcome: A Case Study

Concurrent dural and leptomeningeal metastatic carcinomatosis are very rare and have a poor prognosis. Here we present a woman with advanced estrogen receptor (ER) positive and progesterone receptor (PR) positive breast cancer who presented with leptomeningeal disease. Patient underwent multi targeted epigenetic therapies applied in a protocol called MTET. She continued to respond to the interval treatment, which consisted only of the nutraceutical agents. Here we discuss her case in detail and we believe that such an example might be applied to other patients in this situation resulting clinical improvement and less toxicity.