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BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is based on clinical, radiological, and hydrodynamic data of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) obtained by invasive methods such as lumbar infusion test, which is used to determine the resistance to CSF outflow (Rout). However, Rout has limitations, and its value as predictor of valve response is questioned. Other variables can be obtained by lumbar infusion test, such as the time to reach the plateau (TRP) and the slope until reaching the plateau (SRP). The objectives were to determine if SRP could be a predictor of response to ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) and what variable (Rout versus SRP) would have greater predictive value. METHOD: Patients with probable iNPH who underwent a lumbar infusion test and were indicated for a VPS were retrospectively studied. Two groups were established, responders and non-responders. Rout, TRP (period between the start of infusion until reaching the plateau measured in seconds) and SRP ((plateau pressure-opening pressure)/TRP) were obtained. For Rout and SRP, the receiver operating curves (ROC) with its areas under the curve (AUC) were calculated. RESULTS: One hundred ten patients were included, being 86 responders (78.20%). Shunt responders had a significantly greater Rout (17.02 (14.45-20.23) versus 13.34 (12.10-16.28) mmHg/ml/min, p = 0.002) and SRP (0.049 (0.043-0.054) versus 0.031 (0.026-0.036) mmHg/sec, p < 0.001) and smaller TRP (641.28 (584.83-697.73) versus 777.65 (654.03-901.27) sec, p = 0.028) than non-responders. The AUC for SRP was greater than the AUC for Rout (0.763 (95 % CI 0.655-0.871, p < 0.001) versus 0.673 (95 % CI 0.595-0.801, p = 0.008), respectively), but the differences were not significant (p = 0.180). CONCLUSIONS: SRP could be considered predictor of response to VPS, and its accuracy tends to be better than Rout. So, this variable may be a useful tool to select shunt candidates among patients with probable iNPH.

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Los pseudoquistes abdominales son una complicación infrecuente de las derivaciones ventrículo-peritoneales de líquido cefalorraquídeo (LCR), por lo que su etiología, diagnóstico y manejo terapéutico son muy controvertidos. Nuestro objetivo es ofrecer una revisión sistemática, crítica y actualizada, de la complicación, valiéndonos de una búsqueda y revisión de la literatura más relevante existente a propósito de dicho tema. La forma de aparición de los pseudoquistes es generalmente mediante clínica abdominal muy inespecífica. La etiología más validada es la existencia de una infección concomitante del sistema de derivación del LCR, y como tal el tratamiento precisa antibioterapia y sustitución de todo o parte del sistema. Sin embargo, el pseudoquiste no necesita de un tratamiento activo, salvo casos concretos. Este manejo, presentado algorítmicamente en el presente trabajo, logra una tasa de recurrencia menor que otras opciones que, no obstante, sigue siendo importante, y se asocia además a otras complicaciones de las derivaciones relacionadas con varios factores (AU)

Since the first report in 1954, abdominal pseudocysts have been recognized as a particularly uncommon complication of ventriculoperitoneal shunts of CSF, so their etiology, diagnosis, and therapeutic management remain very controversial. Our objective is to offer a critical and updated systematic review of those controversial points, using a thorough search and review of the most relevant literature available. The clinical presentation of pseudocysts is normally through non-specific abdominal symptoms. The most validated etiology consists on the existence of a concomitant infection of the CSF shunt system, and so, treatment needs of antibiotherapy and total or partial substitution of the system. However, the pseudocyst itself doesn’t need an active treatment, except for some specific cases. This management, algorithmically presented in the present work, achieves a lower recurrence rate than other options, but this one is still important, and is also associated with other complications of those shunts related with several other factors which need to be taken in account (AU)

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The distribution and role of tumor-infiltrating leucocytes in glioblastoma (GBM) remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the cellular composition of 55 primary (adult) GBM samples by flow cytometry and correlated the tumor immune profile with patient features at diagnosis and outcome. GBM single-cell suspensions were stained at diagnosis (n = 44) and recurrence following radiotherapy and chemotherapy (n = 11) with a panel of 8-color monoclonal antibody combinations for the identification and enumeration of (GFAP+ CD45- ) tumor and normal astrocytic cells, infiltrating myeloid cells -i.e. microglial and blood-derived tumor-associated macrophages (TAM), M1-like, and M2-like TAM, neutrophils. and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC)- and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) -i.e. CD3+ T-cells and their TCD4+ , TCD8+ , TCD4- CD8- , and (CD25+ CD127lo ) regulatory (T-regs) subsets, (CD19+ CD20+ ) B-cells, and (CD16+ ) NK-cells-. Overall, GBM samples consisted of a major population (mean ± 1SD) of tumor and normal astrocytic cells (73% ± 16%) together with a significant but variable fraction of immune cells (24% ± 18%). Within myeloid cells, TAM predominated (13% ± 12%) including both microglial cells (10% ± 11%) and blood-derived macrophages (3% ± 5%), in addition to a smaller proportion of neutrophils (5% ± 9%) and MDSC (4% ± 8%). Lymphocytes were less represented and mostly included TCD4+ (0.5% ± 0.7%) and TCD8+ cells (0.6% ± 0.7%), together with lower numbers of TCD4- CD8- T-cells (0.2% ± 0.4%), T-regs (0.1% ± 0.2%), B-lymphocytes (0.1% ± 0.2%) and NK-cells (0.05% ± 0.05%). Overall, three distinct immune profiles were identified: cases with a minor fraction of leucocytes, tumors with a predominance of TAM and neutrophils, and cases with mixed infiltration by TAM, neutrophils, and T-lymphocytes. Untreated GBM patients with mixed myeloid and lymphoid immune infiltrates showed a significantly shorter patient overall survival versus the other two groups, in the absence of gains of the EGFR gene (p = 0.02). Here we show that immune cell infiltrates are systematically present in GBM, with highly variable levels and immune profiles. Patients with mixed myeloid and T-lymphoid infiltrates showed a worse outcome.

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Since the first report in 1954, abdominal pseudocysts have been recognized as a particularly uncommon complication of ventriculoperitoneal shunts of CSF, so their etiology, diagnosis, and therapeutic management remain very controversial. Our objective is to offer a critical and updated systematic review of those controversial points, using a thorough search and review of the most relevant literature available. The clinical presentation of pseudocysts is normally through non-specific abdominal symptoms. The most validated etiology consists on the existence of a concomitant infection of the CSF shunt system, and so, treatment needs of antibiotherapy and total or partial substitution of the system. However, the pseudocyst itself doesn't need an active treatment, except for some specific cases. This management, algorithmically presented in the present work, achieves a lower recurrence rate than other options, but this one is still important, and is also associated with other complications of those shunts related with several other factors which need to be taken in account.

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BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus is based in clinical data, radiologic variables, and invasive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) testing, such as the lumbar infusion test. Several neuroimaging findings are inconclusively related to improvement after CSF shunt surgery. CSF tests are invasive and have complications. The aim of this study was to select radiologic variables related to a positive lumbar infusion test so as to avoid this test in patients. METHODS: Patients with possible idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus were reviewed. The collected radiologic data were cingulate sulcus sign, disproportionately enlarged subarachnoid space, callosal angle, and width of temporal horns. Two groups were established: group 1, comprising patients with resistance to CSF outflow <12 mm Hg/mL/minute, and group 2, comprising patients with resistance to CSF outflow >12 mm Hg/mL/minute. Negative and positive predictive values were determined. RESULTS: The study included 43 patients in group 1 and 64 patients in group 2. Group 2 significantly showed more acute callosal angle with higher accuracy cutoff value of 90.6°, lower width of temporal horns with higher accuracy cutoff value of 8 mm, and higher percentage of cingulate sulcus sign and disproportionately enlarged subarachnoid space. Matching the radiologic variables, positive predictive values were >80%; however, negative predictive values were low. CONCLUSIONS: Owing to high positive predictive values of matched radiological variables, the lumbar infusion test could be avoided in the diagnosis of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus. However, when 1 or 2 of the variables are negative, this invasive test should be performed.

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BACKGROUND: Since 1957, the Simpson grading system has been considered a predictive system for meningioma recurrence. However, since then, surgical equipment and neurosurgical technique have developed extensively, so this grading system should be re-evaluated. This study aims to assess if the recurrence rate and recurrence-free survival (RFS) are different after Simpson grade I, II, and III resections in World Health Organization (WHO) grade I meningiomas. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients who underwent surgical treatment of WHO grade I meningiomas located in the convexity (group 1), falx/parasagittal (group 2), skull base, and tentorium (group 3) between June 1991 and December 2011. We compared the recurrence rates and RFSs between Simpson grade I, II, and III resections in both overall cases and tumor subsets according to their localization. RESULTS: A total of 224 meningiomas were included in this study. There were no significant differences in recurrence rates and RFSs between Simpson grades I, II, and III. In each of the location groups, no significant differences were noted between the different degrees of Simpson. CONCLUSIONS: We have shown that complete resection of WHO grade I meningiomas achieves excellent tumor control, regardless of Simpson grades. More aggressive attempts at tumor resection (ie, Simpson grade I) must be balanced against the risks of removing dura or damaging critical neurovascular structures.

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BACKGROUND: Endoscopic third ventriculostomy has been shown to be efficient for the treatment of non-communicating hydrocephalus. However, it is not recommended as the first option in the treatment of obstructive hydrocephalus in children under 3 months of age, because the success rate is less than 35%. METHODS: We reviewed all the cases of triventricular hydrocephalus treated between 2007 and 2011 in patients under 1 month of age in the case of normal term births or under 1 month of corrected age, in the case of pre-term births. The first treatment option was endoscopic fenestration and a restriction of cranial volume during the two months after surgery. RESULTS: Ten patients under 1 month of age underwent 13 ventriculostomies for non-communicating hydrocephalus of varying etiology (suprasellar arachnoid cyst (3), stenosis of the Sylvian aqueduct (2), post-infectious meningitis (3), and intrauterine bleeding (2)). Three required surgical endoscopic revision at 3, 4, and 5 months, respectively, after the initial surgery due to progressive ventricular enlargement. One of these three patients presented with Klebsiella pneumoniae ventriculitis as a complication after the second endoscopy. After a mean follow-up of 32 months, none has required a shunt. CONCLUSIONS: In our limited experience in triventricular hydrocephalus in patients under 1 month, the third ventriculostomy technique may be a better option than the shunt in selected cases.

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