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BACKGROUND: Meningiomas involving the dural venous sinuses present unique therapeutic challenges. While gross total resection remains the mainstay of treatment for meningiomas, involvement of critical vascular structures may limit extent of resection and increase the risk of recurrence. Optimal management of meningiomas with venous sinus involvement has been discussed in the literature, with some advocating for subtotal resection with postoperative surveillance and radiation, if necessary, while others recommend total resection with reconstruction of resection of the involved sinus. METHODS: We performed a review of our series of 70 patients at a single institution who underwent resection of a meningioma involving the dural venous sinuses with reconstruction as needed, evaluating demographics, preoperative assessment of venous anatomy, surgical technique, and outcomes. RESULTS: In our series, we found successful maximal safe resection was achievable in patients with dural venous sinus involvement. We identified no venous infarctions and a low rate of recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Maximal safe resection, including resection and reconstruction of involved sinuses, may be a safe and effective treatment for many patients. Careful preoperative assessment of venous anatomy and planning extent of resection and reconstruction are essential for safe and successful surgery in these patients.

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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Advances in endovascular flow diverters have led to a secular shift in the management of brain aneurysms, causing debate on current bypass indications. We therefore sought to investigate the long-term results, current indications, and trends of bypasses for brain aneurysms. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed bypasses performed between 2005 and 2022 to treat brain aneurysms. Demographic, clinical, and radiological data were collected till the most recent follow-up. Aneurysm occlusion and graft patency was noted on cerebral angiogram in the immediate postoperative, 3-month, and most recent follow-up periods. Clinical outcomes (modified Rankin scores) and complications were assessed at 3 month and most recent follow-up. Trends in bypass volume and graft patency were assessed in 5-year epochs. Results were dichotomized based on aneurysm location to generate location-specific results and trends. RESULTS: Overall, 203 patients (mean age 50 years, 57% female patients) with 207 cerebral aneurysms were treated with 233 cerebral bypasses with a mean follow-up of 2 years. Fusiform morphology was the most common bypass indication. Aneurysm occlusion on immediate postoperative and final follow-up angiogram was 89% (184/207) and 96% (198/207), respectively. Graft patency rate in the immediate postoperative period and most recent follow-up was 95% (222/233) and 92% (215/233), respectively. Of 207 aneurysms, 5 (2%) recurred. Of 203 patients, 81% (165) patients had modified Rankin scores of 0-2 at the 3-month follow-up and 11 patients died (mortality 5%). Although there was a steady decrease in the bypass volume over the study period, the proportion of bypasses for recurrent aneurysms increased serially. Posterior circulation aneurysms had lower rates of aneurysm occlusion and significantly higher incidence of postoperative strokes and deaths (P = .0035), with basilar artery aneurysms having the worst outcomes. CONCLUSION: Bypass indications have evolved with the inception of novel flow diverters. However, they remain relevant in the cerebrovascular surgeon's armamentarium, and long-term results are excellent.

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BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: Giant intracranial aneurysms have a poor natural history with mortality rates of 68% and 80% over 2-year and 5-year, respectively. Cerebral revascularization can provide flow preservation while treating complex aneurysms requiring parent artery sacrifice. In this report, we describe the microsurgical clip trapping and high-flow bypass revascularization for a giant middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 19-year-old man was diagnosed with a giant left MCA aneurysm after he suffered a left hemispheric capsular stroke 6 months ago. Since then, the patient recovered from the right hemiparesis and dysarthria with residual symptoms. Neuroimaging demonstrated a giant fusiform aneurysm encompassing the entire M1 segment. The bilobed aneurysm measured 37 × 16 × 15 mm. Endovascular treatment options included partial coiling of the aneurysm followed by deployment of flow-diverting stent spanning from the M2 branch-through the aneurysm neck-into the internal carotid artery. Because of the high risk of lenticulostriate artery stroke with endovascular treatment, the patient opted for microsurgical clip trapping and bypass. The patient consented to the procedure. High-flow bypass from internal carotid artery to M2 MCA was performed using radial artery graft, followed by aneurysm clip trapping using 3 clips. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate the successful microsurgical treatment for a complex case of giant M1 MCA aneurysm with fusiform morphology. High-flow revascularization using radial artery graft helped in achieving good clinical outcome with complete aneurysm occlusion with flow preservation despite the challenging morphology and location. Cerebral bypass continues to be a useful tool to tackle complex intracranial aneurysms.

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Vertebrobasilar insufficiency can lead to devastating brainstem and posterior cerebral infarction without timely treatment.1 A 56-year-old man with a history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus presented to the clinic with right hemiparesis due to previous left cerebral hemispheric stroke. He also harbored a giant asymptomatic parieto-occipital meningioma incidentally diagnosed 2 years ago. Neuroimaging showed old left cerebral infarcts and a tumor that had remained stable in size. Cerebral angiography identified bilateral vertebral artery stenosis near their origin from the subclavian arteries with severe vertebrobasilar insufficiency. There was some collateral flow to the posterior cortex via the internal maxillary and occipital artery branch anastomoses. Despite recommendation, the patient decided to not undergo tumor resection, but opted for a high-flow bypass to the posterior circulation to prevent stroke. We used a saphenous vein graft to perform a high-flow extracranial-to-extracranial bypass revascularization of the ischemic vertebrobasilar circulation (Video 1). The patient tolerated the procedure well and was discharged without new deficits 4-days postoperatively. Most recent follow-up examination at 3 years after surgery revealed a patent bypass graft with no new adverse cerebrovascular events. The tumor remains asymptomatic without change in imaging characteristics. Cerebral bypasses remain useful tools in carefully selected patients for the treatment of complex aneurysms, complex tumors, and ischemic cerebrovascular diseases.2-7 We demonstrate an extracranial-to-extracranial high-flow bypass to revascularize the posterior cerebral circulation using a saphenous vein graft in a patient with vertebrobasilar insufficiency.

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INDICATIONS CORRIDOR AND EXPOSURE: The orbitozygomatic transsylvian approach is ideal for basilar tip aneurysms (BTAs) ≤15 mm located at or above the level of posterior clinoid process (PCP), whereas for larger, low-lying BTA's with fetal posterior cerebral artery (PCA), the subtemporal transzygomatic approach is preferred. Both approaches expose the basilar tip area and structures in the interpeduncular fossa from an anterolateral angle and the lateral angle, respectively. ANATOMIC ESSENTIALS NEED FOR PREOPERATIVE PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT: Aneurysm size and level, brainstem perforators, and PCA size (fetal or not) should be noted preoperatively. ESSENTIAL STEPS OF THE PROCEDURE: A. Orbitozygomatic transsylvian approach1. Frontotemporal craniotomy with posterolateral orbitotomy.2. Extradural optic nerve decompression and anterior clinoidectomy.3. Transsylvian dissection and carotid-optic cistern decompression.4. Distal dural ring opening.5. Aneurysm exposure and clipping.OrB. Subtemporal transzygomatic approach 11. Frontotemporal incision with zygomatic osteotomy.2. Temporal lobe retraction, subtemporal dissection, and tentorial division.3. Cavernous sinus opening and dorsum sellae drilling.4. Petrous apex resection.5. Aneurysm exposure and clipping. PITFALLS/AVOIDANCE OF COMPLICATIONS: Complications such as cranial nerve injury, perforator stroke, aneurysm rupture, and hemorrhage can be prevented by neuromonitoring, avoiding temporary basilar occlusion for >10 minutes, use of transient adenosine arrest during clipping, and interposing rubber dam between perforators and aneurysm. 1. VARIANTS AND INDICATIONS OF THEIR USE: Cavernous sinus opening with posterior clinoidectomy and dorsum sellae drilling may be performed if aneurysm neck is at or below the level of PCP. 1-7The patient consented to the procedure.

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BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: Esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB) is a rare anterior skull base tumor derived from olfactory epithelium. There are very few operative videos in the literature demonstrating the surgical resection techniques for giant ENB because of their rarity and complexity. In this technical report, we demonstrate the microsurgical resection of a very large and complex high-grade ENB, initially deemed unresectable, through a bifrontal craniotomy and extended subfrontal approach combined with an endonasal endoscopic approach. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 34-year-old woman presented with headaches, nasal congestion, and bloody nasal drainage. MRI showed a large nasal cavity mass with extension into the anterior cranial fossa and bifrontal lobes. There was significant bifrontal edema causing headaches and abutting the optic nerves. Initial management with surgical resection was offered to the patient for local tumor control and to preserve her vision. A combined bifrontal craniotomy and endonasal transsphenoidal approach was used for resecting this giant tumor. After achieving gross total resection, we reconstructed the anterior skull base in layers. She developed several postoperative complications which were appropriately managed. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate the surgical resection of a giant ENB through a combined transcranial and endonasal endoscopic approach. We discuss the several postoperative complications in this complex case and the lessons learned.

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Basilar tip aneurysms are difficult to treat due to their deep location, proximity to cranial nerves and brainstem, and risk of perforator stroke.1-3 A 49-year-old woman presenting to the emergency department with subarachnoid hemorrhage was found to have a wide-neck basilar tip aneurysm measuring 8.6 mm × 5.6 mm × 7.6 mm. The aneurysm had a 4.9-mm wide neck located at the level of the dorsum sellae.4,5 Microsurgical clipping was recommended to the patient due to the complexity of the aneurysm neck, the patient's young age, the expertise of the surgical-anesthetic team, treatment durability, and the low risk of recurrence.2,6-9 We used an extended transsylvian transcavernous approach to expose the aneurysm (Video 1). We preferred this anterolateral approach over the more lateral subtemporal transzygomatic approach because of its versatility in providing better visualization of the bilateral posterior cerebral arteries and superior cerebellar arteries.10 The surgical exposure to the proximal basilar artery was gained by drilling the posterior clinoid process and dorsum sellae. Two titanium clips were applied across the aneurysm neck, and indocyanine green angiography confirmed complete aneurysm obliteration. Protection of critical brainstem perforators was ensured using the rubber-dam technique. The patient tolerated the procedure well with no deficits at the 12-month follow-up. We review the microsurgical nuances of treating complex wide-neck basilar tip aneurysms that are not good candidates for endovascular treatment. Although endovascular tools are favored as the first-line treatment choice for most cerebral aneurysms, microsurgical clipping techniques remain an important tool in the contemporary cerebrovascular neurosurgeon's toolkit.2,6,11-15.

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Scalp pseudoaneurysms occur most commonly because of trauma and are often in the superficial temporal artery due to the lack of soft tissue coverage between skin and bone, making it more vulnerable anatomically.1,2 Pseudoaneurysms of the occipital artery (OA) also occur but are extremely rare.2-4 An 80-year-old man presented with scalp bleeding and a small left-sided posterior scalp laceration after a fall and head strike 10 days prior. He was admitted and during his 2-week hospital stay, the occipital laceration continued to rebleed (Video 1). He developed a 2-cm pulsatile ulcerative mass with central necrosis on the left nuchal ridge. Computed tomography angiography revealed an ovoid left occipital lesion measuring 1.3 × 2.5 × 2.3 cm with delayed contrast filling and partial thrombosis. The base of the lesion had dense contrast filling continuous with the OA, diagnostic of OA pseudoaneurysm. OA pseudoaneurysm may be treated endovascularly or surgically. While surgical resection is the most common treatment, minimally invasive techniques have been successfully done through direct injection of N-butyl cyanoacrylate or endovascular embolization. The clinical presentation of this case was unique because this patient had an ulcerated lesion with central necrosis overlying the pseudoaneurysm. Endovascular management alone would not address the open lesion, which is at high risk for infection. The risk of infection would increase after embolization of the occipital artery, causing further necrosis of the tissue.

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BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: Primary intracranial malignant melanomas (PIMMs) are quite rare, comprising 1% of melanomas and 0.07% of intracranial tumors. PIMMs have been reported in a variety of intracranial locations, but there has only been 1 reported instance of PIMM occurring in the brainstem. In this study, we describe the second reported case of primary pontine malignant melanoma and its treatment. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 40-year-old man presented with right hemiparesis, diplopia, and dysarthria. MRI demonstrated a hemorrhagic, expansile, and heterogeneously enhancing lesion in the left pons with edema extending to the left thalamus and posterior limb of the internal capsule. Surgical resection was performed through a transpetrosal approach. Pathology resulted as malignant melanoma immunopositive for BRAF V600E mutation. Complete oncological workup revealed no other lesions; thus, he was diagnosed with PIMM of the brainstem. CONCLUSION: We report a rare case of primary pontine malignant melanoma in which microsurgical resection resulted in dramatic clinical improvement despite the challenging location. This is only the second reported case of brainstem PIMM. More patients with longer-term follow-up will be necessary to determine the best treatment approach.

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OBJECTIVE: Seizures are the second most common presenting symptom of brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs) after hemorrhage. Risk factors for preoperative seizures and subsequent seizure control outcomes have been well studied. There is a paucity of literature on postoperative, de novo seizures in initially seizure-naïve patients who undergo resection. Whereas this entity has been documented after craniotomy for a wide variety of neurosurgically treated pathologies including tumors, trauma, and aneurysms, de novo seizures after bAVM resection are poorly studied. Given the debilitating nature of epilepsy, the purpose of this study was to elucidate the incidence and risk factors associated with de novo epilepsy after bAVM resection. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients who underwent resection of a bAVM over a 15-year period was performed. Patients who did not present with seizure were included, and the primary outcome was de novo epilepsy (i.e., a seizure disorder that only manifested after surgery). Demographic, clinical, and radiographic characteristics were compared between patients with and without postoperative epilepsy. Subgroup analysis was conducted on the ruptured bAVMs. RESULTS: From a cohort of 198 patients who underwent resection of a bAVM during the study period, 111 supratentorial ruptured and unruptured bAVMs that did not present with seizure were included. Twenty-one patients (19%) developed de novo epilepsy. One-year cumulative rates of developing de novo epilepsy were 9% for the overall cohort and 8.5% for the cohort with ruptured bAVMs. There were no significant differences between the epilepsy and no-epilepsy groups overall; however, the de novo epilepsy group was younger in the cohort with ruptured bAVMs (28.7 ± 11.7 vs 35.1 ± 19.9 years; p = 0.04). The mean time between resection and first seizure was 26.0 ± 40.4 months, with the longest time being 14 years. Subgroup analysis of the ruptured and endovascular embolization cohorts did not reveal any significant differences. Of the patients who developed poorly controlled epilepsy (defined as Engel class III-IV), all had a history of hemorrhage and half had bAVMs located in the temporal lobe. CONCLUSIONS: De novo epilepsy after bAVM resection occurs at an annual cumulative risk of 9%, with potentially long-term onset. Younger age may be a risk factor in patients who present with rupture. The development of poorly controlled epilepsy may be associated with temporal lobe location and a delay between hemorrhage and resection.

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Background and objective: There is no report of the rate of opioid prescription at the time of hospital discharge, which may be associated with various patient and procedure-related factors. This study examined the prevalence and factors associated with prescribing opioids for head/neck pain after elective craniotomy for tumor resection/vascular repair. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study on adults undergoing elective craniotomy for tumor resection/vascular repair at a large quaternary-care hospital. We used univariable and multivariable analysis to examine the prevalence and factors (pre-operative, intraoperative, and postoperative) associated with prescribing opioids at the time of hospital discharge. We also examined the factors associated with discharge oral morphine equivalent use. Results: The study sample comprised 273 patients with a median age of 54 years [IQR 41,65], 173 females (63%), 174 (63.7%) tumor resections, and 99 (36.2%) vascular repairs. The majority (n = 264, 96.7%) received opioids postoperatively. The opiate prescription rates were 72% (n = 196/273) at hospital discharge, 23% (19/83) at neurosurgical clinical visits within 30 days of the procedure, and 2.4% (2/83) after 30 days from the procedure. The median oral morphine equivalent (OME) at discharge use was 300 [IQR 175,600]. Patients were discharged with a median supply of 5 days [IQR 3,7]. On multivariable analysis, opioid prescription at hospital discharge was associated with pre-existent chronic pain (adjusted odds ratio, aOR 1.87 [1.06,3.29], p = 0.03) and time from surgery to hospital discharge (compared to patients discharged within days 1−4 postoperatively, patients discharged between days 5−12 (aOR 0.3, 95% CI [0.15; 0.59], p = 0.0005), discharged at 12 days and later (aOR 0.17, 95% CI [0.07; 0.39], p < 0.001)). There was a linear relationship between the first 24 h OME (p < 0.001), daily OME (p < 0.001), hospital OME (p < 0.001), and discharge OME. Conclusions: This single-center study finds that at the time of hospital discharge, opioids are prescribed for head/neck pain in as many as seven out of ten patients after elective craniotomy. A history of chronic pain and time from surgery to discharge may be associated with opiate prescriptions. Discharge OME may be associated with first 24-h, daily OME, and hospital OME use. Findings need further evaluation in a large multicenter sample. The findings are important to consider as there is growing interest in an early discharge after elective craniotomy.

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A 37-yr-old male presented with a history of left-sided tongue atrophy and fasciculations and weakness of upper limbs for 3 mo. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a large, partially cystic tumor with severe compression of the brainstem and spinal cord, with expansion and erosion of the hypoglossal canal. Computed tomography (CT) angiography showed the left vertebral artery to be anteriorly displaced by the tumor. A retrosigmoid craniotomy and craniectomy were performed followed by mastoidectomy with unroofing the posterior aspect of the sigmoid sinus. The foramen magnum was completely unroofed. The hypoglossal canal was exposed with a diamond drill and an ultrasonic bone curette, and a tumor was seen within the expanded canal. C1 lamina was removed partially in the lateral aspect, and the occipital condyle was partially removed. After opening the dura mater, the tumor was found to be stretching the eleventh cranial nerve. The tumor was debulked, and dissected from the cranial nerve fibers. The vertebral artery, anterior spinal artery, and other branches displaced by the tumor were carefully preserved. The tumor was removed from the hypoglossal canal with a curette. The patient recovered well, with the resolution of his upper limb weakness. Patient modified Rankin Scale was 1 at 6-mo follow-up. The postoperative MRI showed a small remnant inside the hypoglossal canal, and it was treated by radiosurgery. This 2-dimensional video demonstrates the technique of complete microsurgical removal of a complex tumor with preservation of cranial nerves and vertebral artery. Informed consent was obtained from the patient prior to the surgery, which included videotaping of the procedure and its distribution for educational purposes. Also, all relevant patient identifiers have been removed from the video and accompanying radiology slides.

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A 62-yr-old man with left cavernous sinus tumor presented with atypical trigeminal neuralgia refractory to medical treatment. He received Gamma Knife (Elekta) radiation for the tumor. However, the facial pain worsened after radiation. Neuropsychological testing done for memory problems had revealed mild neurocognitive disorder. Neurological examination showed trigeminal distribution numbness and partial abducens nerve paralysis. Imaging revealed an enhancing left cavernous sinus and supra-cavernous mass. Angiography revealed severe stenosis of the left cavernous internal carotid artery (ICA). Computed tomography (CT) perfusion study showed diminished blood flow on the left side, and ischemic changes were seen in fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Surgical resection of the tumor was preferred over ablative treatment for trigeminal neuralgia because of its effectiveness in improving cranial nerve (CN) function.1 The patient underwent staged surgeries. In the first stage, the tumor was partially excised with decompression of the trigeminal ganglion and nerve root in the lateral cavernous sinus wall, Meckel's cave. Postoperatively, MR angiography revealed worsening of the left ICA caliber. Therefore, a high-flow bypass from the external carotid artery to the middle cerebral artery (MCA) was performed with an anterior tibial artery graft. The patient recovered initially but developed enterococcus meningitis postoperatively, which was promptly identified and treated with antibiotics. At 1-yr follow-up, the graft was patent, and the patient had significant relief of his facial pain and cognitively improved. This 2-dimensional video demonstrates the technique of partial excision of cavernous sinus meningioma with CN decompression, and the technique of a high-flow bypass from the external carotid artery to M2 MCA segment using an anterior tibial artery graft. The patient gave informed consent for surgery and video recording. All relevant patient identifiers have been removed from the video and accompanying radiology slides.