C ranioplasty is more than a cosmetic repair of cranial defects; it is part of the rehabilitation process following a patient's neurological injury. Recent studies have shown that cranioplasty may improve the patient's psychological status, social performance, and neurocognitive functioning. 1,14,19,21 The factors that contribute to periprocedural complications, including patients' demographic information, comorbidities, surgical procedure, and under lying disease, need to be thoroughly evaluated. Previous studies that were intended to answer these questions were limited by their design or by their sample size. Our aim was to evaluate risk factors that predispose patients to an increased risk of cranioplasty complications. Recent evidence in the literature emphasizes patient-specific factors over surgery-specific factors as major predictors of cranioplasty complications. 47,51 It is also becoming evident that surgical treatment for cranioplasty complications is associated with additional surgical procedures. 17,46 In this study, we evaluated the association between patient-specific factors and complications folabbreviatioNs AED = antiepileptic drug; DHC = decompressive hemicraniectomy; DM = diabetes mellitus; SAH = subarachnoid hemorrhage; TBI = traumatic brain injury. obJect The factors that contribute to periprocedural complications following cranioplasty, including patient-specific and surgery-specific factors, need to be thoroughly assessed. The aim of this study was to evaluate risk factors that predispose patients to an increased risk of cranioplasty complications and death. methods The authors conducted a retrospective review of all patients at their institution who underwent cranioplasty following craniectomy for stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage, epidural hematoma, subdural hematoma, and trauma between January 2000 and December 2011. The following predictors were tested: age, sex, race, diabetic status, hypertensive status, tobacco use, reason for craniectomy, urgency status of the craniectomy, graft material, and location of cranioplasty. The cranioplasty complications included reoperation for hematoma, hydrocephalus postcranioplasty, postcranioplasty seizures, and cranioplasty graft infection. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. Confidence intervals were calculated as the 95% CI. results Three hundred forty-eight patients were included in the study. The overall complication rate was 31.32% (109 of 348). The mortality rate was 3.16%. Predictors of overall complications in multivariate analysis were hypertension (OR 1.92, CI 1.22-3.02), increasing age (OR 1.02, CI 1.00-1.04), and hemorrhagic stroke (OR 3.84,). Predictors of mortality in multivariate analysis were diabetes mellitus (OR 7.56, CI 1.56-36.58), seizures (OR 7.25, CI 1.238-42.79), bifrontal cranioplasty (OR 5.40,, and repeated surgery for hematoma evacuation (OR 13.00, CI 1.51-112.02). Multivariate analysis was also applied to identify the variables that affect the development of seizures, the need for reoperation for hem...

Background and Purpose-Self-expanding stents are increasingly used for treatment of complex intracranial aneurysms.We assess the safety and the efficacy of intracranial stenting and determine predictors of treatment outcomes. Methods-A total of 508 patients with 552 aneurysms were treated with Neuroform and Enterprise stents between 2006 and 2011 at our institution. A multivariate analysis was conducted to identify predictors of complications, recanalization, and outcome. Results-Of 508 patients, 461 (91%) were treated electively and 47 (9%) in the setting of subarachnoid hemorrhage.Complications occurred in 6.8% of patients. In multivariate analysis, subarachnoid hemorrhage, delivery of coils before stent placement, and carotid terminus/middle cerebral artery aneurysm locations were independent predictors of procedural complications. Angiographic follow-up was available for 87% of patients at a mean of 26 months. The rates of recanalization and retreatment were, respectively, 12% and 6.4%. Older age, previously coiled aneurysms, larger aneurysms, incompletely occluded aneurysms, Neuroform stent, and aneurysm location were predictors of recanalization. Favorable outcomes were seen in 99% of elective patients and 51% of subarachnoid hemorrhage patients. Patient age, ruptured aneurysms, and procedural complications were predictors of outcome. Conclusions-Stent-assisted coiling of intracranial aneurysms is safe, effective, and provides durable aneurysm closure.Higher complication rates and worse outcomes are associated with treatment of ruptured aneurysms. Stent delivery before coil deployment reduces the risk of procedural complications. Staging the procedure may not improve procedural safety. Closed-cell stents are associated with significantly lower recanalization rates. (Stroke. 2013;44:1348-1353.)

Cavernous malformations (CMs) are angiographically occult vascular malformations that are frequently found incidentally on MR imaging. Despite this benign presentation, these lesions could cause symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, seizures, and focal neurological deficits. Cavernomas can be managed conservatively with neuroimaging studies, surgically with lesion removal, or with radiosurgery. Considering recent studies examining the CM's natural history, imaging techniques, and possible therapeutic interventions, the authors provide a concise review of the literature and discuss the optimal management of incidental CMs.