Friday, October 30, 2020

Tophaceous gout in thoracic spine mimicking meningioma: A case report and literature review

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Ratish Mishra1, Vishnu Prasad Panigrahi1, Nitin Adsul1, Sunila Jain2, R. S. Chahal1, K. L. Kalra1, Shankar Acharya1
  1. Departme nt of Ortho-Spine Surgery, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, India.
  2. Department of Pathology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, India.

Correspondence Address:
Nitin Adsul
Department of Ortho-Spine Surgery, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, India.

DOI:10.25259/SNI_515_2020

Copyright: © 2020 Surgical Neurology International This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-Share Alike 4.0 License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work non-commercially, as long as the author is credited and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms.

How to cite this article: Ratish Mishra1, Vishnu Prasad Panigrahi1, Nitin Adsul1, Sunila Jain2, R. S. Chahal1, K. L. Kalra1, Shankar Acharya1. Tophaceous gout in thoracic spine mimicking meningioma: A case report and literature review. 29-Oct-2020;11:364

How to cite this URL: Ratish Mishra1, Vishnu Prasad Panigrahi1, Nitin Adsul1, Sunila Jain2, R. S. Chahal1, K. L. Kalra1, Shankar Acharya1. Tophaceous gout in thoracic spine mimicking meningioma: A case report and literature review. 29-Oct-2020;11:364. Available from: https://surgicalneurologyint.com/?post_type=surgicalint_articles&p=10359

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Date of Submission
11-Aug-2020

Date of Acceptance
24-Sep-2020

Date of Web Publication
29-Oct-2020

Abstract

Background: Gout is a common metabolic disorder of purine metabolism, causing arthritis in the distal joints of the appendicular skeleton. Spine involvement is rare, and very few cases of spinal gout have been reported. The authors present a rare case of axial gout with tophaceous deposits in the thoracic spinal canal resulting in cord compression and mimicking a meningioma.

Case Description: A 33-year-old male presented with chronic mid back pain and a progressive paraparesis. The presumed diagnosis was meningioma based on MR imaging with/without contrast that showed a posterolateral, right-sided, and T10-T11 intradural extramedullary lesion. Notable, was hyperuricemia found on hematological studies. The patient underwent a decompressive laminectomy (T9-T11) for excision of the lesion, intraoperatively, an intraspinal, chalky, white mass firmly adherent to and compressing the dural sac was removed. The histopathology conf irmed the diagnosis of a gouty tophus. Postoperatively, the patient's pain resolved, and he regained the ability to walk.

Conclusion: A gouty tophus should be included among the differential diagnostic considerations when patients with known hyperuricemia present with back pain, and paraparesis attributed to an MR documented compressive spinal lesion.

Keywords: Axial gout, Meningioma, Spinal gout, Thoracic spinal gout, Tophaceous gout

INTRODUCTION

Gout is a common and complex form of arthritis characterized by classic signs of inflammation (i.e., dolor [pain], rubor [redness], calor [heat], and tumor [swelling] in the joint). Spinal involvement is rare, and very few cases of spinal gout have been reported in the literature.[ 10 ] Spinal tophi are easily misdiagnosed and are often asymptomatic or go unnoticed.[ 7 ]

Here, we present here a case in which tophaceous deposits in the thoracic spinal canal mimicked a meningioma. We will also review the 25 similar cases of thoracic spinal gout reported in the literature.

CASE REPORT

Clinical presentation

A 33-year-old male presented with 9 months of back pain and 5 months of a progressive paraparesis that markedly worsened within the 5 days before admission. On examination, he had a paraparesis (right side [ 3 / 5 ] and left-sided [ 4 / 5 ]), accompanied by hyperactive lower extremity reflexes (e.g., including Babinski responses), and paraesthesia below the um bilicus.

Laboratory investigation and imaging

The patient's total leucocyte cell count was increased to 22,290/mm3, the serum creatinine was high at 1.82 mg/dL, and the serum uric acid level was elevated to 11.4mg/dL. Notably, urine routine microscopy was normal and showed no "gouty" crystals.

Diagnostic studies

Although the thoracic x-rays were normal, the MR showed a posterolateral right-sided lesion at the T10-T11 level. The vertebral/intracanalicular lesion was iso- to hypointense on T1W images and heterogeneous/low signal intensity on T2W images; it was also accompanied by a focal hyperintense cord signal [ Figure 1 ]. The T1 contrast study further documented heterogeneous enhancement of the intracanalicular extramedullary intradural mass (measuring 3.0 × 1.6 cm in size). Based on these findings, a tentative d iagnosis of meningioma was established.


SNI-11-364-g001.png?w=604&ssl=1

Figure 1:

Magnetic resonance imaging of thoracic spines. (a) Sagittal plane T1-weighted section. (b) T2-weighted section. (c) Contrast-enhanced T1-weighted section. (d) Axial plane T1-weighted section. (e) T2-weighted section. (f) Contrast-enhanced T1-weighted section. The images show an oval extramedullary intradural mass lesion (3.0 × 1.6 cm in size) at T10-11 lying to the right posterolateral aspect of the spinal cord. The lesion shows heterogeneous low signal intensity on T2W images and iso- to low signal intensity on T1W images with moderate heterogeneous enhancement.

 

Surgery

The patient underwent a T9 to T11 laminectomy. At surgery, the lesion was chalky/white, invaded the ligamentum flavum, adhered to the dura mater, and compressed the cord. [ Figure 2 and Video 1 ]. It was removed without incident. The histological examination showed nodules and islands of an amorphous, basophilic material, surrounded by chronic inflammation, and multinucleated giant cell, all of which confirmed the diagnosis of tophaceous gout [ Figure 3 ].

Video 1



SNI-11-364-g002.png?w=604&ssl=1

Figure 2:

Intraoperative photographs. Intraspinal lesion (a) and Chalky white material firmly adherent to the dura mater (b) (see arrows). The dural sac after complete excision of the gout tophus (c).

 

SNI-11-364-g003.png?w=604&ssl=1

Figure 3:

Microphotograph of histopathology showing acellular eosinophilia gouty tophi (G) surrounded by an inflammatory reaction and multinucleated giant cells (arrow) (H&E × 40).

 

Outcome

Postoperatively, the patient's pain was resolved, and his neurological deficit improved. He was able to walk within 3 postoperative months as his motor examination in both lower extremities improved bilaterally to the 4/5 level. He was subsequently referred to a rheumatologist for further management of his gout.

DISCUSSION

We identified 25 similar cases of spinal tophaceous gout reported in the literature. As these lesions are rare and can mimic spondylitis, neoplasm, or abscess; a histopathological examination is critical for establishing the correct diagnosis and determining the appropriate treatment.

Prior cases of thoracic spine gout

Axial gout is a disease of middle-aged men (76%), with most cases occurring between the ages of 44 and 74; females are less affected as estrogen lowers uric acid lev els.[ 1 , 8 , 10 ] When

Toprover et al.[ 10 ] reviewed 131 cases of axial gout, it involved the lumbar spine (38%), cervical spine (24.8%), and thoracic spine (17.8%), respectively; further, in 19.4% of cases, it involved more than one spinal region.

In most cases, patients have a history of prior gouty attacks, hyperuricemia, and/or renal failure. Toprover et al.[ 10 ] reported that the abnormal laboratory findings in patients with tophaceous spinal gout were high serum uric acid was (79.8%), ESR and CRP (92%), total leucocyte count ( 28.6%), and serum creatinine (76.9%).

In our case, hyperuricemia was detected on preoperative investigations without any known prior history of gout or hyperuricemia.

Diagnostic imaging

Imaging, including either X-rays or MR (with/without contrast), is typically nondiagnostic for differentiating spinal tophaceous gout from other lesions. On MR, a tophus may appear hypointense/isointense on T1, which may show variable intensity on T2, while contrast studies may demonstrate homogeneous/heterogeneous peripheral enhancement.[ 10 ] Typical CT scan findings include bone or joint erosions with well-defined sclerotic margins, facet or inter vertebral bone neoformation, or juxta/intra-articular masses that were denser than the surrounding muscle. Although CT scans are more sensitive and specific than plain radiographs, they lack diagnostic accuracy.[ 10 ]

Dual-energy CT (DECT)

DECT is a promising, noninvasive modality for the identification and volumetric quantification of tophaceous gout. It is both sensitive and specific for diagnosing gout and readily distinguishes urate crystals from calcium using specific attenuation characteristics. In patients with known tophaceous gout, it can be used for serial volumetric quantification of tophi to assess response to treatment.[ 2 , 4 ]

Management of gout

Management of gout includes treatment of the acute attack, lowering uric acid levels to prevent additional flare-ups of gouty arthritis, and/or the further deposition of urate crystals. Acute medical treatment includes the administration of colchicine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or both, while long-term therapy mandates urate-lowering therapy (e.g., allopurinol, febuxostat, or probenecid).[ 5 , 6 , 9 ] For cases, in which spinal gout contributes to neural-compressive syndromes, surgery for pathological diagnosis and d ecompression with/without fusion may typically warrant; subsequent pharmacological treatment is also typically indicated.[ 3 ]

CONCLUSION

When patients with gouty arthritis or known hyperuricemia experience the new onset of neurological symptoms/signs in the presence of a spinal lesion, spinal tophaceous gout should be considered among the differential diagnostic considerations, warranating appropriate surgical management with the pathological confirmation.

Declaration of patient consent

Patient's consent not required as patients identity is not disclosed or compromised.

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

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Acknowledgment

We would like to acknowledge our senior pathologist, Prof. Sunila Jain, for the histopathological diagnosis of this patient.

References

1. Adamopoulos D, Vlassopoulos C, Seitanides B, Contoyiannis P, Vassilopoulos P. The relationship of sex steroids to uric acid levels in plasma and urine. Acta Endocrinol (Copenh). 1977. 85: 198-208

2. Davies J, Riede P, Van Langevelde K, Teh J. Recent developments in advanced imaging in gout. Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2019. 11: 1759720X19844429

3. Hou LC, Hsu AR, Veeravagu A, Boakye M. Spinal gout in a renal transplant patient: A case report and literature review. Surg Neurol. 2007. 67: 65-73

4. Hu HJ, Liao MY, Xu LY. Clinic al utility of dual-energy CT for gout diagnosis. Clin Imaging. 2015. 39: 880-5

5. Khanna D, Fitzgerald JD, Khanna PP, Bae S, Singh MK, Neogi T. 2012 American College of Rheumatology guidelines for management of gout Part I: Systematic nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic therapeutic approaches to hyperuricemia. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2012. 64: 1431-46

6. Khanna D, Khanna PP, Fitzgerald JD, Singh MK, Bae S, Neogi T. 2012 American College of Rheumatology guidelines for management of gout Part II: Therapy and anti-inflammatory prophylaxis of acute gouty arthritis. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2012. 64: 1447-61

7. Konatalapalli RM, Demarco PJ , Jelinek JS, Murphey M, Gibson M, Jennings B. Gout in the axial skeleton. J Rheumatol. 2009. 36: 609-13

8. Nicholls A, Snaith M, Scott J. Effect of oestrogen therapy on plasma and urinary levels of uric acid. Br Med J. 1973. 1: 449-51

9. Qaseem A, Harris R, Forciea M, Clinical Guidelines Committee of the American College of Physicians. Management of acute and recurrent gout: A clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2017. 166: 58-68

10. Toprover M, Krasnokutsky S, Pillinger MH. Gout in the spine: Imaging, diagnosis, and outcomes. Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2015. 17: 70

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Pediatric pathology all grown up – An interesting case of adult tethered spinal cord

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Dimitri Laurent1, Olgert Bardhi1, Jason Gregory2, Anthony Yachnis2, Lance S. Governale1
  1. Department of Neurosurgery University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States.
  2. Department of Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States.

Correspondence Address:
Lance S. Governale
Department of Neurosurgery University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States.

DOI:10.25259/SNI_641_2020

Copyright: © 2020 Surgical Neurology International This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-Share Alike 4.0 License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work non-commercially, as long as the author is credited and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms.

How to cite this article: Dimitri Laurent1, Olgert Bardhi1, Jason Gregory2, Anthony Yachnis2, Lance S. Governale1. Pediatric pathology all grown up – An interesting case of adult tethered spinal cord. 29-Oct-2020;11:362

How to cite this URL: Dimitri Laurent1, Olgert Bardhi1, Jason Gregory2, Anthony Yachnis2, Lance S. Governale1. Pediatric pathology all grown up – An interesting case of adult tethered spinal cord. 29-Oct-2020;11:362. Available from: https://surgicalneurologyint.com/surgicalint-articles/10361/

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Date of Submission
14-Sep-2020

Date of Acceptance
02-Oct-2020

Date of Web Publication
29-Oct-2020

Abstract

Background: Cervical myelopathy in an adult is typically the result of degenerative disease or trauma. Dysraphism is rarely the cause.

Case Description: The authors report the case of a 35-year-old male drywall installer who presented with 2 years of progressive left upper extremity weakness, numbness, and hand clumsiness. Only upon detailed questioning did he mention that he had neck surgery just after birth, but he did not know what was done. He then also reported that he routinely shaved a patch of lower back hair, but denied bowel, bladder, or lower extremity dysfunction. Magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical spine demonstrated T2 hyperintensity at C4-C5 with dorsal projection of the neural elements into the subcutaneous tissues concerning for a retethered cervical myelomeningocele. Lumbar imaging revealed a diastematomyelia at L4. He underwent surgical intervention for detethering and repaired of the cervical mye lomeningocele. Four months postoperatively, he had almost complete resolution of symptoms, and imaging showed a satisfactory detethering. The diastematomyelia remained asymptomatic and is being observed.

Conclusion: Tethered cervical cord is a rare cause for myelopathy in the adult patient. In the symptomatic patient, surgical repair with detethering is indicated to prevent disease progression and often results in clinical improvement.

Keywords: Cervical myelomeningocele, Cervical myelopathy, Diastematomyelia, Spina bifida, Spinal dysraphism, Tethered spinal cord

INTRODUCTION

Cervical myelopathy in an adult is typically the result of degenerative disease or trauma.[ 4 ] Dysraphism is rarely the cause. Cervical myelomeningoceles are a rare form of spinal dysraphism, accounting for 5 , 11 ] Patients may present with a myriad of signs and symptoms, including pain, weakness, paresthesia, upper motor neuron signs, muscle wasting, and bowel/bladder dysfunction.[ 1 - 3 , 5 , 12 , 13 ] Unlike myelomeningoceles occurring in the lumbar spine, cervical myelomeningoceles are typically covered by epithelium.[ 11 , 15 ] In the symptomatic patient, surgical repair with detethering is indicated to prevent disease progression and often results in clinical improvement. We present the case of a retethered cervical myelomeningocele in a 35-year-old who also harbored a previously unknown lumbar diastematomyelia.

CASE REPORT

History and examination

A 35-year-old male drywall installer presented with 2 years of progressive left upper extremity weakness, numbness, and hand clumsiness. Neurologic examination demonstrated 4-/5 strength of the left hand intrinsic muscles, decreased sensation to light touch in the left hand, and hyperreflexia of the left upper extremity. Electromyography and nerve conduction testing demonstrated only mild incidental bilateral ulnar neuropathy across the elbow. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical spine demonstrated cervical spinal cord expansion with T2 hyperintensity at C4-C5. There was an associated defect of the bony posterior elements with projection of the neural elements into the dorsal subcutaneous soft tissue [ Figure 1 ]. At this point, he was referred to our institution where only upon detailed questioning did he mention that he had neck surgery just after birth, but he did not know what was done. This additional history allowed the diagnosis of retethering of a cervical myelomeningocele. A cervical detethering operation was recommended.


SNI-11-362-g001.png?w=604&ssl=1

Figure 1:

Preoperative sagittal (a) and axial (b and c) T2 MRI of the cervical spine demonstrating intramedullary T2 signal changes and a small syrinx associated with a dorsally projecting exophytic cervical myelomeningocele terminating in the subcutaneous fat.

 

He then also reported that he routinely shaved a patch of lower back hair, but denied bowel, bladder, or lower extremity dysfunction. This prompted an MRI of the lumbar spine which demonstrated underlying diastematomyelia with a low-lying conus [ Figure 2 ]. His lower extremity and sacral examination were normal. Because the diastematomyelia was asymptomatic in this adult patient at final height, observation was recommended.


SNI-11-362-g002.png?w=604&ssl=1

Figure 2:

Preoperative sagittal (left) and axial (right) T2 MRI of the lumbar spine demonstrating a low-lying conus and associated diastematomyelia at L4.

 

Operation

After satisfactory induction of general endotracheal anesthesia, the patient was positioned prone on gel rolls, and his head was fixed in Mayfield pins in neutral position. Neuromonitoring with somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP), motor evoked potentials, and electromyography was established. The prior curvilinear midline incision was marked and slightly extended superiorly and inferiorly.

The superior portion of the incision over the last rostral intact lamina was opened sharply and carried down to the fascia using blunt dissection. Progressing along the fascia from superior to inferior, the overlying soft tissue was opened. The myelomeningocele sac was identified and dissected circumferentially as it passed through the fascia. The sac was then separated from the overlying soft tissue [ Figure 3a ].


SNI-11-362-g003.png?w=604&ssl=1

Figure 3:

Intraoperative views of the cervical myelomeningocele (cranial at right and caudal at left in each image). (a) Myelomeningocele sac (asterisk) extending through the fascia (f) and terminating in the subcutaneous adipose tissue (a). (b and c) Myelomeningocele emanating from the normal dura (d) and contiguous with it superiorly and inferiorly. (d) Dorsal projection of the neural elements (n) after dissection from the overlying myelomeningocele sac. (e) Pial closure of the dysplastic neural stump. (f) The free dysplastic neural stump at rest before dural closure.

 

The fascia was opened rostral and caudal to the myelomeningocele sac. The rostral (bifid) and caudal (hemi) dysplastic spinal lamina were removed using Kerrison rongeurs. The exposed native dura was contiguous with the myelomeningocele sac [ Figure 3b and c ]. Intraoperative ultrasound was used to confirm adequate bony exposure and identify dorsal subarachnoid space for dural opening.

Under microscopic magnification, the spinal cord dura was incised rostral to the myelomeningocele. Progressing caudally, the dorsal spinal cord was found to be tethered to the dura by thick arachnoid bands. These were divided as they were encountered. The dural opening eventually extended into the myelomeningoc ele sac. In the sac was a dorsal projection of the cervical spinal cord approximately the same size as the cervical spinal cord. It was freed circumferentially from its dural attachments. The dorsal projection terminated in dysplastic spinal cord that fused with the overlying dural sac [ Figure 3d ]. At the transition to dysplastic spinal cord, electrical stimulation did not result in a response in the neuromonitoring. The dorsal projection was sectioned at this location and the pial closed [ Figure 3e ]. The detethering was then continued inferiorly to the native spinal cord. Eventually the point of last attachment was sectioned, and the cord was free and lax.

The remaining stump of dorsal projection still needed to be addressed. Sectioning the dorsal projection closer to the native spinal cord was avoided due to fear of transiting neural tracts within the projection. Left alone, the stalk came to a resting position along the dorsal surface of the rostral spinal cord [ Figure 3f ]. In this position, there was sufficient redundant dura to close without compressing the projection or the native spinal cord. This was verified with the ultrasound before and after the dura was closed; there was ample subarachnoid space surrounding the neural elements.

The dura and overlying soft tissue were closed primarily in a watertight fashion. The neuromonitoring signals at the end of the operation were stable compared to the beginning. In fact, the left arm SSEP was mildly improved. There was no significant neuromonitoring signal change throughout the surgery.

Pathological findings

The dysplastic portion of the dorsal projection along with its fused overlying dura was examined [ Figure 4 ]. Hematoxylin and eosin stained sections showed band-like collections of neuroglial tissue and meninges within a background of fibrosis, collagen fiber bundles, and disorganized smooth muscle. Scattered dermal appendages were also identified.


SNI-11-362-g004.png?w=604&ssl=1

Figure 4:

Hematoxylin and eosin staining of the myelomeningocele at the region of the neural-meningeal attachment. Left: low magnification study revealed fibrosis and collagen fiber bundles with prominent interfiber clefts (arrowhead), likely filled with cerebrospinal fluid. Dura is seen at left (asterisk), leptomeninges at center, and bands of neuroglial tissue (arrow) at right. Right: inspection at high magnification showed the clefts (arrowhead) between collagen fibers at left and bundles of neuroglial tissue (arrow) and meninges (asterisk) at right. Neuropil containing scattered oligodendrocytes with a dark nuclei and slight perinuclear halo is readily identified within the neuroglial tissue.

 

Postoperative course

On postoperative day 1, the patient reported improvement in his left upper extremity weakness and numbness. At 1 month follow-up, he reported continued improvement in his symptoms. He had some residual altered sensorium of the left hand, but improvement in his intrinsic hand muscle strength and no further pain, paresthesia, or clumsiness. He had returned to work without special accommodation. At 4 months follow-up, he had regained full strength in his left hand, and MRI showed a successful detethering without neural compression [ Figure 5 ]. The diastematomyelia remained asymptomatic and is being observed.


SNI-11-362-g005.png?w=604&ssl=1

Figure 5:

Postoperative sagittal (left) and axial (right) T2 MRI of the cervical spine showing successful detethering of the cervical myelomeningocele without neural compression at 4 months follow-up.

 

DISCUSSION

Cervical myelomeningoceles are a rare form of spinal dysraphism, accounting for 5 , 11 ] As opposed to the classic lumbar myelomeningocele, in which the neural placode is superficially exposed to the environment, the cervical myelomeningocele typically remains covered by full-thickness epithelium.[ 11 , 15 ] Rossi et al. cate gorized these dysraphisms into two types: an abortive nonterminal myelocystocele in which a meningocele is traversed by a fibrovascular stalk; and, a complete nonterminal myelocystocele, in which a hydromyelia expanded cord is dorsally displaced into the dural sac.[ 14 ] In a study of 18 pediatric patients with cervical dysraphisms undergoing operative repair, Salomao et al. identified three subtypes: a fibrovascular stalk projecting from the spinal cord to the dural sac, a myelocystocele, and a meningocele.[ 15 ] In the present case, the myelomeningocele was comprised of a dorsal exophytic extension of native spinal cord that was tethered to the dural sac. As opposed to lumbar myelomeningoceles, the nervous tissue found in cerv ical myelomeningoceles is more frequently nonfunctional.[ 8 ] Regardless, the use of intraoperative neurologic monitoring may decrease the risk of neurologic injury during detethering. Intraoperative ultrasound was also found to be useful.

Tethered spinal cord in adults most often presents with pain.[ 9 , 10 ] The pathogenesis of delayed symptoms in adult cervical tethered cord is uncertain. It has been postulated that repeated movements in the setting of a fixed, immobile spinal cord results in ischemic insults and alterations in mitochondrial oxidative metabolism with resultant neuronal damage.[ 16 , 17 ] In a retrospective study of 85 adult patients with tethered cord syndrome, Klekamp et al. found that 61% of surgical patients demonstrated clinical improvement, while 33% reported no change in symptoms. A significant improvement in pain symptoms was not found.[ 10 ] Of 27 adult patients who underwent surgical intervention for tethered cord related to pain symptoms, Iskandar et al. found that at 4 years follow-up, 81% of patients reported an improvement.[ 9 ] Eller et al. observed an immediate increase in the amplitude of SSEP on sectioning the final band of a tethered cervical cord.[ 6 ] Smith et al. described a 33-year-old female with prior cervical myelomeningocele repair who developed neck pain, quadriparesis, and Lhermitte sign as a result of spinal cord tethering from scar tissue. Following detethering, she had significant improvement in her pain symptoms.[ 16 ] It appears that beyond arresting the progression of neurologic deficits, surgical detethering in the adult population often results in symptomatic improvement of pain symptoms.

There have been few reports of cervical myelomeningocele in the adult patient. Presentation may include pain, weakness, paresthesia, upper motor neur on signs, muscle wasting, and bowel/bladder dysfunction.[ 1 - 3 , 5 , 12 , 13 ] Detethering of cervical myelomeningocele has been reported to reduce symptoms and, when present, result in decreased syrinx size.[ 3 , 5 , 12 , 13 ] The literature suggests that surgical intervention in the symptomatic adult with tethered cervical myelomeningocele yields beneficial outcomes. In the present case, the patient had significant improvement of his symptoms following surgical detethering.

Interestingly, our adult patient also had a previously undiagnosed lumbar diastematomyelia. Other than a patch of lower back hair that was routinely shaved, the lumbar diastematomyelia was asymptomatic. When these lesions are discovered in childhood, surgery is typically recommended to lessen the risk of developing tethering symptoms, which may be irreversible, overtime.[ 7 ] However, when these lesions are discovered in adulthood, observation is typically recommended in the asymptomatic patient.[ 10 ] This raises the question of the true incidence of symptom development in lumbar diastematomyelia, however, natural history studies are lacking.

CONCLUSION

Tethered cervical spinal cord is a rare cause for myelopathy in the adult patient. In the symptomatic patient, surgical repair with detethering is indicated to prevent disease progression and often results in clinical improvement. When asymptomatic, such as with this patient's concurrent lumbar diastematomyelia, observation is prudent.

Declaration of patient consent

Patient's consent not obtained as patients identity is not disclosed or compromised.

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

References

1. Abu-Bonsrah N, Purvis TE, Goodwin CR, Petteys RJ, de la Garza-Ramos R, Sciubba DM. Adult cervicothoracic lipomyelomeningocele. J Clin Neurosci. 2016. 32: 157-9

2. Balachandran G. Klippel-Feil syndrome and anterior cervical meningomyelocele: A rare case report. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2009. 30: E130

3. Brokinkel B, Wiebe K, Hesselmann V, Filler TJ, Ewelt C, Muller-Hofstede C. Surgical treatment in a patient with Klippel-Feil syndrome and anterior cervical meningomyelocele: A case report and review of literature. Eur Spine J. 2013. 22: S517-20

4. Chen YC, Kuo CH, Cheng CM, Wu JC. Recent advances in the management of cervical spondylotic myelopathy: Bibliometric analysis and surgical perspectives. J Neurosurg Spine. 2019. 31: 299-309

5. Denaro L, Padoan A, Manara R, Gardiman M, Ciccarino P, d'Avella D. Cervical myelomeningocele in adulthood: Case report. Neurosurgery. 2008. 62: E1169-71

6. Eller TW, Bernstein LP, Rosenberg RS, McLone DG. Tethered cervical spinal cord. Case report. J Neurosurg. 1987. 67: 600-2

7. Gan YC, Sgouros S, Walsh AR, Hockley AD. Diastematomyelia in children: Treatment outcome and natural history of associated syringomyelia. Childs Nerv Syst. 2007. 23: 515-9

8. Habibi Z, Nejat F, Tajik P, Kazmi SS, Kajbafzadeh AM. Cervical myelomeningocele. Neurosurgery. 2006. 58: 1168-75

9. Iskandar BJ, Fulmer BB, Hadley MN, Oakes WJ. Congenital tethered spinal cord syndrome in adults. Neurosurg Focus. 2001. 10: e7

10. Klekamp J. Tethered cord syndrome in adults. J Neurosurg Spine. 2011. 15: 258-70

11. Meyer-Heim AD, Klein A, Boltshauser E. Cervical myelomeningocele-follow-up of five patients. Eur J paediatr Neurol. 2003. 7: 407-12

12. Perrini P, Scollato A, Guidi E, Benedetto N, Buccoliero AM, di Lorenzo N. Tethered cervical spinal cord due to a hamartomatous stalk in a young adult. Case report. J Neurosurg. 2005. 102: 244-7

13. Raheja A, Gupta DK, Nalwa A, Suri V, Sharma BS. Nonterminal cervical myelocystocele: Unusual cause of spastic quadriparesis in an adult. Neurol India. 2014. 62: 704-8

14. Rossi A, Piatelli G, Gandolfo C, Pavanello M, Hoffmann C, van Goethem JW. Spectrum of nonterminal myelocystoceles. Neurosurgery. 2006. 58: 509-15

15. Salomao JF, Cavalheiro S, Matushita H, Leibinger RD, Bellas AR, Vana zzi E. Cystic spinal dysraphism of the cervical and upper thoracic region. Childs Nerv Syst. 2006. 22: 234-42

16. Smith KA, Rekate HL. Delayed postoperative tethering of the cervical spinal cord. J Neurosurg. 1994. 81: 196-201

17. Yamada S, Zinke DE, Sanders D. Pathophysiology of tethered cord syndrome. J Neurosurg. 1981. 54: 494-503

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Apert syndrome: Cranial procedures and brain malformations in a series of patients

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Pablo M. Munarriz1,4, Beatriz Pascual1,4, Ana M. Castaño-Leon1,4, Ignacio García-Recuero2,4, Marta Redondo2,4, Ana Martínez de Aragón3,4, Ana Romance2,4
  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.
  2. Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.
  3. Department of Radiology, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.
  4. Department of Craniofacial Unit (ERN CRANIO), Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.

Correspondence Address:
Pablo M. Munarriz
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.
Department of Craniofacial Unit (ERN CRANIO), Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.

DOI:10.25259/SNI_413_2020

Copyright: © 2020 Surgical Neurology International This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-Share Alike 4.0 License, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work non-commercially, as long as the au thor is credited and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms.

How to cite this article: Pablo M. Munarriz1,4, Beatriz Pascual1,4, Ana M. Castaño-Leon1,4, Ignacio García-Recuero2,4, Marta Redondo2,4, Ana Martínez de Aragón3,4, Ana Romance2,4. Apert syndrome: Cranial procedures and brain malformations in a series of patients. 29-Oct-2020;11:361

How to cite this URL: Pablo M. Munarriz1,4, Beatriz Pascual1,4, Ana M. Castaño-Leon1,4, Ignacio García-Recuero2,4, Marta Redondo2,4, Ana Martínez de Aragón3,4, Ana Romance2,4. Apert syndrome: Cranial procedures and brain malformations in a series of patients. 29-Oct-2020;11:361. Available from: https://surgicalneurologyint.com/?post_type=surgicalint_articles&p=10362

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Date of Submission
07-Jul-2020

Date of Acceptance
28-Sep-2020

Date of Web Publication
29-Oct-2020

Abstract

Background: Apert syndrome is one of the most severe craniofacial disorders. This study aims to describe the craniofacial surgeries and central nervous system malformations of a cohort of children with Apert syndrome treated in the past 20 years and to compare these data with previously published data.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of a series of patients with Apert syndrome treated between 1999 and 2019 in our hospital. Information was analyzed regarding craniofacial procedures, hydrocephalus and presence of shunts, Chiari malformation Type 1, and other brain malformations such as corpus callosum and septum pellucidum anomalies.

Results: Thirty-seven patients were studied. Ventriculoperitoneal shunt prevalence was 24.3%, and 8.1% of patients required decompressive surgery for Chiari malformation. All of them needed at least one cranial vault remodeling procedure. The median age for this procedure was 8 months. In 69.7% of patients, the first cranial vault intervention was performed in the fronto-orbital region. In 36.4% of patients, a midface advancement had been performed at the time of this review, although this proportion was very dependent on the follow-up period and the age of the patients. The median age for the midface advancement procedure was 5.25 years. Anomalies of the corpus callosum and the septum pellucidum were reported in 43.2% and 59.5% of patients, respectively.

Conclusion: Apert syndrome is a type of syndromic craniosynostosis, and patients usually require one or more cranial and facial surgeries. In comparison with other syndromic craniosynostosis types, Apert syndrome less frequently requires a VP shunt or treatment for a Chiari malformation.

Keywords: Apert syndrome, Craniosynostosis, Fronto-orbital advancement, Hydrocephalus, Monobloc advancement

INTRODUCTION

Apert syndrome is a severe craniofacial syndrome that was initially described in 1906 by French physician Eugene Apert.[ 3 , 17 ] He described the synostosis of cranial sutures and the severe syndactyly of fingers and toes, a condition that he named acrocephalosyndactyly. It is a rare disease, with an estimated incidence of 1/65.000 births.[ 3 , 35 ] Apert syn drome is an autosomal disorder caused by mutations of the fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 gene (FGFR2) on chromosome 10q.[ 35 ] Nearly, all cases correspond with two genotypes, with mutations identified at either position 252 or position 253 in exon 7.[ 2 ] Inheritance is autosomal dominant, with most cases representing new mutations in families without previous history of the disorder.[ 10 ] The paternal age at conception is higher than average and has been related to its incidence.[ 5 , 16 , 31 ]

Patients present with malformations related to the head, face, and limbs. At the skull, it is characteristic of bilateral coronal synostosis, although other sutures may be affected, and coronal sutures are rarely unaffected. Skull base development is abnormal, and the skull shape confers a steep and flattened forehead with a flat occiput. Midfacial hypoplasia and exorbitism are also characteristic of the disorder. Many patients have an associated cleft palate or bifid uvula.[ 16 ] All of them present syndactyly of the hands and feet, which is characteristic of the disorder. Patients may also p resent cardiovascular malformations (about 25%[ 5 ]), gastroesophageal reflux, radiohumeral fusion, cervical spine fusions (more than 50%[ 4 , 21 ]), and varying degrees of neurocognitive impairment.[ 30 ]

This study seeks to (1) collect and describe the craniofacial procedures performed in our series of Apert patients in the past 20 years; (2) assess the proportion of shunted patients and patients with Chiari malformation type 1 (CM1) needing surgery; and (3) describe a number of bra in and cranial malformations that frequently occur in this disorder.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients

We conducted a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with Apert syndrome treated at Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain; in our Craniofacial Unit, between 1999 and 2019. Informed consents are obtained from parents regarding images and information database. Our database including clinical records and radiological records was examined, and the type, number, and order of surgeries were extracted from the database. The brain malformations associated with this disorder were analyzed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and every patient underwent at least one MRI. The follow-up period was calculated and described as patients still attending the craniofacial clinic or those who were lost to follow-up.

Information of this series of patients was extrac ted regarding the following:

Incidence of hydrocephalus requiring ventriculoperitoneal shunt compared with a normal ventricular size or enlarged ventricular size without shunt (nonprogressive ventriculomegaly). Indications to perform VP shunt procedures were retrieved

Incidence of CM1 defined as tonsillar herniation of 5 mm or greater. Proportion of patients requiring surgery and indication of such procedures

Cranial and brain malformations detected through MRI studies

Craniofacial surgical procedures: number, type, order, and age of the patient at the time of surgery.

Craniofacial surgeries

Various cranial vault procedures are performed in Apert patients and may be divided into surgeries of the anterior half of the skull or the posterior half, although one could even reach two-thirds of the skull. A total cranial vault remodeling or holocranial dismantling is also possible. With regard to the anterior half of the cranium, a remodeling of the frontal region can be performed with or without a supraorbital bandeau. If an advancement of the supraorbital rim and the frontal bones is instead performed, then it is called a fronto-orbital advancement (FOA). The advancement may be static (with absorbable or nonabsorbable miniplates), but it may also be progressive using distractors (osteogenic distraction). Regarding osteogenic distraction, our team has used a technique described by Hirabayashi et al.,[ 18 ] in w hich a one-piece craniotomy including a bifrontal craniotomy and bilateral supraorbital rim is performed (without remodeling) and then advanced with distractors in the postoperative period. We have also performed a variant of this technique, in which the bifrontal and bilateral orbital rim craniotomy is elevated, osteotomized, reshaped, and reassembled with absorbable miniplates and then relocated with distractors. Regarding the posterior half of the cranial vault, a similar variety of procedures are accomplished: remodeling without advancement, remodeling with fixed advancement (miniplates), remodeling with osteogenic distractors, fixed advancement without remodeling, or distractors without remodeling. A near-complete craniectomy of the posterior skull is occasionally necessary when the bone is very abnormal and dysplastic.

On the other hand, patients may need surgical procedures affecting the face. Due to midfacial hypoplasia and upper airway obstruction, a midface advanceme nt is often performed. A midfacial advancement may be performed alone (Le Fort III osteotomy) or in combination with a FOA (monobloc advancement).

RESULTS

We identified a total of 44 patients with Apert syndrome from the past two decades in our database. However, seven patients were excluded from analysis since the clinical information was scarce or they were treated mainly in a different hospital. Of the 37 remaining patients, 33 have been treated in our center from birth; thus, we have a complete information and surgical record. The remaining four patients were initially operated on in different centers and subsequently in ours. We included these four patients for analysis of hydrocephalus and VP shunt, Chiari malformation, and brain malformations (total: 37 patients), since no VP shunts or Chiari decompressions correspond to these four patients. However, we decided t o not consider craniofacial surgeries since the indications were made outside our Craniofacial Center (total: 33 patients).

The 37 patients were comprised of 17 females (46%) and 20 males (54%) [ Table 1 ]. The median follow-up time was 127 months (10.5 years), with a minimum of 17 months and maximum of 256 months (21.3 years, a patient initially treated in another hospital and remitted in 1999 at the outset of database and our series). One patient died at the age of 13 years; he corresponds to the group of four patients treated initially in a different hospital.


SNI-11-361-t001.png?w=604&ssl=1

Table 1:

General characteristics of the series.

 

Hydrocephalus and ventricular size

Nine out of 37 patients (24.3%) required a VP shunt. For the rest, the ventricular size was categorized using the Evans' index, that is, the ratio of maximum width of the frontal horns of the lateral ventricles and the maximal internal diameter of the skull at the same level (where >0.30 is considered ventriculomegaly). In this manner, nonshunted patients were categorized in two groups: those with normal ventricular size and those with ventriculomegaly (referred in the literature as "nonprogressive ventriculomegaly"). Eighteen patients (48.7%) presented a normal ventricular size, with an Evans' index from 0.15 to 0.28. Ten patients (27%) presented nonprogressive ventriculomegaly, with an index oscillating from 0.31 to 0.44, and they did not present clinical findings related to intracranial hypertension and thus were not shunted. The total number of patients with shunt (hydrocephalus) and ven triculomegaly was 19 (51.3%).

Of the nine shunted patients, only one case was the shunt performed before any craniofacial procedure. In this case, the patient presented progressive hydrocephalus from birth and required shunting at 2 months of age. The remaining eight patients required a VP shunt after surgical procedures. The indication was CSF fistula in one patient and progressive hydrocephalus in seven patients. Of these seven patients, cranial vault remodeling surgeries preceded the VP shunt. Four were anterior half remodeling surgeries, two were posterior half remodeling surgeries, and one was a total cranial vault remodeling surgery. This proportion is not informative since the distribution of anterior/posterior/ holocranial vault remodeling in the complete series is very similar. Of the nine shunted patients, three patients needed a shunt revision (two patients twice and one patient once); additionally, one patient presented a shunt infection resolved with shunt replace ment. In our unit, shunts for ApertCrouzon-Pfeiffer patients are placed through a posterior (occipital) burr hole to avoid potential contamination of an anterior shunt if they need halo placement for a midfacial advancement.

Chiari malformation

Cerebellar tonsillar herniation through the foramen magnum or CM1 was present in 8 out of 37 patients of our series (21.6%). Three patients required surgery (8.1%) consisting of a posterior fossa craniectomy with resection of the posterior arch of the C1 vertebrae, plus a wide dural opening and duroplasty. Two patients did not present any attributable symptom at the time of the procedure, and therefore, the indication was made on the basis of very severe radiological tonsillar herniation (>20 mm). One patient was 2 years old at the time, and the other was 3 years old. One patient required Chiari decompression at 9 months of age due to attributable symptoms such as progressive central sleep apneas in a tracheostomized patient. The remaining 5 patients (13.5%), despite presenting radiological diagnosis of Chiari malformation, did not present symptoms, and the tonsillar herniation was not considered sufficiently severe to indicate decompressive surgery. Most of the Apert patients within our series do not present Chiari malformation (29 patients, 78.4%).

Brain and cranial malformations on MRI studies

Thirty-seven patients were included since complete cranial MRI images were available. The majority of brain malformations related to Apert syndrome corresponded to abnormalities of midline development, more specifically involving the olfactory-limbic-septal-callosal structures. Sixteen patients presented corpus callosum malformations: 15 (40.5%) presented segmental or global hypoplasia and 1 (2.7%) presented complete agenesis. Septum pellucidum was analyzed, and complete or partial absence was found in 13 patients (35.2%), whereas 9 patients (24.3%) presented a double septum (cystic septum pelluci dum or cavum vergae).

The amygdala and hippocampal region were also scrutinized. Two patients (5.4%) presented verticalized and malrotated hippocampus bilaterally, and one patient presented with intractable epilepsy and an amygdalar tumor that was resected and whose pathology revealed ganglioglioma. The petrous bone was also assessed and revealed nearly constant malformations in the inner ear. In 33 patients (89.2%), a dilated cystic vestibule was found. Craniocervical junction abnormalities were also common. In 30 patients (81.1%), remodeling of the clivus was confirmed, and 9 patients (24.3%) presented basilar invagination.

Craniofacial surgical procedures

The 33 patients treated from birth in our center were included in this section.

First surgical intervention

The first surgical intervention for 29 patients was a cranial vault procedure, whereas it was mandibular distraction in three patients and VP shunt in one patient. Every patient r equired a cranial vault surgery at least once. However, the first surgery involved the anterior half (fronto-orbital) in 23 patients (69.7%), the posterior half in 8 patients (24,2%), and a total cranial vault remodeling was carried out in 2 patients (6.1%). The median age for the first cranial vault surgery was 8 months (range 3–15 months), and it was performed before 6 months in 7 patients, between 6 and 12 months in 23 patients, and after 12 months of age in 3 patients.

Type of cranial procedures

A total of 53 cranial vault procedures were performed, including 6 monobloc advancements (frontal and facial). In all 33 patients, a FOA was performed at some point (2 of them as part of holocranial remodeling). Of them, 17 required only one cranial vault surgery. In this subgroup, 15 patients required an FOA, and two patients required a holocranial remodeling.

In 14 patients, two cranial vault procedures were performed. The combinations included FOA and po sterior remodeling (7 patients), two FOAs (3 patients), FOA and monobloc advancement (3 patients), and posterior remodeling and monobloc advancement (1 patient). Finally, two patients required more than 2 cranial procedures. One patient underwent three procedures (two FOAs and a posterior remodeling), and another required five cranial vault surgeries (one holocranial remodeling, two FOAs, and two monobloc advancements).

Midfacial advancement and monobloc advancement

Of the 33 patients, at the time of this review, 12 of them required surgical treatment of their midfacial hypoplasia. This proportion was dependent on the age of the patients in the cohort, since nonoperated patients may require these procedures as they age. In fact, in an additional four patients, the midfacial advancement was indicated in outpatient clinic visits and remains pending. Of the 12 operated patients, 9 required only one procedure and 3 required more than 1. Sixteen procedures were und ertaken, including 10 midfacial advancements (Le Fort III) and 6 monobloc advancements. The median age for the first procedure was 63 months (5.25 years). In six patients, the procedures were carried out between 5 and 10 years of age. In two patients, they were performed between 10 and 16 years of age, and in four patients, their first procedure was performed when they were

DISCUSSION

The usual shape of the skull in patients affected of Apert syndrome is brachyturricephaly. Typically, the head width and height are increased, whereas the head length is reduced.[ 9 , 21 , 28 ] Bicoronal synostosis is the most frequent and characteristic craniosynostosis, which develops in the 1st year of life. A wide and split metopic suture as well as the sagittal suture at presentation are a frequent feature simulating a midline calvarial defect [ Figure 1 ].[ 3 , 7 , 9 , 16 , 25 ] This feature appears to allow for some degree of intracranial decompression.[ 16 ] Shallow orbits and consequent proptosis (exorbitism) are common features.[ 21 , 24 ] Cloverleaf skull (kleeblattschädel) is not frequent but possible. It represents the most severe form of pansynostosis and has been reported in 4% of patients.[ 8 ] Abnormal develop ment of the skull base also occurs[ 19 , 26 ] due to the premature fusion of the sphenofrontal suture and both spheno-occipital and petro-occipital synchondroses.[ 3 ] As a consequence, the anterior and middle cranial fossa is shortened. It produces a diminished length of the orbits and upper airway. Furthermore, synostosis at the cranial base may impede CSF flow by reducing venous drainage by stenosis of the basal foramina.[ 7 , 11 , 23 , 26 ]


SNI-11-361-g001.png?w=604&ssl=1

Figure 1:

Cranial CT with osseous 3D reconstruction. A 7-month-old patient presented a significant midline defect that included split sagittal suture, enlarged anterior fontanelle, and split metopic suture.

 

CNS malformations

Apert syndrome is related with brain malformations that may be classified as primary or secondary to the osseous deformity.[ 29 , 33 ] Enlarged ventricles or ventriculomegaly is considered a primary malformation.[ 11 , 33 ] In Apert syndrome, some series report up to 60% of ventriculomegaly,[ 26 ] and our series presented as much as 51.3% (if we sum the shunted patients and those with ventriculomegaly but not shunted). Nonprogressive ventriculomegaly is more frequent than true hydrocephalus.[ 4 , 7 , 10 , 11 , 27 ] The habitual treatment for hydrocephalus in syndromic craniosynostosis is a VP shunt.[ 11 , 20 ] A high rate of failure has been reported for endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV).[ 16 ] We reviewed a series of Apert patients, and those requiring a VP shunt [ Table 2 ] varied between 0% and 25%. In our series, shunted patients represent approximately one-fourth of the total patients (24.3%). Regarding the nine shunted patients, in eight of them, the indication was hydrocephalus, but for one, a persistent CSF fistula triggered the procedure. From the series summarized in [ Table 2 ], we very rarely found distinction between the VP shunt indication if it was because of hydrocephalus or CSF fistula. It is well known that patients with Apert syndrome require a VP shunt less frequently when compared to Crouzon or Pfeiffer syndromes.[ 6 , 7 ]


SNI-11-361-t002.png?w=604&ssl=1

Table 2:

Comparison of different series.

 

Another type of primary malformations comprises disorders of brain development itself. This type has been described as a greater frequency of abnormalities of midline development (olfactory-limbic-septal-callosal).[ 14 , 29 , 30 , 33 ] The usual malformations are corpus callosum anomalies (hypoplasia and agenesis) [ Figure 2 ], septum pellucidum anomalies (hypoplasia, agenesis, duplicity, or cavum vergae) [ Figure 3 ], limbic system abnormalities, anomalies of the olfactory complex (absence of olfactory bulbs and tracts, midline fusion of olfactory tubercles), optic nerve hypoplasia, and septo-optic dysplasia spectrum. The association of these abnormalities and intellectual disability is not clear.[ 4 ] In the different series, we reviewed the more common brain abnormalities that correspond with corpus callosum and septum pellucidum anomalies.[ 37 ] Corpus callosum abnormalities were reported in 12%–43% of patients, and se ptum pellucidum anomalies were reported in 13%–59% of patients [ Table 2 ].


SNI-11-361-g002.png?w=604&ssl=1

Figure 2:

Sagittal T2-weighted MR image. A 5-year-old patient presenting a corpus callosum malformation. A distorted morphology is shown with agenesis of its anterior third.

 

SNI-11-361-g003.png?w=604&ssl=1

Figure 3:

Axial T2-weighted MR image. A 4-year-old patient demonstrating a duplicity of septum pellucidum or cystic septum or cavum vergae.

 

The main secondary malformation is cerebellar tonsillar herniation through the foramen magnum or Chiari type 1 malformation [ Figure 4 ]. The premature synostosis of the lambdoid sutures is considered to be the main cause of the Chiari malformations secondary to craniofacial syndromes.[ 6 ]The tonsillar herniation has been reported in different series as varying between 1.9% and 29% [ Table 2 ], and our study found a prevalence of 21.6%. A less reported aspect is the frequency when patients with tonsillar herniation require decompressive surgery. Even though eight patients i n our series (21.6%) exhibit the malformation, only three of them required surgery (8.1%). Similarly, for hydrocephalus, the Chiari malformation is less frequent in Apert syndrome when compared with Crouzon or Pfeiffer syndromes.[ 6 ] In the study of Cinalli et al.,[ 6 ] they ascertained by means of skull X-rays that patients with Crouzon syndrome suffered an earlier fusion of lambdoid and sagittal sutures (median of 20 and 6 months, respectively) when compared with Apert patients (median of 60 and 51 months, respectively), and at the same time, both syndromes presented earlier fusion when compared with the normal population. They postulated that the greater frequency of Chiari malformation in Crouzon syndrome might be due to this finding. From the same study, the bicoronal synostosis, which is common in both syndromes, was found earlier in Apert patients at a median age of 5 months and later in Crouzon patients at 8 months.


SNI-11-361-g004.png?w=604&ssl=1

Figure 4:

Sagittal T1-weighted MR image. A 17-month-old patient presenting a Chiari malformation with a 9 mm tonsillar herniation through the foramen magnum.

 

Craniofacial surgical procedures

The traditional paradigm of treatment in patients affected with Apert syndrome is to assume that they eventually require at least one surgery of cranial vault expansion or remodeling and thus to proceed with it during the 1st year of life. It is known that a fair number of patients will need more than 1 procedure regarding the skull region.[ 15 , 16 , 31 , 34 , 36 ] In this manner, some Craniofacial Units have proposed protocols of treatment that stage and organize surgeries in a temporal line of action.[ 12 , 16 ]

From the paper of Fearon and Podner from the Craniofacial Center in Dallas,[ 16 ] their protocol considers at least two cranial vault expansion surgeries. A completely different approach is that from the study of Marucci et al.[ 23 ] from London (Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children). In their series of 24 patients, they do not schedule any cranial vault surgery automatically or by default. Instead, they perform the cranial vault expansion only in patients displaying signs of intracranial hypertension. In this way, they report 20 patients (83%) that developed intracranial hypertension and were operated on. Half of these patients presented increased intracranial pressure during the 1st year of life, and all of them before 5 years of age. Seven of the 20 patients required subsequent surgeries after a period of proven normalization of intracranial pressure. Four of the 24 patients (nearly 20%) did not require a cranial vault expansion. They conclude that these data present an accurate picture of the natural history of raised intracranial pressure in Apert syndrome.

In the majority of units, however, the usual management has been to believe that a cranial vault procedure is nee ded and so to schedule it sometime within the 1st year of life. The controversy for the greater number of authors has been when to perform the first surgery.[ 13 ] Nowadays, it is not clear how long the first surgery may be delayed. Some authors suggest that it is beneficial to proceed with it in the first 6 months of life.[ 1 , 9 , 12 , 22 , 25 ] Others, however, advocate to delay the procedure since a postsurgical skull growth impairment is produced.[ 16 ] In the Dallas Unit,[ 16 ] the first cranial vault surgery was performed around 12.6 months (median) when compared to ours, which was at 8 months (median). In the same way, this group opines that the midfacial advancement should be delayed when possible as well, since the surgery can impede normal facial growth.[ 16 , 22 ] In the Dallas Unit, when midfacial advancement was first performed, it was performed at approximately 7.5 years (median) compared to 5.25 years (median) in our unit. Thus, earlier cranial or facial surgeries may typically shift the need for a possible second procedure sooner, in the opinion of this group.[ 16 ] Another controversial aspect is whether the first cranial expansion must be anterior (FOA) or posterior (occipital advancement), since a greater augmentation of cranial volume has been described after a posterior advancement.[ 32 ] Regarding this controversy, in our unit, approximately two-thirds of our first surgeries were anterior advancement s and around one-third were posterior advancements.

CONCLUSION

Apert syndrome is one of the most severe craniofacial disorders. Most will require a cranial vault surgical intervention, and many will require more than 1. The need for a midfacial advancement is also very prevalent. The incidence of hydrocephalus and the requirement of a VP shunt – as well as tonsillar herniation – are less common than in syndromes such as Crouzon or Pfeiffer.

Declaration of patient consent

Patient's consent not required as patients identity is not disclosed or compromised.

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

Acknowledgments

We wish to acknowledge the tremendous contributions in treating our patients from several former members of our Craniofacial Unit (J. Hinojosa, M.J. Muñoz, J. Esparza).

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