Background Although international publications on radiosurgery have increased exponentially, reports of heterogeneous series treated with linear accelerator (LINAC) are scarce. Since most intracranial tumors are irregular in size and not spherical, LINACs (Elekta Precise®, Elekta AB, Sweden), fitted with a multi-leaf collimator, allow for precise stereotactic radiosurgery for the entire tumor. Aim To evaluate the effects of LINAC on an outpatient basis with patients diagnosed with various intracranial malignancies. Methodology A retrospective observational study of a series of cases of patients with intracranial lesions treated at the Institute of Oncology and Radiobiology using LINAC was carried out from October 2019 to May 2021 to evaluate the therapeutic results of radiosurgery in patients with intracranial tumors. Results A total of 22 lesions in 20 patients were treated with LINAC. The average age of the patients was 49.7, and the male-female ratio was 1:2. The cases consisted were mostly vestibular schwannoma (7 lesions), metastases from breast cancer (3 lesions), and tuberculum sellae meningioma (2 lesions). The prescription dose covered 99% of the planning target volume in 16 lesions (72.7%) and 100% in six lesions (27.3%) (prescription volume). In meningiomas and schwannomas, doses between 12 and 14 Gy were used, in plasmacytoma 13 Gy, in pilocytic astrocytoma 14 Gy, in cavernoma 15 Gy, in breast cancer metastasis between 18 and 20 Gy, and in lung cancer metastasis 22 Gy. When evaluating local control, 11 patients exhibited stable findings at the six-month control while 10 had partial regression, and a single patient had total regression. Minor complications such as perilesional edema, facial paresthesia, facial paralysis, and transient alopecia were observed in eight of the patients. Conclusions Patients with extra-axial, low-grade malignancy, and posterior fossa lesions were predominant in the studied population. Radiosurgery treatment is associated with good local control of the treated lesions. Complications are infrequent, mild, and predominated by perilesional edema.

Introduction Central nervous system (CNS) lesions are rare and histologically heterogenous, and carry serious potential for patient morbidity and mortality. A retrospective epidemiological review of CNS neoplasms is of great importance for future research because it can demonstrate the changes in the spectrum of CNS lesions of a population, unveil the possible associated risk factors, and indicate the potential therapeutic methods for various neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions. Neurosurgeons have always shown an obsession with a good neuropathological diagnosis in intracranial and extracranial lesions. This obsession need not be overemphasized as it helps the clinician plan an adequate surgical/treatment strategy to optimize outcomes and minimize morbidity. Methods This study included a spectrum of 160 biopsies of patients with space-occupying lesions of the CNS during a period of two years (2019-2021). All the cases were studied and analyzed, and their histological typing/grading was done. The cases were graded and categorized according to the 2016 WHO Classification of CNS Tumors. Results Among 160 cases, the study showed a slight male preponderance of 100 (62.5%) cases. The maximum number of cases, 37 (23%) cases, was in the age group of 41-50 years. Clinically, the commonest complaints were headache and seizures. The most common location of tumor was supra-tentorial, comprising around 96 (60%) cases, of which 27 (28%) cases were located in the frontal lobe. There were four (2.5%) cases that had non-neoplastic lesions and the rest 156 (97.5%) cases had neoplastic lesions. Malignant lesions outnumbered the benign lesions, comprising of 82 (51.25%) cases. Among the neoplastic lesions, the highest cases were of astrocytoma, 48 (30.76%) cases, followed by meningioma, 42 (26.92%) cases. Also, 21 extremely rare and unusual cases were encountered. Conclusion The present study reflects the diversity of histopathological spectrum of CNS lesions in our center. In-depth studies from across various hospitals are required to have representative data on the incidence, epidemiological profile, and etiology of CNS lesions in India.

Background and aim Reoperation rate is defined as the percentage of patients returning to the operating room (OR) within 30 days of an initial craniotomy and undergoing a repeat (redo) craniotomy procedure. It is a key factor of quality-of-care assessments and has implications for outcomes, especially in oncological cases. Redo craniotomies are associated with improvement in neurological status and decreased mortality rate compared to non-surgical interventions but are associated with higher costs and risk of complications. It is important to gauge the indications and frequency of redo craniotomies as an index of quality of healthcare to improve patient outcomes. This study aimed to identify the indications, frequency, and outcomes of reoperation following an initial craniotomy in neurosurgical patients at a tertiary care hospital. Methods This retrospective cohort study was conducted at a tertiary care center in Pakistan and included all patients who underwent unplanned reoperation within 30 days of initial craniotomy from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2017. Demographics, indications for index surgery as well as reoperation, and outcomes in the form of complications, neurological status, and mortality were collected from medical charts and analyzed. Results The study comprised 111 patients who underwent reoperations. Median age of the patients was 36 years (interquartile range {IQR}: 33 years). From a total of more than 1900 annual cases, the frequency of unplanned reoperations was 3.5%. The most common indication of unplanned reoperation based on MRI/CT was hemorrhage (40%, subdural hemorrhage was most common), followed by hydrocephalus (22%), cerebral edema (13%), and residual tumor (13%). The most common clinical reason for unplanned reoperation was a drop in Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) (59%), whereas anisocoria was seen in 10.8% of patients. The highest mortality rate was observed in patients who were reoperated from post-operative day two to post-operative day seven (56%). Hypertension (p=0.014) and thrombocytopenia (p<0.001) showed significant associations with developing intracranial hemorrhage. Seventy-eight percent of patients showed significant improvement in their Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) whereas 22% showed deterioration in their KPS. Conclusion The delivery of consistent quality healthcare relies on early detection and intervention in at-risk patients. Our center\'s reoperation rate is consistent with the average range among other centers globally. Hypertension, anticoagulation, and antiplatelet therapy were common risk factors for redo craniotomies within 30 days. Patients with these conditions need special care to prevent returns to the operating room. Patients also need to be monitored for hemorrhage in the short term (one to two days) and hydrocephalus in the long term (two to 30 days) to intervene early if needed.

Patients with primary and metastatic brain tumors are predisposed to thromboembolism. This review of the literature explores the high prevalence of venous thromboembolism and its negative impact on patients with brain cancer. It outlines the recommended prophylactic strategies to prevent venous thrombosis and analyzes the benefit versus risk of anticoagulation in this population, with a focus on the risk of intracranial bleeding associated with it. Additionally, it explores the exceedingly high prevalence of venous thromboembolism in the setting of brain cancer surgeries and provides guidance on the best methods used for prophylaxis in this setting and discusses the safety of each method perioperatively. Lastly, this review article provides guidance on how to manage venous thromboembolism in patients with brain cancer and discusses the use of vena cava filters in this population.

Introduction Surgery is an option for patients with large, symptomatic primary tumors affecting the brain. However, surgery might not be suitable for all tumors, especially those located in sensitive areas such as the pineal region and the hypothalamus. Single-session stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) might not provide an adequate dose for long-term local control due to the initial tumor volume and the involvement of radiation sensitive organs at risk (OARs). Two-session radiosurgery has been described as a feasible strategy for dose escalation in large secondary brain tumors. This report describes a series of patients treated upfront with two-session radiosurgery for primary tumors affecting the brain. Materials and methods From May 2017 to January 2020, eight patients with primary tumors affecting the brain were treated with two-session radiosurgery due to either an initial large tumor volume or tumor localization and the involvement of OARs. The response was assessed by imaging and clinical evaluations. Results A total of eight patients were treated, nine tumors were treated with two-session radiosurgery, four patients had tumors in the pineal region (50%), and the rest were in the hypothalamic region (25%) or elsewhere. The mean tumor volume for the first SRS session was 15 mL (range 5.2 to 51.6 mL), the mean prescription dose was 13 Gy, and the timespan between both sessions was 30 days (range, 30 to 42 days). During the second session, tumor volume was reduced to 73.6% (range, -20% to 98.7%) of the original dimension, mean tumor volume was 5 mL (range, 0.1 to 17.8 ml), mean prescription dose for the second session was 16.2 Gy estimated by time, dose, and fractionation and by bioequivalent dose under alpha-beta values often to be equivalent to a single dose of 15.8 Gy. Doses to the OARs for the optic pathway were equivalent to a single maximum dose of 9.75 Gy (range, 7.12 to 10.92), and to the brainstem, the equivalent was a maximum dose of 12.3 Gy (range, 5.6 to 15.07). At last follow-up, at a mean of 336.5 days (range, 65 to 962 days), seven patients were alive, five tumors had a partial response (PR), and three had stable disease in accordance to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria. One patient died 435 days after treatment, the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) was 90 at the first session, 90 at the second session, and was maintained at last follow-up. No adverse radiation effects were reported. Conclusions Two-stage SRS proved to be a safe method to escalate dose in proportionately large volume primary brain tumors whose histology is expected to have a quick biological response to radiation. Longer follow-up is needed to determine the long-term effectiveness by tumor subtypes of two-stage SRS in the same manner as it has been proven in single session SRS series in smaller tumor volumes.