Acta neurochirurgica
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Acta neurochirurgica · Nov 2016
The paramedian supracerebellar transtentorial approach to the posterior fusiform gyrus.
The posterior fusiform gyrus lies in a surgically challenging region. Several approaches have been described to access this anatomical area. The paramedian supracerebellar transtentorial (SCTT) approach benefits from minimal disruption of normal neurovascular tissue. The aim of this study was to demonstrate its application to access the posterior fusiform gyrus. ⋯ The supracerebellar transtentorial approach is able to provide access to the posterior fusiform gyrus via a minimally disruptive, anatomic, microsurgical corridor.
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Acta neurochirurgica · Oct 2016
Residency program trainee-satisfaction correlate with results of the European board examination in neurosurgery.
Substantial country differences in neurosurgical training throughout Europe have recently been described, ranging from subjective rating of training quality to objective working hours per week. The aim of this study was to analyse whether these differences translate into the results of the written and oral part of the European Board Examination in Neurological Surgery (EBE-NS). ⋯ With every one-step improvement on the country-specific satisfaction score for theoretical training, the score in the EBE-NS Part 1 increased by 3.8 %. With every one-step improvement on the country-specific satisfaction score for practical training, the score in the EBE-NS Part 2 increased by 9.47 %. Improving training conditions is likely to have a direct positive influence on the knowledge level of trainees, as measured by the EBE-NS. The effect of the actual working time on the theoretical and practical knowledge of neurosurgical trainees appears to be insignificant.
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Acta neurochirurgica · Oct 2016
ReviewSelective 5-aminolevulinic acid-induced protoporphyrin IX fluorescence in Gliomas.
Malignant gliomas are locally invasive tumors that offer a poor prognosis. Evidence shows that complete resection of the tumor at the time of surgery confers a significant improvement in overall survival. ⋯ Despite the considerable interest in the use of 5-ALA in fluorescence-guided neurosurgery, the mechanisms behind the accumulation of Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) in neoplastic tissue are unclear. In this review, we summarize the evidence in the literature on the mechanisms underlying the selective production of PpIX with a specific focus on gliomas.
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Acta neurochirurgica · Oct 2016
ReviewThe best marker for guiding the clinical management of patients with raised intracranial pressure-the RAP index or the mean pulse amplitude?
Raised intracranial pressure is a common problem in a variety of neurosurgical conditions including traumatic brain injury, hydrocephalus and intracranial haemorrhage. The clinical management of these patients is guided by a variety of haemodynamic, biochemical and clinical factors. However to date there is no single parameter that is used to guide clinical management of patients with raised intracranial pressure (ICP). ⋯ Whilst the RAP index has been used both as a descriptor of neurological deterioration in TBI patients and as a way of characterising the compensatory reserve in hydrocephalus, more recent studies have highlighted the limitation of the RAP index due to the influence that baseline effect errors have on the mean ICP, which is used in the calculation of the RAP index. These studies have suggested that the ICP mean pulse amplitude may be a more accurate marker of true intracranial pressure due to the fact that it is uninfluenced by the mean ICP and, therefore, the AMP may be a more reliable marker than the RAP index for guiding the clinical management of patients with raised ICP. Although further investigation needs to be undertaken in order to fully assess the role of ICP indices in guiding the clinical management of patients with raised ICP, the studies undertaken to date provide an insight into the potential role of ICP indices to treat raised ICP proactively rather than reactively and therefore help prevent or minimise secondary brain injury.
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Acta neurochirurgica · Oct 2016
Multicenter StudyPre- and postoperative correlation of patient-reported outcome measures with standardized Timed Up and Go (TUG) test results in lumbar degenerative disc disease.
The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test is a reliable tool for evaluating objective functional impairment (OFI) in patients with degenerative disc disease before a surgical intervention. The aim of this study is to assess the validity of the TUG test to measure change in function postoperatively. ⋯ The TUG test is sensitive to change, and reflects the postoperative functional outcome even more exact than preoperatively, as indicated by better correlation coefficients of the OFI t-score with subjective measures of pain intensity, functional impairment and HRQoL.