Clinical neurology and neurosurgery
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The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of betadine irrigation in preventing postoperative wound infection in cranial neurosurgical procedures. ⋯ In this small preliminary study, betadine decreased postoperative infection rates compared with antibiotic prophylaxis alone at 90 days but not 30 days. This was not statistically significant, but a larger sample size would lower the beta error and decrease confounding bias associated with group heterogeneity. The potential for betadine, a cheap, low toxicity antimicrobial, to decrease infection rates and reoperations for infection warrants a larger multicenter trial.
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Clin Neurol Neurosurg · Mar 2014
Predictors of rapid spontaneous resolution of acute subdural hematoma.
Acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) usually requires emergency surgical decompression, but rare cases exhibit rapid spontaneous resolution. The aim of this retrospective study was to identify factors predictive of spontaneous ASDH resolution. ⋯ Our analysis suggested that use of antiplatelet agents before head injury and a low-density band between the hematoma and inner skull bone on CT images (indicative of cerebrospinal fluid infusion into the subdural space) increase the probability of rapid spontaneous resolution.
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Clin Neurol Neurosurg · Mar 2014
Prognostic role of the number of involved extraspinal organs in patients with metastatic spinal cord compression.
This study was investigated the prognostic role of the number of involved extraspinal organs in the survival of patients with metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC). ⋯ The number of involved extraspinal organs is a new and independent prognostic factor in patients with MSCC and should be considered in future clinical trials.
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Clin Neurol Neurosurg · Mar 2014
Complications and outcomes of surgery for spinal meningioma: a Nationwide Inpatient Sample analysis from 2003 to 2010.
The aim of the present study was to analyze the practice patterns, complications and outcome following surgery for spinal meningioma in the United States. ⋯ Caucasian patients with private insurance without co-morbidity had significantly lower complication rate and good outcome. Occurrence of spinal meningioma in the pediatric and adult age groups does not carry worse prognosis.
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Clin Neurol Neurosurg · Mar 2014
Observational StudyFrequency, magnitude, and distribution of head impacts in Pop Warner football: the cumulative burden.
A growing body of research suggests that subconcussive head impacts or repetitive mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) can have cumulative and deleterious effects. Several studies have investigated head impacts in football at the professional, collegiate, and high school levels, in an attempt to elucidate the biomechanics of head impacts among football players. Youth football players, generally from 7 to 14 years of age, constitute 70% of all football players, yet burden of, and susceptibility to, head injury in this population is not well known. ⋯ Despite smaller players and slower play when compared to high school, collegiate or professional players, those involved in youth football sustain a moderate number of head impacts per season with several high magnitude impacts. Our results suggest that players involved in open-field, tackling plays that have head-to-head contact sustain impacts with the highest linear accelerations. Our data supports previously published data that suggests changes to the rules of play during practice can reduce the burden of hits.