Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jun 2020
Analysis of human acellular nerve allograft combined with contralateral C7 nerve root transfer for restoration of shoulder abduction and elbow flexion in brachial plexus injury: a mean 4-year follow-up.
Human acellular nerve allograft applications have increased in clinical practice, but no studies have quantified their influence on reconstruction outcomes for high-level, greater, and mixed nerves, especially the brachial plexus. The authors investigated the functional outcomes of human acellular nerve allograft reconstruction for nerve gaps in patients with brachial plexus injury (BPI) undergoing contralateral C7 (CC7) nerve root transfer to innervate the upper trunk, and they determined the independent predictors of recovery in shoulder abduction and elbow flexion. ⋯ Human acellular nerve allografts offered safe reconstruction for 20- to 50-mm nerve gaps in procedures for CC7 nerve root transfer to repair the upper trunk after BPI. The group in which allograft lengths were ≤ 30 mm achieved better functional outcome than others, and the recommended length of allograft in this procedure was less than 30 mm. Age, interval between injury and surgery, and allograft length were independent predictors of functional outcomes after human acellular nerve allograft reconstruction.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jun 2020
Surgical morbidity of transsylvian versus transcortical approaches to insular gliomas.
The choice of transsylvian versus transcortical corridors for resection of insular gliomas remains controversial. Functional pathway compromise from transcortical transgression and vascular injury during transsylvian dissection are the primary concerns. In this study, data from a single-center experience with both approaches were compared to determine whether one approach was associated with a higher rate of morbidity than the other. ⋯ Areas of restricted diffusion are common on postoperative MRI following resection of insular gliomas, but only a minority of these patients develop permanent neurological deficits. Insular glioma patients with high-grade histology may be at particular risk for developing symptomatic postoperative ischemia. Both the transcortical and transsylvian corridors are associated with reasonable morbidity profiles, although gliomas situated within the superior-posterior quadrant of the insula are more safely accessed with a transcortical approach.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jun 2020
Analysis of the utility of early MRI/MRA in 400 patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.
MRI and MRA studies are routinely obtained to identify the etiology of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). The diagnostic yield of MRI/MRA in the setting of an acute ICH, however, remains unclear. The authors' goal was to determine the utility of early MRI/MRA in detecting underlying structural lesions in ICH and to identify patients in whom additional imaging during hospitalization could safely be foregone. ⋯ The yield of MRI/MRA in ICH is highly variable, depending on patient age and hemorrhage location. The findings of this study do not support obtaining early MRI/MRA studies in patients ≥ 65 years with basal ganglia/thalamic ICH or in any ICH patients ≥ 85 years. In all other situations, early MRI/MRA remains valuable in ruling out underlying lesions.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jun 2020
A traumatic brain injury prognostic model to support in-hospital triage in a low-income country: a machine learning-based approach.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, with a disproportionate burden of this injury on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Limited access to diagnostic technologies and highly skilled providers combined with high patient volumes contributes to poor outcomes in LMICs. Prognostic modeling as a clinical decision support tool, in theory, could optimize the use of existing resources and support timely treatment decisions in LMICs. The objective of this study was to develop a machine learning-based prognostic model using data from Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre in Moshi, Tanzania. ⋯ The authors developed a TBI prognostic model with a substantial level of accuracy in a low-resource setting. Further research is needed to externally validate the model and test the algorithm as a clinical decision support tool.