Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jan 2022
Motor speech effects in subthalamic deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease.
A motor speech disorder or dysarthria commonly arises in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The impact of subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) on motor speech and the potential of intraoperative motor speech testing to predict outcomes are unknown. This study examined 1) the types and prevalence of motor speech changes observed with STN DBS and their relation to the preoperative condition, 2) the ability of intraoperative testing to predict postoperative changes in motor speech, and 3) the spatial relationship between stimulation sites producing maximal motor improvement, as measured by the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS), and maximal motor speech deterioration. ⋯ The predictive reliability of intraoperative motor speech testing, together with the identification of distinct stimulation sites for motor speech impairment and improved MDS-UPDRS motor function, raise the possibility that DBS lead repositioning or reprogramming could reduce adverse effects on motor speech without impacting MDS-UPDRS motor outcomes in patients undergoing STN DBS.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jan 2022
Comparative study of on-label versus off-label treatment of intracranial aneurysms with the Pipeline embolization device.
The Pipeline embolization device (PED) is widely used for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms, including in off-label applications. In this work, the authors compared the real-world efficacy and safety of PED use in on-label and off-label aneurysm treatments. ⋯ In real-world practice, off-label use of PED is common and can achieve similar efficacy as on-label use. However, in aggregate, off-label use was found to carry an increased rate of ischemic complications. With judicious attention to safety and individual patient characteristics, these results highlight the scale and general feasibility of off-label PED use by experts.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jan 2022
Intra-arterial injection of mesenchymal stem cells to accelerate neointima formation after endovascular stenting in a rabbit model.
Delayed neointima formation over a neurovascular stent is associated with thrombotic complications that can lead to stroke. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether an intra-arterial injection of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) after stent placement leads to improved neointima and reduced thrombus formation over the device. ⋯ The intra-arterial injection of MSCs after endovascular stenting accelerated early neointima formation but had no effect on thrombus formation in this study. Larger studies are required to verify these findings and determine the durability and mechanism of this effect.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jan 2022
External validation of the updated Brain Injury Guidelines for complicated mild traumatic brain injuries: a retrospective cohort study.
Approximately 10% of patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) have intracranial bleeding (complicated mTBI) and 3.5% eventually require neurosurgical intervention, which is mostly available at centers with a higher level of trauma care designation and often requires interhospital transfer. In 2018, the Brain Injury Guidelines (BIG) were updated in the United States to guide emergency department care and patient disposition for complicated mild to moderate TBI. The aim of this study was to validate the sensitivity and specificity of the updated BIG (uBIG) for predicting the need for interhospital transfer in Canadian patients with complicated mTBI. ⋯ The patients in uBIG-1 could be safely managed at their initial center without the need for transfer to a center with a higher level of neurotrauma care. Although the uBIG could decrease the number of transfers, further refinement of the criteria could improve its specificity.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jan 2022
Optimizing the residency application process: insights from neurological surgery during the pandemic virtual application cycle.
In this article, the authors describe the impact of the COVID-19 virtual match cycle and discuss approaches to optimize future cycles through applicant and neurosurgical education leadership insights. ⋯ Optimizing a national strategy for the neurosurgery application process that prioritizes equity and reduces costs, while ensuring adequate exposure for applicants to gain educational opportunities and evaluate programs, is critical to maintain a successful training system.