Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Apr 2024
Clinical outcomes after MRI connectivity-guided radiofrequency thalamotomy for tremor.
Radiofrequency thalamotomy (RF-T) is an established treatment for refractory tremor. It is unclear whether connectivity-guided targeting strategies could further augment outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of MRI connectivity-guided RF-T in severe tremor. ⋯ RF-T guided by connectivity-derived segmentation is a safe and effective option for severe tremor in both PD and ET.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Apr 2024
The story of dexamethasone and how it became one of the most widely used drugs in neurosurgery.
Dexamethasone, a long-acting potent glucocorticoid, is one of the most widely used medications in neurosurgery. In this paper, the authors recount the history of dexamethasone's rise in neurosurgery and discuss its use in brain tumors in the context of emerging neuro-oncological immunotherapies. In 1958, Glen E. ⋯ As neuro-oncological treatments evolve to include immunotherapy, the immunosuppressive effects of dexamethasone are becoming an unwanted effect. The question then becomes: how does one treat the patient's symptoms if the only drug that has been used throughout history may become a detriment to their oncological treatment? Since its discovery, dexamethasone has maintained an impressive staying power in the field, acting as a standard drug for cerebral edema for more than 60 years. However, with the advent of immunotherapy, research is warranted to evaluate ways of treating symptomatic edema in the context of modern neuro-oncological therapies.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Apr 2024
Nonenhancing motor eloquent gliomas: navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation oncobiological signature.
Preoperative grading of nonenhancing motor eloquent gliomas is hampered by a lack of specific imaging surrogates. Tumor grading is crucial for the informed consent discussion before tumor resection. In this paper, the authors hypothesized that navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation (nTMS)-derived metrics could provide significant information to distinguish between high- and low-grade motor eloquent gliomas that present as nonenhancing tumors and therefore contribute to improving patient counseling, timing of treatment, preoperative planning, and intraoperative strategies. ⋯ Nonenhancing motor eloquent gliomas have a different impact on both anatomical and functional reorganization of motor areas according to their WHO grading.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Apr 2024
Correlation between tumor invasion and somatostatin receptor subtypes in acromegaly.
The low expression of somatostatin receptor (SSTR) subtypes in somatotropinoma is associated with a poor response to somatostatin analogs (SSAs). However, the correlation between SSTRs and tumor invasion has not yet been clarified. Therefore, the authors aimed to investigate the relationship between SSTRs and tumor invasion, as well as the correlation between tumor invasiveness and pharmacological response to SSAs. ⋯ Tumor invasion is negatively correlated with SSTR2 level but is not associated with other SSTR subtypes. Patients with invasive tumors have a poorer response to SSA therapy, which may be due to the low level of SSTR2 expression. Therefore, SSTR2 could be considered as a routine investigative marker for aiding management of postoperative residual tumors.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Apr 2024
The 5-factor modified frailty index as a prognostic factor of stereotactic radiosurgery for metastatic disease to the brain.
Frailty, a state of increased vulnerability to adverse health outcomes, is associated with poor neurosurgical outcomes. The relationship between frailty and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for brain metastases (BMs), however, has not been adequately described. In this study, the authors attempted to examine the connection between frailty and outcomes for patients receiving SRS for BMs. ⋯ Higher frailty scores at the time of SRS treatment were predictive of shorter OS and PFS intervals.