Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2013
Effect of antiplatelet therapy on thromboembolism after flow diversion with the pipeline embolization device.
Flow-diverting stents offer a novel treatment approach to intracranial aneurysms. Data regarding the incidence of acute procedure-related thromboembolic complications following deployment of the Pipeline Embolization Device (PED) remain scant. The authors sought to determine the rate of embolic events in a bid to identify potential risk factors and assess the role of platelet inhibition. ⋯ Acute embolism following use of the PED for treatment of intracranial aneurysms is more common than hypothesized. The only identifiable risk factor for embolism appears to be greater aneurysm size, perhaps indicating significant disturbed flow across the aneurysm neck with ingress and egress through the PED struts. The strength of antiplatelet therapy, as measured by residual platelet aggregation, did not appear to be associated with cases of procedural embolism. Further work is needed to determine the implications of these findings and whether anticoagulation regimens can be altered to lower the rate of complications following PED deployment.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2013
Factors predicting postoperative hyponatremia and efficacy of hyponatremia management strategies after more than 1000 pituitary operations.
Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion-induced hyponatremia is a common morbidity after pituitary surgery that can be profoundly symptomatic and cause costly readmissions. The authors calculated the frequency of postoperative hyponatremia after 1045 consecutive operations and determined the efficacy of interventions correcting hyponatremia. ⋯ After 1045 pituitary operations, postoperative hyponatremia was associated exclusively with preoperative hypopituitarism and was most efficiently managed with oral tolvaptan, with several interventions insignificantly different from no treatment. Promptly identifying hyponatremia in high-risk patients and management with agents like tolvaptan can improve safety and decrease readmission. For readmitted patients with severely symptomatic hyponatremia, the intravenous vasopressin receptor antagonist Vaprisol is another treatment option.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2013
Comparative StudyTumor shrinkage after transsphenoidal surgery for nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma.
Volume reduction of nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas has been described, for example, after radiotherapy and pituitary tumor apoplexy. Even when considerable remnants remain after surgery, spontaneous shrinkage and relief of mass lesion symptoms can sometimes occur. The aim of this study was to assess shrinkage of tumor residues after transsphenoidal surgery and to identify predictors of tumor shrinkage. ⋯ Spontaneous volume reduction of nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma remnants can occur within 3 months after surgery. Predictors of shrinkage are smaller tumor remnant volume and no history of previous pituitary surgery.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2013
Unchanged safety outcomes in deep brain stimulation surgery for Parkinson disease despite a decentralization of care.
Early work on deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery, when procedures were mostly carried out in a small number of high-volume centers, demonstrated a relationship between surgical volume and procedural safety. However, over the past decade, DBS has become more widely available in the community rather than solely at academic medical centers. The authors examined the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) to study the safety of DBS surgery for Parkinson disease (PD) in association with this change in practice patterns. ⋯ Prior investigations have demonstrated a robust volume-outcome relationship for a variety of surgical procedures. However, the present study supports safety of DBS at smaller-volume centers. Prospective studies are required to determine whether low-volume centers and higher-volume centers have similar DBS efficacy, a critical factor in determining whether DBS is comparable between centers.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2013
Delayed postoperative hyponatremia after transsphenoidal surgery: prevalence and associated factors.
Transient delayed postoperative hyponatremia (DPH) after transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) is common and can have potentially devastating consequences. However, the true prevalence of transient symptomatic and asymptomatic DPH has not been studied in a large patient cohort with close and accurate follow-up. ⋯ Delayed postoperative hyponatremia was a common result of TSS; a low BMI was the only clear predictor of which patients will develop DPH. Alterations in immediate postoperative sodium levels did not predict DPH. Therefore, an appropriate index of suspicion and close postoperative monitoring of serum sodium concentration should be maintained for these patients, and an appropriate treatment should be undertaken when hyponatremia is identified.