Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2023
THE 2023 PRESIDENTAL ADDRESS. Celebrating advocacy: neurosurgeons as advocates.
The central focus of the 2023 annual gathering of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons in Los Angeles revolved around the concept of neurosurgeons as advocates. Beyond their roles in clinical practice and patient care, neurosurgeons frequently unite in their commitment to advocacy. This shared dedication empowers them to thrive in areas such as innovation, teaching, advanced research, and comprehensive training to shape the future of the neurosurgical field. The substantial outcome of this approach is the establishment of an environment dedicated to delivering the utmost quality of care to neurosurgery patients.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2023
Potential of an artificial nerve graft containing Schwann cells for the treatment of a 20-mm nerve defect in rats.
In a previous study, the authors showed that the migration of Schwann cells (SCs) through end-to-side (ETS) neurorrhaphy promotes axonal regrowth within an acellular nerve graft. In the present study, the authors investigated whether a similar strategy using an artificial nerve (AN) would allow reconstruction of a long nerve gap (20 mm) in rats. ⋯ The induction of SC migration into an AN by ETS neurorrhaphy is a useful technique for repairing 20-mm nerve defects in rats, with better nerve regeneration and sensory recovery. No motor recovery was observed in either group; however, motor recovery might require a longer period of time than the lifespan of the AN used in this study. Future studies should investigate whether structural and material reinforcement of the AN, to lower its decomposition rate, can improve functional recovery.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Nov 2023
Immunohistochemical markers predicting recurrence following resection and radiotherapy in chordoma patients: insights from a multicenter study.
Chordomas are rare tumors that often recur regardless of surgery with negative margins and postoperative radiotherapy. The predictive accuracy of widely used immunohistochemical (IHC) markers in addressing the recurrence of skull base chordomas (SBCs) is yet to be determined. This study aimed to investigate IHC markers in the prediction of recurrence after SBC resection with adjuvant radiation therapy. ⋯ The authors' machine learning algorithm identified pan-cytokeratin as the largest contributor to recurrence among other IHC markers after SBC resection. Machine learning may facilitate the prediction of outcomes in rare tumors, such as chordomas.