Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jan 2025
Comparative StudyImpact of proton versus photon adjuvant radiotherapy on overall survival in the management of skull base and spinal chordomas: a National Cancer Database analysis.
Chordomas are rare tumors that originate from undifferentiated remnants of the notochord. Currently, there are no established guidelines regarding the choice of adjuvant radiation modality for patients surgically treated for chordomas. Using a nationwide, multicenter database, the authors aimed to compare long-term survival outcomes associated with the use of proton or photon adjuvant therapy for the management of chordomas of skull base and spine. ⋯ Based on this nationwide analysis, patients with private insurance and higher income were more likely to receive proton adjuvant radiotherapy, while those with spinal or sacral chordomas were less likely to receive this modality. Despite this disparity, an OS benefit was observed in patients with chordomas of the spine and sacrum who received adjuvant proton therapy, in comparison with a matched cohort of patients treated with photon therapy. Conversely, this advantageous outcome was not evident in cases of chordomas located at the skull base.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jan 2025
Flow capacity of a superficial temporal artery as a donor in a consecutive series of 100 patients with superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery bypass.
A superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery (STA-MCA) bypass is classically considered a low-flow bypass. It is known that the flow in the flow augmentation STA-MCA bypass is influenced by flow demand of the revascularized territory and can reach significantly higher values. The authors report their intraoperative flow measurement data in a consecutive series of 100 STA-MCA bypasses performed at their institution. Moreover, in a subanalysis, they show the postoperative bypass flow measured with quantitative MR angiography (qMRA) noninvasive optimal vessel analysis (NOVA). ⋯ Using intraoperative and postoperative quantitative flow measurements of the STA, the data confirm that the flow in the flow augmentation STA-MCA bypass is influenced by the flow demand of the revascularized territory and can reach high values if needed. Moreover, the significant flow increase in the postoperative flow measurement using qMRA-NOVA demonstrates that the bypass can increase its flow over time.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2024
Cognitive impacts of unilateral MR-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy: a meta-analysis and a call for systematic neuropsychological assessment.
Pharmacoresistant tremors, often seen in Parkinson disease and essential tremor, significantly impair patient quality of life. Although deep brain stimulation has been effective, its invasive nature limits its applicability. MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) thalamotomy offers a noninvasive alternative, but its cognitive impacts are not fully understood. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the cognitive and emotional effects of unilateral MRgFUS thalamotomy in patients with pharmacoresistant tremors. ⋯ Unilateral MRgFUS thalamotomy appears to be a safe procedure with respect to cognitive and emotional outcomes in patients with pharmacoresistant tremors. However, the small number of studies and the short-term nature of assessments necessitate caution. Further research, especially on long-term cognitive effects and in the context of bilateral procedures, is essential for a comprehensive understanding of MRgFUS thalamotomy's neuropsychological impact. Systematic review registration no.: CRD42023491757 (www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero).
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2024
Incidence, presentation, and outcomes of intracranial hemorrhage in left ventricular assist device patients.
The objective was to evaluate the etiology, natural history, and impact of surgical intervention on outcomes of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) patients presenting with intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). ⋯ ICH as a complication of LVAD placement is increasing in frequency. GCS score on presentation best predicted mortality at 90 days. Neurosurgical intervention did not impact outcomes in the authors' study, which warrants further investigation in prospective cohorts.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2024
Impact of smoking on the detection of brain aneurysms in general population screening: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
While the relationship between smoking and subarachnoid hemorrhage is well established, data regarding the probability of detecting unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) in smokers remain sparse. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between smoking and the likelihood of identifying UIAs in healthy asymptomatic patients who underwent brain imaging for indications unrelated to UIAs. ⋯ This study suggests a potentially higher risk of UIAs in patients who smoked than in those who never smoked. However, the results of this meta-analysis revealed that smoking was not statistically associated with higher UIA detection. This result could be explained by the limited number of studies published on this topic. If these findings reach statistical significance in future larger studies, it could justify revising guidelines to include cigarette smokers in intracranial aneurysm screening.