Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Mar 2017
Randomized Controlled TrialUse of a surgical rehearsal platform and improvement in aneurysm clipping measures: results of a prospective, randomized trial.
OBJECTIVE The field of neurosurgery is constantly undergoing improvements and advances, both in technique and technology. Cerebrovascular neurosurgery is no exception, with endovascular treatments changing the treatment paradigm. Clipping of aneurysms is still necessary, however, and advances are still being made to improve patient outcomes within the microsurgical treatment of aneurysms. ⋯ CONCLUSIONS Preoperative rehearsal with SRP increased efficiency and safety in aneurysm microsurgery as demonstrated by the statistically significant improvement in time per clip used. Although the rest of the outcomes did not demonstrate statistically significant between-group differences, the fact that the SRP group showed improvement in mean values for all measures studied suggests that preoperative rehearsal may increase the efficiency and safety of aneurysm microsurgery. Future studies aimed at improving patient outcome and safety during surgical clipping of aneurysms will be needed to keep pace with the quickly advancing endovascular field.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2017
Randomized Controlled TrialEffect of low-frequency deep brain stimulation on sensory thresholds in Parkinson's disease.
OBJECTIVE Chronic pain is a major distressing symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD) that is often undertreated. Subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) delivers high-frequency stimulation (HFS) to patients with PD and has been effective in pain relief in a subset of these patients. However, up to 74% of patients develop new pain concerns while receiving STN DBS. ⋯ Here the authors demonstrated that LFS modulates thermal and mechanical detection to a greater extent than HFS. Low-frequency stimulation is an innovative means of modulating chronic pain in PD patients receiving STN DBS. The authors suggest that STN LFS may be a future option to consider when treating Parkinson's patients in whom pain remains the predominant complaint.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jan 2017
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyCranioplasty using custom-made hydroxyapatite versus titanium: a randomized clinical trial.
OBJECTIVE Cranioplasty is routinely performed in neurosurgery. One of its underestimated problems is the high postoperative complication rate of up to 40%. Due to the lack of good prospective studies and the small number of patients (5-20 each year) who receive alloplastic materials, decisions in favor or against a certain material are based on subjective empirical or economic reasons. ⋯ In comparison with titanium, HA shows benefits in terms of the infection rate and the neurological outcome, but at the same time has a higher postoperative risk for epidural hematoma. Depending on the individual conditions, both materials have their place in future cranioplasty therapies. Clinical trial registration no.: NCT00923793 ( clinicaltrials.gov ).
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jan 2017
Randomized Controlled TrialA randomized controlled trial comparing autologous cranioplasty with custom-made titanium cranioplasty.
OBJECTIVE Autologous bone is usually used to reconstruct skull defects following decompressive surgery. However, it is associated with a high failure rate due to infection and resorption. The aim of this study was to see whether it would be cost-effective to use titanium as a primary reconstructive material. ⋯ The total cumulative cost between the 2 groups was not significantly different (mean difference A$3281, 95% CI $-9869 to $3308; p = 0.327). CONCLUSIONS Primary titanium cranioplasty should be seriously considered for young patients who require reconstruction of the skull vault following decompressive craniectomy. Clinical trial registration no.: ACTRN12612000353897 ( anzctr.org.au ).
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Journal of neurosurgery · Dec 2016
Randomized Controlled TrialPerioperative pregabalin for reducing pain, analgesic consumption, and anxiety and enhancing sleep quality in elective neurosurgical patients: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, and controlled clinical study.
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess in-hospital (immediate) postoperative pain scores and analgesic consumption (primary goals) and preoperative anxiety and sleep quality (secondary goals) in patients who underwent craniotomy and were treated with pregabalin (PGL). Whenever possible, out-of-hospital pain scores and analgesics usage data were obtained as well. METHODS This prospective, randomized, double-blind and controlled study was conducted in consenting patients who underwent elective craniotomy for brain tumor resection at Tel Aviv Medical Center between 2012 and 2014. ⋯ There were no PGL-associated major adverse events. CONCLUSIONS Perioperative use of twice-daily 150 mg pregabalin attenuates preoperative anxiety, improves sleep quality, and reduces postoperative pain scores and analgesic usage without increasing the rate of adverse effects. Clinical trial registration no.: NCT01612832 ( clinicaltrials.gov ).