Neurosurgery
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It is unclear if socioeconomic factors like type of insurance influence time to referral and developmental outcomes for pediatric patients undergoing epilepsy surgery. ⋯ Compared with Medicaid, children with private insurance had shorter intervals from seizure onset to referral and to epilepsy surgery, and this was associated with lower Vineland scores before surgery. These findings may reflect delayed access for uninsured children who eventually obtained state insurance. Reasons for the delay and whether longer intervals before epilepsy surgery affect long-term cognitive and developmental outcomes warrant further prospective investigations.
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The angle of the basilar artery bifurcation of (BAB angle) is thought to influence the risk of the development and rupture of aneurysms at this site. It is, however, unknown whether the BAB angle also influences the incidence of angiographically negative perimesencephalic subarachnoid hemorrhage (PMSAH). ⋯ The significantly lower BAB angle in PMSAH patients compared with BSAH patients suggests that bleeding in PMSAH is either nonarterial in nature or is secondary to variations in hemodynamic arterial stress at the top of the basilar artery that need to be studied further with computational models.
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Awake craniotomy (AC) for removal of intra-axial brain tumors is a well-established procedure. However, the occurrence and consequences of intraoperative seizures during AC have not been well characterized. ⋯ Although in most cases intraoperative seizures will not result in AC failure, the surgical team should be prepared to treat them promptly to avoid intractable seizures. Intraoperative seizures are more common in younger patients with a tumor in the frontal lobe and those with a history of seizures. Moreover, they are associated with a higher incidence of transient postoperative motor deterioration and protracted length of hospital stay.
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Controlled Clinical Trial
Surgical outcomes in patients with extratemporal epilepsy and subtle or normal magnetic resonance imaging findings.
Surgery is an important therapeutic option in patients with medically refractory epilepsy. The combination of an extratemporal epileptic focus and nonlesional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was often believed to portend a poor outcome. ⋯ Among patients with medically refractory MRI nonlesional extratemporal epilepsy, detailed evaluation and subsequent resection leads to seizure freedom in 42% of patients at 2 years.
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Significant controversy exists regarding when an athlete may return to contact sports after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Return-to-play (RTP) recommendations are complicated due to a mix of medical factors, social pressures, and limited outcome data. ⋯ After a single-level ACDF, an athlete may return to contact sports if there are normal findings on a neurological examination, full range of neck movement, and solid arthrodesis. There may be an increased risk of the development of adjacent segment disease above or below the level of fusion. Cord hyperintensity may not necessarily preclude RTP.