Neurosurgery
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Review
Stereotactic radiosurgery for intracranial meningiomas: current concepts and future perspectives.
Meningiomas are among the most common adult brain tumors. Although the optimal management of meningiomas would provide complete elimination of the lesion, this cannot always be accomplished safely through resection. Therefore, other therapeutic modalities, such as stereotactic radiosurgery (as primary or adjunctive therapy), have emerged. ⋯ Furthermore, we provide a discussion on key factors (eg World Health Organization grade, lesion size, and lesion location) that affect tumor control and adverse event rates. We discuss recent changes in our understanding of meningiomas, based on molecular and genetic markers, and how these will change our perspective on the management of meningiomas. We conclude by outlining the areas in which knowledge gaps persist and provide suggestions as to how these can be addressed.
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Stratification of recanalization for patients with endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms.
With the increasing use of endovascular techniques in the treatment of both ruptured and unruptured intracranial aneurysms, the issue of obliteration efficacy has become increasingly important. ⋯ Surgical decision making and patient-centered informed consent require comprehensive and accessible information on treatment efficacy. We constructed the Aneurysm Recanalization Stratification Scale to enhance this decision-making process. This is the first comprehensive model that has been developed to quantitatively predict the risk of retreatment after endovascular therapy.
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Novel robots have recently been developed specifically for endonasal surgery. They can deliver several thin, tentacle-like surgical instruments through a single nostril. Among the many potential advantages of such a robotic system is the prospect of telesurgery over long distances. ⋯ Telesurgery over long distances is feasible with this robotic system. In the longer term, this may enable expert skull base surgeons to help many more patients by performing surgeries remotely over long distances.
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Stroke in the immediate postoperative period after carotid endarterectomy is a rare complication. Many centers have begun incorporating angiography before surgical re-exploration, which has the advantage of confirming carotid occlusion and treating tandem intracranial lesions if present. ⋯ Emergent endovascular evaluation in the setting of acute post--carotid endarterectomy thrombosis is a safe and timely treatment option, with the benefit of detecting and treating embolic intracranial lesions. Immediate angiography and intervention in this rare surgical complication show promising initial results.
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Surgical intervention for severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by extra-axial hemorrhage has declined in recent decades. The effect of this change on patient outcomes is unknown. ⋯ The decline in surgical intervention for severe TBI caused by extra-axial hemorrhage in Washington State was ubiquitous across regional, demographic, and injury characteristic strata. There was concurrently a reduction in inpatient mortality in this population. Functional status and long-term mortality, however, have remained the same. Future studies are needed to better identify modifiable risk factors for improvement in functional status and long-term mortality in this population.