Neurosurgery
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The Timed Up and Go Test (TUG Test) has previously been described as a reliable tool to evaluate objective functional impairment in patients with degenerative disc disease. ⋯ The MCID for the TUG Test time is highly variable depending on the computation technique used. The average TUG Test MCID was 3.4 s using all 3 methods and all anchors.
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The length of construct can potentially influence perioperative risks in adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery. A head-to-head comparison between open and minimally invasive surgery (MIS) techniques for treatment of ASD has yet to be performed. ⋯ MIS techniques for ASD may reduce construct length, reoperation rates, blood loss, and length of stay without affecting clinical and radiographic outcomes when compared to a similar group of patients treated with open techniques.
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Axon degeneration leads to cytoskeletal disassembly, metabolism imbalance, and mitochondrial dysfunction during neurodegeneration or nerve injury. ⋯ Mitochondria injection can protect injured nerves from axonal degeneration both in Vitro and in Vivo. This improvement was accompanied with the expression of neurotrophic factors as well as the reduction of oxidative stress, which may account for the functional recovery of both injured nerves and denervated muscles.
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Low-pressure hydrocephalus (LPH) is a rare phenomenon characterized by a clinical picture consistent with elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) and ventricular enlargement, but also a well-functioning shunt and low or negative ICP. ⋯ This study represents the largest series of LPH. Although its pathophysiology remains a mystery, there are a variety of management options. Multiple procedures and a protracted hospital stay are often required to successfully treat LPH.
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Autograft is still the gold standard technique for the repair of long peripheral nerve injuries. The addition of biologically active scaffolds into the lumen of conduits to mimic the endoneurium of peripheral nerves may increase the final outcome of artificial nerve devices. Furthermore, the control of the orientation of the collagen fibers may provide some longitudinal guidance architecture providing a higher level of mesoscale tissue structure. ⋯ A mixed combination of collagen and fibronectin may be a promising internal filler for neural conduits for the repair of peripheral nerve injuries, and their stabilization may increase the quality of regeneration over long gaps.