Neurosurgery
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
i-Factor™ Bone Graft vs Autograft in Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion: 2-Year Follow-up of the Randomized Single-Blinded Food and Drug Administration Investigational Device Exemption Study.
i-Factor™ Bone Graft (Cerapedics Inc, Westminster, Colorado) is a composite bone substitute material consisting of P-15 synthetic collagen fragment adsorbed onto anorganic bone mineral suspended in an inert biocompatible hydrogel carrier. A pivotal, noninferiority, US FDA Investigational Device Exemption study demonstrated the benefits of i-Factor™ compared to local autograft bone in single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion at 1-yr postoperative. ⋯ Use of i-Factor™ in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion is effective and safe, and results in similar outcomes compared to local autograft bone at 2 yr following surgery.
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Multicenter Study
Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy for Glioblastoma of the Corpus Callosum.
Glioblastoma of the corpus callosum is particularly difficult to treat, as the morbidity of surgical resection generally outweighs the potential survival benefit. Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is a safe and effective treatment option for difficult to access malignant gliomas of the thalamus and insula. ⋯ LITT is a safe and effective treatment for glioblastoma of the corpus callosum and provides survival benefit comparable to subtotal surgical resection with adjuvant chemoradiation. LITT-associated complications are related to tumor volume and can be nearly eliminated by limiting the procedure to tumors of 15 cm3 or less.
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Traumatic brachial plexus injury (BPI) can result in debilitating sequelae of the upper extremity. Presently, therapeutic decisions are based on the mechanism of injury, serial physical examination, electromyography, nerve conduction, and imaging studies. While magnetic resonance imaging is the current imaging modality of choice for BPI, ultrasound is a promising newcomer that is inexpensive, accessible, and available at point of care. ⋯ Individual studies demonstrate ultrasound as an effective diagnostic tool for traumatic adult BPI. Sensitivity of lesion detection was noted to be greater in the upper and middle (C5-C7) than in the lower spinal nerves (C8, T1). Further standardized studies should be performed to confirm the utility of ultrasound in the diagnosis of traumatic adult BPI.
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Anterior cervical disc replacement is an alternative to fusion for the treatment of selected cases of radiculopathy and myelopathy. We report clinical and radiological outcomes after disc replacement with the NuNec™ artificial cervical disc (Pioneer® Surgical Technology, Marquette, Michigan) with subgroup analysis. ⋯ Clinical outcomes using the NuNec™ disc replacement are comparable with other disc replacements. Although the range of movement is reduced, the reoperation rate is very low.
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Congenital spinal stenosis (CSS) of the cervical spine is a risk factor for acute spinal cord injury and development of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). ⋯ SCOR ≥ 70% is an effective criterion to diagnose CSS. CSS patients develop myelopathy at a younger age and have greater impairment and disability than other patients with DCM. Despite this, CSS patients have comparable duration of symptoms, MRI presentations, and surgical outcomes to DCM patients without CSS.