Neurosurgery
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Review Meta Analysis
A Meta-Analysis of Risk Factors for the Formation of de novo Intracranial Aneurysms.
Understanding the risk factors for the formation of de novo intracranial aneurysms (IAs) is important for patients who have ever suffered a cerebral aneurysm. ⋯ Observational evidence identified multiple clinical and anatomic risk factors for the formation of de novo IAs, including female sex, age <40 yr, family history, smoking history, multiple sIAs at first diagnosis, and IC as the initial site. More aggressive long-term angiographic follow-up with digital subtraction angiography, computed tomography angiography, or magnetic resonance angiography is recommended for these patients.
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Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) in pediatric patients exhibit remarkable differences in terms of management and outcomes. Owing to a paucity of relevant data pertaining to AVMs in pediatric patients, special interest and investigation are required for an improved understanding of the available evidence by clinicians. ⋯ Single-SRS is a safe treatment alternative that achieves high obliteration rates and acceptable complication rates for AVMs in pediatric patients.
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Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) is a rare, non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Up to 50% of patients develop central nervous system involvement, and a subset of these patients can present with isolated tumor-like masses. ⋯ Discrete skull base lesions frequently mimic more common pathology such as meningioma or cranial nerve schwannomas. Medical therapy comprises the initial treatment for symptomatic skull base disease. Surgical resection is not curative and the utility of surgical intervention is largely limited to biopsy to establish diagnosis and/or surgical debulking to relieve mass effect.
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Radiotherapy is cytotoxic to tumor cells and is therefore a critical component of therapy for many malignancies, including glioblastoma (GBM). We now appreciate the value of the immunomodulatory effects of radiation that may be important to overall therapeutic success in some patients with this primary brain tumor. ⋯ Radiotherapy is one significant and potentially actionable iatrogenic suppressor of immune response that may be limiting the success of therapy in GBM and other tumor types. Altered strategies for radiotherapy more permissive of a vigorous antineoplastic immune response may improve outcome for malignancy.