Neurosurgery
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Historical Article
Nerve Surgeons' Assessment of the Role of Eduard Pernkopf's Atlas of Topographic and Applied Human Anatomy in Surgical Practice.
Pernkopf's atlas of Anatomy contains anatomical plates with detailed images of the peripheral nerves. Its use is controversial due to the author's association with the "Third Reich" and the potential depiction of victims of the Holocaust. The ethical implications of using this atlas for informing surgical planning have not been assessed. ⋯ While the use of Pernkopf's atlas remains controversial, a proposal detailing conditions for an ethical approach in its use provides new guidance in surgical planning and education.
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Surgery for cervical radiculopathy is often approached by either anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) or posterior cervical foraminotomy (PCF). ACDF is more common; however, recent single center studies suggest comparable efficacy and significant cost savings with PCF in appropriately selected patients. ⋯ Within the inherent limitations of administrative data, our findings suggest an opportunity for value improvement in managing cervical radiculopathy and indicate a need for large-scale comparative study of clinical outcomes and costs.
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Examining the costs of single- and multilevel anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is important for the identification of cost drivers and potentially reducing patient costs. A novel tool at our institution provides direct costs for the identification of potential drivers. ⋯ These results suggest that facility utilization and supplies/implants are the predominant cost contributors, accounting for 76% of the total cost of ACDF procedures. Efforts at lowering costs within these categories should make the most impact on providing more cost-effective care.
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Restoration of shoulder function is an important treatment goal in upper brachial plexus injury (UBPI). Combined dual motor nerve transfer (CDNT) of spinal accessory to suprascapular and radial to axillary nerves demonstrates good functional recovery with minimal risk of perioperative complications. ⋯ CDNT and GA are cost-effective interventions to restore shoulder function in patients with UBPI.
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Experimental studies led to testing of deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) as a new therapy to treat freezing of gait (FOG) in Parkinson disease (PD). Despite promising initial results fueling a growing interest toward that approach, several clinical studies reported heterogeneity in patient responses. Variation in the position of electrode contacts within the rostral brainstem likely contributes to such heterogeneity. ⋯ In the present exploratory study, we performed an anatomoclinical analysis using a new coordinate system adapted to the brainstem in 9 patients who underwent PPN area DBS. We propose an optimal DBS target that allows a safe and efficient electrode implantation in the cMRF.