Neurosurgery
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Meta Analysis
External Lumbar Drainage following Traumatic Intracranial Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) often results in elevations in intracranial pressure (ICP) that are refractory to standard therapies. Several studies have investigated the utility of external lumbar drainage (ELD) in this setting. ⋯ Given preliminary data indicating potential safety and feasibility in highly selected cases, the use of ELD in adults with severe TBI and refractory intracranial hypertension in the presence of open basal cisterns and absence of large focal hematoma merits further high-quality investigation; the ideal conditions for potential application remain to be determined.
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Meta Analysis
Complications of Cranioplasty in Relation to Material: Systematic Review, Network Meta-Analysis and Meta-Regression.
Cranioplasty is a ubiquitous neurosurgical procedure consisting of reconstruction of a pre-existing calvarial defect. Many materials are available, including polymethylmethacrylate in hand-moulded (hPMMA) and prefabricated (pPMMA) form, hydroxyapatite (HA), polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and titanium (Ti). ⋯ PEEK appears to have the lowest risk of cranioplasty revision, but further research is required to determine the optimal material.
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Prospective studies have established the safety and efficacy of the PipelineTM Embolization Device (PED; Medtronic) for treatment of intracranial aneurysms (IA). ⋯ This study demonstrated high rates of long-term complete aneurysm occlusion, stable or improved functional outcomes, and low rates of complications and mortality. Clinical and angiographic outcomes improved over long-term follow-up, demonstrating that endovascular treatment of IA with PED is safe and effective.