Neurosurgery
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In the United States, the most commonly used surgical treatment for patients with Parkinson's disease is the implantation of deep brain stimulation (DBS) electrodes within the subthalamic nucleus. However, DBS device programming remains difficult and is a possible source of decreased efficacy. ⋯ Postoperative subband analysis of LFP recordings in beta and gamma frequency ranges may be used to select optimal electrode contacts. These results indicate that LFP recordings from implanted DBS electrodes can provide important clues to guide the optimization of DBS therapy in individual patients.
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To investigate the pattern of care and outcomes for newly diagnosed glioblastoma in Italy and compare our results with the previous Italian Patterns of Care study to determine whether significant changes occurred in clinical practice during the past 10 years. ⋯ Changes in the care of glioblastoma over the past few years are documented. Prognosis of glioblastoma patients has slightly but significantly improved with a small but noteworthy number of relatively long-term survivors.
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Neurosurgical residency training paradigms have changed in response to Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education mandates and demands for quality patient care. Little has been done to assess resident education from the perspective of readiness to practice. ⋯ The study suggests that neurosurgeons believed that they were well trained in their surgical skills except for some areas of subspecialization. However, there is a significant need for improvement of resident training in the areas of socioeconomic and medicolegal education. Continued evaluation of the efficacy of neurosurgical education is important.
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To assess the impact of vasospasm on costs, length of stay, and mortality among inpatients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. ⋯ Patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage and TCD-defined or symptomatic vasospasm incur higher inpatient costs and longer hospital stays than those without vasospasm.
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To evaluate anxiety and depression as prognostic factors for radicular and back pain after surgery in patients with lumbar disc herniation in a 1-year follow-up study. ⋯ The presence of trait anxiety before surgery is a prognostic factor for the persistence of pain after surgery.