Neurosurgery
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Posterior fossa tumors (PFTs) can cause hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus can persist despite resection of PFTs in a subset of patients requiring permanent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion. Characteristics of this patient subset are not well defined. ⋯ Our study demonstrates that presence of preoperative hydrocephalus in patients with PFT does not necessarily entail the need for permanent CSF diversion. We report the major predictive factors for needing permanent CSF diversion.
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Trials of lumbar spondylolisthesis are difficult to compare because of the heterogeneity in the populations studied. ⋯ We define 2 distinct phenotypes-those with high vs intermediate disease burden-operated for lumbar spondylolisthesis. Those with high disease burden were less satisfied, had a lower quality of life, and more disability, more back pain, and more leg pain than those with intermediate disease burden, but had greater magnitudes of improvement in disability, back pain, quality of life, and more often reached ODI MCID.