Neurosurgery
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Vein of Galen aneurysmal malformation (VGAM) is a rare congenital vascular malformation representing <1% of all arteriovenous malformations. The knowledge and strategies in the management are constantly evolving. ⋯ Technical and technological advancements in endovascular embolization along with better understanding of clinical, anatomic, and pathophysiological aspects have resulted in significantly improved outcome and prognosis in VGAM. Most patients with proper treatment can now survive and most develop normally following appropriately timed treatment.
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Cervical facet dislocations are among the most common traumatic spinal injuries. Posterior, anterior, and combined surgical approaches have been described and are widely debated. ⋯ Anterior approaches are viable for reduction and stabilization of cervical facet dislocations. Further prospective studies are required to evaluate clinical and long-term success.
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Quality Reporting in Neurological Surgery: Practice Adherence to Quality Payment Program Guidelines.
Recent legislation has changed quality reporting in neurological surgery. The present study summarizes the reporting of objectives and measures outlined by the Quality Payment Program (QPP) and assesses how practices are preparing to comply. In February 2017, 220 neurosurgical practices were surveyed regarding their adherence to quality reporting objectives and measures. ⋯ Forty-five percent of physician-owned practices reported performing at least 6 quality measures, whereas 100% of academic and hospital-owned practices reported the same benchmark (P = .038, Fisher's exact test). Performance of advancing care measures was not associated with practice type. Compared to other practice types, the rate of quality reporting among physician-owned neurosurgical practices appears to be modest thus far, which may influence future reimbursement adjustments.
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Most of the patients with Parkinson's disease suffer from speech disorders characterized mainly by dysarthria and hypophonia. ⋯ Our findings suggest mechanisms of neuronal degradation due to Parkinsonian speech disorders and their possible compensation. As impairment in sharply tuned units may be compensated by broadly tuned ones, the proposed compensation model appears to be suboptimal, lending support to the persistence of speech disorders in the course of the disease.
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Observational Study
White Blood Cell Count Improves Prediction of Delayed Cerebral Ischemia Following Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.
Immune dysregulation has long been implicated in the development of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). ⋯ Good-grade patients with early elevations in WBC count have a similar risk and hazard for DCI as poor-grade patients. Good-grade patients without elevated WBC may be candidates to be safely downgraded from the intensive care unit, leading to cost savings for both patient families and hospitals.