World Neurosurg
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Multicenter Study
Implementing routine head circumference (HC) measurements in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - means and challenges.
A substantial number of infants in Ethiopia suffer from hydrocephalus. Neurosurgical expertise has until recently been virtually nonexistent in the country; however, since 2006, a neurosurgery training program has been established in Addis Ababa, where hydrocephalus surgery now is performed in 3 hospitals. Our experience is that hydrocephalus is diagnosed and treatment is too late to avoid severe brain damage. Introducing routine head circumference (HC) measurements can ease the detection of hydrocephalus and thus lead to earlier diagnosis, thereby reducing the brain damage caused by the condition. The present pilot project had two major aims: to get the process of implementation started and to gain experience with how this implementation best can be achieved. ⋯ The experience we have gained during this pilot project will be used in further development and implementation of routine HC measuring throughout Ethiopia. These experiences may be of interest and use to others wanting to introduce similar routines in low-income countries.
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Medical complications severely impair recovery of neurosurgical patients after craniotomy. The purpose of this study was to identify patients at risk of peri- and postoperative medical complications. Therefore, we present a large population of patients with different medical complications after elective craniotomy. ⋯ In this study, we identified predictors that help characterize patients at risk of medical complications after elective neurosurgical procedures. These correlations should be taken into account when advising patients on craniotomy.
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Epilepsy surgery is largely underused in developing counties as a result of many misconceptions. The current study evaluates complications of epilepsy surgery performed by a single surgeon from South India. ⋯ In the current study, risk of mortality was 0.1% and rate of overall major complications was 1.4%. Epilepsy surgery should be increasingly used in developing countries.
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The 2 paired arteries-the posterior communicating arteries (PCoAs) and the precommunicating parts of the posterior cerebral arteries-form the so-called posterior segment of the cerebral arterial circle on the base of the brain. A number of (ab)normal morphologic features were described in the literature (e.g., unusual kinking, or extreme elongations, hypoplasia, duplications, fenestrations, the infundibular widening, or aplasia of the PCoA in the prenatal and/or postnatal periods). The aim of this study was to analyze an incidence of various fenestrations and duplications of the PCoA, and describe their general features and their association with other vascular abnormalities. ⋯ After thorough examination, the fenestrations and duplications of the PCoA are distinguished as 2 special forms of vascular abnormalities, and the PCoA duplications are characterized as partial and total. Furthermore, whereas the low incidence of a fenestration of the PCoA suggests it to be a sufficiently rare phenomenon, the duplications of the PCoA trunk are fairly frequent, especially concerning its terminal segment.
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Comparative Study
Cranial Center of Mass Compared to C7 Plumb Line Alignment in Adult Spinal Deformity.
To report the cranial center of mass (CCOM) progression in surgically treated patients for adult spinal deformity (ASD). The C7 plumb line/sagittal vertical axis (SVA) has important relationships with patient-reported outcomes; however, this has not yet been defined for CCOM. ⋯ CCOM alignment restoration is an important parameter in ASD, and malalignment is consistent over time.