World Neurosurg
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Review Case Reports
Multiple Cavernous Malformations of Brain, Chest, and Skin: A Rare Case of an Infant and Literature Review.
Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are vascular malformations that account for 5%-15% of all central nervous system vascular malformations. However, multiple CCMs, which can be sporadic or familial, are rare, with a prevalence of 0.1%-0.5%. ⋯ CCMs were pathologically diagnosed through the total resection of the pineal regional lesion. We also observed a spontaneous regression of the remaining lesions during a follow-up period of 2 years. To our knowledge, this is the first case of CCMs in an infant in the English-language literature.
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Meta Analysis
Prognostic Factors and Survival of Gliomatosis Cerebri: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Gliomatosis cerebri (GC) is a fatal diffusely infiltrating glioma. Because of its rarity, only scarce evidence is available regarding outcome predictors and the proper management of GC. ⋯ In the largest study to date on GC, we have identified clinical, imaging, and molecular outcome predictors that are similar to other gliomas and highlight the beneficial effect of chemotherapy and surgical resection, when feasible, on outcomes.
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Review Historical Article
An early description of using oral route for the management of cervical vertebra fracture by Ibn al-Quff in the 13th Century.
This study presents information regarding the treatment of fractures and dislocations of the vertebrae, including the use of the oral route for upper cervical fractures, presented in certain chapters of the book titled Kitāb al-'Umda fī Ṣinā'a al-Jirāḥa (Ibn al-Quff, thirteenth century ad). ⋯ The use of the oral route introduced by Ibn al-Quff may be one of the earliest examples of novel, practical, and advanced treatment for cervical vertebral fracture.
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Glioblastoma is a highly aggressive neoplasm with an extremely poor prognosis. Despite maximal gross resection and chemoradiotherapy, these grade IV astrocytomas consistently recur. ⋯ Several vaccine-based treatments have been trialed, such as peptide and heat-shock proteins, dendritic cell-based vaccines, and viral-based immunotherapy. In this literature review, we discuss the immunobiology of glioblastoma, significant current and completed vaccine-based immunotherapy clinical trials, and broad clinical challenges and future directions of glioblastoma vaccine-based immunotherapeutics.
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Malignant infarction of the middle cerebral artery (MCI) is life threatening. It is associated with a mortality as high as 80%, and survival often at the expense of serious disability. Limited success of medical therapies has resulted in decompressive craniectomy (DC) being increasingly used as a treatment for MCI, although evidence of its efficacy is inconclusive. In this study, the efficacy of DC in improving survival, or survival free of severe disability, was assessed. ⋯ Early DC reduces mortality but does not appear to improve favourable outcomes in patients younger or older than 60 years after MCI. RCTs incorporating quality of life assessments are warranted for MCI patients, in addition to defining the optimal timing and benefits of DC in older patients.