World Neurosurg
-
As the second of 3 articles in this series, the aim of this article is to provide readers with an understanding of the development of neurosurgery in East Africa (foundations), the challenges that arise in providing neurosurgical care in developing countries (challenges), and an overview of traditional and novel approaches to overcoming these challenges and improving health care in the region (innovations). Recognizing the challenges that need to be addressed is the first step to implementing efficient and qualified surgery delivery systems in low- and middle-income countries. We reviewed the major challenges facing health care in East Africa and grouped them into 5 categories: 1) burden of surgical disease and workforce crisis; 2) global health view of surgery as "the neglected stepchild"; 3) need for recognizing the surgical system as an interdependent network and importance of organizational and equipment deficits; 4) lack of education in the community, failure of primary care systems, and net result of overwhelming tertiary care systems; 5) personal and professional burnout as well as brain drain of promising human resources from low- and middle-income countries in East Africa and similar regions across the world. Each major challenge was detailed and analyzed by authors who have worked or are currently working in the region, providing a personal perspective.
-
Percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED) is a minimally invasive surgical technique used principally for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation (LDH). LDH is a frequent spinal ailment in obese individuals. The aim of this prospectively designed study was to assess for the first time in the literature the impact of PTED in postoperative parameters of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in obese patients with LDH within a 2-year follow-up period, to further evaluate the effectiveness of PTED. ⋯ PTED appears to be a generally safe and effective method for treating obese patients with LDH. However, major technical challenges that lead to a higher frequency of complications, as well as the lesser acquired clinical benefit, in obese patients may contribute to the further consideration for PTED in specific obese patients, especially on the grounds of low surgical experience.
-
Review Biography Historical Article
From Hypothermia to Cephalosomatic Anastomoses: The Legacy of Robert White (1926-2010) at Case Western Reserve University of Cleveland.
Dr. Robert J. White (1926-2010) was an eminent neurosurgeon and bioethicist, renowned for his classic work in hypothermia and pioneering mammalian head transplant experiments. ⋯ He transferred a healthy monkey head onto a surgically beheaded monkey body under deep hypothermic conditions drawing both laurels and criticisms alike. Despite a largely controversial neurosurgical research career, his original contributions to deep hypothermia have found profound clinical applications in modern trauma and vascular neurosurgery. The new fusogens and myelorrhaphy methods being tried in Europe hold promise for a future of reanastomosing 2 homologous or heterologous tracts in the neuraxis.
-
Obvious skin flap collapse is often accompanied by reduced neurologic recovery after decompressive craniectomy. This study explored the feasibility of early cranioplasty (EC) in patients with obvious bilateral frontotemporal bone window (BFBW) collapse after decompressive craniectomy. ⋯ We therefore recommend EC for patients with obvious BFBW collapse and GCS scores ≥9.
-
The effectiveness and safety of LVIS stent-coiling is currently not known for treating tiny intracranial aneurysms. ⋯ Tiny cerebral aneurysms can be safely and effectively treated with appropriate endovascular approaches based on aneurysm specific morphology, especially neck size and neck-to-dome ratio.