World Neurosurg
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Persistent idiopathic facial pain (PIFP) can be refractory to conventional management approaches. Neuromodulatory procedures such as percutaneous trigeminal nerve stimulation (TNS) have been sparsely reported as potential treatment options for amelioration of debilitating refractory pain associated with PIFP. The present study investigated the use of percutaneous TNS in a series of patients with PIFP to evaluate the potential efficacy of pain relief. ⋯ The results from the present study have indicated that percutaneous stimulation of the trigeminal nerve is efficacious in the treatment of PIFP and can significantly decrease morphine equivalent use. Further longitudinal studies are required to validate our results.
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Adults with Chiari malformation type 1 (CM1) often report cognitive impairment. This cross-sectional study investigates the cognitive and emotional functioning of a sample of adults with CM1 who presented for neurosurgical evaluation prior to intervention. ⋯ The CM1 group displayed subtle learning, semantic fluency, and complex construction difficulties compared with healthy control subjects. Although not correlated with cognition, adults with CM1 are at high risk for clinical depression.
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We compared the depression levels of juvenile and adolescent patients with idiopathic scoliosis who had undergone bracing and identified the factors that influenced the extent of depression in these patients. ⋯ Patients with AIS and JIS who had undergone bracing showed differences in the extent of depression, and female adolescents were more vulnerable to depressive psychological status. Higher levels of cognitive function and independence and older age at bracing, longer bracing duration, larger Cobb angle, negative parental attitudes, and undesirable Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire scores contributed to greater depression.
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Multiple reports have attributed a prognostic value to routine blood tests results for patients with glioblastoma. However, these studies have reported conflicting results and have often had small sample sizes. We sought to validate the prognostic value of the described tests in an independent glioblastoma patient population. ⋯ In the present study, hemoglobin, white blood cell, monocyte, neutrophil, leukocyte, and platelet counts, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, and lactate dehydrogenase levels did not independently predict for overall survival in patients with glioblastoma.
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There is no consensus on a standardized approach to spasticity or dystonia management of cerebral palsy (CP). This study aimed to investigate clinical outcomes and compare therapeutic responses for pallidal stimulation versus intrathecal baclofen (ITB) therapy in adult patients with severe CP. ⋯ Despite retrospective design and relatively low number of cases, this study indicated that ITB therapy was less invasive and more effective in improving the quality of life compared with GPi DBS. ITB therapy should be considered an alternative treatment for patients with severe CP.