World Neurosurg
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Proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) is a widely recognized complication of adult spinal deformity surgery, and various PJK prevention strategies have been reported in recent years. The goal of the present study was to perform a systematic review of the PJK prevention strategies, report on their effectiveness, and delineate future directions for investigation regarding PJK prevention. ⋯ The reports of PJK prevention strategies were heterogeneous, and high-level evidence regarding any particular technique remains limited. Further development of additional PJK prevention techniques and validation of their efficacy in clinical practice are needed to optimize the outcomes of adult spinal deformity surgery.
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Intracranial aneurysms are a common asymptomatic vascular pathology, the rupture of which is a devastating event with a significant risk of morbidity and mortality. Aneurysm detection and risk stratification before rupture events are, therefore, imperative to guide prophylactic measures. ⋯ In the present review, we explored the role and limitations of deep learning, a subfield of artificial intelligence, in the aneurysm patient journey. We have also briefly summarized the application of deep learning models in automated detection and prediction in cerebral arteriovenous malformations and Moyamoya disease.
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Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious disease of the central nervous system, often with irreversible loss of motor or sensory functions. Failure of axon connection and inhibition of the microenvironment after SCI severely hinder the regeneration of damaged tissue and neuron function. Therefore, a new perspective in the treatment of SCI is reconstruction of the neural circuit. ⋯ They also can secrete various factors to regulate the host microenvironment and play a therapeutic role. Biomaterials can fill the cavity at the site of SCI, load therapeutic drugs, provide adsorption sites for transplanted cells, and play a bridging role. In this review, the therapeutic role of stem cells and biomaterials is discussed, together with their properties, advantages, limitations, and future perspectives, providing a reference for basic and clinical research on SCI treatment.
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Our goal was to investigate the presence of surveys to assess neurosurgical educational content and to propose a novel standardized Neurosurgical Education Outcomes Survey (NEOS) with compatible statistical analyses. ⋯ The NEOS may offer a viable option for comparing in-person and virtual content with respect to learner preferences and subjective and objective feedback. Future studies are needed to explore practical utility in enhancing the quality of neurosurgical educational content.
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Review
Extent of Resection Research in Skull Base Neurosurgery: Previous Studies and Future Directions.
Surgery is the first-line therapy for most benign and malignant skull base tumors. Extent of resection (EOR) is a metric commonly used for preoperative surgical planning and to predict risk of postoperative tumor recurrence. Therefore, understanding the evidence on EOR in skull base neurosurgery is essential to providing optimal care for each patient. ⋯ We propose that future investigations should focus on the following elements to improve EOR research in skull base neurosurgery: 1) multi-institutional collaboratives with treatment propensity matching; 2) expert consensus and mixed-methods study design; and 3) predictive analytics/machine learning. We believe that these methods offer several advantages that have been described in the literature and that they address limitations of previous studies. The aim of this review was to inform future study design and improve the overall quality of subsequent investigations on EOR in skull base neurosurgery.