World Neurosurg
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Management of large vestibular schwannoma (VS) is controversial. Surgery has historically been the treatment of choice, but emerging literature suggests that definitive stereotactic radiosurgery is feasible. We report our institutional experience of control and morbidity outcomes treating Koos grade 3-4 VS with Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS). ⋯ In well-selected patients with Koos grade 3-4 VS, definitive stereotactic radiosurgery may be an appropriate strategy with excellent control and minimal toxicity. Our data suggest that the need for surgical decompression should be considered based on pretreatment symptom burden rather than tumor size.
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To assess the potential impact of the trigeminocardiac reflex (TCR) on postoperative adverse cardiac events and to identify predictors of the TCR in cerebellopontine angle surgery. ⋯ Intraoperative TCR episodes seemed to be associated with postoperative adverse cardiac events in patients undergoing cerebellopontine angle surgery. Moreover, tumor compression of the brainstem might be a risk factor for TCR episodes.
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Nerve root injury and dural tears are important complications in endoscopic spine techniques. Whether Kambin's triangle is safe or not is unknown for percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal oblique fixation from the posterior corner (PETOFPC) in lumbar spine. This study aimed to verify neural safety of PETOFPC and to define and evaluate the ideal operating target and actual safe working area in Kambin's triangle for PETOFPC. ⋯ We calculated the ideal operating target and actual safe area and further proved that Kambin's triangle is safe enough for PETOFPC. PETOFPC is a promising technology and may have great clinical significance.
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To provide an analysis of patients with spontaneous skull base meningoencephaloceles (MECs) to determine whether definitive surgical treatment requires management of elevated intracranial pressure (ICP). ⋯ Spontaneous MECs are often associated with CSF leak. ICP assessment should be a standard of care to ensure successful operative repair of MECs. Insertion of a CSF diversion device must be considered where direct or indirect signs of intracranial hypertension are present.
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The medical literature on prisoner health care is limited, despite data showing that prisoners experience high rates of physical and mental health challenges. We compared clinical outcomes for prisoners undergoing spine fusion with comparable nonincarcerated patients and determined what factors were implicated in differences in outcomes. ⋯ This is one of few studies investigating health care outcomes in prisoners. We found they had a significantly higher rate of nonunion than matched control patients from the general population treated at the same hospital, suggesting additional measures may be necessary postoperatively to support fusion in prisoners.