World Neurosurg
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With increasing oversight of postoperative outcomes with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the reduction of readmissions is necessary to avoid financial penalties. This article provides a multi-institutional, multivariate analysis of the pre- and postoperative patient factors associated with readmission after carotid endarterectomy (CEA). ⋯ Readmission after CEA occurs at a comparatively high rate. Preoperative bleeding disorders, diabetes, cerebrovascular accidents, and age and postoperative surgical-site infection, myocardial infarction, sepsis/septic shock, pneumonia, and cerebrovascular accident were associated with readmission. These findings may help guide the surgical management of patients and prevent costly readmissions.
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The objective of this study was designed to compare 2-level cervical disc surgery (2-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion [ACDF] or disc arthroplasty) and hybrid surgery (ACDF/arthroplasty) in terms of postoperative adjacent-level intradiscal pressure (IDP) and facet contact force (FCF). ⋯ Both hybrid surgery and 2-level arthroplasties seem to offer significant advantages over 2-level arthrodesis by reducing IDP at adjacent levels and approximating FCF of an intact spine. These findings suggest that cervical arthroplasties and hybrid surgery are an alternative to reduce IDP and facet loads at adjacent levels.
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To report a minimally invasive, nontubular endoscopic technique to resect intraparenchymal brain tumors and assess the feasibility, safety, and surgical resection margins achievable by this novel technique. ⋯ Our experience demonstrates that resection of intraparenchymal tumors using a minimally invasive endoscopic technique is technically feasible and safe, achieves good tumor resection margins, and has some potential advantages over a traditional microscopic technique.
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Case Reports
From craniofacial resection to endonasal endoscopic removal of malignant tumors of the anterior skull base.
To review the current literature and provide our institutional approach and opinion on the indications and limitations of traditional open craniofacial resection (CFR) and a minimally invasive pure endonasal endoscopic approach for anterior skull base tumors concentrating primarily on malignant lesions. ⋯ Both traditional CFR and the endonasal endoscopic approach offer advantages and disadvantages. Both approaches can achieve good results with appropriate patient selection. Numerous important factors, including location and the extent of tumor, should be taken into consideration when considering either approach. The most important determinant of outcome is the ability to achieve gross total resection with microscopic negative margins rather than the type of approach used. In the future, skull base surgeons will need to be familiar with and capable of offering both techniques to the patient.
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Motor evoked potential (MEP) monitoring has been widely used in brain or spine surgery to recognize potential damage of the pyramidal motor system. However, its ability to detect ischemic injury during middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm surgery remains unclear. A prospective cohort study was designed to evaluate MEP changes during MCA aneurysm surgery. ⋯ MEP monitoring is reliable for evaluation of the ischemic status of the pyramidal motor system during MCA aneurysm surgery and can improve surgical outcomes when used appropriately.