Clinical neurology and neurosurgery
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Clin Neurol Neurosurg · Dec 2018
Anticoagulant prophylaxis against venous thromboembolism following severe traumatic brain injury: A prospective observational study and systematic review of the literature.
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a serious complication following severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), however, anticoagulant prophylaxis remains controversial due to concerns of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) progression. We examined anticoagulant prophylaxis practice patterns at a major trauma centre and determined risk estimates for VTE and ICH progression classified by timing of anticoagulant initiation. ⋯ VTE is a common complication after severe TBI. Anticoagulant prophylaxis is often started late (≥3d) post-injury. Randomized trials are justifiable and necessary to provide practice guidance with regards to optimal timing of anticoagulant prophylaxis.
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Clin Neurol Neurosurg · Dec 2018
Diffuse low grade glioma after the 2016 WHO update, seizure characteristics, imaging correlates and outcomes.
The majority of patients with supratentorial diffuse grade II glioma present with seizures, which adversely affect quality of life. The exact mechanism of epileptogenesis is unknown and the influence of tumour characteristics, radiological and histological, are not well studied, particularly following the introduction of molecular genetics in the 2016 WHO reclassification of gliomas. We sought to define predictors of seizure development and outcome in low grade glioma. ⋯ Seizure outcome is directly related to EOR in low grade glioma, which can be predicted by the initial tumour volume. Tumour histological subtype, including updated molecular genetic classification did not predict seizure development or outcome in this series. The use of awake craniotomy results in greater EOR and improved Engel Class following surgery.
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Clin Neurol Neurosurg · Dec 2018
Relationship between the location of the ventricular catheter tip and the ventriculoperitoneal shunt malfunction.
Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt is the most common neurosurgical procedure to treat obstructive and communicating hydrocephalus, but failures are frequent. The most common causes of shunt failure are malpositioning and obstruction of the ventricular catheter by debris or blood clothes. The knowledge of the relationship between ventricular catheter tip position, etiology of hydrocephalus and patient's age with shunt malfunction may be useful to avoid shunt failure. ⋯ Ventricular catheter tip position is one the most important factor for shunt function.
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Clin Neurol Neurosurg · Nov 2018
Meta AnalysisThe clinical significance of redundant nerve roots of the cauda equina in lumbar spinal stenosis patients: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis.
Decompression surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is the most performed spine surgery procedure in patients older than 65 years. Around 40% of LSS patients scheduled for decompression surgery have evidence of redundant nerve roots (RNR) of the cauda equina on their magnetic resonance images (MRI). Little is known about the clinical significance of RNR in LSS patients. The objective was to assess the effects of RNR on clinical scores and recovery in older adults diagnosed with LSS. ⋯ There is limited quality evidence that RNR + patients are older, have a longer symptom history and present higher degrees of lumbar stenosis as given by the narrow CSA in comparison to RNR- patients. After decompression surgery RNR + patients have worse clinical scores and lower recovery rates. In view of these results RNR can be seen as a negative prognostic factor in LSS patients.
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Clin Neurol Neurosurg · Nov 2018
Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging predictors of the surgical outcomes of patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy.
To determine whether clinical characteristics and signal and morphologic changes on magnetic resonance (MR) images of the spinal cord (SC) are associated with surgical outcomes for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). ⋯ A longer duration of symptom, multisegmental T2HSCs on sagittal MR images, and fuzzy focal T2HSCs on axial MR images were highly predictive of a poor surgical outcome for CSM. Smaller transverse area of the SC and bright T2HSCs were also associated with the prognosis of CSM.