Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Aug 2002
Comparative StudyPredicting recovery in patients suffering from traumatic brain injury by using admission variables and physiological data: a comparison between decision tree analysis and logistic regression.
Decision tree analysis highlights patient subgroups and critical values in variables assessed. Importantly, the results are visually informative and often present clear clinical interpretation about risk factors faced by patients in these subgroups. The aim of this prospective study was to compare results of logistic regression with those of decision tree analysis of an observational, head-injury data set, including a wide range of secondary insults and 12-month outcomes. ⋯ Decision tree analysis confirmed some of the results of logistic regression and challenged others. This investigation shows that there is knowledge to be gained from analyzing observational data with the aid of decision tree analysis.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Aug 2002
Implantation of deep brain stimulators into the subthalamic nucleus: technical approach and magnetic resonance imaging-verified lead locations.
Chronic deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is a procedure that is rapidly gaining acceptance for the treatment of symptoms in patients with Parkinson disease (PD), but there are few detailed descriptions of the surgical procedure itself. The authors present the technical approach used to implant 76 stimulators into the STNs of patients with PD and the lead locations, which were verified on postoperative magnetic resonance (MR) images. ⋯ The authors' approach to implantation of DBS leads into the STN was associated with consistent lead placement in the dorsolateral STN, a low rate of morbidity, efficient use of operating room time, and robust improvement in motor function. The mean coordinates of the middle of the electrode array, measured on postoperative MR images, were 11.6 mm lateral, 2.9 mm posterior, and 4.7 mm inferior to the midcommissural point, and 6.5 mm lateral and 3.5 mm anterior to the center of the red nucleus. Voltage thresholds for several types of stimulation-induced adverse effects were predictive of lead location. Technical nuances of the surgery are described in detail.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Aug 2002
Evaluation of changes in circulating blood volume during acute and very acute stages of subarachnoid hemorrhage: implications for the management of hypovolemia.
Circulating blood volume (cBV) is reported to decrease in patients who suffer a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), but little is known about the correlation between changes in cBV, and patient clinical condition and time course after SAH, especially during the very acute stage. To determine appropriate management of patients with SAH, the authors measured cBV by using pulse spectrophotometry immediately after patient admission. They also evaluated whether the timing of surgery influenced changes in cBV. ⋯ The authors assert that normovolemic fluid management is appropriate for patients who undergo surgery during the very acute stage of SAH, whereas a relatively hypervolemic therapy is necessary for 3 to 5 days after operation to prevent early hypovolemia in patients who undergo surgery during the acute stage of SAH.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Aug 2002
Multicenter Study Clinical TrialStabilization of disease progression by hydroxyurea in patients with recurrent or unresectable meningioma.
The management of certain meningiomas of the skull base and those involving the dural venous sinuses remains a challenge. In recent reports it has been suggested that hydroxyurea chemotherapy can cause regression of unresectable and recurrent meningiomas. The authors report their experience in using hydroxyurea for the treatment of patients with recurrent or unresectable meningiomas. ⋯ Although tumor regression appears uncommon, these results indicate that hydroxyurea may arrest progression of unresectable or recurrent benign meningiomas.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Aug 2002
Volumetric quantification of Fisher Grade 3 aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a novel method to predict symptomatic vasospasm on admission computerized tomography scans.
Predicting which patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) will develop delayed ischemic neurological deficit (DIND) due to vasospasm remains subjective and unreliable. The authors analyzed the utility of a novel software-based technique to quantify hemorrhage volume in patients with Fisher Grade 3 aneurysmal SAH. ⋯ The authors developed a simple and potentially widely applicable method to quantify SAH on CT scans. A greater volume of cisternal hemorrhage on an admission CT scan in patients with Fisher Grade 3 aneurysmal SAH is highly associated with DIND. A threshold of cisternal hemorrhage volume (> 20 cm3) may exist above which patients are very likely to develop DIND. Prospective application of software-based volumetric quantification of cisternal SAH may predict which patients will develop DIND.