Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Sep 2003
Relative survival rates and patterns of diagnosis analyzed by time period for individuals with primary malignant brain tumor, 1973-1997.
The purpose of this study was to examine patterns of diagnosis and relative survival rates in individuals in whom a primary malignant brain tumor was diagnosed between 1973 and 1997; follow-up review of these patients continued through the end of 1999. ⋯ Over time, the relative survival rate of individuals with primary malignant brain tumor has improved and differences in survival are seen by examining the race of the patients.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Sep 2003
Prevention of postoperative posterior tethering of spinal cord after resection of ependymoma.
The authors evaluated an alternative method to avoid postoperative posterior tethering of the spinal cord following resection of spinal ependymomas. ⋯ This new technique for closure of the surgical wound is effective in preventing of postoperative posterior spinal cord tethering after excision of spinal ependymoma.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Sep 2003
Comparative StudyBiomechanical comparison of facet-sparing laminectomy and Christmas tree laminectomy.
The authors compared differences in biomechanical stability between two decompressive laminectomy techniques for treating lumbar stenosis. A Christmas tree laminectomy (CTL), in which bilateral facetectomies and foraminotomies are performed, was compared with facet-sparing laminectomy (FSL), in which the facets are undercut but not resected. Spinal instability was assessed immediately postoperatively and again after discectomy to model long-term degeneration. ⋯ This study provides objective evidence that the treatment of lumbar stenosis with FSL induces less biomechanical instability and alters kinematics less than FSL. These findings support the use of the FSL in treating lumbar stenosis.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Sep 2003
Comparative StudyMagnetic resonance imaging studies of age-dependent responses to scaled focal brain injury in the piglet.
Whether the brain differs in its response to traumatic injury as a function of age remains unclear. To further investigate the age-dependent response of the brain to mechanical trauma, a cortical contusion model scaled for brain growth during maturation was used to study the evolution of injury over time as demonstrated on serial magnetic resonance (MR) imaging studies in piglets of different ages. ⋯ Scaled cortical contusions in piglets demonstrated age-dependent differences in injury response, both in magnitude and time course. These observations may shed light on development-related trauma response in the gyrencephalic brain.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Sep 2003
Factors affecting reduction in low-grade lumbosacral spondylolisthesis.
Lumbosacral spondylolisthesis (LSS) is a common disorder that often requires a stabilization and fusion procedure. The aim of this study was to determine the early neuroimaging-detected results of instrumentation-assisted (in situ) fusion with no attempt at surgical reduction of the deformity in patients with low-grade LSS. The neuroimaging results were evaluated to determine the extent of reduction and its correlation with different parameters. ⋯ The authors found that in cases of low-grade LSS, short-segment posterior stabilization (in situ fusion and fixation) does not require surgical reduction and in fact is associated with a measurable reduction when used as the sole treatment.