Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jan 2015
Nerve transfers for elbow and finger extension reconstruction in midcervical spinal cord injuries.
The objective of this study was to report the results of elbow, thumb, and finger extension reconstruction via nerve transfer in midcervical spinal cord injuries. ⋯ Nerve transfers are effective at restoring elbow, thumb, and finger extension in patients with a midcervical spinal cord injury, which occurs in the majority of patients with a peripheral type of palsy with muscle denervation in their upper limbs. Efforts should be made to perform operations in these patients within 12 months of injury.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jan 2015
Myelin-forming cell-specific cadherin-19 is a marker for minimally infiltrative glioblastoma stem-like cells.
Glioblastoma stem-like cells (GSCs) exhibit stem-like properties, are highly efficient at forming tumor xenografts, and are resistant to many current therapies. Current molecular identifiers of GSCs are scarce and controversial. The authors describe differential cell-surface gene expression profiling to identify GSC-specific markers. ⋯ Gene expression profiling of GSCs has shown CDH19 to be an exciting new target for drug development and study of GBM tumorigenesis.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jan 2015
Review Meta AnalysisCost-consequence analysis of antibiotic-impregnated shunts and external ventricular drains in hydrocephalus.
Despite multiple preventive strategies for reducing infection, up to 15% of patients with shunt catheters and 27% of patients with external ventricular drains (EVDs) may develop an infection. There are few data on the cost-effectiveness of measures to prevent hydrocephalus catheter infection from the hospital perspective. The objective of this study was to perform a cost-consequence analysis to assess the potential clinical and economic value of antibiotic-impregnated catheter (AIC) shunts and EVDs compared with non-AIC shunts and EVDs in the treatment of hydrocephalus from a hospital perspective. ⋯ The current value analysis demonstrates that evidence supports the use of AICs as effective and potentially cost-saving treatment.