Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2020
Observational StudyNeutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio as an independent predictor for unfavorable functional outcome in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Stroke-associated immunosuppression and inflammation are increasingly recognized as factors triggering infections and thus potentially influencing outcome after stroke. Several studies have demonstrated that elevated neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a significant predictor of adverse outcomes for patients with ischemic stroke or intracerebral hemorrhage. Thus far, in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage the association between NLR and outcome is insufficiently established. The authors sought to investigate the association between NLR on admission and functional outcome in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). ⋯ Among aSAH patients, NLR represents an independent parameter associated with unfavorable functional outcome. Whether the impact of NLR on functional outcome is related to preexisting comorbidities or represents independent causal relationships in the context of stroke-associated immunosuppression should be investigated in future studies.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2020
Revascularization surgery for symptomatic non-moyamoya intracranial arterial stenosis or occlusion.
Previous trials rejected a role of extracranial-to-intracranial bypass surgery for managing symptomatic atheromatous disease. However, hemodynamic insufficiency may still be a rationale for surgery, provided the bypass can be performed with low morbidity and patency is robust. ⋯ Prophylactic arterial pedicle bypass surgery for anterior circulation ischemia is associated with high graft patency and low stroke and surgical complication rates. Higher risks are associated with acute procedures, typically for posterior circulation pathology and requiring VIGs. A carefully selected subgroup of individuals with hemodynamic insufficiency and ischemic symptoms is likely to benefit from cerebral revascularization surgery.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2020
Locating the foramen ovale by using molar and inter-eminence planes: a guide for percutaneous trigeminal neuralgia procedures.
The first attempt to cannulate the foramen ovale is oftentimes unsuccessful and requires subsequent reattempts, thereby increasing the risk of an adverse event and radiation exposure to the patient and surgeon. Failure in cannulation may be attributable to variation in soft-tissue-based landmarks used for needle guidance. Also, the incongruity between guiding marks on the face and bony landmarks visible on fluoroscopic images may also complicate cannulation. Therefore, the object of this study was to assess the location of the foramen ovale by way of bony landmarks, exclusive of soft-tissue guidance. ⋯ The results of this study provide a novel means of identifying the location of the foramen ovale. Unlike the soft-tissue landmarks used in the many variations of the route of Härtel, the bony landmarks identified in this study can be palpated, marked on the face, appreciated fluoroscopically, and do not require any measurement from soft-tissue structures. Utilizing the molar and inter-eminence planes as cannulation guides will improve the approach to the foramen ovale and decrease the amount of radiation exposure to both the patient and surgeon.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2020
Improved survival of glioblastoma patients treated at academic and high-volume facilities: a hospital-based study from the National Cancer Database.
The present study was designed to explore the association between facility type (academic center [AC] vs non-AC), facility volume (high-volume facility [HVF] vs low-volume facility [LVF]), and outcomes of glioblastoma (GBM) treatment. ⋯ This study provides evidence of superior outcomes when GBM patients are treated at AC and HVF. Standardization of health care across facility type and/or volume and comprehensive neuro-oncological care should be a potential goal in the management of GBM patients.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2020
Local tumor response and survival outcomes after combined stereotactic radiosurgery and immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer with brain metastases.
Concurrent use of anti-PD-1 therapies with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) have been shown to be beneficial for survival and local lesional control in melanoma patients with brain metastases. It is not known, however, if immunotherapy (IT) confers the same outcome advantage in lung cancer patients with brain metastases treated with SRS. ⋯ Unlike patients with melanoma, patients with NSCLC with brain metastases undergoing SRS showed no significant benefit-either in terms of survival or total amount of lesional response-when anti-PD-1 therapies were used. However, in lesions with volume > 500 mm3, combining SRS with IT may result in a faster and better volumetric response which may be particularly beneficial in lesions causing mass effect or located in neurologically critical locations.