Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Nov 2021
Prevalence and site of predilection of carotid webs focusing on symptomatic and asymptomatic Japanese patients.
Carotid webs (CWs) have increasingly been recognized as a cause of recurrent ischemic stroke. However, the natural history and clinical course of CWs remain unclear. The authors aimed to clarify the prevalence, imaging features, and optimal treatment of CWs in a Japanese cohort study. ⋯ Although limited to CTA patients, this study reported on the prevalence and common site of CWs, focusing on symptomatic and asymptomatic Japanese patients. Extensive cross-sectional and prospective observational studies are warranted to elucidate the overall prevalence and natural history of CWs.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Nov 2021
Perioperative complications of deep brain stimulation among patients with advanced age: a single-institution retrospective analysis.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an elective procedure that can dramatically enhance quality of life. Because DBS is not considered lifesaving, it is important that providers produce consistently good outcomes, and one factor they usually consider is patient age. While older age may be a relative contraindication for some elective surgeries, the progressive nature of movement disorders treated with DBS may suggest that older patients stand to benefit substantially from surgery. To better understand the risks of treating patients of advanced age with DBS, this study compares perioperative complication rates in patients ≥ 75 to those < 75 years old. ⋯ Although elderly patients had higher risks of certain outcome measures than younger patients, this study showed that elderly patients undergoing DBS for movement disorders did not have an increased risk of more serious complications, such as intracranial hemorrhage, infection, or readmission. Advanced age alone should not be considered a contraindication for DBS.