Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2021
The use of intraoperative neurosurgical ultrasound for surgical navigation in low- and middle-income countries: the initial experience in Tanzania.
Neuronavigation has become a crucial tool in the surgical management of CNS pathology in higher-income countries, but has yet to be implemented in most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to cost constraints. In these resource-limited settings, neurosurgeons typically rely on their understanding of neuroanatomy and preoperative imaging to help guide them through a particular operation, making surgery more challenging for the surgeon and a higher risk for the patient. Alternatives to assist the surgeon improve the safety and efficacy of neurosurgery are important for the expansion of subspecialty neurosurgery in LMICs. A low-cost and efficacious alternative may be the use of intraoperative neurosurgical ultrasound. The authors analyze the preliminary results of the introduction of intraoperative ultrasound in an LMIC setting. ⋯ The use of intraoperative ultrasound, which is affordable and available locally, is changing neurosurgical care in Tanzania. Ultimately, expanding the use of intraoperative B-mode ultrasound in Tanzania and other LMICs may help improve neurosurgical care in these countries in an affordable manner.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2021
One hundred years of neurosurgery: contributions of American women.
The end of the first 100 years of any endeavor is an appropriate time to look back and peer forward. As neurosurgery celebrates its 1st century as a specialty, the increasing role of women neurosurgeons is a major theme. This article documents the early women pioneers in neurosurgery. ⋯ The formation of Women in Neurosurgery in 1989 is described, as is the important role this organization has played in introducing and promoting talented women in the profession. Contributions of women neurosurgeons to academic medicine and society as a whole are briefly highlighted. Contemporary efforts and initiatives indicate future directions in which women may lead neurosurgery in its 2nd century.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2021
Variation of membrane particle-bound CD133 in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with subarachnoid and intracerebral hemorrhage.
Previous studies have demonstrated that human CSF contains membrane particles carrying the stem cell antigenic marker CD133 (prominin-1). Here, the authors analyzed the variation of the amount of these CD133-positive particles in the CSF of patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). ⋯ Levels of membrane particle-associated CD133 in the CSF of patients with SAH and ICH are significantly increased in comparison to healthy patients, and they decline during the hospital stay. Specifically, the persistent elevation of CD133-positive membrane particles within the first week may represent a possible surrogate measure for impaired functional outcome in patients with SAH.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2021
CBF changes and cerebral energy metabolism during hypervolemia, hemodilution, and hypertension therapy in patients with poor-grade subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Despite the multifactorial pathogenesis of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), augmentation of cerebral blood flow (CBF) is still considered essential in the clinical management of DCI. The aim of this prospective observational study was to investigate cerebral metabolic changes in relation to CBF during therapeutic hypervolemia, hemodilution, and hypertension (HHH) therapy in poor-grade SAH patients with DCI. ⋯ Global and regional CBF improved and the cerebral energy metabolic CMD parameters stayed statistically unchanged during HHH therapy in DCI patients. None of the patients developed metabolic signs of severe ischemia, but a disturbed energy metabolic pattern was a common occurrence, possibly explained by mitochondrial dysfunction despite improved microcirculation.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2021
Association between aneurysm hemodynamics and wall enhancement on 3D vessel wall MRI.
Aneurysm wall enhancement (AWE) on 3D vessel wall MRI (VWMRI) has been suggested as an imaging biomarker for intracranial aneurysms (IAs) at higher risk of rupture. While computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies have been used to investigate the association between hemodynamic forces and rupture status of IAs, the role of hemodynamic forces in unruptured IAs with AWE is poorly understood. The authors investigated the role and implications of abnormal hemodynamics related to aneurysm pathophysiology in patients with AWE in unruptured IAs. ⋯ The presence of AWE was associated with morphological and hemodynamic factors related to rupture risk. Low WSS was found to be an independent predictor of AWE. Our findings support the hypothesis that low WSS in IAs with AWE may indicate a growth and remodeling process that may predispose such aneurysms to rupture; however, a causality between the two cannot be established.