Journal of neurosurgery
-
Journal of neurosurgery · Mar 2021
How long is the tail end of the learning curve? Results from 1000 consecutive endoscopic endonasal skull base cases following the initial 200 cases.
Endoscopic endonasal approaches (EEAs) to the skull base have evolved over the last 20 years to become an essential component of a comprehensive skull base practice. Many case series show a learning curve from the earliest cases, in which the authors were inexperienced or were not using advanced closure techniques. It is generally accepted that once this learning curve is achieved, a plateau is reached with little incremental improvement. Cases performed during the early steep learning curve were eliminated to examine whether the continued improvement exists over the "tail end" of the curve. ⋯ This study demonstrates that contrary to popular belief, the surgical learning curve does not plateau but can continue for several years depending on the complexity of the endpoints considered. These findings may have implications for clinical trial design, surgical education, and patient safety measures.
-
Journal of neurosurgery · Mar 2021
Comparative anatomical analysis between the minipterional and supraorbital approaches.
Keyhole approaches, namely the minipterional approach (MPTa) and the supraorbital approach (SOa), are alternatives to the standard pterional approach to treat lesions located in the anterior and middle cranial fossae. Despite their increasing popularity and acceptance, the indications and limitations of these approaches require further assessment. The purpose of the present study was to determine the differences in the area of surgical exposure and surgical maneuverability provided by the MPTa and SOa. ⋯ The MPTa provides greater surgical exposure and better maneuverability than that offered by the SOa. The SOa may be advantageous as a direct corridor for treating lesions located in the contralateral side or in the anterior cranial fossa, but the surgical exposure provided in the midline region is inferior to that exposed by the MPTa.
-
Journal of neurosurgery · Mar 2021
Riluzole enhances the antitumor effects of temozolomide via suppression of MGMT expression in glioblastoma.
Glutamatergic signaling significantly promotes proliferation, migration, and invasion in glioblastoma (GBM). Riluzole, a metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 inhibitor, reportedly suppresses GBM growth. However, the effects of combining riluzole with the primary GBM chemotherapeutic agent, temozolomide (TMZ), are unknown. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of combinatorial therapy with TMZ/riluzole for GBM in vitro and in vivo. ⋯ Riluzole attenuates TMZ-induced MGMT upregulation and enhances the antitumor effect of TMZ in MGMT-positive GBMs. Therefore, combinatorial TMZ/riluzole treatment is a potentially promising novel therapeutic regimen for MGMT-positive GBMs.