Journal of neurosurgery
-
Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2023
Multicenter StudyStereotactic radiosurgery for Koos grade IV vestibular schwannoma: a multi-institutional study.
Though stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is an established safe treatment for small- and medium-sized vestibular schwannomas (VSs), its role in the management of Koos grade IV VS is still unclear. In this retrospective multicenter study, the authors evaluated tumor control and the patient outcomes of primary, single-session SRS treatment for Koos grade IV VS. ⋯ SRS is a safe and effective method of obtaining tumor control in patients with Koos grade IV VS presenting with non-life-threatening or debilitating symptoms, especially those with surgical comorbidities that contraindicate resection. To decrease the incidence of post-SRS facial palsy, a prescription dose < 13 Gy is recommended.
-
Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2023
Changes in patterns of traumatic brain injury in the Michigan Trauma Quality Improvement Program database early in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The authors' objective was to investigate the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic on hospital presentation and process of care for the treatment of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Improved understanding of these effects will inform sociopolitical and hospital policies in response to future pandemics. ⋯ During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of patients who presented with TBI was initially lower than in the years 2017-2019 prior to the pandemic. However, there was a subsequent increase in the rate of encounters with TBI, resulting in overall similar rates of TBI between March 13 through July 2 during the COVID-19 period and during the pre-COVID-19 period. The COVID-19 cohort was also associated with negative impacts on time to presentation, rate of decubitus ulcers, and discharge with supervision. Policies in response to future pandemics must consider the resources necessary to care for patients with TBI.
-
Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2023
Words matter: using natural language processing to predict neurosurgical residency match outcomes.
Narrative letters of recommendation (NLORs) are considered by neurosurgical program directors to be among the most important parts of the residency application. However, the utility of these NLORs in predicting match outcomes compared to objective measures has not been determined. In this study, the authors compare the performance of machine learning models trained on applicant NLORs and demographic data to predict match outcomes and investigate whether narrative language is predictive of standardized letter of recommendation (SLOR) rankings. ⋯ NLORs and demographic data similarly discriminate whether applicants will or will not match into a neurosurgical residency program. However, NLORs potentially provide further insight regarding applicant fit. Because words used in NLORs are predictive of both match outcomes and SLOR rankings, continuing to include narrative evaluations may be invaluable to the match process.
-
Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2023
A standardized infection prevention bundle for reduction of CSF shunt infections in adult ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery performed without antibiotic-impregnated catheters.
Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt insertion and revision surgeries are some of the most common procedures that are performed by neurosurgeons. Shunt infections within the adult population are associated with significant morbidity and mortality and rates remain high. The objective of the current study was to use quality improvement (QI) methodology to create a standardized infection prevention bundle aimed at reducing the rate of shunt infections. ⋯ The implementation of a standardized shunt infection prevention bundle within the adult population, without the use of antibiotic-impregnated catheters, significantly reduced the rate of shunt infections which was sustained over many years. The use of 2% chlorhexidine gluconate in 70% isopropyl alcohol for preoperative antisepsis may have played a significant role. Multicenter studies should be completed to verify the effectiveness of the authors' protocol.
-
Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2023
Salvage radiosurgery following subtotal resection of vestibular schwannomas: does timing influence tumor control?
The goal of microsurgical resection of vestibular schwannoma (VS) is gross-total resection (GTR) to provide oncological cure. However, a popular strategy is to halt the resection if the surgical team feels the risk of cranial nerve injury is imminent, achieving a maximally safe subtotal resection (STR) instead. The tumor remnant can then be treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) once the patient has recovered from the immediate postoperative period, or it can be followed with serial imaging and treated with SRS in a delayed fashion if residual tumor growth is seen. In this study, the authors evaluated the efficacy of this multimodality approach, particularly the influence of timing and dose of SRS on radiological tumor control, need for salvage treatment, and cranial nerve function. ⋯ Delayed SRS after close observation of residuals following STR is a safe alternative to upfront SRS regarding tumor control and cranial nerve preservation in selected patients.