Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Oct 2024
Chordoma incidence, treatment, and survival in the 21st century: a population-based Ontario cohort study.
This study estimates the incidence, treatment patterns, and overall survival for patients with chordoma treated in Ontario. ⋯ Chordoma is a rare disease with no significant change in the average annual incidence rate between 2003 to 2019. During this time, treatment with less invasive modalities increased, particularly for skull base chordoma. Overall survival exceeds 10 years for many patients, with no change in the hazard of death across the study period.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Oct 2024
Wartime penetrating traumatic brain injury of the anterior skull base involving the paranasal sinuses: a single-center, first-year experience from Dnipro, Ukraine.
Since February 2022, the number of casualties in the Russian-Ukrainian war have dramatically increased, with a high incidence of penetrating traumatic brain injuries (pTBIs). To date, there has been limited evaluation of pTBI of the anterior skull base involving the paranasal sinuses. The objective of this study was to highlight the authors' experience with this injury pattern and identify specific factors associated with favorable short-term (1-month) outcome and survival. ⋯ This was the largest single-year study on neurosurgical treatment of wartime pTBI involving the paranasal sinuses. Implementation of primary neurosurgical intervention at the time of presentation demonstrated promising early results and a shift away from expectant management of this injury pattern. The association of high admission GCS score, low ISS, favorable injury lateralization, and no midline shift on favorable short-term outcomes or survival has not been previously documented with this injury pattern.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Oct 2024
Oral and general health quality of life following a subtemporal preauricular infratemporal approach with condylar fossa osteotomy in surgical skull base tumor resection.
With the capacity to provide maximal lesion exposure, the subtemporal preauricular infratemporal (SPI) approach with condylar fossa osteotomy is highly utilized in radical resection of skull base tumors. While this approach requires disruption of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) for access, the effects of this maneuver are poorly appreciated in neurosurgery. The aim of this study was to assess the morbidity of condylar fossa osteotomies by comparing oral health quality of life (OHQOL) and general health quality of life (GHQOL) outcomes after TMJ-involving and TMJ-sparing skull base approaches. ⋯ The authors report novel findings regarding the impact of the SPI approach with a condylar fossa osteotomy on OHQOL and GHQOL among skull base tumor patients. Anatomical disruption of the TMJ was not associated with significant clinical TMJ dysfunction. Compared with TS patients, CS patients had even lower mean scores in TMJ-related morbidity, and both groups had lower TMJ morbidity than patients diagnosed with chronic TMJ dysfunction. Condylar fossa osteotomies can therefore be considered without concern of significant additional morbidity.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Oct 2024
Rates and predictors of loss to follow-up for sporadic vestibular schwannomas undergoing imaging surveillance.
Imaging surveillance with serial MRI, or a "wait-and-scan" approach, is a management option for patients with small or medium-sized vestibular schwannomas (VSs). Prior publications have indicated no distinct quality of life advantage to upfront treatment compared with initial wait-and-scan management. However, imaging surveillance is dependent on patient adherence to follow-up. In this study, the authors aimed to identify rates and predictors of patient loss to follow-up during wait-and-scan management of sporadic VS. ⋯ Patients undergoing imaging surveillance of VS are at risk for loss to follow-up and inconsistent imaging surveillance. Patients with smaller tumors or those living farther away from the treating institution are at highest risk for being lost to follow-up.