Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2024
Alexithymia and depression may predict treatment failure in patients undergoing Gamma Knife radiosurgery for trigeminal neuralgia: the potential contribution of colored pain drawings.
Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) effectively achieves high rates of pain control in trigeminal neuralgia (TN); however, psychological factors can also impact how individuals perceive pain and respond to treatment. The authors aimed to measure the effects of alexithymia and depression on GKRS outcomes, as well as the potential role of colored pain drawings (CPDs) in identifying patients who require additional psychological support. ⋯ The outcomes of TN treatment can be influenced by psychological factors, and patients with TN with higher total TAS-20 and BDI-II scores, along with unexpected CPDs, had an increased likelihood of treatment failure. CPDs can be accessed quickly and may allow the physician to screen out most patients with unfavorable psychometrics and proceed with the necessary treatment with appropriate psychological support.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2024
Troubleshooting the bypass: intraoperative management of initially failed anastomosis in direct cerebral revascularization surgery.
Direct cerebral revascularization is considered as one of the most technically challenging operations in neurosurgery. Technical errors are often not identified during the case, but only after the recirculation stage, making management crucial at that time of the procedure. In this study, the authors sought to describe troubleshooting of the technical errors encountered in initially failed bypass cases. ⋯ Three major patterns of a noncompatible bypass were found: a major leak, an acute occlusion, or a delayed occlusion. Based on the authors' experience, salvage strategies proved successful, showing an eventual high patency rate. The authors suggest a gradual, structured algorithm to address this stage in surgery that may contribute specifically to cerebrovascular neurosurgeons at the beginning of their careers.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Feb 2024
The effect of patient age on the degree of midline shift caused by chronic subdural hematomas: a volumetric analysis.
Chronic subdural hematomas (CSDHs) are the among the most common conditions treated by neurosurgeons. Midline shift (MLS) is used as a radiological marker of CSDH severity and the potential need for urgent surgical evacuation. However, a patient's age may affect the degree of MLS for a given hematoma volume. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the patient's age and the MLS caused by CSDH. ⋯ For a fixed CSDH volume, older age correlates with significantly lower MLS. This could be explained by higher parenchymal compliance in older individuals due to increased brain atrophy, and a larger subdural space. Clinical use of MLS to estimate severity of CSDH and gauge treatment decisions should take the patient's age into account.