Journal of neurosurgery
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The rates of women and underrepresented racial and ethnic minority (UREM) students successfully matching into neurosurgical residency are extremely low and do not reflect the makeup of the general population. As of 2019, only 17.5% of neurosurgical residents in the United States were women, 4.95% were Black or African American, and 7.2% were Hispanic or Latinx. Earlier recruitment of UREM students will help to diversify the neurosurgical workforce. Therefore, the authors developed a virtual educational event for undergraduate students entitled "Future Leaders in Neurosurgery Symposium for Underrepresented Students'' (FLNSUS). The primary objectives of the FLNSUS were to expose attendees to 1) neurosurgeons from diverse gender, racial, and ethnic backgrounds; 2) neurosurgical research; 3) opportunities for neurosurgical mentorship; and 4) information about life as a neurosurgeon. The authors hypothesized that the FLNSUS would increase student self-confidence, provide exposure to the specialty, and reduce perceived barriers to a neurosurgical career. ⋯ These results reflect a significant improvement in student perceptions of neurosurgery and suggest that symposiums like the FLNSUS may promote further diversification of the field. The authors anticipate that events promoting diversity in neurosurgery will lead to a more equitable workforce that will ultimately translate to enhanced research productivity, cultural humility, and patient-centered care in neurosurgery.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Oct 2023
Seizure outcomes following single-fraction versus hypofractionated radiosurgery for brain metastases: a single-center experience.
Although seizures are a relatively common phenomenon in the setting of brain metastases (BMs), there are no discrete recommendations regarding the use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in this population, either in general or in the context of treatment. The authors' aim was to better understand the underlying pathological factors as well as the therapeutic techniques that may lead to seizures following the radiosurgical treatment of BMs with the goal of guiding appropriate AED prophylaxis. ⋯ PTV is a superior predictor of post-SRS seizures relative to the number of supratentorial BMs, as it serves as a volumetric proxy for intracranial disease burden. A larger PTV, alongside tumor histology and prior seizure history, should be considered in the decision-making process for AED use following radiosurgery.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Oct 2023
Observational StudyInterrupted intraarterial selective cooling infusion combined with mechanical thrombectomy in patients with acute ischemic stroke: a prospective, nonrandomized observational cohort study.
The authors aimed to explore the feasibility and efficiency of an interrupted intraarterial selective cooling infusion (IA-SCI) combined with mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). ⋯ Interrupted IA-SCI for patients with intracranial large vessel occlusion AIS symptoms treated with MT seems to be safe and associated with favorable functional outcomes.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Oct 2023
Is brain invasion sufficient as a stand-alone criterion for grading atypical meningioma?
Despite the controversy surrounding brain invasion (BI) as the sole indicator used to diagnose atypical meningioma, this criterion was still incorporated in the 2021 WHO classification scheme. In this study, the authors investigated the reproducibility of this prognostic effect and the impact of BI on the prognosis in otherwise benign meningioma (benign meningioma with BI). ⋯ The findings demonstrate that benign meningioma with BI typically has an intermediate prognosis and can be differentiated from benign meningioma and classical atypical meningioma, which suggests that the importance of the diagnostic effect of BI is insufficiently accounted for in grading of atypical meningioma. Increased emphasis on the presence of BI in patients with atypical meningioma may be helpful in postsurgical decision-making and facilitating improvements in individual therapy.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Oct 2023
Convergence of the arcuate fasciculus and third branch of the superior longitudinal fasciculus with direct cortical stimulation-induced speech arrest area in the anterior ventral precentral gyrus.
The objective was to identify the correspondence between the anterior terminations of the arcuate fasciculus (AF) and third branch of the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF-III) and the intraoperative direct cortical electrical stimulation (DCS)-induced speech arrest area. ⋯ This study supports the key role of the left vPCGa as the speech output node by showing convergence between speech output mapping and anterior AF/SLF-III connectivity in the vPCGa. These findings may contribute to the understanding of speech networks and could have clinical implications in preoperative surgical planning.