Journal of neurosurgery
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Journal of neurosurgery · Nov 2023
Analysis of vascular perfusion territory using selective intraarterial injection CT angiography before and after revascularization surgery in patients with moyamoya disease.
In moyamoya disease (MMD), blood flow to the internal carotid artery (ICA) system is supplied via the basal fine vascular network, leptomeningeal anastomoses, and transdural collateral vessels from the external carotid artery (ECA). After revascularization, there is a dramatic change in cerebral perfusion to the ECA system. Understanding this shift in blood supply is important for evaluating treatment efficacy and elucidating the postoperative pathophysiology. However, anatomical and quantitative methods for doing so have not yet been established. In the present study, selective intraarterial injection CT angiography (iaCTA) was performed in patients with MMD, and blood supply changes in each arterial system before and after revascularization surgery were evaluated. ⋯ Selective iaCTA enabled clear visualization of anatomical changes in each vascular perfusion territory and quantitative measurement of each perfusion volume. Perfusion conversion to the ECA system after bypass surgery was observed in the cortical regions and in the insulae on the bypass operation sides, but not in the basal ganglia. Combined revascularization promoted the development of ECA-perfused territory, which correlated with a decrease in hemodynamic burden of the posterior cerebral artery.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Nov 2023
Axonal mapping of motor and sensory components within the ulnar nerve and its branches.
Intrinsic function is indispensable for dexterous hand movements. Distal ulnar nerve defects can result in intrinsic muscle dysfunction and sensory deficits. Although the ulnar nerve's fascicular anatomy has been extensively studied, quantitative and topographic data on motor axons traveling within this nerve remain elusive. ⋯ Knowledge of the detailed axonal architecture of the motor and sensory components of the human ulnar nerve is of the utmost importance for surgeons considering fascicular grafting or nerve transfer surgery. The low number of efferent axons in motor branches of the ulnar nerve and their distinct topographical distribution along the distal course of the nerve is indispensable information for modern nerve surgery.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Nov 2023
ReviewClinical trial implementation: a primer for neurosurgeons.
In the current landscape of evidence-based medicine, prospective clinical trials are an important avenue through which to establish the efficacy and safety of biomedical treatments compared with standard-of-care interventions. Depending on their scope and aims, clinical trials can be extremely costly and time intensive, and significant coordination is needed to ensure optimal utilization of healthcare resources, adherence to the principles of biomedical ethics, and appropriate interpretation of study results. This review highlights the core principles for designing and implementing clinical trials within neurosurgery, with the aim to provide clinicians with a framework for implementing both investigator-initiated and industry-sponsored trials.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Nov 2023
Randomized Controlled TrialEarly stellate ganglion block for improvement of postoperative cerebral blood flow velocity after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: results of a pilot randomized controlled trial.
Stellate ganglion block (SGB) is a commonly used sympathetic nerve block technique that may have benefits for patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) in the early stage. Cerebral vasospasm (CVS), one of the most common complications of aSAH, is accompanied by an abnormal increase in cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) and neurological dysfunction. In this pilot study the authors sought to determine the feasibility of early SGB for CVS in aSAH patients by observing the incidence of symptomatic CVS. ⋯ This pilot study demonstrated for the first time, to the authors' knowledge, that early SGB is feasible and has the potential to reduce the risk of CVS and improve the prognosis of aSAH. This method may be a new treatment for patients with aSAH that may have more advantages than traditional therapeutic drugs and is worth further study. Clinical trial registration no.: NCT04691271 (ClinicalTrials.gov).