Neurosurgery
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A great deal of time and resources go into the development and training of neurosurgeons. One area that has minimal literature and assessment is leadership development. Under the core competency of interpersonal and communication skills, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has indicated that residents are expected to work effectively as a member or leader of a healthcare team. ⋯ Residents reported a significant knowledge gain for the majority of topics. Resident comments indicated a greater awareness of the impact of leading and ways to improve their personal leadership. Quantitatively and qualitatively, residents and faculty reported that the leadership program made a significant impact on the development of future neurosurgical leaders.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Comparison of two antibiotic-impregnated ventricular catheters: a prospective sequential series trial.
External ventricular drains (EVDs) are valuable adjuncts in the management of neurosurgical patients but are associated with a significant risk of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) infection (range, 0% to 27%); a review of 23 studies reported a mean of 8.8%. ⋯ The use of antibiotic-impregnated catheters was associated with an extremely low risk of CSF infection compared with the reported mean of nearly 9% for standard EVD catheters. Infection rates for both C/R and M/R EVD catheters were zero. These results support the use of antibiotic-impregnated EVD catheters in routine clinical practice.