Neurosurgery
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Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) represents an effective treatment for severe Parkinson's disease (PD), but little is known about the long-term benefit. ⋯ STN DBS is a safe and effective treatment for patients with advanced PD. This study based on the long-term follow-up of large patient populations can be used to elucidate the long-term fate of patients who underwent bilateral STN DBS for PD.
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Glioblastoma (GBM) is a rapidly growing and most life-threatening malignant brain tumor. The significance of early treatment to the clinical outcomes of patients with GBM is unclear. ⋯ Early diagnosis within 2 weeks and surgical interventions within 3 weeks from the symptom onset are associated with prolonged patient survival. Early GBM treatment will benefit patients with GBM.
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Nonunion remains a concern in multilevel anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), yet there are limited data on nonunion after 4 to 5-level ACDF. In fact, the largest series on 4-level or 5-level ACDF focused specifically on the swallowing outcomes. ⋯ The nonunion rate for 4-level and 5-level ACDF may be higher than previously reported. Symptomatic nonunion remains a major reason for reoperation after multilevel ACDF. Baseline characteristics that negatively affect fusion may be obviated by careful patient selection.