Neurosurgery
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Several East Asian studies have examined the role of revascularization in the context of hemorrhagic moyamoya disease (MMD) and found a decrease in postoperative rehemorrhage rates. To date, no data exist comparing revascularization with conservative management in North American patients with hemorrhagic MMD. ⋯ Conservative management in a North American patient cohort was associated with greater mortality and worsened neurological outcomes compared with those undergoing revascularization. Early revascularization was associated with higher rates of postoperative seizures and wound complications, although these risks must be balanced against the risk of rehemorrhage.
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The ventral intermediate (VIM) thalamic nucleus is the main target for the surgical treatment of refractory tremor. Initial targeting traditionally relies on atlas-based stereotactic targeting formulas, which only minimally account for individual anatomy. Alternative approaches have been proposed, including direct targeting of the dentato-rubro-thalamic tract (DRTT), which, in clinical settings, is generally reconstructed with deterministic tracking. Whether more advanced probabilistic techniques are feasible on clinical-grade magnetic resonance acquisitions and lead to enhanced reconstructions is poorly understood. ⋯ DRTT reconstructed with probabilistic fiber tracking was superior in spatial proximity to the physiology-guided DBS lead and to the empirically chosen active contact. These data inform strategies for surgical targeting of the VIM.
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Machine learning (ML) approaches can significantly improve the classical Rout-based evaluation of the lumbar infusion test (LIT) and the clinical management of the normal pressure hydrocephalus. ⋯ This study successfully used the ML approach to predict the outcome of a 5-day external lumbar drainage and hence which patients are likely to benefit from permanent shunt implantation. Our automated ML model thus enhances the diagnostic utility of LIT in management.
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It remains unknown if the progressive loss of axonal conduction along sensorimotor tracts can be recovered after surgery in patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) and if subsequent adaptive microstructural changes are associated with the neurological improvement. ⋯ Recovery of microstructural integrity along the corticospinal tract and other sensorimotor pathways, together with supraspinal reorganization of microstructural connectivity within sensory and motor-related regions, was associated with neurological improvement after surgical decompression.
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Moyamoya syndrome refers to a progressive stenosis of the internal carotid arteries and can be associated with sickle cell disease. These codiagnoses result in severe risk for stroke, even in patients on optimal medical management. Surgical revascularization has been shown to be safe in small case series. ⋯ The results of this study demonstrate that revascularization is associated with a significant reduction in stroke risk, both relative to prerevascularization rates and compared with medical management. According to these findings, surgical revascularization offers a safe and durable preventative therapy for stroke and should be pursued aggressively in this patient population.