Neurosurgery
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Multicenter Study
Preliminary Experience Suggests the Addition of Choroid Plexus Cauterization to Functional Hemispherectomy May Reduce Posthemispherectomy Hydrocephalus.
Cerebral hemispherectomy can effectively treat unihemispheric epilepsy. However, posthemispherectomy hydrocephalus (PHH), a serious life-long complication, remains prevalent, requiring careful considerations in technique selection and postoperative management. In 2016, we began incorporating open choroid plexus cauterization (CPC) into our institution's hemispherectomy procedure in an attempt to prevent PHH. ⋯ Preventing PHH is critical. Our early experience demonstrated that routinely incorporating CPC into hemispherectomy effectively prevents PHH without causing additional complications, especially in first-time hemispherectomies. A multicenter randomized controlled trial with long-term follow-up is required to corroborate the findings of our single-institutional case series and determine whether greater adoption of this technique is justified.
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Review Observational Study
Timing of Recovery After Surgery for Patients With Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: An Observational Study From the Canadian Spine Outcomes and Research Network.
The time course over which postoperative neurological recovery occurs after surgery for degenerative cervical myelopathy occurs is poorly understood. ⋯ Among patients who underwent surgery for degenerative cervical myelopathy, most significant neurological improvement occurred by 3 months after surgery. These findings will facilitate valid discussions about postoperative expectations during shared clinical decision making between patients and their surgeons.
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Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) is rare genetic disorder mainly characterized by the development of central nervous system lesions, but peripheral nerve pathology may also cause high morbidity including pain, motor, and sensory loss. ⋯ Surgery remains a safe and effective method of treating peripheral nerve schwannoma-associated pain in NF2, with the exception of rare multinodular tumors. Special attention should be drawn to patients harboring severely debilitating neuropathies and perineuriomas.