Neurosurgery
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Neurosurgical advocates for global surgery/neurosurgery at the 75th World Health Assembly gathered in person for the first time after the COVID-19 pandemic in Geneva, Switzerland, in May 2022. This article reviews the significant progress in the global health landscape targeting neglected neurosurgical patients, emphasizing high-level policy advocacy and international efforts to support a new World Health Assembly resolution in mandatory folic acid fortification to prevent neural tube defects. ⋯ Progress toward a neurosurgery-inspired resolution on mandatory folic acid fortification to prevent spina bifida-folate is described. In addition, priorities for moving the global health agenda forward for the neurosurgical patient as it relates to the global burden of neurological disease are reviewed after the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Treatment decision-making for brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs) with microsurgery or stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is controversial. ⋯ Microsurgery was superior at obliterating bAVMs and preventing further hemorrhage. Despite a higher rate of postoperative neurological deficit with microsurgery, functional status and mortality were comparable with patients who underwent SRS. Microsurgery should remain a first-line consideration for bAVMs, with SRS reserved for inaccessible locations, highly eloquent areas, and medically high-risk or unwilling patients.
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Meta Analysis
A Systematic Review Comparing Focused Ultrasound Surgery With Radiosurgery for Essential Tremor.
Focused ultrasound (FUS-T) and stereotactic radiosurgery thalamotomy (SRS-T) targeting the ventral intermediate nucleus are effective incisionless surgeries for essential tremor (ET). However, their efficacy for tremor reduction and, importantly, adverse event incidence have not been directly compared. ⋯ Our systematic review found similar efficacy between FUS-T and SRS-T for ET, with trend toward higher efficacy yet greater adverse event incidence with FUS-T. Smaller lesion volumes could mitigate FUS-T off-target effects for greater safety.
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Statin medication has been identified as a potential therapeutic target for stabilizing cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs). Although increasing evidence suggests that antiplatelet medication decreases the risk of CCM hemorrhage, data on statin medication in clinical studies are scarce. ⋯ Antiplatelet medication alone and its combination with statins were associated with a lower risk of hemorrhage at CCM diagnosis. The risk reduction of combined statin and antiplatelet medication was greater than in patients receiving antiplatelet medication alone, indicating a possible synergistic effect. Antiplatelet medication alone was not associated with follow-up hemorrhage.
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Hydrocephalus frequently occurs with midline posterior fossa cystic collections. The classification of this heterogeneous group of developmental anomalies, including Dandy-Walker malformation, persisting Blake's pouch, retrocerebellar arachnoid cysts, and mega cisterna magna, is subject of debate. The absence of diagnostic criteria is confusing regarding the ideal management of PFCC-related hydrocephalus. ⋯ Preoperative MRI in patients with PFCC-related hydrocephalus is essential to better define the diagnosis. The choice of treatment strategy notably relies on correct radiological diagnosis.