Neurosurgery
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Surgical rehearsal platform: potential uses in microsurgery.
Surgical training has remained remarkably similar in many respects since the early days of halstedian training. Neurosurgery is a demanding field that requires extensive cognitive, perceptive, and technical training. Surgical simulation is a promising approach to facilitate acquiring proficiency in neurosurgical procedures. ⋯ The use of simulator technology for microsurgery is in its infancy. This article describes a novel simulator technology developed by Surgical Theater LLC (http://www.surgicaltheater.net/home.html) called the Selman Surgical Rehearsal Platform. The platform shows promise for use in intracranial microvascular procedures, which require experience that is becoming increasingly limited for trainees who have to become proficient in more procedures in much less time than ever before.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Multimodality word-finding distinctions in cortical stimulation mapping.
Cortical stimulation mapping (CSM) commonly uses visual naming to determine resection margins in the dominant hemisphere of patients with epilepsy. Visual naming alone may not identify all language sites in resection-prone areas, prompting additional tasks for comprehensive language mapping. ⋯ Distinct cortical areas were found for distinct input modalities, with language sites in anterior tip regions found most often by using auditory naming. The vulnerability of anterior temporal tip regions to resection in this population and distinct sites for each modality suggest that a multimodality approach may be needed to spare crucial language sites, if sparing those sites can be shown to significantly reduce the rate of postoperative language deficits without sacrificing seizure control.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Conservative management or gamma knife radiosurgery for vestibular schwannoma: tumor growth, symptoms, and quality of life.
There are few reports about the course of vestibular schwannoma (VS) patients following gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) compared with the course following conservative management (CM). In this study, we present prospectively collected data of 237 patients with unilateral VS extending outside the internal acoustic canal who received either GKRS (113) or CM (124). ⋯ In VS patients, GKRS reduces the tumor growth rate and thereby the incidence rate of new treatment about tenfold. Hearing is lost at similar rates in both groups. Symptoms and QoL seem not to be significantly affected by GKRS.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Mechanisms of stroke after intracranial angioplasty and stenting in the SAMMPRIS trial.
Enrollment in the stenting and aggressive medical management for the prevention of stroke in intracranial stenosis (SAMMPRIS) trial was halted owing to higher-than-expected 30-day stroke rates in the stenting arm. Improvement in periprocedural stroke rates from angioplasty and stenting for intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) requires an understanding of the mechanisms of these events. ⋯ Efforts at reducing complications from angioplasty and stenting for ICAD must focus on reducing the risks of regional perforator infarction, delayed intraparenchymal hemorrhage, and wire perforation.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
The durability of carotid endarterectomy: long-term results for restenosis and stroke.
Carotid endarterectomy is a low-risk treatment for carotid occlusive disease. Recent clinical trials have suggested that carotid angioplasty may be a viable alternative. One important issue that has not been evaluated is the long-term recurrent stenosis rate after either intervention. ⋯ Carotid endarterectomy is an extremely safe treatment for carotid stenosis with very low perioperative complications and low rates of recurrent stenosis or late stroke. When endarterectomy is compared with angioplasty, in addition to periprocedural complications, the durability of both interventions needs to be considered, given the risks and costs of repeat interventions.