Neurosurgery
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Multicenter Study
Early Multicenter Experience With the Neuroform Atlas Stent: Feasibility, Safety, and Efficacy.
The Neuroform Atlas stent™ (by Stryker, Fremont, California) represents the most recent widely available upgrade to intracranial stenting, providing a laser cut open cell stent with a diameter of 3.0 to 4.5 mm that is delivered through an 0.017-inch microcatheter. ⋯ Our series demonstrates the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of the Atlas stent. The low complication rate and the high obliteration rate managing complex aneurysms, even in an acute ruptured setting, are notable.
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The setting of a randomized trial can determine whether its findings are generalizable and can therefore apply to different settings. The contribution of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to neurosurgical randomized trials has not been systematically described before. ⋯ We have established that there is a substantial disparity between HICs and LMICs in the number of published neurosurgical trials. A concerted effort to invest in research capacity building in LMICs is an essential step towards ensuring context- and resource-specific high-quality evidence is generated.
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Immune checkpoint inhibitors enhance immune recognition of tumors by interfering with the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA4) and programmed death 1 (PD1) pathways. In the past decade, these agents brought significant improvements to the prognostic outlook of patients with metastatic cancers. Recent data from retrospective analyses and a few prospective studies suggest that checkpoint inhibitors have activity against brain metastases from melanoma and nonsmall cell lung cancer, as single agents or in combination with radiotherapy. ⋯ In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of clinical data supporting the use of anti-CTLA4 and anti-PD1 agents in brain metastases. We also touch upon specific considerations on the assessment of intracranial responses in patients and immunotherapy-specific toxicities. We conclude that a subset of patients with brain metastases benefit from the addition of checkpoint inhibitors to standard of care therapeutic modalities, including radiotherapy and surgery.
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Observational Study
Sensitivity and Specificity of On-Field Visible Signs of Concussion in the National Football League.
On-field visible signs (VS) are used to help identify sport-related concussion (SRC) in the National Football League (NFL). However, the predictive utility of a VS checklist for SRC is unknown. ⋯ In the NFL, the diagnosis of concussion cannot be made from on-field VS alone. The VS checklist is one part of the comprehensive sideline/acute evaluation of concussion, and the diagnosis remains a multimodal clinical decision.