Neurosurgery
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Meta Analysis
Safety of Outpatient Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is being increasingly offered on an outpatient basis. However, the safety profile of outpatient ACDF remains poorly defined. ⋯ Our meta-analysis indicates that there is a lack of high level of evidence studies regarding the safety of outpatient ACDF. However, the existing literature suggests that outpatient ACDF can be safe, with low complication rates comparable to inpatient ACDF in well-selected patients. Patients with advanced age and comorbidities such as obesity and significant myelopathy are likely not suitable for outpatient ACDF. Spine surgeons must carefully evaluate each patient to decide whether outpatient ACDF is a safe option. Higher quality, large prospective randomized control trials are needed to accurately demonstrate the safety profile of outpatient ACDF.
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The Subarachnoid Hemorrhage International Trialists (SAHIT) repository is a collection of randomized clinical trials, prospective observational studies, and hospital registries that was used to create a predictive model of unfavorable outcome/mortality following aneurysmal SAH. ⋯ Using the BRAT data, we have externally validated the SAHIT model for predicting unfavorable outcome and mortality after SAH. The model may be used to counsel patients and families on prognosis following aneurysmal SAH.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Obese Patients Benefit, but do not Fare as Well as Nonobese Patients, Following Lumbar Spondylolisthesis Surgery: An Analysis of the Quality Outcomes Database.
Given recent differing findings following 2 randomized clinical trials on degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DLS) surgery, there is a need to better define how subsets of patients fare following surgery. ⋯ Obesity is associated with inferior leg pain and quality of life-but similar back pain, disability, and satisfaction-12 mo postoperatively. However, obese patients achieve significant improvements in all PRO metrics at 12 mo.
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The safety and efficacy of flow diversion (FD) in the treatment of cerebral aneurysms have been reported by many studies. FD has enabled the treatment of complex aneurysms and aneurysms that were previously untreatable by conventional means. It has achieved high rates of obliteration with essentially no recanalization, and its indications have continued to expand, now including ruptured aneurysms, blister aneurysms, and dissecting aneurysms. ⋯ In summary, FD shows promise to be an effective treatment for ruptured, blister, and dissecting aneurysms.
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There is inadequate neurosurgical literature discussing appropriate clinical study design. Here, we explore considerations for 2 fundamental study designs of epidemiology: experimental and observational cohort studies, through examples of theoretical yet realistic neurosurgical research questions. By examining 2 common neurosurgical procedures-namely, subdural drains for evacuation of chronic subdural hematoma, and the utility of navigation for placing external ventricular drains-we characterize the framework of cohort study models for clinical research applications.