Neurosurgery
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Anterior cervical disc replacement is an alternative to fusion for the treatment of selected cases of radiculopathy and myelopathy. We report clinical and radiological outcomes after disc replacement with the NuNec™ artificial cervical disc (Pioneer® Surgical Technology, Marquette, Michigan) with subgroup analysis. ⋯ Clinical outcomes using the NuNec™ disc replacement are comparable with other disc replacements. Although the range of movement is reduced, the reoperation rate is very low.
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Radiation-induced changes (RICs) are the most common complication of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), and they appear as perinidal T2-weighted hyperintensities on magnetic resonance imaging, with or without associated neurological symptoms. ⋯ Approximately 1 in 3 patients with AVMs treated with SRS develop radiologically evident RIC, and of those with radiologic RIC, 1 in 4 develop neurological symptoms. Lack of prior AVM hemorrhage and repeat SRS are risk factors for radiologic RIC, and deep nidus location is a risk factor for symptomatic RIC.
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Congenital spinal stenosis (CSS) of the cervical spine is a risk factor for acute spinal cord injury and development of degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM). ⋯ SCOR ≥ 70% is an effective criterion to diagnose CSS. CSS patients develop myelopathy at a younger age and have greater impairment and disability than other patients with DCM. Despite this, CSS patients have comparable duration of symptoms, MRI presentations, and surgical outcomes to DCM patients without CSS.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Treatment Outcomes of A Randomized Trial of Unruptured Brain Arteriovenous Malformation-Eligible Unruptured Brain Arteriovenous Malformation Patients.
The guideline for treating unruptured brain arteriovenous malformations (ubAVMs) remains controversial. A Randomized Trial of Unruptured Brain Arteriovenous Malformations (ARUBA) reported lower risk of stroke or death with conservative management compared to interventional treatment. There were numerous limitations to the study, including short follow-up period and disproportionate number of patients treated with surgery and embolization. ⋯ We report a lower overall risk of stroke or death in our ARUBA-eligible patients following treatment than ARUBA. Our results suggest that microsurgery and GKS may be appropriate treatments for patients with ubAVM.