Neurology India
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of Opioid Versus Non-Opioid Analgesia on Surgical Pleth Index and Biomarkers of Surgical Stress During Neurosurgery for Brain Tumors: Preliminary Findings.
Stress response to surgery is mediated by the sympathetic nervous system and manifests as changes in hemodynamic and neuroendocrine parameters. Recently, the surgical pleth index (SPI) is employed for objective and continuous monitoring of nociceptive response during surgery. Opioids are the mainstay of managing stress response to nociception during the perioperative period. However, due to the well-known adverse effects of opioids, α2 agonists are increasingly used to ablate stress response and reduce opioid usage. ⋯ The stress response to surgery during craniotomy for brain tumors is similar with opioid (fentanyl) and non-opioid (dexmedetomidine) analgesia as assessed by SPI and blood markers such as cortisol, glucose, and pH.
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There is a significant knowledge gap and anxiety among health care workers (HCWs) including neurosurgeons regarding in-hospital disease transmission and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the ensuing COVID-19 pandemic. ⋯ Access to and utilization of appropriate PPE was lacking among the one-fifth of neurosurgeons who participated in this survey. To gain the confidence of neurosurgeons, hospitals should address their concerns regarding PPE and testing of patients prior to surgery and admission to the hospital.
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Review
Brainstem Dysfunction in SARS-COV-2 Infection can be a Potential Cause of Respiratory Distress.
A terrible pandemic, Covid-19, has captivated scientists to investigate if SARS-CoV-2 virus infects the central nervous system (CNS). A crucial question is if acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), the main cause of death in this pandemic, and often refractory to treatments, can be explained by respiratory center dysfunction. ⋯ An increasing amount of reports demonstrates that neurotropism is a common feature of coronavirus, which have been found in the brains of patients and experimental models, where the brainstem was severely infested. Recent studies have provided tremendous indication of the incidence of acute respiratory failure due to SARS-CoV-2 infection of the brainstem. SARS-CoV-2 might infect the CNS through the olfactory bulb, spreading from the olfactory nerves to the rhinencephalon, and finally reaching the brainstem. Hence, the virus infection causes respiratory center dysfunctions, leading to ARDS in COVID-19 patients. I conclude that acute ARDS in Covid-19 can be caused by SARS-CoV-2 invasion of brainstem respiratory center, suggesting the needs of more specific and aggressive treatments, with the direct participation of neurologists and neurointensivists.
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Dumbbell trigeminal schwannoma is the second most common type of intracranial schwannomas. ⋯ Trigeminal schwannoma with a predominantly posterior fossa component can be excised through retromastoid sub-occipital craniotomy. Endoscopic-assisted microsurgery should be considered in all skull base tumors. Aim for complete excision, but safe maximal resection with GKRS for residual can be considered in difficult cases.