British journal of neurosurgery
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The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the results of external ventricular drain (EVD) placement for the management of hydrocephalus. We present our experience with 103 consecutive cases over one year, 56 of which had subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Short tunnel ventriculostomy was performed at the bedside in the neurosurgical intensive care unit (NSICU), using sterile technique. ⋯ No rebleed from aneurysmal SAH was seen. There was no correlation between the duration of EVD and infection. We conclude that placement of short EVD in the NSICU is safe and can be maintained for the required duration of treatment with minimum infection rate.
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Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an established treatment modality for chronic pain, angina pectoris, and peripheral vascular disease. This study evaluates experience with SCS over a 13-year period with emphasis on surgical complications, revisions and pain relief. It took the form of a retrospective study of medical/surgical records coupled with a postal/telephone questionnaire. ⋯ Sixty per cent of patients reported substantial relief of pain. This study shows that the majority of patients undergoing SCS derive significant benefit in terms of pain relief, but commonly require surgical revisions due to both technical and biological factors. These devices require systematic evaluation to determine optimal usage, clinical effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis.