Journal of clinical neuroscience : official journal of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia
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Comparative Study
CSF spectrophotometry in the diagnosis and exclusion of spontaneous subarachnoid haemorrhage.
To assess the sensitivity and specificity of CSF spectrophotometry for the detection of xanthochromia in patients with clinical symptoms suggestive of subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) but normal cranial computed tomography (CT). ⋯ CSF spectrophotometry has an unacceptably low specificity and positive predictive value, which greatly limit its use as a clinical tool.
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The Neurosurgical Advanced Training curriculum of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) is currently undergoing change. Given the high standard of neurosurgery in Australia and New Zealand, it may be questioned why such change is necessary. ⋯ The curriculum must also adapt to the changing training environment, particularly the effects of reduced working hours, reducing caseloads due to shorter inpatient hospital stays and restricted access to public hospital beds and operating theatres, and the effects of sub-specialisation. A formal review of the curriculum is timely.