World Neurosurg
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Review
Recapitulating flesh with silicon and steel: advancements in upper extremity robotic prosthetics.
With the loss of function of an upper extremity because of stroke or spinal cord injury or a physical loss from amputation, an individual's life is forever changed, and activities that were once routine become a magnitude more difficult. Much research and effort have been put into developing advanced robotic prostheses to restore upper extremity function. For patients with upper extremity amputations, previously crude prostheses have evolved to become exceptionally functional. ⋯ For patients with spinal cord injury or stroke, functional electrical stimulation promises to provide the most sophisticated prosthetic limbs possible by reanimating paralyzed arms of these patients. Advances in technology and robotics continue to help patients recover vital function. This article examines the latest neurorestorative technologies for patients who have either undergone amputation or lost the use of their upper extremities secondary to stroke or spinal cord injury.
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Anticoagulated patients with intracranial hemorrhage represent a major management challenge. Our goal is to determine how patient characteristics and management decisions influence outcome. ⋯ Our results provide prognostic information that may assist management of these patients. Our results also suggest that it may be unwise to withhold anticoagulation indefinitely after an index hemorrhage. As thromboembolic or hemorrhagic complications may be associated with worse outcome, efforts to avoid them may be wise. The studies that comprise our dataset have important limitations and a prospective study will be required to confirm these results.
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Review Case Reports
Intracranial salivary gland choristoma within optic nerve dural sheath: case report and review of the literature.
Salivary gland choristomas or their neoplastic derivatives may appear throughout the intracranial space, most frequently in the middle ear or sella. Here, we present the case of a salivary gland choristoma embedded within the optic nerve dural sheath and review the literature of intracranial salivary gland masses. ⋯ Intracranial salivary tissue has been previously described but never before in the suprasellar space. Although rare, knowledge of their natural history and pathologic features may inform surgical management if they are encountered in the operating room.
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Review Case Reports
Multiple spinal hemangioblastomas complicated with postoperative remote cerebellar hemorrhage: review of the literature of two rare entities.
Multiple spinal hemangioblastomas constitute a rare pathology; most patients have von Hippel-Lindau disease. In the literature, spinal surgery has been complicated with remote intracranial hemorrhage in a very few cases. ⋯ This case report includes 2 rare entities, of which every spinal surgeon should be aware.