World Neurosurg
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Posterior cervical foraminotomy is a valuable option as a treatment for cervical radiculopathy caused by osseous foraminal stenosis. Here the authors present their technique and results in a series of patients with and without previous surgery. ⋯ This retrospective analysis shows that microendoscopic posterior cervical foraminotomy is a successful option in the treatment of osseous cervical foraminal stenosis. Nevertheless, clinical success in patients with previous surgery is much lower compared with patients without previous surgery. Thus, a more thorough clinical workup is recommended to identify the patients who are not going to benefit before subsequent surgical procedures.
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To determine any differences in self-reported dysphagia in patients treated with single-level anterior cervical decompression with different zero-profile implants (arthroplasty vs. arthrodesis) and identify risk factors for postoperative dysphagia. ⋯ Postoperative dysphagia remains a common incidence, despite advances in instrumentation technologies. However, cervical disc arthroplasty is superior to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion in ameliorating the symptom of dysphagia in the early postoperative term. Heavy smoker, PSTS change (≥5 mm), and CA change (≥5 degrees) were important predictors of postoperative dysphagia.
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Precisely defining complications, which are used to measure overall quality, is necessary for critical review of delivery of care and quality improvement in endovascular neurosurgery, which lacks common definitions for complications. Furthermore, in endovascular interventions, events that may be labeled complications may not always negatively affect outcome. Our objective is to provide precise definitions for quality evaluation within endovascular neurosurgery. Thus, we propose an endovascular-specific classification system of complications based on our own patient series. ⋯ We propose an endovascular-specific classification system of complications with 4 categories: mechanical, technical, judgment errors, and critical events. This system provides a framework for future studies and quality control in endovascular neurosurgery.
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Choroid plexus papillomas (CPPs) of the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) are extremely rare. We present a series of 21 cases operated on in the last 7 years at our institution. ⋯ CPPs in the CPA region cannot be easily differentiated from other tumors preoperatively. Cysts and calcifications appear on neuroimaging. CPPs in the CPA region usually protrude inferiorly into the foramen magnum region. As much tumor should be removed as possible to avoid recurrence and malignant transition.
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Some patients suffer postoperative hearing loss even when the intraoperative auditory brainstem response (ABR) is preserved during vestibular schwannomas surgery. This study was conducted to evaluate whether there are dynamic changes of the ABR after surgery. ⋯ The study identifies ongoing changes of ABR quality and hearing function after the end of vestibular schwannoma surgery. Therefore it seems worthwhile to continue ABR monitoring in the postoperative phase in order to identify patients who are at risk of a secondary hearing deterioration and start therapeutic interventions in a timely manner.