World Neurosurg
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Review Case Reports
Marginal en bloc resection of C2-3 chordoma with bilateral vertebral artery preservation and mesh cage reconstruction with review of previously published cases.
Chordomas arise from remnants of the notochord and occur throughout the neuroaxis. En bloc resection of chordomas can prove especially challenging in the upper cervical spine secondary to the unique structural anatomy and intimate relationship to the vertebral arteries and spinal cord. ⋯ Chordomas in the upper cervical spine pose a surgical challenge but are amenable to en bloc resection. With careful planning and intraoperative adaptability, the surgeon can achieve a suitable reconstruction with off-the-shelf products.
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Review Case Reports
Regression of Pineal Lesions: Spontaneous or Iatrogenic? - A Case Report and Systematic Literature Review.
Tumors arising from the pineal region account for approximately 1% of intracranial neoplasms. We present a case of a previously healthy 5-year-old boy with an acute onset of headache. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan showed a pineal mass with aqueduct compression. The patient was scheduled for tumor resection. An endoscopic third ventriculostomy was performed in advance for the treatment of hydrocephalus. Afterwards, MRI showed a relevant regression of the pineal mass without specific treatment. Consequently, surgery was cancelled and further MRI follow-up showed a regression of the mass and a constant tumor mass over a period of 30 months. Spontaneous regression of malignant tumors is a rare phenomenon with an incidence of 1 of 60,000-100,000 cases. Only a few cases with spontaneous regression of pineal tumors have been reported. ⋯ The clinician has to bear in mind that regression of pineal tumors might be triggered by use of steroids, for example, and in cases of improvement of the patient's presenting symptoms, new MRI scans should be performed.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of transcranial direct-current stimulation on neurosurgical skill acquisition: a randomized controlled trial.
Recent changes in surgical training environments may have limited opportunities for trainees to gain proficiency in skill. Complex skills such as neurosurgery require extended periods of training. Methods to enhance surgical training are required to overcome duty-hour restrictions, to ensure the acquisition of skill proficiency. Transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) can enhance motor skill learning, but is untested in surgical procedural training. We aimed to determine the effects of tDCS on simulation-based neurosurgical skill acquisition. ⋯ The addition of tDCS to neurosurgical training may enhance skill acquisition in a simulation-based environment. Trials of additional skills in high-skill residents, and translation to nonsimulated performance are needed to determine the potential utility of tDCS in surgical training.
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Comparative Study
Incremental value of multiparametric whole-body MR imaging over whole spine magnetic resonance imaging in Neurofibromatosis type I patients.
To determine the clinical value of multiparametric whole-body (WBMRI) over whole-spine magnetic resonance imaging (WSMRI) in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). ⋯ Multiparametric WBMRI provides superior determination of tumor burden and should be considered as a preferred method for evaluation of patients with NF1.
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Intradural epidermoid tumors of the spinal cord are commonly associated with spinal cord dysraphism or invasive procedures. We report the particular relationships between spinal subarachnoid compartments and thoracic intradural-extramedullary epidermoid tumor, highlighting the relevant anatomic changes that may influence microsurgery. ⋯ A thorough knowledge of spinal subarachnoid space anatomy is helpful to distinguish between tumor membranes and arachnoidal planes and to achieve a safe and complete resection to avoid recurrences.