World Neurosurg
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To compare surgical outcome both radiologically and clinically after interventions for patients with Moyamoya disease. ⋯ Bypass surgery improved CVRC greater than synangiosis, which may correlate with decreased future stroke risks. The decision for bypass is to be balanced with a greater risk of postoperative neurologic deterioration in adults after this procedure. The hemisphere that did not undergo intervention also appeared to benefit from surgery performed on the contralateral brain.
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Neurosurgery in low-income countries is faced with multiple challenges. Although the most common challenges include infrastructure and physical resource deficits, an underemphasized barrier relates to the methods and components of surgical training. The role of important aspects, including didactic surgical training, surgical decision-making, workshops, conferences, and assessment methods, has not been duly studied. Knowledge of these issues is a crucial step to move closer to strengthening surgical capacity in low-income countries. ⋯ Our results show that most responders believe their training program is inadequate and are interested in improving it through international collaborations. This implies that activities directed at strengthening surgical capacity must address this important necessity. One important strategy is the use of online educational tools. In consideration of the observed limitations in care, resources, and training, we recommend a phased approach to neurosurgical growth in low-income settings.