World Neurosurg
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Review Case Reports
Ruptured Infantile Myofibroma of the Head Presenting in a Neonate: Case Report and Review of the Literature.
Infantile myofibroma/myofibromatosis (IM/M) is a myofibroblastic proliferative disorder often seen in infants and children. IM/M can result in congenital tumors of the head and neck and may occasionally present to the neurosurgeon. ⋯ Although this tumor rarely presents to the neurosurgeon, it may do so in the process of ruling out other more dangerous conditions. It is therefore important to consider this diagnosis in masses that occur in the head and neck of newborns.
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Despite widespread use of lumbar spinal fusion as a treatment for back pain, outcomes remain variable. Optimizing patient selection can help to reduce adverse outcomes. This literature review was conducted to better understand factors associated with optimal postoperative results after lumbar spinal fusion for chronic back pain and current tools used for evaluation. ⋯ This review summarizes current information and explains commonly used assessment tools to guide clinicians in decision making when caring for patients with lower back pain. When determining a treatment algorithm, physicians must consider predictive psychosocial factors. Use of perioperative cognitive-behavioral therapy and patient education can improve outcomes after lumbar spinal fusion.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Patterns of stroke between university hospitals and non-university hospitals in mainland China: a prospective multicenter hospital-based registry study.
In China, stroke has risen to the first commonest cause of death. Currently published data on stroke come mainly from university hospitals and less from community hospitals, especially lacking information on stroke focusing on the differences between university hospitals and nonuniversity hospitals. Therefore we aimed to investigate the patterns and differences of acute stroke between university hospitals and nonuniversity hospitals in China. ⋯ This survey comparing stroke patients treated in university and nonuniversity hospitals in China showed that both cohorts were largely comparable including most demographic features, such as age and gender, history of stroke, and stroke subtypes. It may be concluded that patient cohorts treated on stroke units in university and nonuniversity hospitals are similar and stroke units in both types of institutions are also comparable in terms of workload and most patient outcomes.
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Review Case Reports
The Affinity of Mucormycosis for the Basal Ganglia in Intravenous Drug Users: A case illustration and review of the literature.
Central nervous system mucormycosis is an aggressive fungal infection often ending in fatality. The usual circumstance is an immunocompromised individual presenting with rapidly progressive rhinocerebral involvement. An extremely rare variant of central nervous system mucormycosis isolated to the basal ganglia in an immunocompetent intravenous drug user is detailed in this manuscript. The patient was aggressively treated with aspiration of the fungal abscess and long-term intravenous antifungal agents.
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Review Case Reports
De Novo Intra-neural Arachnoid Cyst Presenting with Complete Third Nerve Palsy: Case Report and Literature Review.
Intraneural arachnoid cyst is an extremely rare etiology of isolated cranial nerve palsy. Although seldom encountered in clinical practice, this pathology is amenable to surgical intervention. Correct identification and treatment of the cyst are required to prevent permanent nerve damage and potentially reverse the deficits. We describe a rare case of isolated third nerve palsy caused by an intraneural arachnoid cyst. ⋯ To our knowledge, this is the first report of an intraneural arachnoid cyst causing isolated third nerve palsy. This rare pathology proves to be both a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge.