World Neurosurg
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This study evaluates the efficacy of linear accelerator (LINAC) radiosurgery using micro multi-leaf collimator technique (μMLC) in the treatment of a consecutive series of patients with vestibular schwannomas. ⋯ LINAC radiosurgery using a micro multi-leaf collimator for vestibular schwannomas smaller than 3 cm is effective in yielding a high local tumor control, whereas the treatment-related morbidity remains low.
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Quasi-moyamoya disease (MMD) is characterized by moyamoya vasculopathy and well-recognized comorbidity. Whether the recently identified MMD susceptibility gene variant, p.R4810K (rs112735431), is associated with quasi-MMD remains unclear. ⋯ The p.R4810K variant was associated with atherosclerotic and autoimmune quasi-MMD in a Chinese population, and a lower prevalence of this variant in patients with quasi-MMD compared with patients with MMD was observed.
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To analyze the safety and feasibility of laparoscopic-assisted ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) insertion in children younger than the age of 1 year and weighing less than 5 kg. ⋯ Laparoscopic-assisted VPS insertion in children seems to be safe and feasible leading to very good results even in patients under the age of 1 and weighing less than 5 kg.
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Review Meta Analysis
Spinal diffusion tensor imaging in the evaluation of pre- and post-operative severity in cervical spondylotic myelopathy: A systematic review of the literature.
Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is increasingly investigated as a potential diagnostic and prognostic tool for symptomatic degenerative cervical pathology; however, it is yet to be validated for this purpose. ⋯ DTI is associated with preoperative severity and postoperative outcomes in CSM patients, suggesting that DTI may become useful in identifying those most likely to benefit from operative intervention (Level 3 Evidence). Prospective trials with standardized DTI acquisition techniques and patient selection are required for higher-level evidence.
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Multicenter Study Controlled Clinical Trial
Effects of Smoking on Subjective and Objective Measures of Pain Intensity, Functional Impairment and Health-related Quality of Life in Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease.
Numerous studies assessed the effects of smoking on lumbar degenerative disk disease (DDD); they focused on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and yielded conflicting results. ⋯ PROMs measuring SFI for pain intensity, functional impairment, and health-related quality of life were similar in smokers and nonsmokers before surgery for lumbar DDD, as well as postoperatively. The smoking status has negligible impact on the Timed Up and Go test, which appears to be a robust assessment tool for OFI.