World Neurosurg
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To minimize surgical morbidity, surgeons may opt to perform segmental limited surgery instead of fusion extension for adjacent segment disease (ASD) after lumbar fusion surgery. This study evaluated clinical outcomes from segmental limited surgery without fusion extension for ASD and assessed which clinical factors were associated with reoperation after segmental limited surgery. ⋯ Segmental limited surgery as a treatment for ASD after lumbar fusion surgery is likely to fail frequently and result in a high rate of recurrent radiculopathy and revision surgery. Fusion extension surgery is especially recommended for ASD at the lowermost mobile segment owing to the high failure rate.
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Comparative Study
Deep Brain Stimulation for Essential Tremor: A Comparison of Targets.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established treatment for refractory essential tremor (ET). Initially, the target of choice was the thalamic ventralis intermedius nucleus (VIM). However, the zona incerta (ZI) has been suggested as a superior target. Both targets are considered safe and effective, but a direct comparison between these targets is lacking. ⋯ In this study, ZI DBS was superior to VIM DBS in terms of patient-reported effectiveness. There was a comparable number of complications between both targets. This finding further supports ZI over VIM as the principal DBS target in essential tremor.
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Although repeat microvascular decompression (MVD) for hemifacial spasm (HFS) in patients with failed prior MVD is potentially curative, little is known about the long-term results of repeat MVD. We aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes and complications after repeat MVD for HFS. ⋯ Repeat MVD provides lasting relief for most patients with persistent or recurrent HFS, albeit with a relatively high complication rate.
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We sought to describe the novel technique and report the outcomes of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy caused by facet joint hyperplasia treated with minimally invasive surgery by laminar and lateral mass screw cofixations. ⋯ Minimally invasive surgery by lamina and lateral mass screw cofixation is safe and effective for the treatment of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy caused by facet joint hyperplasia. In addition to sufficient decompression, this technique provides relative stability to the cervical spine.
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Are antiplatelet and anticoagulants drugs a risk factor for bleeding in mild traumatic brain injury?
Facing mild traumatic brain injury, clinicians must decide whether to perform a computed tomography (CT) scan to detect a potential intracranial hemorrhage. Many useful guidelines have been developed for the general population, but there is no general consensus about the best practice to adopt when dealing with patients on antiplatelet or anticoagulation drugs. The relatively recent introduction of new anticoagulants and second-generation antiplatelet drugs poses new challenges in this field. There are no data in the literature about the relative risk of intracranial bleeding in such categories. ⋯ Patients with a GCS score of 15 on long-term anticoagulation therapy seem to be at no higher risk for intracranial hemorrhage than are nonanticoagulated patients. On the contrary, patients with a GCS score of 15 on antiplatelet therapy seem to be more prone to developing intracranial bleeding than are the general population, with a trend to be more at risk when it comes to second-generation drugs.