World Neurosurg
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An abdominal pseudocyst (APC) is a distal catheter site-specific failure in patients treated with ventriculoperitoneal shunts. Few studies with more than 10 patients have been reported. The aim of this study was to analyze causes of peritoneal catheter revisions with special emphasis on revisions because of an APC. ⋯ An APC is a major long-term complication after ventriculoperitoneal shunt treatment. Although a sterile inflammatory response cannot be excluded completely, our results favor the hypothesis of low-level shunt infection. In both cases, the surgical consequences are the same. An infected APC should be treated as a shunt infection. Uninfected patients can be treated with shunt externalization and replacement of only the peritoneal catheter.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Observational Study
The Outcome of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in Latin America.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) disproportionately affects lower- and middle-income countries (LMIC). The factors influencing outcomes in LMIC have not been examined as rigorously as in higher-income countries. ⋯ Mortality from severe TBI is high in Latin American LMIC, although the rate of favorable recovery is similar to that of high-income countries. Demographic factors such as race and study site played an outsized role in predicting outcome; further research is required to understand these associations.
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Review Case Reports
Congenital Absence of the Posterior Element of C1, C2, and C3 Along with Bilateral Absence of C4 Pedicles: Case Report and Review of the Literature.
Abnormalities of the posterior arch of vertebrae are rare conditions that may incidentally be found on neck radiographs. We report a case and present a comprehensive review of the literature. ⋯ The diagnosis of posterior arch abnormalities is of high-level of importance because of resultant neurologic defects. To the best of our knowledge, no case of this type has been reported in literature thus far.