World Neurosurg
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Symptoms and evidence of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak after an uneventful intraoperative and immediate postoperative course are a rare entity in spine surgery. The literature is sparse on the description of such late presenting dural tears (LPDTs). They may need further admissions, wound management, and additional surgical procedures that add to the morbidity of the patient. ⋯ One should be aware of the possibility of LPDTs. A combination of history, clinical examination, and imaging may aid in the diagnosis. It can be associated with complications like CSF fistula, pseudomeningocele, SSI, pneumocephalus, or pneumorachis. Conservative trial can have good to excellent outcomes in the management of such cases though there is insufficient evidence to establish it.
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Comparative Study
Early decompression (< 8 hours) improves the functional bladder outcome and mobility after traumatic thoracic spinal cord injury.
There is accumulating evidence of a potential beneficial effect of early surgical intervention after acute cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). However, around one third of all SCIs affect the thoracic spine. This cohort has not been extensively investigated, mainly because of less sensitive clinical readout measures. Apart from regaining full sensorimotor function, improvements in bladder and bowel management remain of the highest priority for patients with chronic paraplegia. Therefore, this study investigates the effect of early decompression (here defined as <8 hours) versus delayed management on neurologic and functional outcome. ⋯ Early decompression was an independent predictor for improved functional bladder outcome and mobility after 1 year. This effect needs to be studied in future prospective, multicenter studies.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Hybrid robotics for endoscopic skull base surgery: preclinical evaluation and surgeons' first impression.
A robotic endoscope holder should theoretically provide various advantages in transnasal endoscopic skull base surgery, but only recently has a robotic system become commercially available. The objective of this study was to provide a preclinical evaluation of potential advantages and surgeon first impression of this robotic hybrid solution. ⋯ Endoscopic skull base surgeons seem to view a hybrid robotic solution positively. EndoscopeRobot seems to provide a benefit to the single surgeon with experience in bimanual endoscopic surgery. Further preclinical and clinical evaluation of this technology is necessary.
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Although the overall publication trends in Parkinson disease (PD) and characteristics of top-cited articles have been reported, there was only 1 literature analysis published in 2012 with a special focus on stem cells. It is necessary to evaluate and update the global publication trends in stem cell research of PD. ⋯ These bibliometric findings suggest that stem cell research consistently promotes the understanding and treatment of PD.
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Traditional retraction to access deep intraparenchymal brain lesions results in vascular disruption. Tubular retractors such as the BrainPath tubular retractor system were developed to reduce retractor-related force injuries via radial dispersion of force. Our study seeks to assess the indications, benefits, and complications associated with BrainPath retractors. ⋯ This report is the first formal assessment of the BrainPath tubular retraction system, highlighting technical considerations of the retractor from the surgeon's perspective, patient outcomes, and complications. The retractor is a safe, efficacious system that can be used for tumor resection or biopsy and hematoma evacuation. However, further randomized controlled trials are indicated to accurately assess complication rates and outcomes.