World Neurosurg
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Endoscopic transnasal transclival intradural surgery is limited by a high postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak rate. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of three-dimensional printing to create a personalized, rigid scaffold for clival reconstruction. ⋯ In this preclinical setting, additive manufacturing allows the creation of customized scaffolds that are effective in reconstructing even large and geometrically complex clival defects.
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Review Meta Analysis
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Statins in Animal Models of Intracerebral Hemorrhage.
Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a severe form of stroke with limited treatment options. Statins have shown promise as a therapy for ICH in animal and human studies. We systematically reviewed and assessed the quality of preclinical studies exploring statin-use after ICH to guide clinical trial decision-making and design. ⋯ Behavioral outcomes in ICH were found to consistently improve with administration of statins in preclinical studies suggesting that statin therapy may be suitable for randomized clinical trials in humans. In addition, the STAIR criteria can be modified to effectively evaluate preclinical studies in ICH.
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Meta Analysis
The Clinical Use of Serum Biomarkers in Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review Stratified by Injury Severity.
Serum biomarkers have gained significant popularity as an adjunctive measure in the evaluation and prognostication of traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, a concise and clinically oriented report of the major markers in function of TBI severity is lacking. This systematic review aims to report current data on the diagnostic and prognostic utility of blood-based biomarkers across the spectrum of TBI. ⋯ This review summarizes existing high-quality evidence that supports the use of severity-specific biomarkers in the diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of TBI. These data can be used as a launching platform for the validation of upcoming clinical studies.
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Review Historical Article
Legacies of Neurosurgery and its Implications on Global Neurosurgery Today.
Trephination, the practice of boring a hole in the skull, is one of the oldest surgical procedures performed by and on humans. Fossil records show evidence of trephined skulls on separate continents throughout ancient history. Even more remarkably, fossils show that ancient humans actually survived the procedure, some more than once. ⋯ In critical situations, neurosurgical intervention may be indicated. The burr hole procedure, or trephination, was identified as an essential surgical procedure that all first-level hospitals should be able to perform; however, there exists a dramatic lack of access to neurosurgical specialists and care globally, especially among low- and middle-income countries. Task-shifting/sharing is one paradigm that may be used effectively to broaden access to this life-saving procedure but it is at the moment a contested practice.
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Global neurosurgery operates at the intersection of neurosurgery and public health. Although most global neurosurgery initiatives have targeted neurosurgeons and trainees, medical students represent the future of global neurosurgery. ⋯ To become effective agents of change within global neurosurgery, medical students must master competencies of motivation, organization, collaborativeness, dependability, flexibility, resilience, creative problem-solving, ethical thinking, cultural humility, and global awareness and gain knowledge and skills regarding research, education, policy making, and advocacy. Discussions with neurosurgeons and trainees, neurosurgery interest groups, conferences, university global neurosurgery initiatives, and student organizations represent opportunities for learning and becoming involved in global neurosurgery.