World Neurosurg
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Multiple surgical specialties perform carotid endarterectomy (CEA). As indications for CEA narrows, neurosurgery residents are less exposed to this procedure. This study aims to determine trends in CEA training among graduating trainees in neurosurgery and compare these to general and vascular surgery. ⋯ Neurosurgery residents exceeded their minimum requirements for CEA, with increasing trend in higher level of participation. But neurosurgery residents' exposure to this procedure was far less significant than their colleagues in vascular surgery, a gap that may widen over time and should be addressed proactively.
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Intracranial aneurysms (IAs) are occasionally associated with moyamoya disease (MMD). The purpose of this study was to elucidate differences between patients with MMD with and without IAs and differences between patients with IAs at different locations. ⋯ Patients with MMD with IAs had different clinical and hemodynamic features compared with patients with MMD without IAs. CoW aneurysms and peripheral aneurysms may occur at different stages of MMD, which may explain their differences in anatomical location, type of hemorrhage, and treatment strategy.
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The treatment of unilateral CFD in patients without neurologic deficits remains controversial, especially in the choice of the best surgical approach. Our objective is to determine the way spine surgeons from Latin America manage this condition. ⋯ Wide variations exist in the management of unilateral CFD by Latin American surgeons, with early injuries generally treated using either an anterior or posterior approach and treated early but after an MRI, while a combined approach is used more commonly with late injuries. Either an anterior or combined approach is used when disk herniation is present.
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The health care field has been faced with unprecedented challenges during the COVID 19 pandemic. One such challenge was the implementation of enhanced telehealth capabilities to ensure continuity of care. In this study, we aim to understand differences between subspecialties with regard to patient consent and satisfaction following telehealth implementation. ⋯ There were clear trends with regard to which pathologies and procedures were most amenable to telehealth visits, which suggests a potential roadmap for future clinic planning. Additionally, the notable improvement in spine patient satisfaction following the implementation of a telehealth program suggests the need for long-term process changes.
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Frailty is an increasingly studied tool for preoperative risk stratification, but its prognostic value for anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) patients is unclear. We sought to evaluate the association of the 5-item modified Frailty Index (5i-mFI) with 30-day adverse outcomes following ACDF and its predictive performance compared with other common metrics. ⋯ The 5i-mFI was found to be significantly associated with 30-day adverse outcomes following ACDF but had similar or lesser predictive performance compared with more universally available and easily implemented metrics, such as ASA classification and age.