World Neurosurg
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The aim of this article was to study the outcome of patients who underwent cranioplasty with cryopreserved autologous bone after decompressive craniectomy. ⋯ The outcome after autologous cranioplasty is a multifactorial process, which is modulated by patient-related, surgery-related, and bone-related factors.
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The Sofia catheter is a new large-bore aspiration catheter that allows easy access and good reperfusion. In this study, we analyzed the efficacy and safety of the Sofia catheter in comparison with stent retrievers as a contact aspiration thrombectomy (CAT) tool for large vessel occlusion. ⋯ The Sofia Plus is a large-bore aspiration catheter with high FPE and good accessibility. Use of this catheter resulted better angiographic outcome compared with the stent retriever, but there was no difference in clinical outcomes in this study. Further studies are needed to compare in new generation aspiration catheters.
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With advances in imaging techniques, encephaloceles, meningoceles, and meningoencephaloceles are occasionally discovered incidentally. These can be located in anterior cranial fossa (ACF), mostly protruding into sphenoid and ethmoid sinuses, or middle cranial fossa (MCF), protruding into the temporal bone. We reviewed a large series of cranial computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans to identify the prevalence of asymptomatic encephaloceles, meningoceles, and meningoencephaloceles and describe their outcome. ⋯ This study showed that encephaloceles, meningoceles, and meningoencephaloceles without cerebrospinal fluid leak or meningitis in MCF were more often conservatively managed with observation only, whereas these entities in ACF were often repaired prophylactically. Incidentally discovered encephaloceles have a relatively benign natural history and do not precipitously leak.
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Aortic disease requiring open or endovascular repair may result in spinal cord injury in approximately 2%-10% of patients. Cerebrospinal fluid diversion using lumbar drains (LDs) has been validated as a protective measure to mitigate this complication. ⋯ Implementation of an institutional protocol for LDs for open or endovascular procedures is feasible and beneficial. Educational modules improve familiarity among all health care providers, which can improve patient care and complication avoidance.
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Case Reports
Minimally Invasive Microsurgical Technique for Evacuation of Deep Intracerebral Hematomas.
Despite the lack of conclusive outcome data, surgical evacuation of large, symptomatic intracerebral hematomas (ICH) may be offered to patients on a case-by-case basis, aiming to prevent brain herniation, control intracranial pressure, relieve symptoms, and possibly facilitate or accelerate recovery.1-3 For deep ICH, minimally invasive techniques, which limit operative damage to healthy brain tissue, are generally preferred. Although new tube and endoscope-based techniques are currently being studied,4-7 those elaborate techniques are not widely available and often require special equipment and/or expensive disposable material. ⋯ We acknowledge that this technique or a modification thereof may currently be in use by other neurosurgeons in their practice.8 However, to the best of our knowledge, a step-by-step microsurgical video illustration of this technique has not been previously published. Although this technique can be broadly used by neurosurgeons, irrespective of the hospital setting, it would be particularly valuable in settings where expensive cutting-edge technology is not readily available.