World Neurosurg
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In an effort, to curtail rising health care costs, government and private payers have begun to focus on measuring quality of care. Along with quality improvement initiatives, clinical practice guidelines may also be utilized to provide better care. Clinical practice guidelines are recommendations for clinicians about the care of patients with specific conditions. This review provides an overview of clinical practice guidelines and quality improvement initiatives to highlight strategies to optimize patient outcomes.
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Multicenter Study
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage and Coronavirus Disease 2019: An Analysis of 282,718 Patients.
Intracranial hemorrhage (including subarachnoid hemorrhage [SAH]) has been reported in 0.3%-1.2% of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, no study has evaluated the risk of SAH in patients with COVID-19. ⋯ The risk of SAH was not increased in patients with COVID-19. The higher mortality in patients with SAH and COVID-19 compared with patients without COVID-19 is likely mediated by higher frequency of systemic comorbidities.
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Neuro-oncology is a branch of medicine focused on the diagnosis and treatment of primary and secondary tumors of the nervous system as well as the neurologic complications of cancer and cancer treatments. In practice, neuro-oncologists require an intimate knowledge of the neurologic presentation and management of central nervous system tumors, including gliomas, meningiomas, primary central nervous system lymphoma, metastases to the nervous system, and others. ⋯ The prognosis for many central nervous system tumors, including gliomas and brain metastases, is often poor despite the advent of novel medical therapies. Efforts to develop more effective therapies are ongoing, and patient enrollment in clinical trials assessing the efficacy of new treatments is crucial to improve outcomes.
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Review Biography Historical Article
Gangliformis Intumescentia and Beyond: Antonio Scarpa and His Core Contribution to Neuroanatomy, Neurosurgery, and Otoneurosurgery.
Nearly 250 years ago, Antonio Scarpa became a professor of anatomy and surgery only 2 years after he graduated from the University of Padua. The young lecturer soon became one of the most renowned anatomists in Italy and a director of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Pavia. He worked in the fields of general surgery and ophthalmology. ⋯ Scarpa's magnum opus was the book Tabulae Neurologicae, in which he described the path of several cranial nerves including the vagus nerve and innervation of the heart. Since his death in 1832, Scarpa's head has been preserved at the University History Museum of the University of Pavia. In this historical vignette, we aim to describe Antonio Scarpa's troubled life and brilliant career, focusing on his core contributions to neuroanatomy, neurosurgery, and otoneurosurgery.
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Pediatric pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) is a rare brain tumor. To date, there are few studies dedicated to this kind of pediatric tumor. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathologic characteristics of pediatric PXA. ⋯ Cystic components and peritumoral edema could be seen in most pediatric PXAs, and calcification was also not uncommon. The size of the tumor was correlated with the tumor site and radiologic subtype. Maximal safe resection of pediatric PXA is recommended and was shown to be beneficial for seizure control and survival.