World Neurosurg
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The ongoing trend of societal evolution in contemporary civilization has allowed increased inclusion of heterogenous identity groups into fields, such as neurosurgery, where certain groups have traditionally been underrepresented. In regard to the field of neurosurgery, the increasing recognition of the disparities faced by women is illustrated by a growing body of academic literature. ⋯ Recognition in societal evolutionary trends as evidenced by academic activity has shown increased focus on the explicit and intrinsic biases faced by women in neurosurgery. Recent years have seen significant increases in published reports concerning the subject, as well as rising academic impact per a given report. This phenomenon is speculated to continue, and understanding to broaden as societal perception continues to develop.
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The American Medical Association and National Institutes of Health have recommended that patient education materials should be written at the sixth-grade reading level to maximize patient comprehension. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the readability of Internet information for the 9 most common spinal surgeries. ⋯ The most accessed online materials for common spinal surgeries, not only exceeded the readability limits recommended by both the American Medical Association and the National Institutes of Health, but they also exceeded the average reading ability of most adults in the United States. Patients, therefore, might not fully comprehend the information from commonly accessed websites regarding surgical spine treatment options.
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The respiratory illness identified as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has resulted in a pandemic illness that has changed the face of healthcare. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, patients have continued to require neurosurgical interventions, and the endoscopic endonasal approach for surgery has continued to be a mainstay treatment of pituitary tumors and anterior skull base lesions. ⋯ Patients with anterior skull base defects may be at risk with current COVID-19 testing protocols, and may benefit from alternative specimen collection strategies.
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Case Reports
QUADRIGEMINAL CISTERN EPIDERMOID CYST: NEUROENDOSCOPY AND ENDOSCOPE-ASSISTED SUPRACEREBELLAR INFRATENTORIAL APPROACH.
The pineal region is a complex anatomical location with multiple surrounding important neurovascular structures.1,2 Several approaches to this region have been described, including posterior interhemispheric, transchoroidal, infratentorial supracerebellar, supracerebellar and infracerebellar trans-sinus, and their modifications. Neuroendoscopy and endoscope-assisted surgery have been widely applied to aid resection of pineal region lesions.3-5 A 40-year-old man presented with tonic-clonic seizures and bilateral papillary edema on fundus examination. Computed tomography showed a midline lesion at the level of the quadrigeminal cistern with mass effect on the aqueduct of Sylvius and posterior wall of the third ventricle, triggering obstructive triventricular hydrocephalus. ⋯ The patient was discharged 6 days later without complications. During follow-up, the patient remains asymptomatic. The combination of microneurosurgery, neuroendoscopy, and endoscope-assisted surgery improves management of pineal region lesions and facilitates complete resection.
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Neurosurgery in Pakistan is an advanced field with significant challenges. The training program tests one's endurance, knowledge, empathy, and dedication. The training structure in Pakistan consists of 5 years, of which 2 years are spent in general surgery followed by 3 years of dedicated neurosurgery. This study aimed to conduct a survey to address the quality of neurosurgery training in Pakistan so that its strengths and deficiencies could be identified, recommendations could be made, and actions could be taken toward improvement. ⋯ The neurosurgical training program in Pakistan requires updating of the curriculum with better implementation. These data will help the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan in standardizing neurosurgical training across Pakistan to improve competence among trainees.