World Neurosurg
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Low- and middle-income countries experience numerous challenges in the provision of neurosurgical care. However, limited information exists on the neurosurgical workforce and the constraints under which care is delivered in Ghana, West Africa. ⋯ The provision of neurosurgical care in Ghana has come a long way since the 1960s. However, the neurosurgical community continues to face significant challenges. Alleviating these barriers to care will call for systems-level changes that allow for the prioritization of neurosurgical care within the Ghanaian health care system.
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Electric scooters (e-scooters) are an increasingly popular form of transportation, but their use has also resulted in increased incidence of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Previous reports have predominantly described mild TBI with limited attention to other injury patterns. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of e-scooter use on rates of severe TBI. ⋯ Severe TBI after e-scooter use is associated with high morbidity and is likely underdiagnosed in the literature. Awareness and public policies may be helpful to reduce the impact of injury.
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Although several material options, both natural and synthetic, are available for cranioplasty, the rate of implant-related complications has remained high. A relatively novel, synthetic hydroxyapatite-titanium implant, which combines biocompatibility with biomechanical resilience, has been reported to reduce tissue inflammation, infection, and explantation rates, while delivering superior cosmetic results. However, despite such promising preliminary reports, clinical data supporting its use have remained scarce. ⋯ Our experience, the largest in the United States, confirms the previously reported benefits associated with the use of 3-dimensional-printed hydroxyapatite-titanium cranioplasty implants.
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To investigate if COVID-19 UK lockdown measures resulted in a delay in the presentation and treatment of patients with cauda equina syndrome (CES). ⋯ Despite the pandemic, patients with CES were promptly admitted and operated on with good outcomes. Shorter duration of hospital stay could be attributed to adaptation of spinal services.