World Neurosurg
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Neurophobia is well recognized as dissuading medical students from neurocentric specialties and limiting the success of neurology and neurosurgery teaching at medical school. Past studies have associated neurophobia with deficiencies in medical education. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of medical students' confidence and perceived level of knowledge in recognizing the following neurosurgical and neurological emergencies: ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, status epilepticus, subarachnoid hemorrhage, increased intracranial pressure, acute hydrocephalus, spinal cord injury, cauda equina syndrome, and traumatic brain injury. In addition, we assessed the usefulness of virtual seminars in neurosurgery and neurology teaching. ⋯ In neurosurgery teaching, virtual seminars may compensate for deficiencies that exist within medical education, hence limiting the effects of neurophobia.
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To evaluate the relationships between Doximity rankings (Doximity, Inc.) of residency programs and 2 new ranking systems based on publication rates and academic pursuits. ⋯ We introduced 2 new methods to rank residency programs based on the number of graduates pursuing an academic position and the median number of published manuscripts per resident. By taking a comprehensive approach, neurosurgery applicants can ensure that they select a residency program that meets their needs and offers them the best opportunity for success.
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The aim of this study was to provide a bibliometric analysis of reported clinical trials of interventional spinal cord injury (SCI) and present the current status, global trends, and scholars' knowledge in this field. ⋯ There is a broad research collaboration network, although it is distributed unevenly worldwide. International standards and guidelines are needed to conduct high-quality clinical trials in the future.
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In recent years, introduction of the exoscope system has been responsible for a new era of optics in surgery. Such a system has started to be widely used in neurosurgery. More recently, the exoscope has also been increasingly used for spinal procedures. Thus, we aimed to explore the potential for exoscope-assisted spinal procedures and define the advantages and drawbacks of implementing the system into our daily routine. ⋯ Based on our first experience, use of the exoscope shows promising potential for opening up new frontiers in spinal microsurgery. In addition, it has a low learning curve for experienced surgeons.
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Consciousness assessment is crucial for patients with traumatic brain injury. In this study, we developed a novel scoring system combining the Glasgow coma scale (GCS) and the full outline of unresponsiveness (FOUR) and evaluated its association with the intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay, mortality, and functional outcome. ⋯ The GCS-FOUR is a novel scoring system comparable to the GCS and FOUR regarding its association with functional status after injury, ICU length of stay, and mortality. The GCS-FOUR score provides greater neurological detail than the GCS due to the inclusion of brainstem reflexes, in addition to using the experience of healthcare providers with the GCS score compared with the FOUR in most settings.