World Neurosurg
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The Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic ushered a paradigm shift in medical education, accelerating the transition to virtual learning in select cases. The Virtual Global Spine Conference (VGSC), launched at the height of the pandemic, is a testament to this evolution, providing an independent educational series for spine care professionals worldwide. This study assesses VGSC's 3-year performance, focusing on accessibility, engagement, and educational value. ⋯ The VGSC has demonstrated significant value as a virtual educational tool in spine education. Its diverse content and ease of access will likely enable it to drive value well into the post-pandemic years. Maintaining and expanding engagement, beyond North America in particular, remains a priority.
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Cytotoxic lesions of the corpus callosum (CLOCCs) are occasionally associated with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). The effects of aSAH on clinical outcomes in such cases are unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the frequency and characteristics of CLOCCs associated with aSAH to ascertain the predictors of shunt-dependent chronic hydrocephalus (SDCH) after aSAH. ⋯ CLOCCs and SDCH were common in patients with poor-grade aSAH, and CLOCCs were independent predictors of SDCH after aSAH. Meticulous follow-up is necessary to detect SDCH after aSAH, especially in patients with poor-grade aSAH and CLOCCs.
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Intracranial dural arteriovenous fistulae (DAVFs) represent a subset of cerebral vascular malformations associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In Japan, DAVF exhibits sex-based differences in anatomical distribution, with female predominance in the cavernous sinus (CS) and male predominance in the transverse sinus (TS). Nevertheless, the pathophysiology of DAVF is not fully understood, and hormonal influences are hypothesized to play a role in its development. This study aimed to investigate changes in the concentrations of sex steroid hormones between intracranial and peripheral sampling sites in patients with CS- and TS-DAVF. ⋯ These findings indicate a local decrease in estradiol levels within the intracranial vasculature of patients with DAVF. This suggests a potential multifactorial role of estradiol in the pathomechanism of DAVFs, warranting further investigation to understand its influence on DAVF formation and potential targeted therapies, thereby enhancing patient outcomes.
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Case Reports
Posterior Transtemporal Approach to a Thalamic Cavernous Malformation: 2-Dimensional Operative Video.
Cavernous malformations (CMs) account for 10%-15% of all vascular malformations and represent the second most common type of cerebral vascular lesion.1 They typically occur in the cerebral subcortex or white matter.2 CMs located in the thalamus are rare.3 When we isolate the group of thalamic CMs, we find a bleeding risk of >5% per year, with a rebleeding rate exceeding 60%, often occurring within 1 year of the initial bleeding.1 The deep location and proximity to eloquent brain regions make thalamic CMs challenging for neurosurgeons.4,5 Surgeons can access the posterolateral thalamus through various surgical approaches, such as transcallosal transventricular, supracerebellar transtentorial, intraparietal sulcus, and transcortical methods. Selecting the best surgical approach requires considerable expertise, considering the patient's preoperative condition and the lesion's location.6-12 We discuss a complex case involving a 24-year-old patient with a right thalamic cavernoma and a history of 3 prior bleeding events. ⋯ The patient consented to the procedure and publication of images. We demonstrate how the transtemporal posterior trajectory provides an optimal working corridor for safely removing this cavernous malformation without introducing new deficits.
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We report our early clinical experience with image-guided, pencil beam scanning proton beam therapy (PBS-PBT) for residual and recurrent craniopharyngioma. ⋯ Our preliminary experience with modern PBS-PBT and image guidance for craniopharyngioma is encouraging. Proton therapy in our cohort was well tolerated, resulting in limited toxicity and promising early outcomes.