World Neurosurg
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Review Historical Article
History and Current State of Neurosurgery in The Gambia.
Despite global efforts to improve surgical care access, many low- and middle-income countries, especially in neurosurgery, face significant shortages. The Gambia exemplifies this, with only 1 fully qualified neurosurgeon serving its population of 2.5 million people. This scarcity results in higher morbidity and mortality. ⋯ Neurosurgery in the Gambia is progressing, but challenges like equipment scarcity hinder further progress. We emphasize the need for addressing cost barriers, improving infrastructure, and fostering research. Engaging the government and international collaborations are vital for sustained development in Gambian neurosurgery.
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We aimed to describe spinal biomechanics and injury patterns in rowing. ⋯ Rowing has increased in popularity throughout the United States. Up-to-date knowledge of rowing biomechanics and spinal injury patterns is necessary for prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment of the injured rowing athlete.
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Leptomeningeal disease (LMD) is a devastating sequela of many cancers, with an extremely poor prognosis. Barriers to improving outcomes are related to the inability of many traditional therapies to effectively reach the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) space within the central nervous system. ⋯ In this review, we highlight the principles of liquorpheresis and detail how LMD can be amenable to this treatment. Further, we summarize the current in vitro and in vivo evidence supporting liquorpheresis as a feasible method to treat LMD and other central nervous system diseases as well as describe its conceivable limitations.
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Suprasellar cysticercosis is a rare entity. Only a few cases are reported in the literature.1 Clinically, present with visual loss and endocrinopathy and radiologically mimic craniopharyngioma, cystic pituitary adenoma, and Rathke cleft cyst.2 We present the case of a 34-year-old woman with a history of diminution of vision for 2 months. On examination, her visual acuity was 6/9 bilaterally, per the Snellen chart. ⋯ Follow-up MRI showed complete removal of all cysts with no relapse. Early surgery is safe and effective. Visual outcome depends on the timing of the diagnosis and prompt intervention.
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Observational Study
Safety and Efficacy of Biopsy in Patients with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Gliomas.
Diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas are aggressive tumors that carry a poor prognosis with a 2-year survival rate of <10%. The imaging appearance is often pathognomonic, and surgical biopsy is not mandatory to initiate treatment in children. Studies of biopsy samples provide insight into the disease's molecular pathobiology and open prospects for targeted therapy. This study was conducted to determine the diagnostic yield and safety of stereotactic biopsies. ⋯ Establishing the safety of the procedure could be an important step toward popularizing the concept, which might offer a better understanding of the disease. Brainstem eloquence and a lack of direct benefit to patients are the primary obstacles to brainstem biopsy.