World Neurosurg
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Low back pain (LBP) is a common pathology, and its high prevalence has led to the emergence of alternative options that have gained popularity without objective epidemiological evaluations. This work seeks to clarify the utility of ozone in the treatment of LBP. ⋯ The treatment of LBP is complex. Advancements have been made in recent years from biomechanical and pathophysiological perspectives, but ozone therapy is not considered a treatment option. Techniques that involve the use of ozone fall into the category of empirical options. International guidelines for LBP exclude ozone therapy. It is advisable to conduct further studies under strict parameters to better evaluate its outcomes.
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Review Meta Analysis
Effects of valproic acid therapy on rats with spinal cord injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
To systematically evaluate the efficacy of valproic acid (VPA) in rats with spinal cord injury (SCI) to reduce the risk of clinical conversion and provide a valuable reference for future animal and clinical studies. ⋯ To date, this is the first systematic evaluation of the potential effects of VPA on motor recovery in rats with SCI. We concluded that VPA can promote motor recovery in rats with SCI, and higher doses of VPA seem to be more effective in rats with SCI. However, the limited quality and sample of included studies reduced the application of this meta-analysis. In the future, more high-quality, direct comparative studies are needed to explore this issue in depth.
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Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and recently, hypofractionated radiosurgery (hSRS) are increasingly utilized as treatment for vestibular schwannomas (VS). We performed a meta-analysis of literature comparing these modalities. ⋯ Meta-analysis of thirteen studies comparing SRS and hSRS as treatment for VS showed comparable tumor control, hearing preservation, facial nerve preservation, and trigeminal nerve preservation.
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Digital health tools, including smartphone applications (apps), websites, and online search engines, are increasingly being utilized for health data collection and patient education. Studies have shown that these tools can help disseminate information widely and even help guide patients through acute surgical episodes. We aimed to search the literature to summarize available studies on using digital health tools for patients undergoing spine surgery. ⋯ We presented a systematic review analyzing the current landscape of digital health for patients undergoing spine surgery. Internet patient education materials in searchable websites and YouTube videos are of poor quality, lacking in readability to the average patient and robustness of information needed for patients to make informed decisions about pursuing spine surgery. However, there lies promise in digital apps developed to guide patients through surgery and collect postoperative outcomes.
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Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) was an influential medieval Christian theologian and arguably one of the greatest scholastic philosophers. He produced more than 60 works in his 48 years, including his magnum opus, the Summa Theologica. The Catholic Church regards him as a canonized saint and one of 37 Doctors of the Church. ⋯ Through an analysis of his final illness as documented in key Latin and Italian historical texts, and careful observation of the reputed skull relic in Priverno, Italy, the authors postulate that Aquinas may have suffered a traumatic brain injury and that his death at age 48 was occasioned by a chronic subdural hematoma. Examination of the skull was inconclusive; however, the historical textual analysis supports this theory. A more in-depth forensic analysis of the skull may help confirm the diagnosis.