Al-Zahrawi (936-1013 AD): On the Surgical Treatment of Neurological Disorders by the Father of Operative Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Medical knowledge during the medieval ages flourished under the influence of great scholars of the Islamic Golden age such as Ibn Sina (Latinized as Avicenna), Abu Bakr al-Razi (Rhazes), and Abu al-Qasim Khalaf ibn al-Abbas al-Zahrawi, known as Albucasis. Much has been written on al-Zahrawi's innovation in various disciplines of medicine and surgery. In this article, we focus for on the contributions of al-Zahrawi toward the treatment of neurological disorders in the surgical chapters of his medical encyclopedia, Kitab al-Tasrif (The Method of Medicine). METHODS: Excerpts from a modern copy of volume 30 of al-Zahrawi's Kitab al-Tasrif were reviewed and translated by the primary author from Arabic to English, to further provide specific details regarding his neurosurgical knowledge. In addition, a literature search was performed using PubMed and Google Scholar to review prior reports on al-Zahrawi's neurosurgical instructions. RESULTS: In addition to what is described in the literature of al-Zahrawi's teachings in cranial and spine surgery, we provide insight into his diagnosis and management of cranial and spinal trauma, the devices he used, and prognostication of various traumatic injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Al-Zahrawi was a renowned physician during the Islamic Golden age who made significant contributions to the diagnosis and treatment of neurological conditions, particularly cranial and spinal cord injuries. He developed innovative surgical techniques for trephination and spinal traction, which are still used in modern neurosurgery. His insights make him worthy of recognition as an important figure in the history of neurological surgery.

Invasive Preoperative Investigations in Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus: A Comprehensive Review.

Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is a neurological disorder characterized by the triad of gait disturbance, cognitive impairment, and urinary incontinence. The condition is diagnosed mainly in older adults and is associated with ventricular enlargement without an increase in cerebrospinal fluid pressure. The clinical assessment involves a detailed medical history, physical examination, and cognitive testing. Neuroimaging is an essential part of the diagnostic workup for iNPH. However, to determine the suitability of patients for shunt surgery, a range of invasive preoperative investigations are employed. This narrative review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the current literature on invasive preoperative investigations in iNPH, focusing primarily on the lumbar infusion test, cerebrospinal fluid drainage tests, and continuous intracranial pressure monitoring. The strengths and limitations of each method, as well as their potential impact on treatment outcomes, are discussed.

Eficacia y seguridad del equipo de monitoreo neurofisiológico y mapeo intraoperatorio en pacientes sometidos a neurocirugía funcional del cerebro o neurocirugía de lesiones en áreas elocuentes / Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of mechanical thrombectomy with retrievable stent in patients with acute ischemic stroke who meet the criteria for mechanical thrombectomy but are not eligible for intravenous treatment with alteplase

ANTECEDENTES: El presente documento de evaluación de tecnología sanitaria (ETS) expone el análisis de la eficacia y seguridad del equipo de monitoreo neurofisiológico intraoperatorio (EMNIO) en pacientes sometidos a neurocirugía funcional del cerebro o neurocirugía de esiones en áreas elocuentes. ediante la Nota N° 1547-GRPR-2021, el Servicio de Neurocirugía Funcional del Departamento de Neurocirugía del Hospital Nacional Edgardo Rebagliati Martins (HNERM), a través de la Gerencia de la Red Prestacional Rebagliati, solicita al Instituto de Evaluación de Tecnologías en Salud e Investigación (IETSI) la incorporación del EMNIO al petitorio de equipos biomédicos de EsSalud. El documento menciona que este equipo biomédico permitiría evaluar las funciones neurológicas motoras, sensitivas y del lenguaje, así como la actividad eléctrica cerebral, durante la neurocirugía funcional o durante la cirugía que involucra zonas altamente elocuentes del cerebro. ASPECTOS GENERALES: Existen trastornos neurológicos en los que el paciente exhibe una falta de equilibrio funcional que se traduce en una sintomatología incapacitante que no responde a tratamiento médico. La neurocirugía funcional es la rama de la neurocirugía que tiene como objetivo recuperar la función perdida o restaurar la función alterada debido a estos trastornos, los cuales no necesariamente presentan una anomalía anatómica visible (Dube 2017). Así, la neurocirugía funcional del cerebro consiste en identificar e intervenir precisamente las estructuras anatómicas presuntamente involucradas para modular la función neurológica a fin de mejorar los síntomas y la calidad de vida de los pacientes (Raslan and Viswanathan 2019). Algunas condiciones que pueden requerir de este tipo de intervención son: epilepsia refractaria; trastornos del movimiento, como la enfermedad de Parkinson; dolor crónico, entre otros (Zrinzo 2012; Raslan and Viswanathan 2019). TECNOLOGÍA SANITARIA DE INTERÉS: El mecanismo de acción de la tecnología solicitada puede dividirse en dos grandes categorías desde el punto de vista de su utilidad clínico-quirúrgica: técnicas de monitorización y técnicas de mapeo (de Quintana-Schmidt et al. 2018; Jameson, Janik, nd Sloan 2007; Shils and Sloan 2015). Las técnicas de monitorización permiten el registro de las respuestas neurofisiológicas de forma continua durante el acto quirúrgico, sin necesidad de la intervención del neurocirujano. Las técnicas de mapeo permiten la identificación, localización y evaluación funcional de una estructura nerviosa particular (Shils and Sloan 2015). METODOLOGÍA: Se realizó una búsqueda sistemática de literatura científica a fin de identificar la mejor evidencia disponible en mayo del 2022, la cual fue complementada con una actualización en bases de datos hasta marzo del 2023 con el objetivo de identificar documentos sobre la eficacia y seguridad del EMNIO en pacientes sometidos a neurocirugía funcional del cerebro o neurocirugía de lesiones localizadas en áreas elocuentes. Así, con base en la pregunta PICO (Tabla 1), se formuló una estrategia de búsqueda especializada (Material Suplementario) para consultar las siguientes bases . de datos: PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science y LILACS (Literatura >1°1 Latinoamericana y del Caribe en Ciencias de la Salud). to* La búsqueda sistemática fue suplementada con una búsqueda manual en la lista de referencias bibliográficas de los estudios incluidos en esta ETS. Además, se realizó una búsqueda manual en el buscador de Google, a fin de poder identificar guías de práctica clínica (GPC) y ETS de relevancia que pudiesen haber sido omitidas por la estrategia de búsqueda o que no hayan sido publicadas en las bases de datos consideradas. Asimismo, se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica dentro de las bases de datos pertenecientes a grupos académicos o gubernamentales que realizan GPC y ETS. Estas bases de datos fueron las del National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), de la Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) y de la Base Regional de Informes de Evaluación de Tecnologías en Salud de las Américas (BRISA). Además, se consultaron páginas web de sociedades especializadas en neurocirugía, como: American Association of Neurologic Surgeons (AANS), The American Clinical Neurophysiology Society, Congress of Neurologic Surgeons (CNS), American Society of Neurophysiological Monitoring y European Association of Neuro-Oncology (EANO). Por último, se realizó una búsqueda de estudios clínicos en ejecución o aún no terminados en las plataformas ClinicalTrials.gov e International Clinical Trial Registry Platform (ICTRP). RESULTADOS: Se identificaron 309 estudios a partir de la búsqueda bibliográfica sistemática en bases de datos. Luego de eliminar duplicados, 293 fueron elegibles para tamizaje por título y resumen con el aplicativo web Rayyan. Así, se obtuvieron ocho estudios elegibles para la evaluación a texto completo. Por otra parte, como producto de la búsqueda manual, se obtuvieron 15 estudios candidatos para revisión a texto completo. De esta manera, se revisaron 23 artículos a texto completo, de los cuales ocho fueron considerados elegibles para inclusión en esta ETS. CONCLUSIONES: El presente dictamen preliminar expone una síntesis de la mejor evidencia disponible a la fecha (20 de marzo del 2023) sobre la eficacia y seguridad del EMNIO en pacientes sometidos a neurocirugía funcional del cerebro o neurocirugía en áreas elocuentes en comparación con las técnicas neuroquirúrgicas convencionales disponibles en EsSalud. Actualmente, en EsSalud los procedimientos de neurocirugía funcional del cerebro y neurocirugía de lesiones en áreas elocuentes se realizan con técnicas convencionales y tecnologías como el microscopio quirúrgico de neurocirugía, equipo electroencefalógrafo portátil y el equipo electromiógrafo y potenciales evocados. El cuerpo de evidencia comprendió cirugías de schwannoma vestibular, glioma de bajo grado y aneurisma no roto. No se encontraron estudios ni GPC relacionadas al uso del EMNIO en neurocirugía funcional del cerebro. Los artículos encontrados que respondieron la pregunta PICO fueron tres GPC, dos RS con MA y un estudio observacional. Las tres GPC recomiendan de forma débil el uso del EMNIO para cirugías de schwannoma vestibular y glioma de bajo grado. Sin embargo, estas recomendaciones no solo tienen sustento en estudios observacionales retrospectivos de muy bajo nivel metodológico, sino que la evidencia que las informa tiene resultados contradictorios respecto a la preservación de la funcionalidad neurológica. Cuando se trata de sobrevida global, el único estudio que evaluó este desenlace reporta que, a un seguimiento de cinco años, no se encontraron diferencias significativas entre los pacientes con gliomas de bajo grado intervenidos con EMNIO y aquellos intervenidos sin la tecnologia. En cuanto al perfil de eficacia, los resultados son inconsistentes. En algunas cirugías el EMNIO se asoció a menor ocurrencia de déficits neurológicos postoperatorios (Nasi et al. 2020), mientras que en otras se observó que se asociaba a una significativa mayor ocurrencia (De Witt Hamer et al. 2012). Con relación a los déficits neurológicos tardíos o permanentes, en algunos estudios no se reportaron diferencias significativas entre usar y no usar EMNIO (Nasi et al. 2020) pero en otros estudios, se reporta una significativa menor ocurrencia en los pacientes que fueron intervenidos con EMNIO (Park et al. 2021; De Witt Hamer et al. 2012). Además, en cirugías de pacientes con tumores cerebrales, el uso de EMNIO no ha mostrado un beneficio clínico adicional en términos de sobrevida global en comparación con no usarlo (Chang et al. 2011). Por otro lado, la evaluación del EMNIO como herramienta pronóstica no responde a la intención de uso propuesta, ya que se espera que las alertas que dan a conocer una anomalia. El perfil de seguridad de esta tecnología no ha sido evaluado en ningún estudio encontrado a la fecha para la población de interés. Ello no permite estimar su balance riesgo beneficio. Además, genera preocupaciones ya que se cuenta con evidencia preliminar de reportes de eventos adversos asociados al uso de EMNIO como convulsiones, hemorragias, quemaduras, entre otros (David B. MacDonald 2002; Ulkatan et al. 2017; Szelényi, Joksimovic, and Seifert 2007; Zrinzo et al. 2012). Finalmente, no se cuenta con evidencia comparativa de eficacia ni seguridad del EMNIO en neurocirugía funcional del cerebro, por lo que el balance riesgo beneficio de esta tecnología tampoco es evaluable en este contexto. Siendo que el principal objetivo de la neurocirugía funcional del cerebro es restaurar una función perdida e incrementar la calidad de vida, resulta especialmente necesario contar con una evaluación rigurosa de desenlaces de seguridad relevantes para el paciente. De este modo, se concluye que existe incertidumbre acerca del perfil de eficacia del EMNIO y un vacío de información acerca de su perfil de seguridad por lo que, el balance riesgo beneficio de esta tecnología es incierto. En consecuencia, a la fecha, no hay razones técnicas para esperar que el EMNIO pueda mejorar la sobrevida, la calidad de vida, o cualquiera de los otros desenlaces de relevancia para los pacientes mencionados en la pregunta PICO. Por lo tanto, el IETSI no aprueba el uso del equipo de monitoreo neurofisiológico y mapeo intraoperatorio en pacientes sometidos a neurocirugía funcional del cerebro o neurocirugía de lesiones en áreas elocuentes.

Use of Community-Engaged Research Approaches in Clinical Interventions for Neurologic Disorders in the United States: A Scoping Review and Future Directions for Improving Health Equity Research.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Evidence suggests a significant prevalence of race and ethnic disparities in the United States among people with neurologic conditions including stroke, Alzheimer disease and related dementia (ADRD), Parkinson disease (PD), epilepsy, spinal cord injury (SCI), and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Recent neurologic research has begun the paradigm shift from observational health disparities research to intervention research in an effort to narrow the disparities gap. There is an evidence base that suggests that community engagement is a necessary component of health equity. While the increase in disparities focused neurologic interventions is encouraging, it remains unclear whether and how community-engaged practices are integrated into intervention design and implementation. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify and synthesize intervention studies that have actively engaged with the community in the design and implementation of interventions to reduce disparities in neurologic conditions and to describe the common community engagement processes used. METHODS: Two databases, PubMed and CINAHL, were searched to identify eligible empirical studies within the United States whose focus was on neurologic interventions addressing disparities and using community engagement practices. RESULTS: We identified 392 disparity-focused interventions in stroke, ADRD, PD, epilepsy, SCI, and TBI, of which 53 studies incorporated community engagement practices: 32 stroke studies, 15 ADRD, 2 epilepsy studies, 2 PD studies, 1 SCI study, and 1 TBI study. Most of the interventions were designed as randomized controlled trials and were programmatic in nature. The interventions used a variety of community engagement practices: community partners (42%), culturally tailored materials and mobile health (40%), community health workers (32%), faith-based organizations and local businesses (28%), focus groups/health need assessments (25%), community advisory boards (19%), personnel recruited from the community/champions (19%), and caregiver/social support (15%). DISCUSSION: Our scoping review reports that the proportion of neurologic intervention studies incorporating community engagement practices is limited and that the practices used within those studies are varied. The major practices used included collaboration with community partners and utilization of culturally tailored materials. We also found inconsistent reporting and dissemination of results from studies that implemented community engagement measures in their interventions. Future directions include involving the community in research early and continuously, building curricula that address challenges to community engagement, prioritizing the inclusion of community engagement reporting in peer-reviewed journals, and prioritizing and incentivizing research of subpopulations that experience disparities in neurologic conditions.

Global Neurosurgery: Progress and Resolutions at the 75th World Health Assembly.

Neurosurgical advocates for global surgery/neurosurgery at the 75th World Health Assembly gathered in person for the first time after the COVID-19 pandemic in Geneva, Switzerland, in May 2022. This article reviews the significant progress in the global health landscape targeting neglected neurosurgical patients, emphasizing high-level policy advocacy and international efforts to support a new World Health Assembly resolution in mandatory folic acid fortification to prevent neural tube defects. The process of developing global resolutions through the World Health Organization and its member states is summarized. Two new global initiatives focused on the surgical patients among the most vulnerable member states are discussed, the Global Surgery Foundation and the Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and other Neurological Disorders. Progress toward a neurosurgery-inspired resolution on mandatory folic acid fortification to prevent spina bifida-folate is described. In addition, priorities for moving the global health agenda forward for the neurosurgical patient as it relates to the global burden of neurological disease are reviewed after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Assessment of quality of life after laparoscopic GERD surgery in children: a prospective study.

The purpose of this study is to assess quality of life (QoL) after laparoscopic anti-reflux surgery (LARS) in children with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and to evaluate GERD symptoms and their impact on daily life and school. From June 2016 to June 2019, all children with GERD from 2 to 16 years of age, without neurologic impairment or malformation-related reflux, were prospectively included in a monocentric study. Patients (or their parents according to the age of the child) answered the Pediatric Questionnaire on Gastroesophageal Symptoms and QoL (PGSQ) before surgery and 3 and 12 months after surgery. Variables were compared by paired, bilateral Student t-test. Twenty-eight children (16 boys) were included. The median age at surgery was 77 months (IQR: 59.2-137) with median weight of 22 kg (IQR: 19.8-42.3). All had a laparoscopic Toupet fundoplication. Median duration of follow-up was 14.7 months (IQR: 12.3-22.5). One patient (4%) had a recurrence of GERD symptoms without abnormalities on follow-up examinations. Preoperative total PGSQ score was 1.42 (± 0.7) and decreased significantly 3 months (0.56 ± 0.6; p < 0.001) and 12 months after surgery (0.34 ± 0.4; p < 0.001). PGSQ subscale analysis revealed a significant decrease at 3 and 12 months for GERD symptoms (p < 0.001), impact on daily life (p < 0.001), and impact on school (p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: There was a significant improvement in symptoms and their frequency after LARS in children, as well as an improvement of QoL, in the short and medium term. The impact of GERD should be taken into consideration in the treatment decision, given that surgery clearly improves the QoL. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Laparoscopic anti-reflux surgery (LARS) is an established and effective treatment option in pediatric patients with severe GERD refractory to medical treatment. • Effect of LARS on the quality of life (QoL) has been mainly investigated in the adult population but there is very little data on the effect of LARS on the QoL in pediatric patients. WHAT IS NEW: • Our prospective study was the first to analyze the effect of LARS on QoL in pediatric patients without neurologic impairment using validated questionnaires at two postoperative time points with a significant improvement in postoperative QoL at 3 and 12 months. • Our study emphasizes the importance of evaluating QoL and impact of GERD on all the aspects of daily life and of taking these into consideration in the treatment decision.

Prophylactic antireflux procedures are not necessary in neurologically impaired children undergoing gastrostomy placement.

PURPOSE: Fundoplication is frequently used in children with neurologic impairment even in the absence of reflux due to concerns for future gastric feeding intolerance, but supporting data are lacking. We aimed to determine the incidence of secondary antireflux procedures (fundoplication or gastrojejunostomy (GJ)) post gastrostomy tube (GT) placement in children with and without neurologic impairment. METHODS: Children under 18 undergoing a GT placement without fundoplication between 2010 and 2020 were identified utilizing the PearlDiver Mariner national patient claims database. Children with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy or a degenerative neurologic disease were identified and compared to children without these diagnoses. The incidence of delayed fundoplication or conversion to GJ were compared utilizing Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses. RESULTS: A total of 14,965 children underwent GT placement, of which 3712 (24.8%) had a diagnosis of neurologic impairment. The rate of concomitant fundoplication was significantly higher among children with a diagnosis of neurologic impairment as compared to those without (9.3% vs 6.4%, p < 0.001). While children with neurologic impairment had a significantly higher rate of fundoplication or GJ conversion at 5 years compared to children without (12.6% [95% confidence interval (CI): 11.4%-13.8%] vs 8.6% [95% CI 8.0%-9.2%], p < 0.001), the overall incidence remained low. CONCLUSION: Although children with neurologic impairment have a higher rate of requiring an antireflux procedure or GJ conversion than other children, the overall rate remains less than 15%. Fundoplication should not be utilized in children without clinical reflux on the basis of neurologic impairment alone.

Surgical Support of the Developmentally Delayed or Neurologically Impaired Child.

Children with underlying neurologic conditions or developmental delay may have undergone prior surgical therapy to improve quality of life. These patients may present to the emergency room with complications associated with these procedures or present requiring emergent or urgent surgical management of a new diagnosis. An understanding of the anatomic variation and known long-term complications of these devices is important for any surgeon who may be called to care for these patients. The goal of this article was to provide recommendations that will assist the general surgeon in the surgical management of children with neurologic impairment or developmental delay.

Psychiatric mimics of neurosurgical disorders.

Every year there are about 22.6 million people in need of neurosurgical care around the world, and one or several interventions are required to save lives and restore functional losses in more than half of these cases (13.8 million). Most neurosurgical interventions are performed in patients with traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, strokes, central nervous system (CNS) tumors, hydrocephalus, and epilepsy. In addition to neurological symptoms, many CNS disorders are often accompanied by cognitive and/or behavioral changes. Physical and psychological symptoms can be intertwined as follows: 1) neurological symptoms may be manifested as a result of complex psychological processes; 2) psychological disorders may be manifested as neurological symptoms; 3) neurological disorders commonly cause secondary psychological responses; 4) psychological disorder may be induced more or less directly by an organic brain disease. In the present paper, we focus on the psychiatric conditions occurring in the patients with neurosurgical disorders who either get prepared for surgery or have already received it.

Long-term surgical outcomes of levator resection in patients with Marcus-Gunn jaw-winking ptosis.

PURPOSE: To report long-term surgical outcomes of a series of MGJWS patients with moderate ptosis who underwent levator resection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of medical records of 10 MGJWS patients with moderate ptosis who underwent levator resection was performed in two major eye centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from January 1987 to December 2019. Clinical features, pre-operative and post-operative data of the 10 patients were recorded. OUTCOME MEASURES: Long-term upper eyelid position. RESULTS: The mean patient age at presentation was 5.4 years. Seven patients were female and three were male. All patients had moderate ptosis with marginal reflex distance ranged from 1 to 2 mm. The mean age at surgery was 9.5 years. After initial good ptosis correction for all patients, seven of them had a recurrence of ptosis several months after levator resection. CONCLUSIONS: Levator resection in MGJWS patients with moderate ptosis and good levator function is associated with a high rate of ptosis recurrence and less predictable surgical results.

Severity and Outcome of Neurologic Deficits in Patients with Pyogenic Spondylodiscitis: A Systematic Review.

Patients with advanced pyogenic spondylodiscitis can present with neurologic deficits. However, the prevalence, severity, and outcome of the neurologic deficits are not well known. A systematic review was performed to improve the knowledge of this commonly encountered clinical scenario. The considerable number of severe neurologic deficits in addition to their poor recovery, even after surgical intervention, demonstrates that the early diagnosis of pyogenic spondylodiscitis is crucial. Prompt surgical intervention is likely associated with a greater chance of improvement of neurologic status than nonsurgical treatment.

Analysis of neurosurgical procedures with unplanned reoperation for quality improvement: A 5-year single hospital study.

ABSTRACT: The unplanned return to the operating room rate is a quality metric for assessing hospital performance. This study aimed to evaluate the cause, incidence, and time interval of unplanned returns in index neurosurgical procedures within 30 days of the initial surgery as an internal audit. We retrospectively analyzed neurosurgical procedures between January 2015, and December 2019, in a single regional hospital. The definition of an unplanned return to the operating room was a patient who underwent two operations within 30 days when the second procedure was not planned, staged, or related to the natural course of the disease.A total of 4365 patients were identified in our analysis, of which 93 (2%) had an unplanned return to the operating room within 30 days of their initial surgery during admission. The most common reason for an unplanned return to the operating room for a cranial procedure was hemorrhage, followed by hydrocephalus and subdural effusion, which accounted for 49.5%(46/93), 12%(11/93), and 5.4%(5/93) of cases, respectively. In spinal procedures, the most common cause of return was a residual disc, followed by surgical site infection, which accounted for 5.4%(5/93) and 4.3%(4/93) of cases, respectively. The overall median time interval for unplanned returns to the operating room was 3 days (interquartile range, 1-9).Lowering the rate of postoperative hemorrhage in cranial surgery and postoperative residual disc in spine surgery was crucial as an internal audit in a 5-year single institute follow-up. However, the unplanned reoperation rate is less helpful in benchmarking because of the heterogeneity of patients between hospitals.

Regenerative medicine for neurological diseases-will regenerative neurosurgery deliver?

Regenerative medicine aspires to transform the future practice of medicine by providing curative, rather than palliative, treatments. Healing the central nervous system (CNS) remains among regenerative medicine's most highly prized but formidable challenges. "Regenerative neurosurgery" provides access to the CNS or its surrounding structures to preserve or restore neurological function. Pioneering efforts over the past three decades have introduced cells, neurotrophins, and genes with putative regenerative capacity into the CNS to combat neurodegenerative, ischemic, and traumatic diseases. In this review we critically evaluate the rationale, paradigms, and translational progress of regenerative neurosurgery, harnessing access to the CNS to protect, rejuvenate, or replace cell types otherwise irreversibly compromised by neurological disease. We discuss the evidence surrounding fetal, somatic, and pluripotent stem cell derived implants to replace endogenous neuronal and glial cell types and provide trophic support. Neurotrophin based strategies via infusions and gene therapy highlight the motivation to preserve neuronal circuits, the complex fidelity of which cannot be readily recreated. We specifically highlight ongoing translational efforts in Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, stroke, and spinal cord injury, using these to illustrate the principles, challenges, and opportunities of regenerative neurosurgery. Risks of associated procedures and novel neurosurgical trials are discussed, together with the ethical challenges they pose. After decades of efforts to develop and refine necessary tools and methodologies, regenerative neurosurgery is well positioned to advance treatments for refractory neurological diseases. Strategic multidisciplinary efforts will be critical to harness complementary technologies and maximize mechanistic feedback, accelerating iterative progress toward cures for neurological diseases.

The role of hemostatic devices in neurosurgery. A systematic review.

Hemostasis represents a fundamental step in every surgical procedure. During neurosurgical procedures, proper and robust hemostasis into confined spaces can significantly reduce the odds of perioperative complications. Over the decades, multiple methods have been applied, and several medical devices have been developed to promote and guarantee proper hemostasis. This study presents a systematic review of the most used intraoperative hemostatic methods and devices in neurosurgery. Insightful research was performed on the PubMed database according to the PRISMA guidelines. This comprehensive review of scientific literature represents a synoptic panel where the most used intraoperative hemostatic methods and devices available today in neurosurgery are classified and described.

Delayed Neurological Improvement After Full Endovascular Reperfusion in Acute Anterior Circulation Ischemic Stroke.

Background and Purpose: We aimed to determine the prevalence and predictors of delayed neurological improvement (DNI) after complete endovascular reperfusion in anterior circulation acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Methods: Retrospective analysis of an online multicenter prospective reperfusion registry of patients with consecutive anterior circulation AIS treated with endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) from January 2018 to June 2019 in tertiary stroke centers of the NORDICTUS (NORD-Spain Network for Research and Innovation in ICTUS) network. We included patients with AIS with a proximal occlusion in whom a modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction 3 reperfusion pattern was obtained. DNI was defined if, despite absence of early neurological improvement during the first 24 hours, patients achieved functional independence on day 90. Clinical and radiological variables obtained before EVT were analyzed as potential predictors of DNI. Results: Of 1565 patients with consecutive AIS treated with EVT, 1381 had proximal anterior circulation occlusions, 803 (58%) of whom achieved a modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction 3. Of these, 628 patients fulfilled all selection criteria and were included in the study. Mean age was 73.8 years, 323 (51.4%) were female, and median baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale was 16. Absence of early neurological improvement was observed in 142 (22.6%) patients; 32 of these (22.5%) achieved good long-term outcome and constitute the DNI group. Predictors of DNI in multivariable-adjusted logistic regression were male sex (odds ratio, 6.4 [95% CI, 2.1­22.3] P=0.002), lower pre-EVT National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (odds ratio, 1.4 [95% CI, 1.2­1.5], P<0.001), and intravenous thrombolysis (odds ratio, 9.1 [95% CI, 2.7­30.90], P<0.001). Conclusions: One-quarter of patients with anterior circulation AIS who do not clinically improve within the first 24 hours after complete cerebral endovascular recanalization will achieve long-term functional independence, regardless of the poor early clinical course. Male sex, lower initial clinical severity, and use of intravenous thrombolysis before EVT predicted this clinical pattern.

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Neurocritical Care: A Review of Recent Updates.

Neurocritical diseases and conditions are common causes of long-term disability and mortality. Early recognition and management of neurocritically ill patients is a significant challenge for neurosurgeons, neurologists, and neurointensivists. Although cerebral angiography, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and radionuclide imaging are useful in neuromonitoring and neuroimaging, they have several important limitations: they are not readily available, cannot be used for a continuous assessment of cerebral function, and frequently require patient transport to the radiological department. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is an inexpensive, portable, noninvasive method that does not require advanced expertise and can be used at the bedside for critically ill patients without moving them to the radiology department. NIRS can detect and monitor multiple critical parameters, including cerebral oximetry, intracranial pressure, temperature, and cerebral blood flow. NIRS can be valuable for a wide variety of neurocritical diseases and conditions, such as ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes, severe traumatic brain injury, brain tumors, and perioperative neurosurgery. Although NIRS has been studied extensively in multiple neurocritical conditions, more evidence on its application is needed.

Demand for Essential Nonambulatory Neurosurgical Care Decreased While Acuity of Care Increased During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Surge.

BACKGROUND: In times of health resource reallocation, capacities must remain able to meet a continued demand for essential, nonambulatory neurosurgical acute care. This study sought to characterize the demand for and provision of neurosurgical acute care during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: This single-center cross-sectional observational analysis compared nonambulatory neurosurgical consult encounters during the peri-surge period (March 9 to May 31, 2020) with those during an analogous period in 2019. Outcomes included consult volume, distribution of problem types, disease severity, and rate of acute operative intervention. RESULTS: A total of 1494 neurosurgical consults were analyzed. Amidst the pandemic surge, 583 consults were seen, which was 6.4 standard deviations below the mean among analogous 2016-2019 periods (mean 873; standard deviation 45, P = 0.001). Between 2019 and 2020, the proportion of degenerative spine consults decreased in favor of spinal trauma (25.6% vs. 34% and 51.9% vs. 41.4%, P = 0.088). Among aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage cases, poor-grade (Hunt and Hess grades 4-5) presentations were more common (30% vs. 14.8%, P = 0.086). A greater proportion of pandemic era consults resulted in acute operative management, with an unchanged absolute frequency of acutely operative consults (123/583 [21.1%] vs. 120/911 [13.2%], P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Neurosurgical consult volume during the pandemic surge hit a 5-year institutional low. Amidst vast reallocation of health care resources, demand for high-acuity nonambulatory neurosurgical care continued and proportionally increased for greater-acuity pathologies. In our continued current pandemic as well as any future situations of mass health resource reallocation, neurosurgical acute care capacities must be preserved.

Midterm outcomes of early versus late surgery for infective endocarditis with neurologic complications: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral infarction (CI) remains one of the most common and fatal complications of infective endocarditis (IE), and the timing of surgery for IE with neurologic complications is controversial. As outcomes beyond the perioperative period have not been assessed with a meta-analysis previously, we conducted a meta-analysis comparing mid- to long-term outcomes of early and late surgery in patients with IE and neurologic complications. METHODS: All studies that investigated early and late surgery in patients with IE and neurologic complications were identified. The primary and secondary endpoints were all-cause mortality and recurrence, respectively. Hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause mortality and recurrence were extracted from each study. RESULTS: Our search identified five eligible studies, which were all observational studies consisting of a total of 624 patients with IE and neurologic complications. Pooled analyses demonstrated that all-cause mortality was similar between the early and late surgery groups (HR [95% confidence interval [CI]] = 0.90 [0.49-1.64]; P = 0.10; I2 = 49%). Similarly, the recurrence rates were similar between both groups (HR [95% CI] = 1.86 [0.76-4.52]; P = 0.43; I2 = 0%). CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis showed similar mortality and recurrent rates between the early and late surgery groups. The optimal timing of surgery should be individualized on a case-to-case basis.

Telehealth Adoption Across Neurosurgical Subspecialties at a Single Academic Institution During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed health care, forcing providers to adopt and implement telehealth technology to provide continuous care for their patients. Amid this rapid transition from in-person to remote visits, differences in telehealth utilization have arisen among neurosurgical subspecialties. In this study, we analyze the impact of telehealth on neurosurgical healthcare delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic at our institution and highlight differences in telehealth utilization across different neurosurgical subspecialties. METHODS: To quantify differences in telehealth utilization, we analyzed all outpatient neurosurgery visits at a single academic institution. Internal surveys were administered to neurosurgeons and to patients to determine both physician and patient satisfaction with telehealth visits. Patient Likelihood-to-Recommend Press-Ganey scores were also evaluated. RESULTS: There was a decrease in outpatient visits during the COVID-19 pandemic in all neurosurgical subspecialties. Telehealth adoption was higher in spine, tumor, and interventional pain than in functional, peripheral nerve, or vascular neurosurgery. Neurosurgeons agreed that telehealth was an efficient (92%) and effective (85%) methodology; however, they noted it was more difficult to evaluate and bond with patients. The majority of patients were satisfied with their video visits and would recommend video visits over in-person visits. CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, neurosurgical subspecialties varied in adoption of telehealth, which may be due to the specific nature of each subspecialty and their necessity to perform in-person evaluations. Telehealth visits will likely continue after the pandemic as they can improve clinical efficiency; overall, both patients and physicians are satisfied with health care delivery over video.

A Review of Robotic Interventional Neuroradiology.

Robotic interventional neuroradiology is an emerging field with the potential to enhance patient safety, reduce occupational hazards, and expand systems of care. Endovascular robots allow the operator to precisely control guidewires and catheters from a lead-shielded cockpit located several feet (or potentially hundreds of miles) from the patient. This has opened up the possibility of expanding telestroke networks to patients without access to life-saving procedures such as stroke thrombectomy and cerebral aneurysm occlusion by highly-experienced physicians. The prototype machines, first developed in the early 2000s, have evolved into machines capable of a broad range of techniques, while incorporating newly automated maneuvers and safety algorithms. In recent years, preliminary clinical research has been published demonstrating the safety and feasibility of the technology in cerebral angiography and intracranial intervention. The next step is to conduct larger, multisite, prospective studies to assess generalizability and, ultimately, improve patient outcomes in neurovascular disease.