Defining the Role of the Community Health Worker within a Federal Healthy Start Care Coordination Team.

Introduction Federal and state policies often require utilization of evidence-based home visiting programs. Measurement of specified interventions is important for tracking program implementation and achieving program outcomes. Thus, the Strong Beginnings program worked to define community health worker (CHW) interventions, a core service of the program to improve maternal and child health. Methods A workgroup consisting of CHWs, supervisors and other program staff was created in order to develop and define specific CHW interventions within a nurse or social worker care team. Basic interventions were first compared to the nurse or social worker care coordinator home visiting interventions by risk topic. The evaluator then grouped each CHW intervention into categories per risk domain using thematic analysis and assigned a CHW core function or role based on literature review findings. The workgroup confirmed the results. The workgroup then continued discussions to further enhance CHW interventions per risk domain once the general structure was created. Results The workgroup identified seven core functions and 28 maternal and child health risk topics to be addressed by the CHW. The process resulted in a detailed document of program interventions that the CHWs use to guide care. Conclusions The process helped CHWs feel more valued with their role in team care. The specified interventions will help others understand the CHW role within the care team, ensure consistent interventions are delivered across program partners, provide a foundation to better understand how specific CHW contributions are related to health outcomes, and support program sustainability.

Understanding Perspectives of African American Medicaid-Insured Women on the Process of Perinatal Care: An Opportunity for Systems Improvement.

Objectives To address disparities in adverse birth outcomes, communities are challenged to improve the quality of health services and foster systems integration. The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of Medicaid-insured women about their experiences of perinatal care (PNC) across a continuum of clinical and community-based services. Methods Three focus groups (N = 21) were conducted and thematic analysis methods were used to identify basic and global themes about experiences of care. Women were recruited through a  local Federal Healthy Start (HS) program in Michigan  that targets services to African American women. Results Four basic themes were identified: (1) Pursuit of PNC; (2) Experiences of traditional PNC; (3) Enhanced prenatal and postnatal care; and (4) Women's health: A missed opportunity. Two global themes were also identified: (1) Communication with providers, and (2) Perceived socio-economic and racial bias. Many women experienced difficulties engaging in early care, getting more help, and understanding and communicating with their providers, with some reporting socio-economic and racial bias in care. Delays in PNC limited early access to HS and enhanced prenatal care (EPC) programs with little evidence of supportive transitions to primary care. Notably, women's narratives revealed few connections among clinical and community-based services. Conclusions The process of participating in PNC and community-based programs is challenging for women, especially for those with multiple health problems and living in difficult life circumstances. PNC, HS and other EPC programs could partner to streamline processes, improve the content and process of care, and enhance engagement in services.

Assessment of driving outcomes after epilepsy surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Driving is an important factor contributing to good quality of life in patients with epilepsy. Little work has been undertaken to explore the details of driving experience alone in this patient population. We assessed the driving status of our patients prior to and following surgery for epilepsy. We also sought to determine what associations exist between patient characteristics and postoperative driving status. METHODS: The participants were selected from those adult patients with epilepsy who have required surgical treatment at our home institution between 2006 and 2010. Each participant received a questionnaire asking about driving and seizure status before and after surgery. The surveys were distributed using a modified Dillman approach. Perioperative patient data were obtained from the electronic medical record system in addition to a previously assembled epilepsy database from the Neurology Department at our institution. Independent variables were analyzed to look for significant associations with driving outcomes. RESULTS: One hundred forty eligible patients were included in the survey population; 78 patients returned a questionnaire for a response rate of 55.7%. Eighty percent of patients experienced driving as a regular part of life at some point prior to surgery. At the time of the questionnaire distribution, 68% of patients had returned to regular driving. Demographic characteristics did not play a significant role in whether or not the patient had a favorable driving outcome after surgery. However, patients who had a history of driving on a regular basis prior to surgery and those who had an Engel Class I outcome after surgery had significantly higher rates of good driving outcomes. Also, patients with an unfavorable preoperative driving status were more likely to have a favorable driving outcome after surgery if they had an Engel Class I outcome. Patients in whom intracranial electroencephalography (EEG) was utilized prior to resection had worse driving outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: A surprisingly high percentage of patients with epilepsy have experienced driving on a regular basis prior to surgery. We can assume that most patients were not driving immediately prior to surgery, given the fact that they had progressed to requiring surgery for treatment of their epilepsy. Thus, a driving rate of 68% after surgery can be considered good. We found that a patient's preoperative driving history, the use of intracranial EEG before surgical resection, and Engel classification were significant predictors of postoperative driving outcomes. These data provide patients with assistance in preoperative counseling. More investigation needs to be completed in other patient variables - such as seizure types, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, and patient motivators for driving - as possible predictors of driving outcomes.

A phase 1 trial of oncolytic HSV-1, G207, given in combination with radiation for recurrent GBM demonstrates safety and radiographic responses.

G207, a mutant herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1, is safe when inoculated into recurrent malignant glioma. We conducted a phase 1 trial of G207 to demonstrate the safety of stereotactic intratumoral administration when given 24 hours prior to a single 5 Gy radiation dose in patients with recurrent malignant glioma. Nine patients with progressive, recurrent malignant glioma despite standard therapy were included. Patients received one dose of G207 stereotactically inoculated into the multiple sites of the enhancing tumor margin and were then treated focally with 5 Gy radiation. Treatment was well tolerated, and no patient developed HSV encephalitis. The median interval between initial diagnosis and G207 inoculation was 18 months (mean: 23 months; range: 11-51 months). Six of the nine patients had stable disease or partial response for at least one time point. Three instances of marked radiographic response to treatment occurred. The median survival time from G207 inoculation until death was 7.5 months (95% confidence interval: 3.0-12.7). In conclusion, this study showed the safety and the potential for clinical response of single-dose oncolytic HSV therapy augmented with radiation in the treatment of malignant glioma patients. Additional studies with oncolytic HSV such as G207 in the treatment of human glioma are recommended.

The Validity of the Koos Classification System With Respect to Facial Nerve Function.

BACKGROUND: The Koos classification of vestibular schwannomas is designed to stratify tumors based on extrameatal extension and compression of the brainstem. Our prior study demonstrated excellent reliability. No study has yet assessed its validity. OBJECTIVE: To present a retrospective study designed to assess the validity of the Koos grading system with respect to facial nerve function following treatment of 81 acoustic schwannomas. METHODS: We collected data retrospectively from 81 patients with acoustic schwannomas of various Koos grades who were treated with microsurgical resection or stereotactic radiosurgery. House-Brackmann (HB) scores were used to assess facial nerve function and obtained at various time points following treatment. We generated Spearman's rho and Kendall's tau correlation coefficients along with a logistic regression curve. RESULTS: We found no significant difference in the presence or absence of facial dysfunction by Koos classification when looking at all patients. There was a positive but fairly weak correlation between HB score and Koos classification, which was only significant at the first postoperative clinic appointment. There was a statistically significant difference in the presence or absence of facial dysfunction between patients treated with surgery vs radiation, which we expected. We found no statistically significant difference when comparing surgical approaches. Logistic regression modeling demonstrated a poor ability of the Koos grading system to predict facial nerve dysfunction following treatment. CONCLUSION: The Koos grading system did not predict the presence of absence of facial nerve dysfunction in our study population. There were trends within subgroups that require further exploration.

The Use of MRI in Preoperative Decision-Making for Trigeminal Neuralgia: A Single-Center Study.

OBJECTIVE: Few studies have examined associations between vascular compression and postoperative pain relief in patients undergoing microvascular decompression (MVD) for treatment of medically refractory type 1 trigeminal neuralgia (TN). The authors sought to examine for associations between vascular compression and postoperative pain relief to determine the utility of preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in surgical decision-making for TN. METHODS: The charts of 59 patients who underwent 60 MVDs for TN between 2007 and 2017 at a single academic institution were reviewed. Patient demographics, the presence of compressing vessel on preoperative MRI and intraoperatively, complications, follow-up time, performance of a partial sensory rhizotomy, and pain resolution at most recent follow-up were recorded. Sensitivity and specificity of MRI for detecting vascular compression were calculated and associations between preoperative and intraoperative evidence of vascular compression with postoperative pain relief were examined. RESULTS: Sensitivity and specificity of preoperative MRI determined through blinded reads by the senior author were 65.3% (95% confidence interval, 13.5-32.0) and 90.9% (95% confidence interval, 86.1-100.0), respectively. Overall, 76.3% of patients were pain free at most recent follow-up. Preoperative MRI and intraoperative evidence of vascular compression were not associated with postoperative pain relief at most recent follow-up (P = 0.47 and 0.43, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of lower sensitivity and poor interrater reliability of MRI, as well as a lack of association between compressive vessel and postoperative pain relief reported in this study, suggest the decision to pursue MVD for TN should be based more heavily on classic symptomatic presentation over preoperative evidence of vascular compression.

Surgically treatable adult epilepsy: a changing patient population. Experience from a level 4 epilepsy center.

OBJECTIVE: Invasive monitoring has long been utilized in the evaluation of patients for epilepsy surgery, providing localizing information to guide resection. Stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) was introduced at the authors' level 4 epilepsy surgery program in 2013, with responsive neurostimulation (RNS) becoming available the following year. The authors sought to characterize patient demographics and epilepsy-related variables before and after SEEG introduction to understand whether differences emerged in their patient population. This information will be useful in understanding how SEEG, possibly in conjunction with RNS availability, may have changed practice patterns over time. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients who underwent surgery for epilepsy from 2006 to 2018, comprising 7 years before and 5 years after the introduction of SEEG. The authors performed univariate analyses of patient characteristics and outcomes and used generalized estimating equations logistic regression for predictive analysis. RESULTS: A total of 178 patients were analyzed, with 109 patients in the pre-SEEG cohort and 69 patients in the post-SEEG cohort. In the post-SEEG cohort, more patients underwent invasive monitoring for suspected bilateral seizure onsets (40.6% vs 22.0%, p = 0.01) and extratemporal seizure onsets (68.1% vs 8.3%, p < 0.0001). The post-SEEG cohort had a higher proportion of patients with seizures arising from eloquent cortex (14.5% vs 0.9%, p < 0.001). Twelve patients underwent RNS insertion in the post-SEEG group versus none in the pre-SEEG group. Fewer patients underwent resection in the post-SEEG group (55.1% vs 96.3%, p < 0.0001), but there was no significant difference in rates of seizure freedom between cohorts for those patients having undergone a follow-up resection (53.1% vs 59.8%, p = 0.44). CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that more patients with suspected bilateral, eloquent, or extratemporal epilepsy underwent invasive monitoring after adoption of SEEG. This shift occurred coincident with the adoption of RNS, both of which likely contributed to increased patient complexity. The authors conclude that their practice now considers invasive monitoring for patients who likely would not previously have been candidates for surgical investigation and subsequent intervention.

Analysis of injected cement volume and clinical outcomes following kyphoplasty for vertebral compression fractures.

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that greater volumes of cement injected during kyphoplasty correlate with improved vertebral body height restoration and kyphotic angulation correction. However, there is little evidence tying cement volume to patient outcomes. Here, we analyzed the association between cement volume and outcome utilizing indices of pain, disability, and quality of life. METHODS: One hundred and thirty-six patients undergoing kyphoplasty were analyzed retrospectively. The total volume of bone cement injected was recorded intraoperatively for each patient; the average total cement volume was 5.44 cc. Pre- and postoperative outcome indices were documented, using the visual analog scale (VAS), Roland-Morris disability index (RMDI), and the EuroQol 5 Dimension instrument (EQ5D). Pearson's correlations and linear regression models were derived for the association of total cement volume with each of the patient outcome measures. This was a retrospective cohort study. RESULTS: The average change in VAS, RMDI, and EQ5D scores for all patients was -6.8, +8.3, and +0.41, respectively. For VAS, RMDI, and EQ5D improvements, neither Pearson's correlations nor multiple linear regression models revealed a correlation or an association with total cement volume. CONCLUSION: For patients undergoing kyphoplasty, outcomes were not associated with the total injected cement volume; all had a significant reduction in pain and most exhibited decreased disability with improved quality of life.

An Observational Study Investigating the Need for Decompressive Hemicraniectomy after Thrombectomy in Acute Ischemic Stroke of the Middle Cerebral Artery Territory.

OBJECTIVE: The frequency incidence of decompressive hemicraniectomy following intra-arterial thrombectomy (IAT) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) involving the middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory was assessed as a surrogate for morbidity. METHODS: A single-institution retrospective chart review was conducted involving 209 consecutive patients between September 2014 and May 2017 with infarctions affecting the MCA territory and who subsequently underwent IAT. The outcomes of interest included the frequency of hemicraniectomy following IAT and the effects of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV tPA) use and primary occlusion site on the Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (TICI) score. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients were excluded for infarctions not involving the MCA territory. A total of 178 patients were included in the study. Sixty-eight patients (38.6%) had infarctions of less than one-third of the MCA territory, 50 (28.4%) had infarctions between one-third and two-thirds, and 58 (33%) had infarctions involving greater than two-thirds with 54.3% suffering infarctions of the left side. Only four patients (2.2%) required a hemicraniectomy with no statistically significant association found between TICI score and hemicraniectomy (p=0.41) or between administration of IV tPA and hemicraniectomy (p=0.36). The primary occlusion site was found to influence TICI score (p=0.045). CONCLUSION: A very small number of patients required hemicraniectomy after IAT as compared to previously published rates in the literature. However, several factors may prevent the patient from being an appropriate hemicraniectomy candidate in the first place and the small number of these patients in this study limits statistical analysis. The variables that determine a patient's candidacy for decompressive hemicraniectomy remains multi-factorial.

Impact of Anesthetic Variation in Endovascular Treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Background Given recent technological advancements leading to better outcomes in endovascular therapy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS), updated guidelines recommend thrombectomy as the standard of care in acute large vessel occlusions. However, use of general anesthesia versus conscious sedation continues to be discussed. Two previous randomized trials have shown no significant difference between the use of conscious sedation compared with general anesthesia. Methods The authors performed a retrospective analysis of all consecutive patients with acute ischemia who underwent intra-arterial thrombectomy between September 2014 and May 2020 at a Level 1 stroke center. Patient characteristics along with clinical and operative data were extracted. Frequency distributions of selected characteristics were obtained and statistical significance of any differences according to the mode of anesthesia was assessed. Results A total of 480 patients were included in this study, 257 underwent general anesthesia and 223 underwent conscious sedation. Length of stay (LOS) in the ICU nor length of hospital stay was significantly different between groups. Change in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score from admission to discharge, procedure times, and discharge disposition were not found to be significantly associated with either group although there was a trend towards longer door to puncture time with general anesthesia. Discharge disposition was found to be significantly associated with admission NIHSS (p=0.04). There was a trend towards longer hospital stay in patients with worse admission NIHSS (p=0.09). Success of thrombectomy was not significantly different between both anesthesia groups (p=0.37). Conclusions This large, single-center retrospective cohort study echoes the results of two previous randomized controlled trials in demonstrating non-inferiority of general anesthesia versus conscious sedation in cases of intra-arterial thrombectomy for AIS. These results contrast those of previously published retrospective studies.

Interrater and Intrarater Reliability of the Colloid Cyst Risk Score.

BACKGROUND: The Colloid Cyst Risk Score (CCRS) was developed to identify symptomatic patients and stratify risk of hydrocephalus among patients with colloid cysts. Its components consider patient age, cyst diameter, presence/absence of headache, fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) hyperintensity, and location within the third ventricle. OBJECTIVE: To independently evaluate the inter- and intrarater reliability of the CCRS. METHODS: Patients with a colloid cyst were identified from billing records and radiology archives. Three independent raters reviewed electronic medical records to determine age, presence/absence of headache, cyst diameter (mm), FLAIR hyperintensity, and risk zone location. Raters made 53 observations, including 5 repeat observations.Fleiss' generalized kappa (κ) was calculated for all of the nominal criteria, whereas Kendall's coefficient of concordance (W) and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were calculated for the overall score. RESULTS: Total CCRS score demonstrated extremely strong agreement (W = 0.83) using Kendall's W coefficient and good agreement (ICC = 0.74) using the ICC (P < .001). For interrater reliability of individual criteria, age (κ = 1.00) and FLAIR hyperintensity (κ = 0.89) demonstrated near perfect agreement. Axial diameter (κ = 0.63) demonstrated substantial agreement, whereas agreement was moderate for risk zone (κ = 0.51) and fair for headache (κ = 0.26). Intrarater reliability for total CCRS score was extremely strong using Kendall's W, good to excellent using ICC, and fair to substantial using weighted kappa. CONCLUSION: The CCRS has good inter- and intrarater reliability when tested in an independent sample of patients, though strength of agreement varies among individual criteria. The validity of the CCRS requires independent evaluation.

Independent Validation of the Colloid Cyst Risk Score to Predict Symptoms and Hydrocephalus in Patients with Colloid Cysts of the Third Ventricle.

BACKGROUND: The Colloid Cyst Risk Score (CCRS) was devised to identify patients with symptomatic colloid cyst and stratify risk of hydrocephalus. The CCRS considers patient age, presence of headache, colloid cyst diameter, fluid-attenuated inversion recovery hyperintensity, and location within the third ventricle. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to independently evaluate the validity of the CCRS. METHODS: Patients with a colloid cyst of the third ventricle were identified retrospectively from institutional billing records and radiology report archives. Patients without a confirmed diagnosis of colloid cyst of the third ventricle or magnetic resonance imaging of the brain were excluded. Data were collected via retrospective chart review. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-six patients met inclusion and exclusion criteria. In our cohort, the CCRS stratified symptomatic patients and patients with hydrocephalus across all scores (P < 0.001). From CCRS 2 to 5, the percentage of symptomatic patients increased from 13% to 100%, whereas the percentage of patients with hydrocephalus increased from 8% to 83%. Simple logistic regression showed that total CCRS, headache, axial diameter, fluid-attenuated inversion recovery hyperintensity, and risk zone were all highly predictive of symptomatic status and hydrocephalus (P < 0.001). Logistic regression with receiver operating curves for the CCRS showed an area under the curve of 0.914 for symptomatic colloid cysts and an area under the curve of 0.892 for colloid cysts with hydrocephalus. CONCLUSIONS: Our data analysis validates the predictive value of the CCRS for both symptomatic status and hydrocephalus and supports the use of the CCRS in risk stratification and clinical decision making.

Anticoagulant Medications and Operative Subdural Hematomas: A Retrospective Cohort Study Evaluating Reoperation Rates.

BACKGROUND: Anticoagulant therapy is common and complicates the operative management of acute and mixed-density subdural hematomas (SDHs). The risk of reoperation inferred by anticoagulant (AC) medication and the ability of reversal agents to reduce hemorrhagic complications in patients presenting with AC-associated SDHs are not fully understood. METHODS: Data were collected for 288 consecutive patients treated with craniotomy or craniectomy for evacuation of an acute or mixed-density SDH between 2012 and 2017 at 2 academic institutions. Primary end points were reoperation within 30 days and functional outcome at discharge. Groups were compared based on AC use. Logistic regression models were used to identify predictors of reoperation and functional outcome at discharge. RESULTS: Forty-six patients on ACs and 242 with no AC history were analyzed. All patients on AC underwent AC reversal before hematoma evacuation. Reoperation rates between groups were not significantly different (10.9% vs. 12.4%; P = 1.00); however, time to reoperation was significantly shorter in those on ACs (0.8 ± 1.1 days vs. 6.8 ± 10.4 days; P = 0.04). Aspirin use was independently associated with the need for reoperation (odds ratio, 3.05; confidence interval, 1.30-7.19; P = 0.01). Patients taking ACs were significantly older, had more medical comorbidities and were more likely to have a higher modified Rankin Scale score at discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Anticoagulant use was not associated with an increased reoperation rate, suggesting that reversal of AC may have eliminated the hemorrhagic risk conferred by these medications. Patients on ACs were significantly older, harbored more medical comorbidities, and had a worse functional outcome at discharge.

Neurosurgical resident research education: a survey of United States residency program directors.

OBJECTIVE: The application of evidence-based medicine (EBM) has played an increasing role within neurosurgical education over the last several decades. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has mandated that residents are now required to demonstrate academic productivity and mastery of EBM principles. The goal of this study was to assess how neurosurgery programs around the US are dealing with the challenges of fulfilling these program requirements from the ACGME in addition to standard neurosurgical education. METHODS: A 20-question survey was developed and electronically delivered to residency program directors of the 110 ACGME-approved MD and DO training programs in the US. Data regarding journal club and critical appraisal skills, research requirements, and protected research time were collected. Linear regression was used to determine significant associations between these data and reported resident academic productivity. RESULTS: Responses were received from 102 of the 110 (92.7%) neurosurgical training programs in the US. Ninety-eight programs (96.1%) confirmed a regularly scheduled journal club. Approximately half of programs (51.5%) indicated that the primary goal of their journal club was to promote critical appraisal skills. Only 58.4% of programs reported a formal EBM curriculum. In 57.4% of programs an annual resident publication requirement was confirmed. Multivariate regression models demonstrated that greater protected research time (p = 0.001), journal club facilitator with extensive training in research methods (p = 0.029), and earlier research participation during residency (p = 0.049) all increased the number of reported publications per resident. CONCLUSIONS: Although specific measures are important, and should be tailored to the program, the overall training culture with faculty mentorship and provision of time and resources for research activity are probably the most important factors. ABBREVIATIONS: ACGME = Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education; EBM = evidence-based medicine; PGY = postgraduate year.

Inter-rater reliability of the modified Medical Research Council scale in patients with chronic incomplete spinal cord injury.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the inter-rater reliability of the modified Medical Research Council (MRC) scale for grading motor function in patients with chronic incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS: Two neurosurgical residents and 2 faculty members performed motor examinations in 6 chronic incomplete SCI patients for a total of 156 muscle groups. Examinations were performed using the modified MRC grading scale during routine clinic visits for each patient. Informed consent was obtained prior to enrollment. Patients with American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale grade A (ASIA A) injuries were excluded. Inter-rater reliability coefficients were calculated using Kendall's coefficient of concordance (W) and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). RESULTS: Sixty-four percent of the tested variables demonstrated extremely strong (W 0.71-0.9) or strong (0.51-0.7) inter-rater reliability using Kendall's coefficient of concordance and an ICC corresponding to excellent (ICC > 0.75) or fair to good (ICC 0.4-0.75) inter-rater reliability. An additional 7% showed poor inter-rater reliability (ICC < 0.4). The remaining variables tested did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: The inter-rater reliability of the modified MRC scale was found to be high in the majority of tested variables, but the results suggest that discrepancy among trained observers does exist. Reliability was greatest in the lower-extremity muscle groups and least in the upper-extremity muscle groups in patients with chronic incomplete SCI.

Vertebral height restoration following kyphoplasty.

BACKGROUND: Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive surgery developed to restore height and stabilize painful vertebral compression fractures (VCFs). Only small retrospective studies have addressed the correlation between the degree of vertebral height restoration as it relates to pain relief and postoperative activity levels. No definitive correlations have been established. The objective of this analysis is to determine how height restoration correlates with improvements in pain, disability and quality of life. METHODS: We assessed outcomes following kyphoplasty in 59 Medicare-eligible patients with 1-3 painful VCFs between T5 and L5 due to osteoporosis or cancer. Pre and postoperative lateral radiographs were available for fifty-nine patients and were used to measure anterior, middle and posterior vertebral body (VB) heights. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) [range: 0 (none) to 10 (worst)] was used to prospectively measure back pain pre and post-operatively in all patients. Pre and post-operative measurements of disability and quality of life were retrospectively collected using the Roland Morris Disability Index (RMDI) [range: 0 (no disability) to 24 (high disability)] and EuroQol5-Domain scale (EQ5D) [range: -0.11 (poor quality of life) to 1.0 (perfect health)]. Pearson correlations and linear regression models were analyzed for association of VB height improvement with outcomes. RESULTS: Neither Pearson correlations (r coefficient range: 0.001-0.152) nor linear regression models (R2 value range: 0.0002-0.1133) revealed correlation or association between VB height improvements and outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: This is one of the largest studies to date assessing associations of VB height restoration following kyphoplasty with prospective measurements of pain and retrospective evaluation of disability and quality of life using validated instruments. Although a majority of patients in this cohort demonstrated increased vertebral heights and significant improvements in outcomes, none of the outcomes showed association with height improvements. Regardless of vertebral height improvements, most patients had improved pain, function and quality of life.

Koos Classification of Vestibular Schwannomas: A Reliability Study.

BACKGROUND: The Koos classification of vestibular schwannomas is designed to stratify tumors based on extrameatal extension and compression of the brainstem. While this classification system is widely reported in the literature, to date no study has assessed its reliability. OBJECTIVE: To assess the intra- and inter-rater reliability of the Koos classification system. METHODS: After institutional review board approval was obtained, a cross-sectional group of the Magnetic Resonance imagings of 40 patients with vestibular schwannomas varying in size comprised the study sample. Four raters were selected to assign a Koos grade to 50 total scans. Inter- and intrarater reliability were calculated and reported using Fleiss' kappa, Kendall's W, and Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: Inter-rater reliability was found to be substantial when measured using Fleiss' kappa (.71), extremely strong using Kendall's W (.92), and excellent as calculated by ICC (.88).Intrarater reliability was perfect for 3 out of 4 raters as assessed using weighted kappa, Kendall's W and ICC, with the intrarater agreement for the fourth rater measured as extremely high. CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated that the Koos classification system for vestibular schwannoma is a reliable method for tumor classification. This study lends further support to the results of current literature using Koos grading system. Further studies are required to evaluate its validity and utility in counseling patients with regard to outcomes.

Antiplatelet Medication and Operative Subdural Hematomas: A Retrospective Cohort Study Evaluating Reoperation Rates.

BACKGROUND: Antiplatelet therapy is common and complicates the operative management of subdural hematomas (SDH). The risk of reoperation inferred by antiplatelet medication and the ability of platelet transfusion to reduce hemorrhagic complications in patients presenting with antiplatelet associated SDHs are poorly defined. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of consecutive patients treated with craniotomy or craniectomy for evacuation of an acute or mixed-density SDH between 2012 and 2017 at 2 academic institutions. Exclusion criteria included anticoagulant therapy, thrombocytopenia, and/or international normalized ratio >1.3. Clinical and radiographic data were collected; primary endpoint was reoperation within 30 days. Logistic regression models were used to identify predictors of reoperation. RESULTS: A total of 195 patients were included: 86 patients on antiplatelet medication and 109 with no antithrombotic history. Overall, 24 (12.3%) of patients required a reoperation. Reoperation rate in patients on antiplatelet medication was not significantly different than those not on antithrombotics (14.0% vs. 11.0%, P = 0.53). Patients taking antiplatelet medication were significantly older, more likely to have medical comorbidities, and more likely to receive preoperative platelet transfusion (36.0% vs. 3.7%, P < 0.001). Of patients taking antiplatelet medications, there was no difference in reoperation rate between those patients receiving preoperative platelet transfusion and those not receiving transfusion (16.1% vs. 12.7%, P = 0.75). CONCLUSIONS: Antiplatelet medication was not a significant predictor of reoperation following evacuation of an acute or mixed-density SDH. In patients on antiplatelet medication, preoperative platelet transfusion did not reduce reoperation rates.

Assessment of the Reliability of the Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing as an Outcome Measure in Patients Undergoing Revision Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion.

BACKGROUND: Dysphagia is one of the most common complications of anterior cervical spine surgery, and there is a need to establish that the means of testing for it are reliable and valid. The objective of this study was to measure observer variability of the fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) test, specifically when used for evaluation of dysphagia in patients undergoing revisionary anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF). METHODS: Images from patients undergoing revision ACDF at a single institution were collected from May 1, 2010, through July 1, 2014. Two senior certified speech pathologists independently evaluated the swallowing function of patients preoperatively and at 2 weeks postoperatively. Their numeric evaluations of the Rosenbeck Penetration-Aspiration Scale and the Swallowing Performance Scale during the FEES were then compared for interrater reliability. RESULTS: Positive agreement between raters was 94% for the preoperative Penetration-Aspiration Scale (prevalence-adjusted bias-adjusted κ, 0.77). The postoperative Penetration-Aspiration Scale showed reliability coefficients for κ, Kendall's W, and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.34 (fair agreement), 0.70 (extremely strong agreement), and 0.35 (poor agreement), respectively. The preoperative Swallowing Performance Scale showed strong agreement, with a Kendall's W coefficient of 0.68, and fair reliability, with an ICC of 0.40. The postoperative Swallowing Performance Scale indicated extremely strong agreement between raters, with a Kendall's W of 0.82, and good agreement, with an ICC of 0.53. CONCLUSIONS: The FEES test appears to be a reliable assessor of dysphagia in patients undergoing ACDF and may be a useful measure for exploring outcomes in this population.

Thoracolumbar Injury Classification and Severity Score in Children: A Validity Study.

BACKGROUND: The Thoracolumbar Injury Classification and Severity Score (TLICS) has been shown to be a valid tool for assessing the need for surgical intervention in adult patients. There is limited insight into its usefulness in children. OBJECTIVE: To assess the validity of the TLICS system in pediatric patients. METHODS: The medical records for pediatric patients with acute, traumatic thoracolumbar fractures at two Level 1 trauma centers were reviewed retrospectively. A TLICS score was calculated for each patient using computed tomography and magnetic resonance images, along with the neurological examination recorded in the patient's medical record. TLICS scores were compared with the type of treatment received. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was employed to quantify the validity of the TLICS scoring system. RESULTS: TLICS calculations were completed for 165 patients. The mean TLICS score was 2.9 (standard deviation ± 2.7). Surgery was the treatment of choice for 23% of patients. There was statistically significant agreement between the TLICS suggested treatment and the actual treatment received (P < 0.001). The ROC curve calculated using multivariate logistic regression analysis of the TLICS system's parameters as a tool for predicting treatment demonstrated excellent discriminative ability, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.96, which was also statistically significant (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The TLICS system demonstrates good validity for selecting appropriate thoracolumbar fracture treatment in pediatric patients.