Neurosurgery residency and fellowship education in the United States: 2 decades of system development by the One Neurosurgery Summit organizations.

The purpose of this report is to chronicle a 2-decade period of educational innovation and improvement, as well as governance reform, across the specialty of neurological surgery. Neurological surgery educational and professional governance systems have evolved substantially over the past 2 decades with the goal of improving training outcomes, patient safety, and the quality of US neurosurgical care. Innovations during this period have included the following: creating a consensus national curriculum; standardizing the length and structure of neurosurgical training; introducing educational outcomes milestones and required case minimums; establishing national skills, safety, and professionalism courses; systematically accrediting subspecialty fellowships; expanding professional development for educators; promoting training in research; and coordinating policy and strategy through the cooperation of national stakeholder organizations. A series of education summits held between 2007 and 2009 restructured some aspects of neurosurgical residency training. Since 2010, ongoing meetings of the One Neurosurgery Summit have provided strategic coordination for specialty definition, neurosurgical education, public policy, and governance. The Summit now includes leadership representatives from the Society of Neurological Surgeons, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, the American Board of Neurological Surgery, the Review Committee for Neurological Surgery of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, the American Academy of Neurological Surgery, and the AANS/CNS Joint Washington Committee. Together, these organizations have increased the effectiveness and efficiency of the specialty of neurosurgery in advancing educational best practices, aligning policymaking, and coordinating strategic planning in order to meet the highest standards of professionalism and promote public health.

Molecular Classification of Gliomas is Associated with Seizure Control: A Retrospective Analysis.

Classically, histologic grading of gliomas has been used to predict seizure association, with low-grade gliomas associated with an increased incidence of seizures compared to high-grade gliomas. In 2016, WHO reclassified gliomas based on histology and molecular characteristics. We sought to determine whether molecular classification of gliomas is associated with preoperative seizure presentation and/or post-operative seizure control across multiple glioma subtypes. All gliomas operated at our institution from 2007 to 2017 were identified based on ICD 9 and 10 billing codes and were retrospectively assessed for molecular classification of the IDH1 mutation, and 1p/19q codeletion. Logistic regression models were performed to assess associations of seizures at presentation as well as post-operative seizures with IDH status and the new WHO integrated classification. Our study included 376 patients: 82 IDH mutant and 294 IDH wildtype. The presence of IDH mutation was associated with seizures at presentation [OR 3.135 (1.818-5.404), p < 0.001]. IDH-mutant glioblastomas presented with seizures less often than other IDH-mutant glioma subtypes grade II and III [OR 0.104 (0.032-0.340), p < 0.001]. IDH-mutant tumors were associated with worse post-operative seizure outcomes, demonstrated by Engel Class [OR 2.666 (1.592-4.464), p < 0.001]. IDH mutation in gliomas is associated with an increased risk of seizure development and worse post-operative seizure control, in all grades except for GBM.

Long-term pain outcomes in elderly patients with trigeminal neuralgia: comparison of first-time microvascular decompression and stereotactic radiosurgery.

OBJECTIVE: Common surgical treatments for trigeminal neuralgia (TN) include microvascular decompression (MVD) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). The use of MVD in elderly patients has been described but has yet to be prospectively compared to SRS, which is well-tolerated and noninvasive. The authors aimed to directly compare long-term pain control and adverse event rates for first-time surgical treatments for idiopathic TN in the elderly. METHODS: A prospectively collected database was reviewed for TN patients who had undergone treatment between 1997 and 2017 at a single institution. Standardized collection of preoperative demographics, surgical procedure, and postoperative outcomes was performed. Data analysis was limited to patients over the age of 65 years who had undergone a first-time procedure for the treatment of idiopathic TN with at least 1 year of follow-up. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-three patients meeting the study inclusion criteria underwent surgical procedures for TN during the study period (54 MVD, 24 MVD+Rhiz, 115 SRS). In patients in whom an artery was not compressing the trigeminal nerve during MVD, a partial sensory rhizotomy (MVD+Rhiz) was performed. Patients in the SRS cohort were older than those in the MVD and MVD+Rhiz cohorts (mean ± SD, 79.2 ± 7.8 vs 72.9 ± 5.7 and 70.9 ± 4.8 years, respectively; p < 0.0001) and had a higher mean Charlson Comorbidity Index (3.8 ± 1.1 vs 3.0 ± 0.9 and 2.9 ± 1.0, respectively; p < 0.0001). Immediate or short-term postoperative pain-free rates (Barrow Neurological Institute [BNI] pain intensity score I) were 98.1% for MVD, 95.8% for MVD+Rhiz, and 78.3% for SRS (p = 0.0008). At the last follow-up, 72.2% of MVD patients had a favorable outcome (BNI score I-IIIa) compared to 54.2% and 49.6% of MVD+Rhiz and SRS patients, respectively (p = 0.02). In total, 0 (0%) SRS, 5 (9.3%) MVD, and 1 (4.2%) MVD+Rhiz patients developed any adverse event. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis demonstrated that procedure type (p = 0.001) and postprocedure sensory change (p = 0.003) were statistically significantly associated with pain control. CONCLUSIONS: In this study cohort, patients who had undergone MVD had a statistically significantly longer duration of pain freedom than those who had undergone MVD+Rhiz or SRS as their first procedure. Fewer adverse events were seen after SRS, though the MVD-associated complication rate was comparable to published rates in younger patients. Overall, the results suggest that both MVD and SRS are effective options for the elderly, despite their advanced age. Treatment choice can be tailored to a patient's unique condition and wishes.

Comparison of Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Radiofrequency Ablation for Trigeminal Neuralgia in Multiple Sclerosis Patients.

BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment for medically refractory trigeminal neuralgia in multiple sclerosis (MS-TN) patients is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To compare treatment outcomes between stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA). METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of MS-TN patients treated with SRS or RFA between 2002 and 2019. Outcomes included degree of pain relief, pain recurrence, and sensory changes, segregated based on initial treatment, final treatment following retreatment with the same modality, and crossover patients. RESULTS: Sixty surgical cases for 42 MS-TN patients were reviewed. Initial pain freedom outcomes and rates of retreatment were similar (SRS: 30%; RFA: 42%). RFA resulted in faster onset of pain freedom (RFA: <1 week; SRS: 15 weeks; p < 0.001). SRS patients with pain relief had longer intervals to pain recurrence at 2 years (p = 0.044). Final treatment outcomes favored RFA for pain freedom/off-medication outcomes (RFA: 44%; SRS: 11%; p = 0.031), though RFA resulted in more paresthesia (RFA: 81%; SRS: 39%; p = 0.012). Both provided at least 80% of adequate pain relief. Crossover patients did not have improved pain relief. CONCLUSIONS: SRS and RFA are both valid surgical options for MS-TN. Discussion with providers will need to balance patient preference with their unique treatment characteristics.

A Survey of Neurological Surgery Residency Program Mentorship Practices Compared to Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Resident Outcome Data.

Mentorship can be a powerful and life-altering experience during residency training, but there are few articles discussing mentorship models within neurosurgery. In this study, we surveyed US neurosurgical department mentorship practices and linked them to resident outcomes from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), including resident survey responses, board pass rates, and scholarly activity. A 19-question survey was conducted from October to December 2017 with the assistance of the Society of Neurological Surgeons. De-identified data were then obtained from the ACGME and correlated to these results. Out of 110 programs, 80 (73%) responded to the survey and gave informed consent. The majority (65%) had a formal mentorship program and assigned mentor relationships based on subspecialty or research interest. Barriers to mentorship were identified as time and faculty/resident "buy-in." Mentorship programs established for 5 or more years had superior resident ACGME outcomes, such as board pass rates, survey results, and scholarly activity. There was not a significant difference in ACGME outcomes among programs with formal or informal/no mentorship model (P = .17). Programs that self-identified as having an "unsuccessful" mentorship program had significant increases in overall negative resident evaluations (P = .02). Programs with well-established mentorship programs were found to have superior ACGME resident survey results, board pass rates, and more scholarly activity. There was not a significant difference among outcomes and the different models of formal mentorship practices. Barriers to mentorship, such as time and faculty/resident "buy-in," are identified.

Direct and indirect costs associated with stereotactic radiosurgery or open surgery for medial temporal lobe epilepsy: Results from the ROSE trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a less-invasive approach to surgery for medically refractory temporal lobe epilepsy is associated with lower health care costs and costs of lost productivity over time, compared to open surgery. METHODS: We compared direct medical costs and indirect productivity costs associated with treatment with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) or anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) in the ROSE (Radiosurgery or Open Surgery for Epilepsy) trial. Health care use was abstracted from hospital bills, the study database, and diaries in which participants recorded health care use and time lost from work while seeking care. Costs of use were calculated using a Medicare costing approach used in a prior study of the costs of ATL. The power of many analyses was limited by the sample size and data skewing. RESULTS: Combined treatment and follow-up costs (in thousands of US dollars) did not differ between SRS (n = 20, mean = $76.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 50.7-115.6) and ATL (n = 18, mean = $79.0, 95% CI = 60.09-103.8). Indirect costs also did not differ. More ATL than SRS participants were free of consciousness-impairing seizures in each year of follow-up (all P < 0.05). Costs declined following ATL (P = 0.005). Costs tended to increase over the first 18 months following SRS (P = 0.17) and declined thereafter (P = 0.06). This mostly reflected hospitalizations for SRS-related adverse events in the second year of follow-up. SIGNIFICANCE: Lower initial costs of SRS for medial temporal lobe epilepsy were largely offset by hospitalization costs related to adverse events later in the course of follow-up. Future studies of less-invasive alternatives to ATL will need to assess adverse events and major costs systematically and prospectively to understand the economic implications of adopting these technologies.

Peroneal nerve decompression: institutional review and meta-analysis to identify prognostic associations with favorable and unfavorable surgical outcomes.

OBJECTIVEA common cause of peroneal neuropathy is compression near the fibular head. Studies demonstrate excellent outcomes after decompression but include few cases (range 15-60 patients). Consequently, attempts to define predictors of good outcomes are limited. Here, the authors combine their institutional outcomes with those in the literature to identify predictors of good outcomes after peroneal nerve decompression.METHODSThe authors searched their institutional electronic medical records to identify all peroneal nerve decompressions performed in the period between December 1, 2012, and September 30, 2016, and created an IRB-approved database. They also conducted a MEDLINE and literature search to identify articles discussing surgical decompression. All data were combined by meta-analysis to identify the factors associated with a favorable outcome, which was defined as improvement in preoperative symptoms. Patients were analyzed in the aggregate and by presentation (pain, paresthesias, weakness, foot drop). The factors evaluated included age, sex, body mass index, diabetes, smoking status, previous knee or lumbar spine surgery, preoperative symptom duration, and etiology. A meta-analysis was completed for any factor evaluated in at least three data sets.RESULTSTwenty-one institutional cases had sufficient data for review. The follow-up among this group was long: median 29 months, range 12-52 months. On aggregate analysis of the data, only diabetes was significantly associated with unfavorable outcomes after decompression (p = 0.05). A trend toward worse outcomes was seen in smokers presenting with pain (p = 0.06). Outcomes were not affected by presentation.An additional 115 cases in the literature had extractable data for meta-analysis, and other associations were seen. Preoperative symptom duration longer than 12 months was associated with unfavorable outcomes (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.08-0.65). Patients presenting with paresthesias or hypesthesia demonstrated a trend toward more unfavorable outcomes when operated on more than 6 months after symptom onset (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.13-1.06). Even after the meta-analysis, outcomes did not vary with an advanced age (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.24-1.98) or with patient sex (OR 1.13, 95% CI 0.42-3.06).CONCLUSIONSThe authors provide their institutional data in combination with published data regarding outcomes after peroneal nerve decompression. Outcomes are typically favorable and generally unaffected by the type of symptoms preoperatively, especially if the patient is nondiabetic and preoperative symptom duration is less than 12 months. Patients with paresthesias may benefit from surgery within 6 months after onset. Smoking may adversely affect surgical outcomes. Finally, an advanced age does not adversely affect outcomes, and older patients should be considered for surgery.

Visual field defects after radiosurgery versus temporal lobectomy for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy: Findings of the ROSE trial.

PURPOSE: Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) may be an alternative to anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). Visual field defects (VFD) occur in 9-100% of patients following open surgery for MTLE. Postoperative VFD after minimally invasive versus open surgery may differ. METHODS: This prospective trial randomized patients with unilateral hippocampal sclerosis and concordant video-EEG findings to SRS versus ATL. Humphries perimetry was obtained at 24 m after surgery. VFD ratios (VFDR = proportion of missing homonymous hemifield with 0 = no VFD, 0.5 = complete superior quadrantanopsia) quantified VFD. Regressions of VFDR were evaluated against treatment arm and covariates. MRI evaluated effects of volume changes on VFDR. The relationships of VFDR with seizure remission and driving status 3 years after surgery were evaluated. RESULTS: No patients reported visual changes or had abnormal bedside examinations, but 49 of 54 (91%) of patients experienced VFD on formal perimetry. Neither incidence nor severity of VFDR differed significantly by treatment arm. VFDR severity was not associated with seizure remission or driving status. CONCLUSION: The nature of VFD was consistent with lesions of the optic radiations. Effective surgery (defined by seizure remission) of the mesial temporal lobe results in about a 90% incidence of typical VFD regardless of method.

Long-term pain outcomes for recurrent idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia after stereotactic radiosurgery: a prospective comparison of first-time microvascular decompression and repeat stereotactic radiosurgery.

OBJECTIVE: Microvascular decompression (MVD) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) are common surgical treatments for trigeminal neuralgia (TN). Many patients who receive SRS have pain recurrence; the ideal second intervention is unknown. The authors directly compared pain outcomes after MVD and repeat SRS in a population of patients in whom SRS failed as their first-line procedure for TN, and they identified predictors of pain control. METHODS: The authors reviewed a prospectively collected database of patients undergoing surgery for TN between 1997 and 2014 at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Standardized data collection focused on preoperative clinical characteristics, surgical characteristics, and postoperative outcomes. Patients with typical type 1, idiopathic TN with ≥ 1 year of follow-up were included. RESULTS: In total, 168 patients underwent SRS as their first procedure. Of these patients, 90 had residual or recurrent pain. Thirty of these patients underwent a second procedure at UCSF and had ≥ 1 year of follow-up; 15 underwent first-time MVD and 15 underwent repeat SRS. Patients undergoing MVD were younger than those receiving repeat SRS and were more likely to receive ≥ 80 Gy during the initial SRS. The average follow-up was 44.9 ± 33.6 months for MVD and 48.3 ± 45.3 months for SRS. All patients achieved complete pain freedom without medication at some point during their follow-up. At last follow-up, 80% of MVD-treated patients and 33.3% of SRS-treated patients had a favorable outcome, defined as Barrow Neurological Institute Pain Intensity scores of I-IIIa (p < 0.05). Percentages of patients with favorable outcome at 1 and 5 years were 86% and 75% for the MVD cohort and 73% and 27% for the SRS cohort, respectively (p < 0.05). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis demonstrated that performing MVD was statistically significantly associated with favorable outcome (HR 0.12, 95% CI 0.02-0.60, p < 0.01). There were no statistically significant predictors of favorable outcome in the MVD cohort; however, the presence of sensory changes after repeat SRS was associated with pain relief (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who received MVD after failed SRS had a longer duration of favorable outcome compared to those who received repeat SRS; however, both modalities are safe and effective. The presence of post-SRS sensory changes was predictive of a favorable pain outcome in the SRS cohort.

External cortical landmarks for localization of the hippocampus: Application for temporal lobectomy and amygdalohippocampectomy.

BACKGROUND: Accessing the hippocampus for amygdalohippocampectomy and minimally invasive procedures, such as depth electrode placement, require an accurate knowledge regarding the location of the hippocampus. METHODS: The authors removed 10 human cadaveric brains from the cranium and observed the relationships between the lateral temporal neocortex and the underlying hippocampus. They then measured the distance between the hippocampus and superficial landmarks. The authors also validated their study using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of 10 patients suffering from medial temporal lobe sclerosis where the distance from the hippocampal head to the anterior temporal tip was measured. RESULTS: In general, the length of the hippocampus was along the inferior temporal sulcus and inferior aspect of the middle temporal gyrus. Although the hippocampus tended to be more superiorly located in female specimens and on the left side, this did not reach statistical significance. The length of the hippocampus tended to be shorter in females, but this too failed to reach statistical significance. The mean distance from the anterior temporal tip to the hippocampal head was identical in the cadavers and MRIs of patients with medial temporal lobe sclerosis. CONCLUSIONS: Additional landmarks for localizing the underlying hippocampus may be helpful in temporal lobe surgery. Based on this study, there are relatively constant anatomical landmarks between the hippocampus and overlying temporal cortex. Such landmarks may be used in localizing the hippocampus during amygdalohippocampectomy and depth electrode implantation in verifying the accuracy of image-guided methods and as adjuvant methodologies when these latter technologies are not used or are unavailable.

Radiosurgery versus open surgery for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy: The randomized, controlled ROSE trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) versus anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) for patients with pharmacoresistant unilateral mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). METHODS: This randomized, single-blinded, controlled trial recruited adults eligible for open surgery among 14 centers in the USA, UK, and India. Treatment was either SRS at 24 Gy to the 50% isodose targeting mesial structures, or standardized ATL. Outcomes were seizure remission (absence of disabling seizures between 25 and 36 months), verbal memory (VM), and quality of life (QOL) at 36-month follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 58 patients (31 in SRS, 27 in ATL) were treated. Sixteen (52%) SRS and 21 (78%) ATL patients achieved seizure remission (difference between ATL and SRS = 26%, upper 1-sided 95% confidence interval = 46%, P value at the 15% noninferiority margin = .82). Mean VM changes from baseline for 21 English-speaking, dominant-hemisphere patients did not differ between groups; consistent worsening occurred in 36% of SRS and 57% of ATL patients. QOL improved with seizure remission. Adverse events were anticipated cerebral edema and related symptoms for some SRS patients, and cerebritis, subdural hematoma, and others for ATL patients. SIGNIFICANCE: These data suggest that ATL has an advantage over SRS in terms of proportion of seizure remission, and both SRS and ATL appear to have effectiveness and reasonable safety as treatments for MTLE. SRS is an alternative to ATL for patients with contraindications for or with reluctance to undergo open surgery.

Prospective comparison of long-term pain relief rates after first-time microvascular decompression and stereotactic radiosurgery for trigeminal neuralgia.

OBJECTIVE Common surgical treatments for trigeminal neuralgia (TN) include microvascular decompression (MVD), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), and radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Although the efficacy of each procedure has been described, few studies have directly compared these treatment modalities on pain control for TN. Using a large prospective longitudinal database, the authors aimed to 1) directly compare long-term pain control rates for first-time surgical treatments for idiopathic TN, and 2) identify predictors of pain control. METHODS The authors reviewed a prospectively collected database for all patients who underwent treatment for TN between 1997 and 2014 at the University of California, San Francisco. Standardized collection of data on preoperative clinical characteristics, surgical procedure, and postoperative outcomes was performed. Data analyses were limited to those patients who received a first-time procedure for treatment of idiopathic TN with > 1 year of follow-up. RESULTS Of 764 surgical procedures performed at the University of California, San Francisco, for TN (364 SRS, 316 MVD, and 84 RFA), 340 patients underwent first-time treatment for idiopathic TN (164 MVD, 168 SRS, and 8 RFA) and had > 1 year of follow-up. The analysis was restricted to patients who underwent MVD or SRS. Patients who received MVD were younger than those who underwent SRS (median age 63 vs 72 years, respectively; p < 0.001). The mean follow-up was 59 ± 35 months for MVD and 59 ± 45 months for SRS. Approximately 38% of patients who underwent MVD or SRS had > 5 years of follow-up (60 of 164 and 64 of 168 patients, respectively). Immediate or short-term (< 3 months) postoperative pain-free rates (Barrow Neurological Institute Pain Intensity score of I) were 96% for MVD and 75% for SRS. Percentages of patients with Barrow Neurological Institute Pain Intensity score of I at 1, 5, and 10 years after MVD were 83%, 61%, and 44%, and the corresponding percentages after SRS were 71%, 47%, and 27%, respectively. The median time to pain recurrence was 94 months (25th-75th quartiles: 57-131 months) for MVD and 53 months (25th-75th quartiles: 37-69 months) for SRS (p = 0.006). A subset of patients who had MVD also underwent partial sensory rhizotomy, usually in the setting of insignificant vascular compression. Compared with MVD alone, those who underwent MVD plus partial sensory rhizotomy had shorter pain-free intervals (median 45 months vs no median reached; p = 0.022). Multivariable regression demonstrated that shorter preoperative symptom duration (HR 1.005, 95% CI 1.001-1.008; p = 0.006) was associated with favorable outcome for MVD and that post-SRS sensory changes (HR 0.392, 95% CI 0.213-0.723; p = 0.003) were associated with favorable outcome for SRS. CONCLUSIONS In this longitudinal study, patients who received MVD had longer pain-free intervals compared with those who underwent SRS. For patients who received SRS, postoperative sensory change was predictive of favorable outcome. However, surgical decision making depends upon many factors. This information can help physicians counsel patients with idiopathic TN on treatment selection.

Hospital Length of Stay and Readmission Rate for Neurosurgical Patients.

BACKGROUND: Hospital readmission rate has become a major indicator of quality of care, with penalties given to hospitals with high rates of readmission. At the same time, insurers are increasing pressure for greater efficiency and reduced costs, including decreasing hospital lengths of stay (LOS). OBJECTIVE: To analyze the authors' service to determine if there is a relationship between LOS and readmission rates. METHODS: Records of patients admitted to the authors' institution from October 2007 through June 2014 were analyzed for several data points, including initial LOS, readmission occurrence, admitting and secondary diagnoses, and discharge disposition. RESULTS: Out of 9409 patient encounters, there were 925 readmissions. Average LOS was 6 d. Univariate analysis indicated a higher readmission rate with more diagnoses upon admission (P < .001) and an association between insurance type and readmission (P < .001), as well as decreasing average yearly LOS (P = .0045). Multivariate analysis indicated statistically significant associations between longer LOS (P = .03) and government insurance (P < .01). CONCLUSION: A decreasing LOS over time has been associated with an increasing readmission rate at the population level. However, at the individual level, a prolonged LOS was associated with a higher risk of readmission. This was attributed to patient comorbidities. However, this increasing readmission rate may represent many factors including patients' overall health status. Thus, the rate of readmission may represent a burden of illness rather than a valid metric for quality of care.

The impact of the 2006 Massachusetts health care reform law on spine surgery patient payer-mix status and age.

OBJECTIVE Several similarities exist between the Massachusetts health care reform law of 2006 and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The authors' prior neurosurgical research showed a decrease in uninsured surgeries without a significant change in surgical volume after the Massachusetts reform. An analysis of the payer-mix status and the age of spine surgery patients, before and after the policy, should provide insight into the future impact of the ACA on spine surgery in the US. METHODS Using the Massachusetts State Inpatient Database and spine ICD-9-CM procedure codes, the authors obtained demographic information on patients undergoing spine surgery between 2001 and 2012. Payer-mix status was assigned as Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, uninsured, or other, which included government-funded programs and workers' compensation. A comparison of the payer-mix status and patient age, both before and after the policy, was performed. The New York State data were used as a control. RESULTS The authors analyzed 81,821 spine surgeries performed in Massachusetts and 248,757 in New York. After 2008, there was a decrease in uninsured and private insurance spine surgeries, with a subsequent increase in the Medicare and "other" categories for Massachusetts. Medicaid case numbers did not change. This correlated to an increase in surgeries performed in the age group of patients 65-84 years old, with a decrease in surgeries for those 18-44 years old. New York showed an increase in all insurance categories and all adult age groups. CONCLUSIONS After the Massachusetts reform, spine surgery decreased in private insurance and uninsured categories, with the majority of these surgeries transitioning to Medicare. Moreover, individuals who were younger than 65 years did not show an increase in spine surgeries, despite having greater access to health insurance. In a health care system that requires insurance, the decrease in private insurance is primarily due to an increasing elderly population. The Massachusetts model continues to show that this type of policy is not causing extreme shifts in the payer mix, and suggests that spine surgery will continue to thrive in the current US health care system.

Enhanced classical complement pathway activation and altered phagocytosis signaling molecules in human epilepsy.

Microglia-mediated neuroinflammation is widely associated with seizures and epilepsy. Although microglial cells are professional phagocytes, less is known about the status of this phenotype in epilepsy. Recent evidence supports that phagocytosis-associated molecules from the classical complement (C1q-C3) play novel roles in microglia-mediated synaptic pruning. Interestingly, in human and experimental epilepsy, altered mRNA levels of complement molecules were reported. Therefore, to identify a potential role for complement and microglia in the synaptodendritic pathology of epilepsy, we determined the protein levels of classical complement proteins (C1q-C3) along with other phagocytosis signaling molecules in human epilepsy. Cortical brain samples surgically resected from patients with refractory epilepsy (RE) and non-epileptic lesions (NE) were examined. Western blotting was used to determine the levels of phagocytosis signaling proteins such as the complements C1q and C3, MerTK, Trem2, and Pros1 along with cleaved-caspase 3. In addition, immunostaining was used to determine the distribution of C1q and co-localization to microglia and dendrites. We found that the RE samples had significantly increased protein levels of C1q (p=0.034) along with those of its downstream activation product iC3b (p=0.027), and decreased levels of Trem2 (p=0.045) and Pros1 (p=0.005) when compared to the NE group. Protein levels of cleaved-caspase 3 were not different between the groups (p=0.695). In parallel, we found C1q localization to microglia and dendrites in both NE and RE samples, and also observed substantial microglia-dendritic interactions in the RE tissue. These data suggest that aberrant phagocytic signaling occurs in human refractory epilepsy. It is likely that alteration of phagocytic pathways may contribute to unwanted elimination of cells/synapses and/or impaired clearance of dead cells. Future studies will investigate whether altered complement signaling contributes to the hyperexcitability that result in epilepsy.

Neurosurgical Education in a Changing Healthcare and Regulatory Environment: A Consensus Statement from 6 Programs.

The purpose of neurosurgical education is to teach the clinical knowledge and surgical skills necessary to become a neurosurgeon. Another goal is to inculcate the principles of the scientific method. However, increasing expectations about attending involvement during surgery, duty hour requirements, and new curricular mandates have put programs under stress to ensure adequate training, in less time, in an environment of limited resident independence. More recently, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has developed a new tracking process based on "milestones" or defined educational outcomes. At the same time, our healthcare system is undergoing a rapid socioeconomic transition in organization and payment models, which traditionally has not been a focus of formal teaching. A 2008 survey conducted by the Council of State Neurosurgical Societies found that graduating residents felt inadequately prepared in areas like contract negotiation, practice evaluation, and management.

Impact of the 2006 Massachusetts health care insurance reform on neurosurgical procedures and patient insurance status.

OBJECTIVE The Massachusetts health care insurance reform law passed in 2006 has many similarities to the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA). To address concerns that the ACA might negatively impact case volume and reimbursement for physicians, the authors analyzed trends in the number of neurosurgical procedures by type and patient insurance status in Massachusetts before and after the implementation of the state's health care insurance reform. The results can provide insight into the future of neurosurgery in the American health care system. METHODS The authors analyzed data from the Massachusetts State Inpatient Database on patients who underwent neurosurgical procedures in Massachusetts from 2001 through 2012. These data included patients' insurance status (insured or uninsured) and the numbers of procedures performed classified by neurosurgical procedural codes of the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM). Each neurosurgical procedure was grouped into 1 of 4 categories based on ICD-9-CM codes: 1) tumor, 2) other cranial/vascular, 3) shunts, and 4) spine. Comparisons were performed of the numbers of procedures performed and uninsured patients, before and after the implementation of the reform law. Data from the state of New York were used as a control. All data were controlled for population differences. RESULTS After 2008, there were declines in the numbers of uninsured patients who underwent neurosurgical procedures in Massachusetts in all 4 categories. The number of procedures performed for tumor and spine were unchanged, whereas other cranial/vascular procedures increased. Shunt procedures decreased after implementation of the reform law but exhibited a similar trend to the control group. In New York, the number of spine surgeries increased, as did the percentage of procedures performed on uninsured patients. Other cranial/vascular procedures decreased. CONCLUSIONS After the Massachusetts health care insurance reform, the number of uninsured individuals undergoing neurosurgical procedures significantly decreased for all categories, but more importantly, the total number of surgeries performed did not change dramatically. To the extent that trends in Massachusetts can predict the overall US experience, we can expect that some aspects of reimbursement may be positively impacted by the ACA. Neurosurgeons, who often treat patients with urgent conditions, may be affected differently than other specialists.

Neurological outcomes and surgical complications in 221 spinal nerve sheath tumors.

OBJECTIVE Among all primary spinal neoplasms, approximately two-thirds are intradural extramedullary lesions; nerve sheath tumors, mainly neurofibromas and schwannomas, comprise approximately half of them. Given the rarity of these lesions, reports of surgical complications are limited. The aim of this study was to identify the rates of new or worsening neurological deficits and surgical complications associated with the resection of spinal nerve sheath tumors and the potential factors related to these outcomes. METHODS Patients were identified through a search of an institutional neuropathology database and a separate review of current procedural terminology (CPT) codes. Age, sex, clinical presentation, presence of neurofibromatosis (NF), tumor type, tumor location, extent of resection characterized as gross total or subtotal, use of intraoperative neuromonitoring, surgical complications, presence of neurological deficit, and clinical follow-up were recorded. RESULTS Two hundred twenty-one tumors in 199 patients with a mean age of 45 years were identified. Fifty-three tumors were neurofibromas; 163, schwannomas; and 5, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs). There were 70 complications in 221 cases, a rate of 32%, which included 34 new or worsening sensory symptoms (15%), 12 new or worsening motor deficits (5%), 10 CSF leaks or pseudomeningoceles (4%), 11 wound infections (5%), 5 cases of spinal deformity (2%), and 6 others (2 spinal epidural hematomas, 1 nonoperative cranial subdural hematoma, 1 deep venous thrombosis, 1 case of urinary retention, and 1 recurrent laryngeal nerve injury). Complications were more common in cervical (36%) and lumbosacral (38%) tumors than in thoracic (18%) lesions (p = 0.021). Intradural and dumbbell lesions were associated with higher rates of CSF leakage, pseudomeningocele, and wound infection. Complications were present in 18 neurofibromas (34%), 50 schwannomas (31%), and 2 MPNSTs (40%); the differences in frequency were not significant (p = 0.834). Higher complication rates were observed in patients with NF than in patients without (38% vs 30%, p = 0.189), although rates were higher in NF Type 2 than in Type 1 (64% vs 31%). There was no difference in the use of intraoperative neuromonitoring when comparing cases with surgical complications and those without (67% vs 69%, p = 0.797). However, the use of neuromonitoring was associated with a significantly higher rate of gross-total resection (79% vs 66%, p = 0.022). CONCLUSIONS Resection is a safe and effective treatment for spinal nerve sheath tumors. Approximately 30% of patients developed a postoperative complication, most commonly new or worsening sensory deficits. This rate probably represents an inevitable complication of nerve sheath tumor surgery given the intimacy of these lesions with functional neural elements.

Results of Spinal Fusion After Spinal Nerve Sheath Tumor Resection.

INTRODUCTION: Intradural extramedullary spine tumors, approximately one-half of which are peripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNSTs), comprise two-thirds of primary spinal neoplasms. Given the rarity of PNSTs and the restricted indications for adding fusion to laminectomy for tumor resection, analyses of spinal fusion outcomes are limited. METHODS: Demographics, clinical presentation, tumor characteristics, extent of resection, spinal fusion, complications, and clinical follow-up were recorded retrospectively. RESULTS: A total of 221 tumors in 199 patients were identified (53 neurofibromas, 163 schwannomas, 5 malignant PNSTs); 78 patients underwent fusion (70 instrumented; 8 noninstrumented). Fusion rates were higher for extradural versus intradural lesions (60% vs. 29%; P = 0.001) and for tumors involving the cervicothoracic junction (88% vs. 31%, P < 0.001). There was no difference in fusion rates based on pathology. Rates of new or worsening sensory (19% in fusion vs. 13% in nonfused) or motor deficits (8% in fused vs. 4% in nonfused), wound infection (3% in fused vs. 6% in nonfused) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak or pseudomeningocele (6% in fused vs. 4% in nonfused) were not statistically different. There were 10 fusion-related complications: 6 adjacent segment disease, 3 implant failures, and 1 pseudoarthrosis. Mean time from surgery to last follow-up was 32 months. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort, PNSTs in the cervical spine, spanning the cervicothoracic junction, and extradural tumors were associated with higher rates of spinal fusion. Fusion was not associated with new or worsening motor/sensory deficits, CSF leak, pseudomeningocele, wound infection, or spinal deformity. Overall, spinal fusions were well tolerated and did not increase the risk of postoperative complications.