Esthesioneuroblastoma: A Comprehensive Review of Diagnosis, Management, and Current Treatment Options.

Introduction: Many controversies exist in the diagnosis and management of this aggressively malignant condition, mainly because of limited literature and lack of randomized control trials, resulting in nonstandardized treatment methods. We performed a comprehensive review of the literature to identify management approach and treatment options for esthesioneuroblastoma.

Methods: An extensive review of the published literature was conducted in PubMed, OVID Medline, and EMBASE journals for studies of esthesioneuroblastoma.

A brainstem mass of Müllerian type Epithelial Origin without any primary cancer source.

Brainstem tumors are rare, even rarer is a brainstem tumor containing tissues of an embryologic gynecologic origin. We report a very rare case of presence of a calcified heterogeneously contrast enhancing brainstem mass of Müllerian origin in a patient in a 38 year old female with no female genital tract cancer and past surgical history of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placement for congenital hydrocephalus. To our knowledge this is the very first and unusual case of a mass of gynecologic origin in the brainstem region especially in the setting of no history of gynecological tumor.

Retrospective Analysis of Ventriculitis in External Ventricular Drains.

Background: Nosocomial EVD-related ventriculitis is a major complication and a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill neurological patients. Questions remain about best management of EVDs. The purpose of this study is to compare our incidence of ventriculitis to studies using different catheters and/or antibiotic coverage schemes and determine whether c-EVD with prolonged antibiotics given for the duration of drain placement is inferior to ac-EVD with pp-abx or ac-EVD with prolonged antibiotics for prevention of ventriculitis.

Impact of robot-assisted spine surgery on health care quality and neurosurgical economics: A systemic review.

Whenever any new technology is introduced into the healthcare system, it should satisfy all three pillars of the iron triangle of health care, which are quality, cost-effectiveness, and accessibility. There has been quite advancement in the field of spine surgery in the last two decades with introduction of new technological modalities such as CAN and surgical robotic devices. MAZOR SpineAssist/Renaissance was the first robotic system to be approved for the use in spine surgeries in the USA in 2004.

Retrospective Review on Accuracy: A Pilot Study of Robotically Guided Thoracolumbar/Sacral Pedicle Screws Versus Fluoroscopy-Guided and Computerized Tomography Stealth-Guided Screws.

Introduction Pedicle screw insertion is the mainstay of thora-cic and lumbosacral posterior spinal instrumentation. However, it may be associated with complications such as screw mal-positioning. The purpose of this study was to develop a pilot study to compare the accuracy of robot-guided screw insertion versus hand-guided screw placement for spinal instrumentation.

Acute-onset cerebellar symptoms in Lhermitte-Duclos disease: case report.

Adult-onset Lhermitte-Duclos disease (LD), or dysplastic cerebellar gangliocytoma, is a hamartoma considered pathognomonic for Cowden disease. Classically, LD has a progressive and insidious onset of symptoms. In this case report, we present a patient having rapid neurological deterioration from acute-onset LD.

Lymphazurin 1% versus 99mTc sulfur colloid for lymphatic mapping in colorectal tumors: a comparative analysis.

Background: The combination of isosulfan blue (Lymphazurin) 1% and 99(m)Tc sulfur colloid (TSC) may improve the feasibility and accuracy of lymphatic mapping for colorectal cancer.

Methods: At laparotomy, 1 to 2 mL of isosulfan blue and 1 mCi of TSC were injected subserosally. Sentinel lymph node (SLN) designation was based on blue staining for isosulfan blue and increased radioactivity for TSC.