Robotic Applications in Cranial Neurosurgery: Current and Future.

Robotics applied to cranial surgery is a fast-moving and fascinating field, which is transforming the practice of neurosurgery. With exponential increases in computing power, improvements in connectivity, artificial intelligence, and enhanced precision of accessing target structures, robots are likely to be incorporated into more areas of neurosurgery in the future-making procedures safer and more efficient. Overall, improved efficiency can offset upfront costs and potentially prove cost-effective.

Electrode Placement Accuracy in Robot-Assisted Asleep Deep Brain Stimulation.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) involves the implantation of electrodes into specific central brain structures for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Image guidance and robot-assisted techniques have been developed to assist in the accuracy of electrode placement. Traditional DBS is performed with the patient awake and utilizes microelectrode recording for feedback, which yields lengthy operating room times.

Resistance to venous flow: A mathematical description and implications for compartment syndromes.

Background: The object of this work was to describe resistance to flow within a vein in a closed compartment.

Methods: A vein is mathematically modeled as a collapsible cylinder with fixed perimeter exposed to extraluminal hydrostatic pressure within a closed compartment of the body. The principle of minimization of energy is used to determine the cross-sectional area and resistance to flow through such a cylinder in various states of collapse.

Are upright lateral cervical radiographs in the obtunded trauma patient useful? A retrospective study.

Background: The best method for radiographic "clearance" of the cervical spine in obtunded patients prior to removal of cervical immobilization devices remains debated. Dynamic radiographs or MRI are thought to demonstrate unstable injuries, but can be expensive and cumbersome to obtain. An upright lateral cervical radiograph (ULCR) was performed in selected patients to investigate whether this study could provide this same information, to enable removal of cervical immobilization devices in the multiple trauma patient.

The benefit of neurogenic mixed evoked potentials for intraoperative spinal cord monitoring during correction of severe scoliosis: a case study.

Study Design: A case report is presented.

Objective: To present a case in which surgical correction of a severe scoliotic curve caused unilateral loss of neurogenic mixed evoked potential data despite unchanged somatosensory data.

Summary Of Background Data: Surgical correction of large scoliotic curves presents a risk to the function of the spinal cord.