Publications by authors named "Emad Al Azazi"

Article Synopsis
  • This study examines the effectiveness of oral ketamine as a pain reliever after major spine surgery, noting its potential to reduce reliance on opioids, which have problematic side effects.
  • Conducted at Toronto Western Hospital, the trial was randomized and placebo-controlled involving 35 adult patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery.
  • While there were no significant differences in overall recovery or pain scores between ketamine and placebo groups, those receiving ketamine used fewer opioids post-surgery and reported some benefits such as improved recovery.
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Neurological and cardiovascular disorders are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. While the effects of cardiovascular disease (CD) on the nervous system are well understood, understanding of the reciprocal relationship has only recently become clearer. Based on disability-adjusted life years, this systematic review and meta-analysis present the pooled incidence and association of CD in 4 selected common, noncommunicable neurological disorders: (1) migraine, (2) Alzheimer disease and other dementias, (3) epilepsy, and (4) head injury.

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Brain and heart interact through multiple ways. Heart rate variability, a non-invasive measurement is studied extensively as a predicting model for various health conditions including subarachnoid hemorrhage, cancer, and diabetes. There is limited evidence to predict delirium, an acute fluctuating disorder of brain dysfunction, as it poses a significant challenge in the intensive care unit (ICU) and post-operative setting.

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Background: Autonomic dysfunction, commonly seen in patients with cervical myelopathy, may lead to a decrease in blood pressure intraoperatively.

Objective: The aim of our study is to determine if changes in Heart rate variability (HRV) could predict hypotension after induction of anesthesia in patients with cervical myelopathy undergoing spine surgery.

Methods And Material: In this prospective observational study, 47 patients with cervical myelopathy were included.

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Article Synopsis
  • High-grade gliomas lead to significant health challenges due to their aggressive nature, and treatments typically involve surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, but the impact of anesthetics on glioma progression is unclear.
  • A study analyzed outcomes in 891 patients who had high-grade glioma surgery using either awake craniotomy (21%) or general anesthesia (79%), focusing on progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), pain scores, and hospital stays.
  • Results showed no significant difference in PFS or OS between the two groups, but awake craniotomy patients had a shorter hospital stay; further research is needed to understand the anesthetics' effects on glioma outcomes.
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Background: According to early reports, patients affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are at an increased risk of developing cerebrovascular events, including acute ischemic stroke (AIS). The COVID-19 pandemic may also impose difficulties in managing AIS patients undergoing endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), as well as concerns for the safety of health care providers. This international global survey aims to gather and summarize information from tertiary care stroke centers on periprocedural pathways and endovascular management of AIS patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The trigeminocardiac reflex is a well-described brainstem reflex that clinically manifests as bradycardia, hypotension, or apnea. This physiological phenomenon is extensively reported during open neurosurgical procedures, but very few data exist for trigeminocardiac reflex occurrence during neurointerventional procedures. This systematic review aims to provide aggregated information related to the trigeminocardiac reflex during neurointerventional procedures and to improve understanding of the various mechanisms that can incite this unique brain-heart crosstalk.

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