Interventions for idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

Background: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) has an estimated incidence of one to three people per 100,000 people per year, and occurs most commonly in obese, young women. IIH is associated with severe morbidity, notably due to a significant threat to sight and severe headache. Several different management options have been proposed.

Publication fate of abstracts presented at Society of British Neurological Surgeons meetings.

Introduction: Society of British Neurological Surgeons (SBNS) meetings are important national events which allow for the presentation of current academic work. The publication rate of presented abstracts is considered a proxy marker of the scientific strength of a conference. We aimed to determine the publication fate of presented abstracts at SBNS meetings over a 5-year period.

Postoperative spinal epidural hematoma (SEH): incidence, risk factors, onset, and management.

Background Context: Spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) is a rare, yet potentially devastating complication of spinal surgery. There is limited evidence available regarding the risk factors and timing for development of symptomatic SEH after spinal surgery.

Purpose: To assess the incidence, risk factors, time of the onset, and effect of early evacuation of symptomatic SEH after spinal surgery.

Unlocking the 'locked-in syndrome'.

We present a case of a 48-year-old man who was initially thought to have had a brainstem stroke and was clinically 'locked-in'. Upon investigation, a petrous apex dural atriovenous fistula was identified causing profound brainstem venous hypertension. Surgical clipping lead to complete neurological recovery.

Surgery for cervical radiculopathy or myelopathy.

Background: Cervical spondylosis causes pain and disability by compressing the spinal cord or roots. Surgery to relieve the compression may reduce the pain and disability, but is associated with a small but definite risk. .

Cochrane review on the role of surgery in cervical spondylotic radiculomyelopathy.

Study Design: This study involved a search of MEDLINE (1966 to 2000), EMBASE (1980 to 2000), and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register. The authors of the identified randomized controlled trials were contacted to detect any additional published or unpublished data. The trials selected for this study included all the truly unconfounded or quasi-randomized controlled investigations allocating patients with cervical radiculopathy or myelopathy to 1) "best medical management" or "decompressive surgery (with or without some form of fusion) plus best medical management," or 2) "early decompressive surgery" or "delayed decompressive surgery.