An Overview of Global Neurosurgery.

Until recently, surgery had been passed over in the domain of global health, historically being described as "the neglected stepchild of global health." Knowledge of the existing global disparities in neurosurgical care has led to neurosurgery capacity-building efforts especially in low-income and middle-income countries. While many global collaborative projects are currently undertaken with philanthropic support, sustainability and scalability are not likely without governmental adoption of neurosurgery-inclusive national surgical plans.

Perceived Barriers to Pursuing a Career in Neurosurgery in Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Nigerian Medical Students and Unspecialized Physicians.

Background: Nigeria has an inadequate number of neurosurgeons to meet the population's demand for neurosurgical care. Furthermore, few Nigerian neurosurgeons are female. This study sought to evaluate perceived barriers to pursuing neurosurgery among Nigerian trainees.

Surgical treatment of pediatric low-grade glioma in developing countries.

Pediatric low-grade gliomas constitute the most common brain tumors worldwide, though with some peculiarities in the presentation and surgical care in different parts of the world. The symptomatology in developing countries is likely to be over longer periods with a tendency to delayed diagnosis due to cultural, religious beliefs, manpower, and infrastructural deficits. Thus, the children present with large tumors with attendant morbidities and an increased risk of mortalities from surgery.

Pediatric brain tumors in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Brain tumors are a global problem, leading to higher cancer-related morbidity and mortality rates in children. Despite the progressive though slow advances in neuro-oncology care, research, and diagnostics in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the epidemiological landscape of pediatric brain tumors (PBTs) remains underestimated. This study aimed to systematically analyze the distribution of PBT types in SSA.

Surgical residents as "second victims" following exposure to medical errors in a tertiary health training facility in Nigeria: a phenomenology study.

Introduction: The "second victim" phenomenon refers to the distress and other negative consequences that physicians experience when they commit medical error. There has been increasing awareness about this phenomenon and efforts are being made to address it. However, there is dearth of information about it in developing countries.

Clinical profile and outcome of surgical management of intramedullary spinal cord tumours: A single center study in a developing country.

Objective: There is as yet a paucity of data on intramedullary spinal cord tumours (IMSCTs) in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aims to define the clinical profile and outcome of management of IMSCTs in a Nigerian tertiary hospital.

Methods: This is a retrospective study of all the patients who had surgery for IMSCTs in our hospital over a 14 year period.

Do the indices of deprivation or smoking affect post-operative 1-year mortality in patients undergoing a craniotomy for a brain tumour in a public healthcare system?

Objective: We sought to determine the 1-year survival following craniotomy for tumour resection in a public healthcare system and analyse the effect of indices of multiple deprivation (IMD) as well as smoking, alcohol, BMI, ASA grade and medical co-morbidities on post-operative morbidity and mortality.

Methods: This is a retrospective, single-centre study in a high volume neurosurgical centre, over a 2-year period. All patients undergoing a craniotomy for a brain tumour were included.

Navigating the learning curve with large and giant tumors: Initial experience with endoscopic endonasal transphenoidal resection of PitNETs.

Background: The endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) has progressively become the preferred choice of surgical intervention for PitNETs. However, the adoption in Sub-Saharan Africa has been low. We report our initial experience with the utility of the EEA in PitNETs particularly in large and giant tumors despite limited resources.

Efficacy of 48 hours dose of phenytoin in prevention of early post-traumatic seizure.

Background: Antiseizure medications, such as phenytoin sodium, have been shown in some reports to reduce the incidence of early post-traumatic seizure. These medications, however, are not without side effects which may be dose related or duration related. The risks associated with short-term therapy are minimal and often dose related (and hence avoidable).

Fall-related traumatic brain injury in a Nigerian pediatric population.

Background: Accidental falls are a common cause of disability and trauma-related death in the pediatric population, accounting for a large number of pediatric emergency hospital admissions. This multicenter study assesses the clinical characteristics, management outcomes of pediatric falls-related traumatic brain injury and associated factors in Nigeria.

Methods: A retrospective study of pediatric patients (age less than 18-years) with falls over a 2-year period.

Adult brain tumors in Sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review.

Background: Sub-Saharan African (SSA) neuro-oncologists report high workloads and challenges in delivering evidence-based care; however, these reports contrast with modeled estimates of adult neuro-oncology disease burden in the region. This scoping review aimed to better understand the reasons for this discrepancy by mapping out the SSA adult brain tumor landscape based on published literature.

Methods: Systematic searches were conducted in OVID Medline, Global Index Medicus, African Journals Online, Google Scholar, and faculty of medicine libraries from database inception to May 31, 2021.

Does the Use of Surgical Adjuncts Affect Postoperative Infection Rates in Neuro-oncology Surgery?

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is a significant cause of postoperative morbidity and mortality. As oncologic care advances, the use of surgical adjuncts such as intraoperative ultrasound (US), 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), and neurophysiologic monitoring has increased. This study set out to identify whether the use of surgical adjuncts in supratentorial tumor surgery lead to increased operative time or increased rates of SSI.

Epidemiology of brain tumors among adolescents and young adults in Nigeria.

Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA), have distinct endocrine and psychosocial peculiarities. Brain tumors occur less among AYAs, compared to other age groups and with better prognosis. There is however a paucity of literature about brain tumors in AYA in sub-Saharan Africa.

Endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery for biochemically and clinically non-functioning adenohypophyseal tumours in the elderly: experience from a single UK centre.

Purpose: To assess and compare outcome of surgical management of non-functioning pituitary adenohypophyseal tumours in patients under 65-years, and 65-years and older at tertiary neurosurgical referral centre.

Methods: Data was retrospectively analysed from pituitary database. Forty-four patients aged 65 or older (Group 1) and 93 patients under 65 (Group 2) underwent endoscopic trans-sphenoidal surgery (ETSS) between January 2017 and July 2019.

Needs of Young African Neurosurgeons and Residents: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Africa has many untreated neurosurgical cases due to limited access to safe, affordable, and timely care. In this study, we surveyed young African neurosurgeons and trainees to identify challenges to training and practice. African trainees and residents were surveyed online by the Young Neurosurgeons Forum from April 25th to November 30th, 2018.

The Burden of Neurosurgical Diseases in a Rural Southwestern Nigeria Setting.

Background: Most of the few neurosurgeons in Nigeria are clustered in the urban centers. Consequently, a large proportion of the population who live in the rural areas have no direct access to neurosurgical care. This study aims to describe the burden of neurosurgical diseases in a rural neurosurgical service in Nigeria.

Access to the Intensive Care Unit by Severe Head Injury Patients.

The management of severe traumatic brain injury is directed at avoidance of secondary brain injuries. The intensive care unit (ICU) provides the ideal environment to achieving improved survival and functional outcome. The study sets out to identify the factors that determine the access of patients with severe head injury presenting at our hospital, to the ICU and their impact on outcome.

Challenging the myth of outpatient craniotomy for brain tumor in a Sub-Saharan African setting: A case series of two patients in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Background: The concept of modern neuro-oncology hinges on strategic innovation and refinement of procedures with the intention to enhance safety, optimize extent of tumor resection, and improve not only survival but also the quality of life as well. One of such refinements includes same-day hospital admission, as well as early discharge following brain tumor surgeries. The latter has been further stretched to same-day discharge in particular settings to reduce the risk of nosocomial infections, cut brain tumor surgery costs, and improve patients' satisfaction.

Gender differential in inclination to donate brain for research among Nigerians: the IBADAN Brain Bank Project.

Background: Laboratory-based studies of neurological disease patterns and mechanisms are sparse in sub-Saharan Africa. However, availability of human brain tissue resource depends on willingness towards brain donation. This study evaluated the level of willingness among outpatient clinic attendees in a Nigerian teaching hospital.