Safety and accuracy of stereoelectroencephalography for pediatric and young adult patients with prior craniotomy.

Objective: The authors assessed the safety and accuracy of stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) electrode implantation in pediatric patients who had previously undergone craniotomy compared to those without prior cranial surgery.

Methods: The authors performed a retrospective analysis of patients under 25 years of age with medically refractory epilepsy at a single institution who underwent SEEG electrode placement between March 2016 and July 2023. Surgical history and demographic characteristics were collected from the electronic medical records.

Vasospasm and subsequent stroke from paraneoplastic syndrome in a pediatric patient with an intracranial mature teratoma: a case report.

Teratomas account for 18-20% of all intracranial germ cell tumors and mostly occur in the pineal region with only a few cases of pediatric sellar and suprasellar teratomas described in the literature. Here, we present a case of a child with an intracranial mature teratoma with pancreatic features causing vasospasm and subsequent stroke, found to be positive for CDKN2A-an independent variant associated with malignancy and small vessel disease leading to stroke.

Recurrent petit mal seizures in Erdheim-Chester disease mimicking an intra-axial brain tumor: illustrative case.

Background: Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) is a rare non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis characterized histologically by foamy histiocytes and Touton giant cells in a background of fibrosis. Bone pain with long bone osteosclerosis is highly specific for ECD. Central nervous system involvement is rare, although dural, hypothalamic, cerebellar, brainstem, and sellar region involvement has been described.

Primary thoracic intramedullary spinal cord tumor with likely metastases of glial origin to the lumbosacral vertebrae: Illustrative case.

Background: Metastasis of systemic neoplasms to the spine is common; however, the metastasis of primary spinal cord tumors to other regions in the body is an infrequent occurrence. A few case reports have described the metastasis of primary spinal cord tumors, and in most cases, patients were younger than 30 years of age.

Case Description: We present an illustrative case of a 47-year-old female with metastatic lesions to the lumbosacral vertebrae years after the initial diagnosis of an intradural, intramedullary spinal cord tumor (IMSCT).

Acute aortic occlusion leading to spinal cord ischemia in a 73-year-old: A case report.

Background: Cauda equina syndrome (CES) is typically caused by a compressive etiology from a herniated disk, tumor, or fracture of the spine compressing the thecal sac. Here, we report a CES mimic - acute aortic occlusion (AAO), a rare disease that is associated with high morbidity and mortality. AAO can compromise spinal cord blood supply and leads to spinal cord ischemia.

Indolent multicentric chordoma - A previously undescribed entity: A Case report and literature review.

Background: Chordomas are rare neuraxial tumors arising from remnants of primitive notochord. They are generally slow-growing malignant neoplasms. Only four adult cases of multicentric chordomas have been reported, all with aggressive and rapid growth.

The Genome of (Fab.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae): Adaptation for Success.

The lesser grain borer, (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae), is a major global pest of cereal grains. Infestations are difficult to control as larvae feed inside grain kernels, and many populations are resistant to both contact insecticides and fumigants.

Educational impact of early COVID-19 operating room restrictions on neurosurgery resident training in the United States: A multicenter study.

Background: The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused unprecedented suspensions of neurosurgical elective surgeries, a large proportion of which involve spine procedures. The goal of this study is to report granular data on the impact of early COVID-19 pandemic operating room restrictions upon neurosurgical case volume in academic institutions, with attention to its secondary impact upon neurosurgery resident training. This is the first multicenter quantitative study examining these early effects upon neurosurgery residents caseloads.

Hijacking Sexual Immuno-Privilege in GBM-An Immuno-Evasion Strategy.

Regulatory T-cells (Tregs) are immunosuppressive T-cells, which arrest immune responses to 'Self' tissues. Some immunosuppressive Tregs that recognize seminal epitopes suppress immune responses to the proteins in semen, in both men and women. We postulated that GBMs express reproductive-associated proteins to manipulate reproductive Tregs and to gain immune privilege.

Feasibility and Efficacy of Low-profile Visual Intraluminal Support Device: A Single Center Five-year Experience.

Introduction: The Low-Profile Visualized Intraluminal Support (LVIS) devices are a new generation of self-expandable, high-porosity stents approved for the treatment of large to giant wide-necked intracranial aneurysms via stent-assisted coiling. Here we report the radiographic and clinical outcomes seen with LVIS, LVIS Jr. and LVIS Blue from a single institution over a fiveyear period.

Calibrating a chief complaint list for low resource settings: a methodologic case study.

Background: The chief or presenting complaint is the reason for seeking health care, often in the patient's own words. In limited resource settings, a diagnosis-based approach to quantifying burden of disease is not possible, partly due to limited availability of an established lexicon or coding system. Our group worked with colleagues from the African Federation of Emergency Medicine building on the existing literature to create a pilot symptom list representing an attempt to standardize undifferentiated chief complaints in emergency and acute care settings.

One in four die from acute infectious illness in an emergency department in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.

Background: Despite the breadth of data supporting evidence-based practice for sepsis care in high-resource settings, there are relatively few data to guide the management of sepsis in low-resource settings, particularly in areas where HIV and tuberculosis (TB) are prevalent. Furthermore, few studies had broadened sepsis parameters to include all patients with acute infectious illness or followed patients up after hospital discharge. Understanding the epidemiology and outcomes of acute infections in a local context is the critical first step to developing locally informed targeted management strategies.

Catatonia-Induced Saddle Pulmonary Embolism.

In this case report, we highlight a patient with catatonia secondary to schizoaffective disorder, depressive type. This patient developed a bilateral deep venous thrombosis progressing to a saddle pulmonary embolism without any predisposing factors to hypercoagulability other than immobility and obesity. The goal of this case report is to increase monitoring and prophylactic treatment for deep venous thrombosis in patients with catatonia, retarded type.

Microsurgical Clipping of a Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery Aneurysm Following Failed Pipeline Stent.

Aneurysms of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) are rare, with limited consensus on appropriate management. These aneurysms have been noted to have a faster growth rate and are more prone to rupture. Accessing these aneurysms for microsurgical clipping is challenging, and has traditionally required significant removal of the occipital condyle, putting the patient at risk for future complications.

Multiple Anterior and Posterior Circulation Intracranial Fenestrations presenting With Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

: Intracranial artery fenestrations are very rare, however, when found, there is a high association with cerebral aneurysms. : This report describes a patient with multiple anterior and posterior circulation intracranial artery fenestrations and an anterior communicating artery aneurysm presenting with a thunderclap headache found to have a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The patient was treated with open surgery via clipping after a diagnostic angiography and did very well.

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt complications in an adult population: A comparison of various shunt designs to prevent overdrainage.

Background: Overdrainage after cerebrospinal fluid diversion remains a significant morbidity. The hydrostatic, gravitational force in the upright position can aggravate this. Siphon control (SC) mechanisms, as well as programmable and flow regulating devices, were developed to counteract this.

Human papillomavirus-positivity is associated with EREG down-regulation and promoter hypermethylation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) etiology has become evident in head and neck cancers (HNCs) and HPV positivity showed a strong association with its malignant progression. Since aberrant DNA methylation is known to drive carcinogenesis and progression in HNCs, we investigated to determine target gene(s) associated with this modification.

Methods: We characterized epigenetic changes in tumor-related genes (TRGs) that are known to be associated with HNC development and its progression.

Stereotactic laser ablation for subependymal giant cell astrocytomas: personal experience and review of the literature.

Purpose: Subependymal giant cell astrocytomas (SEGAs) are rare tumors typically found in tuberous sclerosis patients. They typically grow in the region of the foramen of Monro and can occlude it, leading to hydrocephalus. Currently, gross total resection is the standard of care, with low rates of recurrence but high rates of complication, especially with larger lesions.

Rapid-Release Griffithsin Fibers for Dual Prevention of HSV-2 and HIV-1 Infections.

The biologic griffithsin (GRFT) has recently emerged as a candidate to safely prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2). However, to date, there are few delivery platforms that are available to effectively deliver biologics to the female reproductive tract (FRT). The goal of this work was to evaluate rapid-release polyethylene oxide (PEO), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) fibers that incorporate GRFT in (HIV-1 and HSV-2) and (HSV-2) infection models.

Operative Treatment of a Superior Cerebellar Artery Perforator Dissecting Aneurysm.

Background And Importance: Superior cerebellar artery (SCA) perforator aneurysms are extremely rare, with only one other case published in the literature. There is no conclusive management strategy for these aneurysms, although endovascular treatment, open surgical treatment with clipping, and antifibrinolytic administration with spontaneous thrombosis have all been discussed.

Clinical Presentation: A 61-yr-old male presented with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) primarily in the posterior fossa.

Sustained-release Griffithsin nanoparticle-fiber composites against HIV-1 and HSV-2 infections.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) and herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide. The antiviral lectin, Griffithsin (GRFT), has been shown to be both safe and efficacious against HSV-2 and HIV-1 infections in vivo. The goal of this work was to develop a multilayered nanoparticle (NP)-electrospun fiber (EF) composite to provide sustained-release of GRFT, and to examine its safety and efficacy in a murine model of lethal HSV-2 infection.

Immunity to commensal papillomaviruses protects against skin cancer.

Immunosuppression increases the risk of cancers that are associated with viral infection. In particular, the risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin-which has been associated with beta human papillomavirus (β-HPV) infection-is increased by more than 100-fold in immunosuppressed patients. Previous studies have not established a causative role for HPVs in driving the development of skin cancer.

Tissue-engineered transcatheter vein valve.

Chronic venous insufficiency affects over 2 million patients in the US alone, with severe cases involving thousands of patients with chronic leg ulcers and potential amputation. Current treatment options are limited, with surgical repair of vein valves being the most effective but challenging solution. A transcatheter vein valve made from a biologically-engineered matrix possessing the ability to regenerate has the potential to provide both valve function and long-term hemocompatibility and durability because the matrix becomes endothelialized and populated with host tissue cells.