Comparative effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) vs 3D printed models of congenital heart disease in resident and nurse practitioner educational experience.

Background: Medical trainees frequently note that cardiac anatomy is difficult to conceive within a two dimensional framework. The specific anatomic defects and the subsequent pathophysiology in flow dynamics may become more apparent when framed in three dimensional models. Given the evidence of improved comprehension using such modeling, this study aimed to contribute further to that understanding by comparing Virtual Reality (VR) and 3D printed models (3DP) in medical education.

3D models improve understanding of congenital heart disease.

Introduction: Understanding congenital heart disease (CHD) is vital for medical personnel and parents of affected children. While traditional 2D schematics serve as the typical approach used, several studies have shown these models to be limiting in understanding complex structures. Recent world-emphasis has shifted to 3D printed models as a complement to 2D imaging to bridge knowledge and create new opportunities for experiential learning.

Monocusp Valves Do Not Improve Early Operative Mortality in Tetralogy of Fallot: A Meta-Analysis.

Monocusp valves are thought to reduce early operative mortality and morbidity associated with pediatric tetralogy of Fallot repair. As there are no published randomized clinical trials comparing outcomes with and without a monocusp valve, we performed a meta-analysis of observational studies in accordance with established protocols. After systematically searching PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar, 12 studies were included.

Penetrating Head Injury by a Nail Gun: Case Report, Review of the Literature, and Management Considerations.

Our objective is to discuss penetrating head injuries (PHIs) which, although rare, lead to considerable morbidity and mortality. One of the most significant culprits of PHI is the nail gun, which was introduced in 1959 and has gained substantial popularity. We describe our successful strategy for removing an 8-cm nail that penetrated through the orbit and middle cranial fossa, with the tip lodged within the posterior fossa.

Implications of patient-borne costs associated with pediatric neurosurgical care in eastern Africa.

OBJECTIVE Pediatric neurosurgery can be highly cost-effective even in the developing world, but delivery of these services is hampered by resource limitations at the levels of both health care infrastructure and individual patients. Few studies have evaluated costs borne by neurosurgical patients in the developing world and their potential implications for efficient and effective delivery of care in this population. METHODS The families of 40 pediatric neurosurgery patients were surveyed in February 2015 at the AIC Kijabe Hospital in Kijabe, Kenya.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome following hemodynamic treatment of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage-induced vasospasm.

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is an uncommon but significant complication of hemodynamic therapy after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH)-induced vasospasm. We performed a PubMed literature search for the period January 1999 to January 2015 using the search terms "posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome", "subarachnoid hemorrhage", "vasospasm", and "hypertensive encephalopathy", and identified nine cases of PRES after aSAH-induced vasospasm in the literature. We also present a 63-year-old man with aSAH complicated by vasospasm treated with hemodynamic augmentation who subsequently developed PRES.

Malignant cause of ventriculoperitoneal shunt 'pseudocyst': a case report.

Abdominal pseudocysts are an uncommon complication of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts. We present the case of a 4-year-old boy with a history of complicated hydrocephalus managed with a VP shunt due to sequelae of prematurity. The patient presented with abdominal distention, and a pseudocyst was diagnosed.