Neuroanesthesia Guidelines for Optimizing Transcranial Motor Evoked Potential Neuromonitoring During Deformity and Complex Spinal Surgery: A Delphi Consensus Study.

Study Design: Expert opinion-modified Delphi study.

Objective: We used a modified Delphi approach to obtain consensus among leading spinal deformity surgeons and their neuroanesthesiology teams regarding optimal practices for obtaining reliable motor evoked potential (MEP) signals.

Summary Of Background Data: Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring of transcranial MEPs provides the best method for assessing spinal cord integrity during complex spinal surgeries.

High long-term symptomatic recurrence rates after Chiari-1 decompression without dural opening: a single center experience.

Objective: We evaluated long-term outcomes of posterior fossa decompression (PFD) without duroplasty in consecutive patients with newly diagnosed Chiari-1 malformation.

Methods: We searched the institutional database for all adult patients who underwent Chiari decompression between 1995 and 2007. PFD was offered to all consecutive patients with Chairi-1 malformation during this time period.

Histology, not lymph node involvement, predicts long-term survival in bronchopulmonary carcinoids.

Recently, the incidence of bronchopulmonary carcinoid has increased substantially, whereas survival associated with both subtypes has declined. We reviewed our experience with bronchopulmonary carcinoid to identify factors associated with long-term survival. We reviewed our cancer registry from 1985 to 2009 for all patients undergoing surgical resection for bronchopulmonary carcinoid.

Liberation of neurosurgical patients from mechanical ventilation and tracheostomy in neurocritical care.

Neurosurgical patients commonly require mechanical ventilation and monitoring in a neurocritical care unit. There are only few studies that specifically address the process of liberation from mechanical ventilation in this population. Patients who remain ventilator or artificial airway dependent receive a tracheostomy.