Publications by authors named "R A Mekary"

Introduction: Thoracolumbar kyphosis (TLK) is a frequently reported spinal deformity in achondroplasia, which in combination with the characteristic narrow spinal canal in achondroplasia predisposes for symptomatic spinal stenosis. There is however no consensus on the optimal treatment, due to limited data on diagnostic criteria, the natural development and the prevalence of TLK.

Research Question: This study aims to assess the prevalence, natural development, and diagnostic criteria for pathological TLK in individuals with achondroplasia.

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Purpose: The objective of this study was to characterize the clinical characteristics and factors predictive of biochemical remission in patients with symptomatic acromegaly undergoing transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) at an academic tertiary care center, as defined by the 2022 Acromegaly Consensus Conference guidelines.

Methods: In this single institution, longitudinal, retrospective study, a large cohort of 158 patients with a preoperative diagnosis of acromegaly undergoing surgery at a large, academic, tertiary care center were examined. We excluded 38 patients as IGF-1 testing was performed less than 12 weeks postoperatively.

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Background: Middle meningeal artery embolization (MMAE) is an established treatment option for chronic subdural hematoma. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to establish estimates of the pooled incidence for complications following MMAE.

Methods: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane were searched for studies reporting complications following MMAE through January 2023.

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Subgroup analyses are essential to generate new hypotheses or to estimate treatment effects in clinically meaningful subgroups of patients. They play an important role in taking the next step towards personalized surgical treatment for brain tumor patients. However, subgroup analyses must be used with consideration and care because they have significant potential risks.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to create a new onco-functional outcome (OFO) classification for glioblastoma patients, combining the goals of complete tumor resection and avoiding functional loss into four categories.
  • Analyzing data from 858 patients over ten years, they found that the OFO classification significantly influenced overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates, especially in certain tumor types.
  • The results showed that achieving the best outcome (OFO1) was linked to improved survival rates and higher likelihood of receiving additional therapy, particularly with awake craniotomy procedures being more effective in avoiding deficits.
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