Effectiveness of a manual test at the beginning of dental school.

Introduction: This study analysed whether the SAZAMED (Self-assessment for dentistry studies) manual test conducted as an exercise or examination in the first year of dental studies, and the official aptitude test for medical studies (EMS), can predict future performance of dental students.

Materials And Methods: Students enrolled in the dental curriculum at the University of Basel between 2009/10 and 2019/20 were categorized: Group A conducted the SAZAMED in the third bachelor year (BA) and second master year (MA), group B practiced in the first and third BA and second MA and group C had to pass the test in the first BA with repetition in the third BA and second MA. SAZAMED comprised (i) wire bending, (ii) modelling sphere and cube, (iii) drawing mirror-inverted and (iv) indirect drawing over a mirror.

A Novel Approach of Navigation-Assisted Flexible Neuroendoscopy.

Background And Importance: Neuronavigation-assisted endoscopy is commonly used for skull base and intraventricular surgery. Flexible neuroendoscopy offers certain advantages over rigid endoscopy; however, a major disadvantage of the flexible endoscope has been easy disorientation in the flexed position. Neuronavigation-assisted flexible neuroendoscopy was not available until now.

Transventricular neuroendoscopic exploration and biopsy of the basal cisterns in patients with Basal meningitis and hydrocephalus.

Background: Management of communicating hydrocephalus associated with infectious meningitis and arachnoiditis of the basal cisterns can be challenging if no microorganism or pathological diagnosis is established. The purpose of our series is to elucidate the efficacy of endoscopic basal cistern exploration, biopsy, and endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) in patients with basal cistern meningitis and hydrocephalus.

Methods: Between 2005 and 2010, all patients who underwent transventricular endoscopic exploration biopsy and biopsy of the basal cisterns were analyzed and prospectively followed up.

Endoscopic management of hydrocephalus due to neurocysticercosis.

Objective: Hydrocephalus due to neurocysticercosis usually shows poor prognosis and shunt failure is a common complication. Neuroendoscopy has been suggested as treatment, but the indications remain unclear.

Methods: A cohort of patients with clinical/radiological diagnosis of hydrocephalus due to NCC, treated between January 2002 and September 2006, were the subjects of the study.

Coexistent intraventricular abnormalities in periventricular giant arachnoid cysts.

Object: Arachnoid cysts are congenital lesions that arise during development by splitting of the arachnoid membrane. Large cysts can be adjacent to CSF pathways causing a marked midline shift and hydrocephalus. The association between a large arachnoid cyst and hydrocephalus has been commonly described as being due to a mass effect, but these previous reports have not focused closely on any associated intraventricular abnormalities.