The evolution of an SBNS-accredited NANSIG simulated skills workshop for aspiring neurosurgical trainees: an analysis of qualitative and quantitative data.

Background: The Neurology and Neurosurgery Interest Group (NANSIG) neurosurgical skills workshop is novel in teaching neurosurgical skills solely to medical students and foundation trainees in the UK. The aim is to offer an affordable option for a high-fidelity simulation course enabling students to learn and practise specific neurosurgical skills in a safe, supervised environment.

Methods: A 10-delegate cohort was quantitatively assessed at the NANSIG neurosurgical skills workshop.

Trigeminal schwannoma presenting as a gelastic seizure: no laughing matter.

We present the case of a 66 year old gentleman with trigeminal schwannoma whose only presenting feature was a single gelastic seizure. This is the first case report of pathological laughter in trigeminal schwannoma in the absence of other trigeminal, brainstem, cerebellar or other cranial nerve dysfunction.

Launching an SBNS-accredited neurosurgical skills workshop for medical students and foundation trainees.

The Neurology and Neurosurgery Interest Group (NANSIG), the student arm of the Society of British Neurological Surgeons (SBNS), organised a neurosurgical skills workshop in January 2017 following evidence of high demand among medical students and foundation trainees. The workshop involved ten delegates and five neurosurgical trainees with one senior consultant. Modules covering head positioning, burr holes, ventricular access, and flaps were included.

Supraorbital eyebrow minicraniotomy for anterior circulation aneurysms.

Background: We report our experience with the minimally invasive supraorbital approach to aneurysms of the ipsilateral anterior cerebral circulation.

Methods: A prospective review of all patients who underwent operations to clip aneurysms in Newcastle between 1993 and 2002.

Results: Fifty-six aneurysms were clipped via minicraniotomy in 47 patients.