The Role of Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion on Relieving Axial Neck Pain in Patients With Single-Level Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the effects of anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) on axial neck pain in adult patients receiving surgery for myelopathy, radiculopathy, or a combination of both.

Methods: Two independent reviewers completed a librarian-assisted search of 4 databases.

Determining the Optimal Adjuvant Therapy for Improving Survival in Elderly Patients with Glioblastoma: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis.

Purpose: Older patients with glioblastoma (GBM) are underrepresented in clinical trials. Several abbreviated and standard chemoradiotherapy regimens are advocated with no consensus on the optimal approach. Our objective was to quantitatively evaluate which of these regimens would provide the most favorable survival outcomes in older patients with GBM using a network meta-analysis.

Bedside Optic Nerve Ultrasonography for Diagnosing Increased Intracranial Pressure: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: Optic nerve ultrasonography (optic nerve sheath diameter sonography) has been proposed as a noninvasive, quick method for diagnosing increased intracranial pressure.

Purpose: To examine the accuracy of optic nerve ultrasonography for diagnosing increased intracranial pressure in children and adults.

Data Sources: 13 databases from inception through May 2019, reference lists, and meeting proceedings.

Predictive measures and outcomes of extent of resection in juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma.

Purpose: The present study aims to determine the tumor-related, clinical, and demographic factors associated with extent of resection (EOR) and post-operative outcomes in JPA patients.

Methods: All patients with JPA, identified from a single-center brain tumour data base, were included in this retrospective analysis. Pre-operative MRI scans were reviewed by a single neurosurgeon blinded to the EOR.

Diagnosis of elevated intracranial pressure in critically ill adults: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: To summarise and compare the accuracy of physical examination, computed tomography (CT), sonography of the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD), and transcranial Doppler pulsatility index (TCD-PI) for the diagnosis of elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) in critically ill patients.

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Data Sources: Six databases, including Medline, EMBASE, and PubMed, from inception to 1 September 2018.

Predicting Outcomes After Surgical Decompression for Mild Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy: Moving Beyond the mJOA to Identify Surgical Candidates.

Background: Patients with mild degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) represent a heterogeneous population, and indications for surgical decompression remain controversial.

Objective: To dissociate patient phenotypes within the broader population of mild DCM associated with degree of impairment in baseline quality of life (QOL) and surgical outcomes.

Methods: This was a post hoc analysis of patients with mild DCM (modified Japanese Orthopedic Association [mJOA] 15-17) enrolled in the AOSpine CSM-NA/CSM-I studies.

Investigating the utility of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring for anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: analysis of over 140,000 cases from the National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample data set.

Objective: Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) is a useful adjunct in spine surgery, with proven benefit in scoliosis-correction surgery. However, its utility for anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is unclear, as there are few head-to-head comparisons of ACDF outcomes with and without the use of IONM. The authors sought to evaluate the impact of IONM on the safety and cost of ACDF.

Timing of Decompressive Craniectomy for Ischemic Stroke and Traumatic Brain Injury: A Review.

While studies have demonstrated that decompressive craniectomy after stroke or TBI improves mortality, there is much controversy regarding when decompressive craniectomy is optimally performed. The goal of this paper is to synthesize the data regarding timing of craniectomy for malignant stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI) based on studied time windows and clinical correlates of herniation. In stroke patients, evidence supports that early decompression performed within 24 h or before clinical signs of herniation may improve overall mortality and functional outcomes.

Surgical outcomes for medically intractable epilepsy in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the current state of epilepsy surgery and establish estimates of seizure outcomes following surgery for medically intractable epilepsy (MIE) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Methods: The MEDLINE and Embase databases were searched without publication date restriction. This search was supplemented by a manual screen of key epilepsy and neurosurgical journals (January 2005 to December 2016).

Biopsy Versus Subtotal Versus Gross Total Resection in Patients with Low-Grade Glioma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: The role of the extent of surgical resection (EOR) in clinical outcomes for patients with low-grade glioma requires further examination. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the association between variable degrees of EOR and clinical outcomes for patients with low-grade glioma.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis and searched databases for reports of low-grade glioma EOR.

Dendritic cell vaccines for high-grade gliomas.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and fatal primary adult brain tumor. To date, various promising chemotherapeutic regimens have been trialed for use in GBM; however, temozolomide (TMZ) therapy remains the only US Food and Drug Administration-approved first-line chemotherapeutic option for newly diagnosed GBM. Despite maximal therapy with surgery and combined concurrent chemoradiation and adjuvant TMZ therapy, the median overall survival remains approximately 14 months.

Highly Cited Works in Spinal Disorders: The Top 100 Most Cited Papers Published in Spine Journals.

Study Design: Bibliometric analysis.

Objective: To identify, and summarize the key findings of, the top 100 most highly cited works published in spinal disorder topic-specific journals.

Summary Of Background Data: There is an abundance of published articles pertaining to spine surgery and spinal disorders.

Mortality and morbidity in acutely ill adults treated with liberal versus conservative oxygen therapy (IOTA): a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Supplemental oxygen is often administered liberally to acutely ill adults, but the credibility of the evidence for this practice is unclear. We systematically reviewed the efficacy and safety of liberal versus conservative oxygen therapy in acutely ill adults.

Methods: In the Improving Oxygen Therapy in Acute-illness (IOTA) systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, Embase, HealthSTAR, LILACS, PapersFirst, and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry from inception to Oct 25, 2017, for randomised controlled trials comparing liberal and conservative oxygen therapy in acutely ill adults (aged ≥18 years).

Correction to: Efficacy and safety of stress ulcer prophylaxis in critically ill patients: a network meta-analysis of randomized trials.

Owing to an oversight by the authors, all the figures in the last column of Table 2 (upper section: Number needed to treat; lower section: Number needed to harm) in this article were given without the final digit 0 and are thus 10 times too small.

Atraumatic versus conventional lumbar puncture needles: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Atraumatic needles have been proposed to lower complication rates after lumbar puncture. However, several surveys indicate that clinical adoption of these needles remains poor. We did a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare patient outcomes after lumbar puncture with atraumatic needles and conventional needles.

Efficacy and safety of stress ulcer prophylaxis in critically ill patients: a network meta-analysis of randomized trials.

Purpose: Stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP) is commonly prescribed in the intensive care unit. However, data from systematic reviews and conventional meta-analyses are limited by imprecision and restricted to direct comparisons. We conducted a network meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to examine the safety and efficacy of drugs available for SUP in critically ill patients.

Optic nerve sheath diameter sonography for the diagnosis of increased intracranial pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

Introduction: Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) is a significant neurological issue that may lead to permanent neurological sequelae. When evaluating patients with traumatic brain injury, it is crucial to identify those with high ICP in order to expedite ICP lowering measures and maintain adequate cerebral perfusion. Several measures are used to recognise patients with increased ICP including CT scan, MRI, ICP monitor, and lumbar puncture (LP).

Sublaminar wire migration into the medulla oblongata: a case report.

Atlantoaxial procedures have been developed in an effort to ensure solid C1-C2 fusion. However, techniques that involve sublaminar wiring have the potential for neural structure injury. We present the management of a patient who previously underwent Gallie fusion 10 years ago and is presenting with a dislodged titanium wire that has migrated into the medulla oblongata.

The clinical significance of isolated traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage in mild traumatic brain injury: A meta-analysis.

Background: The rates of clinical and radiographic progression and the need for neurosurgical intervention in patients with isolated traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (itSAH) after mild traumatic brain injury (Glasgow Coma Scale score, 13-15) has not been well established.The aim of this work was to review the evidence regarding patient outcomes after mild traumatic brain injury with itSAH.

Methods: Two authors independently extracted the data according to a predefined protocol.

Omega-3 supplementation in patients with sepsis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.

Background: Nutritional supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids has been proposed to modulate the balance of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators in sepsis. If proved to improve clinical outcomes in critically ill patients with sepsis, this intervention would be easy to implement. However, the cumulative evidence from several randomized clinical trials (RCTs) remains unclear.

Endoscopic Third Ventriculostomy: Outcome Analysis of an Anterior Entry Point.

Background: Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is a safe and effective treatment for hydrocephalus. An entry point located 4 cm anterior to the coronal suture, 3 cm anterior to Kocher point, and approximately 9 cm from the pupil at the midpupillary line has been used successfully for the last 20 years in our center. We aimed to evaluate this alternative anterior entry point routinely used for ETV, with or without concurrent endoscopic biopsy.

Analysis of surgical and MRI factors associated with cerebellar mutism.

The surgical risk factors and neuro-imaging characteristics associated with cerebellar mutism (CM) remain unclear and require further investigation. Therefore, we aimed to examine surgical and MRI findings associated with CM in children following posterior fossa tumor resection. Using our data registry, we retrospectively collected data from pediatric patients who acquired CM and were matched based on age and pathology type with individuals who did not acquire CM after posterior fossa surgery.