Characterizing the Natural History of Pediatric Brain Tumors Presenting with Metastasis.

Background: The natural history of pediatric patients with metastasis of primary brain tumors within and outside the central nervous system is poorly understood, as too are possible clinical correlates with outcome. Correspondingly, the aim of this study was to interrogate a national database to characterize this diagnosis and its clinical course in pediatric patients.

Methods: The U.

Pre-residency neurosurgical fellowship programs impact on a successful re-application: a departmental experience.

Matching into neurosurgery residency within the United States is one of the most competitive endeavors for medical students. Pursuing a neurosurgery pre-residency fellowship program is becoming a popular option among domestic applicants, as well as international medical graduates (IMGs), who are unsuccessful in their neurosurgery match or wish to create a more competitive application prior to applying. The aim of this study was to review the University of Miami's pre-residency fellowship program experience to date.

Neurosurgical Approach to Neurocysticercosis in Adults: A Comprehensive Systematic Review of Clinical and Imaging Insights.

Background And Objectives: Neurocysticercosis (NCC), caused by larval cysts of Taenia solium, presents a significant health challenge worldwide with diverse clinical presentations and varying management approaches. Untreated NCC can lead to increased intracranial pressure and/or hydrocephalus, with possible death. This review provides comprehensive neurosurgical insight into the heterogeneity of NCC.

Surveillance of Barrett's Esophagus Patients in an Expert Center is Associated With Low Disease-Specific Mortality.

Introduction: Specialist guidelines recommend endoscopic surveillance for Barrett's esophagus to reduce mortality related to esophageal adenocarcinoma, but the setting for optimal Barrett's esophagus monitoring is unclear. We assessed progression rate and disease-specific mortality in a large cohort of patients followed up at a single Barrett's esophagus expert center.

Methods: For this prospective longitudinal single center cohort study, we recruited patients with a previous diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus between 2004 and 2022.

Clinical Trials of Focused Ultrasound for Brain Tumors.

Background: It is unclear as to where we stand with respect to utilizing emerging focused ultrasound (FUS) technology in the setting of brain tumor treatment in pediatric patients, such as malignant diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, and various adult counterparts. Correspondingly, the aim of this study was to present a contemporary summary of all pertinent clinical trials to date.

Methods: The ClinicalTrials.

Correlates of prolonged length of stay after endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenomas: varying definitions and non-clinical factors.

Purpose: Prolonged length of stay (PLOS) can lead to resource misallocation and higher complication risks. However, there is no consensus on defining PLOS for endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary surgery (ETPS). Therefore, we investigated the impact of varying PLOS definitions on factors associated with PLOS in patients undergoing ETPS.

Characteristics and recovery trends of severe TBI patients with a favorable functional outcome at 6-month follow-up.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a devastating cause of death and disability. Outcomes following TBI have been extensively studied; however, less attention has been given to identifying characteristics of individuals who have a favorable outcome following severe TBI. We conducted a retrospective analysis of a database containing information on TBI patients admitted to a level 1 trauma center between 2015 and 2021.

Trends in Pediatric Neck Injuries During Sporting Activities.

Although neck injuries secondary to sporting activities in the pediatric demographic presenting to the emergency department (ED) are common, predictors of needing higher-level care (HLC) outside immediate treatment and release are not clear. The aim of this study was to describe how these neck injuries present in the United States (US) and identify predictors of HLC. We interrogated the US National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database for presentations to the ED of pediatric patients (aged 6-18 years old) whose primary complaint was neck injury in the setting of sport between 2014 and 2023.

Cervical spinal decompression and fusion in the setting of Wolcott-Rallison Syndrome: a rare pediatric indication and its surgical considerations.

Wolcott-Rallison Syndrome is an extremely rare syndrome characterized by infantile non-autoimmune diabetes, extensive skeletal dysplasia, and multi-organ failure requiring transplant. Prognosis is very poor, and as such, surgical intervention for symptomatic cervical spine compromise in pediatric patients has not been widely reported in part due to their high fragility. We report a complex case of Wolcott-Rallison Syndrome that presented with cervical myelopathy due to cervicomedullary compression and the exceptional surgical considerations required for successful intervention.

Impact of insurance on outcomes of patients undergoing endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery for non-functional pituitary adenomas: a single institution study.

Purpose: Uninsured and underinsured patients face notable healthcare disparities in neurosurgery, but limited literature exists on the impact of insurance on non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs). We investigated how insurance affects outcomes of endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary surgery (ETPS) for NFPAs.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed NFPA patients who underwent ETPS at our institution from 2012 to 2023.

Enhancing thrombectomy outcomes with Adaptive Pulsatile Aspiration (APA): the role of complete clot ingestion in reducing thrombectomy time and distal embolization.

Background: Complete clot ingestion (CCI) is defined as full ingestion of the clot into the catheter or pump canister without any external clot remnants at the catheter tip. The aim of this study was to demonstrate that using the CCI metric in vitro, partially ingested ('corked') clots pose a higher risk of distal emboli given distal emboli may exist in the setting of Thrombolysis In Cerebral Infarction 3 (TICI 3) revascularization.

Methods: Thrombectomies using an in vitro synthetic clot analog were conducted across six catheters using the novel ALGO Smart Pump with Adaptive Pulsatile Aspiration (APA) (Von Vascular Inc, Sunrise, FL) and compared against the Penumbra static Engine Pump (Alameda, CA).

The learning curve and outcomes of 1038 endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal pituitary tumor surgeries - A single surgical team experience.

Background: Pituitary adenomas rank third among adult intracranial tumors, with an incidence of 3.9- 7.4 cases/per 100,000 annually.

The epidemiologic associations of food availability with national incidence and disability rates of idiopathic pediatric epilepsy.

Background: The epidemiology of idiopathic pediatric epilepsy globally continues to be defined. To date there has been no evaluation of how national food availability may associate with the incidence and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost from this condition. Correspondingly, the aim of this study was to define if such associations exist.

Myelomeningocele repair in Latin America: a systematic review.

Objective: Myelomeningocele (MMC) carries high morbidity and mortality. The Management of Myelomeningocele Study (MOMS) showed improved outcomes after prenatal compared to postnatal repair. However, it is unclear how the MOMS trial affected practice and outcomes in the Latin American region.

Characteristics and outcome of patients requiring Decompressive Craniectomy for Traumatic Brain Injury: a retrospective analysis.

Brain swelling after Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) can elevate intracranial pressure, necessitating Decompressive Craniectomy (DC) as the preferred surgical intervention. This study aimed to analyze a large institutional database to identify clinical characteristics of patients requiring primary DC and their outcomes. We reviewed TBI patients admitted to our center from 2015 to 2021, utilizing a prospectively maintained registry.

Targeting ZNF638 activates antiviral immune responses and potentiates immune checkpoint inhibition in glioblastoma.

Viral mimicry refers to the activation of innate anti-viral immune responses due to the induction of endogenous retroelement (RE) expression. Viral mimicry has been previously described to augment anti-tumor immune responses and sensitize solid tumors to immunotherapy including colorectal cancer, melanoma, and clear renal cell carcinoma. Here, we found that targeting a novel, master epigenetic regulator, Zinc Finger Protein 638 (ZNF638), induces viral mimicry in glioblastoma (GBM) preclinical models and potentiates immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI).

Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells Targeting CD19 and GCC in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: A Nonrandomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy (CART) has transformed the treatment landscape of hematologic cancer, but has negligible effects for adult solid cancers. In this trial, an autologous CAR T-cell product demonstrated antitumor activity in heavily pretreated patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of guanylate cyclase-C (GCC19) CART in participants with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

A novel leucine zipper-like transcriptional regulator 1 variant identified in a pair of siblings with familial schwannomatosis.

Background: Schwannomatosis is a rare genetic disorder marked by the emergence or predisposition to developing multiple schwannomas. Patients typically present with chronic pain or a mass in the second or third decade of life. Schwannomatosis is characterized by its associated gene, or if the specific gene is not known, then a descriptor is used.

RSTN COVID-19 Hand Recovery: Two years on, where are we now?

Hand surgery services were required to rapidly adapt to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Two years following the initial wave, hand surgery units continue to adapt and recover from the pandemic. The aim of the RSTN COVID-19 Hand Recovery survey was to evaluate what adaptions made to hand surgery services during COVID-19 have been maintained in the COVID recovery phase.

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses in the cerebrovascular space: essential domains for readers.

Introduction: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (SRMAs) in neurosurgery have significantly increased. With approximately 1 million patients affected by cerebrovascular disease annually, interpreting SRMAs necessitates a systematic approach. The objective of this review is to identify and describe four essential domains for SRMA interpretation.