'I was eager to do anything I could to improve the situation': a qualitative study of patients' experiences and views of prehabilitation for ovarian cancer surgery.

Background: Prehabilitation has shown promise in improving post-operative outcomes for several solid tumour groups. However, prehabilitation programmes are not widely established. Patients with advanced ovarian cancer experience life changing debulking surgery and could benefit from prehabilitation.

Impact of Atrial Fibrillation on Outcomes in Stroke Patients with Tandem Occlusions Treated with Thrombectomy. A multicentre study.

Background: Tandem occlusions, involving simultaneous extracranial and intracranial artery blockages, represent a complex subtype of acute ischemic stroke treated with mechanical thrombectomy (MT). However, to date, the impact of atrial fibrillation (AF) on outcomes in this population remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of MT in patients with tandem occlusions, comparing those with AF to their counterparts without AF.

Prognostic Impact of Malnutrition Evaluated via Bioelectrical Impedance Vector Analysis (BIVA) in Acute Ischemic Stroke: Findings from an Inverse Probability Weighting Analysis.

The association between malnutrition and poor outcomes in stroke patients has, to date, been evaluated using composite scores derived from laboratory measurements. However, Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) and its advanced application, Bioelectrical Impedance Vector Analysis (BIVA), offer a non-invasive, cost-efficient, and rapid alternative. These methods enable precise assessment of body composition, nutritional status, and hydration levels, making them valuable tools in the clinical evaluation of stroke patients.

Can We Improve Our Routine Urological Assessment to Exclude Neurogenic Causes for Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction? ICI-RS 2024.

Aims: After presentation with urinary symptoms, an underlying neurological mechanism sometimes emerges subsequently. Increased awareness may bring earlier diagnosis, improving prognosis and outcomes.

Methods: A 2024 International Consultation on Incontinence Research Society think-tank considered the clinical pathway for identification of an undiagnosed neurological or autonomic contribution precipitating urinary symptoms, and the implications for prognosis.

Anatomical abnormalities suggest a compensatory role of the cerebellum in early Parkinson's disease.

Brain atrophy is detected in early Parkinson's disease (PD) and accelerates over the first few years post-diagnosis. This was captured by multiple cross-sectional studies and a few longitudinal studies in early PD. Yet only a longitudinal study with a control group can capture accelerated atrophy in early PD and differentiate it from healthy ageing.

Direct oral anticoagulants versus no anticoagulation for the prevention of stroke in survivors of intracerebral haemorrhage with atrial fibrillation (PRESTIGE-AF): a multicentre, open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial.

Background: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) reduce the rate of thromboembolism in patients with atrial fibrillation but the benefits and risks in survivors of intracerebral haemorrhage are uncertain. We aimed to determine whether DOACs reduce the risk of ischaemic stroke without substantially increasing the risk of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage.

Methods: PRESTIGE-AF is a multicentre, open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial conducted at 75 hospitals in six European countries.

Controversies in malignant ovarian germ cell tumors.

Malignant ovarian germ cell tumors (MOGCT) are rare and often aggressive cancers that predominantly affect young women. Fortunately, combined surgery and chemotherapy results in high cure rates. In this review, we will consider some of the many controversies and poorly understood areas in the management of MOGCT that have arisen largely because of the lack of randomized trial data.

Auditing the clinical usage of deep-learning based organ-at-risk auto-segmentation in radiotherapy.

For 18 months following clinical introduction of deep-learning auto-segmentation (DLAS), an audit of organ at risk (OAR) contour editing was performed, including 1255 patients from a single institution and the majority of tumour sites. Mean surface-Dice similarity coefficient increased from 0.87 to 0.

Health and wellbeing of second-degree students pursuing oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Second-degree students pursuing oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) may be at particular risk of burnout when striving to find a balance between a full-time degree, locum work, and developing portfolios for specialist training applications. The current study aimed to explore self-reported burnout and identify risk factors for burnout amongst second-degree students considering a career in OMFS. An online survey was distributed via social media to second-degree students across the United Kingdom and 122 responses were received.

Pilot Study of Bone Turnover Biomarkers, Diet, and Exercise in Elite Female Ballet Dancers.

Elite ballet is one of the most demanding physical activities for the skeleton, making dancers susceptible to bone stress injuries. This pilot study compared bone remodeling in professional female ballet dancers from the Royal Ballet Company with controls from Imperial College London. The study included dancers (n = 5, median age 29 ± 16 years) and controls (n = 6, median age 24 ± 8.

The Safety and Effectiveness of Surgical Management of Brachial Plexus Tumors: A Retrospective Case Series.

Background And Objectives: Brachial plexus tumors represent a challenge for neurosurgeons because of complex anatomy, risks during surgery, and limited evidence-based guidance in managing these rare tumors. We aim to investigate the clinical characteristics, complications, and neurological outcomes of surgical resection of benign brachial plexus tumors.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of patients diagnosed with benign brachial plexus tumors at (Johns Hopkins Medical Institutes) from July 2014 to April 2023.

Predictors of futile recanalization after intravenous thrombolysis in stroke patients transferred for endovascular treatment.

Some patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO) achieve insufficient clinical improvement (futile recanalization, FR) after intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) during inter-hospital transfer for thrombectomy, while others show good outcomes (effective recanalization, ER). This study assessed FR and ER rates among patients treated with IVT at non-thrombectomy primary stroke centers (PSCs) and aimed to identify predictors of FR. We analyzed data from two PSC registries (2016-2022).

Optimising neurorrhaphy position without compromising flap inset in neurotised abdominal based breast reconstruction.

Neurotization represents a promising adjunct in the technique of autologous breast reconstruction following mastectomy (1). However, there is a paucity of literature on the actual technique of neurotization and the practicality of selecting donor and recipient nerves when considering pedicle length, perforator position and flap inset plan. We describe the neurotization technique in detail which permits a number of flap inset patterns, with no additional donor site morbidity, and minimal extra surgical time.

Risk trajectory of cardiovascular events after an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are known to increase the risk of cardiovascular (CV) events and mortality. However, the temporal trend of this risk has not fully elucidated. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to quantify the risk of CV events after COPD exacerbations over different time periods.

Falls and balance impairment; what and how has this been measured in adults with joint hypermobility? A scoping review.

Background: People with joint hypermobility have excessive joint flexibility, which is more common in young women. The people with symptomatic hypermobility report poor balance and even falls. This scoping review aims to identify and map the available evidence related to balance and falling in adults with joint hypermobility to support research planning and ideas for treatment direction.

Patients with neurological or psychiatric complications of COVID-19 have worse long-term functional outcomes: COVID-CNS-A multicentre case-control study.

It is established that patients hospitalised with COVID-19 often have ongoing morbidity affecting activity of daily living (ADL), employment, and mental health. However, little is known about the relative outcomes in patients with COVID-19 neurological or psychiatric complications. We conducted a UK multicentre case-control study of patients hospitalised with COVID-19 (controls) and those who developed COVID-19 associated acute neurological or psychiatric complications (cases).

Deep Learning-Based Glioma Segmentation of 2D Intraoperative Ultrasound Images: A Multicenter Study Using the Brain Tumor Intraoperative Ultrasound Database (BraTioUS).

Intraoperative ultrasound (ioUS) provides real-time imaging during neurosurgical procedures, with advantages such as portability and cost-effectiveness. Accurate tumor segmentation has the potential to substantially enhance the interpretability of ioUS images; however, its implementation is limited by persistent challenges, including noise, artifacts, and anatomical variability. This study aims to develop a convolutional neural network (CNN) model for glioma segmentation in ioUS images via a multicenter dataset.

Immunotherapy-Resistant Neuropathic Pain and Fatigue Predict Quality-of-Life in Contactin-Associated Protein-Like 2 Antibody Disease.

The long-term clinical outcomes and associated prognostic factors in contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CASPR2)-antibody diseases are unknown. A total of 75 participants with CASPR2 antibodies were longitudinally assessed for disability, quality-of-life, and chronic pain. Although most symptoms improved within 6 months of treatment, neuropathic pain and fatigue were the most immunotherapy refractory, and persisted for up to 6 years.

Balance recovery and its link to vestibular agnosia in traumatic brain injury: a longitudinal behavioural and neuro-imaging study.

Background: Vestibular dysfunction causing imbalance affects c. 80% of acute hospitalized traumatic brain injury (TBI) cases. Poor balance recovery is linked to worse return-to-work rates and reduced longevity.

A method for mimicking tumour tissue in brain ex-vivo ultrasound for research application and clinical training.

Background: Intraoperative ultrasound is becoming a common tool in neurosurgery. However, effective simulation methods are limited. Current, commercial, and homemade phantoms lack replication of anatomical correctness and texture complexity of brain and tumour tissue in ultrasound images.