Matthew A. Kirkman

The use of simulation in neurosurgical education and training: A systematic review

OBJECT There is increasing evidence that simulation provides high-quality, time-effective training in an era of resident duty-hour restrictions. Simulation may also permit trainees to acquire key skills in a safe environment, important in a specialty such as neurosurgery, where technical error can result in devastating consequences. The authors systematically reviewed the application of simulation within neurosurgical training and explored the state of the art in simulation within this specialty. To their knowledge this is the first systematic review published on this topic to date. METHODS The authors searched the Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycINFO databases and identified 4101 articles; 195 abstracts were screened by 2 authors for inclusion. The authors reviewed data on study population, study design and setting, outcome measures, key findings, and limitations. RESULTS Twenty-eight articles formed the basis of this systematic review. Several different simulators are at the neurosurgeons disposal, including those for ventriculostomy, neuroendoscopic procedures, and spinal surgery, with evidence for improved performance in a range of procedures. Feedback from participants has generally been favorable. However, study quality was found to be poor overall, with many studies hampered by nonrandomized design, presenting normal rather than abnormal anatomy, lack of control groups and long-term follow-up, poor study reporting, lack of evidence of improved simulator performance translating into clinical benefit, and poor reliability and validity evidence. The mean Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument score of included studies was 9.21 ± 1.95 (± SD) out of a possible score of 18. CONCLUSIONS The authors demonstrate qualitative and quantitative benefits of a range of neurosurgical simulators but find significant shortfalls in methodology and design. Future studies should seek to improve study design and reporting, and provide long-term follow-up data on simulated and ideally patient outcomes.

Experimental intracerebral hemorrhage: avoiding pitfalls in translational research

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) has the highest mortality of all stroke subtypes, yet treatments are mainly limited to supportive management, and surgery remains controversial. Despite significant advances in our understanding of ICH pathophysiology, we still lack preclinical models that accurately replicate the underlying mechanisms of injury. Current experimental ICH models (including autologous blood and collagenase injection) simulate different aspects of ICH-mediated injury but lack some features of the clinical condition. Newly developed models, notably hypertension- and oral anticoagulant therapy-associated ICH models, offer added benefits but further study is needed to fully validate them. Here, we describe and discuss current approaches to experimental ICH, with suggestions for changes in how this condition is studied in the laboratory. Although advances in imaging over the past few decades have allowed greater insight into clinical ICH, there remains an important role for experimental models in furthering our understanding of the basic pathophysiologic processes underlying ICH, provided limitations of animal models are borne in mind. Owing to differences in existing models and the failed translation of benefits in experimental ICH to clinical practice, putative neuroprotectants should be trialed in multiple models using both histological and functional outcomes until a more accurate model of ICH is developed.

Practice Makes Perfect? The Role of Simulation-Based Deliberate Practice and Script-Based Mental Rehearsal in the Acquisition and Maintenance of Operative Neurosurgical Skills

Despite significant advances in technology and intraoperative techniques over the last century, operations on the brain and spinal cord continue to carry a significant risk of serious morbidity or mortality. Potentially avoidable technical errors are well recognized as contributing to poor surgical outcome. Surgical education is undergoing overwhelming change, in part as a result of changes in the economic, political, social, cultural, and technological climates in which it operates. Shortened training, reductions in the working week, economic difficulties, and increasing emphasis on patient safety have required educators to radically rethink the way in which surgical education is delivered. This has resulted in the development of simulation technology, mental script-based rehearsal, and simulation-based deliberate practice. Although these tools and techniques are garnering increasing evidence for their efficacy, the evidence for their use in neurosurgery is somewhat more limited. Here, we review the theory behind these tools and techniques and their application to neurosurgery. We conclude that further research into the utility of these tools and techniques is essential for determining their widespread adoption. If they ultimately prove to be successful, they may have a central role in neurosurgical training in the 21st century, improving the acquisition of technical skills in a specialty in which a technical error can result in grave consequences.

Increased Mortality Associated with Cerebral Contusions following Trauma in the Elderly: Bad Patients or Bad Management?

Age has been identified as an independent risk factor for poor outcome following head injury in the elderly, and postulated reasons for this include nature, nurture, and variations in management. Do elderly head injuries do worse because of a self-fulfilling prophecy of poorer management? The aim of this study was to review the management of patients with cerebral contusions according to age to identify any trends. We retrospectively reviewed prospectively collected national data on cerebral contusion admissions between March 14, 1988, and May 4, 2012, to UK hospitals held in the Trauma Audit and Research Network database. Patients were included in the study if they had cerebral contusion(s) with an abbreviated injury score (AIS) of 3 or more; no other head injury with a AIS score of 4 or more, or no injury in any other body region with AIS score of 3 or more, and known outcome data. In total, 4387 patients met the inclusion criteria. Mortality was found to increase with increasing age (p<0.001). However, time from admission to CT head imaging (p=0.003) and the likelihood of not being transferred to a center with acute neurosurgical care facilities (p<0.001) increased with increasing age, too. Further, there was a significant trend for the most senior grade of doctor to review more younger patients and for only the most junior grade of doctor to review more older patients (both, p<0.001). To conclude, our data suggest differences in management practice may contribute to the observed differences in mortality between younger and older patients suffering brain contusions.

Hyponatremia and Brain Injury: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives

Hyponatremia is common in neurocritical care patients and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Despite decades of research into the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) and cerebral salt wasting (CSW), their underlying pathophysiological mechanisms are still not fully understood. This paper reviews the history behind our understanding of hyponatremia in patients with neurologic injury, including the first reports of CSW and SIADH, and current and future challenges to diagnosis and management in this setting. Such challenges include distinguishing CSW, SIADH, and hypovolemic hyponatremia due to a normal pressure natriuresis from the administration of large volumes of fluids, and hyponatremia due to certain medications used in the neurocritical care population. Potential treatments for hyponatremia include mineralocorticoids and vasopressin 2 receptor antagonists, but further work is required to validate their usage. Ultimately, a greater understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlining hyponatremia in neurocritical care patients remains our biggest obstacle to optimizing patient outcomes in this challenging population.

The outcomes of recent patient safety education interventions for trainee physicians and medical students: a systematic review.

Objective To systematically review the latest evidence for patient safety education for physicians in training and medical students, updating, extending and improving on a previous systematic review on this topic. Design A systematic review. Data sources Embase, Ovid Medline and PsycINFO databases. Study selection Studies including an evaluation of patient safety training interventions delivered to trainees/residents and medical students published between January 2009 and May 2014. Data extraction The review was performed using a structured data capture tool. Thematic analysis also identified factors influencing successful implementation of interventions. Results We identified 26 studies reporting patient safety interventions: 11 involving students and 15 involving trainees/residents. Common educational content included a general overview of patient safety, root cause/systems-based analysis, communication and teamwork skills, and quality improvement principles and methodologies. The majority of courses were well received by learners, and improved patient safety knowledge, skills and attitudes. Moreover, some interventions were shown to result in positive behaviours, notably subsequent engagement in quality improvement projects. No studies demonstrated patient benefit. Availability of expert faculty, competing curricular/service demands and institutional culture were important factors affecting implementation. Conclusions There is an increasing trend for developing educational interventions in patient safety delivered to trainees/residents and medical students. However, significant methodological shortcomings remain and additional evidence of impact on patient outcomes is needed. While there is some evidence of enhanced efforts to promote sustainability of such interventions, further work is needed to encourage their wider adoption and spread.

Giant solitary cystic schwannoma of the cervical spine: A case report

Schwannomas are benign tumours arising from Schwann cells, nd occur most commonly in nerve sheaths of the intradural xtramedullary region. Most schwannomas are solid or heterogeeous solid tumours, but can rarely undergo cystic degeneration, anthomatous change or haemorrhage [1]. Giant spinal schwanomas by definition extend over three or more vertebral levels 2]. Giant solitary cystic schwannomas are extremely rare and beter described in the lumbar region. To the best of our knowledge here are only two previous reported cases of a giant solitary cystic chwannoma of the cervical region [3,4]. Here we describe another resentation of this unique pathology.

Early years neurosurgical training in the era of the European Working Time Directive

Abstract The past decade has seen significant changes to the face of neurosurgical training in the United Kingdom, driven in part by an increasing focus on patient safety and the introduction of Modernising Medical Careers and the European Working Time Directive (EWTD). Recent reforms to neurosurgical training over the past few years have resulted in creation of an 8-year ‘run-through’ training programme. In this programme, early years (ST1 and ST2) trainees often lack dedicated time for elective theatre lists and outpatient clinics. Further, any time spent in theatre and clinics is often with different teams. Here we describe a training model for early years trainees at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, who are given the responsibilities traditionally associated with a more senior trainee including dedicated weekly theatre and clinic time under the supervision of a single consultant, in addition to out of hours experience. The advantages and considerations for implementing this model are discussed, including the benefit of guidance under a single consultant in the early stages of training, along with key educational concepts necessary for understanding its utility. We feel that this is an effective model for junior neurosurgical training in the EWTD era, expediting the trainees development of key technical and non-technical skills, with potentially significant rewards for patient, trainee and trainer. National implementation of this model should be considered.

Difficulties with recruiting into neurosurgical clinical trials: The Surgical Trial in IntraCerebral Haemorrhage II as an example

Background: Spontaneous supratentorial intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) is a devastating condition with a high morbidity and mortality, and uncertainty remains regarding the role of surgery in many cases. The Surgical Trial in IntraCerebral Haemorrhage II (STICH II) was initiated to look at subjects with superficial lobar ICH, as the initial STICH trial showed the greatest benefit from early surgery in this subgroup. Our aim was to estimate how many patients with ICH referred to the Greater Manchester Neurosciences Centre (GMNC) met the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the STICH II trial. Methods: The number of patients eligible for STICH II was determined from the GMNC referral database and admissions to the stroke unit over 1 year (2008). Eligibility was determined by predefined criteria, and equipoise was agreed by two consultant neurosurgeons. Results: One hundred and sixty-eight (38.7%) of 434 ICH referrals were lobar ICH; 53 (31.5% of lobar ICH) of these met the radiological and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) criteria for STICH II, but only 16 (9.5% of lobar ICH; 3.7% of all ICH) had equipoise agreed on by two neurosurgeons. Thirty-five ICH patients were admitted to the stroke unit, and 12 (34.3%) of these had lobar ICH; none were eligible for STICH II. Conclusions: The number of patients eligible for recruitment into STICH II is small, necessitating an aggressive recruitment approach. Recruitment should focus on neuroscience centres with neurosurgical units as opposed to stroke units.

Simulated Ventriculostomy Training With Conventional Neuronavigational Equipment Used Clinically in the Operating Room: Prospective Validation Study

OBJECTIVES Simulation is gaining increasing interest as a method of delivering high-quality, time-effective, and safe training to neurosurgical residents. However, most current simulators are purpose-built for simulation, being relatively expensive and inaccessible to many residents. The purpose of this study was to provide the first comprehensive validity assessment of ventriculostomy performance metrics from the Medtronic StealthStation S7 Surgical Navigation System, a neuronavigational tool widely used in the clinical setting, as a training tool for simulated ventriculostomy while concomitantly reporting on stress measures. DESIGN A prospective study where participants performed 6 simulated ventriculostomy attempts on a model head with StealthStation-coregistered imaging. The performance measures included distance of the ventricular catheter tip to the foramen of Monro and presence of the catheter tip in the ventricle. Data on objective and self-reported stress and workload measures were also collected. SETTING The operating rooms of the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London. PARTICIPANTS A total of 31 individuals with varying levels of prior ventriculostomy experience, varying in seniority from medical student to senior resident. RESULTS Performance at simulated ventriculostomy improved significantly over subsequent attempts, irrespective of previous ventriculostomy experience. Performance improved whether or not the StealthStation display monitor was used for real-time visual feedback, but performance was optimal when it was. Further, performance was inversely correlated with both objective and self-reported measures of stress (traditionally referred to as concurrent validity). Stress and workload measures were well-correlated with each other, and they also correlated with technical performance. CONCLUSIONS These initial data support the use of the StealthStation as a training tool for simulated ventriculostomy, providing a safe environment for repeated practice with immediate feedback. Although the potential implications are profound for neurosurgical education and training, further research following this proof-of-concept study is required on a larger scale for full validation and proof that training translates into improved long-term simulated and patient outcomes.