Matthew C. Davis

Cost effectiveness of a short-term pediatric neurosurgical brigade to Guatemala.

OBJECTIVE With subspecialty surgical care often unavailable to poor patients in developing countries, short-term brigades have filled a portion of the gap. We prospectively assessed the cost effectiveness of a pediatric neurosurgical brigade to Guatemala City, Guatemala. METHODS Data were collected on a weeklong annual pediatric neurosurgical brigade to Guatemala. Disability adjusted life-years (DALYs) averted were the metric of surgical effectiveness. Cost data included brigade expenses, as well as all costs incurred by the local health care system and patient families. RESULTS During the mission, 17 pediatric neurosurgical interventions were performed. Conditions these patients suffered would result in 382 total DALYs. Using conservative values of surgical effectiveness, procedures performed averted 138.1 DALYs. Although all operative and postoperative costs were covered by the visiting surgical team, patients spent an average of

Virtual Interactive Presence in Global Surgical Education: International Collaboration Through Augmented Reality

226 in U.S. dollars for preoperative workup, travel, food/lodging, and lost wages (range,

The naming of the cranial nerves: A historical review

36-

The clinical significance and reliability of self-reported smoking status in patients with intracranial aneurysms: A review

538). The local health care system absorbed a total cost of

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for chronic post-concussive syndrome.

12,910. Complete mission costs were

Intracranial Hemorrhage in Patients with a Left Ventricular Assist Device

53,152, for a cost effectiveness of

Clinical Presentation, Imaging, and Management of Complications due to Neurointerventional Procedures

385 per DALY averted. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating cost effectiveness of a short-term neurosurgical brigade. Although surgical intervention is acknowledged as playing a crucial role in global health, subspecialty surgical care is still broadly perceived as a luxury. Although providing care through local surgeons is undeniably more efficient than bringing in foreign medical teams, such care is not universally available. This study argues that volunteer neurosurgical teams can provide high complexity care with a competitive cost-effective profile.

Outcomes of Subdural Hematoma in the Elderly with a History of Minor or No Previous Trauma

BACKGROUND Technology allowing a remote, experienced surgeon to provide real-time guidance to local surgeons has great potential for training and capacity building in medical centers worldwide. Virtual interactive presence and augmented reality (VIPAR), an iPad-based tool, allows surgeons to provide long-distance, virtual assistance wherever a wireless internet connection is available. Local and remote surgeons view a composite image of video feeds at each station, allowing for intraoperative telecollaboration in real time. METHODS Local and remote stations were established in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and Birmingham, Alabama, as part of ongoing neurosurgical collaboration. Endoscopic third ventriculostomy with choroid plexus coagulation with VIPAR was used for subjective and objective evaluation of system performance. RESULTS VIPAR allowed both surgeons to engage in complex visual and verbal communication during the procedure. Analysis of 5 video clips revealed video delay of 237 milliseconds (range, 93-391 milliseconds) relative to the audio signal. Excellent image resolution allowed the remote neurosurgeon to visualize all critical anatomy. The remote neurosurgeon could gesture to structures with no detectable difference in accuracy between stations, allowing for submillimeter precision. Fifteen endoscopic third ventriculostomy with choroid plexus coagulation procedures have been performed with the use of VIPAR between Vietnam and the United States, with no significant complications. 80% of these patients remain shunt-free. CONCLUSION Evolving technologies that allow long-distance, intraoperative guidance, and knowledge transfer hold great potential for highly efficient international neurosurgical education. VIPAR is one example of an inexpensive, scalable platform for increasing global neurosurgical capacity. Efforts to create a network of Vietnamese neurosurgeons who use VIPAR for collaboration are underway.

Epidemiology of central nervous system infectious diseases: a meta-analysis and systematic review with implications for neurosurgeons worldwide

The giants of medicine and anatomy have each left their mark on the history of the cranial nerves, and much of the history of anatomic study can be viewed through the lens of how the cranial nerves were identified and named. A comprehensive literature review on the classification of the cranial names was performed. The identification of the cranial nerves began with Galen in the 2nd century AD and evolved up through the mid‐20th century. In 1778, Samuel Sömmerring, a German anatomist, classified the 12 cranial nerves as we recognize them today. This review expands on the excellent investigations of Flamm, Shaw, and Simon et al., with discussion of the historical identification as well as the process of naming the human cranial nerves. Clin. Anat. 27:14–19, 2014.

Comparison of hydrocephalus metrics between infants successfully treated with endoscopic third ventriculostomy with choroid plexus cauterization and those treated with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt: A multicenter matched-cohort analysis

OBJECTIVE Here we present a review of the pathophysiology of tobacco smoking on intracranial aneurysms, self-reported smoking status in these patients, screening tools and assays available for assessing active nicotine use, means of impacting smoking cessation rates, and the potential impact of smoking cessation on risk of rupture and recurrence of treated intracranial aneurysms. METHODS A literature search using PubMed was done to identify all English language studies relating to tobacco use and intracranial aneurysms, smoking and subarachnoid hemorrhage, nicotine breakdown products, and smoking cessation in neurosurgery. Results from the studies were reviewed and summarized. RESULTS Tobacco use is an independent risk factor for formation, growth, and rupture of intracranial aneurysms. The pathogenesis of aneurysm formation is complex, and related to increased wall shear stress, endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis, and altered gene regulation. Furthermore 80% of all aneurysmal ruptures occur in patients who have used tobacco products. It is suboptimal to rely on self-reported smoking status in order to determine patient risk. Use of objective metrics for ongoing tobacco use may be indicated in selected patients, and may increase smoking cessation rates in these patients. A variety of laboratory and point-of-care tests are available for measurement of nicotine and nicotine breakdown products. Most assays in clinical practice measure the nicotine breakdown product cotinine, which constitutes 75% of nicotine metabolites excreted in the urine and has a substantial half-life of 16h, compared to nicotines 2-h half-life. With proper identification, an astute physician may be able to assist in smoking cessation and foster improved patient care. By following recommended guidelines and prescribing pharmaceutical aid, a patient has a 2.5 times greater chance of smoking cessation compared with attempting to stop without physician assistance. CONCLUSIONS Smoking increases risk for intracranial aneurysm formation, rupture, re-rupture and need for re-treatment. Measurement of nicotine breakdown products may have clinical utility in the management of patients with intracranial aneurysms. Smoking cessation interventions may be effective, and use of established smoking cessation tools use may lead to improved clinical outcomes in these patients. The effects of smoking cessation efforts on smoking cessation and intracranial aneurysm outcomes is a fertile field for future investigation.