The AANS Neurosurgeon is the official socioeconomic publication of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), and features information and analysis for contemporary neurosurgical practice. It focuses on topics related to legislation, workforce issues and practice management as they affect the specialty of neurosurgery. The June 2015 edition of AANS Neurosurgeon explores the theme, “Neurosurgical Screening and Surveillance,” debating the impact that, thanks to technological advances, increased access to the nervous system and subsequent findings have had on the specialty of neurosurgery.
MRI, MRA, CTA … Screening modalities that did not exist at the birth of the specialty now make many neurosurgical diagnoses much clearer and give neurosurgeons access to once-obscured information. With the advent of improved diagnostic capabilities, what were once epistemological questions have become ethical ones: Because we can, should we? What is the risk/benefit ratio, should screening present incidental findings that may alarm patients? On the other hand, do neurosurgeons owe it to patients to inform them of potential problems lurking in their anatomy? Articles in this issue examine these very questions and much more.
Some highlights of the issue:
- Is It Real?
- Point: Patients with Incidentally Found Gliomas Should Always Be Offered Treatment
- Counterpoint: Conservative Treatment for an Incidentally Found Supratentorial Low-grade Glioma
- Screening in Outpatient Clinics: A Missing Piece of Our Current Neurosurgical Resident Training Model?
- Neurosurgical Surveillance of Patients with Congenital and Chronic Illness
- Screening Guidelines in Neurosurgery: Patient Safety First
Elsewhere in the issue, readers can check out additional theme-related articles, as well as interviews with practicing neurosurgeons, book reviews and updates from the Washington, D.C., office via its “Washington Watch” column.
In addition to its regularly updated Twitter page, AANS Neurosurgeon also boasts a new Facebook page. Follow both social media accounts to read articles and stay current on the latest neurosurgical news.
