Skip to main content
search
Category

CNS Spotlight

Cross-Post: Vestibular Schwannoma Koos Grade I International Study of Active Surveillance Versus Stereotactic Radiosurgery: The VISAS-K1 Study

By CNS Spotlight, Cross PostNo Comments

From time to time on the Neurosurgery Blog, you will see us cross-posting or linking to items from other places when we believe they hit the mark on an issue. We wanted to bring attention to a recent publication in Neurosurgery, the official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, which provides multimedia, prompt publication of scientific articles on clinical or experimental surgery topics important for the brain, spine, and peripheral nerves, reviews, and other information of interest to readers across the world. The article, Vestibular Schwannoma Koos Grade I International Study of Active Surveillance Versus Stereotactic Radiosurgery: The VISAS-K1 Study, is published as part of Neurosurgery’s High-Impact Manuscript Service (HIMS). Read More

December 17, 2024
Love0

Bridging the Gap: A Pathway to Neurosurgery for Underrepresented Students

By CNS Spotlight, DEI, EquityNo Comments

Dedicated to alleviating health care disparities, the Pathway to Neurosurgery program encourages high school students from underrepresented groups and/or disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue a career in neurosurgery. On Monday, Sept. 11, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) Foundation will host the program at the 2023 Annual Meeting in Washington, DC.

Forty high school students from the E.L. Haynes Public Charter School will participate in a hands-on activity lab to give them insight into a day in a neurosurgeon’s life. Students will also attend lectures from leading neurosurgeons and hear from plenary talk guest speakers.

In recognition of this noteworthy program, the District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser proclaimed Sept. 7-13 as Pathway to Neurosurgery Week. “The CNS is thrilled that Mayor Bowser has recognized the Pathway to Neurosurgery program. As CNS president, it has been a privilege to witness the growth and development of this critical mission-centric project, offering exposure to the wonders of neuroscience to these exceptional students,” states Elad I. Levy, MD, MBA, FAHA, FACS, FAANS, CNS president and professor and chair of neurosurgery at the State University of New York at Buffalo.

“African Americans, Hispanic Americans and women are significantly underrepresented in neurosurgery, and the CNS Pathway to Neurosurgery program aims to address this problem by promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in neurosurgery. Our goal is to inspire students to consider neurosurgery as a career option to foster innovations in patient care that can improve outcomes and reduce minority health disparities,” said Tiffany R. Hodges, MD, co-chair of the CNS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and associate professor of neurosurgery at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine. Only 4% of practicing neurosurgeons in the U.S. are Black, 5% are Hispanic and 8% are women. In contrast, approximately 14% of the U.S. population are Black, 19% are Hispanic and 50% are women.

Click here to read Neurosurgery’s press release.

Editor’s Note: We hope you will share what you learn from our posts. We invite you to join the conversation on Twitter by following @Neurosurgery and @CNS_Update and using the hashtag #PathwaytoNeurosurgery.

September 9, 2023
Love0

Cross-Post: Surgery Decreases Nonunion, Myelopathy, and Mortality for Patients With Traumatic Odontoid Fractures: A Propensity Score Matched Analysis

By CNS Spotlight, Cross PostNo Comments

From time to time on the Neurosurgery Blog, you will see us cross-posting or linking to items from other places when we believe they may interest our readers. Today, we wanted to bring attention to a recent publication in Neurosurgery, the official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, which provides multimedia, prompt publication of scientific articles on clinical or experimental surgery topics important for the brain, spine, and peripheral nerves, reviews, and other information of interest to readers across the world.​ The article — “Surgery Decreases Nonunion, Myelopathy, and Mortality for Patients With Traumatic Odontoid Fractures: A Propensity Score Matched Analysis” — is published as part of Neurosurgery’s High-Impact Manuscript Service (HIMS).

Published online on June 13 and expected in the September issue of Neurosurgery, the article addresses odontoid fractures, common in elderly patients after a low-energy fall. “Given the increasing incidence of odontoid fractures with the aging population, we believe our findings could assist with neurosurgical decision-making for an increasingly common and complex problem,” the researchers say.

According to the Wolters Kluwer press release, “Michael B. Cloney, MD, MPH, of the Department of Neurological Surgery at Northwestern University in Chicago, and colleagues have published evidence that surgery should be considered the initial approach for many patients. Compared with nonoperative approaches to treatment, surgical stabilization of the fracture was associated with less myelopathy (mobility impairment due to spinal cord damage), and lower rates of fracture nonunion, 30-day mortality, and one year mortality.’”

To read the full Neurosurgery article, click here.

Editor’s Note: We hope you will share what you learn from our posts. We invite you to join the conversation on Twitter by following @Neurosurgery and @NeurosurgeryCNS and using the hashtag #neurosurgery.

July 17, 2023
Love0

Cross-Post: Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Vestibular Schwannoma in Neurofibromatosis Type 2: An International Multicenter Case Series of Response and Malignant Transformation Risk

By CNS Spotlight, Cross PostNo Comments

From time to time on the Neurosurgery Blog, you will see us cross-posting or linking to items from other places that we believe will interest our readers. We wanted to bring attention to a recent publication in Neurosurgery, the official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.​ The article, “Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Vestibular Schwannoma in Neurofibromatosis Type 2: An International Multicenter Case Series of Response and Malignant Transformation Risk” was published as part of Neurosurgery’s High-Impact Manuscript Service (HIMS).

Published in the May issue of Neurosurgery, the article is a retrospective study conducted by an international, multicenter team. Lead author Hussam Abou-Al-Shaar, MD of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, Pa. and colleagues reviewed data from 12 surgical centers around the world and a total of 267 patients with 328 vestibular schwannomas who underwent stereotactic radiosurgery. They found that stereotactic radiosurgery is effective while preserving serviceable hearing and not causing radiation-related tumor development or malignant transformation.

According to the Wolters Kluwer press release, “Dr. Abou-Al-Shaar’s group concludes that their results point to the need for early treatment of vestibular schwannoma in patients with [neurofibromatosis type 2]. ‘Tumor volume appeared to significantly impact tumor control and freedom from additional treatment, advocating for early stereotactic radiosurgery to maximize benefits and delay clinical deterioration.’”

To read the Neurosurgery article, click here. The complete May issue is here.

Editor’s Note: We hope you will share what you learn from our posts. We invite you to join the conversation on Twitter by following @Neurosurgery and @NeurosurgeryCNS and using the hashtag #neurosurgery.

May 1, 2023
Love0

Cross-Post: Neurosurgery Announces Global Neurosurgery ‘Moon Shot’ with New Editorial Board Section

By CNS Spotlight, Cross Post, Guest PostNo Comments

From time to time on Neurosurgery Blog, you will see us highlighting items from other places when we believe they hit the mark on an issue. To this end, we want to bring attention to the new Neurosurgery Editorial Board Section, “Global Neurosurgery,” highlighted by Section Editor Gail L. Rosseau, MD, FAANS, FACS, in the October issue of Neurosurgery.

As highlighted in a recent announcement about the new feature, “Despite rapid advancements in neurosurgical techniques and capabilities, much of the world’s population has limited or no access to modern care for brain and spinal trauma, stroke, tumors, and other neurological conditions.” To remedy this inequity, the Editor-in-Chief of Neurosurgery, Douglas S. Kondziolka, MD, FAANS, introduced this new section to help advance timely, safe and affordable neurosurgical care to all who need it. Comprised of experts from every generation and continent where neurosurgery is practiced, this new Neurosurgery feature is working to attract the highest-quality global neurosurgery manuscripts, emphasizing policies to assure equity in authorship, access and use of local data.

Dr. Rosseau likens the Global Neurosurgery initiative to President John F. Kennedy’s commitment to land American astronauts on the moon, “no specialty and no nation which expects to be a leader can expect to stay behind in the quest for highest quality health care for all people.”

To read the full Editorial in Neurosurgery, click here.

Editor’s Note: We hope you will share what you learn from our posts. We invite you to join the conversation on Twitter by following @Neurosurgery and @NeurosurgeryCNS.

October 19, 2022
Love0

Practice Restructuring in the COVID-19 Era

By CNS Spotlight, COVID-19, Cross PostNo Comments

From time to time on Neurosurgery Blog, you will see us cross-posting or linking to items from other sources that we believe are relevant to our audience. We wanted to bring attention to this article from the Winter 2021 issue of Congress Quarterly titled “Considerations for Private Practice Groups in the Age of COVID.” Stacey Lang, an executive administrator at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and a volunteer with the Neurosurgery Executives’ Resource Value & Education Society, outlines both short-term and long-term considerations for practice restructuring in the COVID-19 era, including staffing, facility and scheduling matters.

According to a recently released American Medical Association survey, the average number of weekly office visits per provider fell by over 50%. In addition, while on average physicians experienced a 32% drop in revenue since February, approximately 20% saw reductions of 50% or more. Less than 20% of physicians reported no decrease in revenue. Given the duration of the pandemic thus far, it is difficult to remember what everyday practice was and to imagine that we will, at some point, return to normal, albeit a new normal.

To read the complete article, click here.

Editor’s Note: We encourage everyone to join the conversation online by using the hashtags #COVID19 and #Neurosurgery.

February 16, 2021
Love0

RVU Compensation Model Insufficient for Measuring the Value of Academic Surgeons

By CNS Spotlight, Cross PostNo Comments

From time to time on Neurosurgery Blog, you will see us cross-posting or linking to items from other sources that we believe are relevant to our audience. We wanted to bring attention to the recent analysis of the worth of neurosurgeons in academic departments by Elad I. Levy, MD, FAANS, MBA, FACS, FAHA; Kunal Vakharia, MD; and Michael Cournyea, CEO of the University at Buffalo Neurosurgery, Inc. This article from the Winter 2021 issue of Congress Quarterly examines how the relative value unit (RVU) system is insufficient for effectively measuring an academic surgeon’s impact and value and proposes alternative strategies for developing appropriate compensation models for teaching faculty.

Academic neurosurgical departments are the lifeblood of the neurosurgical profession — their mission is to train the next generation of neurosurgeons. By educating stakeholders such as health care systems, universities, philanthropic entities and the community of the importance of each of the subspecialties in neurosurgery, it becomes possible to create appropriate compensation models for teaching faculty.

To read the complete article, click here.

Editor’s Note: We encourage everyone to join the conversation online by using the hashtag #Neurosurgery.

February 9, 2021
Love0

Novel Strategies for Reducing Health Care Costs

By CNS Spotlight, Cross Post, Healthcare CostsNo Comments

From time to time on Neurosurgery Blog, you will see us cross-posting or linking to items from other sources that we believe are relevant to our audience. We wanted to bring attention to the article from the Winter 2021 issue of Congress Quarterly, titled “Cost Effectiveness in Cranioplasty: Investigational 3D-Printed Method for Patient-Specific Cranial Implant.” Daniel Solomon; Jonathan A. Forbes, MD, FAANS; Joseph S. Cheng, MD, MS, FAANS; and Alice Xu from the University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine examine methods to reduce the cost of patient-specific cranial implant (PSCI) by approximately 70% via 3D printing and investigational technology.

Figure 1: (A) and (B) cadaveric specimen following right decompressive craniectomy. (C) Same specimen pictured following cranioplasty with patient-specific cranial implant. PSCI printed/constructed using investigational freeware.

Finding novel ways to reduce surgical expenditures reduces the financial burden on hospitals and patients without compromising quality of care. Strategies such as this are increasingly important as the U.S. continues to push towards value-centric health care.

To read the complete article, click here.

Editor’s Note: We encourage everyone to join the conversation online by using the hashtag #Neurosurgery.

February 3, 2021
Love0

Cross-Post — Neurosurgery Publishes Updated Return-to-Play Recommendations for Collision Athletes After Cervical Spine Injury: A Modified Delphi Consensus Study With the Cervical Spine Research Society

By CNS Spotlight, Spine Care, TraumaNo Comments

From time to time on Neurosurgery Blog, you will see us cross-posting or linking to items from other places when we believe they hit the mark on an issue. We wanted to bring attention to these recommendations compiled by Alexander R. Vaccaro MD, PhD and Gregory D. Schroeder, MD and others at the Cervical Spine Research Society (CSRS) meeting in New York City. This article recently appeared in Neurosurgery, the official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, which publishes research on clinical and experimental neurosurgery covering the very latest developments in science, technology and medicine.

In October of 2020, Neurosurgery published “Updated Return-to-Play Recommendations for Collision Athletes After Cervical Spine Injury: A Modified Delphi Consensus Study With the Cervical Spine Research Society,” which provides consensus statements reached through formal survey methodology on managing football athletes with traumatic neck injuries.

According to a recent Rothman Orthopaedic Institute press release, author Dr. Vaccaro stated, “our study provides the consensus expert opinion of spine surgeons with experience treating neck injuries in collision athletes, especially American football. The topic is controversial, and randomized trials are impractical. Our results deliver updated recommendations from over 100 surgeons, and also highlights persistent areas of controversy.”

To read the full Neurosurgery article, click here.

Editor’s Note: We encourage everyone to join the conversation online by using the hashtag #Spine.

October 12, 2020
Love0

Cross-Post — Neurosurgery Publishes Decompressive Craniectomy Update to the Guidelines for the Management of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

By CNS Spotlight, Cross Post, TBI, Traumatic Brain InjuryNo Comments

From time to time on Neurosurgery Blog, you will see us cross-posting or linking to items from other places when we believe they hit the mark on an issue. Clinical guidelines have widespread impact and practical utility for practitioners. We want to bring attention to these updates, which recently appeared in Neurosurgery, the official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, which publishes research on clinical and experimental neurosurgery covering the very latest developments in science, technology and medicine.

In September of 2020, Neurosurgery published “Guidelines for the Management of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: 2020 Update of the Decompressive Craniectomy Recommendations,” adding to the 2017 publication, “Guidelines for the Management of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury, Fourth Edition,” in the spirit of living guidelines.

According to the Brain Trauma Foundation press release, this update “delineates key knowledge gaps which remain insufficiently informed by evidence.” Incorporating new evidence from the RESCUEicp study and 12-month outcome data from the DECRA study, these guidelines provide three new level-IIA recommendations and validates a previously presented level-IIA recommendation.

To read the full Neurosurgery article, click here.

Editor’s Note: We encourage everyone to join the conversation online by using the hashtag #TBI.

October 7, 2020
Love0