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Perioperative blood transfusion is often necessary during spine surgery because of blood loss from the surgical field during and after surgery. However, blood transfusions are associated with a small but significant risk of causing several adverse events including hemolytic transfusion reactions and transfusion-associated circulatory overload. Moreover, many prior publications have noted increased rates of perioperative morbidity and worsened outcomes in spine surgery patients who received blood transfusions. We performed a systematic review of the literature to better characterize the effects of blood transfusion on spine surgery outcomes.

The PubMed/MEDLINE database was queried using the composite key word “transfus∗ AND ‘spine surgery.'” A title and abstract review were performed to identify articles for final inclusion.

A title and abstract review of the resulting 372 English-language articles yielded 13 relevant publications, which were subsequently incorporated into this systematic review. All included studies were retrospective, nonrandomized analyses.

Overall, prior literature indicates a relationship between perioperative blood transfusion and worsened outcomes after spine surgery. However, the available data represent level IV evidence at best. In the future, prospective, randomized, controlled studies may help define the effects of perioperative blood transfusion on spine surgery outcomes.

Overall, prior literature indicates a relationship between perioperative blood transfusion and worsened outcomes after spine surgery. However, the available data represent level IV evidence at best. In the future, prospective, randomized, controlled studies may help define the effects of perioperative blood transfusion on spine surgery outcomes.

The benefit of intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) in gliomas remains unclear. We performed a meta-analysis of outcomes with iMRI-guided surgery in high-grade gliomas (HGGs) and low-grade gliomas (LGGs).

Databases were searched until November 29, 2018 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies (OBS) comparing iMRI use with conventional neurosurgery. Pooled risk ratios (RRs) or hazard ratios were evaluated with the random-effects model. Outcomes included extent of resection (EOR), gross total resection (GTR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and length of surgery (LOS), stratified by study design and glioma grade.

Fifteen articles (3 RCTs and 12 OBS) were included. In RCTs, GTR was higher in iMRI compared with conventional neurosurgery (RR, 1.42; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17-1.73; I

, 7%) overall, for LGGs (1.91; 95% CI, 1.19-3.06), but not HGGs (1.24; 95% CI, 0.89-1.73), with no difference in EOR, PFS, OS, and LOS. For OBS, GTR was higher (RR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.43-1.90; I

, 4%) overall, and for LGGs (1.63; 95% CI, 1.17-2.28; I

, 0%) and HGGs (1.62; 95% CI, 1.36-1.92; I

, 19%). Gusacitinib in vitro EOR was greater with iMRI (6%; 95% CI, 4%-8%; I

, 44%) overall, in LGGs (5%; 95% CI, 2%-8%; I

, 37%) and HGGs (7%; 95% CI, 4%-10%; I

, 13%). There was no difference in PFS, OS, and LOS with iMRI.

IMRI use improved GTR in gliomas, including LGGs. However, no PFS and OS benefit was shown in the meta-analysis.

IMRI use improved GTR in gliomas, including LGGs. However, no PFS and OS benefit was shown in the meta-analysis.

Despite the success of folic acid fortification programs, neural tube defects (NTDs) such as spina bifida, encephalocele, and anencephaly remain among the most substantial causes of childhood morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although these are complicated conditions that require an interdisciplinary approach to care, definitive treatment of survivable NTDs is often neurosurgical.

Using Global Burden of Disease data, we examined the global burden of NTDs as related to a nation’s wealth, health care quality, and access to neurosurgical care. We abstracted data for death by cause, years lived with disability (YLD), gross domestic product (GDP), United Nations geoscheme, Food Fortification Initiative participation, and Healthcare Access and Quality Index. We compared means using 1-way analysis of variance and proportions using Fisher exact tests, with statistical significance as α= 0.05.

Seventeen of 20 (85%) nations with the most deaths caused by NTDs (P < 0.0001) and 15/20 (75%) nations with the highest YLD (P < 0.0001) were in the lowest GDP quartile. Deaths and YLD were negatively correlated with increasing GDP and Healthcare Access and Quality Index (P < 0.0001). The nations with the highest disease burdens also had the fewest neurosurgeons per capita.

Despite the success of folic acid fortification programs, greater global public health efforts should be placed on improving access to neurosurgical care in low and middle-income nations through sustainable initiatives such as surgeon exchange programs and the establishment of neurosurgery residency training programs.

Despite the success of folic acid fortification programs, greater global public health efforts should be placed on improving access to neurosurgical care in low and middle-income nations through sustainable initiatives such as surgeon exchange programs and the establishment of neurosurgery residency training programs.

Gamma Knife surgery is a complementary procedure to open microsurgery for several indications. However, posttreatment symptomatic complaints are common and often result in short-term follow-up imaging. Here we evaluate the efficacy of repeat brain imaging within 30 days of a Gamma Knife procedure by analyzing the frequency with which that imaging reveals addressable pathology.

All patients who underwent Gamma Knife treatments at our institution between January 2013 and August 2019 were retrospectively analyzed, and any patient who received imaging of the brain within 30 days for a symptomatic complaint was evaluated.

Of the 956 Gamma Knife cases performed, 78 (8.2%) scans were performed within a 30-day time frame for symptomatic complaints. Of these, the most common complaint was headache (25%). Most images demonstrated no changes when compared with the treatment scan (68%) and there were no hemorrhages and only 1 stroke (<1%). Univariate analysis revealed that sex (P= 0.046), treatment volume (P < 0.