Journal Club: Early decompressive surgery in malignant infarction of the middle cerebral artery: a pooled analysis of three randomized controlled trials

Title and Citation Early decompressive surgery in malignant infarction of the middle cerebral artery: a pooled analysis of three randomized controlled trials Lancet Neurology 2007 Background and importance Malignant MCA infarct associated with 80% mortality. Trial design Pooled analysis of 18-60 year old patients with space occupying MCA infarction included in DECIMAL, DESTINY, or HAMLET

Journal Club: Comparative Therapeutic Effectiveness of Anticoagulation and Conservative Management in Traumatic Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis

Title and Citation Comparative Therapeutic Effectiveness of Anticoagulation and Conservative Management in Traumatic Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis Neurosurgery 2022 Background and importance Traumatic cerebral venous sinus thrombosis does not have a clear treatment and largely modeled off spontaneous cerebral venous sinus thrombosis Trial design Retrospective Decision to initiate AC must have stable interval CT non

Cell Saver

Blood loss is a factor to consider in many surgeries and is especially important for longer surgeries in which blood loss is expected. This can be for reasons such as prior anticoagulant use, antiplatelets, or hemodialysis. Reversal agents are typically given, however there is still bleeding. Sometimes elevated blood pressure goals are needed and this

Prep

Prep Solutions I have no financial stake in companies that produce below products. The products below are for surgical prep. What that means is they are made to clean the skin to prevent bacterial invasion. So, a good prep will remove bacteria currently on the skin and will prevent bacterial invasion during the surgical procedure.

Comparison of Warfarin and Aspirin for Symptomatic Intracranial Arterial Stenosis

Randomized Controlled Trial double blinded Inclusion criteria: TIA or non disabling stroke within 90 days before randomization attributable to angiographically verified 50 to 99% stenosis (carotid, MCA, vertebral, or basilar) mRS of 3 or less Age at least 40 Exclusion: Tandem 50-99% stenosis of extracranial carotid artery Nonatherosclerotic stenosis of intracranial artery Cardiac source of

Rhoton Micro Dissector Set

Today’s post is about the Rhoton micro dissectors. This post is really to help me learn real names for these instruments and the slight differences. Hopefully this is helpful for you to. Below is our micro dissector set. As you can see we are missing Rhotons 16-19 are missing so no pictures for those. Rhoton

Surgiflo

I don’t have any financial stake in Surgiflo or Johnson and Johnson. We use it enough that I should know what the heck this white goo is. The official website describes it as a gelatin matrix with thrombin. My loose experience with gelatin is checking starburst packaging for it since my religious friend couldn’t eat

Perforator Drill Bit

Early on in neurosurgery residency, we are introduced to something called a perforator drill. This is a relatively safe drill bit because it is meant to create a burr hole in the skull and automatically stop before the dura. It’s supposed to be safe, but as residents we always find a way to make attendings