Effects of COVID-19 on Neurosurgical Service: Perspective from a Tertiary Medical Center in Nigeria.

 The outbreak of COVID-19 caused a significant impact on neurosurgical case volume in Nigeria due to the widespread recommendation to minimize elective procedures and redistribute healthcare resources to support COVID-19 patients. This study aims to analyze the effect of COVID-19 in one tertiary care Nigerian hospital on the demographic characteristics, diagnostic classes, and elective/non-elective procedure statuses.  A retrospective single-center chart review study was conducted to review all patients undergoing a neurosurgical procedure between March to June in 2019 and 2020.

Five-Year Outcomes After Decompression and Fusion Versus Decompression Alone in the Treatment of Lumbar Synovial Cysts.

Background: Spinal synovial cysts are acquired, fluid-filled lesions of the facet joint that most commonly occur in the lumbar spine. They are thought to arise from degenerative changes and to result from segmental instability. Although the treatment of these lesions has been studied, the long-term implications and effects of the different strategies for surgical intervention (i.

Thrombocytopenia as an Independent Prognostic Indicator Following Extradural Spinal Tumor Resection.

Objective: Few studies have examined the prognosis for patients with baseline thrombocytopenia undergoing extradural spine tumor resection. Our objective was to evaluate mortality, readmission, and other 30-day outcomes in patients with varying degrees of preoperative thrombocytopenia undergoing osseous extradural tumor excision.

Methods: A multicenter registry was queried for patients treated from 2011-2019.

Cannabis Abuse and Perioperative Complications After Treatment of Intracranial Aneurysms: A Nationwide Analysis.

Objective: In the present retrospective cohort analysis, we examined the differences in baseline characteristics and peri- and postoperative outcomes stratified by 3 groups: cannabis abuse or dependence versus none, surgical versus endovascular treatment, and unruptured and ruptured intracranial aneurysms.

Methods: A study population of 26,868 patients was defined using the 2009-2016 National Inpatient Sample database. The baseline characteristics were compared between the cannabis and no-cannabis groups, and the traits that differed significantly were factored into the multivariate analysis using 1:1 propensity score matching.

Pediatric cerebral cysts: comparison of early complications following fenestration versus shunting procedures.

: Characterize practice patterns and acute (30-day) surgical complications following fenestration and shunt procedures for the treatment of cerebral cysts in pediatric patients.: This study utilized the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) Pediatric database. Patients were identified by International Classification of Disease codes for cerebral cysts and Current Procedural Terminology codes for shunting or fenestration.

Incidence, Management, and Outcomes of Adult Patients with Spinal Chondrosarcoma in the United States.

Objective: Spinal chondrosarcomas are rare primary malignant neoplasms composed of cartilage-producing cells. They are slow-growing but locally aggressive lesions that have high rates of recurrence and progression after treatment. We provide the largest comprehensive analysis of prognostic factors, treatment modalities, and survival outcomes in patients with spinal chondrosarcoma using a large, prospectively collected national database.

High-Grade Spinal Hemangioma: A National Cancer Database Analysis.

Background: Spinal hemangiomas are common primary tumors of the vertebrae. Although these tumors are most frequently benign and asymptomatic, they can rarely exhibit aggressive growth and invasion into neighboring structures. Treatment for these aggressive variants is controversial, often involving surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy.

Treatment and survival of primary intracranial germ cell tumors: a population-based study using SEER database.

Introduction: Primary intracranial germ cell tumors are rare neoplasms derived from gonadal cells. They are categorized as germinoma, non-germinomatous germ cell tumor (NGCCT), or teratoma, with the latter two sparking controversy regarding the role of different treatment strategies. We provide the largest multicenter analysis of treatment outcomes for iGCTs to date.