Trends in medicare reimbursement for the resection of spinal tumors: 2000-2021.

Despite recent fiscal expansion and rising healthcare expenditures, reimbursement rates for specific surgical procedures like spinal tumor resections remain underexplored. This study analyzes trends in real-value Medicare Part B reimbursements for spinal tumor resections over a 21-year period by querying the Medicare Part B database using relevant CPT codes from 2000 to 2021. Data included the aggregate number of procedures, allowed charges, and payments per procedure.

Expanded Endoscopic Endonasal Clipping of a Giant Cavernous Carotid Aneurysm.

Cavernous carotid aneurysms are typically small, asymptomatic, and often do not require treatment. We present the case of a 59-year-old woman, a 3-pack-a-day smoker, who presented with the primary complaint of left retro-orbital pain, left complete ophthalmoplegia, left-sided blindness, and right abducens palsy. Imaging revealed a giant right cavernous carotid aneurysm, which had expanded to the contralateral cavernous sinus wall and superiorly through the diaphragm sellae.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibition for High Grade Meningiomas: A Systematic Review.

Background: World Health Organization grade II/III meningiomas frequently recur despite maximal safe surgical resection and adjuvant radiation. Notoriously resistant to medical therapy, no well-established guidelines for pharmacologic treatment currently exist. In recent years, a small number of clinical trials have investigated immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for patients with recurrent grade II/III meningiomas.

Novel Use of Robotically Harvested Internal Thoracic Artery in High-Flow Cerebral Bypass.

Mesenchymal tumors of the head and neck can lead to tumor-induced osteopeni, necessitating a biochemical cure to alleviate associated symptoms. We present a case of a 40-year-old man who presented with diffuse pain and wheelchair dependency secondary to a skull base mesenchymal tumor producing tumor-induced osteopeni. The tumor involved the cavernous sinus, infratemporal fossa, and middle cranial fossa.

Microsurgical Resection of Spinal Arteriovenous Malformation with Clipping of Anterior Spinal Artery Aneurysm.

Spinal cord arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are rare and usually present in younger patients. We present the case of a 76-year-old woman with a 2-year history of unsteady gait. She presented to us with sudden-onset thoracic pain, numbness, and weakness in both legs.