Publications by authors named "Velina S Chavarro"
Background And Objectives: Grade 2 meningiomas are associated with variable rates of local recurrence, and the role of adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) remains debated.
Methods: This was a multi-institutional retrospective cohort study including all adult patients with newly diagnosed and previously untreated grade 2 meningioma treated at Mass General Brigham hospitals from 2006 to 2020. Cox proportional-hazards modeling was used to analyze the impact of adjuvant RT on progression-free survival (PFS).
Article Synopsis
- CPA meningiomas are challenging to treat due to their location near vital nerves and blood vessels, leading to potential postoperative complications and unpredictable recovery outcomes.
- A study of 95 patients at Mass General Brigham found that common symptoms included hearing loss, ataxia, and headaches, with gross total resection achieved in 62.1% of cases, which was more likely with smaller tumors and when the internal auditory canal was drilled.
- Post-surgery, most patients experienced stable or improved hearing, but 25.3% showed tumor progression or recurrence, with lower odds of progression linked to complete resection grades and older age.
Article Synopsis
- Glioblastoma is a highly aggressive brain tumor with a median survival of only 6-9 months after progression, due to factors like molecular pathways and tumor microenvironment.
- Current treatments like surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy can manage the primary tumor but not effectively prevent relapse, and the role of surgery for recurrent cases is debated.
- New innovative therapies for recurrent glioblastoma are being developed, including checkpoint inhibitors and CAR T-cell therapy, aimed at improving treatment outcomes.
Single Level Spondylolisthesis Associated Sagittal Plane Imbalance Corrected by Pre-Psoas Interbody Fusion Using Anterior Column Release with 30° Expandable Hyperlordotic Cage.
Medicina (Kaunas)
August 2022
Loss of lumbar lordosis caused by single level degenerative spondylolisthesis can trigger significant sagittal plane imbalance and failure to correct lumbopelvic parameters during lumbar fusion can lead to poor outcome or worsening deformity. Anterior column release (ACR) through a pre-psoas approach allows the placement of a hyperlordotic cage (HLC) to improve lumbar lordosis, but it is unclear if the amount of cage lordosis affects radiological outcomes in real-life patient conditions. Three patients were treated with ACR and 30° expandable HLC for positive sagittal imbalance secondary to single-level spondylolisthesis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders (NMOSD) is an autoimmune disease leading to disability from optic neuritis, myelitis and more rarely brain stem attacks and encephalitis. Patients with NMOSD also exhibit cognitive deficits, the cause of which remains unclear. Recent evidence highlights sensory-cognitive parallel processing converging on the primary visual cortex.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImportance: Severe visual impairment is one of the major symptoms in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), but functional network reorganization induced by the diminished sensory input has not been investigated thus far.
Objective: To examine adaptive visual network connectivity changes in NMOSD.
Design, Setting, And Participants: In this cross-sectional study, data were collected from May 1, 2013, through February 31, 2016, from 31 patients with aquaporin-4 antibody-positive NMOSD and 31 age- and sex-matched healthy control individuals at the Department of Neurology and NeuroCure Clinical Research Center at Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
Insufficient treatment of severe depression in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.
Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm
December 2016
Objective: To investigate depression frequency, severity, current treatment, and interactions with somatic symptoms among patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD).
Methods: In this dual-center observational study, we included 71 patients diagnosed with NMOSD according to the International Panel for NMO Diagnosis 2015 criteria. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was classified into severe, moderate, or minimal/no depressive state category.