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Paul C. McCormick, MD, will be named president of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) at the AANS Annual Meeting in Denver, April 9-13, 2011. Dr. McCormick has been on the staff at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center since 1990. In July 2006, he was appointed the Herbert and Linda Gallen Professor of Clinical Neurological Surgery at Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons.

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The theme of 2011 National Neurosurgery Awareness Week, April 10-16, 2011, is "There’s Always Another Game, but You Only Have One Brain." There were an estimated 446,788 sports-related head injuries treated at U.S. hospital emergency rooms in 2009. The AANS stands behind the message that there needs to be greater awareness about the potentially devastating consequences of head and spinal cord injuries associated with sports and all involved need to take steps to prevent these types of injuries.

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The Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation (NREF), which last fall, reached agreements with DePuy Spine, Inc., Medtronic, Zimmer Spine, Inc., LANX, Inc., and Codman & Shurtleff, Inc. to provide funding to the NREF in support of the Foundation’s post-residency, clinical fellowship grant program, is pleased to announce programs that have been awarded fellowship grants for the 2011-2012 academic year.

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Journalists - register to attend the nation's largest annual scientific meeting for neurosurgeons, neurosurgical residents in training, neuroscience nurses, clinical specialists, nurse/physician assistants, and other allied health professionals. Learn about groundbreaking advances in neurosurgical research.

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Severe head trauma is the most frequent cause of death and severe disability in skiers and snowboarders and accounts for about 15 percent of all skiing and snowboarding related injuries. Although helmet use is apparently increasing, it remains far from universal. A compelling clinical article published online in the March 2011 issue of Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics discusses skull fractures incurred by young skiers and snowboarders and the role helmets play in reducing these head injuries.

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According to the AANS, in 2009, an estimated 1.5 million people were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms for head injuries related to common products found inside the home. While Christmas decorations are not a leading cause of head injury, there is a documented head injury trend in December and January when people are using ladders to decorate their homes. The AANS offers head injury prevention tips to help keep you safe during the holiday season and all year round.

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The NREF has reached agreements with Medtronic, Lanx and Zimmer Spine to provide funding to the NREF in support of the Foundation’s post-residency clinical fellowship grant program. The NREF is pleased to report that it has renewed its agreements with Codman & Shurtleff, Inc. and DePuy Spine, Inc., who supported the inaugural year of the fellowship program in 2010.

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Frontoethmoidal meningoencephalocele is a type of facial malformation that is rarely seen in developed countries, but is quite common in many Southeast Asian countries. A compelling article in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics details the experiences of a cross-cultural surgical team who performed humanitarian work from 2004-2009 repairing the faces and spirits of Cambodian children.

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A groundbreaking study on Canadian junior ice hockey uncovers alarming head injury/concussion data and trends that raise many questions about the safety and well being of teenagers and young adults who participate in this popular sport. This is a public health issue that needs to be taken more seriously by players, parents, coaches, and medical professionals. At stake is something more important than winning a game - the present and future health of thousands of young athletes.

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In 2007, the AANS recognized the need to take bold steps to recruit and retain more women in neurosurgery and requested that Women in Neurosurgery (WINS) author a white paper. The article, which was published in the September 2008 issue of Journal of Neurosurgery, and a subsequent WINS book have clearly made an impact on the field with the number of new female neurosurgical residents nearly doubling from 2008 to 2010.

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Every year, an estimated 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with a primary brain tumor and more than 150,000 have cancer that spreads to, or “metastasizes,” to the brain. In general, current treatments have not yielded significant increases in survival rates for the most aggressive types of brain tumors, which is why research into novel therapies and funding for clinical research grants is so crucial.

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Chronic subdural hematoma is a frequently encountered problem in neurosurgical practice and the perception is that it is a benign disease, with easy-to-treat lesions. Research showed that the mortality rate increased considerably at 6-month and 1-year follow-up, after what was considered successful treatment. The authors liken the continued increased mortality following treatment of CSDH to the similar and widely reported phenomenon in patients who have undergone successful surgery for hip fracture, surmising that CSDH unmasks underlying medical conditions and exacerbates them.

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With kids going back to school soon and football practice already underway in many communities, the AANS is issuing an injury prevention message about football and cheerleading. Although head injuries and concussions associated with football have been well publicized and subject to recent Congressional hearings, there is less public awareness about the neurological injuries associated with cheerleading, which are certainly less prevalent, but can be just as devastating.

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A compelling article details the experiences of a group of pediatric neurosurgeons over the course of a 2-year mission at Bagram Airfield/Heathe N. Craig Joint Theater Hospital (CJTH), 27 miles north of Kabul. While there, they performed lifesaving procedures on innocent young bystanders of the military conflict in Afghanistan. The authors provide more than a glimpse into the types of injuries incurred by innocent children – they include statistics on the types of injuries and neurosurgical procedures performed, including four illustrative case studies.

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Of the estimated 1.5 million people treated for head injuries every year at U.S. hospital emergency rooms, nearly 380,000 are children ages 4 and younger. Blunt head trauma is commonly encountered by pediatric neurosurgeons and emergency physicians. An in-depth scientific article published in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics elucidates the impact of head injuries caused by low-height falls in toddlers, using an anthropomorphic biomechanical surrogate.

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An in-depth analysis by the AANS, utilizing just-released 2009 head injury statistics from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission yielded some alarming trends. According to the AANS analysis, there were an estimated 446,788 sports-related head injuries treated at U.S. hospital emergency rooms in 2009, an increase by nearly 95,000 from the prior year. Many of these injuries are preventable.

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What does it take to forever change the landscape of medical meetings successfully and in grand fashion? The AANS can now answer that after seeing a yearlong dream come to fruition at its 78th Annual Meeting at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, May 1-5, which was conducted via the iPod touch.

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High-grade glioma or GBM is the most common primary malignant brain tumor, as well as the most devastating, accounting for 19 percent of all primary brain tumors. Standard treatment includes surgical resection followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Research analyzes the relationship between extent of tumor resection and patient outcome.

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Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH) is a neurological condition which typically affects adults ages 55 and older. An estimated 5.3 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Research analyzes the connection between NPH and AD, studying tau-protein abnormalities of the brain and the efficacy of shunt placement in these patients.

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The cost of treating back pain is currently estimated at more than $100 billion annually in the U.S. Many patients with back pain have comorbidities that impact spine surgery. Research analyzes how other health conditions impact length of hospital stay and costs in patients undergoing spine surgery.

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Lumbar discectomy is the most common surgical procedure performed in the U.S. for patients experiencing back and leg pain. An incidental durotomy is one of the most frequent complications during lumbar discectomy. Research analyzes whether this complication affects long-term patient outcome.

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Since July 2003, residents in most programs have been limited to an 80-hour work week. Recently, the 80-hour resident work week has come under fire, but until now, there has not been in-depth research in the field of neurosurgery on how this impacts residents. Research analyzes the impact of fatique on neurosurgery residents' psychomotor and cognitive skills.

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Moyamoya disease (MMD) is an uncommon, progressive cerebrovascular disease in which the main arteries feeding the brain are narrowed or occluded on both sides, reducing blood flow to the brain. Research analyzes whether gender plays a role in clinical presentation and treatment outcomes following revascularization surgery.

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Neuronal Ceroid Liposfuscinosis (NCL), often referred to as Batten disease, is a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disorder that afflicts infants and young children. First FDA-authorized clinical trial utilizing purified neural stem cells yields promising results in five children battling the disease.

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EMTALA was enacted in 1986 to provide access to emergency medical care and transfer for all patients, regardless of immigration status or ability to pay. Research analyzes insurance status on head injury patient transfer and the specifics involved in this practice.

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Malignant gliomas are brain tumors that are highly resistant to treatment and usually fatal. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most invasive type of glial tumor. Phase I clinical trial shows that two innovative treatment approaches may safely be combined to treat patients with this highly aggressive form of brain cancer.

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Worldwide, an estimated 340 million people suffer from an episode of major depression every year. About 20 percent of patients fail to respond to a combination of psychotherapy and medication. Research studies the role of the ventral striatum in processing rewards and its potential for targeting treatment in patients with major depression.

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The gold-standard method of determining cortical functional in brain surgery has been electrocortical stimulation (ECS). Research explores the potential of real-time brain mapping of eloquent cortex to improve outcome in patients undergoing epilepsy and brain tumor surgery.

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In 2009, it was estimated that a total of 22,070 new cases of brain and other CNS tumors were diagnosed. Pituitary adenomas represent one of the most common brain tumors. Research analyzes the efficacy of radiosurgery in the largest group of patients with a pituitary adenoma, to date.

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The AANS Annual Meeting is the largest gathering of neurosurgeons in the nation. The meeting focuses on the latest research and technological advances in the field. The AANS is expected to host an estimated 6,000 attendees at the Pennsylvania Convention Center with more than 3,000 medical registrants. The scientific meeting starts Monday, May 3.

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James T. Rutka, MD, PhD, FRCS, will be named president of the AANS at the AANS Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, May 1-5, 2010. Dr. Rutka has been on the Neurosurgical Staff at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto since 1990. He was appointed chairman of the Division of Neurosurgery at the University of Toronto in 1999, and the Dan Family Chair that same year. He is currently co-director of the Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre.

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Back and neck problems can be caused by a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, injury, strain or osteoarthritis. Although more than 75 percent of Americans will experience some back pain during their lifetime, about 90 percent of cases are resolved without surgery. The AANS offers back pain information and prevention tips during National Neurosurgery Awareness Week.

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The Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation (NREF), which reached an agreement with Codman & Shurtleff, Inc. in December 2009 to provide funding to the NREF in support of the Foundation’s new post-residency, clinical fellowship grant program, is pleased to announce that five programs have been awarded fellowship funding for 2010-2011.

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The Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation (NREF), which reached an agreement with DePuy Spine, Inc. in October 2009 to provide funding to the NREF in support of the Foundation’s new post-residency, clinical fellowship grant program, is pleased to announce that 12 programs have been awarded fellowship funding for 2010-2011.

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When medical attendees register at the Pennsylvania Convention Center for the AANS 78th Annual Meeting beginning Friday evening, April 30, instead of a 165-page final program book and briefcase-size bag weighing just under 2 pounds, they will be receiving the Apple iPod touch® and a convenient lightweight nylon pouch with neck strap to house it.

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Journalists - register to attend the nation's largest annual scientific meeting for neurosurgeons, neurosurgical residents in training, neuroscience nurses, clinical specialists, nurse/physician assistants, and other allied health professionals. Learn about groundbreaking advances in neurosurgical research.

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Accidental falls are the leading cause of non-fatal injury among Americans of all ages according to the AANS. And among Americans age 65 and older, falls are the leading cause of fatal injuries. In 2008, nearly 8.6 million Americans suffered accidental falls according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Taking a few minutes to make simple changes around the home can help prevent falls and potentially life-altering or even fatal head injuries.

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Clinical and basic science papers do not have to be published in large, high-impact publications to garner attention, and in fact when it comes to specialized areas of medicine such as neurosurgery, publications devoted to the subspecialty produce many citation classics. “Citation classic” is a term given to articles that have been cited more than 400 times.

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The tragic death of actress Natasha Richardson this past March put a spotlight on the potential risks inherent to skiing, as well as the deadly consequences that can result from head trauma. And while skiing and snowboarding head injuries tend to me more severe, ice hockey contributes to more head injuries per year than skiing.

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The NREF has reached an agreement with Codman & Shurtleff, Inc. to provide funding to the NREF in support of the Foundation’s new post-residency fellowship grant program. These fellowships will cover general neurosurgery as well as subspecialty areas such as pediatrics, neurosurgical oncology, peripheral nerve, neurocritical care, and stereotactic & functional neurosurgery.

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The Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation (NREF) of the American Association of Neurosurgeons has reached an agreement with DePuy Spine, Inc. to provide funding to the NREF in support of the Foundation’s new post-residency fellowship grant program.

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Every year, there are tragic stories about athletes who suffer life-altering football-related injuries to the brain and spine. According to the AANS, in 2008, football contributed to the second highest number of sports-related head injuries, behind cycling. Of the nearly 41,000 people treated for football-related head injuries at U.S. hospital emergency rooms, 16,900 were age 14 and younger.

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The AANS and CNS announced their support for many of the provisions contained in H.R. 3400, the "Empowering Patients First Act," which was unveiled in Congress last week. Among the positive aspects: the legislation preserves patient access to quality healthcare with a choice in doctors "“ specialists and primary care alike, and incorporates comprehensive medical liability reforms.

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The AANS and WFNS will host an estimated 2,700 attendees from more than 80 countries at the upcoming XIV World Congress of Neurological Surgery. This premier international neurosurgical meeting is taking place at the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center in Boston, Massachusetts, August 30-September 4, 2009, but officially opens to the media on Monday, August 31.

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Neurosurgery is a global enterprise without technological or geographic borders. Among its membership ranks, the AANS has 1,166 International neurosurgeon members in 95 countries and a combined total of 434 Active neurosurgeon members in Canada and Mexico. Many of the groundbreaking neurosurgical innovations that have enabled U.S. neurosurgeons to greatly improve patient outcome originated outside the United States.

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The AANS and CNS announced their opposition to H.R. 3200, the "America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009," currently under consideration by the House of Representatives. "America's neurosurgeons strongly support improving our nation's healthcare system by ensuring insurance coverage for all our citizens. Unfortunately, as it is currently constructed, this bill goes far beyond what is necessary to fix what is broken with our healthcare system," stated Troy M. Tippett, MD, President of the AANS.

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An intriguing article published in the July 2009 issue of JNS: Pediatrics not only analyzes the neurosurgical injuries associated with the dangerous "sport" known as car surfing, but delves into the cultural and regional trends behind this reckless activity. While car surfing carries a risk of injury to any region of the body, the most common site of injury is the head. National statistics from the three states with the highest car-surfing fatality rates "“ California, Florida, and Texas, have shown a steady rise in car-surfing fatalities since 2000.

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The 2010 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting will be the first paperless meeting in the 78-year-history of the AANS, and the first paperless scientific meeting of a North American medical association to be conducted via the Apple iPod touch. Slated for May 1-5, 2010 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the AANS is expected to host an estimated 7,000 attendees.

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For the last 10 years, postgraduate training in medicine has been under scrutiny, with studies citing concerns about resident fatigue and patient safety. Numerous adjustments were made by neurosurgical educators six years ago when the ACGME instituted the maximum 24-hour shift length and 80-hour resident work week. The Journal of Neurosurgery articles are the first to delve into this subject from the unique perspective of neurosurgery.

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The spinal column is the most common site for bone metastasis. Metastatic spinal tumors are the most common type of malignant lesions of the spine, accounting for an estimated 70 percent of all spinal tumors. Estimates indicate that 30 to 70 percent of patients with cancer will experience spread of cancer to their spine. Research analyzes the effectiveness of sterotactic body radiosurgery in patients with metastatic spinal tumors.