Researchers have discovered evidence that the basolateral amygdala may play a critical role in helping to adjust the ability of conditioned hints or triggers that enhance a recovering addict’s craving or drug seeking.
Research shows MR-guided focused ultrasound surgery may help alleviate tremor and other movement-disorder types.
Researchers find that those suffering from degenerative grade I spondylolisthesis may benefit from surgery that includes laminectomy with lumbar spinal fusion.
Research findings show nucleus accumbens neurons not only encode the difference between expectation and outcome, but in situations with an uncertain outcome, these neurons also predicted the subject’s action.
The American Association of Neurological Surgeons is commemorating National Neurosurgery Awareness Week (NNAW) April 15-21, 2012, in conjunction with its 80th Annual Scientific Meeting in Miami. NNAW efforts focus on the prevalence and prevention of concussions, urging athletes, coaches and the public to make concussion awareness part of their playbooks.
Attendence at the 2012 AANS Annual Scientfic Meeting is expected to eclipse last year's event; special event honoring Dr. Albert Rhoton Jr. and the creation of an endowment in his name slated for April 16.
American Association of Neurological Surgeons focuses on concussion awareness and prevention as central theme of National Neurosurgery Awareness Week.
A case study review of an individual who received a mild brain injury from a ground-level fall while taking the anticoagulant dabigatran etexilate, and the subsequent death that resulted from "uncontrollable" bleeding.
An estimated 3,200 medical professionals — including neurosurgeons, neurosurgical residents, medical students, neuroscience nurses, clinical specialists, physician assistants and allied health professionals — will be among the 7,000+ attendees at the nation's leading neurosurgical conference.
New board consisting of equal numbers of neurosurgeons and orthopaedic surgeons to lead new clinical spine research organization.
Researchers find surprising results regarding how much protection helmets afford children participating in winter sports activities.
Authors offer a variety of viewpoints and information on the 80-hour work week restrictions placed on medical residents as it relates to neurosurgery.
The William P. Van Wagenen Fellowship Selection Committee has announced Matthew Christopher Tate, MD, as the recipient of the 2012 William P. Van Wagenen Fellowship.
The article authors Marvin Chum and Wai Pui Ng describe the neurosurgical, vascular, otolaryngological, and psychological injuries sustained by an 11-year-old boy who was attacked by a Siberian tiger housed at a private home.
The Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation and the Orthapaedic Research and Education Foundation announce the formation of the Collaborative Spine Research Foundation, a collaborative grant program that will broadly cultivate multidisciplinary clinical spine research.
To avoid surgery on the wrong vertebral level, a new technique involving percutaneous placement of a fiducial screw in a specific thoracic vertebra to localize the appropriate operative site is explained.
Researchers were surprised to find that in some cases, the protection afforded by “leatherhead" early 20th-century football helmets was often comparable to or better than that provided by 21st-century varsity helmets currently in use.
America's top neurosurgeons have developed a presentation program to help educate the public on concussion prevention and treatment.
The nail-gun neck injury and treatment incurred by a 25-year-old carpenter might read like an oddity, but nail guns are actually a common form of penetrating low-velocity injury. Along with nail guns, common and often seemingly harmless products found in backyards, gardens, garages, and home workshops contribute to approximately 100,000 head injuries and 46,000 neck injuries a year according to the AANS.
With summer just around the corner, that means the Annual Neurosurgery Charity Softball Tournament will take place in Central Park on Saturday, June 4 for the eighth consecutive year. Endorsed by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, this date has been declared “Neurosurgery Charity Softball Tournament Day” in the City of New York, and is supported by the New York Yankees.
The NREF, which recently reached an agreement with Codman & Shurtleff Inc. to provide funding in support of the Foundation’s post-residency, clinical fellowship grant program with an emphasis on endovascular neurosurgery, is pleased to announce that the following programs have been awarded fellowship grants for the 2011-2012 academic year: Methodist Healthcare Foundation, Semmes-Murphey; University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; and University of Florida.
Of the 4,030 new cases of brain tumors diagnosed in 2010, an estimated 2,880 were in children younger than 15. As many as 15 percent of these pediatric brain tumors occur in the brainstem. Eighty percent of brainstem gliomas (BSG’s) are diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs), an almost always fatal tumor with no effective treatment. Researchers studied the biology of pediatric brainstem glioma in an effort to advance treatment of this leading cause of brain tumor death in children.
There has been increased awareness in the last year related to head injuries incurred in the NFL as well as in collegiate and high school football. While there have been many studies related to concussion in football, and more recently, the development of chronic traumatic encephalopathy related to repetitive brain trauma in sports, this is the first in-depth analysis of the biomechanics of subdural hemorrhage formation specific to American football.
Tragically, infants experience severe or fatal head trauma as a result of intentional abuse. Shaken baby syndrome, now commonly referred to as non-accidental head trauma, is a serious form of abuse inflicted upon a child. While there have been other studies analyzing the relationship between economic hardship and child abuse, including head trauma, this research focuses specifically on severe head trauma trends in infants.
Low back and leg pain secondary to degeneration of the lumbar spine (spondylolisthesis) is occurring with increasing frequency, concurrent with the rising population of people age 65 and older living in the US. As a result, there has been a marked increase in the rate of spinal fusion operations and corresponding healthcare costs over the past two decades. Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. set out to assess the cost-effectiveness of TLIF, a single lumbar fusion surgical technique commonly used to stabilize the vertebrae of the spine and disc between the vertebrae.
Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) has been the mainstay surgical treatment for cervical disc degeneration for many years. A study performed by researchers at Boulder Neurosurgical Associates and the University of Colorado at Boulder suggests that more optimistic patient expectation and mental health are significant factors that lead to improved clinical outcomes and higher patient satisfaction scores following cervical spine surgery.
On December 5, 1960, 4-month-old Theo Dahl, the only son of best-selling author Roald Dahl and actress Patricia Neal, suffered a shattered skull in a horrific traffic accident involving his pram in New York City. What began as a personal tragedy for the family would soon evolve into an elaborate crusade by Roald Dahl to expound upon pre-existing valve technology for hydrocephalus with the goal of developing a shunt that would not obstruct.
In an effort to protect children from bicycle-related head injuries, more than 200 Denver-area children, grades preschool-5 attended the Community Kids Bike Helmet Day at INVESCO Field on Sunday, April 10, and were fitted with free bike helmets by 85 ThinkFirst Chapter members from across the country and AANS neurosurgeons. And as a big bonus, they were treated to a special appearance by Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow, who spoke to them about playing it safe, followed by a question and answer session.
Neurosurgeons know all too well the potentially devastating consequences of head injuries associated with sports. Neurosurgeons have been leaders in the field of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and have served as team physicians at all levels of athletics. In releasing this position statement, the Joint Section on Neurotrauma and Critical Care of the AANS and CNS has acknowledged the seriousness of sports-related head injuries and neurosurgeons’ key role in treatment and prevention.
Glioblastoma, or malignant glioma, is the most common malignant brain tumor, and also the most deadly, because it is very resistant to treatment. In general, current treatments have not yielded significant increases in survival rates, which is why research into novel therapies is so crucial. A novel brain tumor vaccine clinical trial study conducted at UCLA demonstrates a longer survival time in patients with glioblastoma.
Tumors of the pituitary gland, often referred to as “the master gland” can cause striking physical, mental and psychological debilitation in patients. Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston analyzed the value of fluorescence endoscopy in visually differentiating pituitary tumors from surrounding areas and its potential for improved tumor resection.
Meningiomas are the most common benign intracranial tumors, and in individuals ages 35 and older, the most common type of brain tumor diagnosed. Researchers at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, analyzed factors predictive of outcomes and recurrence in patients with posterior fossa meningiomas treated with stereotactic radiosurgery.
Thousands of Americans suffer from episodes of acute or persistent neck and arm pain every year as a result of underlying cervical disc disease. Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) has been the mainstay treatment for many years. This is the largest combined analysis of class 1 data to date comparing the efficacy of artificial disc surgery (arthroplasty) to the ACDF procedure.
An arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a tangle of abnormal and poorly formed blood vessels (arteries and veins), with an innate propensity to bleed. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine assessed the risks and efficacy of repeat stereotactic radiosurgery in patients with AVMs.
The AANS Annual Scientific 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 Colorado Convention Center with more than 3,000 medical registrants. The scientific meeting starts Monday, April 11.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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