Exploring the Validity and Reliability of Neurosurgery Residency Program Rankings: A Quantitative Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationships between Doximity rankings (Doximity, Inc.) of residency programs and 2 new ranking systems based on publication rates and academic pursuits. METHODS: We collected data on 550 neurosurgery graduates over 3 years. We analyzed the median number of published manuscripts per resident and the percentage of residents pursuing academic careers and compared them across the Doximity Research Productivity and Reputation Rankings. We used logistic regression to evaluate the relationships among the rankings, publication rates, and academic pursuits. RESULTS: Neurosurgery residents published a median of 10 manuscripts per person (IQR: 6-17), and 50% (IQR: 33%-67%) of residents in a given program pursued an academic career. The distributions of the median number of published manuscripts across the Doximity Research Productivity Ranking and the Doximity Reputation Ranking tiers differed significantly (all P < 0.001). Similarly, the distribution of the percentage of residents pursuing an academic career across both published Doximity ranking systems' tiers differed significantly (all P = 0.02). Moreover, we found moderate agreement between the 2 Doximity rankings, fair agreement between the publication and the other 3 rankings, and slight agreement between the academic pursuit and the Doximity rankings. CONCLUSIONS: We introduced 2 new methods to rank residency programs based on the number of graduates pursuing an academic position and the median number of published manuscripts per resident. By taking a comprehensive approach, neurosurgery applicants can ensure that they select a residency program that meets their needs and offers them the best opportunity for success.

Competitive neurosurgery residency programs: Predictors of matching outcome and research productivity.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive assessment of preresidency research and school as predictors of competitive neurosurgery matching and to assess for any correlations between preresidency and intraresidency research productivity. METHODS: Individuals who graduated from US neurosurgery programs from 2018 through 2020 were assessed for medical school, degree (MD, DO, or PhD), preresidency versus intraresidency publications, author order, article type, and neurosurgery matching outcomes. RESULTS: Medical school ranking (top 50) and the number of published papers (≥3) before intern year were predictors for matching to a top-25 residency program after adjusting for other covariates (p < 0.001, p = 0.002, respectively). On average, individuals who published more papers before residency published more papers during residency. For the comprehensive clinical papers category, there was a significant difference between individuals from the top 25 residency programs and others, with a stronger correlation between the number of preresidency publications and intraresidency publications for neurosurgeons who attended a top-25 residency program (r = 0.378 and r = 0.179, respectively; p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Medical school ranking and research productivity as measured by the number of published papers were independently associated with matching to the top 25 residency programs. In addition, high research productivity in the preresidency years was associated with continued productivity during residency, especially in the category of comprehensive clinical papers.

Academically Inclined: Predictors of Early Career Trajectory and Avenues for Early Intervention Among Neurosurgery Trainees.

BACKGROUND: The relationship of academic activities before and during neurosurgery residency with fellowship or career outcomes has not been studied completely. OBJECTIVE: To assess possible predictors of fellowship and career outcomes among neurosurgery residents. METHODS: US neurosurgery graduates (2018-2020) were assessed retrospectively for peer-reviewed citations of preresidency vs intraresidency publications, author order, and article type. Additional parameters included medical school, residency program, degree (MD vs DO; PhD), postgraduate fellowship, and academic employment. RESULTS: Of 547 neurosurgeons, 334 (61.1%) entered fellowships. Fellowship training was significantly associated with medical school rank and first-author publications. Individuals from medical schools ranked 1 to 50 were 1.6 times more likely to become postgraduate fellows than individuals from medical schools ranked 51 to 92 (odds ratio [OR], 1.63 [95% CI 1.04-2.56]; P = .03). Residents with ≥2 first-author publications were almost twice as likely to complete a fellowship as individuals with <2 first-author publications (OR, 1.91 [95% CI 1.21-3.03]; P = .006). Among 522 graduates with employment data available, academic employment obtained by 257 (49.2%) was significantly associated with fellowship training and all publication-specific variables. Fellowship-trained graduates were twice as likely to pursue academic careers (OR, 1.99 [95% CI 1.34-2.96]; P < .001) as were individuals with ≥3 first-author publications ( P < .001), ≥2 laboratory publications ( P = .04), or ≥9 clinical publications ( P < .001). CONCLUSION: Research productivity, medical school rank, and fellowships are independently associated with academic career outcomes of neurosurgeons. Academically inclined residents may benefit from early access to mentorship, sponsorship, and publishing opportunities.

Publication Speed Across Neurosurgery Journals: A Bibliometric Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Many factors influence an author's choice for journal submission, including journal impact factor and publication speed. These and other bibliometric data points have not been assessed in journals dedicated to neurosurgery. METHODS: Eight leading neurosurgery journals were analyzed to identify original articles and reviews, collected via randomized, stratified sampling per published issue per year from 2016 to 2020. Bibliometric data on publication speed were gathered for each article. Journal impact factor, article processing fees, and open access availability were determined using Clarivate Journal Citation Reports. Correlation analysis and a linear regression model were used to estimate the effect of impact factor and publication year on publication speed. RESULTS: Across the 8 neurosurgery journals, 1617 published articles were reviewed. The mean (standard deviation) time from submission to acceptance (SA) was 131 (101) days, from acceptance to online publication was 77 (61) days, and from submission to online publication was 207 (123) days. Higher impact factors correlated with longer publication times for all metrics. Later years of publication correlated with longer times from SA and submission to online publication. For each point increase in a journal's impact factor, multivariate regression modeling estimated a 19.2-day increase in time from SA, a 19.7-day increase in time from acceptance to online publication, and a 38.9-day increase in time from submission to online publication (P < 0.001 for all). CONCLUSIONS: Publication speeds vary widely among neurosurgery journals and appear to be associated with the journal impact factor. Time to publication increased over the study period.

Lumbar Drainage After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study reviews the use of lumbar drains (LDs) after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and compares the outcomes to those associated with external ventricular drains (EVDs) and controls. METHODS: A comprehensive search of the literature was performed. English language studies with a sample size of more than 10 patients were included. One-arm and 2-arm meta-analyses were designed to compare external drainage groups. Random-effects models, heterogeneity measures, and risk of bias were calculated. RESULTS: Seventeen studies were included in the meta-analysis. The 2-arm meta-analysis comparing the LD to no drainage after aSAH found a significant improvement in the postoperative modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score (0-2) within 1 month of hospital discharge in the LD group (P = 0.003), a lower mortality rate (P = 0.03), fewer cases of clinical vasospasm (P = 0.007), and a lower incidence of ischemic stroke or delayed ischemic neurological deficits (P = 0.003). When the LD was compared to EVDs, a significant improvement in the postoperative mRS score (0-2) within 1 month of discharge was found in the LD group (P < 0.001). In the LD group, rebleeding occurred in 15 (3.4%) cases and meningitis occurred in 50 (4.7%) cases. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with patients without cerebrospinal fluid drainage, patients with the LD after aSAH had lower mortality rates, lower risk of clinical vasospasm, and lower risk of ischemic stroke, and they were more likely to have an mRS score of 0-2 within 1 month of discharge. Compared with patients with EVDs, patients with the LD were more likely to have an mRS score of 0-2 within 1 month of discharge.

Changes in Angioarchitecture After Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Dural Arteriovenous Fistula.

INTRODUCTION: Dural arteriovenous fistulae (DAVF) are intracranial vascular abnormalities encountered in neurosurgery practice. Treatment options are microsurgical disconnection, endovascular embolization and/or radiosurgery. Past studies have reported the efficacy, safety, and predictors of success of radiosurgery. In this study, we investigated the angioarchitecture of fistulae at the time of radiosurgery and how the anatomy changed in the time after treatment based on angiogram follow-ups. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on patients with angiographic diagnosis of DAVF treated with Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) between 2013 and 2018. Data collection included demographics, symptoms, grading scores, vascular anatomy, radiation data, treatment strategy, angiographic results, and length of patient follow-up. RESULTS: Our study reports data on 10 patients with a total of 14 fistulae. On follow-up angiography, 8 (57%) had complete occlusion of the fistula with a median time to follow up of 19.5 months. The remaining 6 (43%) were deemed as near-complete occlusion of fistula with a median time to follow up of 12.0 months. Time from radiosurgery to angiogram revealing incomplete vs. angiogram revealing complete obliteration was significantly different (p=0.045). Nearly all AVFs had decreased feeders over time after treatment with only one AVF developing an additional feeder post-treatment. Arterial feeders, drainage site, sex, Borden type, lesion volume and treatment volume had no predictive value of obliteration outcome. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides data on the angioarchitecture of fistulae treated with GKRS and also serves as an extension of previous studies reporting the safety and efficacy of GKRS treatment for DAVF in a specific patient population.

Coiling Versus Microsurgical Clipping in the Treatment of Unruptured Middle Cerebral Artery Aneurysms: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Open microsurgical clipping of unruptured intracranial aneurysms has long been the gold standard, yet advancements in endovascular coiling techniques have begun to challenge the status quo. OBJECTIVE: To compare endovascular coiling with microsurgical clipping among adults with unruptured middle cerebral artery aneurysms (MCAA) by conducting a meta-analysis. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted from January 2011 to October 2015 to update a previous meta-analysis. All studies that reported unruptured MCAA in adults treated by microsurgical clipping or endovascular coiling were included and cumulatively analyzed. RESULTS: Thirty-seven studies including 3352 patients were included. Using the random-effects model, pooled analysis of 11 studies of microsurgical clipping (626 aneurysms) revealed complete aneurysmal obliteration in 94.2% of cases (95% confidence interval [CI] 87.6%-97.4%). The analysis of 18 studies of endovascular coiling (759 aneurysms) revealed complete obliteration in 53.2% of cases (95% CI: 45.0%-61.1%). Among clipping studies, 22 assessed neurological outcomes (2404 aneurysms), with favorable outcomes in 97.9% (95% CI: 96.8%-98.6%). Among coiling studies, 22 examined neurological outcomes (826 aneurysms), with favorable outcomes in 95.1% (95% CI: 93.1%-96.5%). Results using the fixed-effect models were not materially different. CONCLUSION: This updated meta-analysis demonstrates that surgical clipping for unruptured MCAA remains highly safe and efficacious. Endovascular treatment for unruptured MCAAs continues to improve in efficacy and safety; yet, it results in lower rates of occlusion.

Pediatric Clival Chordoma: A Curable Disease that Conforms to Collins' Law.

BACKGROUND: Skull base chordomas in children are extremely rare. Their course, management, and outcome have not been defined. OBJECTIVE: To describe the preeminent clinical and radiological features in a series of pediatric patients with skull base chordomas and analyze the outcome of a cohort who underwent uniform treatment. We emphasize predictors of overall survival and progression-free survival, which aligns with Collins' law for embryonal tumors. METHODS: Thirty-one patients with a mean age of 10.7 yr (range 0.8-22) harboring skull base chordomas were evaluated. We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes and prognostic factors for 18 patients treated by the senior author, with uniform management of surgery with the aim of gross total resection and adjuvant proton-beam radiotherapy. Mean follow-up was 119.2 mo (range 8-263). RESULTS: Abducens nerve palsy was the most common presenting symptom. Imaging disclosed large tumors that often involve multiple anatomical compartments. Patients undergoing gross total resection had significantly increased progression-free survival (P = .02) and overall survival (P = .05) compared with those having subtotal resection. Those who lived through the period of risk for recurrence without disease progression had a higher probability of living entirely free of progression (P = .03; odds ratio = 16.0). Age, sex, and histopathological variant did not yield statistical significance in survival. CONCLUSION: Long-term overall and progression-free survival in children harboring skull base chordomas can be achieved with gross surgical resection and proton-beam radiotherapy, despite an advanced stage at presentation. Collins' law does apply to pediatric skull base chordomas, and children with this disease have a high hope for cure.

Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in brain tumor patients undergoing craniotomy: a meta-analysis.

Brain tumor patients undergoing craniotomy generally receive prophylaxis against venous thromboembolism (VTE), but modalities in use differ widely and have been debated in the literature. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of VTE prophylaxis among brain tumor patients undergoing craniotomy. Ten randomized controlled trials were included in the final efficacy analysis. The various prophylactic measures employed in these studies reduced the risk for thrombosis compared to controls with an overall risk ratio of 0.61 (95 % CI: 0.47-0.79) in the fixed effect model. Although Cochrane Q-test showed unimportant heterogeneity across studies (p = 0.19) and the I2, a measure of heterogeneity between studies, was reasonably low at 28 %, subgroup analysis indicated that intervention type was a potential effect modifier for efficacy (p = 0.04). Unfractionated heparin alone showed a stronger reduction in VTE risk compared to placebo (RR = 0.27; 95 % CI: 0.10-0.73), and LMWH combined with mechanical prophylaxis showed a lower VTE risk as compared to mechanical prophylaxis alone (0.61; 95 % CI: 0.46-0.82). This meta-analysis demonstrates a statistically significant VTE risk reduction among brain tumor patients receiving prophylaxis, with chemical prophylaxis showing the strongest risk reduction. Five studies were included in the safety analysis, which showed an overall increased risk of bleeding comparing different prophylactic measures to different controls (RR = 2.02; 95 % CI: 1.14-3.58; I2 = 0 %; p = 0.86). Interventions in these studies were associated with an increased risk of post-operative, minor hemorrhage (RR = 2.20; 95 % CI = 1.00; 4.85), while the risk of major hemorrhage was not increased by chemoprophylaxis.

International Defensive Medicine in Neurosurgery: Comparison of Canada, South Africa, and the United States.

OBJECTIVE: Perception of medicolegal risk has been shown to influence defensive medicine behaviors. Canada, South Africa, and the United States have 3 vastly different health care and medicolegal systems. There has been no previous study comparing defensive medicine practices internationally. METHODS: An online survey was sent to 3672 neurosurgeons across Canada, South Africa, and the United States. The survey included questions on the following domains: surgeon demographics, patient characteristics, physician practice type, surgeon liability profile, defensive behavior-including questions on the frequency of ordering additional imaging, laboratory tests, and consults-and perception of the liability environment. Responses were analyzed, and multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the correlation of medicolegal risk environment and defensive behavior. RESULTS: The response rate was 30.3% in the United States (n = 1014), 36.5% in Canada (n = 62), and 41.8% in South Africa (n = 66). Canadian neurosurgeons reported an average annual malpractice premium of $19,110 (standard deviation [SD] = $11,516), compared with $16,262 (SD = $7078) for South African respondents, $75,857 (SD = $50,775) for neurosurgeons from low-risk U.S. states, and $128,181 (SD = $79,355) for those from high-risk U.S. states. Neurosurgeons from South Africa were 2.8 times more likely to engage in defensive behaviors compared with Canadian neurosurgeons, while neurosurgeons from low-risk U.S. states were 2.6 times more likely. Neurosurgeons from high-risk U.S. states were 4.5 times more likely to practice defensively compared with Canadian neurosurgeons. CONCLUSIONS: Neurosurgeons from the United States and South Africa are more likely to practice defensively than neurosurgeons from Canada. Perception of medicolegal risk is correlated with reported neurosurgical defensive medicine within these countries.

Experimental therapies: gene therapies and oncolytic viruses.

Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor in adults. Over the past three decades, the overall survival time has only improved by a few months, therefore novel alternative treatment modalities are needed to improve clinical management strategies. Such strategies should ultimately extend patient survival. At present, the extensive insight into the molecular biology of gliomas, as well as into genetic engineering techniques, has led to better decision processes when it comes to modifying the genome to accommodate suicide genes, cytokine genes, and tumor suppressor genes that may kill cancer cells, and boost the host defensive immune system against neoantigenic cytoplasmic and nuclear targets. Both nonreplicative viral vectors and replicating oncolytic viruses have been developed for brain cancer treatment. Stem cells, microRNAs, nanoparticles, and viruses have also been designed. These have been armed with transgenes or peptides, and have been used both in laboratory-based experiments as well as in clinical trials, with the aim of improving selective killing of malignant glioma cells while sparing normal brain tissue. This chapter reviews the current status of gene therapies for malignant gliomas and highlights the most promising viral and cell-based strategies under development.

The Efficacy of Antibacterial Prophylaxis Against the Development of Meningitis After Craniotomy: A Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Prophylactic antibiotics are widely used before craniotomy to prevent postoperative infections. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to examine the effect of prophylactic antibiotics on meningitis after craniotomy. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched through October 2014 for randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effect of prophylactic antibiotics on meningitis after craniotomy. Pooled effect estimates were calculated using fixed-effects and random-effects models. RESULTS: Seven studies with 2365 patients were included in the final analysis. All studies were randomized controlled trials with different antibiotic regimens. Prophylactic antibiotic use reduced the rate of meningitis after neurosurgery, with a pooled Peto odds ratio of 0.34 (95% confidence interval 0.18-0.63). Cochran's Q test indicated no significant heterogeneity among studies (I(2) = 0; P value for heterogeneity = 0.44). Subgroup analysis based on Gram-negative coverage, blinding design, and study quality demonstrated no statistically significant difference among these groups (P> 0.05 for all). A meta-regression on surgery duration (P = 0.52) and on antibiotics duration (P = 0.59) did not show significant differences in the results among studies. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis shows that prophylactic antibiotic use significantly decreases meningitis infections after craniotomy.

The frequency and severity of intracranial hypotension post-intraoperative lumbar drainage using a Tuohy needle and the traditional needle.

Background Intraoperative lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage is a well-recognised technique in cranial and vascular surgery. The goal of the study was to assess the frequency and severity of intracranial hypotension post-intraoperative lumbar drainage performed using two different techniques, a 14G Tuohy needle versus an 18G traditional needle. Methods The medical records and imaging studies of 94 patients who had undergone open cranial operation were retrospectively studied: 47 patients had intraoperative lumbar drainage and 47 patients did not. A 14G Tuohy needle was employed in 27 (57.4%) patients and an 18G traditional needle was employed in 20 (42.6%) patients. Results There were signs of intracranial hypotension on MR images in nine (19.1%) patients who had intraoperative lumbar CSF drainage; none of the patients in the control group exhibited the MR signs of intracranial hypotension. A 14G needle was used in 6/9 patients and resulted in severe complications: one patient developed a delayed intracranial epidural hematoma that required emergency evacuation and a blood patch. Another patient developed somnolence that required two epidural blood patches and a third patient had protracted headaches. The 18G needle was used in the remaining 3/9 patients who were asymptomatic or presented with mild headaches. Conclusion The use of the smaller 18G traditional needle was associated with better outcomes with regards to intracranial hypotension, and the frequency of severe complications was higher with the use of the 14G Tuohy needle.

Defensive medicine in neurosurgery: the Canadian experience.

OBJECT Recent studies have examined the impact of perceived medicolegal risk and compared how this perception impacts defensive practices within the US. To date, there have been no published data on the practice of defensive medicine among neurosurgeons in Canada. METHODS An online survey containing 44 questions was sent to 170 Canadian neurosurgeons and used to measure Canadian neurosurgeons' perception of liability risk and their practice of defensive medicine. The survey included questions on the following domains: surgeon demographics, patient characteristics, type of physician practice, surgeon liability profile, policy coverage, defensive behaviors, and perception of the liability environment. Survey responses were analyzed and summarized using counts and percentages. RESULTS A total of 75 neurosurgeons completed the survey, achieving an overall response rate of 44.1%. Over one-third (36.5%) of Canadian neurosurgeons paid less than $5000 for insurance annually. The majority (87%) of Canadian neurosurgeons felt confident with their insurance coverage, and 60% reported that they rarely felt the need to practice defensive medicine. The majority of the respondents reported that the perceived medicolegal risk environment has no bearing on their preferred practice location. Only 1 in 5 respondent Canadian neurosurgeons (21.8%) reported viewing patients as a potential lawsuit. Only 4.9% of respondents would have selected a different career based on current medicolegal risk factors, and only 4.1% view the cost of annual malpractice insurance as a major burden. CONCLUSIONS Canadian neurosurgeons perceive their medicolegal risk environment as more favorable and their patients as less likely to sue than their counterparts in the US do. Overall, Canadian neurosurgeons engage in fewer defensive medical behaviors than previously reported in the US.

Intraoperative real-time MRI-guided stereotactic biopsy followed by laser thermal ablation for progressive brain metastases after radiosurgery.

Stereotactic radiosurgery is one of the treatment options for brain metastases. However, there are patients who will progress after radiosurgery. One of the potential treatments for this subset of patients is laser ablation. Image-guided stereotactic biopsy is important to determine the histopathological nature of the lesion. However, this is usually based on preoperative, static images, which may affect the target accuracy during the actual procedure as a result of brain shift. We therefore performed real-time intraoperative MRI-guided stereotactic aspiration and biopsies on two patients with symptomatic, progressive lesions after radiosurgery followed immediately by laser ablation. The patients tolerated the procedure well with no new neurologic deficits. Intraoperative MRI-guided stereotactic biopsy followed by laser ablation is safe and accurate, providing real-time updates and feedback during the procedure.

Transsphenoidal surgery for Rathke's cleft cyst can reduce headache severity and frequency.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of transsphenoidal surgery for Rathke's cleft cyst(RCC) on headache frequency, severity, and duration. METHODS: The medical records of 43 consecutive patients who underwent transsphenoidal resection of a pathologically-proven RCC at our institution by the senior author (E.R.L.) between April 2008 and April 2014 were reviewed. Patients were called by telephone and asked to answer questions about the severity, location, type, duration,and quality of their headaches, both pre- and postoperatively.This information was joined with detailed data collected directly from each patient's medical record regarding headaches upon presentation and at 1-week,6-week, 3-month, and annual post-operative appointments. RESULTS: Twenty-three patients (53 %) responded to our telephone survey after repeated attempts at contact. Median follow-up was 64 months (range 6­83 months). Of these patients, 19 (82.6 %) reported pre-operative headaches,compared to 12 (52.2 %) who reported post-operative headaches (OR = 1.75, p = 0.02). Average headache severity on a 1­10 scale decreased from 6.4 (SD = 2.0)pre-operatively to 3.4 (SD = 1.9) post-operatively (p = 0.006), while average maximum severity decreased from 8.6 (SD = 2.2) pre-operatively to 4.0 (SD = 3.3)post-operatively (p<0.001). The frequency of headaches also decreased, from 18.1 (SD = 12.6) per month pre-operatively to 3.7 (SD = 8.4) per month post-operatively(p<0.001). Overall, 14 patients (60.9 %) reported improvement in their headaches, and three patients(13.0 %) reported that their headaches had completely resolved. CONCLUSIONS: In a carefully selected patient population,transsphenoidal surgery for RCC can reduce headache monthly frequency, average typical severity, and average maximum severity with minimal risk of morbidity or mortality.

Current indications for the surgical treatment of prolactinomas.

The purpose of this study was to examine the current indications for transsphenoidal surgery in the prolactinoma patient population, and to determine the outcomes of patients who undergo such operations. Transsphenoidal surgery may be indicated in prolactinoma patients who are resistant and/or intolerant to dopamine agonist (DA) therapy. We performed a retrospective review of the medical records of prolactinoma patients over a 6 year period (April 2008 to April 2014) at a large volume academic center. The median follow-up time was 12.0 months (range: 3-69). All patients who were included in the study (n=66) were treated with DA therapy and subsequently underwent an endonasal transsphenoidal operation. Of the 66 patients, 44 were women (mean age 34.2 years) and 22 were men (mean 41.7 years). There were 29 (43.9%) intolerant patients and 29 (43.9%) resistant patients. Postoperatively, 18 intolerant patients (66.7%) had normalized prolactin levels without the need for DA therapy, and five (17.2%) required DA to normalize their prolactin levels (p=0.02). Six patients (20.6%) had persistently elevated prolactin levels but were no longer receiving DA treatment (p<0.001). Postoperatively, 10 resistant patients (35.7%) had normal prolactin levels without DA therapy, and seven patients (25%) were treated with DA therapy to normalize their prolactin levels (p=0.22). Eight patients (28.6%) had supraphysiologic prolactin levels but were no longer taking a DA (p<0.001). Three patients (10.7%) were hyperprolactinemic, despite postoperative treatment with DA (p<0.001). After an appropriate treatment interval with multiple DA, radiographic follow-up, and careful clinical evaluation, prolactinoma patients can be offered surgery as an effective therapeutic option.

Awake right hemisphere brain surgery.

We report the indications and outcomes of awake right hemispheric brain surgery, as well as a rare patient with crossed aphasia. Awake craniotomies are often performed to protect eloquent cortex. We reviewed the medical records for 35 of 96 patients, in detail, who had awake right hemisphere brain operations. Intraoperative cortical mapping of motor and/or language function was performed in 29 of the 35 patients. A preoperative speech impairment and left hand dominance were the main indicators for awake right-sided craniotomies in patients with right hemisphere lesions. Four patients with lesion proximity to eloquent areas underwent awake craniotomies without cortical mapping. In addition, one patient had a broncho-pulmonary fistula, and another had a recent major cardiac procedure that precluded awake surgery. An eloquent cortex representation was identified in 14 patients (48.3%). Postoperatively, seven of 17 patients (41.1%) who presented with weakness, experienced improvements in their motor functions, 11 of 16 (68.7%) with seizures became seizure-free, and seven of nine (77.7%) with moderate to severe headaches and one of two with a visual field deficit improved significantly. There were also improvements in speech and language functions in all patients who presented with speech difficulties. A right sided awake craniotomy is an excellent option for left handed patients, or those with right sided cortical lesions that result in preoperative speech impairments. When combined with intraoperative cortical mapping, both speech and motor function can be well preserved.