Progress in neurosurgery: Contributions of women neurosurgeons in Asia and Australasia.

At the end of the first 100 years of neurosurgery as a specialty, it is appropriate to look back and then imagine the future. As neurosurgery celebrates its first century, the increasing role of women neurosurgeons is a major theme. This article documents the early women pioneers in neurosurgery in Asia and Australasia. The contributions of these trailblazers to the origins, academics, and professional organizations of neurosurgery are highlighted. The first woman neurosurgeon of the region, Dr. T.S. Kanaka of India, completed her training in 1968, not long after the trailblazers in Europe and North America. She heralded the vibrant communities of neurosurgical women that have developed in the vast and diverse nations of the region, and the many formal and informal groups of women in neurosurgery that have introduced and promoted talented women in the profession. Contributions of women neurosurgeons to academic medicine and society as a whole are briefly highlighted, as are their challenges in this male-dominated specialty. The region is home to many deeply conservative societies; in fact, some nations in the region have not yet trained their first woman neurosurgeon. The fortitude of these individuals to achieve at the highest levels of neurosurgery indicates great potential for future growth of women in the profession, but also demonstrates the need for initiatives and advocacy to reach the full potential of gender equity.

Traumatic Brain Injury in Myanmar: Preliminary Results and Development of an Adjunct Electronic Medical Record.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Myanmar is a major health issue. Comprehensive appreciation of the pathology is limited given the lack of granular metadata available. In this proof-of-concept study, we analyzed demographic data on TBI generated from a novel, prospective, online database in a lower-middle income country. METHODS: Neurosurgery residents were given an electronic tablet for data entry into an online database. Metadata-driven data capture was carried out prospectively by trained residents, and the information was reviewed weekly by the supervising team in the United States. RESULTS: Complete data were available on 242/253 (96%) patients. Age at admission was 37 years (range 16-85), and length of stay was 3.53 days (1-21). Etiologies included motorcycle accidents, falls, assaults, pedestrian vehicular injuries, and industrial accidents. Dispositions were primarily to home (211). Average Glasgow Coma Scale score at admission was 12.97. There was a 68% mortality rate of patients directly admitted to the North Okkalappa General and Teaching Hospital with a Glasgow Coma Scale score <8 versus 75% for patients transferred in from other facilities. Surgery was performed on 30 patients (12.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Despite a lack of formal training in electronic medical records or research, the resident team was able to capture the majority of admissions with granular-level data. This helped shed light on the etiology and severity of TBI in Myanmar. As a result, more effective transport systems and access to trauma care must be achieved. Accessible regional trauma centers with investment in intensive care units, operative care, anesthesia, and imaging resources are necessary.