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.

Predictive Model for Permanent Shunting in Cryptococcal meningitis.

Cryptococcal meningitis may have long-term morbidity and requires a permanent cerebrospinal fluid shunt. This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors and create a predictive model for permanent shunt treatment in cryptococcal meningitis patients. This was a retrospective analytical study conducted at Khon Kaen University. The study period was from January 2005 to December 2015. We enrolled all adult patients diagnosed with cryptococcal meningitis. Risk factors predictive for permanent shunting treatment were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. There were 341 patients diagnosed with cryptococcal meningitis. Of those, 64 patients (18.7%) were treated with permanent shunts. There were three independent factors associated with permanent shunt treatment. The presence of hydrocephalus had the highest adjusted odds ratio at 56.77. The resulting predictive model for permanent shunt treatment (y) is (-3.85) + (4.04 × hydrocephalus) + (2.13 × initial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) opening pressure (OP) > 25 cm H2O) + (1.87 × non-human immune deficiency vrus (HIV)). In conclusion, non-HIV status, initial CSF OP greater than or equal to 25 cm H2O, and the presence of hydrocephalus are indicators of the future necessity for permanent shunt therapy.