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To investigate interaction between behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids, hearing assistive technologies, and programmable shunt valve to understand how use of BTE hearing aids in patients who underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) surgery affects the settings of a programmable shunt valve.In this study, we investigated the magnetic field (MF) generation of 3 BTE hearing aids made by different companies, 1 frequency modulated system using telecoil technology, and 1 wireless microphone technology and their interactions with 2 programmable shunt valves. All measurements were made in a silent booth using 2 different models. The influence of MF strength in the distance modeling was investigated based on the distance from source auditory prostheses. The measurements were recorded using a Gauss meter. In the anatomical modeling, the change in the settings and interaction of the valve in a bust mannequin were investigated.No MF created by BTE hearing aids was detected in the distance modeling. The highest value measured was 32.67 μT (90 dB noise) when BTE hearing aids and frequency modulated systems were used, and this value decreased as the distance increased. No MF generation was observed at measurements done for distances10 mm. In the anatomical modeling, the settings of both programmable valves did not change under all acoustic conditions.This is the first study to our knowledge examining the MF created by hearing aids and hearing assistive technologies and its impact on programmable valves and variations in their settings. Our findings showed that it is safe to use BTE hearing aids, frequency modulated systems, and wireless microphone technologies in patients with a programmable VPS.

Objective To evaluate the quality and reliability of carpal tunnel syndrome surgery videos on YouTube. Methods A keyword set of "carpal tunnel syndrome surgery" was searched on YouTube. The DISCERN scoring system, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) scoring system, and Health on the Net (HON) ranking systems were used to evaluate the quality and reliability of the first 50 videos appeared in the search results. The characteristics of each video, such as the number of likes, dislikes and views, upload days, video length, and the uploader, were collected retrospectively. The relationships between the video quality and these factors were investigated statistically. Results All of the featured videos sorted were found to be of poor content (mean DISCERN score [n = 1.71 of 5], mean JAMA score [n = 1.76 of 4], mean HON score [n = 5.65 of 16]). Yet, DISCERN scores of the videos uploaded by medical centers were higher than that of the others (p = 0.022). No relationship was detected between the other variables and video quality. Conclusion Healthcare professionals and organizations should be more cautious when recording and uploading a video to the online platforms. As those videos could reach a wide audience, their content should provide more information about possible complications of a treatment and other treatment modalities.

BACKGROUND Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the adult as well as in the neonate, with limited options for treatment and significant dysfunctionality. AIM To investigate the safety and preliminary efficacy of allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in HIE patients. METHODS Patients who had HIE for at least 6 mo along with significant dysfunction and disability were included. All patients were given Wharton’s jelly-derived MSCs at 1 × 106/kg intrathecally, intravenously, and intramuscularly twice a month for two months. The therapeutic effects and prognostic implications of MSCs were evaluated by multiple follow-ups. Functional independence measure (FIM), modified Ashworth, and Karnofsky scales were used to assess any side effects, neurological and cognitive functions, and overall outcomes. RESULTS The 8 subjects included in the study had a mean age of 33.25 ± 10.18 years. Mean HIE exposure and mean post-HIE durations were 45.63 ± 10.18 and 19.67 ± 29.04 mo, respectively. Mean FIM score was 18.38 ± 1.06, mean modified Ashworth score was 43.5 ± 4.63, and mean Karnofsky score was 20. For the first 24 h, 5 of the patients experienced a subfebrile state, accompanied by mild headaches due to intrathecally administration and muscle pain because of intramuscularly administration. Neurological and functional examinations, laboratory tests, electroencephalography, and magnetic resonance imaging were performed to assess safety of treatment. Mean FIM score increased by 20.88 ± 3.31 in the first month (P = 0.027) and by 31.38 ± 14.69 in 12 mo (P = 0.012). The rate of patients with an FIM score of 126 increased from 14.58% to 16.57% in the first month and 24.90% in 12 mo. CONCLUSION Multiple triple-route Wharton’s jelly-derived MSC administrations were found to be safe for HIE patients, indicating neurological and functional improvement. Based on the findings obtained here, further randomized and placebo research could be performed.

Aim: To compare short and long term pain intensity changes and long term loss of correction rates in patients who were treated either by kyphoplasty or posterior segmentation due to their TLICS and LSC scores, therefore evaluate the specificity of these classifications. Material and Methods: Medical records of 106 patients operated due to thoracolumbar compression or burst fracture in our clinics between years 2012 to 2015 have been evaluated retrospectively. The patients were evaluated with postoperative radiography (loss of reduction) and visual analogue scale (VAS) in their follow-ups. Results: The average stay on hospital was 6.53 ± 4.51 days in kyphoplasty group. The mean preoperative cobb angle was 10.76±11.67 degrees, which improved to 10.19±10.66 degrees at postoperative 1th month. Beside this, the mean preoperative VAS score was 7.93±0.68 then improved to 4.25±0.77 and 2.75 ± 1.43 at postoperative 6th, 12th month follow-ups respectively. There were 42 patients in instrumentation group. The mean hospitalization was 13.47±10.43 days. The mean preoperative cobb angle was 15.84±10.52 and it improved to 11.86±8.15 degrees at the postoperative 1th-month follow-up. The preoperative VAS scores of the patients improved from 7.71±0.71 to 4.09±0.79 and 4.26±1.23 at 6th and 12th month follow-ups. Conclusion: In long term follow up the kyphoplasty group showed more loss of correction however lesser VAS scores comparing to the instrumentation group. Although evaluating TLICS scores to kyphoplasty patients is still based on case reports in our series it was performed to 64 patients.

Background Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is one of the leading causes of death and long-term neurological impairment in the pediatric population. Despite a limited number of treatments to cure HIE, stem cell therapies appear to be a potential treatment option for brain injury resulting from HIE. Aim To investigate the efficacy and safety of stem cell-based therapies in pediatric patients with HIE. METHODS The study inclusion criteria were determined as the presence of substantial deficit and disability caused by HIE. Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) were intrathecally (IT), intramuscularly (IM), and intravenously administered to participants at a dose of 1 × 106/kg for each administration route twice monthly for 2 mo. In different follow-up durations, the effect of WJ-MSCs administration on HIE, the quality of life, prognosis of patients, and side effects were investigated, and patients were evaluated for neurological, cognitive functions, and spasticity using the Wee Functional Independence Measure (Wee FIM) Scale and Modified Ashworth (MA) Scale. Results For all participants (n = 6), the mean duration of exposure to hypoxia was 39.17 + 18.82 min, the mean time interval after HIE was 21.83 ± 26.60 mo, the mean baseline Wee FIM scale score was 13.5 ± 0.55, and the mean baseline MA scale score was 35 ± 9.08. Three patients developed only early complications such as low-grade fever, mild headache associated with IT injection, and muscle pain associated with IM injection, all of which were transient and disappeared within 24 h. The treatment was evaluated to be safe and effective as demonstrated by magnetic resonance imaging examinations, electroencephalographies, laboratory tests, and neurological and functional scores of patients. Patients exhibited significant improvements in all neurological functions through a 12-mo follow-up. The mean Wee FIM scale score of participants increased from 13.5 ± 0.55 to 15.17 ± 1.6 points (mean ± SD) at 1 mo (z = - 1.826, P = 0.068) and to 23.5 ± 3.39 points at 12 mo (z = -2.207, P = 0.027) post-treatment. The percentage of patients who achieved an excellent functional improvement (Wee FIM scale total score = 126) increased from 10.71% (at baseline) to 12.03% at 1 mo and to 18.65% at 12 mo posttreatment. Conclusion Both the triple-route and multiple WJ-MSC implantations were safe and effective in pediatric patients with HIE with significant neurological and functional improvements. The results of this study support conducting further randomized, placebo-controlled studies on this treatment in the pediatric population. WOS:000661465500008 Q2

two hundred years of design, endoscopy is widely used today in neurosurgical interventions for intraventricular surgery, skull base surgery, spinal surgery and various other applications. Neuroendoscope, which had fallen off the agenda in the early 1900s due to unsuccessful surgical interventions, was re-used to assist microsurgery in the future. It has become an indispensable equipment of the neurosurgery operating room itself, rather than the complementary feature of the neuroendoscopy, which has increased effectiveness in the development of technology. In this article, our aim is to tell the history of neuroendoscopy used in current neurosurgical field to physicians.

The use of stem cells in the treatment of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) in recent years has provided promising results. Different sources of cells for transplantation have been used, including mesenchymal stem cells [MSCs; e.g., Wharton’s jelly-derived (MSCs WJ-MSCs)]. Here, we reported on a 29-year-old man who was treated with WJ-MSCs in the course of therapy for blunt, traumatic SCI due to a work accident. He was operated on within 6 hours of the injury. Three and a half months later, he underwent intrathecal, intramuscular, and intravenous administrations of WJ-MSCs at a target dose of 1x106/kg for each application route (twice a month for 2 months). All the procedures were tolerated well by the patient. In parallel to this, we have not seen any application-related complications so far. After stem cell infusions, progressive improvements were shown in the patient’s neurological examination and neurophysiological and neuroradiological findings.

Aim To elucidate the characteristics of kyphoplasty in correlation with spinal metastasis. Material and methods Data of patients treated by kyphoplasty between January 2017 and December 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. Preoperative prophylactic antibiotics and low-molecular-weight heparin injections were performed. Postoperative follow-up was conducted at least 24 hours after the procedure. All patients were treated under sedoanalgesia. Bone biopsies were collected from all patients. Results One hundred ninety-nine vertebra fractures were treated in 130 patients. The mean age of the patients was 65.27 ± 8.79 years (18?90 years) and 66 patients were male (50.7%). Forty-five patients had osteoporosis, six patients showed malignancy, and osteomyelitis was found in three patients, while the others? presentations were secondary to trauma. Most commonly, the L1 (n=59), Th12 (n=45), and L2 (n=34) levels were found to develop vertebral fractures. Forty patients had multiple levels of vertebral fracture, with a higher rate of osteoporosis (n=24; 60%). Three patients showed undiagnosed oncologic disease with an initial diagnosis of acute fracture following minor trauma, while the primary oncologic diagnosis was established by bone biopsy taken during the routine procedure in each procedure (e.g., plasmacytoma, lymphoma, adenocarcinoma of the lung). None of the patients developed an infection due to kyphoplasty, permanent neuromotor deficit, or mortality. The mean postoperative hospital length of stay was 1.6 days. Conclusion Bone biopsy should be performed to diagnose early spinal metastases. Although an accurate bone biopsy may not be obtained from some patients, particularly from those with osteoporosis, performing bone biopsy during the procedure does not cause time loss or any other complications, and protects the surgeon from possible medicolegal problems.

Aim To evaluate the roles of craniotomy and aspiration in the treatment of pyogenic brain abscess throughout 30 years of computerized tomography. Material and methods A retrospective study of 224 patients who were surgically treated at Istanbul Medical Faculty, Department of Neurosurgery between 1982 and 2012 was undertaken. The records were analyzed for demographic, clinical and radiological findings, surgical interventions (resection, free-hand aspiration and image-guided aspiration), data regarding abscesses (etiological factors, site, size, number, localization and identified microorganism), corticosteroid and antibiotic usage and complications, and the outcomes were reviewed. Results The male-to-female ratio was 2.2, and the mean age was 26.2±1.25 years. The most common presenting symptom was headache (56.7%), followed by nausea and vomiting (28.5%). Otitis media and mastoiditis were the most common causes of abscess (41.9%), and 44 patients had multiple abscesses. Aerobic gram-positive microorganisms were the most frequently isolated pathogens in culture (51.5%). Primary surgical interventions were as follows: craniotomy and resection (38.8%), free-hand aspiration (49.1%) and image-guided aspiration (12.1%). The aspiration-to-resection ratio was 1.36 (64/47) in the first decade, 2.94 (50/17) in the second decade and 1 (23/23) in the last decade. Age, level of consciousness at the time of admission and potent corticosteroid usage were found to be significantly associated with mortality (p=0.001, p≤0.001 and p=0,038, respectively). The total morbidity and mortality ratios were 4.9% and 9.8%, respectively. Seizures were more common in patients of craniotomy group (p=0.023). Conclusion Treatment of pyogenic brain abscess remains challenging, despite advances in surgical and imaging technology, and craniotomy retains a significant role in surgical treatment.

Objective To evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients with lumbar disc disease undergoing fully endoscopic surgery at a single clinic. Methods Between August 2009 and January 2012, 163 patients (74 men and 89 women) underwent fully endoscopic lumbar discectomy. All patients were followed for 1 year after surgery. The Oswestry Disability Index and a visual analog scale were used to analyze outcomes. Results During the follow-up period, 114 (70%) patients had no complaints, 30 (18%) patients had occasional pain, and 19 (12%) patients had no improvement. During postoperative follow-up, 8 patients required repeat surgery for recurrence or residual fragments. Postoperatively, 4 patients experienced dysesthesia, which completely resolved in time. Neurologic deterioration occurred in 5 patients, 4 of whom recovered completely without any intervention. Dural tears occurred in 6 patients. Conclusions Fully endoscopic interlaminar or transforaminal surgeries are safe and effective treatment modalities for lumbar disc herniations. Despite the difficulties of acquiring this new technique, good results can be achieved with sufficient experience.

Tension pneumocephalus is a rare and life threatening complication of intracranial surgical procedures, and requires immediate recognition and surgical intervention. Tension pneumocephalus following ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery is extremely rare and commonly seen as a delayed complication. To our knowledge, early postoperative tension pneumocephalus after shunt surgery was reported only in one other publication. We present a case of acute tension pneumocephalus following ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery for normal pressure hydrocephalus, which was managed well with close neurological follow-up and rapid surgical intervention. The use of the portable CT scanner in this case saved significant time, without the transport of the patient to the radiology unit, made early surgical intervention possible, and prevented morbidity and mortality.