Background Neurosurgery Awareness Month (August) was initiated by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons with the aim of bringing neurological conditions to the forefront and educating the public about these conditions. Digital media is an important tool for disseminating information and connecting with influencers, general public, and other stakeholders. Hence, it is crucial to understand the impact of awareness campaigns such as Neurosurgery Awareness Month to optimize resource allocation, quantify the efficiency and reach of these initiatives, and identify areas for improvement. Objective The purpose of our study was to examine the digital impact of Neurosurgery Awareness Month globally and identify areas for further improvement. Methods We used 4 social media (Twitter) assessment tools (Sprout Social, SocioViz, Sentiment Viz, and Symplur) and Google Trends to extract data using various search queries. Using regression analysis, trends were studied in the total number of tweets posted in August between 2014 and 2022. Two search queries were used in this analysis: one specifically targeting tweets related to Neurosurgery Awareness Month and the other isolating all neurosurgery-related posts. Total impressions and top influencers for #neurosurgery were calculated using Symplur’s machine learning algorithm. To study the context of the tweets, we used SocioViz to isolate the top 100 popular hashtags, keywords, and collaborations between influencers. Network analysis was performed to illustrate the interactions and connections within the digital media environment using ForceAtlas2 model. Sentiment analysis was done to study the underlying emotion of the tweets. Google Trends was used to study the global search interest by studying relative search volume data. Results A total of 10,007 users were identified as tweeting about neurosurgery during Neurosurgery Awareness Month using the “#neurosurgery” hashtag. These tweets generated over 29.14 million impressions globally. Of the top 10 most influential users, 5 were faculty neurosurgeons at US university hospitals. Other influential users included notable organizations and journals in the field of neurosurgery. The network analysis of the top 100 influencers showed a collaboration rate of 81%. However, only 1.6% of the total neurosurgery tweets were advocating about neurosurgery awareness during Neurosurgery Awareness Month, and only 13 tweets were posted by verified users using the #neurosurgeryawarenessmonth hashtag. The sentiment analysis revealed that the majority of the tweets about Neurosurgery Awareness Month were pleasant with subdued emotion. Conclusions The global digital impact of Neurosurgery Awareness Month is nascent, and support from other international organizations and neurosurgical influencers is needed to yield a significant digital reach. Increasing collaboration and involvement from underrepresented communities may help to increase the global reach. By better understanding the digital impact of Neurosurgery Awareness Month, future health care awareness campaigns can be optimized to increase global awareness of neurosurgery and the challenges facing the field.
Background Adult spinal deformity (ASD) is a deformity in the curvature of the adult spine. ASD includes a range of pathology that leads to decreased quality of life for patients as well as debilitating morbidities. Treatment can range from nonoperative management to long-segment surgical corrections and depends greatly on the deformity and patient profiles. If surgical treatment is indicated, circumferential (a combined anterior and posterior approach) fusion is one of the tools in the spine surgeon’s armamentarium. Depending on the complexity, the procedure is either completed on the same day or staged. Determining whether to perform a circumferential surgery in a staged fashion is based largely on the surgeon’s preference and perception of the individual case complexity; at present, there is no high-quality evidence that can be used to support that decision. Objective This paper presents the protocol for a systematic review that aims to investigate the differences between same-day versus staged circumferential fusion surgery in ASD both in patient selection and in outcomes. Methods Searches will be performed on MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, and Scopus. Gray literature and the reference lists of articles included in the full-text screening will also be screened for inclusion. Results will be exported to Covidence. Data will be collected on demographics, type of procedures performed, surgery levels, blood loss, total operation time, length of stay, disposition, readmissions (30 days and 90 days), and perioperative complications. Patient-reported outcomes will also be assessed. Data quality assessment of randomized controlled trials will be performed using the Cochrane Collaboration’s tool for assessing risk of bias in randomized trials, and nonrandomized studies will be assessed with the ROBINS-I (Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies of Interventions) tool. All screening, quality assessment, and data extraction will be done by 2 independent reviewers. A descriptive synthesis will be performed, and data will be evaluated for further analysis. Results This study is currently in the screening phase. There are no results yet. The search strategy has been developed and documented. Information has been exported to Covidence. Upon conclusion of the critical appraisal stage, screening and extraction, as well as a synthesis of the results, will be performed. Conclusions The intended review will summarize the differences in perioperative outcomes and complications between same-day and staged (circumferential) fusion surgery in adult spinal deformity. It will also describe the patients selected for such procedures based on their demographics and pathology. Identified gaps in knowledge will provide insight into current limitations and guide further studies on this topic. Trial Registration PROSPERO CRD42022339764; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=339764 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) PRR1-10.2196/42331
Background: Phantoms are often used to train new surgical technologies. Unfortunately, these products are expensive and typically have simplified anatomy, limiting access, and provide suboptimal training. This is a report of an in-house simulation using 3D printing and multilayer polymer hydrogels to train attending physicians on a new carotid stenting technology. Methods: TransCarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR) is a novel procedure from Silk Road Medical for carotid stenting. To safely learn how to use this device, two attending surgeons performed a proctored simulation using a realistic, pulsatile, and bleeding human neck model. The simulation was created by 3D printing injection molds and casting anatomically correct polymer components. The following day, the TCAR procedure was performed on an 81year-old man with symptomatic right carotid stenosis. Results: The TCAR procedure was successfully performed in the simulation model and in the live patient. The surgeons reported that the simulation allowed them to learn the procedure under risk-free but realistic operative conditions. The patient did not have any immediate or long-term adverse events. Conclusions: Replicating human anatomy using 3D printing and multilayer polymer hydrogels provides a cost-effective opportunity to practice using novel surgical technologies before attempting live cases.
BACKGROUND Neurosurgery Awareness Month (NAM) was initiated by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Bringing neurological conditions to the forefront and sharing knowledge to enlighten the public is the goal of NAM. Digital media is key disseminating information, connecting with influencers and sharing opinions. It is crucial to understand the impact of awareness months to quantify their efficiency, global reach and to optimize resource allocation. OBJECTIVE The purpose of our study was to examine the digital impact of Neurosurgery Awareness Month to inform future Healthcare Awareness Campaigns. METHODS We used four social media assessment tools (Sprout Social, SocioViz, Symplur, and SentimentViz) and Google Trends to obtain data about the total tweets, global impressions, and sentiment from countries worldwide about NAM. RESULTS 10,007 users were identified during NAM using the ‘#neurosurgery’ that fetched over 29.14 million impressions globally. Five of the top 10 most influential users were faculty neurosurgeons at US-university hospitals. Others included notable organizations and journals. Network analysis of the top 100 influencers, showed a collaboration rate of 81 percent. Only 1.6% of the total neurosurgery tweets were advocating about neurosurgery awareness during NAM. Only 13 tweets were posted by verified users using the #neurosurgeryawarenessmonth. CONCLUSIONS The global digital impact of neurosurgery awareness month is nascent and support from other international organizations and neurosurgical influencers is needed to yield a significant digital reach.
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