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Neurosurgery: Current Challenges and New Perspectives

A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Clinical Neurology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2025) | Viewed by 1267

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
Interests: neuro-oncology; brain tumor; spinal cord and spinal column tumor; neuroplasticity; drug delivery; biomaterials

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Guest Editor
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
Interests: vascular; skull base surgery

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Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
Interests: complex spine surgery; minimally invasive surgery; DEI; device development

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Neurosurgery is a constantly evolving field, and over the past several years, important advancements have been seen with the potential to transform how and what neurosurgical pathologies can be treated. Improved understanding of neurological processes has also paved the way for novel indications for innovative neurosurgical procedures and technologies. This Special Issue aims to showcase innovative neurosurgical technologies and techniques and highlight burgeoning trends in the thought and practice of contemporary neurosurgery. The topic is intentionally broad to capture all neurosurgery subspecialties and present the state-of-the-art or cutting edge. We encourage original submissions and topical reviews that highlight the field's evolution and perhaps the direction of the field. Submissions are not limited to clinical neurosurgery but may also encompass important basic science and translational discoveries.

Dr. Adip G. Bhargav
Prof. Dr. Paul J. Camarata
Guest Editors

Dr. Jean-Luc K. Kabangu
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Clinical Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • neurosurgery
  • brain tumor
  • neuromodulation
  • epilepsy
  • cerebrovascular
  • DEI
  • spine surgery

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

16 pages, 773 KB  
Article
Barriers to Timely Referral of Children Born with Myelomeningocele in Zambia
by Rya Muller, Kabelele Sipalo, Caitlyn Beals, Angela Chazura, Stephanie Chola, Roxanna Garcia, Brooks Jackson, Joseph Feinglass, Kirill V. Nourski, Marie-Renee Mala Wa Mpoyi, Humphrey Kunda and Rebecca Reynolds
J. Clin. Med. 2025, 14(16), 5721; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14165721 - 13 Aug 2025
Viewed by 661
Abstract
Background: Congenital anomalies impact 52 million infants worldwide with an estimated 94% living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Approximately 200,000 children are born with a neural tube defect (NTD) in LMICs annually. Zambia is an LMIC with a high burden of [...] Read more.
Background: Congenital anomalies impact 52 million infants worldwide with an estimated 94% living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Approximately 200,000 children are born with a neural tube defect (NTD) in LMICs annually. Zambia is an LMIC with a high burden of myelomeningocele (MMC; a severe form of NTD). This study sought to characterize the barriers influencing access to healthcare for children born with MMC in Zambia. Methods: Two cross-sectional surveys were administered to healthcare providers at referring public health facilities and mothers of infants born with MMC undergoing surgical closure. The survey among mothers was nested in a longitudinal study evaluating surgical closure in Lusaka, Zambia from 28 May 2024 to 21 January 2025. Results: Sixty-nine mother–MMC baby dyads and 123 providers from 21 facilities were enrolled in the study. The median age at presentation for MMC was 7.5 (range 0–244) days old. Most patients were referred from rural district hospitals (51%; n = 35) and travelled greater than 250 km to access care (80%; n = 55). Seventy-seven percent (n = 53) of mothers reported receiving at least one antenatal ultrasound, with 62% (n = 43) undergoing an ultrasound after 20 weeks estimated gestational age. Of these, only 3% (n = 2) received an MMC diagnosis prior to delivery. Referring patients with MMC for further care greater than six hours after birth was reported by 59% providers (n = 73). Hospitals further away from the tertiary center were more likely to report late referrals (p < 0.001). Conclusions: There is a delay in the diagnosis and referral of infants with MMC to specialized care in Zambia, which may be attributed to inadequate in utero diagnosis capabilities and distance from the tertiary facility. Improving the accuracy of prenatal diagnosis and strengthening referral pathways to facilitate access to care among infants with MMC in Zambia are important for improving incidence and outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Neurosurgery: Current Challenges and New Perspectives)
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