{"title":"The Evolution of Intraoperative Neuromonitoring in Ghana and West Africa.","authors":"Bright Worlanyo Aklamanu, Clement Okyere Sefa, Ebenezer Kodji Tetteh","doi":"10.1080/21646821.2025.2484052","DOIUrl":"10.1080/21646821.2025.2484052","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) has emerged as a pivotal technology in neurosurgery, significantly enhancing patient safety and surgical outcomes by providing real-time monitoring of neurological functions. Despite its recognized benefits, the adoption and development of IONM in regions like West Africa have been relatively slow, with Ghana pioneering its introduction and utilization. This report explores the evolution of IONM in Ghana, initiated by FOCOS Hospital, and examines its expansion across the region. The report highlights key developments, including the first use of IONM during complex spine surgeries such as scoliosis, kyphosis and kyphoscoliosis deformity correction and brain tumor surgeries. Challenges, such as the scarcity of trained professionals, limited access to essential equipment, and the high cost of implementation are discussed. The future outlook of IONM in Ghana and potentially other West African and by extension, other low- and middle-income countries looks promising with planned expansions in training and certification programs to meet the growing demand. This report underscores the transformative potential of IONM in improving surgical care and patient outcomes in Ghana, West Africa, and other low- and middle-income countries advocating for increased regional support and investment in this crucial healthcare technology.</p>","PeriodicalId":22816,"journal":{"name":"The Neurodiagnostic Journal","volume":" ","pages":"132-141"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143781192","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Facilitating Optimal Median Nerve Somatosensory Evoked Potentials in the Intensive Care Unit After Cardiac Arrest.","authors":"Anthony Bell","doi":"10.1080/21646821.2025.2491935","DOIUrl":"10.1080/21646821.2025.2491935","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":22816,"journal":{"name":"The Neurodiagnostic Journal","volume":" ","pages":"142-154"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144049499","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sabrina L Faust, Kassidy S Mattson, Marcia Felker, Brittany Jordan, Derryl J Miller
{"title":"Focal Epileptic Encephalopathy with Spike-Wave Activation in Sleep: A Case Report of Hemispheric Involvement with Change in Handedness.","authors":"Sabrina L Faust, Kassidy S Mattson, Marcia Felker, Brittany Jordan, Derryl J Miller","doi":"10.1080/21646821.2025.2484028","DOIUrl":"10.1080/21646821.2025.2484028","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Developmental and/or epileptic encephalopathy with spike-wave activation in sleep (D/EE-SWAS), formerly electrical status epilepticus of sleep (ESES), is a rare childhood-onset epilepsy characterized by continuous spike waves seen in sleep with or without associated seizures. D/EE-SWAS affects children ages 2-12 years and shows characteristic pattern of continuous spike-and-wave discharges during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep (CSWS) on electroencephalography (EEG) with a high density of spikes. Generalized D/EE-SWAS is found in patients with acquired symptoms of progressive neurocognitive and/or behavioral regression. D/EE-SWAS with focal discharges has been reported with focal deficits. We present a 3.5-year-old boy with focal D/EE-SWAS who changed dominant handedness. He was innately right-hand dominant with obvious preference for scribbling and feeding himself with his right hand per his mother, though developed focal seizures and D/EE-SWAS of the left hemisphere and became left-hand dominant for all activities. Following medical treatment, he again used his right hand with ambidextrous handwriting. We report the first case of change in handedness with focal D/EE-SWAS. We review the available diagnostics and treatments of Landau-Kleffner syndrome (LKS) and D/EE-SWAS.</p>","PeriodicalId":22816,"journal":{"name":"The Neurodiagnostic Journal","volume":" ","pages":"89-100"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143754022","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Joseph Haddad, Abiola A Atanda, Justin W Silverstein
{"title":"Short Report: Pedicle Screw Stimulation Values with and without Insulated Dilators in Percutaneous Screw Placement.","authors":"Joseph Haddad, Abiola A Atanda, Justin W Silverstein","doi":"10.1080/21646821.2025.2496853","DOIUrl":"10.1080/21646821.2025.2496853","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Current shunting is a potential cause of false negative threshold values whenever triggered EMG is utilized. We present a case where we stimulated percutaneously placed pedicle screws both with and without an insulated dilator to show the potential difference in threshold values. Our findings suggest that the risk of current shunting associated false negatives when stimulating pedicle screws placed via minimally invasive percutaneous approaches may be higher unless insulated dilators are utilized.</p>","PeriodicalId":22816,"journal":{"name":"The Neurodiagnostic Journal","volume":" ","pages":"123-131"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144046945","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Case of Generalized Epilepsy with Asymmetric Features vs. Focal Epilepsy with Rapid Bilateral Synchronization in a Patient with Multiple Seizure Types.","authors":"Linda Wills","doi":"10.1080/21646821.2025.2492813","DOIUrl":"10.1080/21646821.2025.2492813","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Deciding whether an epilepsy is of focal or generalized origin is necessary for establishing treatment options. Sometimes it is not a clear diagnosis. It is important to consider patient history, EEG presentation, clinical semiology, and imaging with these decisions. Presented is a case study of a patient with presumed generalized epilepsy but with focal features. A diagnostic evaluation was performed to ultimately decide if her epilepsy was focal or generalized, and whether she could be a surgical candidate for resection.</p>","PeriodicalId":22816,"journal":{"name":"The Neurodiagnostic Journal","volume":" ","pages":"101-118"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143987964","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Spinal Cord Stimulation: Neuromodulation for Intraoperative Neuromonitoring Personnel.","authors":"Rohan J Kurian, Steven Falowski","doi":"10.1080/21646821.2025.2490307","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21646821.2025.2490307","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) has emerged as a transformative tool in spinal cord stimulation (SCS) and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) procedures, enabling precise lead placement under general anesthesia. It also addresses the safety aspect of placement in an asleep patient while also mitigating the challenges of traditional awake techniques. This paper outlines the protocols and benefits of IONM, with a focus on electromyography (EMG) and somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) for real-time guidance during thoracic, cervical, and DRG stimulator placement. It explores how IONM optimizes myotomal-to-dermatomal mapping, improves paresthesia coverage, and enhances outcomes by reducing revision rates. Additionally, the paper evaluates waveform-specific neuromodulation effects, highlighting advancements in personalized pain management through innovative stimulation paradigms and potential mechanisms of action.</p>","PeriodicalId":22816,"journal":{"name":"The Neurodiagnostic Journal","volume":" ","pages":"1-23"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144035642","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Practical Approach to EEG (2nd Edition)<b>Practical Approach to EEG (2nd Edition)</b> by <i>Mark</i> <i>Libenson</i>, Elsevier, 2025, 452 pages. Currently available through Elsevier (enhanced e-book, $59.99, hardcover and e-book, $79.99) or Amazon (hardcover or Kindle, $79.98). ISBN 978-0-443-34836-5.","authors":"Petra N Davidson","doi":"10.1080/21646821.2025.2496858","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21646821.2025.2496858","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":22816,"journal":{"name":"The Neurodiagnostic Journal","volume":" ","pages":"1-5"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144064793","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Julie Trott, Chris Slaymaker, Greg Niznik, Tabitha Althoff, Brett Netherton
{"title":"Brain Computer Interfaces: An Introduction for Clinical Neurodiagnostic Technologists.","authors":"Julie Trott, Chris Slaymaker, Greg Niznik, Tabitha Althoff, Brett Netherton","doi":"10.1080/21646821.2024.2408501","DOIUrl":"10.1080/21646821.2024.2408501","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Brain-computer interface (BCI) is a term used to describe systems that translate biological information into commands that can control external devices such as computers, prosthetics, and other machinery. While BCI is used in military applications, home control systems, and a wide array of entertainment, much of its modern interest and funding can be attributed to its utility in the medical community, where it has rapidly propelled advancements in the restoration or replacement of critical functions robbed from victims of disease, stroke, and traumatic injury. BCI devices can allow patients to move prosthetic limbs, operate devices such as wheelchairs or computers, and communicate through writing and speech-generating devices. In this article, we aim to provide an introductory summary of the historical context and modern growing utility of BCI, with specific interest in igniting the conversation of where and how the neurodiagnostics community and its associated parties can embrace and contribute to the world of BCI.</p>","PeriodicalId":22816,"journal":{"name":"The Neurodiagnostic Journal","volume":" ","pages":"32-45"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142475396","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}