American Association Of Neurological Surgeons Research Articles

Neurosurgery Residency Programs on Twitter (X): Current Use and Future Potential

Study DesignCross-sectional study ObjectivesTwitter (X) is increasingly utilized by medical residency programs to boost engagement and potentially enhance ranking. This study aims to evaluate the role of Twitter (X) in neurosurgery residency programs, assessing their online activity, followership, and content to identify current practices and potential improvements. MethodsWe identified 97/123 neurosurgery residency programs in the United States with Twitter accounts. Active accounts, posting in 2022 and 2023, were matched with the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Neurosurgical Residency Training Program Directory. Tweets from January 2022 through June 2023 were categorized as original or retweets and further subcategorized based on content. Descriptive and correlation analyses were conducted. ResultsTwitter (X) accounts were found for 78.8% of accredited neurosurgery programs (n=97/123), with 68.3% active as of July 2023 (n=84/123). All active accounts amassed 167,068 followers. Among 5,612 tweets identified, 2,764 were original content and 2,848 were retweets. Tweets primarily focused on resident or program information (64.3%), research publications (32.0%), and conference participation (9.4%). Only 12.3% (n=341) of original tweets contained public medical information. A significant correlation (r = 0.493, p <0.001) was observed between Twitter (X) following and program ranking. ConclusionsThe majority of US neurosurgery residency programs actively use Twitter (X), primarily to showcase academic achievements and aid in recruitment. The correlation between Twitter following and program ranking suggests that online engagement reflects program visibility and impact, underscoring the importance of social media in program outreach and strategic management for maximizing program benefits.

Organizing a Regional In-Person Medical Student Symposium in Neuroscience and Neurosurgery Research: A How-To Guide

BackgroundMedical students are increasingly seeking out research opportunities to build their skills and network with future colleagues. Medical student-led conferences are an excellent endeavor to achieve this goal. MethodsThe American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) student chapter at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell designed an in-person medical student research symposium alongside the Northwell Health Department of Neurosurgery. Post-conference feedback forms were sent out digitally to student attendees to evaluate event planning and execution and responses were given on a scale of 1-5 (5 being the highest score). ResultsIn December 2023, the Northeast Medical Student Research Symposium (NMSRS) was held with over 80 participants and 52 medical student presenters. Keynote speakers delivered lectures geared towards students interested in neurosurgery and neuroscience research, followed by an interactive poster board session and resident/attending networking dinner. After the conference, students affirmed that they learned more about neuroscience research after the event (mean: 4.3), were more inclined to attend other neuroscience research events in the future (mean: 4.7), and would attend this event if held next year (mean: 4.8). The poster sessions (mean: 4.75) and keynote lectures (mean: 5) were the highest rated events, while the resident/attending networking dinner (mean: 3.6) was a potential area for improvement. ConclusionRegional in-person conferences are an excellent way to foster interest in neurosurgery and neuroscience research, network with like-minded peers, and prepare students for presentations at national meetings.

Low back pain: justification of treatment standards (literature review)

Low back pain: justification of treatment standards (literature review)

Publication patterns of posters and oral presentations at the Annual Meeting of the Joint AANS/CNS Cerebrovascular Section.

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) Joint Cerebrovascular (CV) Section serves as a centralized entity for the dissemination of information related to CV neurosurgery. The quality of scientific conferences, such as the CV Section's Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery Annual Meeting, can be gauged by the number of poster and oral presentations that are published in peer-reviewed journals. However, publication rates from the CV Section's meetings are unknown. The objective of this study was to assess the rate at which abstracts presented at the AANS/CNS CV Section Annual Meeting from 2014 to 2018 were subsequently published in peer-reviewed journals. The abstract titles for all accepted poster and oral podium presentation abstracts from the 2014-2018 Annual Joint AANS/CNS CV Section Meetings were searched using PubMed. A match was defined as sufficient similarity between the abstract and its corresponding journal publication with regard to title, authors, methods, and results. Five-year impact factors (IFs) from Journal Citation Reports (JCR), the country of the corresponding author, and the number of citations in the Scopus database were obtained using the articles' digital object identifier when available, or the exact article title, journal, and year of publication. Of the 607 total poster and oral presentations from the 2014-2018 Annual Meetings of the AANS/CNS Joint CV Section, 46.29% (n = 281) have been published. Published articles received 3233 total citations for an average number of citations per article (± SD) of 10.89 ± 16.37. The average 5-year JCR IF of published studies was 4.64 ± 3.13. Additionally, 98.22% of published abstracts were in publication within 4 years from the time the abstract was presented. The most common peer-reviewed neurosurgical journals featuring these publications were the Journal of Neurosurgery, World Neurosurgery, the Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery, Neurosurgery, and the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience. Nearly half of all poster and oral presentations at the annual meetings of the AANS/CNS Joint CV Section from 2014 to 2018 have been published in PubMed-indexed, peer-reviewed journals. The average number of citations per publication (10.89 ± 16.37) reflects the high quality of abstracts accepted for presentation. It is important to continuously assess the quality of research presented at national conferences to ensure that standards are being maintained for the advancement of clinical practice in a given area of medicine. Conference abstract publication rates in peer-reviewed journals represent a way in which research quality can be gauged, and the authors encourage others to conduct similar investigations in their subspecialty area of interest and/or practice.

Readability of Neurosurgical Patient Education Resources by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons

The importance of patient education has become increasingly apparent in recent years. A prominent patient education tool in neurosurgery is the Neurosurgical Conditions and Treatments page provided by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS). This study aimed to investigate the readability of this resource page as many new articles have been incorporated in the past decade. Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level and Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease scores were calculated for each article. One-way analysis of variance and Scheffé, Tukey-Kramer, Bonferroni, Fisher least significant difference, and Dunnett test post hoc analyses were conducted to determine differences between each category with respect to their mean grade level and reading ease scores. Overall mean (SD) Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease score was 40.2 (12.24), and overall mean (SD) Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score was 7.48 (1.26). Significant differences were found between mean reading ease scores between each categorization by the AANS (P= 0.014). No significant differences were found between mean grade level score for each categorization (analysis of variance, P= 0.154). As compared to a single previous investigation conducted 10 years ago, the readability of articles has changed modestly, and the reading grade level remains well above the recommendations by the American Medical Association and National Institutes of Health. The 6 new articles introduced in the past decade have demonstrated similar readability, presenting a persistent challenge in the realm of patient education in neurosurgery.

A comprehensive evaluation of career trajectories of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons William P. Van Wagenen fellows

ObjectiveTo elucidate the current academic, demographic, and professional factors influencing the career trajectories of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) William P. Van Wagenen (VW) fellows while also identifying trends that may influence future fellow selection. MethodsFifty-five VW fellows were identified from 1968 to 2022 from the AANS website, along with corresponding institutions, countries, and continents of study. Additional variables such as age at selection, accruing additional degrees, neurosurgical subspecialty, the number of publications at the time of selection, funding, and h-index were collected from various publicly available sources. ResultsEighty-five percent of VW fellows were male and had a mean age of 34 ± 2.4 years. Ninety-one percent of fellows chose to study in Europe, and 40% had earned additional degrees. Univariate linear regression demonstrated a positive relationship between the year of selection and both age at selection (p = 0.0094) and the number of publications at hire (p < 0.001), while logistic regression revealed that more recently selected fellows were less likely to study in Europe (p = 0.037) and be of the white race (p = 0.0047). Logistic regression also exhibited a positive trend between the year of selection and both the likelihood that the VW fellow was currently enrolled in another fellowship (p = 0.019) and possessed additional degrees (p = 0.0019). Females were shown to have fewer publications at hire compared to males (p = 0.04). ConclusionsMost Van Wagenen fellows are academically productive members of the neurosurgical community. Increased attention is likely to be placed on both academic, research, and individualized factors when selecting future fellows.

Cross-sectional examination of current and future trends and attributes of the presidents of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons societies

ObjectiveThe present study aimed to analyze the academic attributes of the presidents of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) over the past four decades to elucidate the trajectories of these societies' leaderships. MethodsForty-three AANS and 43 CNS presidents of the past four decades were identified. Demographic and research productivity data were collected from publicly available sources. ResultsCompared to AANS presidents, CNS presidents were younger (median = 48 years vs. 59.5 years; p < 0.001), had fewer years of practice prior to their election (15 years vs. 28 years; p < 0.001), had higher NIH funding rate (37.2% vs. 11.6%; p = 0.01), and higher rate of practicing at academic institutions (93% vs. 74.4%; p = 0.04). The CNS presidents had a comparable median number of publications at election (AANS: 72 vs. CNS: 94 publications, p = 0.78) but a higher median h-index scores (AANS: 28 vs. CNS: 59; p = 0.04). In the multiple linear regression analysis, vascular subspecialty (β = 0.21 [95% CI: 0.09–0.34]; p = 0.002) and practicing in a non-academic institution (β = 0.23 [95% CI: 0.08–0.39]; p = 0.007) were predictors for later election for AANS presidency. ConclusionsWe characterized the attributes of AANS and CNS presidents to serve as useful references for career trajectories for junior neurosurgeons and trainees. Research and academic presence seem to be associated with early election to both societies.

Readability of cerebrovascular diseases online educational material from major cerebrovascular organizations

IntroductionThe internet is an essential resource for patients and their loved ones to understand their medical conditions, and professional medical organizations have taken great strides to develop educational material targeting...

Survey of United States neurosurgeons on firearm injury prevention.

Firearm-related injuries and deaths are an endemic problem in the US, posing a burden on the healthcare system with significant social and economic consequences. As front-line care providers for these patients, neurosurgeons are both knowledgeable about these injuries and credible messengers in the public discussion of ways to reduce firearm injuries. The purpose of this study was to explore US-based neurosurgeons' views and behaviors regarding firearms to understand and define a potential role for neurosurgical organizations in advocacy efforts to reduce firearm death and injuries. The authors conducted an anonymous survey of US neurosurgeons using the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) member database from April to June 2023. The 22-question survey included questions related to firearm ownership, personal views on firearms, and support for both general and policy-specific advocacy efforts to reduce firearm deaths and injuries. The survey response rate was 20.7%, with 1568 of the 7587 members invited completing the survey. The survey completion rate was 93.4%, with 1465 of the 1568 surveys completed and included in this analysis. The majority of respondents were male (raw: 81.7%; weighted 81.1%), White (raw: 69.7%; weighted 70.2%), and older than 50 years (raw: 56.2%; weighted: 54%). Most respondents reported treating patients with firearm injuries (raw: 83.3%; weighted: 82%), 85.5% (weighted: 85.1%) had used a firearm, and 42.4% (weighted: 41.5%) reported owning a firearm. Overall, 78.8% (weighted: 78.7%) of respondents felt that organized neurosurgery should participate in advocacy efforts. When examining individual policies, those that restrict the acquisition of firearms garnered the support of at least 65% of respondents, while nonrestrictive policies were supported by more than 75% of respondents. Free-text responses provided insight into both motivations for and objections to organizational advocacy. The majority of US-based neurosurgeons support involvement in advocacy efforts to reduce firearm deaths and injuries. Themes expressed by members both supporting and objecting to advocacy provide insight into approaches that could ensure broad support. Neurosurgical organizations such as the AANS and Congress of Neurological Surgeons may use the results of this survey to make informed decisions regarding involvement in advocacy efforts on behalf of their membership to lessen the burden of firearm injury in the US.

THE 2023 PRESIDENTAL ADDRESS. Celebrating advocacy: neurosurgeons as advocates.

The central focus of the 2023 annual gathering of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons in Los Angeles revolved around the concept of neurosurgeons as advocates. Beyond their roles in clinical practice and patient care, neurosurgeons frequently unite in their commitment to advocacy. This shared dedication empowers them to thrive in areas such as innovation, teaching, advanced research, and comprehensive training to shape the future of the neurosurgical field. The substantial outcome of this approach is the establishment of an environment dedicated to delivering the utmost quality of care to neurosurgery patients.

Research using the Quality Outcomes Database: accomplishments and future steps toward higher-quality real-world evidence.

The Quality Outcomes Database (QOD) was established in 2012 by the NeuroPoint Alliance, a nonprofit organization supported by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Currently, the QOD has launched six different modules to cover a broad spectrum of neurosurgical practice-namely lumbar spine surgery, cervical spine surgery, brain tumor, stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), functional neurosurgery for Parkinson's disease, and cerebrovascular surgery. This investigation aims to summarize research efforts and evidence yielded through QOD research endeavors. The authors identified all publications from January 1, 2012, to February 18, 2023, that were produced by using data collected prospectively in a QOD module without a prespecified research purpose in the context of quality surveillance and improvement. Citations were compiled and presented along with comprehensive documentation of the main study objective and take-home message. A total of 94 studies have been produced through QOD efforts during the past decade. QOD-derived literature has been predominantly dedicated to spinal surgical outcomes, with 59 and 22 studies focusing on lumbar and cervical spine surgery, respectively, and 6 studies focusing on both. More specifically, the QOD Study Group-a research collaborative between 16 high-enrolling sites-has yielded 24 studies on lumbar grade 1 spondylolisthesis and 13 studies on cervical spondylotic myelopathy, using two focused data sets with high data accuracy and long-term follow-up. The more recent neuro-oncological QOD efforts, i.e., the Tumor QOD and the SRS Quality Registry, have contributed 5 studies, providing insights into the real-world neuro-oncological practice and the role of patient-reported outcomes. Prospective quality registries are an important resource for observational research, yielding clinical evidence to guide decision-making across neurosurgical subspecialties. Future directions of the QOD efforts include the development of research efforts within the neuro-oncological registries and the American Spine Registry-which has now replaced the inactive spinal modules of the QOD-and the focused research on high-grade lumbar spondylolisthesis and cervical radiculopathy.

The AANS Harvey Cushing Medal: a demographic and academic analysis of its recipients

BackgroundThe Harvey Cushing Medal, awarded by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, is the premier accolade in neurosurgery. The study’s purpose was to examine the qualities and accomplishments of previous winners, emphasizing potential selection biases, with the aim to promote social justice and guide young neurosurgeons in their career paths.ResultsPredominantly, recipients graduated from top-ranked United States News and World Report institutions and specialized in cerebrovascular and neuro-oncologic/skull base neurosurgery. A significant proportion held roles as department or division chairs and led neurosurgical organizations. All awardees were male, and there was a notable trend of increasing publication counts among more recent recipients.ConclusionsCommonalities among Harvey Cushing Medal winners include graduating from top institutions, holding significant leadership roles, and having an extensive publication history. However, the absence of female and underrepresented minority awardees underscores an urgent need for greater diversity in the selection process.

Greater improvement in Neck Disability Index scores in women after surgery for cervical myelopathy: an analysis of the Quality Outcomes Database

OBJECTIVE There is a high prevalence of cervical myelopathy that requires surgery; as such, it is important to identify how different groups benefit from surgery. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons launched the Quality Outcomes Database (QOD), a prospective longitudinal registry, that includes demographic, clinical, and patient-reported outcome data to measure the safety and quality of neurosurgical procedures. In this study, the authors assessed the impact of gender on patient-reported outcomes in patients who underwent surgery for cervical myelopathy. METHODS The authors analyzed 1152 patients who underwent surgery for cervical myelopathy and were included in the QOD cervical module. Univariate comparison of baseline patient characteristics between males and females who underwent surgery for cervical spondylotic myelopathy was performed. Baseline characteristics that significantly differed between males and females were included in a multivariate generalized linear model comparing baseline and 1-year postoperative Neck Disability Index (NDI) scores. RESULTS This study included 546 females and 604 males. Females demonstrated significantly greater improvement in NDI score 1 year after surgery (p = 0.036). In addition to gender, the presence of axial neck pain and insurance status were also significantly predictive of improvement in NDI score after surgery (p = 0.0013 and p = 0.0058, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Females were more likely to benefit from surgery for cervical myelopathy compared with males. It is important to identify gender differences in postoperative outcomes after surgery in order to deliver more personalized and patient-centric care.

The neurosurgeon workforce: a geographical gender-focused analysis of the trends in representation of neurosurgeons and choices in training over 70 years

OBJECTIVE Neurosurgeons frequently move throughout their careers, with moves driven by personal and professional factors. In this study, the authors analyzed these migration trends through a dynamic migratory map and statistical review, with a particular focus on differences in education and practice patterns between male and female neurosurgeons. METHODS A list containing all board-certified and -affiliated US neurosurgeons practicing in 2019 was obtained from the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. The list was augmented to include demographic and location information for medical school, residency, fellowship(s), and current practice for all neurosurgeons with publicly available data. Migration heatmaps were generated, and migration patterns over 10-year intervals were plotted. A web tool was additionally created to allow for dynamic visualization of this database. RESULTS The database included 5307 neurosurgeons with a mean age of 57.2 ± 11.3 years. The female population made up 8.93% of all neurosurgeons, and were found to be more likely to complete fellowships than their male counterparts, at 54.2% and 39.1%, respectively (p &lt; 0.0001). A total of 39.5% of all neurosurgeons completed at least one fellowship. A large proportion of currently practicing US neurosurgeons completed medical school internationally in the 1990s. Recently, there has been a trend in neurosurgeons choosing to practice in the South, emigrating from the Northeast and the Western US Census regions. By population, the Western US region trained the fewest neurosurgeons at 1 per 115,000 residents, and the Northeastern US region trained the most at 1 per 49,000. The web tool provides a simple interface to visualize the database on a world map. CONCLUSIONS Diversity, equity, and inclusion in neurosurgery have been a strong point of discussion in recent literature, with neurosurgeons comprising one of the most gender-disparate workforces in the US medical system. This study provides additional metrics to assess these disparities to help motivate further action toward a larger, more diverse neurosurgical community.

Cross-Sectional Analysis of Neurosurgical Residency Websites During the Virtual Interview Cycle

The loss of in-person interviews during the COVID-19 pandemic warrants an investigation into what information is provided to applicants through neurosurgery residency program websites (NRPWs). This study examines NRPWs across the United States and Canada to determine what details are provided to applicants through their respective websites. Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education accredited neurologic surgery residency programs were identified through the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) website. NRPWs were searched for 48 criteria, including program overview, application requirements, and curriculum information. Small programs were defined as 1-2 residents per class, while large programs were classified as those with 3-4 residents per year. Content differences were analyzed between the top 20 and remaining programs per the Doximity Residency Navigator Rankings. The most prevalent information among 122 NRPWs was the neurosurgery residency overview (95%), names of faculty members (95%), and names of current residents (94%). Top-20 NRPWs were more likely to include post PGY-7 fellowships (90% vs. 61% P= 0.0108), operating room virtual reality experience (35% vs. 12% P= 0.0160), and faculty research (90% vs. 62% P= 0.0182) than the remainder of the programs. This study investigates NRPW content after the COVID-19 pandemic. We report broad variability in content provided by various neurosurgical training programs. Higher-ranked neurosurgery programs are more likely to include fellowship information, operating room virtual reality experience, and faculty research than lower-ranked programs.

Academic career progression in AANS/CNS Spine Section award recipients.

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)/Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) Joint Spine Section awards highlight outstanding abstracts submitted to the AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves by trainees interested in spine surgery, although the academic trajectory of awardees has not been studied. The aim of this study was to assess the academic career progression of prior recipients of the Journalistic and Academic Neurosurgical Excellence (JANE), Mayfield, and Kuntz research awards. Prior JANE, Mayfield, and Kuntz award recipients were identified using awardee records accrued between 1984 and February 2022. Awardee sex, country of residence, specialty, subspecialty focus, and current academic appointment status (if applicable) were searched online. Awardee h-indices and number of peer-reviewed publications were assessed via Google Scholar profiles (or Scopus if unavailable) and PubMed, respectively. Receipt of federal research funding as principal investigator (PI) was determined using the websites of the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs. The abstract-to-publication rate was assessed. A total of 7 JANE awards, 57 Mayfield awards, and 149 Kuntz awards were identified. Of the JANE awardees, all recipients were male. Of the 4 unique JANE awardees who completed training, 2 (50.0%) held academic appointments at the time of the study. All of the JANE abstracts were published in peer-reviewed journals. The mean h-index of all JANE awardees was 28 and the mean number of publications was 126. None of the awardees have received federal research funding. Of the Mayfield awards, 98.2% were awarded to males. Of the 43 unique Mayfield awardees who completed training, 20 (46.5%) held faculty appointments at academic medical centers. All of the Mayfield abstracts since 2011 were published in peer-reviewed journals. The mean h-index of all Mayfield awardees was 26 and the mean number of publications was 82. Five Mayfield awardees received National Institutes of Health funding as PI, and 7 awardees received Department of Defense funding as PI. Of the Kuntz awards, 95.3% were awarded to males. Most awards were given to current residents and fellows (46.3%). Of the 55 unique Kuntz awardees who completed training, 31 (56.4%) held faculty appointments at academic medical centers. The abstract-to-publication rate of the total Kuntz abstracts was 70.5%. The mean h-index of all Kuntz awardees was 15 and the mean number of publications was 58. Five Kuntz awardees (3.4%) received federal research funding as PI. Many recipients of the JANE, Mayfield, and Kuntz Joint Spine Section awards have successfully translated award abstracts into peer-reviewed publications. Furthermore, approximately one-third of the awardees are active in academic neurosurgery, with some having secured federal research funding.

ChatGPT versus the neurosurgical written boards: a comparative analysis of artificial intelligence/machine learning performance on neurosurgical board-style questions.

"ChatGPT versus the neurosurgical written boards: a comparative analysis of artificial intelligence/machine learning performance on neurosurgical board–style questions" published on 24 Mar 2023 by American Association of Neurological Surgeons.

Significant Variability in Postoperative Thromboprophylaxis in Cushing's Disease Patients: A Survey of the North American Skull Base Society and the AANS/CNS Joint Tumor Section

Abstract Introduction Cushing's disease (CD) is associated with hypercoagulability which is associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolic events (VTEs) perioperatively. This risk persists even after successful transsphenoidal surgery (TSS). However, there are no current guidelines for pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis in this patient population. Objective Characterize existing thromboprophylaxis management practices in patients undergoing TSS for CD. Methods An anonymous RedCap survey comprised of questions about perioperative thromboprophylaxis in CD patients was distributed via the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS)/Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) Joint Tumor Section and the North American Skull Base Society (NASBS) email lists. Results The survey was distributed to 554 members of the AANS/CNS Joint Tumor Section and 1,094 members of NASBS asking that members who surgically treat CD respond. Sixty responses (3.0% response rate) were received. Fifty-two (86.7%) respondents are involved in the postoperative management of CD patients. Thirty-six (69.2%) treat all patients with postoperative VTE chemoprophylaxis, 8 (15.4%) treat some patients, while 8 (15.4%) do not use chemoprophylaxis. Preferred chemoprophylaxis varies as 26 (59.1%) administer low molecular weight heparin, 14 (31.8%) give unfractionated heparin, 1 (2.3%) give direct oral anticoagulants, and 3 (6.8%) give aspirin. Most (28, 53.8%) of the respondents perceive the VTE risk in this patient population to be 0 to 5%, 16 (30.8%) perceive the risk to be 6 to 10%, and 8 (15.4%) perceive it to be 11 to 20%. Conclusion There is great variability in VTE detection and postoperative prevention practice patterns in CD patients. This study highlights the need for prospective studies to clarify optimal pharmacologic chemoprophylaxis strategies and duration in this patient population.

Honoring the legacy of Gabriele Schackert, an outstanding neurosurgeon and the first female neurosurgery department director in Germany.

"Honoring the legacy of Gabriele Schackert, an outstanding neurosurgeon and the first female neurosurgery department director in Germany" published on 17 Mar 2023 by American Association of Neurological Surgeons.

Exploring the Intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Neurosurgery: Let us be Cautious With ChatGPT.

ChatGPT is a novel natural language processing artificial intelligence (AI) module where users enter any question or command and receive a single text response within seconds. As AI becomes more accessible, patients may begin to use it as a resource for medical information and advice. This is the first study to assess the neurosurgical information that is provided by ChatGPT. ChatGPT was accessed in January 2023, and prompts were created requesting treatment information for 40 common neurosurgical conditions. Quantitative characteristics were collected, and four independent reviewers evaluated the responses using the DISCERN tool. Prompts were compared against the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) "For Patients" webpages. ChatGPT returned text organized in paragraph and bullet-point lists. ChatGPT responses were shorter (mean 270.1 ± 41.9 words; AANS webpage 1634.5 ± 891.3 words) but more difficult to read (mean Flesch-Kincaid score 32.4 ± 6.7; AANS webpage 37.1 ± 7.0). ChatGPT output was found to be of "fair" quality (mean DISCERN score 44.2 ± 4.1) and significantly inferior to the "good" overall quality of the AANS patient website (57.7 ± 4.4). ChatGPT was poor in providing references/resources and describing treatment risks. ChatGPT provided 177 references, of which 68.9% were inaccurate and 33.9% were completely falsified. ChatGPT is an adaptive resource for neurosurgical information but has shortcomings that limit the quality of its responses, including poor readability, lack of references, and failure to fully describe treatment options. Hence, patients and providers should remain wary of the provided content. As ChatGPT or other AI search algorithms continue to improve, they may become a reliable alternative for medical information.