Clinical Research
As the state's only health and research university, OHSU brings together education, research, patient care and community service. While each component has its own individual goals and mission, all of them are bound together by a common vision - to improve the well-being of Oregonians.
New discoveries and treatments at OHSU are creating hope for millions of people who cope with neurological problems that affect how they interact with the world. Detailed below you will find how unique clinical research at OHSU is contributing to enhance, improve and advance neurosurgery outcomes for patients.
Clinical research in the Department of Neurological Surgery is headed by Valerie Anderson, Ph.D. Dr. Anderson provides guidance and leadership with regards departmental clinical research development including: institutional review board (IRB) protocol design, clinical trial site recruitment/implementation and monitoring; as well as data interpretation and reporting.
A summary of retrospective clinical research in neurological surgery
Radiographic Evaluation of Trigeminal Neurovascular Compression in Patients With and Without Trigeminal Neuralgia
The purpose of this protocol was to look at magnetic resonance (MR) images that have already been performed on patients with and without a kind of facial pain called trigeminal neuralgia to find out how often nerve compression occurs in each group. Compression of the facial sensory nerve by a blood vessel has previously been shown to be associated with trigeminal neuralgia, but is also found in many people without facial pain.
Clinical Findings and Surgical Outcomes in Patients with Occipital Neuralgia
The purpose of this protocol was to find out how a patients’ pain changes after surgery for occipital neuralgia, a specific kind of head pain. The clinical findings and type of pain prior to surgery and type of surgery were analyzed to see if they were able to predict long-term outcome.
Stent Assisted Embolization of Anterior Communicating Artery Aneurysms
Anterior communicating artery aneurysms (ACoAs) are one of the most common intracranial aneurysms. Treatment includes surgical clipping or endovascular embolization. The region’s complex anatomy presents a challenge. However, stent-assisted technology makes embolization a safer and simpler procedure. The use of stent-assisted coil technology to treat ACoAs is not wide-spread and data in the literature is limited.
Temporal Lobectomy Outcomes
The purpose of this study was to compare the surgical treatment of epilepsy to determine whether there is a difference in seizure and memory outcomes.
Destructive Procedures for the Treatment of Non-malignant Pain
Non-malignant pain has been treated in the past century with ablative (removal), or more appropriately, destructive procedures. While individual outcomes for these procedures have previously been described in the literature, the investigator describes a comprehensive and systematic review on this topic.
A Novel Treatment of Cholesterol Granuloma
The investigators analyzed a novel technique for treatment of a cholesterol granuloma (a foreign body giant cell reaction to deposited cholesterol in the temporal bone). They used an extradural middle fossa approach to access the cholesterol granuloma, with silastic tube drainage into the sphenoid sinus.
Differentiating Intrathecal Catheter Tip Granulomas from Normal MR Image Distortion caused by Metallic Catheter Tips
When evaluating possible granuloma development around an intrathecal catheter tip (such as those used in chronic intrathecal opiate administration for chronic pain), the investigators discovered that it is important to take into account the characteristic metallic susceptibility artifact and increased size of normal metallic catheter tips on MR imaging.
Neurological Surgery Clinical Trials Participation
Active neurological surgery clinical trials can be found at the OHSU Study Participation web site.
Or for information, contact:
Neurological Surgery-Clinical Trials Coordinator
(503) 494-9546
Oregon Health & Science University requires all investigators that are conducting human subjects research to respect and protect the rights and welfare of participants recruited for, and/or participating in, research under the supervision of OHSU. As part of this commitment, Responsible Conduct of Research education is required of all investigators, research staff, and other relevant personnel.
All clinical research undertaken at OHSU is subject to approval by the institutional review board (IRB).
The institutional review board is a group that has been formally designated to approve, monitor, and review biomedical and behavioral research involving humans with the aim of protecting the rights and welfare of the subjects. The IRB approves, requires modifications to, or disapproves clinical research. The IRB performs critical oversight functions for research conducted on human subjects that are scientific, ethical, and regulatory.
OHSU Research Integrity Office
For more information about clinical trials and a nationwide database of clinical trials, please go to the U.S. National Institutes of Health clinical trials website.