Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37929065›Full record

ArticleJPRAS open2023

Treatment Delay in Patients Undergoing Headache Surgery (Nerve Decompression Surgery).

Merel H J Hazewinkel, Katya Remy, Leonard Knoedler, Sierra Tseng, Anna Schoenbrunner, Jeffrey Janis, William G Austen, Caroline A Hundepool, J Michiel Zuidam, Lisa Gfrerer

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JPRAS open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. A Systematic Review of Pain Drawings for Perioperative Patient Management.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Merel H J HazewinkelWeill Cornell Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, New York, NY.
Katya RemyHarvard Medical School, Department of Plastic Surgery, Hand Surgery, and Peripheral, Nerve Surgery, Boston, MA.
Leonard KnoedlerHarvard Medical School, Department of Plastic Surgery, Hand Surgery, and Peripheral, Nerve Surgery, Boston, MA.
Sierra TsengHarvard Medical School, Department of Plastic Surgery, Hand Surgery, and Peripheral, Nerve Surgery, Boston, MA.
Anna SchoenbrunnerOhio State University Wexner Medical Center, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Columbus, OH.
Jeffrey JanisOhio State University Wexner Medical Center, Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Columbus, OH.
William G AustenHarvard Medical School, Department of Plastic Surgery, Hand Surgery, and Peripheral, Nerve Surgery, Boston, MA.
Caroline A HundepoolErasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Plastic, Reconstructive Surgery and Hand surgery, The Netherlands.
J Michiel ZuidamErasmus Medical Center Rotterdam, Department of Plastic, Reconstructive Surgery and Hand surgery, The Netherlands.
Lisa GfrererWeill Cornell Medicine, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, New York, NY.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Although headache surgery has been shown to be an effective treatment option for refractory headache disorders, it has not been included as part of the headache disorder management algorithm by non-surgical providers. This study aims to evaluate the delay in surgical management of patients with headache disorders. In addition, a cost comparison analysis between conservative and operative treatment of headache disorders was performed, and the surgical outcomes of headache surgery were reported. Methods: Among 1112 patients who were screened, 271 (56%) patients underwent headache surgery. Data regarding the onset of headache disorder and pre- and postoperative pain characteristics were prospectively collected. To perform a cost comparison analysis, direct and indirect costs associated with the conservative treatment of headache disorders were calculated. Results: The median duration between onset of headache disorder symptoms and headache surgery was 20 (8.2-32) years. The annual mean cost of conservative treatment of headache disorders was $49,463.78 ($30,933.87-$66,553.70) per patient. Over the 20-year time period before surgery, the mean cost was $989,275.65 ($618,677.31-$1,331,073.99). In comparison, the mean cost of headache surgery was $11,000. The median pain days per month decreased by 16 (0-25) (p<0.001), the median pain intensity reduced by 4 (2-7) (p<0.001), and the median pain duration decreased by 11 hours (0-22) (p<0.001). Conclusion: This study shows that patients experience symptoms of headache disorders for an average of 20 years prior to undergoing headache surgery. Surgical treatment not only significantly improves headache pain but also reduces healthcare costs and should be implemented in the management algorithm of headache disorders.

Indexed as

HeadacheHeadache surgeryNerve decompression surgeryTreatment delay

Identifiers

PMID37929065
PMCPMC10624566

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.