The global neurosurgical postcode lottery: Geographic and socioeconomic drivers of unequal treatment worldwide on behalf of diversity in neurosurgery committee and ethico-legal committee of the EANS.

Mirko Micovic, Tijana Ilic, Mario Ganau, Andrew F Alalade, Bojana Zivkovic

Abstract read

In one paragraph

Article in Brain & spine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

5 authors.

Mirko MicovicNeurosurgery Clinic, University Clinical Center of Serbia, Dr Koste Todorovica 4, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia.

Tijana IlicInstitute of Spinal Column and Neurosciences-Clinique Bizet, 23 Rue Georges Bizet, Paris, 75116, France.

Mario GanauDepartment of Neurosurgery, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Headley Way, Headington, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX3 9DU, United Kingdom.

Andrew F AlaladeUniversity of Lancashire, Fylde Road, Lancashire, Preston, PR1 2HE, United Kingdom.

Bojana ZivkovicNeurosurgery Clinic, University Clinical Center of Serbia, Dr Koste Todorovica 4, Belgrade, 11000, Serbia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

•The neurosurgical postcode lottery reflects global inequity.•Geography and income strongly shape access to neurosurgical care worldwide.•Workforce shortages leave millions without access to lifesaving neurosurgery.•Costs, travel distance, and discrimination deepen treatment inequality.•Equity requires workforce growth, stronger health systems, and fair financing.

Indexed as

Brain drainGeographic disparityGlobal neurosurgeryHealth equitySocioeconomic determinants

Identifiers

PMID42389480

DOI10.1016/j.bas.2026.106143

PMCPMC13321371

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.