title: Transitional care in pediatric neurosurgical patients.
abstract: The relatively young specialty field of pediatric neurosurgery addresses a number of surgical diseases that, while first encountered in children, may involve long-term post-operative sequelae that persist into adulthood. These diagnoses present a challenge for care providers as patients transition from pediatric to adult age groups. Brain tumors, shunted hydrocephalus, and myelomeningocele are three of the most common examples of this interesting category. The provision of coordinated transitional care to affected pediatric neurosurgical patients is made all the more difficult by the common comorbidity of developmental delay, affecting not only personal and social growth but also the character and composition of the care team. This article seeks to provide a background for some of the common pediatric neurosurgical diseases requiring a transitional care framework for survivors entering young adulthood, a summary of the adult surgical care challenges faced by these patients, and a rationale for different approaches to optimize care.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Surgery, Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo, Department of Surgery, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 219 Bryant St, Buffalo, NY 14222. Electronic address: drothstein@kaleidahealth.org.
authors.forename: David H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Rothstein
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo, Department of Surgery, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY.
authors.forename: Veetai
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D009493:Neurosurgery / Q000592:standards*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000592:standards*; D060305:Transition to Adult Care / Q000592:standards*
keywords: Myelomeningocele; Pediatric CNS tumor; Pediatric neurosurgery; Shunted hydrocephalus; Spina bifida