Dr Annika Mascarenhas

Current positions:

• Neurosurgery Trainee at Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
• Flinders Medical Centre - Advanced Trainee for 2023
• Senior Clinical Lecturer University of Adelaide
• Neurosurgery Registrar Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide and Flinders Medical Centre
• Abbie Simpson Clinical Fellow 2017

Current NRF-funded projects include:

• Efficacy and safety of novel beta-chitin patch in cortical and vascular injury haemostasis versus standards of care

Funding: $41,430

Project: Safe and effective control of haemorrhagic brain and vascular injury in skull base surgery is of paramount importance. Current standards of care products are limited by the depths and smaller anatomical corridors in advancing endoscopic neurosurgery.

Chitin is a naturally occurring biopolymer present in the exoskeleton of arthropods and cell wall of fungi and numerous other sources. It has antiadhesion, antimicrobial and increased clotting properties. This project aims to determine the safety and efficacy of novel beta-chitin patch in managing cerebral cortical and vascular injuries for future use in cranial skull-base surgery.

• Development of a training model of endoscopic small vessel haemorrhage control, brain manipulation and dural closure

Funding: $15,220

Project: This study will be conducted in two phases. The primary purpose is for the development of an animal model of endoscopic small vessel handling, brain manipulation and haemorrhage control in the brain and dural closure techniques using sheep.

Once feasibility has been established with the pilot study in phase 1, then phase 2 will be the subsequent establishment of an endoscopic animal training model for ENT surgeons and Neurosurgeons for further development of operative skill.

Publications:

For a full list of Dr Mascarenhas' publications, please visit her Google Scholar page.

• Van Der Veken, J., Mascarenhas, A. R., Chryssidis, S., & Poonoose, S. I. (2021). Management of an Internal Carotid Artery Injury during Open Skull Base Surgery with a Crushed Muscle Patch - Technical Note and Lessons Learned. Operative Neurosurgery, 21(5), 356-359.

• Tsimiklis, C., Mascarenhas, A., To, M. -S., Fairley Bishop, C., Jenkinson, F., Hunt, G., . . . Poonnoose, S. (2020). The benefit of delayed reassessment post high-volume CSF removal in the diagnosis of shunt-responsive idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus.. J Clin Neurosci, 71, 32-38.

• Vediappan, R. S., Mascarenhas, A., Nguyen-Hoang, A., Fong, S. A., Jukes, A., Richter, K., . . . Wormald, P. (2020). Prevention of peridural adhesions in spinal surgery: assessing safety and efficacy of Chitogel with Deferiprone in a sheep model. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 72, 378-385.
• Cundy, P. J., Antoniou, G., Mascarhenas, A., Freeman, B. J. C., & Cundy, W. J. (2020). Chromium Metal Ion Release During Instrumented Spinal Surgery In Children: The Effects Of Electrosurgery. Spine, 45(23), 1619-1624.
• Jukes, A., Mascarenhas, A., Murphy, J., Stepan, L., Muñoz, T., Callejas, C., . . . Psaltis, A. (2017). Stress response and communication in surgeons undergoing training in endoscopic management of major vessel hemorrhage: a mixed methods study. International Forum of Allergy and Rhinology, 7(6), 576-583.
• Mascarenhas, A., Parsons, A., Smith, C., Molloy, C., & Jukes, A. (2017). Malignant squamous cell carcinoma arising in a previously resected cerebellopontine angle epidermoid. Surgical Neurology International, 8(1), 186.
• Cundy, W., Mascarenhas, A., Antoniou, G., Freeman, B., & Cundy, P. (2015). Local and systemic metal ion release occurs intraoperatively during correction and instrumented spinal fusion for scoliosis. Journal of Children's Orthopaedics, 9(1), 39-43.
• Mascarenhas, A. R., Seebold, J. A., Cundy, W. J., McGuire, T., & van Driel, M. L. (n.d.). Homeopathic remedies for preventing and treating acute respiratory tract infections in children. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.