Neurocritical care
-
We previously reported the presence of a cranial "bruit" in patients with cerebral vasospasm by signal processing cranial accelerometry signals time locked to the cardiac cycle. This shift to higher frequencies is likely related to the turbulence of blood flow produced by vascular narrowing. We sought to build a more quantitative model to predict cerebral vasospasm then test the accuracy of this technique to detect cerebral vasospasm in a prospective blinded study. ⋯ Highly sensitive skull accelerometry can detect cerebral vasospasm with clinically meaningful accuracy. This tool holds promise in the ICU environment to detect as well as reject cerebral vasospasm as the cause of neurological deficits in subarachnoid hemorrhage.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Tissue Plasminogen Activator Administered Through an External Ventricular Drain.
Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) frequently complicates spontaneous intracerebral or subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Administration of intraventricular tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) accelerates blood clearance, but optimal dosing has not been clarified. Using a standardized TPA dose, we assessed peak cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) TPA concentrations, the rate at which TPA clears, and the relationship between TPA concentration and biological activity. ⋯ The pharmacokinetics of intraventricular TPA administration varies between individual patients. TPA dose does not need to exceed 2 mg. The optimal administration interval is every 8-12 h.
-
Cardiac arrest is the most common cause of death in North America. Neurocritical care interventions, including targeted temperature management (TTM), have significantly improved neurological outcomes in patients successfully resuscitated from cardiac arrest. Therefore, resuscitation following cardiac arrest was chosen as an emergency neurological life support protocol. ⋯ This protocol will review induction, maintenance, and re-warming phases of TTM, along with management of TTM side effects. Aggressive shivering suppression is necessary with this treatment to ensure the maintenance of a target temperature. Ancillary testing, including electrocardiography, computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging of the brain, continuous electroencephalography monitoring, and correction of electrolyte, blood gas, and hematocrit changes, are also necessary to optimize outcomes.
-
Airway management and ventilation are central to the resuscitation of the neurologically ill. These patients often have evolving processes that threaten the airway and adequate ventilation. ⋯ Therefore, airway, ventilation, and sedation was chosen as an emergency neurological life support protocol. Topics include airway management, when and how to intubate with special attention to hemodynamics and preservation of cerebral blood flow, mechanical ventilation settings, and the use of sedative agents based on the patient's neurological status.