Neurocritical care
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
A Randomized Trial of Central Venous Catheter Type and Thrombosis in Critically Ill Neurologic Patients.
Observational studies suggest peripherally inserted central venous catheters (PICCs) are associated with a high risk of catheter-related large vein thrombosis (CRLVT) in critically ill neurologic patients. We evaluated the difference in thrombosis risk between PICCs and centrally inserted central venous catheters (CICVCs). ⋯ Our trial demonstrates that critically ill neurologic patients who require a central venous catheter have significantly lower odds of ultrasound-diagnosed CRLVT with placement of a CICVC as compared to a PICC.
-
The computed tomography angiography (CTA) spot sign is a validated predictor of hematoma expansion and poor outcome in supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), but patients with brainstem ICH have typically been excluded from the analyses. We investigated the frequency of spot sign and its relationship with hematoma expansion and outcome in patients with primary pontine hemorrhage (PPH). ⋯ As with supratentorial ICH, the CTA spot sign is a common finding and is associated with higher risk of hematoma expansion and mortality in PPH. This marker may assist clinicians in prognostic stratification.
-
In patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), multicenter randomized controlled trials have assessed decompressive craniectomy (DC) exclusively as treatment for refractory elevation of intracranial pressure (ICP). DC reliably lowers ICP but does not necessarily improve outcomes. However, some patients undergo DC as treatment for impending or established transtentorial herniation, irrespective of ICP. ⋯ DC is most often performed for clinical and radiographic evidence of herniation, rather than for refractory ICP elevation. Results of previously completed randomized trials do not directly apply to a large proportion of patients undergoing DC in practice.
-
Pooled European trial results of early decompressive craniectomy (DC) for severe hemispheric stroke did not require radiographic mass effect as an inclusion criterion. Early surgery for supratentorial cerebral hemorrhage does not improve functional status or survival compared to initial conservative medical management. Early versus delayed DC for hemispheric stroke has not been investigated. ⋯ Delayed DC for hemispheric stroke patients managed under protocol in the neurocritical care unit is a safe alternative to early, prophylactic DC for adults with severe hemispheric stroke. This strategy reduced DC rates by 60 % without an excess of death or survival with severe disabilities.
-
Our study aimed to evaluate whether the effect of an intra-arterial vasospasm therapy can be assessed quantitatively by in vivo blood flow analysis using the postprocessing algorithm parametric color coding (PCC). ⋯ PCC is a fast applicable imaging technique that allows via real-time and in vivo blood flow analysis a quantitative assessment of the effect of intra-arterial vasospasm therapy. Our results seem to validate in vivo that an intra-arterial nimodipine application induces not only vasodilatation of the larger vessels, but also improves the microcirculatory flow, leading to a shortened cerebral CirT that reaches normal range post-interventionally. Procedural monitoring via PCC offers the option to compare quantitatively different therapy regimes, which allows optimization of existing approaches and implementation of individualized treatment strategies.