Neurocritical care
-
Ischemic stroke and intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) following left ventricular assist device (LVAD) placement are major causes of morbidity. The incidence and mortality associated with these events stratified by device type have not been systematically explored. ⋯ Ischemic stroke and ICH are common after LVAD placement, but heterogeneous event rates are reported in the literature. Given the high associated mortality, further prospective study is warranted.
-
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis in underweight patients with neurologic injury remains unaddressed by guidelines and primary literature. This study aimed to describe VTE prophylaxis strategies employed in this population and compare the impact of underweight and non-obese patients on thrombotic and bleeding events. ⋯ Current practice does not reflect dose reductions for neurologically injured, underweight patients. Caution should be considered when using increased doses of UFH in neurologically injured patients that are underweight and/or may be exposed to >150 units/kg/day of UFH. Continued assessment of VTE prophylaxis is needed to confirm these findings.
-
Observational Study
Decannulation and Functional Outcome After Tracheostomy in Patients with Severe Stroke (DECAST): A Prospective Observational Study.
Tracheostomy is performed in ventilated stroke patients affected by persisting severe dysphagia, reduced level of consciousness, or prolonged mechanical ventilation. The study aim was to determine the frequency and predictors of successful decannulation and long-term functional outcome in tracheotomized stroke patients. ⋯ Decannulation was achieved in 59.4% of stroke patients surviving the first 12 months after tracheostomy and was associated with better functional outcome compared to patients without decannulation. Further prospective studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm our results.
-
Immobility that is frequently encountered in the intensive care unit (ICU) can lead to patient complications. Early mobilization of patients in the ICU has been shown to reduce the complications associated with critical illness; however, early mobilization in the neurological intensive care unit (NICU) presents a unique challenge for the multidisciplinary team. The early mobilization of patients with acute neurologic injuries such as acute ischemic stroke, aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, intracerebral hemorrhage, and neurotrauma varies because of differing disease processes and management. When developing an early mobility program in the NICU, the following should be considered: the effect of positional changes and exercise, the time from symptom onset to the initiation of early mobilization, and the type and intensity of the exercise prescribed.
-
Noninvasive neuromonitoring is increasingly being used to monitor the course of primary brain injury and limit secondary brain damage of patients in the neurocritical care unit. Proposed advantages over invasive neuromonitoring methods include a lower risk of infection and bleeding, no need for surgical installation, mobility and portability of some devices, and safety. ⋯ We found 88 studies that were eligible for review including the methods transcranial ultrasound, electroencephalography, evoked potentials, near-infrared spectroscopy, bispectral index, and pupillometry. Noninvasive neuromonitoring cannot yet completely replace invasive methods in most situations, but has great potential being complementarily integrated into multimodality monitoring, for guiding management, and for limiting the use of invasive devices and in-hospital transports for imaging.