Neurocritical care
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Family objections to evaluating a patient for death by neurologic criteria, or "brain death," are challenging for the family and the medical team. In this article, we categorize brain death evaluation refusals into a taxonomy: informational objections, emotional objections, and principled objections. ⋯ The category of objection may also be important in considering when accommodation of refusals should be considered. The goal in all such situations is to promote compassionate, ethical, and equitable care for the patient and family.
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Neuroprotective treatment strategies aiming at interfering with either inflammation or cell death indicate the importance of these mechanisms in the development of brain injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). This study was undertaken to evaluate the influence of minocycline on microglia/macrophage cell activity and its neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory impact 14 days after aneurismal SAH in mice. ⋯ Minocycline treatment may be implicated as a therapeutic approach with long-term benefits in the management of secondary brain injury after SAH in a clinically relevant time window.