Neurocritical care
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Case Reports
Surgical treatment of space occupying edema and hemorrhage due to cerebral venous thrombosis during pregnancy.
During late pregnancy and the puerperium cerebral venous and sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a rare but important cause of stroke. Despite adequate anticoagulation some patients deteriorate, which may warrant the use of more aggressive treatment modalities. ⋯ While previous reports have demonstrated the feasibility of decompressive hemicraniectomy in selected patients with CVST and beginning herniation due to space occupying brain edema, venous infarction and congestional bleeding with mass effect, our rare case supports the notion that this procedure can also be life-saving in pregnant women.
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Review Case Reports
Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis: case report and literature review.
Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT)-related cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) has been described in 10 prior case reports in the English language medical literature. We report the first case of low molecular weight HIT-related CVST with detailed clinical course and novel therapeutic approach. ⋯ A review of the previous 10 case reports in the literature confirms that HIT-related CVST is often a fatal condition, particularly when diagnosed in comatose patients. Because the diagnosis is rare and often delayed relative to initial presentation, prevention is the key to improve patient outcomes. Newer anticoagulants with different mechanism of action than heparin are currently under review by the FDA; they will facilitate prevention of HIT-related CVST and other HIT-related neurological complications.
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Fever in neurocritical care patients is common and has a negative impact on neurological outcome. The purpose of this prospective observational study was (1) to evaluate the practicability of cooling with newly developed neck pads in the daily setting of neurointensive care unit (NICU) patients and (2) to evaluate its effectiveness as a surrogate endpoint to indicate the feasibility of neck cooling as a new method for intractable fever. ⋯ This study showed the practicability of local cooling for intractable fever using the newly developed neck pads in the daily setting of NICU patients.
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Therapeutic hypothermia is commonly used in comatose survivors' post-cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). It is unknown whether outcome predictors perform accurately after hypothermia treatment. ⋯ Sedative medications are commonly used in proximity of the 72-h neurological examination in comatose CPR survivors and are an important prognostication confounder. Patients treated with hypothermia are more likely to receive sedation than those who are not treated with hypothermia.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Safety and tolerability of high-intensity anticoagulation with bivalirudin during neuroendovascular procedures.
Bivalirudin (Angiomax) is a direct thrombin inhibitor used in interventional cardiology due to its several distinct advantages over heparin, most notably a shorter half-life and a potentially superior safety profile. Bivalirudin is also safe to use in patients with active or remote heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. Our objective was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of high-intensity anticoagulation using bivalirudin during neuroendovascular procedures. ⋯ Our data supports that bivalirudin usage is likely a safe alternative to heparin for high-intensity anticoagulation in neuroendovascular procedures. Further studies are required for more definitive comparisons for efficacy and cost-effectiveness between the two agents.