Annales françaises d'anesthèsie et de rèanimation
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Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Apr 2000
Review[Role of the regulation in the management of patients with severe head injuries].
The regulator of the emergency medical ambulance service is involved in the various steps of the initial management of severe head trauma patients: handling calls, basic life support, prehospital advance life support, transport and hospital admission. The management is rapid (helicopter transports) coherent and adapted (adherence to the guidelines for severe head injury), and considers of local difficulties (geographical, possibility of admission to trauma centres), with the aim of improving the outcome of severely head-injured patients.
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Advanced prehospital emergency medical care of patients with a severe head injury must essentially focus on the impact of secondary cerebral insults of systemic origin on the outcome. The first objective of prehospital care is to prevent hypoxaemia and hypercapnia. Therefore, all patients with a Glasgow Coma Scale score equal to or lower than 8 must be treated with endotracheal intubation and controlled ventilation under continuous monitoring of SpO2 and PETCO2. ⋯ Sedation is maintained with an hypnoticopioid association (fentanyl). Simultaneously, the main goal is the maintenance of an optimal cerebral perfusion pressure, as arterial hypotension severely worsens cerebral ischaemia. Volume loading is accomplished with 0.9% saline and hydroxyethyl starch.
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Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Apr 2000
[Impact of an information booklet on patient satisfaction in anesthesia].
The aim of this study was to evaluate the satisfaction of adult surgical patients before and after an information booklet concerning anaesthetic techniques and complications, and postoperative management has been proposed during preanaesthetic visits. ⋯ An information booklet on anaesthesia increases patient satisfaction on information provided during preanaesthetic visits.
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Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Apr 2000
Review[Management of severe head injuries during the first 24 hours, in the emergency department, in neurosurgery].
In France, the role of the neurosurgeon in the emergency department depends on local health care policies and geographical constraints. Some departments include a neurosurgical team with a dedicated operating room. In others, a neurosurgeon can be reached by phone, possibly with an image transfer. ⋯ The management of a haematoma of the posterior fossa or a bleeding dural venous sinus would be difficult for a surgeon not qualified in neurosurgery. The optimal situation is the presence of a neurosurgeon in the medical team admitting patients with a severe head or spine trauma, for assessment of the neurological status, or interpretation of radiological explorations, insertion of an intracranial pressure monitoring device. Besides the extradural haematoma, other injuries such as an acute subdural haematoma, a haematoma associated with a contusion, an acute hydrocephalus, a depressed fracture of the skull, or a craniocerebral wound, also require an emergency decompressive procedure.
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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) constitutes a major health and economic problem for developed countries, being one of the main causes of mortality and morbidity in children and young adults. Because of the immense importance and future consequences of TBI, the physician who sees a patient soon after brain injury must have a complete understanding of the pathophysiology and develop a practical knowledge of initial management of such patients. TBI may have intracranial and systemic effects that combine to give overall cerebral ischaemia. ⋯ The concept of 'cerebral protection' has been extended to encompass pretreatment of secondary injury. Preventing and treating cerebral ischaemia is the main goal of initial management of head-injured patients. Initial care focuses on achieving oxygenation, airway control and treatment of arterial hypotension.