Acta neurochirurgica. Supplement
-
Acta Neurochir. Suppl. · Jan 2012
Fixed, dilated pupils following traumatic brain injury: historical perspectives, causes and ophthalmological sequelae.
Pupillary abnormalities are commonly seen in patients presenting with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). The objectives of this study were to determine the underlying condition responsible, the natural history of recovery of third nerve palsy and the ultimate clinical outcome in 60 patients admitted to a regional neurosurgical centre with a diagnosis of TBI and unilateral or bilateral fixed, dilated pupils (FDP). In approximately three-quarters of cases, some form of road traffic incident was the mechanism of injury. ⋯ Of those patients who survived an FDP, 72% were left with some form of ophthalmological deficit. Most patients with bilateral FDP did not survive (88%); however, of those who did survive, none was left in a persistent vegetative state or with any ophthalmological sequelae. A FDP is a grave prognostic sign following TBI commonly resulting in long term ophthalmological sequelae; however, a favourable outcome is still attainable.
-
Acta Neurochir. Suppl. · Jan 2012
The linear relationship between transcranial Doppler pulsatility indices and intracranial pressure is influenced by traumatic brain injury and vasospasm.
The pulsatility index (PI) and the intracranial -pressure (ICP) may or may not be correlated; the evidence to date differs widely. A study of multiple measures of PI and the corresponding ICP in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) showed that some of the relationships were moderately strong when calculated as conventional Pearson correlation coefficients. ⋯ With the TBI patients demonstrating a large fraction of skewed measurements, a set of robust correlations were calculated that demonstrated that the apparent relationships between PI and ICP were entirely attributable to the statistical outliers. We conclude that the fundamental relationship of PI to ICP is weakly positive at best.
-
Acta Neurochir. Suppl. · Jan 2012
Biography Historical ArticleModeling of CSF dynamics: legacy of Professor Anthony Marmarou.
The mathematical model of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure volume compensation, introduced by Anthony Marmarou in 1973 and modified in later studies, provides a theoretical basis for differential diagnosis in hydrocephalus. The Servo-Controlled Constant Pressure Test (Umea, Sweden) and Computerised Infusion Test (Cambridge, UK) are based on this model and are designed to compensate for inadequate accuracy of estimation of both the resistance to CSF outflow and elasticity of CSF pressure volume compensation. Dr. ⋯ Marmarou demonstrated that only around 30% of cases of elevated ICP in patients with TBI could be explained by changes in CSF circulation. The remaining 70% of cases should be attributable to vascular components, which have been proposed as equivalent to raised brain venous pressure. Professor Marmarou's work has had a direct impact in the field of contemporary clinical neurosciences, and many of his ideas are still being investigated actively today.
-
Acta Neurochir. Suppl. · Jan 2012
Assessment of cerebral autoregulation from respiratory oscillations in ventilated patients after traumatic brain injury.
Phase shift (PS) between oscillations in arterial blood pressure (ABP) and transcranial Doppler (TCD) cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) is thought to describe cerebral autoregulation. Ventilated patients show high amplitude and regular respiratory oscillations in ABP and CBFV, allowing reliable PS measurement. We analysed recordings of ABP, CBFV and intracranial pressure (ICP) from 187 TBI patients treated at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK, from 1993 to 1998. ⋯ PS was significant (p < 0.05) for PSm only. Respiratory PS responds to changes in CPP and RR and correlates weakly with CA. Respiratory PS may have some prognostic value for patients with TBI.
-
Acta Neurochir. Suppl. · Jan 2012
Comparing brain tissue oxygen measurements and derived autoregulation parameters from different probes (Licox vs. Raumedic).
We investigated two commercially available probes for measurement of the partial pressure of brain tissue oxygen (PbrO2) and calculation of the index of brain tissue oxygen pressure reactivity (ORx) in 7 patients after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Simultaneous monitoring of PbrO2 using the Licox(®) probe and the multiparameter Raumedic probe (Neurovent PTO(®)), measuring PbrO2, intracranial pressure (ICP) and brain temperature (Neurovent PTO) was performed for a median of 9 days (range 7-17 days). Both probes provided stable monitoring throughout the desired period. ⋯ There was a difference in the measurement of PbrO2 of -2.73 ± 10.1 mmHg (Licox - Raumedic). The difference in the two values for the calculated ORx was far smaller (0.03 ± 0.31; Licox - Raumedic) and the correlation coefficient higher than for both values of PbrO2 (0.76 for ORx vs. 0.56 for PbrO2). The calculation of the autoregulation parameter ORx seemed more independent of the measurement process than the measurement of PbrO2 itself and signifies the potential clinical importance of this parameter.