Current neurology and neuroscience reports
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Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep · Mar 2013
ReviewElectroencephalographic monitoring in the pediatric intensive care unit.
Continuous electroencephalographic (CEEG) monitoring is used with increasing frequency in critically ill children to provide insight into brain function and to identify electrographic seizures. CEEG monitoring use often impacts clinical management, most often by identifying electrographic seizures and status epilepticus. ⋯ Seizure identification efficiency may be improved by further development of quantitative electroencephalography trends. This review describes the clinical impact of CEEG data, the epidemiology of electrographic seizures and status epilepticus, the impact of electrographic seizures on outcome, the utility of quantitative electroencephalographic trends for seizure identification, and practical considerations regarding CEEG monitoring.
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Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep · Mar 2013
ReviewPhysiological monitoring of the severe traumatic brain injury patient in the intensive care unit.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite encouraging animal research, pharmacological agents and neuroprotectants have disappointed in the clinical environment. ⋯ Recent clinical series suggest that TBI management informed by multimodality monitoring is associated with improved patient outcome, in part because care is provided in a patient-specific manner. In this review we discuss physiological monitoring of the brain after TBI and the emerging field of neurocritical care bioinformatics.
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Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep · Mar 2013
Diagnosis and management of headache attributed to airplane travel.
The headache attributed to airplane travel, also named "airplane headache", is characterized by the sudden onset of a severe head pain exclusively in relation to airplane flights, mainly during the landing phase. Secondary causes, such as upper respiratory tract infections or acute sinusitis, must be ruled out. ⋯ On the basis of a survey we conducted with the courteous cooperation of people who had experienced this type of headache, we proposed diagnostic criteria to be added to the forthcoming revision of the International Classification of Headache Disorders. Their formal validation would favour further studies aimed at improving knowledge of the pathophysiological mechanisms involved and at implementing preventative measures.