Articles: traumatic-brain-injuries.
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Brain injury : [BI] · Jan 2016
Infrascanner in the diagnosis of intracranial lesions in children with traumatic brain injuries.
The number of traumatic injuries among children is increasing. However, so-called mild TBI might result in unfavourable outcomes. Early diagnosis of intracranial haematomas prior to development of serious complications may be a decisive factor for a favourable outcome. InfraScan company developed and brought to the market the Infrascanner model 1000, which is a portable detector of blood collections that operates in the near infrared (NIR) band. ⋯ Infra-scanning might be viewed as a screening technique for intracranial haemorrhages in ambulances and outpatient trauma centres in order to decide on hospitalization, CT scanning and referral to a neurosurgeon. Infra-scanning combined with evaluation of risk factors of intracranial damage might reduce the number of unnecessary radiological examinations.
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Acta Neurochir. Suppl. · Jan 2016
Effects of Brain Temperature on Cerebrovascular Autoregulation During the Acute Stage of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.
The pressure reactivity index (PRx) is calculated as a moving correlation coefficient between intracranial pressure (ICP) and mean arterial blood pressure (MABP), and this analytical value is viewed as reflecting a vasomotor response to MABP variability. At present, the factors influencing the PRx value during the acute stage of traumatic brain injury (TBI) are not known. We observed significant cases where changes in the calculated value of PRx seemed to be influenced by changes in brain temperature during the course of acute stage TBI. ⋯ During the hypothermic condition, the mean value of PRx was -0.019; however, after gradual rewarming, the value of PRx increased drastically, and the mean value during the rewarming period, when the brain temperature exceeded 35 °C, was 0.331. Similarly, in another case where the patient underwent therapeutic brain hypothermia, the PRx showed a mean value of -0.038 during the hypothermic condition, and a mean value of 0.052 during the rewarming period. In both cases, a trend toward a negative correlation between ICP and MABP during brain hypothermia shifted to a positive correlation upon rewarming.
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The central nervous system (CNS) is protected by blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-cerebrospinal-fluid (CSF) barrier that limit toxic agents and most molecules from penetrating the brain and spinal cord. However, these barriers also prevent most pharmaceuticals from entering into the CNS. Drug delivery to the CNS following neurotrauma is complicated. ⋯ And this likely leads to better dose selection of the drug, as well as recognition of any possible side effects, prior to transition into a clinical trial. Additionally, novel approach that is noninvasive and yet circumvents BBB, such as drug delivery through nerve pathways innervating the nasal passages, needs to be investigated in animal models, as it may provide a viable drug delivery method for patients who sustain mild CNS injury or require chronic treatments. Therefore, the focus of this chapter is to present rationales and methods for delivering drugs by IV infusion via the jugular vein, and intranasally in preclinical studies.
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Brain injury : [BI] · Jan 2016
Low-dose levetiracetam for seizure prophylaxis after traumatic brain injury.
The primary objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a lower dose of levetiracetam (500 mg every 12 hours) to prevent early seizures after traumatic brain injury (TBI). It was hypothesized that the seizure rate would be low and comparable to previous studies using phenytoin. ⋯ A lower dose of levetiracetam 500 mg every 12 hours after TBI may be effective for early seizure prevention after TBI.
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Brain injury : [BI] · Jan 2016
Community integration questionnaire: Outcomes of people with traumatic brain injury and high support needs compared with multiple matched controls.
To determine level of community integration in adults with traumatic brain injury and high support needs (TBI-HSN) compared with multiple matched controls. ⋯ Normative CIQ data has enabled meaningful comparisons of the community integration of adults with chronic TBI to the general population in Australia. Evidence makes clear with numeric precision that individuals with TBI and high support needs are much less integrated than their non-TBI counterparts despite living in the community for many years.