Articles: brain-injuries.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Apr 1982
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialEffect of intracranial pressure monitoring and aggressive treatment on mortality in severe head injury.
During 1977-1978, 127 patients with severe head injury were admitted and underwent intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring. All patients had Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores of 7 or less. All received identical initial treatment according to a standardized protocol. ⋯ Twenty-six patients (25%) had ICP's of 25 mm Hg or greater, compared to 34% in the previous series (p less than 0.05), and 18 of these 26 patients (69%) died. The overall mortality for this current series was 28% compared to 46% in the previous series (p less than 0.0005). This study reconfirms the high mortality rate if ICP is 25 mm Hg or greater; however, the data also document that early aggressive treatment based on ICP monitoring significantly lessens the incidence of ICP of 25 mm Hg or greater and reduces the overall mortality rate of severe head injury.
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On the basis of 191 patients with epidural haematomas in an observation period of 15 years, an analysis of the patient group with non-classical symptoms was carried out. The opinions and theories regarding the generation of long-lasting lucid intervals found in the literature are mentioned and discussed on the basis of 3 typical examples. Owing to improved examination methods and early recognition, the mortality rate of the patients with epidural haematomas could be reduced from 54 per cent in the years 1961 to 1965 to about 10 per cent in the years 1975 to 1980.
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Journal of neurosurgery · Jan 1982
Case ReportsSpontaneous migration of an intracranial bullet to the cervical spinal canal causing Lhermitte's sign. Case report.
A case is presented of a woman who was shot in the left occipital area with a .32 caliber automatic pistol. She was neurologically intact on admission, and skull x-ray films revealed the bullet in the right suboccipital area. ⋯ Repeat films showed that the bullet had migrated to the C-4 vertebral level. The bullet was subsequently removed via a total laminectomy at C3-4.