Abhijit V. Lele

Perioperative care of patients at high risk for stroke during or after non-cardiac, non-neurologic surgery: Consensus statement from the society for neuroscience in anesthesiology and critical care

This document is supported by the American Society of Anesthesiologists.** Perioperative stroke can be a catastrophic outcome for surgical patients and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. This consensus statement from the Society for Neuroscience in Anesthesiology and Critical Care provides evidence-based recommendations and opinions regarding the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care of patients at high risk for the complication.

Severe hypothyroidism presenting as myxedema coma in the postoperative period in a patient taking sunitinib: case report and review of literature

The case of a 62-year-old Caucasian woman who underwent urgent hip hemiarthroplasty for repair of a pathological fracture is reported. The patients medical history was significant for renal cell carcinoma, cerebellar metastases, and sunitinib-induced hypothyroidism. Her intraoperative course was complicated by profound hypothermia, bradycardia, augmentation of neuromuscular blockade, delayed emergence, failure of postoperative extubation, and need for mechanical ventilation. The intensive care course was significant for hypothermia requiring forced-air warming, treatment with intravenous thyroxine (T4), and hemodynamic supportive care.

Intraoperative Secondary Insults During Orthopedic Surgery in Traumatic Brain Injury.

Background: Secondary insults worsen outcomes after traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, data on intraoperative secondary insults are sparse. The primary aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of intraoperative secondary insults during orthopedic surgery after moderate-severe TBI. We also examined the impact of intraoperative secondary insults on postoperative head computed tomographic scan, intracranial pressure (ICP), and escalation of care within 24 hours of surgery. Materials and Methods: We reviewed medical records of TBI patients 18 years and above with Glasgow Coma Scale score <13 who underwent single orthopedic surgery within 2 weeks of TBI. Secondary insults examined were: systemic hypotension (systolic blood pressure<90 mm Hg), intracranial hypertension (ICP>20 mm Hg), cerebral hypotension (cerebral perfusion pressure<50 mm Hg), hypercarbia (end-tidal CO2>40 mm Hg), hypocarbia (end-tidal CO2<30 mm Hg in absence of intracranial hypertension), hyperglycemia (glucose>200 mg/dL), hypoglycemia (glucose<60 mg/dL), and hyperthermia (temperature >38°C). Results: A total of 78 patients (41 [18 to 81] y, 68% male) met the inclusion criteria. The most common intraoperative secondary insults were systemic hypotension (60%), intracranial hypertension and cerebral hypotension (50% and 45%, respectively, in patients with ICP monitoring), hypercarbia (32%), and hypocarbia (29%). Intraoperative secondary insults were associated with worsening of head computed tomography, postoperative decrease of Glasgow Coma Scale score by ≥2, and escalation of care. After Bonferroni correction, association between cerebral hypotension and postoperative escalation of care remained significant (P<0.001). Conclusions: Intraoperative secondary insults were common during orthopedic surgery in patients with TBI and were associated with postoperative escalation of care. Strategies to minimize intraoperative secondary insults are needed.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease presenting as bulbar palsy.

Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD) is a degenerative neurological disorder caused by a prion protein. The diagnosis may be challenging in unusual early presentations. A bulbar symptom as the initial complaint is a rare presentation for CJD, with only a few reports so far. These patients can be misdiagnosed with motor neuron disease or the Miller Fisher variant of Guillain–Barré syndrome. We describe a 69‐year‐old woman with CJD who presented with bulbar symptoms at the onset. Muscle Nerve 42: 833–835, 2010

Perioperative Management of Adult Patients With External Ventricular and Lumbar Drains: Guidelines From the Society for Neuroscience in Anesthesiology and Critical Care.

External ventricular drains and lumbar drains are commonly used to divert cerebrospinal fluid and to measure cerebrospinal fluid pressure. Although commonly encountered in the perioperative setting and critical for the care of neurosurgical patients, there are no guidelines regarding their management in the perioperative period. To address this gap in the literature, The Society for Neuroscience in Anesthesiology & Critical Care tasked an expert group to generate evidence-based guidelines. The document generated targets clinicians involved in perioperative care of patients with indwelling external ventricular and lumbar drains.

Intra-arterial nicardipine for the treatment of cerebral vasospasm in postpartum cerebral angiopathy: a case study and review of literature.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Postpartum cerebral angiopathy is one of the many neurological complications seen during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Management of these patients consists of optimal blood pressure control, and general supportive critical care. We present a case of diffuse cerebral vasospasm, which improved with intra-arterial nicardipine. This brief report addresses the utility of interventional management in cases of postpartum cerebral angiopathy. Case report: A 28-year-old female presented 1 week after cesarean delivery with altered mental status, endotracheal intubation for airway protection, thrombocytopenia, and hypofibrinogenemia. Cerebral angiogram revealed anterior and posterior circulation vasospasm, which responded to repeated selective intra-arterial injections of nicardipine. This treatment coupled with optimal blood pressure control resulted in complete recovery. Discussion: Our case report highlights the importance of cerebral angiography for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with postpartum cerebral angiopathy. Although nicardipine is used in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage for the treatment of cerebral vasospasm, this agent has the potential to be used in patients with cerebral vasospasm due to other etiologies. Summary: Intra-arterial nicardipine is one of the therapeutic measures available to physicians in the management of patients with cerebral vasospasm. In patients with postpartum cerebral angiopathy, early cerebral angiography should be considered to quantify and treat cerebral vasospasm with either angioplasty or selective intra-arterial injections of nicardipine.

Characterizing the relationship between systemic inflammatory response syndrome and early cardiac dysfunction in traumatic brain injury

Systolic dysfunction was recently described following traumatic brain injury (TBI), and systemic inflammation may be a contributing mechanism. Our aims were to 1) examine the association between the early systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and systolic cardiac dysfunction following TBI, and 2) describe the longitudinal change in SIRS criteria, cardiac function, and hemodynamic parameters during the first week of hospitalization. We used a secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study examining cardiac function (with transthoracic echocardiography on the first day and serially over the first week of hospitalization) in 32 moderate‐severe isolated TBI patients, and quantified the admission and daily SIRS response to injury. We determined the association of admission SIRS and systolic dysfunction following TBI. Admission SIRS was present in 7 (21%) patients and was associated with systolic dysfunction on multivariable analysis (relative risk 4.01; 95% 1.16–13.79, p = .028). Both SIRS criteria and systolic cardiac function improved over the first week of hospitalization. In conclusion, early SIRS is common among patients with moderate‐severe TBI, and the presence of SIRS criteria on admission is associated with systolic cardiac dysfunction following TBI.

Differences in blood pressure by measurement technique in neurocritically ill patients: A technological assessment ☆

Blood pressure data may vary by measurement technique. We performed a technological assessment of differences in blood pressure measurement between non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) and invasive arterial blood pressure (ABP) in neurocritically ill patients. After IRB approval, a prospective observational study was performed to study differences in systolic blood pressure (SBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) values measured by NIBP arm, ABP at level of the phlebostatic axis (ABP heart) and ABP at level of the external auditory meatus (ABP brain) at 30 and 45-degree head of bed elevation (HOB) using repeated measure analysis of covariance and correlation coefficients. Overall, 168 patients were studied with median age of 57 ± 15 years, were mostly female (57%), with body mass index ≤30 (66%). Twenty-three percent (n = 39) had indwelling intracranial pressure monitors, and 19.7% (n = 33) received vasoactive agents. ABP heart overestimated ABP brain for SBP (11.5 ± 2.7 mmHg, p < .001), MAP (mean difference 13.3 ± 0.5 mmHg, p < .001) and CPP (13.4 ± 3.2 mmHg, p < .001). ABP heart overestimated NIBP arm for SBP (8 ± 1.5 mmHg, p < .001), MAP (mean difference 8.6 ± 0.8 mmHg, p < .001), and CPP (mean difference 9.8 ± 3.2 mmHg, p < .001). Regardless of HOB elevation, ABP heart overestimates MAP compared to ABP brain and NIBP arm. Using ABP heart data overestimates CPP and may be responsible for not achieving SBP, MAP or CPP targets aimed at the brain.

Critical Care Resource Utilization and Outcomes of Children With Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury

Objectives: To characterize admission patterns, critical care resource utilization, and outcomes in moderate pediatric traumatic brain injury. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: National Trauma Data Bank. Patients: Children under 18 years old with a diagnosis of moderate traumatic brain injury (admission Glasgow Coma Scale score of 9–13) in the National Trauma Data Bank between 2007 and 2014. Measurement and Main Results: We examined clinical characteristics, critical care resource utilization, and discharge outcomes. Poor outcomes were defined as discharge to hospice, skilled nursing facility, long-term acute care, or death. We examined 20,010 patient records. Patients were 9 years old (interquartile range, 2–15 yr), male (64%) with isolated traumatic brain injury (81%), Glasgow Coma Scale score of 12, head Abbreviated Injury Scale score of 3, and Injury Severity Score of 10. Majority (34%) were admitted to nontrauma hospitals. Critical care utilization was 58.7% including 11.5% mechanical ventilation and 3.2% intracranial pressure monitoring. Compared to patients with Glasgow Coma Scale score of 13, admission Glasgow Coma Scale score of 9 was associated with greater critical care resource utilization, such as ICU admission (72% vs 50%), intracranial pressure monitoring (7% vs 1.8%), mechanical ventilation (21% vs 6%), and intracranial surgery (10% vs 5%). Most patients (70%) were discharged to home, but up to one third had poor outcomes. Older age group had a higher risk of poor outcomes (10–14 yr; adjusted relative risk, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.13–1.54; 15–17 yr; adjusted relative risk, 2.39; 95% CI, 2.12–2.70). Poor outcomes occurred with lower Glasgow Coma Scale (Glasgow Coma Scale score of 9 vs Glasgow Coma Scale score of 13: adjusted relative risk, 2.89; 95% CI, 2.47–3.38), higher Injury Severity Score (Injury Severity Score of ≥ 16 vs Injury Severity Score of < 9: adjusted relative risk, 8.10; 95% CI 6.27–10.45), and polytrauma (adjusted relative risk, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.22–1.61). Conclusions: Critical care resources are used in more than half of all moderate pediatric traumatic brain injury, and many receive care at nontrauma hospitals. Up to one third of moderate pediatric traumatic brain injury have poor outcomes, risk factors for which include age greater than 10 years, lower admission Glasgow Coma Scale, higher Injury Severity Score, and polytrauma. There is urgent need to optimize triage, care, and outcomes in this vulnerable population.

Predictors of Poor Outcome at Hospital Discharge Following a Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage

ABSTRACT Introduction: Spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage (S-ICH) often leads to significant morbidity and mortality. Clinical scoring systems can predict the mortality and functional outcome after ICH (FUNC score). FOUR score is a recently developed coma scale that incorporates brainstem reflexes. We propose that the combination of FUNC and FOUR scores will be a better prognostic indicator than either FUNC or FOUR score alone for S-ICH patients. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of all S-ICH patients (>18 years of age) from January 2008 to May 2010. ICH volume was calculated using the ABC/2 formula. FUNC (≤5 or >5) and FOUR (≤10 and >10) scores were calculated from admission data. Statistical analyses included chi-square test, positive predictive value, and relative risk assessment. Results: Total number of patients was 92. The mean age of presentation was 64.6 ± 15.6 years (range: 27–95 years). Male to female ratio was 1.6:1. Combined FUNC score ≤ 5 and FOUR score ≤ 10 (F2 score; 95%) had higher positive predictive value for mortality than either FUNC score ≤ 5 (82%) or FOUR score ≤ 10 (81%). Conclusions: The combination of the FUNC and the FOUR scoring system is a better prognostication indicator for S-ICH patients than either FUNC or FOUR score.