Determination of Brain Death Under Extracorporeal Life Support

The worldwide use of extracorporeal lung/life support is increasing in severe lung failure (veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, vvECMO) or in cardiac arrest/severe circulatory failure (veno-arterial ECMO, vaECMO).... read more

Determination of Brain Death Under Extracorporeal Life Support

Management of Pediatric Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

This article provides an algorithm of clinical practice for the bedside practitioner based on the available evidence, treatment protocols described in the articles included in the 2019 guidelines, and consensus that reflects... read more

Management of Pediatric Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Intrathoracic Pressure Regulation Therapy Applied to Ventilated Patients for Treatment of Compromised Cerebral Perfusion from Brain Injury

These data support the notion that active intrathoracic pressure regulation, in this limited evaluation, can successfully augment cerebral perfusion by lowering intracranial pressure and increasing mean arterial pressure... read more

Intrathoracic Pressure Regulation Therapy Applied to Ventilated Patients for Treatment of Compromised Cerebral Perfusion from Brain Injury

Tranexamic Acid For Isolated Penetrating Head Trauma

An aeromedical crew was dispatched to a local emergency department to transport a fourteen year-old female with self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head to a tertiary pediatric trauma hospital. The patient was previously... read more

Tranexamic Acid For Isolated Penetrating Head Trauma

Guidelines for the Management of Pediatric Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Update of the Brain Trauma Foundation Guidelines, Third Edition. Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in Infants, Children, and Adolescents in 2019: Some Overdue Progress, Many Remaining Questions, and Exciting Ongoing Work in the... read more

Guidelines for the Management of Pediatric Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

ECMO in the Critical Trauma Patient

Growing evidence suggests the potential use of Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for the treatment of refractory respiratory failure in adults, but the clinical benefit in polytraumatic patients is not clear. The... read more

ECMO in the Critical Trauma Patient

The utility of biomarkers in traumatic brain injury clinical management

Currently, TBI management is guided by clinical histories and neuroimaging techniques. While these techniques may be advanced, they are more costly than serum analysis, involve exposure to ionizing radiations, and have certain... read more

The utility of biomarkers in traumatic brain injury clinical management

Meaning of Intracranial Pressure-to-Blood Pressure Fisher-Transformed Pearson Correlation-Derived Optimal Cerebral Perfusion Pressure

These mechanistic simulations provide insight into the empiric basis of optimal cerebral perfusion pressure and the significance of PRx and Δ CPP. PRx and optimal cerebral perfusion pressure deviations do not directly reflect... read more

Meaning of Intracranial Pressure-to-Blood Pressure Fisher-Transformed Pearson Correlation-Derived Optimal Cerebral Perfusion Pressure

Blood test may obviate need for head CTs in brain trauma evaluation

A biomarker test based on the presence of two proteins in the blood appears to be suitable for ruling out significant intracranial injuries in patients with a history of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) without the need... read more

Blood test may obviate need for head CTs in brain trauma evaluation

Presenting Characteristics Associated With Outcome in Children With Severe TBI

Severe traumatic brain injury is a clinically heterogeneous disease that can be accompanied by a range of neurologic impairment and a variety of injury patterns at presentation. This secondary analysis of prospectively collected... read more

Presenting Characteristics Associated With Outcome in Children With Severe TBI

Effect of Early Sustained Prophylactic Hypothermia on Neurologic Outcomes Among Patients With Severe TBI

Among patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), early prophylactic hypothermia compared with normothermia did not improve neurologic outcomes at 6 months. These findings do not support the use of early prophylactic... read more

Effect of Early Sustained Prophylactic Hypothermia on Neurologic Outcomes Among Patients With Severe TBI

Cognitive Function 3 and 12 Months After ICU Discharge

In this prospective cohort study of Danish ICU patients, we found significantly reduced cognitive function for intensive care patients 3 and 12 months after discharge. We included 161 patients, 79 patients had a 3-month and... read more

Cognitive Function 3 and 12 Months After ICU Discharge

Intracranial Pressure Thresholds in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: Pro

Teleologically, the mammalian brain has evolved to be the central component of life. It coordinates afferent and efferent neural pathways, integrates neurohormonal responses and, in humans, produces higher cortical effects... read more

Intracranial Pressure Thresholds in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: Pro

Intubation in Special Patient Populations: Intracranial Hemorrhage

Lidocaine has weak evidence to support its ICP blunting effects. Fentanyl may be a better choice. Ketamine is a reasonable alternative to etomidate during induction. No differnce in mortality exists between usage of succinylcholine... read more

Intubation in Special Patient Populations: Intracranial Hemorrhage

The Fluid Debate: Balanced or Unbalanced

Consider using balanced fluids in your ED unless you are treating a patient at risk for cerebral edema, or a patient with a chloride responsive metabolic alkalosis, e.g. from gastric losses. Although the superiority of balanced... read more

The Fluid Debate: Balanced or Unbalanced

The Role of Speech and Language Therapy in Critical Care

The role of speech and language therapists (SLTs) in critical care can be unclear so this article sets out the scope of practice to increase awareness of the value of SLTs as part of the wider multidisciplinary team. Speech... read more

The Role of Speech and Language Therapy in Critical Care

Ketamine Alters Hippocampal Cell Proliferation and Improves Learning in Mice after TBI

Ketamine alters hippocampal cell proliferation after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Surprisingly, these changes were associated with improvement in a neurogenesis-related behavioral recall task, suggesting a possible benefit... read more

Ketamine Alters Hippocampal Cell Proliferation and Improves Learning in Mice after TBI

Ten False Beliefs in Neurocritical Care

1. Only neurointensivists should care about the brain. 2. Clinical examination of neurocritically ill patients is impossible. 3. We should no longer monitor ICP in traumatic brain injury (TBI). 4. The threshold to treat... read more

Ten False Beliefs in Neurocritical Care

Association Between Continuous Hyperosmolar Therapy and Survival in Patients with TBI

Intracranial hypertension (ICH) is a major cause of death after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Continuous hyperosmolar therapy (CHT) has been proposed for the treatment of ICH, but its effectiveness is controversial. We compared... read more

Association Between Continuous Hyperosmolar Therapy and Survival in Patients with TBI

Cerebral Autoregulation in the Prediction of Delayed Cerebral Ischemia and Clinical Outcome in Poor-Grade Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Patients

High initial pressure reactivity index, presumably reflecting early brain injury, but not oxygen reactivity index, was associated with delayed cerebral ischemia and worse clinical outcome in poor-grade subarachnoid hemorrhage... read more

Cerebral Autoregulation in the Prediction of Delayed Cerebral Ischemia and Clinical Outcome in Poor-Grade Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Patients

Glycaemic Control Targets After TBI

This meta-analysis of intensive glycaemic control shows no association with reduced mortality in TBI. Intensive glucose control showed a borderline significant reduction in the risk of poor neurological outcome, but markedly... read more

Glycaemic Control Targets After TBI