A Clinical Trial of Progesterone for Severe Traumatic Brain Injury, by Brett E. Skolnick et al, 2014. New England Journal of Medicine. “Primary and secondary efficacy analyses showed no clinical benefit of progesterone in patients with severe TBI. These data stand in contrast to the robust preclinical data and results of early single-center trials that provided… Continue reading Progesterone in TBI, Results from the SYNAPSE-trial
Review by the Cochrane Injuries Group (2012, Junpeng et al) shows some promise concerning the use of progesterone in TBI. “Current clinical evidence from three small RCTs indicates progesterone may improve the neurologic outcome of patients suffering TBI. This evidence is still insufficient and further multicentre randomised controlled trials are required”
This Cochrane Review by Saxena et al from 2014 reveals a paucity of RCTs to support moderate therapeutic hypothermia in TBI patients. It remains a widely used modality in spite of this absence of evidence. “In order to further explore the preliminary findings provided by animal models and observational clinical studies that suggests there may… Continue reading Cochrane Review – Modest cooling therapies (35ºC to 37.5ºC) for traumatic brain injury
The latest version of a Cochrane review of barbiturate therapy for ICP-management. “There is no evidence that barbiturate therapy in patients with acute severe head injury improves outcome. Barbiturate therapy results in a fall in blood pressure in one in four patients. This hypotensive effect will offset any ICP lowering effect on cerebral perfusion pressure”… Continue reading Cochrane Review – Barbiturates for acute traumatic brain injury
Important trial dealing with the contentious issue of decompressive craniectomy for diffuse traumatic brain injury. Cooper et al. New England Journal of Medicine 2011. “In adults with severe diffuse traumatic brain injury and refractory intracranial hypertension, early bifrontotemporoparietal decompressive craniectomy decreased intracranial pressure and the length of stay in the ICU but was associated with… Continue reading DECRA trial – Decompressive Craniectomy in Diffuse Traumatic Brain Injury
Review in Neurocrit Care. 2012. Torre-Healy et al. Hyperosmolar therapy for intracranial hypertension.
Nice synopsis of the radiological features of SAH for non-radiologists by radiopaedia.org. Read the entry here.
An oft-cited and important study in SAH-diagnostics. “Modern third generation computed tomography is extremely sensitive in identifying subarachnoid haemorrhage when it is carried out within six hours of headache onset and interpreted by a qualified radiologist” Read the full article by Perry et al. in the BMJ (2011) here.
Very useful and concise overview of raised ICP and its associated ECG findings, by the guys at Life In The Fast Lane.
An interesting take on anaesthesia induction and intubation of the acute neuro-patient by EMCrit’s Scott Weingart. Listen to the podcast here.
neuroscand.com 