Head injuries and their early management. An account of one year's experience

We report 298 patients admitted to the Neurosurgical unit of the University of Padua during one calendar year. We divided the patients into two groups. "in coma" and "not in coma", and analyze their data records. The time between injury and admission to a neurosurgical centre is important for therapy as well as for transport. The necessity of an "Admission Chart" is emphasized.

Admission chart as a protocol for reception and first management of head injuries

In order to gather fundamental information about the reanimative, diagnostic, and therapeutic measures concerning head-injured patients, we propose the introduction of an "Admission Chart". This Chart ought to accompany patients from the first contact with Accident-Emergency Medical Staff to arrival at a specialized Centre.

Traumatic primary brain stem haemorrhage. A clinical and experimental study

We report 36 cases of post-traumatic "primary brain stem haemorrhage" visualized by the CT scan and confirmed at autopsy. Clinical experience shows that many technical factors influence the inability to visualize brain stem haemorrhages. Experimental injection of fresh blood into the pons and midbrain of cadavers shows that lesions as small as 0.25 ml in volume may be visualized. The volume and the anatomical configuration of traumatic lesions of the brain stem extended over a rostro-caudal direction, and their proximity to bony structures at the base of the skull are obstacles to the visualization of brain stem haemorrhages.

Spontaneous intracerebral haematomas. Aspects of treatment

We report on 306 cases of spontaneous intracerebral haematomas located in the supratentorial compartment. 167 patients underwent surgical treatment and 87 died (52.09%); 139 patients were conservatively managed and 30 died (21.5%). We point out some indications and contra-indications to surgical or conservative treatment on the basis of the factors influencing the mortality rate.

Importance of auditory brainstem responses in the CT diagnosis of traumatic brainstem lesions

Changes in brainstem auditory-evoked potential response were serially investigated in 20 head-injury patients with neurologic and computed tomographic signs of brainstem lesion. The reliability of computed tomography in the evaluation of indirect signs of brainstem lesion from the image was investigated with elaboration of the brainstem auditory-evoked potential response. The measurement of auditory brainstem response is thought to be useful in detecting the severity and predicting possible recovery in posttraumatic brainstem injury. Brainstem deformity on computed tomography was a bad prognostic sign, indicating irreversible structural change.

[Computerized tomography in diffuse post-traumatic brain damage]

Among 851 patients admitted following a head injury at the Neuroradiological Service and Neurosurgical Department of the University Hospital of Padua from January 1979 to June 1981, 51 presented a diffuse damage of the white matter of the brain. The CT scan, the only neuroradiological method able to show such a lesion, does never reveal large lesions but only minimal alterations of the cerebral parenchyma, opposite to the severity of clinical picture. We discuss the etiopathogenetic, anatomopathologic and neuroradiologic aspect of diffuse brain damage, emphasizing, the technical difficulties in the demonstration, on CT scan, of some lesions, particularly at the level of the brainstem.

Traumatic posterior fossa haemorrhage in children

We report ten cases of post-traumatic posterior fossa haemorrhage occurring in children. All patients were studied by CT scan. Five had an intracerebellar haemorrhage, three a brain stem haemorrhage, and two an extradural haematoma. In four cases we have found the coexistence of supratentorial and infratentorial haemorrhagic lesions. The incidence of posterior fossa haemorrhage in children, the importance of linear occipital fracture, the clinical course, the conservative or surgical treatment, and the prognosis are discussed.

Posttraumatic intraventricular haemorrhages

Of a series of 350 patients studied for blunt head trauma by CT scan 10 were found to have an intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH); in 8 cases we could find concomitant CT abnormalities as well as intracerebral contusion or haemorrhage, and in two cases no other CT abnormality was noted. CT scan represents the first reliable and non-surgical tool for identifying this process. Two possible mechanisms that govern the formation of an IVH are postulated: a) an erosion of the ventricular wall by an intracerebral haemorrhage; b) the rupture of subependymal veins deformed by the negative pressure following dilatation of the ventricular wall. The prognosis in our cases is severe.

Long-term immunological investigation of malignant intracranial gliomas

In this study, 118 consecutive adult patients with supratentorial gliomas underwent preoperative immunological monitoring, with particular regard to B-lymphocyte and T-lymphocyte markers. Most patients were treated surgically and with radiotherapy. Three months later, they were readmitted for postoperative immunological investigation and follow-up control. A total of 76 cases could thus be completely investigated and were statistically eligible for evaluation. A pronounced failure of T-cell-mediated immunity was observed: "E-active" rosette-forming cells and mitogen-induced blastogenesis tests turned out to be markedly depressed, with a slight postoperative recovery. Spontaneous cell-mediated cytotoxicity was significantly (p less than 0.01) increased both in preoperative and postoperative findings. The main immunodiagnostic patterns (immunoglobulins assay, surface immunoglobulins, "mouse" rosettes) concerning the B-cell-dependent "pool" were found to be within normal limits.

Epidural hematomas of the posterior cranial fossa

We report eight cases of epidural hematoma of the posterior cranial fossa. The main symptoms and neurological signs are reviewed. The value of computed tomographic scanning in determining a definite diagnosis and in improving the morbidity and mortality rates of such a lesion is emphasized.

[The CT-scan and hypocycloidal cysternography with water soluble non ionic contrast media (metrizamide and iopamidol) in sellar and parasellar lesions (author's transl)]

A group of 30 patients with sellar or parasellar lesions were investigated by CT-scan and hypocycloidal tomography after lumbar injection of water-soluble non ionic contrast media. The combination of the 2 techniques (CT-scan and tomography) allowed very satisfactory diagnostic results and the excellent tolerance of non-ionic contrast was confirmed in this patient series.

[The diagnostic value of the CT scan in subarachnoid haemorrhage from intracranial aneurysms (author's transl)]

Fifty cases of subarachnoid haemorrhage from aneurysms are reported. Computer tomography gave direct evidence of aneurysm in 13 cases and indirect signs in 25 cases. In the remaining 12 cases the aneurysm could not be located. Apart from this we were able to demonstrate 16 intraventricular haemorrhages, 16 intracerebral haemorrhages, six cases of oedema of the brain, nine subarachnoid haemorrhages and, finally on 31 occasions enlargement of the ventricles. The role of the CT scan has been investigated in terms of its value in the planning and execution of surgical treatment.

Concurrent primary intracranial tumours of different histogenesis

The occurrence of intracranial tumours of diverse histogenesis can be considered occasional. In a careful survey of the literature we have encountered 63 cases of concurrent intracranial tumours: we report five personal observations, too. This review raises the question as to whether the conjoint occurrence of two intracranial tumours is purely coincidental. The statistical analysis of the cases of concurrent intracranial tumours, and the comparison between the frequency found for each different tumour when it is solitary and when it is coincident in a same patient, suggests that a casual connection can be found between tumours of diverse histogenesis.

The value of continuous subarachnoid monitoring of ICP with reference to the leakage of CSF

The authors clinical experience in the continuous subarachnoid monitoring of ICP (SaP) is reported. It is stressed that the outline and the absolute pressure values of the recordings are not significantly affected by CSF leakage. No complication was observed in any of the monitored cases.

Clinical and experimental immunobiology of medulloblastomas

A wide pre- and postoperative immunological monitoring of B- and T-cell markers in children with medulloblastomas is presented. Preoperative investigations showed a noticeable failure of T-cell-dependent immunity, currently identified by "active" E-rosette forming cells (Ea-RFC) and blastogenesis tests, with a significant increase of spontaneous cell-mediated cytotoxicity (SCMC). In postoperative long-term controls, a slight recovery of Ea-RFC and blastogenesis tests was observed. The main findings concerning cytotoxicity kinetics are discussed.

Enlargement of intracranial saccular aneurysms. A case report

A case of enlargement of a middle cerebral artery aneurysm is reported. Cerebral angiography demonstrated an increase in the size of this aneurysm. Possible factors causing aneurysmal enlargement are discussed.