Physiological Effects of Early Incremental Mobilization of a Patient with Acute Intracerebral and Intraventricular Hemorrhage Requiring Dual External Ventricular Drainage

Combination of Conventional EVD and Ommaya Drainage for Intraventricular Hemorrhage (IVH)

Background

The effect of Ommaya reservoirs on the clinical outcomes of patients with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) remains unclear.

Objective

We aimed to determine the effect of combining the Ommaya reservoir and external ventricular drainage (EVD) therapy on IVH and explore better clinical indicators for Ommaya implantation.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients diagnosed with IVH who received EVD-Ommaya drainage between January 2013 and March 2021. The patient population was divided into two groups: the Ommaya-used group, comprising patients in whom the Ommaya drainage system was activated post-surgery, and the Ommaya-unused group, comprising patients in whom the system was not activated. The study analyzed clinical, imaging, and outcome data of the patient population.

Results

A total of 123 patients with IVH were included: 75 patients in the Ommaya-used group and 48 patients in the Ommaya-unused group. The patients in the Ommaya-used group showed a lower 3-month GOS than those in the Ommaya-unused group (p<0.0001). The modified Graeb scale (mGS) in the Ommaya-unused group was significantly lower than that in the Ommaya-used group before the operation (p<0.01) but not after surgery (p>0.05). The GCS in the Ommaya-unused group was significantly lower than that in the other group, and there was a close correlation between the GCS and 3-month GOS (p<0.0001). The GCS score showed significance in predicting the use of Ommaya (p<0.001).

Conclusion

The study demonstrated that combining EVD and Ommaya drainage was a safe and feasible treatment for IVH. Additionally, preoperative GCS was found to predict the use of Ommaya drainage in subsequent treatment, providing valuable information for pre-surgery decision-making.

Feasibility of an Enhanced Therapy Model of Care for Hospitalized Stroke Patients

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to determine the safety and feasibility of an enhanced therapy model for hospitalized stroke patients.

METHODS

This was a quasi-experimental cohort study of acute stroke patients from a single hospital. In the intervention group, all hospitalized patients on the acute stroke service were seen by at least two therapy disciplines daily in addition to routine stroke care. The comparison group consisted of all patients admitted to the same stroke service 1 year before who received the standard of care. The primary endpoint was the number of completed therapy sessions. Exploratory endpoints compared the length of hospital stay, hospital readmission rates, and degree of disability measured by the 90-day modified Rankin Scale score.

RESULTS

A total of 1110 records were analyzed with 553 subjects in the intervention group and 557 in the control group. The intervention group received a significantly higher number of therapy sessions. There was no significant difference in length of hospital stay. However, 30-day readmission rates were lower, and the percentage of patients who achieved a good functional outcome on the modified Rankin Scale was higher during the intervention period.

CONCLUSION

Increasing exposure to intensive multidisciplinary therapy comparable with that of acute inpatient rehabilitation in the hospital setting is feasible and may reduce both readmission rates and disability.

Bringing High-Dose Neurorestorative Behavioral Training Into the Acute Stroke Unit

ABSTRACT

Stroke remains common and is a leading cause of adult disability. While there have been enormous system changes for the diagnosis and delivery of hyperacute stroke treatments at comprehensive stroke centers, few advances have been made in those same centers for treatments focused on behavioral recovery and brain repair. Specifically, during the early hospital period, there is a paucity of approaches available for reduction of impairment beyond what is expected from spontaneous biological recovery. Thus, patients in the early stroke recovery period are not receiving the kind of training needed, at the requisite intensity and dose, to exploit a potential critical period of heightened brain plasticity that could maximize true recovery instead of just compensation. Here, we describe an ongoing pilot program to reconfigure the acute stroke unit experience to allow for a new emphasis on brain repair. More specifically, we have introduced a novel room-based video-gaming intervention; restorative neuroanimation, into the acute stroke hospital setting. This new intervention provides the opportunity for an extra hour(s) of high-intensity neurorestorative behavioral treatment that is complementary to conventional rehabilitation. To accomplish this, system redesign was required to insert this new treatment into the patient day, to properly stratify patients behaviorally and physiologically for the treatment, to optimize the digital therapeutic approach itself, and to maintain the impairment reduction after discharge.

External Ventricular Drains: Development and Evaluation of a Nursing Clinical Practice Guideline

External ventricular drains (EVDs) are common in intensive care for neurocritical patients affected by different illnesses. Nurses play an essential role to ensure safe care, and guidelines are tools to implement evidence-based care. Thus, the aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the quality of a clinical guideline for critically ill patients with EVDs. Methodological research was conducted. The guideline development was based on a scoping review about nursing care to patients with EVDs. The guideline evaluation occurred in two phases: evaluation of its methodological rigor, with application of the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation II to four experts on guidelines evaluation; and the Delphi technique, with a panel of nine specialists in neurocritical care, performed in two rounds. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and content validity ratio. In the first phase of the evaluation, three domains did not reach consensus, being reformulated. The second phase was conducted in two rounds, with nine and eight participants respectively, with 13 recommendations being reformulated and reassessed between rounds, inclusion of an EVD weaning category, and two flowcharts on patient's transport and mobility. Therefore, the guideline can be incorporated into nursing care practices. Further studies are necessary to assess its impact on clinical practice.

Der Einsatz von robotischen und technischen Systemen zur Frühmobilisation von Intensivpatient_innen

Zusammenfassung. Hintergrund: Intensivpatient_innen sind oft einer langen Immobilität ausgesetzt. Wenn sie aber frühzeitig mobilisiert werden, lassen sich positive Effekte auf ihr Outcome, wie z.B. eine Verbesserung der körperlichen Funktion, nachweisen. Einer der Gründe für die späte Mobilisation ist, dass zu wenig Hilfsmittel zur Verfügung stehen. Fragestellungen/Ziel: Dieser Beitrag gibt einen Überblick über den Einsatz von robotischen oder technischen Systemen als Hilfsmittel für die Frühmobilisation. Welche robotischen und technischen Hilfsmittel werden in Studien zur Frühmobilisation von erwachsenen Intensivpatient_innen durch Pflegefachpersonen oder Physiotherapeut_innen untersucht? Über welche Effekte von Frühmobilisation mittels robotischem und technischem System auf die Patientenoutcomes wird in den Studien berichtet? Methoden: Die Datenbanken Medline, Web of Science, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Embase, IEEE Xplore, Scopus und WTI wurden zwischen Mai und Juli 2020 und im Januar 2022 systematisch durchsucht. Zusätzlich wurde im ersten Suchlauf eine Randsuche über GoogleScolar und ResearchGate durchgeführt. Ergebnisse: Es wurden 27 Veröffentlichungen eingeschlossen (9 RCTs, 7 Expertenmeinungen, 3 quantitative Querschnittstudien, 2 Fall-Kontroll-Studien, 2 Literaturreviews, 2 klinische Einzelfallstudien, 2 Interventionsstudien im Prä-Post-Design). Hier zeigte sich, dass als Hilfsmittel vor allem elektronische Bettfahrräder und Kipptische eingesetzt werden. Es war eine uneinheitliche Datenlage in Bezug auf verschiedene Patientenoutcomes nachweisbar. Schlussfolgerungen: Weitere Forschung zum Einsatz von technischen und robotischen Systemen zur Frühmobilisation ist vor allem in Bezug auf unterschiedliche Studienpopulationen notwendig. Frühmobilisationsrobotik ist noch nicht Teil der Regelversorgung.

Observation on the Effect of Solution-Focused Approach Combined with Family Involvement in WeChat Platform Management on Inpatients with Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Objective. To explore the effect of the solution-focused approach combined with family involvement in the WeChat platform management on inpatients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Methods. A total of 80 ICH patients hospitalized in our hospital from June 2018 to June 2021 were split into the control group (CG) and the study group (SG) according to the clinical nursing modes, with 40 cases in each group. Both groups received routine intervention, while SG additionally received the solution-focused approach combined with family involvement in the WeChat platform management to compare the self-care ability, psychological status, and hope levels between the two groups after intervention. Results. No significant differences in general data were observed between the two groups ( $P>0.05$ ). The SAS and SDS scores before intervention showed mild depression and anxiety in both groups, which improved after intervention. In addition, the SAS and SDS scores after intervention were remarkably lower in SG than in CG ( $P<0.05$ ). After intervention, the scores of ICH-related knowledge, self-care skills, self-care responsibility, and rehabilitation knowledge in SG were notably higher compared with CG ( $P<0.05$ ). After intervention, the Herth scores of both groups increased, with a higher score in SG than in CG ( $P<0.05$ ). After intervention, SG had higher quality of life (QOL) scores in general health, physiological function, physiological role, body pain, vitality, social function, emotional role, and physiological health than CG ( $P<0.05$ ). Conclusion. The implementation of the solution-focused approach combined with family involvement in the WeChat platform management for ICH inpatients can effectively improve their psychological status, enhance their self-care ability and hope levels, promote body recovery, and improve their QOL after intervention.

Verticalization for Refractory Intracranial Hypertension: A Case Series

BACKGROUND

Severe intracranial hypertension is strongly associated with mortality. Guidelines recommend medical management involving sedation, hyperosmotic agents, barbiturates, hypothermia, and surgical intervention. When these interventions are maximized or are contraindicated, refractory intracranial hypertension poses risk for herniation and death. We describe a novel intervention of verticalization for treating intracranial hypertension refractory to aggressive medical treatment.

METHODS

This study was a single-center retrospective review of six cases of refractory intracranial hypertension in a tertiary care center. All patients were treated with a standard-of-care algorithm for lowering intracranial pressure (ICP) yet maintained an ICP greater than 20 mmHg. They were then treated with verticalization for at least 24 h. We compared the median ICP, the number of ICP spikes greater than 20 mmHg, and the percentage of ICP values greater than 20 mmHg in the 24 h before verticalization vs. after verticalization. We assessed the use of hyperosmotic therapies and any changes in the mean arterial pressure and cerebral perfusion pressure related with the intervention.

RESULTS

Five patients were admitted with subarachnoid hemorrhage and one with intracerebral hemorrhage. All patients had ICP monitoring by external ventricular drain. The median opening pressure was 30 mmHg (25th-75th interquartile range 22.5-30 mmHg). All patients demonstrated a reduction in ICP after verticalization, with a significant decrease in the median ICP (12 vs. 8 mmHg; p < 0.001), the number of ICP spikes (12 vs. 2; p < 0.01), and the percentage of ICP values greater than 20 mmHg (50% vs. 8.3%; p < 0.01). There was a decrease in total medical interventions after verticalization (79 vs. 41; p = 0.05) and a lower total therapy intensity level score after verticalization. The most common adverse effects included asymptomatic bradycardia (n = 3) and pressure wounds (n = 4).

CONCLUSIONS

Verticalization is an effective noninvasive intervention for lowering ICP in intracranial hypertension that is refractory to aggressive standard management and warrants further study.

Nursing assistance in patient care with external ventricular drain: a scoping review

OBJECTIVES

to map the available evidence about nursing care aimed at adult patients using external ventricular drain.

METHODS

this is a review using the scoping review method.

RESULTS

Initially, 965 studies were identified and, after the eligibility criteria, a sample of 54 publications was obtained. Each of them was assessed according to GRADE, resulting in three studies with high quality; 14 with moderate quality; 32 with low quality; and five with very low quality. It was highlighted 20 nursing care subdivided into nine categories, namely: drainage system; bed positioning and mobilization; catheter care; monitoring of intracranial pressure; and medication administration.

CONCLUSIONS

the scoping review made it possible to identify the main nursing care directed to adult patients undergoing placement of external ventricular drain from the evidence available to date.

Physiological Responses to In-Bed Cycle Ergometry Treatment in Intensive Care Unit Patients with External Ventricular Drainage

Purpose

Evidence suggests that early physical activity can be accomplished safely in the neurocritical care unit (NCCU); however, many NCCU patients are often maintained in a state of inactivity due to impaired consciousness, sensorimotor deficits, and concerns for intracranial pressure elevation or cerebral hypoperfusion in the setting of autoregulatory failure. Structured in-bed mobility interventions have been proposed to prevent sequelae of complete immobility in such patients, yet the feasibility and safety of these interventions is unknown. We studied neurological and hemodynamic changes before and after cycle ergometry (CE) in a subset of NCCU patients with external ventricular drains (EVDs).

Methods

Patients admitted to the NCCU who had an EVD placed for cerebrospinal fluid drainage and intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring underwent supine CE therapy with passive and active cycling settings. Neurologic status, ICP and hemodynamic parameters were monitored before and after each CE session.

Results

Twenty-seven patients successfully underwent in-bed CE in the NCCU. No clinically significant changes were recorded in neurologic or in physiological parameters before or after CE. There were no device dislodgements or other adverse effects requiring cessation of a CE session.

Conclusion

These data suggest that supine CE in a heterogeneous cohort of neurocritical care patients with EVDs is safe and tolerable. Larger prospective studies are needed to determine the efficacy and optimal dose and timing of supine CE in neurocritical care patients.