[Role of decompressive craniectomy in brain injury patient]

Emergent craniotomy in rural and regional settings - recommendations from a tertiary neurosurgery unit: surgical technique and future prospects

Kenneth G Jamieson described the emergent craniotomy for traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in the rural and regional setting back in 1965 in his book 'A First Notebook Of Head Injury'. Since then, there has been successful use of the technique in peripheral hospitals prior to the safe transfer of patients to metropolitan trauma centres. Although the procedure can be daunting in inexperienced hands, our institution supports ongoing education to continue implementation of trauma craniotomies by non-neurosurgeons if it means another life is potentially saved. Here we describe the surgical technique for an emergent craniotomy and craniectomy. Although the surgical technique has been described elsewhere, we have done so in a simplified 10-step approach with consideration of available resources in the peripheral hospital setting and the added pearls from the experience of a metropolitan neurosurgical unit. We also discuss future prospects for undertaking neurosurgical operations in peripheral hospitals but with intra-operative tele-surgery monitoring and supervision.

Decompressive craniectomy in traumatic brain injury: The intensivist's point of view

OBJETIVE

To perform a score with early clinical and radiological findings after a TBI that identifies the patients who in their subsequent evolution are going to undergo DC.

METHOD

Observational study of a retrospective cohort of patients who, after a TBI, enter the Neurocritical Section of the Intensive Care Unit of our hospital for a period of 5 years (2014-2018). Detection of clinical and radiological criteria and generation of all possible models with significant, clinically relevant and easy to detect early variables. Selection of the one with the lowest Bayesian Information Criterion and Akaike Information Criterion values for the creation of the score. Calibration and internal validation of the score using the Hosmer-Lemeshow and a bootstrapping analysis with 1000 re-samples respectively.

RESULTS

37 DC were performed in 153 patients who were admitted after a TBI. The resulting final model included Cerebral Midline Deviation, GCS and Ventricular Collapse with an Area under ROC Curve: 0.84 (95% IC 0.78-0.91) and Hosmer-Lemeshow p=0.71. The developed score detected well those patients who were going to need an early DC (first 24h) after a TBI (2.5±0.5) but not those who would need it in a later stage of their disease (1.7±0.8). However, it seems to advice us about the patients who, although not requiring an early DC are likely to need it later in their evolution (DC after 24h vs. do not require DC, 1.7±0.8 vs. 1±0.7; p=0.002).

CONCLUSION

We have developed a prognostic score using early clinical-radiological criteria that, in our environment, detects with good sensitivity and specificity those patients who, after a TBI, will require a DC.

Paradoxical Contralateral Herniation Detected by Pupillometry in Acute Syndrome of the Trephined

Severe traumatic brain injury has historically been a non-survivable injury. Recent advances in neurosurgical care, however, have demonstrated that these patients not only can survive, but they also can recover functionally when they undergo appropriate cerebral decompression within hours of injury. At the present, general surgeons are deployed further forward than neurosurgeons (Role 2 compared to Role 3) and have been provided with guidelines that stipulate conditions where they may have to perform decompressive craniectomies. Unfortunately, Role 2 medical facilities do not have access to computed tomography imaging or intracranial pressure monitoring capabilities rendering the decision to proceed with craniectomy based solely on exam findings. Utilizing a case transferred from downrange to our institution, we demonstrate the utility of a small, highly portable quantitative pupillometer to obtain reliable and reproducible data about a patient's intracranial pressures. Following the case presentation, the literature supporting quantitative pupillometry for surgical decision-making is reviewed.

Decompressive craniectomy in traumatic brain injury: the intensivist's point of view

OBJETIVE

To perform a score with early clinical and radiological findings after a TBI that identifies the patients who in their subsequent evolution are going to undergo DC.

METHOD

Observational study of a retrospective cohort of patients who, after a TBI, enter the Neurocritical Section of the Intensive Care Unit of our hospital for a period of 5 years (2014-2018). Detection of clinical and radiological criteria and generation of all possible models with significant, clinically relevant and easy to detect early variables. Selection of the one with the lowest Bayesian Information Criterion and Akaike Information Criterion values for the creation of the score. Calibration and internal validation of the score using the Hosmer-Lemeshow and a bootstrapping analysis with 1,000 re-samples respectively.

RESULTS

37 DC were performed in 153 patients who were admitted after a TBI. The resulting final model included Cerebral Midline Deviation, GCS and Ventricular Collapse with an Area under ROC Curve: 0.84 (95% IC 0.78-0.91) and Hosmer-Lemeshow p=0.71. The developed score detected well those patients who were going to need an early DC (first 24hours) after a TBI (2.5±0.5) but not those who would need it in a later stage of their disease (1.7±0.8). However, it seems to advice us about the patients who, although not requiring an early DC are likely to need it later in their evolution (DC after 24hours vs do not require DC, 1.7±0.8 vs 1±0.7; p=0.002).

CONCLUSION

We have developed a prognostic score using early clinical-radiological criteria that, in our environment, detects with good sensitivity and specificity those patients who, after a TBI, will require a DC.

Prognostic value of changes in brain tissue oxygen pressure before and after decompressive craniectomy following severe traumatic brain injury

OBJECTIVE In severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), the effects of decompressive craniectomy (DC) on brain tissue oxygen pressure (PbtO2) and outcome are unclear. The authors aimed to investigate whether changes in PbtO2 after DC could be used as an independent prognostic factor. METHODS The authors conducted a retrospective, observational study at 2 university hospital ICUs. The study included 42 patients who were admitted with isolated moderate or severe TBI and underwent intracranial pressure (ICP) and PbtO2 monitoring before and after DC. The indication for DC was an ICP higher than 25 mm Hg refractory to first-tier medical treatment. Patients who underwent primary DC for mass lesion evacuation were excluded. However, patients were included who had undergone previous surgery as long as it was not a craniectomy. ICP/PbtO2 monitoring probes were located in an apparently normal area of the most damaged hemisphere based on cranial CT scanning findings. PbtO2 values were routinely recorded hourly before and after DC, but for comparisons the authors used the first PbtO2 value on ICU admission and the number of hours with PbtO2 < 15 mm Hg before DC, as well as the mean PbtO2 every 6 hours during 24 hours pre- and post-DC. The end point of the study was the 6-month Glasgow Outcome Scale; a score of 4 or 5 was considered a favorable outcome, whereas a score of 1-3 was considered an unfavorable outcome. RESULTS Of the 42 patients included, 26 underwent unilateral DC and 16 bilateral DC. The median Glasgow Coma Scale score at the scene of the accident or at the initial hospital before the patient was transferred to one of the 2 ICUs was 7 (interquartile range [IQR] 4-14). The median time from admission to DC was 49 hours (IQR 7-301 hours). Before DC, the median ICP and PbtO2 at 6 hours were 35 mm Hg (IQR 28-51 mm Hg) and 11.4 mm Hg (IQR 3-26 mm Hg), respectively. In patients with favorable outcome, PbtO2 at ICU admission was higher and the percentage of time that pre-DC PbtO2 was < 15 mm Hg was lower (19 ± 4.5 mm Hg and 18.25% ± 21.9%, respectively; n = 28) than in those with unfavorable outcome (12.8 ± 5.2 mm Hg [p < 0.001] and 59.58% ± 38.8% [p < 0.001], respectively; n = 14). There were no significant differences in outcomes according to the mean PbtO2 values only during the last 12 hours before DC, the hours of refractory intracranial hypertension, the timing of DC from admission, or the presence/absence of previous surgery. In contrast, there were significant differences in PbtO2 values during the 12- to 24-hour period before DC. In most patients, PbtO2 increased during the 24 hours after DC but these changes were more pronounced in patients with favorable outcome than in those with unfavorable outcome (28.6 ± 8.5 mm Hg vs 17.2 ± 5.9 mm Hg, p < 0.0001; respectively). The areas under the curve for the mean PbtO2 values at 12 and 24 hours after DC were 0.878 (95% CI 0.75-1, p < 0.0001) and 0.865 (95% CI 0.73-1, p < 0.0001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS The authors' findings suggest that changes in PbtO2 before and after DC, measured with probes in healthy-appearing areas of the most damaged hemisphere, have independent prognostic value for the 6-month outcome in TBI patients.

[Multimodal neuromonitoring in traumatic brain injury: contribution of PTiO2]

The main goal of exhaustively monitoring neurocritical patients is to avoid secondary injury. In the last few years we have witnessed an increase in brain monitoring tools, beyond the checking of intracranial and brain perfusion pressures. These widely used systems offer valuable but possibly insufficient information. Awareness and correction of brain hypoxia is a useful and interesting measure, not only for diagnostic purposes but also when deciding treatment, and to predict an outcome. In this context, it would be of great interest to use all the information gathered from brain oxygenation monitoring systems in conjunction with other available multimodal monitoring devices, in order to offer individualized treatment for each patient.

Cranioplasty with bandaging. New forms of limitation of life support and organ donation

Most of transplanted organs are obtained from brain death (BD) donors. In neurocritical patients with catastrophic injuries and decompressive craniectomy (DC), which show a dreadful development in spite of this treatment, DC could be a futile tool to avoid natural progress to BD. We propose if cranial compressive bandage (cranioplasty with bandage) could be an ethically correct practice, similar to other life-sustaining treatment limitation (LSTL) common methods. Based on a clinical case, we contacted with the Assistance Ethics Committee and some bioethics professionals asking them two questions: 1) Is ethically correct to perform a cranioplasty with bandage in those patients with LSTL indication? 2) Thinking in organ donation possibility, is this option preferable? Conclusions 1) Cranioplasty with bandage could be considered an ethically acceptable LSTL practice, similar to other procedures. 2) It facilitates organ donation for transplant, which provides value-added because of its own social good. 3) In these cases, it is necessary to know previous patient's will or, in absentia, to obtain family consent after a detailed procedure report.

Complications of post-injury decompressive craniectomy

Decompressive craniectomy (DC) is a useful technique for the treatment of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) with intracranial hypertension (ICHT) resistant to medical treatment, increasing survival, although its role in the functional prognosis of patients is not defined. It is also a technique that is not without complications, and may increase the patient's morbidity and mortality. We report two cases of patients with TBI who required DC and suffered complications from the technique