Accuracy of acute hyperglycemia as a biomarker of severe brain damage in children with traumatic brain injury

PURPOSE

Biomarkers are substances measured at the systemic level to evaluate organic responses in certain situations, establishing diagnoses, disease staging, and prognosis. Blood glucose is a biomarker recognized as a predictor of prognosis in children victims of traumatic brain injury (TBI). The scope of this study was to identify the accuracy of blood glucose as a biomarker of severe brain injury.

METHODS

A retrospective analytical study was conducted through the consecutive review of medical records of children and teenage victims of TBI who underwent neurological surgery between 2016 and 2023 in a level 1 trauma center. Two groups were compared: children with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score ≤ 8 and children with GCS > 8. We calculated the predictive values to define the accuracy of blood glucose as a biomarker of brain injury.

RESULTS

Ninety-two medical records were included for analysis. Hyperglycemia predominated in cases with GCS ≤ 8 (48% vs 3%; p < 0.0001; OR, 30; 95% CI, 5.9902-150.2448). The glycemic measurement considering the cutoff point of 200 mg/dL or 11.1 mmol/L showed a specificity of 97%, a positive predictive value of 86%, an accuracy of 84%, and a likelihood ratio for a positive test of 16.

CONCLUSION

Victims with GCS ≤ 8 are 16 times more likely to develop acute hyperglycemia after TBI when compared to those with GCS > 8. Blood glucose is a biomarker with an accuracy of 84% to predict severe brain injury, considering the cutoff point of 200 mg/dL or 11.1 mmol/L.

Automated volumetric evaluation of intracranial compartments and cerebrospinal fluid distribution on emergency trauma head CT scans to quantify mass effect

Background

Intracranial space is divided into three compartments by the falx cerebri and tentorium cerebelli. We assessed whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) distribution evaluated by a specifically developed deep-learning neural network (DLNN) could assist in quantifying mass effect.

Methods

Head trauma CT scans from a high-volume emergency department between 2018 and 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Manual segmentations of intracranial compartments and CSF served as the ground truth to develop a DLNN model to automate the segmentation process. Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) was used to evaluate the segmentation performance. Supratentorial CSF Ratio was calculated by dividing the volume of CSF on the side with reduced CSF reserve by the volume of CSF on the opposite side.

Results

Two hundred and seventy-four patients (mean age, 61 years ± 18.6) after traumatic brain injury (TBI) who had an emergency head CT scan were included. The average DSC for training and validation datasets were respectively: 0.782 and 0.765. Lower DSC were observed in the segmentation of CSF, respectively 0.589, 0.615, and 0.572 for the right supratentorial, left supratentorial, and infratentorial CSF regions in the training dataset, and slightly lower values in the validation dataset, respectively 0.567, 0.574, and 0.556. Twenty-two patients (8%) had midline shift exceeding 5 mm, and 24 (8.8%) presented with high/mixed density lesion exceeding >25 ml. Fifty-five patients (20.1%) exhibited mass effect requiring neurosurgical treatment. They had lower supratentorial CSF volume and lower Supratentorial CSF Ratio (both p < 0.001). A Supratentorial CSF Ratio below 60% had a sensitivity of 74.5% and specificity of 87.7% (AUC 0.88, 95%CI 0.82-0.94) in identifying patients that require neurosurgical treatment for mass effect. On the other hand, patients with CSF constituting 10-20% of the intracranial space, with 80-90% of CSF specifically in the supratentorial compartment, and whose Supratentorial CSF Ratio exceeded 80% had minimal risk.

Conclusion

CSF distribution may be presented as quantifiable ratios that help to predict surgery in patients after TBI. Automated segmentation of intracranial compartments using the DLNN model demonstrates a potential of artificial intelligence in quantifying mass effect. Further validation of the described method is necessary to confirm its efficacy in triaging patients and identifying those who require neurosurgical treatment.

A Spherical Cap Model of Epidural Hematomas

Background Epidural hematomas (EDHs), which have a characteristic biconvex shape, are a type of post-traumatic intracranial mass. EDHs and other types of intracranial hematomas are often diagnosed with computed tomography (CT). The volumes of EDHs are important in treatment decisions and prognosis. Their volumes are usually estimated on CT using the "ABC" method, which is based on the ellipsoid shape rather than their biconvex shape. Objective To simulate the biconvex shape, we modeled the geometry of EDHs with two spherical caps. We aim to provide simpler estimation of EDH volumes in clinical settings, and eventually recommend a threshold for surgical evacuation. Methods Applying the relationship between the sphere radius, spherical cap height, and base circle radius, we derived formulas for the shape of an EDH, relating its largest diameter and location to the other two diameters. We also estimated EDH volumes using the spherical cap volume and conventional ABC formulas and then constructed a lookup table accordingly. Results Validation of the model was performed using 14 CT image sets from previously reported patients with EDHs. Our geometric model demonstrated accurate predictions. The model also allows reducing the number of parameters to be measured in the ABC method from three to one, the hematoma length, showcasing its potential as a reliable tool for clinical decision-making. Based on our model, an EDH longer than 7 cm would occupy more than 30 mL of the intracranial volume. Conclusion The proposed model offers a streamlined approach to estimating EDH volumes, reducing the complexity of parameters required for clinical assessments. We recommend a length of 7 cm as a threshold for surgical evacuation of EDHs. This acceleration in decision-making is crucial for managing critically injured patients with traumatic brain injuries. Further validation across diverse patient populations will enhance the generalizability and utility of this geometric modeling approach in clinical settings.

Duret Brainstem Hemorrhage After Transtentorial Descending Brain Herniation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Historically, the occurrence of hemorrhage in the brainstem after an episode of supratentorial intracranial hypertension was described by Henri Duret in 1878. Nevertheless, to date the eponym Duret brainstem hemorrhage (DBH) lacks systematic evidence regarding its epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical and radiologic presentation, and outcome.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic literature review and meta-analysis using the Medline database from inception to 2022 looking for English-language articles concerning DBH, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines.

RESULTS

The research yielded 28 articles for 32 patients (mean age, 50 years; male/female ratio, 3:1). Of patients, 41% had head trauma causing 63% of subdural hematoma, responsible for coma in 78% and mydriasis in 69%. DBH appeared on the emergency imaging in 41% and on delayed imaging in 56%. DBH was located in the midbrain in 41% of the patients, and in the upper middle pons in 56%. DBH was caused by sudden downward displacement of the upper brainstem secondary to supratentorial intracranial hypertension (91%), intracranial hypotension (6%), or mechanical traction (3%). Such downward displacement caused the rupture of basilar artery perforators. Brainstem focal symptoms (P = 0.003) and decompressive craniectomy (P = 0.164) were potential favorable prognostic factors, whereas an age >50 years showed a trend toward a poor prognosis (P = 0.0731).

CONCLUSIONS

Unlike its historical description, DBH appears as a focal hematoma in the upper brainstem caused by the rupture of anteromedial basilar artery perforators after sudden downward displacement of the brainstem, regardless of its cause.

Severe trauma patients requiring undelayable combined cranial and extracranial surgery: A scoping review of an emerging concept

Objectives

Although patients suffering from severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) and severe trauma patients (STP) have been extensively studied separately, there is scarce evidence concerning STP with concomitant sTBI. In particular, there are no guidelines regarding the emergency surgical management of patients presenting a concomitant life-threatening intracranial hematoma (ICH) and a life-threatening non-compressible extra-cranial hemorrhage (NCEH).

Materials and Methods

A scoping review was conducted on Medline database from inception to September 2021.

Results

The review yielded 138 articles among which 10 were retained in the quantitative analysis for a total of 2086 patients. Seven hundrer and eighty-seven patients presented concomitant sTBI and extra-cranial severe injuries. The mean age was 38.2 years-old and the male to female sex ratio was 2.8/1. Regarding the patients with concomitant cranial and extra-cranial injuries, the mean ISS was 32.1, and the mean AIS per organ were 4.0 for the head, 3.3 for the thorax, 2.9 for the abdomen and 2.7 for extremity. This review highlighted the following concepts: emergency peripheric osteosynthesis can be safely performed in patients with concomitant sTBI (grade C). Invasive intracranial pressure monitoring is mandatory during extra-cranial surgery in patients with sTBI (grade C). The outcome of STP with concomitant sTBI mainly depends on the seriousness of sTBI, independently from the presence of extra-cranial injuries (grade C). After exclusion of early-hospital mortality, the impact of extra-cranial injuries on mortality in patients with concomitant sTBI is uncertain (grade C). There are no recommendations regarding the combined surgical management of patients with concomitant ICH and NCEH (grade D).

Conclusion

This review revealed the lack of evidence for the emergency surgical management of patients with concomitant ICH and NCEH. Hence, we introduce the concept of combined cranial and extra-cranial surgery. This damage-control surgical strategy aims to reduce the time spent with intracranial hypertension and to hasten the admission in the intensive care unit. Further studies are required to validate this concept in clinical practice.

Comparative effectiveness of different surgical procedures for traumatic acute epidural haematoma: study protocol for Prospective, Observational Real-world Treatments of AEDH in Large-scale Surgical Cases (PORTALS-AEDH)

INTRODUCTION

Controversy and variation exist in surgical management for acute epidural haematoma (AEDH). Although craniotomy for AEDH is conventionally employed, no specific evaluation on the necessity of decompressive craniectomy (DC) followed by AEDH evacuation has been performed.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

This is a multicentre prospective, phase III observational study that evaluates different surgical managements for the AEDH. Patients of both genders, aged 18-65 years, presenting to the emergency room with a clinical and radiological diagnosis of AEDH, complying with other inclusion and exclusion criteria, are enrolled. Clinical information, including diagnosis of AEDH, radiological information, treatment procedures and follow-up data of 1, 3 and 6 months post-injury, is collected on 2000 eligible patients among 263 hospitals in China. Recruitment for the study started in April 2021, and inclusion will be continued until the sample size is obtained, expected is an inclusion period of 24 months. The interventions of concern are surgical treatments for AEDH, including craniotomy and DC. The primary outcome is the Glasgow Outcome Score-Extended 6 months post-injury. Secondary outcomes include the incidence of postoperative cerebral infarction, the incidence of additional craniocerebral surgery and other evaluation indicators within 6 months post-injury.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study protocol has been approved by the ethics committee and institutional review board of Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. All study investigators strictly follow the Declaration of Helsinki and Human Biomedical Research Ethical Issues. Signed written informed consent will be obtained from all enrolled patients. The trial results will be disseminated through academic conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT04229966.

Bedside detection of intracranial midline shift using portable magnetic resonance imaging

Neuroimaging is crucial for assessing mass effect in brain-injured patients. Transport to an imaging suite, however, is challenging for critically ill patients. We evaluated the use of a low magnetic field, portable MRI (pMRI) for assessing midline shift (MLS). In this observational study, 0.064 T pMRI exams were performed on stroke patients admitted to the neuroscience intensive care unit at Yale New Haven Hospital. Dichotomous (present or absent) and continuous MLS measurements were obtained on pMRI exams and locally available and accessible standard-of-care imaging exams (CT or MRI). We evaluated the agreement between pMRI and standard-of-care measurements. Additionally, we assessed the relationship between pMRI-based MLS and functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale). A total of 102 patients were included in the final study (48 ischemic stroke; 54 intracranial hemorrhage). There was significant concordance between pMRI and standard-of-care measurements (dichotomous, κ = 0.87; continuous, ICC = 0.94). Low-field pMRI identified MLS with a sensitivity of 0.93 and specificity of 0.96. Moreover, pMRI MLS assessments predicted poor clinical outcome at discharge (dichotomous: adjusted OR 7.98, 95% CI 2.07–40.04, p = 0.005; continuous: adjusted OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.11–2.49, p = 0.021). Low-field pMRI may serve as a valuable bedside tool for detecting mass effect.

Postauricular swelling secondary to salmonella extradural abscess in a toddler: a near miss condition

Postauricular swelling is usually encountered in an emergency setting in otorhinolaryngology, resulting from complication of acute or chronic suppurative otitis media. Besides that, postauricular swelling may occur secondary to various other conditions including infectious disease, tumour, vascular malformation, granulomatous condition and even trauma. Children less than 2 years old are prone to fall and up to 10% sustain traumatic brain injury without any obvious signs of neurological deficit. We describe a rare case of a postauricular swelling in a toddler which turned out to be salmonella extradural abscess from an infected traumatic haematoma. The importance of high clinical suspicion especially in a child with a history of fall cannot be emphasised more because a missed brain abscess could lead to potentially life-threatening problems. We would like to highlight that meticulous history taking along with prompt assessment and intervention is prudent for a better prognosis and recovery.

Extra-axial haemorrhage in a patient with Alport syndrome after epidural anaesthesia

Extra-axial haemorrhage following epidural anaesthesia is extremely rare. We present the case of an 18-year-old G1P0 woman with Alport syndrome who had a ventouse delivery for failure to progress that was complicated by a postpartum tonic-clonic seizure. Clinically, and confirmed radiologically, the patient was found to have experienced an extra-axial haemorrhage (extradural and subdural haemorrhage) secondary to a cerebrospinal fluid leak caused by a dural puncture during epidural anaesthesia. Differentiating between postdural puncture headache, subdural haemorrhage and extradural haemorrhage can be extremely challenging, but it is important to consider these rare conditions when evaluating patients presenting with postpartum headache and seizure.

Prevalence and Characteristics of Earthquake-Related Head Injuries: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

We conducted a systematic review to determine the prevalence and characteristics of earthquake-associated head injuries for better disaster preparedness and management.

METHODS

We searched for all publications related to head injuries and earthquakes from 1985 to 2018 in MEDLINE and other major databases. A search was conducted using "earthquakes," "wounds and injuries," and "cranio-cerebral trauma" as a medical subject headings.

RESULTS

Included in the analysis were 34 articles. With regard to the commonly occurring injuries, earthquake-related head injury ranks third among patients with earthquake-related injuries. The most common trauma is lower extremity (36.2%) followed by upper extremity (19.9%), head (16.6%), spine (13.1%), chest (11.3%), and abdomen (3.8%). The most common earthquake-related head injury was laceration or contusion (59.1%), while epidural hematoma was the most common among inpatients with intracranial hemorrhage (9.5%) followed by intracerebral hematoma (7.0%), and subdural hematoma (6.8%). Mortality rate was 5.6%.

CONCLUSION

Head injuries were found to be a commonly occurring trauma along with extremity injuries. This knowledge is important for determining the demands for neurosurgery and for adequately managing patients, especially in resource-limited conditions.

Application of Absolute Alcohol in the Treatment of Traumatic Intracranial Hemorrhage via Interventional Embolization of Middle Meningeal Artery

Background: Traumatic brain injury is a common condition in neurosurgery. Traditional methods of treatment include conservative treatment and surgical evacuation using burr-holes or craniotomy; however, studies have reported problems such as high re-expansion rates after conservative treatment of epidural hematoma and high postoperative recurrence rates of subdural hematoma. Solutions to these problems are lacking, and research into new treatment methods is ongoing. Among the potential new treatments, middle meningeal arterial embolization is an option. This study involved patients with acute epidural hematoma and chronic subdural hematoma. The purpose was to evaluate the use and effects of absolute alcohol to embolize the middle meningeal artery to treat intracranial hematoma. Material and Methods: A retrospective description study was 12 cases of intracranial hematoma who treated with absolute alcohol interventional therapy from our hospital between June 2018 and October 2019. Five patients with acute epidural hematoma and seven patients with chronic subdural hematoma were treated using absolute alcohol to embolize the middle meningeal artery. Patients' clinical data, imaging results, surgical results, and prognosis were recorded and analyzed. Results: All patients underwent absolute alcohol embolization of the middle meningeal artery, in combination with burr-hole drainage. All imaging data were confirmed preoperatively. We successfully used absolute alcohol to embolize the middle meningeal artery intraoperatively and confirmed these results by postoperative angiography. All patients achieved symptomatic relief without complications, and no recurrence or re-expansion was seen with follow-up computed tomography. Our study has been registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (http://www.chictr.org.cn, ChiCTR1800018714). Conclusion: The use of absolute alcohol to embolize the middle meningeal artery could be used as an attempt to treat acute epidural hematoma and chronic subdural hematoma.

Consensus statement from the International Consensus Meeting on the Role of Decompressive Craniectomy in the Management of Traumatic Brain Injury : Consensus statement

BACKGROUND

Two randomised trials assessing the effectiveness of decompressive craniectomy (DC) following traumatic brain injury (TBI) were published in recent years: DECRA in 2011 and RESCUEicp in 2016. As the results have generated debate amongst clinicians and researchers working in the field of TBI worldwide, it was felt necessary to provide general guidance on the use of DC following TBI and identify areas of ongoing uncertainty via a consensus-based approach.

METHODS

The International Consensus Meeting on the Role of Decompressive Craniectomy in the Management of Traumatic Brain Injury took place in Cambridge, UK, on the 28th and 29th September 2017. The meeting was jointly organised by the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS), AO/Global Neuro and the NIHR Global Health Research Group on Neurotrauma. Discussions and voting were organised around six pre-specified themes: (1) primary DC for mass lesions, (2) secondary DC for intracranial hypertension, (3) peri-operative care, (4) surgical technique, (5) cranial reconstruction and (6) DC in low- and middle-income countries.

RESULTS

The invited participants discussed existing published evidence and proposed consensus statements. Statements required an agreement threshold of more than 70% by blinded voting for approval.

CONCLUSIONS

In this manuscript, we present the final consensus-based recommendations. We have also identified areas of uncertainty, where further research is required, including the role of primary DC, the role of hinge craniotomy and the optimal timing and material for skull reconstruction.

Phantom-based evaluation of near-infrared intracranial hematoma detector performance

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is emerging as a rapid, low-cost approach for point-of-care triage of hematomas resulting from traumatic brain injury. However, there remains a lack of standardized test methods for benchtop performance assessment of these devices and incomplete understanding of relevant light-tissue interactions. We propose a phantom-based test method for systems operating near the 800-nm oxy-/deoxy-hemoglobin isosbestic point and implement it to evaluate a clinical system. Semi-idealized phantom geometries are designed to represent epidural/subdural, subarachnoid, and intracerebral hemorrhages. Measurements of these phantoms are made with a commercial NIRS-based hematoma detector to quantify the effect of hematoma type, depth, and size, as well as measurement repeatability and detector positioning relative to the hematoma. Results indicated high sensitivity to epidural/subdural and subarachnoid hematomas. Intracerebral hematomas are detectable to a maximum depth of ∼2.5  cm, depending on thickness and diameter. The maximum lateral detection area for the single-emitter/single-collector device studied here appears elliptical and decreases strongly with inclusion depth. Overall, this study provides unique insights into hematoma detector function and indicates the utility of modular polymer tissue phantoms in performance tests for emerging NIRS-based cerebral diagnostic technology.

Double-Injected Human Stem Cells Enhance Rehabilitation in TBI Mice Via Modulation of Survival and Inflammation

Traumatic brain injury (TBI), a complicated form of brain damage, is a major cause of mortality in adults. Following mechanical and structural primary insults, a battery of secondary insults, including neurotransmitter-mediated cytotoxicity, dysregulation of calcium and macromolecule homeostasis, and increased oxidative stress, exacerbate brain injury and functional deficits. Although stem cell therapy is considered to be an alternative treatment for brain injuries, such as TBI and stroke, many obstacles remain. In particular, the time window for TBI treatment with either drugs or stem cells and their efficacy is still vague. Human placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hpMSCs) have received extensive attention in stem cell therapy because they can be acquired in large numbers without ethical issues and because of their immune-modulating capacity and effectiveness in several diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and stroke. Here, we tested the feasibility of hpMSCs for TBI treatment with an animal model and attempted to identify appropriate time points for cell treatments. Double injections at 4 and 24 h post-injury significantly reduced the infarct size and suppressed astrocyte and microglial activation around the injury. With reduced damage, double-injected mice showed enhanced anti-inflammatory- and TNF-α receptor 2 (TNFR2)-associated survival signals and suppressed pro-inflammatory and oxidative responses. In addition, double-treated TBI mice displayed restored sensory motor functions and reduced neurotoxic Aβ₄₂ plaque formation around the damaged areas. In this study, we showed the extended therapeutic potentials of hpMSCs and concluded that treatment within an appropriate time window is critical for TBI recovery.

Clinical evaluation of post-operative cerebral infarction in traumatic epidural haematoma

BACKGROUND

Patients with traumatic epidural haematoma, undergoing the prompt and correct treatment, usually have favourable outcomes. However, secondary cerebral infarction may be life-threatening condition, as it is difficult to be identified before neurological impairment occurs.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the clinical data of patients with traumatic EDH and assess potential risk factors for post-operative cerebral infarction.

METHODS

The clinical data of patients with traumatic EDH were collected and analysed retrospectively.

RESULTS

The univariate analysis revealed 10 potential risk factors (the haematoma location, volume, the largest thickness and mid-line shift, basal cisterns compression, traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage, pupil dilatation, pre-operative Glasgow Coma Scale score, ∆GCS and intraoperative brain pressure) for cerebral infarction with statistically significant difference. Of these factors, haematoma volume and basal cistern compression turned out to be the most significant risk factors through final multivariate logistic regression analysis.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study can provide predictive factors for development of cerebral infarction and information for clinical decision-making and future studies.

Assessment of the accuracy of ABC/2 variations in traumatic epidural hematoma volume estimation: a retrospective study

Background. The traumatic epidural hematoma (tEDH) volume is often used to assist in tEDH treatment planning and outcome prediction. ABC/2 is a well-accepted volume estimation method that can be used for tEDH volume estimation. Previous studies have proposed different variations of ABC/2; however, it is unclear which variation will provide a higher accuracy. Given the promising clinical contribution of accurate tEDH volume estimations, we sought to assess the accuracy of several ABC/2 variations in tEDH volume estimation.

Methods. The study group comprised 53 patients with tEDH who had undergone non-contrast head computed tomography scans. For each patient, the tEDH volume was automatically estimated by eight ABC/2 variations (four traditional and four newly derived) with an in-house program, and results were compared to those from manual planimetry. Linear regression, the closest value, percentage deviation, and Bland-Altman plot were adopted to comprehensively assess accuracy.

Results. Among all ABC/2 variations assessed, the traditional variations y = 0.5 × A₁B₁C₁ (or A₂B₂C₁) and the newly derived variations y = 0.65 × A₁B₁C₁ (or A₂B₂C₁) achieved higher accuracy than the other variations. No significant differences were observed between the estimated volume values generated by these variations and those of planimetry (p > 0.05). Comparatively, the former performed better than the latter in general, with smaller mean percentage deviations (7.28 ± 5.90% and 6.42 ± 5.74% versus 19.12 ± 6.33% and 21.28 ± 6.80%, respectively) and more values closest to planimetry (18/53 and 18/53 versus 2/53 and 0/53, respectively). Besides, deviations of most cases in the former fell within the range of <10% (71.70% and 84.91%, respectively), whereas deviations of most cases in the latter were in the range of 10–20% and >20% (90.57% and 96.23, respectively).

Discussion. In the current study, we adopted an automatic approach to assess the accuracy of several ABC/2 variations for tEDH volume estimation. Our initial results showed that the variations y = 0.5 × A₁B₁C₁ (or A₂B₂C₁) performed better than the other traditional variations, suggesting that the adjusted depth is favorable. In addition, linear regression has been shown to be useful for improving the estimation accuracy of the ABC/2 method, and future studies are warranted to investigate the applicability of such linear regression-derived formulas for clinical application.

Assessment of a noninvasive cerebral oxygenation monitor in patients with severe traumatic brain injury

Object

Development of a noninvasive monitor to assess cerebral oxygenation has long been a goal in neurocritical care. The authors evaluated the feasibility and utility of a noninvasive cerebral oxygenation monitor, the CerOx 3110, which uses near-infrared spectroscopy and ultrasound to measure regional cerebral tissue oxygenation in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), and compared measurements obtained using this device to those obtained using invasive cerebral monitoring.

Methods

Patients with severe TBI admitted to the intensive care unit at Hadassah-Hebrew University Hospital requiring intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring and advanced neuromonitoring were included in this study. The authors assessed 18 patients with severe TBI using the CerOx monitor and invasive advanced cerebral monitors.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 45.3 ± 23.7 years and the median Glasgow Coma Scale score on admission was 5 (interquartile range 3–7). Eight patients underwent unilateral decompressive hemicraniectomy and 1 patient underwent craniotomy. Sixteen patients underwent insertion of a jugular bulb venous catheter, and 18 patients underwent insertion of a Licox brain tissue oxygen monitor. The authors found a strong correlation (r = 0.60, p < 0.001) between the jugular bulb venous saturation from the venous blood gas and the CerOx measure of regional cerebral tissue saturation on the side ipsilateral to the catheter. A multivariate analysis revealed that among the physiological parameters of mean arterial blood pressure, ICP, brain tissue oxygen tension, and CerOx measurements on the ipsilateral and contralateral sides, only ipsilateral CerOx measurements were significantly correlated to jugular bulb venous saturation (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Measuring regional cerebral tissue oxygenation with the CerOx monitor in a noninvasive manner is feasible in patients with severe TBI in the neurointensive care unit. The correlation between the CerOx measurements and the jugular bulb venous measurements of oxygen saturation indicate that the CerOx may be able to provide an estimation of cerebral oxygenation status in a noninvasive manner.

Traumatic extradural hematoma in childhood

OBJECTIVE

This study was undertaken to assess the clinical and radiological characteristics of children with traumatic extradural hematoma (TEDH), and factors affecting the initial neurological status and outcome.

METHODS

Medical records of 269 consecutive children with TEDH from 2005 to 2012 were retrospectively reviewed, factors affecting the initial neurological status and outcomes were explored using univariate and multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

There were 166 boys and 103 girls (average age: 7.0 years). Fall from a height (59 %) was the most common mechanism of head injury. With increasing age, an increase of motor-vehicle accident and assault was noted. Among the children 85.5 % experienced a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 13-15, 9.7 % with GCS 9-12, and 4.8 % with GCS 3-8. The main clinical manifestations were headache, vomiting and nausea, and conscious disturbance. The main locations were the temporal, temporoparietal, and frontal regions. The 97.4 % saw a favorable outcome, whereas 2.6 % had a poor outcome (overall mortality: 1.1 %).

CONCLUSION

Many factors influenced the prognosis; the most important factors affecting prognosis were the initial neurological condition and secondary brain edema, while the initial neurological status were associated with pupillary abnormality, clinical progression, the number and volume of TEDH, and midline shift. Although the outcome was excellent in most cases, early diagnosis and surgical evacuation before irreversible brain damage was important to lower mortality for those massive TEDHs.

Utility of clinical and radiographic findings in the management of traumatic epidural hematoma

BACKGROUND

There are currently no clear guidelines for the management and radiological monitoring of pediatric patients with epidural hematomas (EDH). We aim to compare clinical and radiographic characteristics of pediatric EDH patients managed with observation alone versus surgical evacuation and to describe results of repeat head imaging in both groups.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective observational study of pediatric patients diagnosed with traumatic EDH at a level II trauma center.

RESULTS

Forty-seven cases of EDH were analyzed. Sixty-two percent were managed by observation alone. Patients undergoing surgery were more likely to have an altered mental status (17 vs. 72%, p < 0.001), but there were no other significant clinical differences between the groups. The mean initial EDH thickness and volume were 8.0 mm and 8.6 ml in the observed group and 15.5 mm and 35 ml in the surgery group, respectively (p < 0.001 for both comparisons). Eighty-six percent of the observed and all surgery patients underwent repeat CT imaging. The initial repeat CT scan results led to surgery in 1 patient who was initially treated with observation.

CONCLUSIONS

Most pediatric patients with EDH can be managed with observation. Mental status and radiographic findings should guide the need for surgical intervention. Multiple repeat CT scans have minimal utility in changing management.

The surgical outcome of traumatic extra-axial hematomas causing brain herniation in children

AIM

The aim of this study was to assess the surgical outcome and prognostic importance of clinical and radiological data from children operated on under emergency conditions due to an extra-axial hematoma causing brain herniation.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 25 children operated on due to herniated traumatic extra-axial hematomas from January 2000 to December 2010.

RESULTS

Of those 25 children, 17 (68%) were diagnosed with subdural hematoma (SDH), 7 (28%) with epidural hematoma (EDH) and only 1 patient (4%) suffered from both SDH and EDH. Overall mortality from a herniated extra-axial hematoma was 44%. The mortality rate for herniated SDH patients was 52.9%, and only 1 patient died from a herniated EDH (14.2%). Low Glasgow coma scale scores at admission, high postoperative intracranial pressure (ICP) values, longer intervals from trauma to surgery, longer durations of brain herniation, the presence of intraoperative brain swelling, larger and thicker hematomas and more displacement of the midline structures and obliteration of the basal cisterns were all correlated with mortality and an unfavorable outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Brain herniation is a serious consequence of traumatic extra-axial hematomas in children, and approximately one third of these patients have the potential for a favorable outcome. We recommend postoperative ICP monitoring to predict outcome and early decompressive surgery when possible for promising results.

Imaging in the diagnosis and prognosis of traumatic brain injury

INTRODUCTION

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. Improved understanding of the impact of head injury and the extent and development of neuronal loss and cognitive dysfunction could lead to improved therapy and outcome for patients.

AREAS COVERED

This paper reviews the currently available imaging techniques and defines their role in the diagnosis, management and prediction of outcome following traumatic brain injury. These imaging techniques provide delineation of the structural, physiological and functional derangements that result following acute injury, and map their development and association with late functional deficits. Imaging tools also have a role in defining the pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for further neuronal loss following the primary injury. Finally, this paper provides an overview of the role of functional imaging in classifying unresponsive coma and defining functional reorganisation of the brain following injury.

EXPERT OPINION

Brain imaging is of key importance in TBI management, enabling efficient and accurate diagnoses to be made, informing management decisions and contributing to prognostication. Developments in imaging techniques promise to improve understanding of the structural and functional derangements, improve management and guide the development and implementation of novel neuroprotective strategies following head injury.

Randomized controlled trials affecting polytrauma care

Trauma remains the leading cause of death in the world in patients under 45 years of age. The evaluation, resuscitation, and appropriate management of polytraumatized patients are paramount to successful outcomes. The advance of evidence-based medicine has had a powerful and positive impact on trauma care, even though the nature of many traumatic injuries lends itself poorly to study in a randomized fashion. During the initial management of bleeding patients, hypotensive resuscitation prior to surgical control has found strong support in the literature, and its use has been adopted by many surgeons. Head injury is the most common cause of traumatic death, and while high-level evidence is limited, adherence to management guidelines is associated with improved outcomes. For abdominal trauma, the concept of damage control surgery, while popular, has never been put to the test in a randomized controlled trial. Numerous randomized trials in the field of critical care have affected the management of severely injured patients, including intensive insulin therapy and low tidal volume ventilation in patients with compromised respiratory function. Finally, a multidisciplinary approach to trauma care in designated trauma centers allows for improved outcomes in polytraumatized patients.