Doppler transcraniano na prática neurológica

The use of neurovascular ultrasound versus digital subtraction angiography in acute ischemic stroke

Cervical and intracranial arterial evaluation is an important issue for acute ischemic stroke (IS).

OBJECTIVE

Compare the use of the neurovascular ultrasound examination (NVUE) to digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in acute IS patients for diagnosing significant extracranial and intracranial arteriopathy.

METHOD

Nonconsecutive patients with IS or transient ischemic attack admitted within 12 hours of the onset of symptoms were evaluated retrospectively. Standardized NVUE and DSA were done in all patients within the first 120 hours of hospital admission.

RESULTS

Twenty-four patients were included in the study. Compared to DSA, the NVUE demonstrated 94.7% sensitivity and 100% specificity for identifying symptomatic extracranial and/or intracranial arteriopathy.

CONCLUSION

The standardized NVUE technique demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity compared to DSA for diagnosing arterial abnormalities in acute IS patients.

A experiência de uma família que vivencia a condição crônica por anemia falciforme em dois adolescentes

Estudo sobre a experiência de uma família que vivencia a condição crônica por anemia falciforme e que, ao tentar utilizar o SUS, necessitou, em algumas situações, acionar uma instância mediadora formal para garantir seu direito à saúde. O objetivo deste estudo foi compreender como os serviços de saúde têm participado do cuidado a pessoas com anemia falciforme e suas famílias. Estudo qualitativo com coleta de dados realizada por meio de História de Vida Focal e operacionalizada por entrevista em profundidade. Evidenciou-se que, mesmo existindo Políticas e Programas de atenção à saúde, cabe também aos profissionais se comprometerem para garantir o direito à saúde dessas pessoas.

[Advances in intensive neurological monitoring: implications for nursing care]

The neurological monitoring is an assessment and accompaniment of data supplied by technical devices of alterations in the nervous system. This study aimed at performing an update about the different methods of intensive neurological monitoring and establish relations with the nursing work. The impact of the supplement and electronics equipment renewal of vital support for the critical patient is a concrete fact, and must make the nursing team adapted with the rhythm of new technology in service of patient's health. Monitoring patient with neurological alterations is a great challenge, but is through it that they get trustworthy and necessary information's for nursing interventions.

Transcranial Doppler for patent foramen ovale screening: is there a good correlation with transesophageal echocardiography?

Right-to-left shunt (RLS) can be identified by contrast-enhanced transcranial Doppler (cTCD) in patent foramen ovale (PFO) patients. AIM: To evaluate cTCD for PFO screening comparing it to cTEE. METHOD: 45 previous cTCD performed for PFO diagnosis and correlated its findings with cTEE. Patients were submitted to a cTCD standardized technique and were divided in two groups according to RLS: Group 1, patients with a positive RLS and Group 2 when RLS was negative. RESULTS: 29 (65%) patients were included in group 1 and 16 (35%) in group 2. PFO confirmation by cTEE was performed in 28 (62%) patients. cTCD had a 92.85% sensitivity, 82.35% specificity, 89.65% positive predictive value and 87.5% negative predictive value when compared to cTEE for PFO diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Standardized technique cTCD allows for RLS visualization in PFO patients with a good correlation with cTEE and can be used as a screening test before cTEE.