Neurocritical care
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This review explores low-cost neurocritical care interventions for resource-limited settings, including economical devices, innovative care models, and disease-specific strategies. Devices like inexpensive ventilators, wearable technology, smartphone-based ultrasound, brain4care, transcranial Doppler, and smartphone pupillometry offer effective diagnostic and monitoring capabilities. Initiatives such as intermediate care units, minimally equipped stroke units, and tele-neurocritical care have demonstrated benefits by reducing hospital stays, preventing complications, and improving clinical and economic outcomes. The review emphasizes locally applicable tailored approaches for diagnosing and managing conditions such as traumatic brain injury, neuroinfections, status epilepticus, autoimmune neurological disorders, and acute stroke as viable and affordable solutions.
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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of health loss and disabilities globally, burdening health care systems. Mild TBI is a common cause of emergency department visits. Computed tomography (CT) scans are the mainstay for acute TBI imaging. ⋯ These findings indicate that S100B analysis could minimize the need for unnecessary CT scans in individuals with mild TBI. The test's diagnostic accuracy improves when the S100B analysis is done within 3 h of the injury. However, further research is warranted to validate its superiority to other biomarkers before considering it the standard routine for managing mild TBI.