Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
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Review
Transcranial Doppler monitoring in subarachnoid hemorrhage: a critical tool in critical care.
To review the literature regarding the use of transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD) for monitoring cerebral vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). ⋯ Vasospasm following SAH is a very important source of morbidity and mortality. Too often, the first sign is a neurologic deficit, which may be too late to reverse. Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography assists in the clinical decision-making regarding further diagnostic evaluation and therapeutic interventions. When performed in isolation, the contribution of TCD to improving patient outcome has not been established. Nevertheless, TCD has become a regularly employed tool in neurocritical care and perioperative settings.