Articles: brain-injuries.
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Acta neurochirurgica · Jan 1994
Penetrating craniocerebral shrapnel injuries during "Operation Desert Storm": early results of a conservative surgical treatment.
A follow-up study is presented of the initial neurosurgical treatment of 20 patients who sustained penetrating craniocerebral injuries during "Operation Desert Storm". Fifteen of these patients had received intracranial debridement through a craniectomy and five patients had received care of scalp wounds only. Following treatment and stabilisation in a frontline hospital, these patients were transferred to the Riyadh Armed Forces Hospital for further evaluation and management. ⋯ No patient died or developed a seizure disorder. These results suggest that re-operation for removal of retained fragments is unnecessary. It is concluded that the initial treatment of shrapnel wounds of the brain should be to preserve maximal cerebral tissue and function either by limiting the wound debridement performed through a craniectomy or by care of scalp wounds only.
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Acta neurochirurgica · Jan 1994
Cause, distribution and significance of episodes of reduced cerebral perfusion pressure following head injury.
A group of 74 patients with head injury (54 severe, 17 moderate and 3 minor) had continuous monitoring of both arterial and intracranial pressure with computer-based registration of these pressures, cerebral perfusion pressure and other variables. In 60 patients cerebral perfusion pressure CPP fell below 60 mm Hg for periods of 5 minutes or longer. ⋯ There was a significant correlation between low CPP due to reduced arterial pressure and the Injury Severity Score (p < 0.001), suggesting that resuscitative measures may have been less than optimal in these cases. There was also significant correlation between the duration of low CPP and low arterial pressure and an adverse outcome from injury as assessed at 6, 12 and 24 months after injury (p < 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Acta neurochirurgica · Jan 1994
Statistical analysis of the factors affecting the outcome of extradural haematomas: 115 cases.
115 traumatic extradural haematoma cases who were treated surgically at Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty Neurosurgery Department between 1987 and 1992 are evaluated. When factors affecting the outcome were examined, a strong correlation was found between the result and Glasgow coma scale (GCS) (p < 0.00001). The existence of a fracture, the interval between onset of haematoma symptoms and intervention and the existence of an intracerebral haematoma together with contusion accompanying intradural haematoma, affect the outcome in a negative direction. There was no statistical correlation between the outcome and the age of patient, localization of the haematoma and aetiology.
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Ann Fr Anesth Reanim · Jan 1994
[Prehospital air ambulance and systemic secondary cerebral damage in severe craniocerebral injuries].
Advanced supportive therapy at the site of the accident, associated with direct transfer to a trauma centre increases survival and reduces morbidity rates. Patients with severe head injury, especially those with multiple injuries, often arrive in the emergency department with potentially causes of serious secondary systemic insults to the already injured brain, such as acute anemia (Hematocrit < or = 30%), hypotension (systolic arterial pressure (Pasys) < or = 95 mmHg, 12.7 kPa), hypercapnia (Paco2 > or = 45 mmHg, 6 kPa) and/or hypoxemia (Pao2 < or = 65 mmHg, 8.7 kPa). The incidence of such insults and their impact on mortality were studied in a group of 51 consecutive adults suffering from non penetrating severe head injury (Glasgow score < or = 8, mean age 31 +/- 17 yrs) rescued by a medicalized helicopter. ⋯ Nineteen patients (Group I) were admitted without secondary systemic insults to the brain, 13 with isolated head injury, and 6 with multiple injuries, with a low Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS 1-3) of 42% at 3 months. In 32 patients (Group II), despite advanced supportive measures at the scene of the accident and during transportation, one or more secondary systemic insults to the brain were detected upon arrival at the emergency room, one with isolated head injury, 31 with multiple injuries, with a bad GOS of 72% at 3 months. We conclude that: 1) advanced trauma life support prevents from secondary systemic insults in the great majority of isolated severe head injured patients. 2) secondary systemic insults to the already injured brain are frequent in patients with multiple injuries and are difficult to avoid despite rapid aeromedical trauma care, 3) secondary systemic insults to the brain have a catastrophic impact on the outcome of severely head injured patients.