Low-dose aspirin prophylaxis and risk of intracranial hemorrhage in patients older than 60 years of age with mild or moderate head injury: a prospective study

2003 ◽  
Vol 99 (4) ◽  
pp. 661-665 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergey Spektor ◽  
Samuel Agus ◽  
Vladimir Merkin ◽  
Shlomo Constantini
Keyword(s):  
Head Injury ◽  
Intracranial Hemorrhage ◽  
Ct Scanning ◽  
Treated Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Traumatic Intracranial Hemorrhage ◽  
Gcs Score ◽  
Fine Print

Object. The goal of this paper was to investigate a possible relationship between the consumption of low-dose aspirin (LDA) and traumatic intracranial hemorrhage in an attempt to determine whether older patients receiving prophylactic LDA require special treatment following an incidence of mild-to-moderate head trauma. Methods. Two hundred thirty-one patients older than 60 years of age, who arrived at the emergency department with a mild or moderate head injury (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] Scores 13–15 and 9–12, respectively), were included in the study. One hundred ten patients were receiving prophylactic LDA (100 mg/day) and these formed the aspirin-treated group. One hundred twenty-one patients were receiving no aspirin, and these formed the control group. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups with respect to age, sex, mechanism of trauma, or GCS score on arrival at the emergency department. Most of the patients sustained the head injury from falls (88.2% of patients in the aspirin-treated group and 85.1% of patients in the control group), and had external signs of head trauma such as bruising or scalp laceration (80.9% of patients in the aspirin-treated group and 86.8% of patients in the control group). All patients underwent similar neurological examinations and computerized tomography (CT) scanning of the head. The CT scans revealed evidence of traumatic intracranial hemorrhage in 27 (24.5%) patients in the aspirin-treated group and in 31 patients (25.6%) in the control group. Surgical intervention was required for five patients in each group (4.5% of patients in the aspirin-treated group and 4.1% of patients in the control group). A surprising number of the patients who arrived with GCS Score 15 were found to have traumatic intracranial hemorrhage, as revealed by CT scanning (11.5% of patients in the aspirin-treated group and 16.5% of patients in the control group). Surgery, however, was not necessary for any of these patients. Conclusions. There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency or types of traumatic intracranial hemorrhage between patients who had received aspirin prophylaxis and those who had not. The authors conclude that LDA does not increase surgically relevant parenchymal or meningeal bleeding following moderate and minor head injury in patients older than 60 years of age.

A multicenter trial on the efficacy of using tirilazad mesylate in cases of head injury

1998 ◽  
Vol 89 (4) ◽  
pp. 519-525 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence F. Marshall ◽  
Andrew I. R. Maas ◽  
Sharon Bowers Marshall ◽  
Albino Bricolo ◽  
Michael Fearnside ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Placebo Group ◽  
Head Injury ◽  
Severe Head Injury ◽  
Treated Group ◽  
Good Recovery ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Tirilazad Mesylate ◽  
Gcs Score ◽  
Fine Print

Object. The authors prospectively studied the efficacy of tirilazad mesylate, a novel aminosteroid, in humans with head injuries. Methods. A cohort of 1120 head-injured patients received at least one dose of study medication (tirilazad or placebo). Eighty-five percent (957) of the patients had suffered a severe head injury (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] score 4–8) and 15% (163) had sustained a moderate head injury (GCS score 9–12). Six-month outcomes for the tirilazad- and placebo-treated groups for the Glasgow Outcome Scale categories of both good recovery and death showed no significant difference (good recovery in the tirilazad-treated group was 39% compared with the placebo group in which it was 42% [p = 0.461]; death in the tirilazad-treated group occurred in 26% of patients compared with the placebo group, in which it occurred in 25% [p = 0.750]). Subgroup analysis suggested that tirilazad mesylate may be effective in reducing mortality rates in males suffering from severe head injury with accompanying traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (death in the tirilazad-treated group occurred in 34% of patients; in the placebo group it occurred in 43% [p = 0.026]). No significant differences in frequency or types of serious adverse events were shown between the treatment and placebo groups. Conclusions. Striking problems with imbalance concerning basic prognostic variables were observed in spite of the large population studied. These imbalances concerned pretreatment hypotension, pretreatment hypoxia, and the incidence of epidural hematomas. In future trials of pharmacological therapy for severe head injury, serious consideration must be given to alternative randomization strategies. Given the heterogeneous nature of head injury and the identification of populations that do relatively well with standard therapy, target populations with a higher risk for mortality and morbidity may be more suitable for clinical trials of such agents.

Moderate head injury: a guide to initial management

1992 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
pp. 562-564 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherman C. Stein ◽  
Steven E. Ross
Keyword(s):  
Head Injury ◽  
Head Injuries ◽  
Ct Scanning ◽  
Ct Scans ◽  
Initial Examination ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Injury Group ◽  
Intracranial Lesions ◽  
Gcs Score ◽  
Fine Print

✓ The purpose of this study is to determine the initial treatment of patients who appear to have sustained moderate head injuries when first evaluated. The authors reviewed the records of 341 patients whose initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores ranged from 9 to 12, as well as another 106 patients with GCS scores of 13. All patients underwent cranial computerized tomography (CT) at the time of admission. In 40.3% of these patients the CT scans were abnormal (30.6% had intracranial lesions), and 8.1 % required neurosurgical intervention (craniotomies for hematoma in 12, elevation of depressed fractures in five, and insertion of intracranial pressure monitors in 19). Four patients died of their intracranial injuries. A similar incidence of lesions found on CT and at surgery suggests that an initial GCS score of 13 be classified with the moderate head injury group. Skull fractures were found to be poor indicators of intracranial abnormalities. These results suggest that all patients with head injury thought to be moderate on initial examination be admitted to the hospital and undergo urgent CT scanning. Patients with intracranial lesions require immediate neurosurgical consultation, surgery as needed, and admission to a critical-care unit. Scans should be repeated in patients whose recovery is less rapid than expected and in all patients with evidence of clinical deterioration; this was necessary in almost half of the patients in this group, and 32% were found to have progression of radiological abnormalities on serial CT scans.

Comparative study of traumatic and spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage

2002 ◽  
Vol 96 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Shahid Siddique ◽  
Barbara A. Gregson ◽  
Helen M. Fernandes ◽  
Jane Barnes ◽  
Lynne Treadwell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Head Injury ◽  
Intracerebral Hemorrhage ◽  
Surgical Intervention ◽  
Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
Severity Of Injury ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Gcs Score ◽  
Fine Print

Object. Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (SICH) and traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage (TICH) are common disorders. The authors planned to study how these two types of hemorrhage behave pathologically and clinically to gain further insight into their causes, pathogeneses, indications for surgical intervention, and prognoses. Methods. Prospectively filled databases of demographic, clinical, radiological, and outcome details have been maintained for all patients admitted to the Regional Neurosciences Centre with head injury since 1987 and with SICH since 1993. Of the 5686 patients whose case information was included in the head-injury database, 90 were found to suffer from an isolated intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) as the only major abnormality observed on computerized tomography scans (subdural and extradural hematomas were excluded). Case details on these 90 patients and the 440 patients from the SICH database were extracted and analyzed using a statistical software program. The median age of patients with TICH was lower than the median age of patients with SICH (51 years compared with 65 years, respectively), but it was much higher than the median age of the entire head-injury group (21 years). Among patients younger than 45 years of age, 0.8% of patients who experienced trauma suffered from an ICH compared with 4.3% of patients older than 45 years of age. Irrespective of intervention, much better outcomes were achieved by patients with TICH compared with those with SICH (67% favorable outcomes compared with 24% in patients with SICH). Following trauma, there was no significant relationship between the severity of injury and the development of ICH. At presentation the median Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score for both groups was 13. Younger age and higher GCS score at presentation were strongly related to a favorable outcome for both types of hemorrhage. There was no significant difference in patient age, presenting GCS score, or outcomes of patients who underwent surgery compared with those who did not for either type of hemorrhage. No conclusions can be drawn about the efficacy of surgery from such observational studies. Conclusions. On the basis of these data the authors suggest that TICH and SICH have different features: TICH affects a slightly younger age group and carries a much better prognosis compared with SICH. In addition, indications for surgical intervention are not well defined for either type of hemorrhage. Practice is subjective and inconsistent. The International Surgical Trial in Intracerebral Haemorrhage may resolve the dilemma for SICH. A similar trial in which surgery is compared with conservative management should be considered for cases of TICH.

Evaluation of endorphin content in the CSF of patients with trigeminal neuralgia before and after Gasserian ganglion thermocoagulation

1981 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 935-937 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Salar ◽  
Salvatore Mingrino ◽  
Marco Trabucchi ◽  
Angelo Bosio ◽  
Carlo Semenza
Keyword(s):  
Cerebrospinal Fluid ◽  
Trigeminal Neuralgia ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Gasserian Ganglion ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Group Of Seven ◽  
Idiopathic Trigeminal Neuralgia ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Fine Print

✓ The β-endorphin content in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was evaluated in 10 patients with idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia during medical treatment (with or without carbamazepine) and after selective thermocoagulation of the Gasserian ganglion. These values were compared with those obtained in a control group of seven patients without pain problems. No statistically significant difference was found between patients suffering from trigeminal neuralgia and those without pain. Furthermore, neither pharmacological treatment nor surgery changed CSF endorphin values. It is concluded that there is no pathogenetic relationship between trigeminal neuralgia and endorphins.

Effect of hyperglycemia on brain pH levels in areas of focal incomplete cerebral ischemia in monkeys

1986 ◽  
Vol 65 (5) ◽  
pp. 693-696 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Richard Marsh ◽  
Robert E. Anderson ◽  
Thoralf M. Sundt
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effect ◽  
Cerebral Ischemia ◽  
Cell Damage ◽  
Treated Group ◽  
Squirrel Monkeys ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brain Ph ◽  
Fine Print ◽  
Incomplete Ischemia

✓ The adverse effect of a minimal cerebral blood flow (CBF) in models of global ischemia has been noted by many investigators. One factor believed important in this situation is the level of blood glucose, since a continued supply of this metabolite results in increased tissue lactate, decreased brain pH, and increased cell damage. The authors have extended these observations to a model of focal incomplete ischemia. Brain pH was measured in fasted squirrel monkeys in regions of focal incomplete ischemia after transorbital occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCA). In both control and hyperglycemic animals, CBF was reduced to less than 30% of baseline. At 3 hours after MCA occlusion, brain pH in the control group was 6.66 ± 0.68 as compared to 6.27 ± 0.26 in the glucose-treated group. This difference was statistically significant by Student's unpaired t-test (p < 0.05). Thus, hyperglycemia results in decreased tissue pH in regions of focal incomplete cerebral ischemia in monkeys.

En bloc laminoplasty without dissection of paraspinal muscles

2005 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noboru Hosono ◽  
Hironobu Sakaura ◽  
Yoshihiro Mukai ◽  
Takahiro Ishii ◽  
Hideki Yoshikawa
Keyword(s):  
Ct Scanning ◽  
Cord Compression ◽  
Neck Muscle ◽  
Open Door ◽  
En Bloc ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Spinous Processes ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Fine Print

Object. Although conducting cervical laminoplasty in patients with multisegmental cord compression provides good neurological results, it is not without shortcomings, including C-5 palsy, axial neck pain, and undesirable radiologically detectable changes. Postoperative kyphosis and segmental instability can cause neurological problems and are believed mainly to result from neck muscle disruption. The authors developed a new laminoplasty technique, with the aim of preserving optimal muscle function. Methods. The present technique is a modification of unilateral open-door laminoplasty. By using an ultrasonic osteotome in small gaps of muscle bellies, a gutter is made without disrupting muscles, spinous processes, or their connections on the hinged side. Ceramic spacers are then positioned between elevated laminae and lateral masses at C-3, C-5, and C-7 on the opened side, which is exposed in a conventional manner. This new procedure was used to treat 37 consecutive patients with compression myelopathy. Postoperative computerized tomography (CT) scanning revealed a significant difference in a cross-sectional area of muscles between the hinged and opened side. The mean follow-up period was 40.2 months (range 24–54 months). Changes in alignment were observed in only one patient, and vertebral slippage developed in two. Performed at regular intervals, CT scanning demonstrated that the elevated laminae remained in situ throughout the study period. Conclusions. In using the present unilateral open-door laminoplasty technique, deep extensor muscles are left intact along with their junctions to spinous processes on the hinged side. Radiologically documented changes were minimal because the preserved muscles functioned normally immediately after the operation.

A metaanalysis comparing the results of pallidotomy performed using microelectrode recording or macroelectrode stimulation

2002 ◽  
Vol 96 (6) ◽  
pp. 1058-1062 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ravikant S. Palur ◽  
Caglar Berk ◽  
Michael Schulzer ◽  
Christopher R. Honey
Keyword(s):  
Intracranial Hemorrhage ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Complication Rates ◽  
Microelectrode Recording ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Medline Search ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Active Debate ◽  
Unilateral Pallidotomy ◽  
Fine Print

Object. There is an active debate regarding whether pallidotomy should be performed using macroelectrode stimulation or the more sophisticated and expensive method of microelectrode recording. No prospective, randomized trial results have answered this question, although personnel at many centers claim one method is superior. In their metaanalysis the authors reviewed published reports of both methods to determine if there is a significant difference in clinical outcomes or complication rates associated with these methods. Methods. A metaanalysis was performed with data from reports on the use of unilateral pallidotomy in patients with Parkinson disease (PD) that were published between 1992 and 2000. A Medline search was conducted for the key word “pallidotomy” and additional studies were added following a review of the references. Only those studies dealing with unilateral procedures performed in patients with PD were included. Papers were excluded if they described a cohort smaller than 10 patients or a follow-up period shorter than 3 months or included cases that previously had been reported. The primary end points for outcome were the percentages of improvement in dyskinesias and in motor scores determined by the Unified PD Rating Scale (UPDRS). Complications were categorized as mortality, intracranial hemorrhage, visual deficit, speech deficit, cognitive decline, weakness, and other. There were no significant differences between the two methods with respect to improvements in dyskinesias (p = 0.66) or UPDRS motor scores (p = 0.62). Microelectrode recording was associated with a significantly higher (p = 0.012) intracranial hemorrhage rate (1.3 ± 0.4%), compared with macroelectrode stimulation (0.25 ± 0.2%). Conclusions. In reports of patients with PD who underwent unilateral pallidotomy, operations that included microelectrode recording were associated with a small, but significantly higher rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage; however, there was no difference in postoperative reduction of dyskinesia or bradykinesia compared with operations that included macroelectrode stimulation.

The outcome of severe closed head injury

1991 ◽  
Vol 75 (Supplement) ◽  
pp. S28-S36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence F. Marshall ◽  
Theresa Gautille ◽  
Melville R. Klauber ◽  
Howard M. Eisenberg ◽  
John A. Jane ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Head Injury ◽  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Severe Head Injury ◽  
Closed Head Injury ◽  
Data Bank ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Severity Of Injury ◽  
Gcs Score ◽  
Fine Print ◽  
Overall Mortality

✓ The outcome of severe head injury was prospectively studied in patients enrolled in the Traumatic Coma Data Bank (TCDB) during the 45-month period from January 1, 1984, through September 30, 1987. Data were collected on 1030 consecutive patients admitted with severe head injury (defined as a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 8 or less following nonsurgical resuscitation). Of these, 284 either were brain-dead on admission or had a gunshot wound to the brain. Patients in these two groups were excluded, leaving 746 patients available for this analysis. The overall mortality rate for the 746 patients was 36%, determined at 6 months postinjury. As expected, the mortality rate progressively decreased from 76% in patients with a postresuscitation GCS score of 3 to approximately 18% for patients with a GCS score of 6, 7, or 8. Among the patients with nonsurgical lesions (overall mortality rate, 31%), the mortality rate was higher in those having an increased likelihood of elevated intracranial pressure as assessed by a new classification of head injury based on the computerized tomography findings. In the 276 patients undergoing craniotomy, the mortality rate was 39%. Half of the patients with acute subdural hematomas died — a substantial improvement over results in previous reports. Outcome differences between the four TCDB centers were small and were, in part, explicable by differences in patient age and the type and severity of injury. This study describes head injury outcome in four selected head-injury centers. It indicates that a mortality rate of approximately 35% is to be expected in such patients admitted to experienced neurosurgical units.

Results of applying ADCON-L gel after lumbar discectomy: the German ADCON-L study

2001 ◽  
Vol 95 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans-Peter Richter ◽  
Erich Kast ◽  
Rainer Tomczak ◽  
Werner Besenfelder ◽  
Wilhelm Gaus
Keyword(s):  
Lumbar Disc ◽  
Animal Experiments ◽  
Treated Group ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Large Sample Size ◽  
Therapeutic Success ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Fine Print

Object. Failed-back syndrome is still an unsolved problem. Use of ADCON-L gel, already commercially available, has been proven to reduce postoperative scarring in animal experiments. The authors of two controlled clinical studies have also shown positive results when applying the gel. They did not, however, establish patient-oriented endpoints. The authors report a study of ADCON-L in which they focus on patient-oriented endpoints. Methods. Patients with lumbar disc herniation were randomized to an ADCON-L—treated or control group. Therapeutic success was evaluated using the validated Hannover Questionnaire on Activities of Daily Living (FFbH) 6 months after surgery. The study took place between November 14, 1996, and April 20, 1998, in eight neurosurgical centers in Germany. A total of 398 patients was recruited; 41 patients dropped out during follow up. The mean functional FFbH score (100 points = all activities are possible without problem; 0 points = no activity is possible) was 78.5 points in the ADCON-L—treated group compared with 80 points in the control group. Furthermore, in terms of secondary outcome variables, the ADCON-L group did not have an advantage over the control group. Only the mean magnetic resonance imaging score showed a slight advantage of ADCON-L over the control group. Conclusions. The authors found no positive effect of treatment with ADCON-L gel in patients in whom one-level lumbar microdiscectomy was performed. Because of its rather large sample size and its homogeneity, the study had sufficient power to detect even small differences between the two groups.

High-risk mild head injury

1997 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
pp. 234-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
John N. K. Hsiang ◽  
Theresa Yeung ◽  
Ashley L. M. Yu ◽  
Wai S. Poon
Keyword(s):  
Head Injury ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Mild Head Injury ◽  
Radiographic Findings ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Head Injured ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Gcs Score ◽  
Injured Patients ◽  
Fine Print

✓ The generally accepted definition of mild head injury includes Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores of 13 to 15. However, many studies have shown that there is a heterogeneous pathophysiology among patients with GCS scores in this range. The current definition of mild head injury is misleading because patients classified in this category can have severe sequelae. Therefore, a prospective study of 1360 head-injured patients with GCS scores ranging from 13 to 15 who were admitted to the neurosurgery service during 1994 and 1995 was undertaken to modify the current definition of mild head injury. Data regarding patients' age, sex, GCS score, radiographic findings, neurosurgical intervention, and 6-month outcome were collected and analyzed. The results of this study showed that patients with lower GCS scores tended to have suffered more serious injury. There was a statistically significant trend across GCS scores for percentage of patients with positive acute radiographic findings, percentage receiving neurosurgical interventions, and percentage with poor outcome. The presence of postinjury vomiting did not correlate with findings of acute radiographic abnormalities. Based on the results of this study, the authors divided all head-injured patients with GCS scores ranging from 13 to 15 into mild head injury and high-risk mild head injury groups. Mild head injury is defined as a GCS score of 15 without acute radiographic abnormalities, whereas high-risk mild head injury is defined as GCS scores of 13 or 14, or a GCS score of 15 with acute radiographic abnormalities. This more precise definition of mild head injury is simple to use and may help avoid the confusion caused by the current classification.

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