[Extrapontine myelinolysis developed after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (a case report and literature review)]. / Ekstrapontinnyi mielinoliz, razvivshiisya posle anevrizmaticheskogo subarakhnoidal'nogo krovoizliyaniya (sluchai iz praktiki i obzor literatury).

TOPICALITY: Central pontine and extrapontine myelinolysis is a rare and dangerous form of the demyelinating process of undefined origin, the development of which is associated with a very low sodium level in the blood (hypernatremia). OBJECTIVE: To describe a rare case of extrapontine myelinolysis as a complication occurring in the hemorrhagic period of anterior communicating artery aneurysm rupture as well as to demonstrate that this condition can be diagnosed intravitally. CONCLUSION: Clinical vigilance of extrapontine myelinolysis may promote the timely diagnosis and treatment of this disease, which is a potential cause of death. Pulse-therapy with glucocorticoids provides the opportunity to achieve regression of neurological symptoms and to stabilize the patient's condition.

[VEGETATIVE REACTIONS AS PROGNOSTIC FACTOR IN POSTERIOR FOSSA SURGERY].

Mortality rate related to posterior fossa tumors resection varies from 1 to 8 percent, according to various authors. It depends on tumor size and its growth characteristics. To determine the physiological acceptability of surgery, physiological significance of vegetative reactions associated with tumors resection has to be assessed. We divide these reactions (centrogenic reactions - CR) into 2 main groups. The first group has a relatively precise morphofunctional structure, similar to the classic reflex arc. They appear due to irritation of local centers or cranial nerves nuclei with mixed motor-vegetative structure. In most cases they are not connected with anatomic damage of CNS structures. The second group of CR is correlated with dysfunction of brain and represents brain s attempt to turn into a new functional state. Their presence should be considered as a functional degradation symptom, which might be even irreversible. Emergence from anesthesia in the operative room is not recommended in this clinical situation. Neurovegetative stabilization should be provided for a period of 6 to 24 hours after tumor resection.

[N-TERMINAL PRO-BRAIN NATRIURETIC PEPTIDE AS BIOMARKER OF ACUTE BRAIN INJURY].

Laboratory diagnostic is very important in treatment of acute brain injury, together with neurophysiology and neurovisualisation methods. Biomarkers measurements can provide early brain injury diagnostic, monitoring of treatment as well as outcome prediction. We studied dynamic of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (n-proBNP) level in patients with acute brain injury (intracranial hemorrage, traumatic brain injury, tumors). All patients were divided into 3 groups (by etiology of injury), each group consist of 2 subgroups: a - survivors with good outcome (I-II group in Glasgow outcome scale (GOS)); b - dead or severe morbidity (III-V group in GOS). High level of n-proBNP was mentioned in all groups. N-proBNP level was not correlated with etiology of injury. In cases of n-proBNB increasing more than 700pg/ml outcome was poor - severe morbidity or death. We suppose N-proBNP can be significant acute brain injury biomarker, useful to outcome prediction.

[Neurovegetative stabilization as a pathogenetic therapy for brain damage].

The article deals with neurovegetative stabilization as a pathogenetic therapy for brain damage. The approach is based on hypothesis that pharmacological effecting on central nervous system is able to make a passive protective medical system which can be close to passive protective systems widely represented in the nature. Complex opioid and clonidine administration provides sufficient level of neurovegetative stability on account of effecting on neuro-regulative structures the brain steam. Neurovegetative stabilization should be carry out in order of warning principle. In our opinion optimal doses are fentanyl 0.2-1.4 mkg kg(-1) per hour, clonidine 0.2-0.7 mkg kg(-1) per hour, propofol 0.5-2 mkg kg(-1) per hour, penthonal sodium 1-4 mkg kg(-1) per hour; diazepam 0.4-0.5 mkg kg(-1), and midazolam 0.05-0.2 mkg kg(-1) per hour. A criterion of the therapy sufficiency is a consistency between changes of different functional parameters. We believe the most important that new level of functioning must be maximally integrated and harmonized. It is possible if all pharmacological agents include the most reliable programs of adaptation complex human body reactions.

[The application of the tracheostomy technique in neuroresuscitation].

The objective of the present study was to compare the frequency of complications associated with percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy by the method of Griggs and conventional surgical tracheostomy. The retrospective analysis of 120 critically ill patients maintained by mechanical ventilation and neurorehabilitated following tracheostomies was carried out. The two groups of the patients were matched for the age and severity of their clinical conditions. No difference was documented between the frequencies of complications after the treatment using the two surgical strategies. It is concluded that both percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy and conventional surgical tracheostomy may be recommended for the use in clinical practice.

[Prognostic criteria for tracheostomy in the neuroresuscitation unit].

UNLABELLED: The aim is to specify prognostic criteria for tracheostomy on the basis of long-term (more than 14 days) ALV and prolonged (more than 14 days) trachea canmulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospectively were analyzed the medical history of 120 difficult patients with tracheostomy, who spent in ICU more than 72 hours. Was executed multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: In patients with consciousness level of 8 or less points on the Glasgow coma scale and subarachnoid hemorrhage, detected on CT scan of the brain, increases the chances for prolonged ALV versus patients without these signs in 3.93 times. In patients with constrained basal cisterns, detected on CT scan of the brain and to the consciousness level of 8 or less points on the Glasgow coma scale versus patients without these signs increases the chances of the prolonged trachea cannulation in 5 times. CONCLUSION: Prognostic criteria for tracheostomy in patients in neuroresuscitation unit are: criteria for prolonged ALV: level of 8 or less points on the Glasgow coma scale and subarachnoid hemorrhage and criteria for prolonged trachea cannulation: constrained basal cisterns, detected on CT scan of the brain and to the consciousness level of 8 or less points on the Glasgow coma scale.

[Using of tranexamic acid (Tranexam) for prevention and correction of coagulopathy during brain tumors removal].

The aim of the study is to estimate clinical effectiveness of fibrinolysis inhibitor Tranexam in neurosurgical patients with intracranial tumors. The medication was prescribed to 78 patients from 27 to 65 years old. The control group consisted of 57 patients. The following criteria were assessed to estimate the impact of the medication on hemostasis: APPT, PT index, TT, fibrinogen, ATIII activity, factor XII-derived fibrinolysis, spontaneous euglobulin lysis. Blood sampling was drawn at the following stages: after the induction of anesthesia, before Tranexam injection, 30 minutes after Tranexam injection, on the next day after the surgery. Blood from jugular and peripheral veins was analyzed simultaneously. The medication caused significant decrease of fibrinolytic activity. The use of Tranexam was followed by bleeding reduction in the wound. The duration of surgical hemostasis in the main group was 11,7 +/- 3,3 minutes which is significantly lower than in the control group (18,1 +/- 3,1 minutes) (p = 0,034). Drainage blood loss was lower in the main group (267 +/- 23 ml a day) than in the control group (340 +/- 28 ml a day). Medication injection during diffuse bleeding from small vessels led to quick and visible bleeding reduction. Thus Tranexam decreases the risk of intraoperative blood loss in the patients with brain tumors.

[Specific features of anesthetic management of surgical treatment of malignant tumors of the skull base].

Neurosurgical interventions on the skull base including craniofacial block-resections were fulfilled on 36 patients aged from 16 through 73 years. Preoperative management of the patients was made mainly at the intensive therapy room. It included correction of water-electrolyte, protein metabolism, anemia. The key moments in the anesthetic management of such operations were maintenance of an adequate level of neurovegetative blockade, sufficient level of volemia by means of creating hypervolemic hemodilution, prophylactics of air embolism.

[Centrogenic reactions and their prognostic value during surgeries for posterior cranial fossa tumors in children].

The purpose of the study was to define the parameters of intraoperative monitoring, which allowed the prediction of complications due to surgery for posterior cranial fossa in children and the planning postoperative treatment tactics. The hypnotic propofol and a combination of the narcotic analgesic fentanyl and alpha 2-adrenoblocker clofelin were used to induce and maintain anesthesia. All patients were operated on in the sitting position. Hemodynamic parameters, arterial blood saturation, end-expiratory carbon dioxide tension, and central venous pressure were intraoperatively studied. As electrophysiological monitoring, the authors studied electroencephalograms and brainstem auditory evoked potentials by an Indeaver monitor (Nicolet). The investigators analyzed readings and data on admission to the operating suite, at the stages of anesthesia maintenance and surgery. The findings were used to define indications for anesthesia using the narcotic analgesic fentanyl and alpha 2-adrenoblocker clofelin in the postoperative period.

[Intraoperative monitoring and its practical value in operations for tumors of the posterior cranial fossa in children].

The work is based on an analysis of the course of anesthetic aid, operative and early postoperative period in 62 patients aged from 15 months to 18 years with tumors of the posterior cranial fossa. The analysis concerned changes to the indices of systemic hemodynamics, findings of electrophysiological monitoring (electroencephalogram, acoustic stem induced potentials) and their interrelation with the outcomes of surgery. It was found that permanent disturbance of the heart rate such as bradycardia and tachycardia as well as the decreased indices of latency of peaks of the acoustic stem induced potentials and inter-peak intervals registered at the stage of removal of tumors of the posterior cranial fossa must be taken into consideration in the estimation of indications to medicinal narcosis in the postoperative period.

[Infectious safety in neurosurgical patients. The specific features of infectious complications in patients with subtentorial tumors, their diagnosis and treatment].

The paper analyzes the incidence of the major infectious complications (regional and systemic) developing in neurosurgical patients (3630 patients with neurosurgical diseases and 872 with abnormalities of the posterior cranial fossa (PCF)) in the postoperative period after removal of subtentorial tumors. Regional pyoseptic complications are shown to occur in patients with PCF abnormalities three times more frequently. The basic diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to pyoseptic complications in neurosurgical patients are also considered.

[Changes of hemo- and liquor-dynamics during intravascular interventions on venous-arterial malformations of the brain].

Changes in the arterial and venous blood flow and liquor-dynamics during intravascular venous-arterial interventions were studied in 30 patients with venous-arterial malformations of the brain. It was found that against the background of reduced venous-arterial shunting no expected drop of pressure in the jugular veins occured. Data were obtained on possible active autoregulation of pressure by the jugular veins. The investigation of pressure in the sinus system of the brain has shown that it correlates with intracerebral and systemic arterial pressure. The results obtained can be used in vascular neurosurgery, anesthesiology and neurology.

[Using solutions of hydroxyethyl starch (6% HES 200/0.5 (refortan) and 6% HES 130/0.4 (voluven)) in neuroanesthesiology].

The paper provides the results of a complex experimental and clinical study of the effects of infusion solutions of hydroxyethyl starch (HES 200/0.5--Refortan and HES 130/0.4--Voluven) on hemostatic and systemic hemodynamic parameters in patients operated on for neurosurgical pathology of the brain. The HES solutions are shown to have a more pronounced volemic effect and a slightly higher hypocoagulation effect on the hemostatic system (as compared with physiological solution); the latter does not, however, achieve its clinical value with the used doses of the solutions.

[The types and clinical significance of centrogenic reactions occurring during removal of tumors of the posterior cranial fossa].

Specific reactions, the so-called centrogenic reactions or short reflexes, occur in patients when intracranial tumors of the posterior cranial fossa are removed. The authors divide centrogenic reactions into two major groups: types 1 and 2 reactions. The study was based on the analysis of 110 case histories of posterior cranial fossa tumors that were at the extracerebral site. In the study group, centrogenic reactions were recorded in all the patients during neoplasm removal. The findings suggest that these reactions occur mainly in giant tumors of the posterior cranial fossa and decompensation conditions. In patients with type 2 centrogenic reactions, complications and progressive neurological deficit were more frequently observed in the early postoperative period than in those who were had type 1 centrogenic reactions.

[Use of amantadine sulfate (PK-MERZ) during emergence from coma: results of a multicenter study].

The paper gives the results of the first multicenter study of the efficiency of using amantadine sulfate (PK-Merz) in patients with acute cerebral disease during coma emergence. The study has shown a positive effect of this drug at coma emergence, which manifested itself as clinical improvement and a better outcome of the disease. Full objectivism of the findings requires further studies.

[Infectious complications after brain tumor removal: some aspects of their prevention, diagnosis, and treatment].

A hundred and fifty-five case histories of neurosurgical patients with the complicated early postoperative period were analyzed. Early postoperative regional pyoinflammatory complications were developed in 21 (4.4%) of 481 patients. There was meningitis in 17 (3.5%) cases, ventriculitis in 2 (0.4%), and wound infection (skin flap suppuration and postoperative wound fistula). Systemic pyoinflammatory complications were observed in 8% of the patients. Among them, there were pyoinflammatory complications in the respiratory system in 30 (6.2%) cases, pyonecrotic cystitis in 5 (1%), and sepsis in 2 (0.4%). Risk factors for regional and systemic complications are shown. Based on the findings, recommendations are given to prevent and treat pyoseptic complications in neurosurgical patients.

[Experience with using of solutions of hydroxyethyl starch (refortan and voluven) in neuroanesthesiology].

The investigation has shown that solutions of hydroxyethyl starch included in complex infusion therapy facilitate stabilization of hemodynamics in neurosurgical patients during surgery. Refortan exerts a more pronounced effect on the indices of hemodynamics as compared with voluven, but its modifying action on the hemostasis system is also more pronounced. These medicines used in doses 6-8 ml/kg fail to have substantial effects on efficiency of hemostasis in the brain wound and do not increase risk of postoperative hemorrhagic complications.