Intermediate care units : Recommendations on facilities and structure.

A growing number of patients with increasingly complex or specialized diseases are being treated in hospitals worldwide. The treatment requirements of some of these patients are exceeding the capacity of standard nursing units. However, the severity of these diseases or the treatment requirements for these specific clinical pictures do not always justify admission to an intensive care unit. For this reason, an increasing number of special units (intermediate care units) are being set up to offer highly specialized treatment and close monitoring, in order to fulfil an intermediate role between the standard care unit and the intensive care unit. The recommendations of the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (DIVI) on the personnel, capacity, equipment and structure of these units are intended to provide the framework for the setting up and operation of intermediate care units in collaboration with experts on both an evidence-based and an expert-based basis (where scientific evidence is not available). Where only minimal or indirect evidence is available, patient safety is paramount in the formulation of the recommendation.

Guidelines for the Treatment of Head Injury in Adults.

The workshop of scientific medical faculties (Arbeitsgemeinschaft wissenschaftlicher medizinischer Fakultäten [AWMF]) of Germany has asked societies of specific medical disciplines to jointly publish guidelines on the treatment of diseases and injuries. On behalf of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie, its commission on guidelines initiated an interdisciplinary approach to publish guidelines on the treatment of head injury in adults. These guidelines were published in German by the AWMF in late 2015. Because these guidelines have received widespread attention in Germany and became fundamental for research in head injuries, we have translated the German version into English to make it accessible to the international scientific community.

[School re-integration after child brain dislocation : The trauma surgeon's role]. / Schulische Reintegration nach kindlicher Gehirnerschütterung : Die Rolle des Unfallchirurgen.

Concussion injury of the brain is still a frequently underestimated injury, which can be associated with long-lasting consequences. Compared to adults, the recovery phase is often prolonged in childhood. Primary treatment consists of symptom-dependent physical and mental activities. Re-integration into daily life is crucial. In childhood, the primary focus is therefore on returning to school. New symptoms, or an increased presence of symptoms must be detected, to avoid prolonged recovery courses. School restrictions have to be minimized. Corresponding concepts are already implemented in North America. Comparable concepts are not established in Germany. In addition to well-known standard return-to-play protocols for sport re-integration, it is urgently recommended to integrate gradual return-to-learn protocols.Thus, academic adaptations and support must be established as well as symptom-oriented organizational and teaching modules.

[Treatment of traumatic brain injury in Germany]. / Versorgung Schädel-Hirn-Verletzter in Deutschland.

The relationship between severe, moderate and mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) as well as the course of treatment and quality management, were studied in a 1-year prospective study in regions of Hannover and Münster Germany. A total of 6,783 patients were documented at the initial examination (58.4% male, 28.1% children <16 years old) and 63.5% participated in the follow-up survey 1 year after the accident. Of these TBI patients 5,220 (73%) were admitted to hospital for clinical treatment but only 258 (<4%) received inpatient rehabilitation. The incidence of TBI was 332/100,000 inhabitants and according to the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) brain injury was mild in 90.9%, severe in 5.2% and moderate in 3.9%. The main cause of injury was a fall (52.5%) followed by a traffic accident (26.3%). In-hospital mortality was 1%. Only 56% of TBI patients were neurological examined and 63% were examined in hospital within the first hour after the accident. An immediate x-ray of the skull with a doubtful evidential value was made in 82%. Of the participants 35.9% were still receiving medical treatment 1 year after the accident although the majority only suffered mild TBI. An overabundance of severe socioeconomic consequences, e.g. loss of job, accommodation, family, were also found following only mild TBI.

[Monitoring intracranial pressure. Indication, limits, practice]. / Monitoring des Hirndrucks. Indikation, Limitierungen, Praxis.

The function of the brain is not checkable in comatose or sedated patients. Because secondary brain damage will often cause brain edema it is necessary to recognize the resulting increases in brain pressure. Therefore, measurement of intracranial brain pressure (ICP) is the standard monitoring procedure in neurological intensive care. The procedure with a small drill hole trepanation and the insertion of a micropressure sensor has a comparatively low complication rate and offers continuous monitoring with reliable values. Other neuro-monitoring procedures have not achieved the value of ICP measurement and only reflect changes in ICP with other measurement principles. ICP measurement is the procedure which is decisive for conservative measures in the intensive care unit to secure cerebral perfusion or indications for surgical treatment of brain edema. Central venous pressure, intra-abdominal pressure and positive end-expiratory pressure do not have a substantial influence on ICP.

[Diagnosis and treatment of traumatic brain injury]. / Diagnostik und Therapie von Schädel-Hirn-Traumen.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is still the major cause of death under 45 years of age and an important one for children under 15. Its incidence is 332/100,000 inhabitants. It results from an impact with the skull with/without lesion of the brain but at least a short-term neurological disorder. All other injuries to the skull should be called concussion. The duration of unconsciousness defines the severity of TBI. Patients with TBI should be admitted to a surgical ward. Those retaining consciousness and with GCS scores of 15 might be allowed to go home if under surveillance. With GCS of <15 or with risk factors, TBI requires a CT scan and in-hospital surveillance. Acutely life-threatening, i.e. space-occupying, bleeding must be operated on immediately. Epidural or subdural bleeding, especially in comatose patients, is still a vital risk and thus requires immediate surgery.

Decompressive craniectomy in traumatic brain injury: the randomized multicenter RESCUEicp study (www.RESCUEicp.com).

The RESCUEicp (Randomized Evaluation of Surgery with Craniectomy for Uncontrollable Elevation of intracranial pressure) study has been established to determine whether decompressive craniectomy has a role in the management of patients with traumatic brain injury and raised intracranial pressure that does not respond to initial treatment measures. We describe the concept of decompressive craniectomy in traumatic brain injury and the rationale and protocol of the RESCUEicp study.

Age-dependence of cerebrospinal parameters.

OBJECTIVE: The records of 159 patients were reviewed who routinely underwent a classical volume-pressure testing procedure due to suspected cerebrospinal fluid circulatory disorders. METHODS: Regression analyses were carried out to explain the cerebrospinal parameters' relationships to age. Least median squares (LMS) algorithms achieved robust estimation of simple linear model parameters. Also, method of weighted regression was used because of unequal variances in the observations. RESULTS: Cerebrospinal elastance and resistance to outflow revealed significant LMS regressions: y = 0.171x + 7.460 (n = 159, p < 0.0001) and y = 0.096x + 1.871 (n = 97, p < 0.0001), respectively. Similarly, weighting data resulted in models such as y = 0.151x + 6.830 (p < 0.0001) for elastance and y = 0.087x + 1.730 (p < 0.0001) for resistance estimates. The intracranial pressure at rest showed no age-related dependency. Both clear clinical and morphological signs were found in 20% of patients. CONCLUSION: Expecting no time-variant properties we surprisingly found a significant linear relationship in cerebrospinal parameters and age. Thus, parameter magnitudes are not likely dominated by a pathological process only but also determined by temporal system alterations.

The neurosurgeon on duty -- quality and quantity of acute care.

OBJECTIVE: An important part of the daily routine in neurosurgery is the treatment of emergency room admissions, acute cases from other departments or from outside hospitals. This acute care is not normally included in performance figures or budget management nor analysed scientifically with respect to quantity and quality of care provided by neurosurgeons. METHOD: Over a one-year period, all acute care cases managed by two neurosurgical on-call teams in Hannover (Northern Germany, 522 000 inhabitants) were recorded prospectively on a day-by-day basis. A large database of 1 819 entries was created and analysed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The minimum incidence of neurosurgical acute care cases was estimated to be 75-115/100 000 inhabitants/year. This corresponds to a mean of approximately 6 per day. The majority of patients was admitted after 5 p. m. and on weekends. Only 30 % of cases came directly via the emergency room. The fate of 70 % of patients depended initially on the "neurosurgical qualification" of primary care doctors and here deficits existed. Over one year the additional workload from acute care amounted to 1 000 unplanned admissions, 900 acute imaging procedures and almost 600 emergency operations. CONCLUSION: The current policy in public health which includes cuts in resources, transport facilities and manpower is not compatible with the demonstrated extent of acute neurosurgical care. In addition to routine elective work, a high number of extra admissions, evening or night-time surgery, and imaging procedures has to be carried out. These conclusions hold a special importance if health authorities wish to not just maintain present standards but to improve existing deficits.

Lumbar ependymoma presenting with paraplegia following attempted spinal anaesthesia.

Neurological deterioration from intraspinal haematoma following insertion of a spinal needle is extremely rare. We present the case of a 28-yr-old female, who presented with complete paraplegia following attempted spinal anaesthesia for delivery of her third child. Space-occupying iatrogenic spinal haemorrhage from a previously undiagnosed lumbar ependymoma was found to be the precipitating cause. Following laminotomy with blood clot and tumour removal her neurological function improved.

Acute care in neurosurgery: quantity, quality, and challenges.

OBJECTIVE: Part of the daily routine in neurosurgery is the treatment of emergency room admissions, and acute cases from other departments or from outside hospitals. This acute care is not normally included in performance figures or budget management, nor analysed scientifically in respect of quantity and quality of care provided by neurosurgeons. METHOD: Over a 1 year period, all acute care cases managed by two neurosurgical on call teams in a large northern German city, were recorded prospectively on a day by day basis. A large database of 1819 entries was created and analysed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The minimum incidence of patients requiring neurosurgical acute care was estimated to be 75-115/100 000 inhabitants/year. This corresponds to a mean of about 6/day. Only 30% of patients came directly via the emergency room. The fate of 70% of patients depended initially on the "neurosurgical qualification" of primary care doctors and here deficits existed. Although most intracerebral and subarachnoid haemorrhages were managed with the participation of neurosurgeons, they were not involved in the management of most mild and moderate traumatic brain injuries. Within 1 year the additional workload from acute care amounted to 1000 unplanned admissions, 900 acute imaging procedures, and almost 400 emergency operations. CONCLUSION: The current policy in public health, which includes cuts in resources, transport facilities, and manpower, is not compatible with the demonstrated extent of acute neurosurgical care. In addition to routine elective work, many extra admissions, evening or night time surgery, and imaging procedures have to be accomplished. An education programme for generalists is required to improve overall patient outcome. These conclusions hold special importance if health authorities wish to not only maintain present standards but aim to improve existing deficits.

[Multiple trauma with craniocerebral trauma. Early definitive surgical management of long bone fractures?]. / Polytrauma mit Schädel-Hirn-Trauma. Primär definitive operative Versorgung der langen Röhrenknochen?

Head injuries are found in 17.6% of all trauma in-patients and are the most common cause of death after injury (26.6%) in Germany. Main factors for the initial and follow up assessment are the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and pupil reaction. These are of a very predictive value for the outcome and are essential for the emergency crew to choose the adequat trauma hospital. Secondary transport to a higher level trauma center is affected by additional risk factors and a delay in diagnosis resp. treatment. This will increase mortality and must be strictly avoided. Sufficient oxygenation and circulation prevent the patient from secondary brain damage. A low GCS (< or = 8 p.) or specific additional injuries are an indication for immediate intubation. The outcome in patients with a systolic blood pressure below 90 mmHg on arrival is worse: The longer the time of correction the lower the rate of survival. After resuscitation early fracture treatment depends on hemoglobin concentration, hemostasis, oxygenation, body temperature, injury pattern and on the initial cranial CT scan. Cerebral swelling, seen or expected, is a contraindication for definitive fracture stabilization. After resuscitation reassessment should be done including a second CT scan. Cerebral monitoring is best performed by continuous measuring of the intracranial and the arterial pressure. Their difference determines the cerebral perfusion pressure which should be 60 mmHg at least. Intracranial pressure rates below 20 mmHg are favourable. Optimal management within the first days is essential for good outcome.

Artificial elevation of brain tissue glycerol by administration of a glycerol-containing agent. Case report.

In recent years the development of secondary brain damage and derangement of neurochemical parameters after severe head injury has been monitored using microdialysis. Provided the blood-brain barrier is intact, glycerol is regarded as a potential marker for membrane phospholipid degradation. The authors report a case in which marked elevation of interstitial glycerol was induced after exogenous administration of a glycerol-containing agent. A 25-year-old man was injured in a motorcycle accident and was admitted to the authors' institution with a unilateral dilated and fixed pupil and a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 3. Computerized tomography scans revealed a large subdural hematoma on the left side, subsequent midline shift, and generalized edema. Emergency craniotomy was performed for evacuation of the hematoma. The patient was prepared for multisensory monitoring and a microdialysis catheter was inserted into his left frontal lobe. After a routine enema containing 85% glycerol had been administered, the authors measured a marked increase in glycerol in the dialysate. This occurred while the patient was in as stable a condition as could be expected given the circumstances. The increase in interstitial glycerol in the injured tissue was most likely due to an impaired blood-brain barrier. Thus, the interstitial glycerol concentration had been corrupted by exogenous glycerol, and the marker properties of glycerol in this case became questionable. Consequently, administration of glycerol, which is frequently found in various infusions and emulsions, can promote secondary brain damage by adversely shifting osmotic gradients.

Pharyngeal pituitary: development, malformation, and tumorigenesis.

The development of the pharyngeal pituitary (PhP) in the fetal period was morphologically and, for the first time, immunohistochemically examined. PhP, found in every individual, begins its hormone production at the 17-18th week of gestation, that is, 4-8 weeks later than that of sellar pituitary (SP). Only 1 of 25 examined fetuses without any stigmata of developmental anomalies showed a residual pituitary fragment in the craniopharyngeal canal (craniopharyngeal pituitary, CPhP). An adult case of a rare clivus pituitary adenoma that we examined is demonstrated in discussing its relationship to PhP. Extracranial ectopic pituitary adenomas in the literature describe an exclusively sphenoid sinus/nasopharyngeal/clivus location of the tumor. Their location corresponded exactly with that of PhP, so that the origin of the tumors can be reasonably speculated as PhP, although another origin, e.g., CPhP, can not be excluded. A variety of malformations of PhP, although very rare, have been described for the fist time during the systemic examination of 16 fetuses with different cranioneural malformations, such as agenesis, unseparated PhP from SP (pharyngosellar pituitary), fragmentation, and residual pituitary tissue in the open craniopharyngeal canal. However, developmental anomaly of PhP was not specifically associated with cranioneural malformations except in cases of chromosomal aberrations. The hormone production in PhP in malformation cases tended to be retarded. Absence of SP was recorded in 50% of anencephalics in the literature; however, PhP was identified in all anencephalics in our series, independent of the existence of SP. This supports the opinion that agenesis of SP in anencephalics seems to be false information.

Cerebral blood flow in chronic hydrocephalus--a parameter indicating shunt failure--new aspects.

Prediction of outcome after shunt-therapy in chronic hydrocephalus syndrome is uncertain. Pathology reveals an impairment of cerebral blood flow (CBF). Based on this, we evaluated CBF and its significance for the assessment of prognosis. In 21 patients (mean age 69 years) selected for surgery, CBF was measured by PET (15O-H2O) before, about one week and 7 months (n = 14) after shunting. CBF was computed by a 1-compartmental model in the territories of the ACA, MCA and PCA. One PET slice in the height of the maximum projection of both cellae mediae was chosen. CBF data were standardized by cluster analysis. Three CBFClusters with significantly different CBF levels prior to shunting in the ACA, MCA and PCA territory, respectively, referred to the sample average (38.2 ml/100 ml/min) were found. These CBFClusters differed in clinical outcome: almost 50% and 90% of patients improved clinically in CBFCluster I, with a perfusion level lower than average, after one week and 7 months, respectively. In contrast, patients of CBFCluster II with an average perfusion did not improve. CBF changes 7 months after shunting related to global CBF before surgery showed a relationship with the clinical course. Clinical outcome corresponded with preoperative global CBF values. Cerebral blood flow lower than average forecasts clinical improvement. Our results suggest that measurement of CBF adds to the indication for surgery.

Treatment of elevated intracranial pressure by infusions of 10% saline in severely head injured patients.

The management of intracranial pressure (ICP) is a factor in outcome of patients with head trauma. However, recent studies have revealed that the current strategies, which have been applied to control ICP for adequate cerebral perfusion, are unsatisfactory. Against this background, the efficacy of short-term infusions of hypertonic saline on ICP was investigated. In severely head injured (SHI) patients, hypertonic saline (100 ml 10% NaCl) was administered when standard agents (mannitol, sorbitol, THAM) failed in reducing ICP. To evaluate the pressure reduction after saline infusions the resulting ICP relaxations were analysed statistically in respect to the parameters amplitude, duration and dynamic behaviour of the ICP responses. In 42 randomized relaxations, the relative ICP decrease was 43% [28%-58%] (median [interquartile range]). The corresponding pressure drop was 18 mmHg [15-27 mm Hg]. Relaxations lasted for 93 min [64-126 min] and a relative ICP minimum was reached 26 min [12-33 min] after infusion. In the individual cases the temporal course of the parameters amplitude and decline interval depict a tendency toward lower and higher values, respectively, under conditions of a generally increasing ICP. As expected, the infusion of hypertonic saline reduces ICP in patients suffering from SHI. The pressure drop, duration and dynamic behaviour are suspected to depend both on the pressure level to reduce and concomitant medications.

[Initial cranial CT for evaluating the prognosis of craniocerebral trauma]. / Das initiale kraniale CT zur Beurteilung der Prognose des Schädel-Hirn-Traumas.

A total of 208 multiple trauma patients with head injury (HI) were investigated who had been treated in the period from 1990 to 1995. The average age was 35.2 +/- 17.7 years; the injury severity according to ISS was 30.2 +/- 8.6 points; 20.5% died as a result of the HI; the mortality of all patients was 26.5%. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) was determined at an average of 22 min after trauma (8.0 +/- 4.3 points) at the scene of accident. The patients were classified according to GCS into minor HI (group 1: 14-15 points), moderate HI (group 2: 9-13 points) and severe HI (group 3: 3-8 points). Patient outcome was assessed by the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) and was classified as good (GOS 4 and 5) and poor (GOS 1, 2 and 3) outcome. At the latest, 2 h after trauma, a CT scan of the head (CCT) was done. The HI groups are compared regarding frequency of types of injury. In all HI groups the fractures of the bony face occurred at the same frequency (36.0-38.9%). The frequency of calotte fractures (Kal-Fx) increased from group 1 (8.0%) to 2 (19.2%) and 3 (25.6%); fractures of the skull base significantly differed between group 1 (16.0%), 2 (7.8%) and 3 (33.4%). Epidural hemorrhage (EDB) appeared only in group 2 (7.8%) and 3 (6.7); subdural hemorrhage was found in group 1 (2.7%), 2 (7.8%) and 3 (10.0%). Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAB) was significantly more frequently seen, dependent on HI severity, in group 3 (26.7%) compared to group 2 (11.7%) and 1 (8.0%). Intracerebral contusion (ICK) significantly increased from group 1 (12.0%) to 2 (27.3) and 3 (45.6%). Brain swelling (BS) also significantly increased from group 1 (8.0%) to 2 (19.5%) and 3 (49.0%) and lesions of ventricles (VL) from group 1 (2.7%) to 2 (11.7%) and 3 (20.0%). Midline shift (13.4%) and signs of herniation (4.5%) only occurred in group 3. The analysis of correlation/regression and receiver operating characteristics was able to predict 79% of patients' outcome accurately using GCS (r 0.54; P < 0.0001) alone, using CCT (r 0.65; P < 0.0001) 87% were correctly predicted with significant variables Cal-Fx, EDB, SAB and BS. CCT with GCS (r 0.74; P < 0.0001) were able to predict 88% accurately with significant variables Cal-Fx, EDB, BS and GCS. The combination of CCT with GCS, age and ISS (r 0.78; P < 0.0001) was able to predict only 87% correctly, although the r value was the highest; significant variable were Kal-Fx, EDB, BS, VL, GCS, age and ISS.