2013 Apr - Early prognostication in acute brain damage: where is the evidence?
Kalanuria, Atul A.; Geocadin, Romergryko G.; Current Opinion in Critical Care. 19(2):113-122, April 2013
Purpose of review: Early prognostication in acute brain damage remains a challenge in the realm of critical care. There remains controversy over the most optimal methods that can be utilized to predict outcome. The utility of recently reported prognostic biomarkers and clinical methods will be reviewed.
2013 Apr - Decompressive craniectomy in traumatic brain injury after the DECRA trial. Where do we stand?
Sahuquillo, Juan; Martínez-Ricarte, Francisco; Poca, Maria-Antonia; Current Opinion in Critical Care. 19(2):101-106, April 2013
Purpose of review: The results of the multicentre, randomized, controlled trial to test the effectiveness of decompressive craniectomy in adults with traumatic brain injury and high intracranial pressure (Decompressive Craniectomy, DECRA) were published in 2011. DECRA concluded that decompressive craniectomy decreased intracranial pressure (ICP) but was associated with more unfavourable outcomes. Our review aims to put the DECRA trial into context, comment on its findings and discuss whether we should include decompressive craniectomy in our clinical armamentarium.
2013 Apr - Clearing bloody cerebrospinal fluid: clot lysis, neuroendoscopy and lumbar drainage
Staykov, Dimitre; Schwab, Stefan; Current Opinion in Critical Care. 19(2):92-100, April 2013
Purpose of review: Bloody cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Different treatment strategies aiming at faster clearance of bloody CSF have emerged. The present review focuses on recent developments in the investigation of those treatments.