Fundamentals of Care for Severe Traumatic Brain Injury
Severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a source of significant financial burden on the American health care system. Managing TBI can feel like a juggling act, but observing critical care…
Sudden Neurologic Worsening
Generating a comprehensive, yet focused, differential diagnosis for sudden neurologic worsening in the postoperative patient can be challenging. It must take into consideration the procedure itself, the structures manipulated, preceding…
Disorders of Electrophysiology Following Severe Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) produces electrophysiologic abnormalities that are critical to monitor. EEG is required to diagnose most seizures (Sz) that occur after severe TBI, provides information about background activity,…
Challenges to Neurocritical Care Management in Polytrauma
Neurocritical care management of the polytrauma patient with neurologic injury demands a methodical, systems-based, multidisciplinary approach to optimize outcomes and minimize secondary harms. Hemodynamic stability is the linchpin of a…
Fluids, Electrolytes, and Nutrition in the Critically Ill Patient with Neurotrauma
Fluid, electrolytes, and nutrition are vital components in the management of critically ill patients. Patients with neurotrauma present certain challenges and considerations, specifically with the need to mitigate secondary injury…
Endocrinopathy and Dysautonomia
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with endocrinopathies affecting all major hypothalamic-pituitary hormone axes and dysautonomia due to injury to sympathetic structures, inhibitory networks, or the spinal cord. Identification and…
Thrombosis and Coagulopathy
Effective anticoagulation management is crucial for balancing thromboembolism and hemorrhage risks in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI). A systematic review from January 1984 to…
Fever in the Neurocritically Ill Patient
Fever among patients in the neurologic intensive care unit (ICU) is common and is associated with worse outcomes. Such fevers are likely due to infection or neurologic injury. Measures to…
Challenges in Pulmonary Management after Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injury
Pulmonary complications after traumatic injuries of the brain and spinal cord are common and can significantly worsen patient outcomes. These include neurogenic pulmonary edema, pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and…
Multimodality Monitoring for the Management of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury
This review on multimodality monitoring for severe traumatic brain injury management aims to act as a comprehensive reference document for the field of neurocritical care. Particularly, the integration of intracranial…
