How Do I Diagnose and Manage SCIWORA?
38 How Do I Diagnose and Manage SCIWORA? Jack E. Wilberger BRIEF ANSWER Neurologic complaints that develop in a child after apparently trivial spine trauma should be taken seriously. Even…
When Is It Safe to Extubate a Newly Quadriplegic Patient? When Is Early Tracheostomy Appropriate?
37 When Is It Safe to Extubate a Newly Quadriplegic Patient? When Is Early Tracheostomy Appropriate? Christopher N. Faber and Antonios Zikos BRIEF ANSWER There exist no criteria that reliably…
At What Level Should I Start Treating Elevated Intracranial Pressure?
24 At What Level Should I Start Treating Elevated Intracranial Pressure? Juan Sahuquillo BRIEF ANSWER Intracranial pressure (ICP)-targeted therapy remains the gold standard in the management of severely head-injured patients….
Does Methylprednisolone Help Patients with Spinal Cord Injury?
35 Does Methylprednisolone Help Patients with Spinal Cord Injury? Alex B. Valadka BRIEF ANSWER The National Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study (NASCIS) 2 concluded that a protocol for administration of…
Can I Say “No” If a Family Wants to Support a Vegetative Patient Indefinitely?
34 Can I Say “No” If a Family Wants to Support a Vegetative Patient Indefinitely? John M. Luce BRIEF ANSWER Most American courts allow surrogate decision makers to withdraw or…
Why Have Therapeutic Trials in Head Injury Been Unable to Demonstrate Benefits?
23 Why Have Therapeutic Trials in Head Injury Been Unable to Demonstrate Benefits? Azadeh Farin and Lawrence F. Marshall The topic of this chapter does not lend itself to the…
Do I Need to Decompress Patients with Spinal Cord Injury Right Away?
39 Do I Need to Decompress Patients with Spinal Cord Injury Right Away? Lali H.S. Sekhon and Michael G. Fehlings BRIEF ANSWER Despite strong experimental evidence that early decompression after…
When Should Head-Injured Patients with Long-Bone Fractures Undergo Surgical Treatment of Their Fractures?
32 When Should Head-Injured Patients with Long-Bon Fractures Undergo Surgical Treatment of Their Fractures Alex B. Valadka BRIEF ANSWER Surgical fixation of femur and other long bone fractures represents a…
Does Decompressive Craniectomy Really Improve Outcome After Head Injury?
29 Does Decompressive Craniectomy Really Improve Outcome After Head Injury? Brian T. Andrews BRIEF ANSWER The evidence supports classifying the performance of a decompressive craniectomy as a level II recommendation…
When Should Follow-Up Computed Tomography Scans Be Obtained?
18 When Should Follow-Up Computed Tomography Scans Be Obtained? John A. Lopez, J. Paul Elliott BRIEF ANSWER The evidence supports a level III recommendation for use of serial computed tomography…
