1/15. Reversible coma with raised intracranial pressure: an unusual clinical manifestation of cadasil.A 50-year-old woman presented with recurrent episodes of headache, nausea and disturbed consciousness that were fully reversible within a few days. Clinical and radiological findings suggested raised intracranial pressure, which on one occasion was confirmed by intracranial pressure monitoring. magnetic resonance imaging performed in the asymptomatic interval disclosed a diffuse leukoencephalopathy. Brain biopsy surprisingly revealed the typical vascular changes of cadasil and subtle endothelial alterations. The white matter showed edematous changes and reactive gliosis. Mutational analysis of the Notch3 gene revealed a previously unreported mutation. We suggest that a transient disturbance of the blood-brain barrier related to the underlying vascular pathology may have caused this unusual presentation of cadasil.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = coma (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/15. Proposed use of prophylactic decompressive craniectomy in poor-grade aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage patients presenting with associated large sylvian hematomas.OBJECTIVE: As a group, patients who present in poor neurological grade after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) often have poor outcomes. There may be subgroups of these patients, however, in which one pathological process predominates and for which the initiation of specific therapeutic interventions that target the predominant pathological process may result in improved outcome. We report the use of prophylactic decompressive craniectomy in patients presenting in poor neurological condition after SAH from middle cerebral artery aneurysms with associated large sylvian fissure hematomas. Craniectomy allowed significant parenchymal swelling in the posthemorrhagic period without increased intracranial pressure (ICP) or herniation syndrome. methods: Eight patients (mean age, 56.5 yr; age range, 42-66 yr) presented comatose with SAH (five Hunt and Hess Grade IV, three Hunt and Hess Grade V). Radiographic evaluations demonstrated middle cerebral artery aneurysm and associated large sylvian fissure hematoma (mean clot volume, 121 ml; range, 30-175 ml). patients were brought emergently to the operating room and treated with a modification of the pterional craniotomy and aneurysm clipping that included a planned craniectomy and duraplasty. A large, reverse question mark scalp flap was created, followed by bone removal with the following margins: anterior, frontal to the midpupillary line; posterior at least 2 cm behind the external auditory meatus; superior up to 2 cm lateral to the superior sagittal sinus; and inferior to the floor of the middle cranial fossa. Generous duraplasty was performed using either pericranium or suitable, commercially available dural substitutes. RESULTS: All of the eight patients tolerated the craniectomy without operative complications. Postoperatively, all patients experienced immediate decreases in ICP to levels at or below 20 mm Hg (presentation mean ICP, 31.6 mm Hg; postoperative mean ICP, 13.1 mm Hg). ICP control was sustained in seven of eight patients, with the one exception being due to a massive hemispheric infarction secondary to refractory vasospasm. Follow-up (> or = 1 yr, except for one patient who died during the hospital stay) demonstrated that the craniectomy patients had a remarkably high number of good or excellent outcomes. The outcomes in the hemicraniectomy group were five good or excellent, one fair, and two poor or dead. CONCLUSION: The data gathered in this study demonstrate that decompressive craniectomy can be performed safely as part of initial management for a subcategory of patients with SAH who present with large sylvian fissure hematomas. In addition, the performance of decompressive craniectomy in the patients described in this article seemed to be associated with rapid and sustained control of ICP. Although the number of patients in this study is small, the data lend support to the hypothesis that decompressive craniectomy may be associated with good or excellent outcome in a carefully selected subset of patients with SAH.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.25keywords = coma (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/15. Discrepancies between brain CT imaging and severely raised intracranial pressure proven by ventriculostomy in adults with pneumococcal meningitis.OBJECTIVES: Computed tomography (CT) of the brain is recommended for assessment of intracranial pressure (ICP) of patients with acute bacterial meningitis who are comatose or show focal neurological deficits. The aim of this report is to draw attention to the possibility of a discrepancy between CT findings and ICP values in some patients with pneumococcal meningitis. methods: We describe three adult patients with pneumococcal meningitis who had both successive CT examinations and ICP measurements at the time of clinically evident cerebral herniation (n = 2) and/or prolonged coma (n = 2). RESULTS: Although measurements with a ventriculostomy catheter indicated that all three patients had severely raised ICP values of 90, 44, and 45 mmHg, repeated cranial CT greatly underestimated true ICP values. Despite clinical evidence of acute cerebral herniation, it was not detected in the contemporary CT findings of two patients. Continuous ICP monitoring in the ICU helped to guide treatment for increased ICP; nevertheless, two patients died. CONCLUSIONS: The clinician must be aware that cranial CT may fail to rule out the possibility of severely raised ICP or cerebral herniation in a patient with pneumococcal meningitis. Therefore, ICP monitoring of patients with bacterial (especially pneumococcal) meningitis who are in prolonged coma should be considered early and regardless of the cranial CT appearances.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.75keywords = coma (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/15. Post-traumatic superior sagittal sinus thrombosis. Case report and analysis of the international literature.The objective of this study is to focus attention on cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), a rather infrequent disease, especially when following closed head injury. Consequently we started from the clinical case report, concerning a patient admitted to our polyvalent ICU in the Hospital of Avezzano (AQ), italy. The patient was a 15-year-old girl, that developed superior sagittal sinus (SSS) thrombosis following closed head injury (pedestrian run down by a car): owing to slow and progressive onset of deep coma with severe intracranial hypertension, emergency decompressive craniectomy was performed. The result was satisfying: patient conditions progressively improved, with return to consciousness, to good mobility and to good mental status. At present, 1 year after trauma, only mild disability is left over (right hand prehensile strength loss, and slightly moving gait). In conclusion, considering the literature data (intracerebral haematoma and deep coma are poor outcome predictors) and clinical evolution, we decided an aggressive surgical approach to save the patient's life, with satisfying results.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5keywords = coma (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/15. intracranial pressure measurement, induced hypothermia and barbiturate coma in meningitis associated with intractable raised intracranial pressure.We report the use of intracranial pressure monitoring, mild hypothermia and barbiturate coma in a patient with meningococcal meningitis complicated by raised intracranial pressure.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.25keywords = coma (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/15. Transcranial doppler sonography in two patients who underwent decompressive craniectomy for traumatic brain swelling: report of two cases.The role of decompressive craniectomy in the treatment of severe posttraumatic cerebral swelling remains quite a controversial issue. To the best of our knowledge, there is no study demonstrating the effect of decompressive craniectomy on cerebral blood flow (CBF) velocity by means of transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD). We present two patients who developed traumatic brain swelling and uncontrollable intracranial hypertension with coma and signs of transtentorial herniation. One patient underwent bifrontal, while the second, unilateral, frontotemporoparietal decompressive craniectomy with dural expansion. In both patients, TCD examinations were performed immediately before and after surgery to study the cerebral hemodynamic changes related to the operations. Pre and postoperative TCD examinations demonstrated a significant increase in blood flow velocity in the intracranial arteries in both subjects. In conclusion, our cases suggest that decompressive craniectomy with dural expansion may result in elevation of CBF velocity in patients with massive brain swelling. The increase in CBF velocity appears to occur not only in the decompressed hemisphere, but also on the opposite side.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.25keywords = coma (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/15. Treatment of refractory intracranial hypertension in a spina bifida patient by a concurrent ventricular and cisterna magna-to-peritoneal shunt.CASE REPORT: A 20-year-old female born with a thoracic level myelomeningocele, Chiari II malformation, and hydrocephalus treated at birth developed clinical features of increased intracranial pressure (ICP) due to shunt malfunction. The patient became comatose. Her ICP remained high despite a functioning shunt and even after the ventricular catheter was exteriorized. diagnostic imaging consistently demonstrated slit-like ventricles, a Chiari II malformation, and a tethered spinal cord. We attributed her neurological condition either to brainstem compression or increased ICP related to venous outlet obstruction at the foramen magnum. OUTCOME: The patient improved rapidly after undergoing a Chiari II decompression and placement of a shunt from the cisterna magna and upper cervical subarachnoid space to the peritoneum connected by a "Y" connector to the ventricular catheter. CONCLUSION: The complex hydrocephalus was effectively treated by this concurrent ventricular and cisterna magna-to-peritoneum shunt.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.25keywords = coma (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/15. Miller-Fisher syndrome mimicking intracranial hypertension following head trauma.INTRODUCTION: Miller-Fisher syndrome (MFS) is a polyneuropathy with benign outcome characterized by ophthalmoplegia, limb ataxia and tendon areflexia. Impaired consciousness level and intracranial hypertension are very rare symptoms in MFS. CASE REPORT: We describe the case of a 5-year-old girl who showed intracranial hypertension, transient coma and respiratory failure after mild head injury; moreover the patient showed mild ataxia, areflexia, ophthalmoplegia and autonomic disturbances. These symptoms were suggestive of MFS. Electrophysiologic studies and laboratory tests confirmed the diagnosis and immunoglobulins and steroids were given. The child showed a progressive clinical improvement and the final outcome was good. CONCLUSION: This case, initially managed as trauma injury due to the presence of suggestive signs and clinical history, maskered an atypical presentation of Miller-Fisher syndrome, a rare disorder of central nervous system.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.25keywords = coma (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/15. Bifrontal decompressive craniotomy in a 6-month-old infant with posttraumatic refractory intracranial hypertension.OBJECTIVE: To document the outcome of bifrontal decompressive craniotomy (BDC) in an infant who developed refractory intracranial hypertension (IH) and massive brain infarction following severe head injury. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 6-month-old girl sustained a severe closed head injury in a car accident. Her Glasgow coma score dropped from 10 to 6/15 within 6 h after admission, and her pupils became dilated and fixed. CT brain scans showed severe brain swelling and extensive infarction in both cerebral hemispheres with no grey-white mater differentiation. She developed a state of refractory IH despite maximal medical treatment. INTERVENTION: She had BDC and duraplasty carried out 8 h after admission. She made a quick recovery to Glasgow outcome score 3, and her total hospital stay was 10 weeks. CONCLUSION: BDC can be a life-saving procedure for infants with refractory IH and massive brain infarction.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.25keywords = coma (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/15. Asynchronous burst-suppression in a child with callosal Ki-1 anaplastic large cell lymphoma.A 13-year-old girl with Ki-1 anaplastic large cell lymphoma (Ki-1ALCL) bulky deposits in the brain developed raised intracranial pressure and coma associated with asynchronous burst-suppression following standard dose cranial irradiation. Supportive care, steroids, and chemotherapy resulted in clinical improvement. Burst-suppression coma may be reversible when secondary to tumor, decrease in steroids, or radiation effects; the asynchrony localizes the lesion to cortical interconnections such as the corpus callosum.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.5keywords = coma (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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