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Objective: The objective is to examine the relationship between transcranial Doppler cerebral vasospasm (TCD-vasospasm), and clinical outcomes in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH)., Methods: In a retrospective cohort study, using univariate and multivariate analysis, we examined the association between TCD-vasospasm (defined as Lindegaard ratio >3) and patient's ability to ambulate without assistance, the need for tracheostomy and gastrostomy tube placement, and the likelihood of being discharged home from the hospital., Results: We studied 346 patients with aSAH; median age 55 years (Interquartile range IQR 46,64), median Hunt and Hess 3 [IQR 1-5]. Overall, 68.6% (n=238) had TCD-vasospasm, and 28% (n=97) had delayed cerebral ischemia. At hospital discharge, 54.3% (n=188) were able to walk without assistance, 5.8% (n=20) had received a tracheostomy, and 12% (n=42) had received a gastrostomy tube. Fifty-three percent (n=183) were discharged directly from the hospital to their home. TCD-vasospasm was not associated with ambulation without assistance at discharge (adjusted odds ratio, aOR 0.54, 95% 0.19,1.45), tracheostomy placement (aOR 2.04, 95% 0.23,18.43), gastrostomy tube placement (aOR 0.95, 95% CI 0.28,3.26), discharge to home (aOR 0.36, 95% CI 0.11,1.23)., Conclusion: This single-center retrospective study finds that TCD-vasospasm is not associated with clinical outcomes such as ambulation without assistance, discharge to home from the hospital, tracheostomy, and gastrostomy feeding tube placement. Routine screening for cerebral vasospasm and its impact on vasospasm diagnostic and therapeutic interventions and their associations with improved clinical outcomes warrant an evaluation in large, prospective, case-controlled, multi-center studies., Competing Interests: The authors have declared financial relationships, which are detailed in the next section., (Copyright © 2022, Lele et al.)

Background: The relationship between cerebral autoregulation and outcomes in pediatric complex mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) is unknown, and explored in this study., Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study of patients aged 0 to 18 years hospitalized with complex mild TBI (admission Glasgow Coma Scale score 13 to 15 with either abnormal computerized tomogram of the head or history of loss of consciousness). Cerebral autoregulation was tested using transcranial Doppler ultrasonography, and impaired autoregulation defined as autoregulation index<0.4. We collected Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended-Pediatrics score and health-related quality of life data at 3, 6, and 12 months after discharge., Results: Twenty-four patients aged 1.8 to 16.6 years (58.3% male) with complete 12-month outcome data were included in the analysis. Median admission Glasgow Coma Scale score was 15 (range: 13 to 15), median injury severity score was 12 (range: 4 to 29) and 23 patients (96%) had isolated TBI. Overall, 10 (41.7%) patients had impaired cerebral autoregulation. Complete recovery was observed in 6 of 21 (28.6%) children at 3 months, in 4 of 16 (25%) children at 6 months, and in 8 of 24 (33.3%) children at 12 months. There was no difference in median (interquartile range) Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended-Pediatrics score (2 [2.3] vs. 2 [interquartile range 1.3]) or health-related quality of life scores (91.5 [21.1] vs. 90.8 [21.6]) at 12 months between those with intact and impaired autoregulation, respectively. Age-adjusted hypotension occurred in 2/24 (8.3%) patients., Conclusion: Two-thirds of children with complex mild TBI experienced incomplete functional recovery at 1 year. The co-occurrence of hypotension and cerebral autoregulation may be a sufficiency condition needed to affect TBI outcomes., Competing Interests: A.V.L. reports receiving salary support from LifeCenter Northwest. The remaining authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objective: To examine the verification of a referring hospital's practice of determining death by neurologic criteria (DNC) by an organ procurement organization (OPO) pursuant to the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services rule §486.344(b)., Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we examined prevalence and factors associated with deviations from acceptable DNC standards, the performance of additional ancillary testing requested by the OPO, resolution of concerns about deviations between referring hospitals and the OPO, and interactions between referring hospitals and the OPO., Results: The OPO reviewed DNC processes for 645 adult potential organ donors from 64 referral hospitals. Concerns about practice deviations from acceptable standards were identified by the OPO's medical director (also a practicing neurointensivist) on call in 19% (n = 120) and were related to clinical prerequisites (27.2%, n = 49), clinical examination (23.9%, n = 67), and apnea testing (25.3%, n = 97). The top 3 concerns were apnea test results not meeting PCO 2 targets (6.7%, n = 43), errors in documentation of the clinical examination (5.3%, n = 34), and potential confounding effects of CNS depressants (2.5%, n = 16). Compared with the "no medical director concerns" group which includes all patients, where the coordinator felt that DNC determination met all the conditions on the checklist, medical director concerns were less likely to occur in hospitals with a dedicated neurocritical care unit (odds ratio [OR] 0.33, 95% CI 0.17-0.66, p < 0.001), prevalent across hospitals independent of whether their policies conformed to updated DNC guidelines (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.57-1.45, p = 0.720). The OPO requested additional ancillary testing (6%, n = 41) when clinical prerequisites were not met (OR 12.7, 95% CI 4.29-33.5), p < 0.001). Resolution of concerns and organ donation was achieved in 99.4% (n = 641). Four patients were rejected as brain-dead donors because of the presence of cerebral blood flow on the nuclear medicine perfusion test. Referring hospitals requested support from the OPO regarding the determination of DNC (10%, n = 64) and declaring physicians were reported to lack knowledge about the institutional DNC policy (4%, n = 23)., Discussion: Ongoing review of institutional DNC standards and adherence to those standards is an urgent unmet need. Both referring hospitals and OPOs jointly carry responsibility for preventing errors in DNC leading up to organ recovery., (© 2022 American Academy of Neurology.)

Introduction Higher federal research funding levels may improve patient outcomes. We examined this relationship between traumatic brain injury (TBI) funding and all-cause in-hospital TBI-related mortality. Methods Using an ecological series analysis, we examined the linear trend in both clinical TBI research funding in year 2000 United States dollars ($) (National Institutes of Health [NIH] RePORTER) and in-hospital isolated TBI mortality among patients aged 15 and older (National Trauma Data Bank [NTDB], TBI-related ICD-9 or ICD-10 code, abbreviated head injury score >2 and body region score <2 with ICU admission) between 2007-2015 with data from centers contributing all years of data for the study period. Linear regression was used to assess the relationship between mortality rate and total funding, lagged one to three years, both overall and within ten-year age groups. Results The mean annual NIH-TBI research funding was $64.36 million (lowest: 2008; $48.79 million, highest: 2015; $71.42 million). 192,597 encounters of patients 15 years and older, predominantly male (67.5%) and with polytrauma (59.9%), were included. There was no statistically significant reduction in in-hospital TBI-related mortality (14.15% in 2007 to 13.36% in 2015) for the cohort overall, but the mortality rate decreased for patients over 55 years. The greatest mortality reduction occurred in patients 85 years and older (-62.35, 95% CI -92.45-32.25), followed by patients 75-84 years (-44.41, 95% CI -61.72, -27.09), patients 65-74 years (-47.60, 95% CI -67.39, -27.81), and patients 55-64 years of age (-15.15, 95% CI -27.59, -2.72). During the study period, annual NIH funding for TBI varied from the lowest level of $48.79 million (in 2007) to the highest level of $77.34.43 million (in 2005). There was no association between funding in the previous three years and the in-hospital TBI-related mortality rate. Conclusion This study found a variable pattern in NIH funding for clinical TBI research and a contemporaneous reduction in moderate-severe TBI-related deaths only for those aged 55 years and older, but no association between funding and mortality., Competing Interests: The authors have declared financial relationships, which are detailed in the next section., (Copyright © 2022, Alinani et al.)

Introduction: The incidence and quantification of inadvertent electroencephalographic burst suppression during total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) for spine instrumentation surgery has not previously been reported., Methods: The primary aim of this retrospective observational quality improvement project was to establish the prevalence of burst suppression during spine instrumentation surgery with TIVA. The secondary outcome was the incidence of postoperative delirium., Results: One hundred twelve consecutive patients, aged between 20 and 88 years, underwent spinal instrumentation surgery. Seventy-eight (69.6%) patients experienced inadvertent burst suppression; the maximal degree of burst suppression ratio was 20% to 100%. Median (interquartile range [IQR]) time spent in burst suppression was 44 (77) minutes, and burst suppression was present for 22% (range: 2% to 93%) of the monitoring period. Average (±SD) propofol dose was lower in patients with burst suppression (87±19 vs. 93±15 µg/kg/min, P=0.04). Ten (8.9%) patients experienced postoperative delirium. Intraoperative burst suppression was more prevalent in those that experienced delirium (100% vs. 66.7%, P=0.03, relative risk: 1.5, 95% confidence interval: 1.3-1.7). The proportion of the monitoring period spent in maximal burst suppression (15.3 [25.9]% vs.11.7 [21.7]%) was similar between those that did, and did not, experience delirium., Conclusions: High rates and prolonged periods of inadvertent burst suppression may be prevalent during spine instrumentation surgery with TIVA. Our findings suggest that usage of electroencephalography alone is incomplete without prompt interpretation and intervention, mandating close communication between neuromonitoring and anesthesia teams. The dose-response relationship between burst suppression, total time spent in maximal burst suppression, and their association with delirium warrants further evaluation., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Evidence-based standardization of the perioperative management of patients undergoing complex spine surgery can improve outcomes such as enhanced patient satisfaction, reduced intensive care and hospital length of stay, and reduced costs. The Society for Neuroscience in Anesthesiology and Critical Care (SNACC) tasked an expert group to review existing evidence and generate recommendations for the perioperative management of patients undergoing complex spine surgery, defined as surgery on 2 or more thoracic and/or lumbar spine levels. Institutional clinical management protocols can be constructed based on the elements included in these clinical practice guidelines, and the evidence presented., Competing Interests: A.V.L. receives salary support from LifeCenter Northwest. The remaining authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted many facets of critical care delivery., Methods: An electronic survey was distributed to explore the pandemic's perceived impact on neurocritical care delivery between June 2020 and March 2021. Variables were stratified by World Bank country income level, presence of a dedicated neurocritical care unit (NCCU) and experiencing a COVID-19 patient surge., Results: Respondents from 253 hospitals (78.3% response rate) from 47 countries (45.5% low/middle income countries; 54.5% with a dedicated NCCU; 78.6% experienced a first surge) participated in the study. Independent of country income level, NCCU and surge status, participants reported reductions in NCCU admissions (67%), critical care drug shortages (69%), reduction in ancillary services (43%) and routine diagnostic testing (61%), and temporary cancellation of didactic teaching (44%) and clinical/basic science research (70%). Respondents from low/middle income countries were more likely to report lack of surge preparedness (odds ratio [OR], 3.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8-5.8) and struggling to return to prepandemic standards of care (OR, 12.2; 95% CI, 4.4-34) compared with respondents from high-income countries. Respondents experiencing a surge were more likely to report conversion of NCCUs and general-mixed intensive care units (ICUs) to a COVID-ICU (OR 3.7; 95% CI, 1.9-7.3), conversion of non-ICU beds to ICU beds (OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.8-6.5), and deviations in critical care and pharmaceutical practices (OR, 4.2; 95% CI 2.1-8.2). Respondents from hospitals with a dedicated NCCU were less likely to report conversion to a COVID-ICU (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.3-0.9) or conversion of non-ICU to ICU beds (OR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.3-0.9)., Conclusion: This study reports the perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global neurocritical care delivery, and highlights shortcomings of health care infrastructures and the importance of pandemic preparedness., Competing Interests: A.V.L. reports receiving research support from Aqueduct Critical Care and salary support from LifeCenter Northwest. D.J.G. receives research support from a Centers for Biomedical Research Excellence grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (1P20GM139745-01). A.A.U. has received in-kind clinical trial support (study consumables) from Integra Lifesciences. S.H.-Y.C. reports research funding from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) UL1 TR001857, the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) R21NS113037, and the University of Pittsburgh. S.L.L. reports receiving consulting fees from Lombardi-Hill/Stroke Challenges LLC. The remaining authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Inhalational anesthetics were associated with reduced incidence of angiographic vasospasm and delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Whether intravenous anesthetics provide similar level of protection is not known., Methods: Anesthetic data were collected retrospectively for patients with SAH who received general anesthesia for aneurysm repair between January 1, 2014 and May 31, 2018, at 2 academic centers in the United States (one employing primarily inhalational and the other primarily intravenous anesthesia with propofol). We compared the outcomes of angiographic vasospasm, DCI, and neurological outcome (measured by disposition at hospital discharge), between the 2 sites, adjusting for potential confounders., Results: We compared 179 patients with SAH receiving inhalational anesthetics at one institution to 206 patients with SAH receiving intravenous anesthetics at the second institution. The rates of angiographic vasospasm between inhalational versus intravenous anesthetic groups were 32% versus 52% (odds ratio, 0.49 [CI, 0.32-0.75]; P =0.001) and DCI were 21% versus 40% (odds ratio, 0.47 [CI, 0.29-0.74]; P =0.001), adjusting for imbalances between sites/groups, Hunt-Hess and Fisher grades, type of aneurysm treatment, and American Society of Anesthesiology status. No impact of anesthetics on neurological outcome at time of discharge was noted with rates of good discharge outcome between inhalational versus intravenous anesthetic groups at (78% versus 72%, P =0.23)., Conclusions: Our data suggest that those who received inhalational versus intravenous anesthetic for ruptured aneurysm repair had significant protection against SAH-induced angiographic vasospasm and DCI. Although we cannot fully disentangle site-specific versus anesthetic effects in this comparative study, these results, when coupled with preclinical data demonstrating a similar protective effect of inhalational anesthetics on vasospasm and DCI, suggest that inhalational anesthetics may be preferable for patients with SAH undergoing aneurysm repair. Additional investigations examining the effect of inhalational anesthetics on other SAH outcomes such as early brain injury and long-term neurological outcomes are warranted.

The incidence of healthcare-associated respiratory tract infections in non-ventilated patients (NVA-HARTI) in neurosurgical intensive care units (ICUs) is unknown. The impact of NVA-HARTI on patient outcomes and differences between NVA-HARTI and ventilator-associated healthcare-associated respiratory tract infections (VA-HARTI) are poorly understood. Our objectives were to report the incidence, hospital length of stay (LOS), ICU LOS, and mortality in NVA-HARTI patients and compare these characteristics to VA-HARTI in neurocritical care patients. This cohort study was conducted in a neurosurgical ICU in Moscow. From 2011 to 2020, all patients with an ICU LOS > 48 h were included. A competing risk model was used for survival and risk analysis. A total of 3,937 ICU admissions were analyzed. NVA-HARTI vs VA-HARTI results were as follows: cumulative incidence 7.2 (95%CI: 6.4-8.0) vs 15.4 (95%CI: 14.2-16.5) per 100 ICU admissions; incidence rate 4.2 ± 2.0 vs 9.5 ± 3.0 per 1000 patient-days in the ICU; median LOS 32 [Q1Q3: 21, 48.5] vs 46 [Q1Q3: 28, 76.5] days; median ICU LOS 15 [Q1Q3: 10, 28.75] vs 26 [Q1Q3: 17, 43] days; mortality 12.3% (95%CI: 7.9-16.8) vs 16.7% (95%CI: 13.6-19.7). The incidence of VA-HARTI decreased over ten years while NVA-HARTI incidence did not change. VA-HARTI was an independent risk factor of death, OR 1.54 (1.11-2.14), while NVA-HARTI was not. Our findings suggest that NVA-HARTI in neurocritical care patients represents a significant healthcare burden with relatively high incidence and associated poor outcomes. Unlike VA-HARTI, the incidence of NVA-HARTI remained constant despite preventive measures. This suggests that extrapolating VA-HARTI research findings to NVA-HARTI should be avoided., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose of Review: To summarize pathophysiology, key conflicts, and therapeutic approaches in managing concomitant severe acute brain injury (SABI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)., Recent Findings: ARDS is common in SABI and independently associated with worse outcomes in all SABI subtypes. Most landmark ARDS trials excluded patients with SABI, and evidence to guide decisions is limited in this population. Potential areas of conflict in the management of patients with both SABI and ARDS are (1) risk of intracranial pressure (ICP) elevation with high levels of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), permissive hypercapnia due to lung protective ventilation (LPV), or prone ventilation; (2) balancing a conservative fluid management strategy with ensuring adequate cerebral perfusion, particularly in patients with symptomatic vasospasm or impaired cerebrovascular blood flow; and (3) uncertainty about the benefit and harm of corticosteroids in this population, with a mortality benefit in ARDS, increased mortality shown in TBI, and conflicting data in other SABI subtypes. Also, the widely adapted partial pressure of oxygen (P a O 2 ) target of > 55 mmHg for ARDS may exacerbate secondary brain injury, and recent guidelines recommend higher goals of 80-120 mmHg in SABI. Distinct pathophysiology and trajectories among different SABI subtypes need to be considered., Summary: The management of SABI with ARDS is highly complex, and conventional ARDS management strategies may result in increased ICP and decreased cerebral perfusion. A crucial aspect of concurrent management is to recognize the risk of secondary brain injury in the individual patient, monitor with vigilance, and adjust management during critical time windows. The care of these patients requires meticulous attention to oxygenation and ventilation, hemodynamics, temperature management, and the neurological exam. LPV and prone ventilation should be utilized, and supplemented with invasive ICP monitoring if there is concern for cerebral edema and increased ICP. PEEP titration should be deliberate, involving measures of hemodynamic, pulmonary, and brain physiology. Serial volume status assessments should be performed in SABI and ARDS, and fluid management should be individualized based on measures of brain perfusion, the neurological exam, and cardiopulmonary status. More research is needed to define risks and benefits in corticosteroids in this population., Competing Interests: Conflict of InterestWe report no conflicts of interests, and none of the authors has received direct funding for this study. Abhijit Lele receives ongoing salary support from LifeCenter Northwest. Vasisht Srinivasan receives grant support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention via the Influenza and Other Viruses in the Acute Ill (IVY) network. Nicholas Johnson receives funding from the National Institutes of Health, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Defense, and the UW Royalty Research Fund for unrelated work. The remaining authors report no financial disclosures., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2022.)

External ventricular drain (EVD) placement and management pose risks to neurocritically ill patients. Yet, little is known about EVD management or hospital EVD management practices and policies in US hospitals. A narrative review was conducted to describe EVD-related publications reported in PubMed and Embase between 1953 and 2019, and a survey was used to examine US hospital EVD practices and policies, including adherence to EVD guideline recommendations. Overall, 912 relevant articles were published between 1953 and 2019 (average 21; range, 0 to 102 articles, per year), primarily related to indications for EVD placement (n=275, 30.2%), EVD-associated complications (n=206, 22.6%), and EVD care (n=200, 21.9%). The number of EVD publications increased over time (R2=0.7), and most publications addressed EVD-associated infection (n=296, 73.4%) and EVD insertion (n=195, 45.2%). Survey responses were received from 30 hospitals (37.5% response rate), and reported use of antimicrobial-impregnated catheters in 80% of hospitals, preinsertion antibiotic administration in 70%, collection of cerebrospinal fluid samples for suspicion of ventriculitis in 73.3%, tracking of EVD-associated infection in 86.7%, routine EVD clamping during transport in 66.7%, and monitoring of intracranial pressure during transport in 33.3%. Adherence to hospital policies was high for recommendations related to flushing an EVD and changing cerebrospinal fluid drainage systems (100% [range, 0% to 100%] each), but low for intrahospital transportation (16.7% [0% to 83.3%]), EVD removal (0% [0% to 66.7%]), patient and family education (0% [0% to 100%]), and administration of intraventricular medication (0% [0% to 100%]). In summary, the published literature related to EVD insertion and maintenance, and reported EVD hospital practices and policies, primarily focus on reducing EVD-associated infections. Still, overall adherence of hospital EVD policies to guideline recommendations is modest. To promote a culture of EVD safety, clinicians should focus on reducing all EVD-associated adverse events., Competing Interests: A.V.L.: reports receiving research support from Aqueduct Critical Care and salary support from LifeCenter Northwest, none of which are relevant to the study. The remaining authors have no funding or conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The exposure of anesthesiologists to organ recovery procedures and the anesthetic technique used during organ recovery has not been systematically studied in the United States., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on all adult and pediatric patients who were declared brain dead between January 1, 2008, and June 30, 2019, and who progressed to organ donation at Harborview Medical Center. We describe the frequency of directing anesthetic care by attending anesthesiologists, anesthetic technique, and donor management targets during organ recovery., Results: In a cohort of 327 patients (286 adults and 41 children), the most common cause of brain death was traumatic brain injury (51.1%). Kidneys (94.4%) and liver (87.4%) were the most common organs recovered. On average, each year, an attending anesthesiologist cared for 1 (range: 1 to 7) brain-dead donor during organ retrieval. The average anesthetic time was 127±53.5 (mean±SD) minutes. Overall, 90% of patients received a neuromuscular blocker, 63.3% an inhaled anesthetic, and 33.9% an opioid. Donor management targets were achieved as follows: mean arterial pressure ≥70 mm Hg (93%), normothermia (96%), normoglycemia (84%), urine output >1 to 3 mL/kg/h (61%), and lung-protective ventilation (58%)., Conclusions: During organ recovery from brain-dead organ donors, anesthesiologists commonly administer neuromuscular blockers, inhaled anesthetics, and opioids, and strive to achieve donor management targets. While infrequently being exposed to these cases, it is expected that all anesthesiologists be cognizant of the physiological perturbations in brain-dead donors and achieve physiological targets to preserve end-organ function. These findings warrant further examination in a larger multi-institutional cohort., Competing Interests: A.V.L.: received research support from Aqueduct Critical Care and salary support from LifeCenter Northwest. M.J.S.: received salary support from LifeCenter Northwest and is a consultant for Teleflex Medical Inc. B.G.N. holds equity in Perimatics LLC and is its Chief Solution Architect. The remaining authors have no funding or conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The case of a patient who suffered cardiac arrest while undergoing transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is presented here. A 75-year-old man with moderate right ventricular (RV) dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension became bradycardic and hypotensive after receiving propofol for procedural sedation. His profound hypotension ultimately led to a pulseless electrical activity (PEA) cardiac arrest. TEE images captured immediately prior to cardiac arrest show a severely dilated and hypokinetic RV, consistent with acute right ventricular failure. This case highlights the potentially fatal consequences of procedural sedation in patients with RV dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Cooper B. Kersey et al.)

Four editions of the Brain Trauma Foundation's (BTF) evidence-based guidelines have been published to guide clinical management after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and increase TBI research. We reviewed the association between published clinical severe TBI research and BTF guideline year of publication and guideline chapter topics. Using PubMed, we searched for peer-reviewed articles on severe TBI research published between 1975 and 2019. The frequency and study design of publications on chapter topics included in all 4 BTF guideline editions was collected and the relationship with published TBI research examined using linear regression and the coefficient of determination (r2). A total of 845 relevant articles were identified, with an average of 19 articles published per year. There was an increase in the overall number of publications (r2=0.72), with the largest increase occurring between the third and the fourth guideline editions (r2=0.70, 31 articles/y). Across all 4 guideline editions, 54% (n=460) of publications were retrospective studies, 27.2% (n=230) prospective studies, 12% (n=101) randomized controlled trials, and 7.6% (n=64) meta-analyses/systematic reviews. Publication of retrospective study numbers increased the most (r2=0.61), followed by prospective observational studies and meta-analyses/systematic reviews (r2=0.47 each), and randomized controlled trials (r2=0.39). The 3 most highly published guideline chapter topic areas were ventilator-associated pneumonia (r2=0.70), hyperosmolar therapy (r2=0.47), and decompressive craniectomy (r2=0.41). In summary, the TBI research output increased over time and was associated with BTF guideline release. However, the increase in published TBI research was not consistent between serial editions of the BTF guidelines, and many studies did not incorporate high-quality prospective research designs., Competing Interests: M.S.V. is a coauthor on the Brain Trauma Foundation guidelines. A.V.L. received research support from Aqueduct Critical Care and receives salary support from LifeCenter Northwest. The remaining authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Patients with traumatic brain injury, cerebral edema, and severe hyponatremia require rapid augmentation of serum sodium levels. Three percent sodium chloride is commonly used to normalize or augment serum sodium level, yet there are limited data available concerning the most appropriate route of administration. Traditionally, 3% sodium chloride is administered through a central venous catheter (CVC) due to the attributed theoretical risk of phlebitis and extravasation injuries when hyperosmolar solution is administered peripherally. CVCs are associated with numerous complications, including arterial puncture, pneumothorax, infection, thrombosis, and air embolus. Peripherally infused 3% sodium chloride may bypass these concerns., Aims: To explore the evidence for peripherally infused 3% sodium chloride and to implement the findings., Methods: The Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) was used to guide the project. A multidisciplinary team was established, and they developed an evidence-based protocol for the administration of 3% sodium chloride using peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVs), identified potential barriers to implementation, and developed targeted education to implement this practice change in a large academic medical center., Results: Of the 103 patients in this project, only three (2.9%) identified adverse events. Two were associated with continuous infusions, and one was associated with a bolus infusion., Linking Action to Evidence: This is the first study to describe a multidisciplinary protocol development and implementation process for the administration of 3% sodium chloride peripherally. Utilizing a multidisciplinary team is critical to the success of an EBP project. Implementing an evidence-based PIV protocol with stringent monitoring criteria for the administration of 3% sodium chloride has the potential to reduce adverse events related to CVC injury., (© 2021 Sigma Theta Tau International.)

Background: Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) has been identified as an independent predictor of poor outcome in numerous studies., Objective: To investigate the potential protective role of inhalational anesthetics against angiographic vasospasm, DCI, and neurologic outcome in SAH patients., Methods: After Institutional Review Board approval, data were collected retrospectively for SAH patients who received general anesthesia for aneurysm repair between January 1st, 2010 and May 31st, 2018. Primary outcomes were angiographic vasospasm, DCI, and neurologic outcome as measured by modified Rankin scale at hospital discharge. Univariate and logistic regression analysis were performed to identify independent predictors of these outcomes., Results: The cohort included 390 SAH patients with an average age of 56 ± 15 (mean ± SD). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified inhalational anesthetic only technique, Hunt-Hess grade, age, anterior circulation aneurysm and average intraoperative mean blood pressure as independent predictors of angiographic vasospasm. Inhalational anesthetic only technique and modified Fishers grade were identified as independent predictors of DCI. No impact on neurological outcome at time of discharge was noted., Conclusion: Our data provide additional evidence that inhalational anesthetic conditioning in SAH patients affords protection against angiographic vasospasm and new evidence that it exerts a protective effect against DCI. When coupled with similar results from preclinical studies, our data suggest further investigation into the impact of inhalational anesthetic conditioning on SAH patients, including elucidating the most effective dosing regimen, defining the therapeutic window, determining whether a similar protective effect against early brain injury, and on long-term neurological outcome exists., (Copyright © 2020 by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.)

Background: The prevalence, characteristics, and outcomes related to the ventilator-associated event(s) (VAE) in neurocritically ill patients are unknown and examined in this study., Methods: A retrospective study was performed on neurocritically ill patients at a 413-bed level 1 trauma and stroke center who received three or more days of mechanical ventilation to describe rates of VAE, describe characteristics of patients with VAE, and examine the association of VAE on ventilator days, mortality, length of stay, and discharge to home., Results: Over a 5-year period from 2014 through 2018, 855 neurocritically ill patients requiring mechanical ventilation were identified. A total of 147 VAEs occurred in 130 (15.2%) patients with an overall VAE rate of 13 per 1000 ventilator days and occurred across age, sex, BMI, and admission Glasgow Coma Scores. The average time from the start of ventilation to a VAE was 5 (range 3-48) days after initiation of mechanical ventilation. Using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definitions, VAEs met criteria for a ventilator-associated condition in 58% of events (n = 85), infection-related VAE in 22% of events (n = 33), and possible ventilator-associated pneumonia in 20% of events (n = 29). A most common trigger for VAE was an increase in positive end-expiratory pressure (84%). Presence of a VAE was associated with an increase in duration of mechanical ventilation (17.4[IQR 20.5] vs. 7.9[8.9] days, p < 0.001, 95% CI 7.86-13.92), intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (20.2[1.1] vs. 12.5[0.4] days, p < 0.001 95% CI 5.3-10.02), but not associated with in-patient mortality (34.1 vs. 31.3%. 95% CI 0.76-1.69) or discharge to home (12.7% vs. 16.3%, 95% 0.47-1.29)., Conclusions: VAE are prevalent in the neurocritically ill. They result in an increased duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU length of stay, but may not be associated with in-hospital mortality or discharge to home.

Objective: To determine the effect of offering a subset of the Emergency Neurological Life Support (ENLS) course modules on provider knowledge and self-reported confidence in acute management of neurocritically ill patients in a low-middle income country (LMIC)., Methods: Eight ENLS modules were provided by in-person lecture using English to Khmer translated slides and a medical translator to physicians and nurses of 2 hospitals in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in May 2019. Providers included emergency, neurology, neurologic surgery, and general intensive care. Demographics, pre- and postcourse knowledge of ENLS content areas, and pre- and postcourse confidence in managing neurocritically ill patients were assessed. Data were pooled across both hospitals for analysis., Results: A total of 57 health care providers were approached for participation: 52 (25 physicians, 27 nurses) participated; 45 completed all study instruments. Pre- and postcourse knowledge scores showed no significant differences between providers. Postcourse, 37/45 (82.2%) participants reported that the content had prepared them for acute management of neurocritically ill patients. Satisfaction with module content ranged from 77.8%-80.0% per module. For the 8 modules, a majority of participants agreed that course material had provided them with knowledge and skills to provide acute care for patients' neurologic emergencies (68.4%-88.6%)., Conclusions: Provision of ENLS course module content increased LMIC provider self-reported knowledge and confidence in acute management of neurocritically ill patients immediately postcourse. Tailoring ENLS course presentation to a particular LMIC setting warrants additional investigation, as does the effect of ENLS course training on neurocritically ill patient outcomes in the LMIC setting., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Perioperative stroke is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Stroke recognition and diagnosis are challenging perioperatively, and surgical patients receive therapeutic interventions less frequently compared with stroke patients in the outpatient setting. These updated guidelines from the Society for Neuroscience in Anesthesiology and Critical Care provide evidence-based recommendations regarding perioperative care of patients at high risk for stroke. Recommended areas for future investigation are also proposed.

Objective: The clinical epidemiology of organ outcomes in pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) has not been examined. We describe associated markers of cerebral, cardiac and renal injury after pediatric TBI., Design: Prospective observational study., Patients: Children 0-18 years who were hospitalized with TBI., Measurements: Measures of myocardial (at least one elevated plasma troponin [cTnI] ≥ 0.4 ng/ml) and multiorgan (hemodynamic variables, cerebral perfusion, and renal) function were examined within the first ten days of hospital admission and within 24 h of each other., Main Results: Data from 28 children who were 11[IQR 10.3] years, male (64.3%), with isolated TBI (67.9%), injury severity score (ISS) 25[10], and admission Glasgow coma score (GCS) 11[9] were examined. Overall, 50% (14 children) had elevated cTnI, including those with isolated TBI (57.9%; 11/19), polytrauma (33.3%; 3/9), mild TBI (57.1% 8/14), and severe TBI (42.9%; 6/11). Elevated cTnI occurred within the first six days of admission and across all age groups, in both sexes, and regardless of TBI lesion type, GCS, and ISS. Age-adjusted admission tachycardia was associated with cTnI elevation (AUC 0.82; p < 0.001). Reduced urine output occurred more commonly in patients with isolated TBI (27.3% elevated cTnI vs. 0% normal cTnI)., Conclusions: Myocardial injury commonly occurs during the first six days after pediatric TBI irrespective of injury severity, age, sex, TBI lesion type, or polytrauma. Age-adjusted tachycardia may be a clinical indicator of myocardial injury, and elevated troponin may be associated with cardio-cerebro-renal dysfunction., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Introduction: The perioperative management of patients with external ventricular drains (EVDs) is not well defined, and adherence to published management guidelines unknown. This study investigates practice, patterns, and variability in the perioperative management of patients with EVDs., Methods: A 31-question survey was sent to 1830 anesthesiologists from 27 institutions in North America, Europe, and Asia. A perioperative EVD Guideline Adherence Score was calculated for the preoperative, transport and intraoperative periods. Differences in management practices between neuroanesthesiologists and non-neuroanesthesiologists, and factors affecting EVD guideline adherence, were examined using bivariate significance tests and linear regression., Results: Among a sample of 599 anesthesiologists (survey response rate, 32.7%), compared with non-neuroanesthesiologists, neuroanesthesiologists were more likely to include baseline neurological examination (P=0.023), hourly cerebrospinal fluid output (P=0.006) and color (P<0.001), intracranial pressure trends (P<0.001), and EVD clamp trial (P<0.001) data in their routine preanesthetic assessment of patients with EVDs. There was a low prevalence of routine intracranial pressure monitoring during patient transport of patients with EVDs (14.4%). Overall, 25.9% of respondents were aware of EVD guidelines, and 21% reported receiving formal training in EVD management. The EVD Guideline Adherence Score was highest among anesthesiologists who reported being very comfortable in managing patients with EVDs compared with those who reported being uncomfortable (9.93 vs. 6.93, P<0.001)., Conclusions: The EVD Aware study identifies opportunities for improvement in the perioperative management of patients with EVDS, including global awareness, formal EVD training, and dissemination of educational tools.

Background: Systolic dysfunction and reduction in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) has been documented after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Speckle tracking is an emerging technology for myocardial strain assessment which has been utilized to identify subclinical myocardial dysfunction, and is most commonly reported as global longitudinal strain (GLS). We examined myocardial strain and regional strain patterns following moderate-severe TBI., Materials and Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of moderate-severe TBI patients (Glasgow Coma Scale≤12) and age/sex-matched controls. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed within the first day and 1 week following TBI. Myocardial function was assessed using both GLS and LVEF, and impaired systolic function was defined as GLS >-16% or LVEF ≤50%. Regional strain patterns and individual strain trajectories were examined., Results: Thirty subjects were included, 15 patients with TBI and 15 age/sex-matched controls. Among patients with adequate echocardiographic windows, systolic dysfunction was observed in 2 (17%) patients using LVEF and 5 (38%) patients using GLS within the first day after TBI. Mean GLS was impaired in patients with TBI compared with controls (-16.4±3.8% vs. -20.7±1.8%, P=0.001). Regional myocardial examination revealed impaired strain primarily in the basal and mid-ventricular segments. There was no improvement in GLS from day 1 to day 7 (P=0.81)., Conclusions: Myocardial strain abnormalities are common and persist for at least 1 week following moderate-severe TBI. Speckle tracking may be useful for the early diagnosis and monitoring of systolic dysfunction following TBI.

Background: To describe current state of quality improvement (QI) processes implemented in neurocritical care units (NCCU)., Methods: A 27-question-survey was sent to 2000 members (physicians, nurses, and pharmacists) of the Neurocritical Care Society. We describe the prevalence of QI, satisfaction with existing QI processes, barriers to NCCU QI, awareness of stroke (STK, CSTK), stroke get with the guidelines (GWTG), trauma quality improvement program (TQIP) and American Academy of Neurology (AAN) performance measures., Results: The response rate was 22.5%; 73.7% of respondents were from US teaching hospitals, 87.9% practiced in dedicated neurocritical care units, and 43.4% in a program with a NCC fellowship. 44.6 % reported a dedicated NCCU QI program. Overall, 42% of the respondents reported satisfaction with existing NCCU QI processes. External ventricular drain infection was the most commonly tracked NCC QI metric (69.6%). Respondents indicated the highest level of awareness for CSTK (87.5%), STK (81.8%), and GWTG (81.8%), but indicated a relative lack of awareness for TQIP (42.7%), and AAN (46.2%) performance measures. Insufficient hospital (57.7%) and departmental support (36.5%) were reported common barriers to the successful implementation of an NCCU QI program., Conclusion: A dedicated staffed NCCU QI program occurs in a minority of NCC units, and the lack of such programs may lead to clinician dissatisfaction. Institutional and departmental support may be critical elements of a successful and satisfactory implementation of NCCU QI.

Objective: The high global burden of traumatic brain injury (TBI) disproportionately affects low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). These settings also have the greatest disparity in the availability of surgical care in general and neurosurgical care in particular. Recent focus has been placed on alleviating this surgical disparity. However, most capacity assessments are purely quantitative, and few focus on concomitantly assessing the complex healthcare system needs required to care for these patients. The objective of the present study was to use both quantitative and qualitative assessment data to establish a comprehensive approach to inform capacity-development initiatives for TBI care at two hospitals in an LMIC, Cambodia., Methods: This mixed-methods study used 3 quantitative assessment tools: the World Health Organization Personnel, Infrastructure, Procedures, Equipment, Supplies (WHO PIPES) checklist, the neurosurgery-specific PIPES (NeuroPIPES) checklist, and the Neurocritical Care (NCC) checklist at two hospitals in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Descriptive statistics were obtained for quantitative results. Qualitative semistructured interviews of physicians, nurses, and healthcare administrators were conducted by a single interviewer. Responses were analyzed using a thematic content analysis approach and coded to allow categorization under the PIPES framework., Results: Of 35 healthcare providers approached, 29 (82.9%) participated in the surveys, including 19 physicians (65.5%) and 10 nurses (34.5%). The majority had fewer than 5 years of experience (51.7%), were male (n = 26, 89.7%), and were younger than 40 years of age (n = 25, 86.2%). For both hospitals, WHO PIPES scores were lowest in the equipment category. However, using the NCC checklist, both hospitals scored higher in equipment (81.2% and 62.7%) and infrastructure (78.6% and 69.6%; hospital 1 and 2, respectively) categories and lowest in the training/continuing education category (41.7% and 33.3%, hospital 1 and 2, respectively). Using the PIPES framework, analysis of the qualitative data obtained from interviews revealed a need for continuing educational initiatives for staff, increased surgical and critical care supplies and equipment, and infrastructure development. The analysis further elucidated barriers to care, such as challenges with time availability for experienced providers to educate incoming healthcare professionals, issues surrounding prehospital care, maintenance of donated supplies, and patient poverty., Conclusions: This mixed-methods study identified areas in supplies, equipment, and educational/training initiatives as areas for capacity development for TBI care in an LMIC such as Cambodia. This first application of the NCC checklist in an LMIC setting demonstrated limitations in its use in this setting. Concomitant qualitative assessments provided insight into barriers otherwise undetected in quantitative assessments.

Background: While cardiac dysfunction has been described following traumatic brain injury (TBI), its association with systemic and cerebral hemodynamics is not known. We examined the contemporaneous relationship between early cardiac function with systemic and cerebral hemodynamic parameters after moderate-severe TBI., Methods: Bedside transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography were performed within 24 h in patients > 18 years with isolated moderate-severe TBI. Systemic hemodynamic parameters were quantified using routine monitoring [heart rate and mean arterial pressures (MAP)] and calculation from echocardiographic data [stroke volume index (SVI), cardiac index (CI), and systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI)]. Systolic dysfunction was defined using TTE as global longitudinal strain (GLS) > -16%. Mean middle cerebral artery velocity (FVm) was the measure of cerebral hemodynamics and quantified using TCD., Results: Among 15 patients [mean age 43 ± 13 years, GCS 5 ± 3, 73% male], 15 TTE and 15 TCD exams were performed simultaneously. Five (33%) patients had systolic dysfunction, with significantly worse GLS (median [IQR] -12.1% [-14.1, -12] vs. -19.1% [-19.9, -17.7], p = 0.004). Median (IQR) MAP was 97 (89, 107) mmHg, SVI (29.0 [20.5, 31.0] mL m -2 ), and CI (2.83 [2.05, 3.10] L/min m -2 ) were low to normal, while SVRI (2704 dyne sec/cm 5  m -2 [2210, 4084]) was normal to high. None of the patients had abnormal TCDs. Higher GLS (reduced systolic function) was associated with lower SVI (r 2  = 0.274, p = 0.03) but not other parameters., Conclusion: Systemic hemodynamic parameters were consistent with an early catecholamine-excess state. While reduced systolic function was associated with lower SVI, there was no relationship with reduced cerebral perfusion, possibly due to normal MAP., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Importance: Alterations in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide, arterial (Paco2) can affect cerebral perfusion after traumatic brain injury. End-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2) monitoring is a noninvasive tool used to estimate Paco2 values., Objective: To examine the agreement between Paco2 and EtCO2 and associated factors in children with traumatic brain injury., Design, Setting, and Participants: A secondary analysis was conducted using data from a prospective cohort study of 137 patients younger than 18 years with traumatic brain injury who were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit of a level I trauma center between May 1, 2011, and July 31, 2017. Analysis was performed from December 17, 2018, to January 10, 2019., Main Outcomes and Measures: The closest EtCO2 value obtained within 30 minutes of a Paco2 value and the closest systolic blood pressure value obtained within 60 minutes prior to a Paco2 value during the first 24 hours after admission were recorded. The main outcome of Paco2-EtCO2 agreement was defined as Paco2 between 0 and 5 mm Hg greater than the paired EtCO2 value, and it was determined using Bland-Altman analysis, Passing and Bablok regression, and the Pearson correlation coefficient. Multivariable regression models determined which factors were associated with agreement., Results: The analysis included 137 patients (34 girls and 103 boys; mean [SD] age, 10.0 [6.3] years) and 445 paired Paco2-EtCO2 data points. On average, Paco2 was 2.7 mm Hg (95% limits of agreement, -11.3 to 16.7) higher than EtCO2. Overall, 187 of all Paco2-EtCO2 pairs (42.0%) agreed. There was larger variation in the Paco2-EtCO2 difference during the first 8 hours compared with 9 to 24 hours after admission to the pediatric intensive care unit. Development of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome within 24 hours of admission was associated with a lower likelihood of Paco2-EtCO2 agreement (adjusted odds ratio, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.08-0.51) compared with no development of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome. A diagnosis of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome 1 to 7 days after admission was associated with a larger first-day Paco2-EtCO2 difference compared with those who never developed pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (mean [SD] difference, 4.48 [3.70] vs 0.46 [5.50] mm Hg)., Conclusions and Relevance: In this study of pediatric traumatic brain injury, Paco2-EtCO2 agreement was low, especially among patients with pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome. Low Paco2-EtCO2 agreement early in hospitalization may be associated with future development of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome. Data on EtCO2 should not be substituted for data on Paco2 during the first 24 hours.

Objective: We explored the external ventricular drain (EVD) practices in Thailand., Methods: We performed a survey-based study to describe EVD insertion, maintenance, quality improvement (QI) practices, and incidence of EVD infection., Results: The study included 58 of 101 hospitals contacted (57.4% response rate), with ≥600 beds (44.8%) and dedicated neurocritical care units (53%). The reasons for EVD placement included aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, traumatic brain injury, and ventriculoperitoneal shunt malfunction or infection; 75.9% of the hospitals cared for ≤100 EVDs annually. In Thailand, nonantimicrobial EVD catheters (98.3%) were used most often. Most hospitals (56.9%) did not routinely sample the cerebrospinal fluid. Prophylactic daily antibiotic use was prevalent (62.1%). Most hospitals (77.6%) did not measure the intracranial pressure during intrahospital transport. EVD infection was a commonly (69%) tracked QI measure; however, up to one third of the hospitals did not track any EVD QI measure. Most hospitals (94.8%) had no written EVD insertion and maintenance protocols. Most hospitals (79.3%) reported an EVD infection rate of ≤5% in the previous year. The low EVD infection rate, high cost, and/or the lack of equipment could account for the low usage of antimicrobial catheters and intracranial pressure monitoring., Conclusions: The results of the present study have identified QI opportunities in EVD management in Thailand. The development of an EVD-related QI process, reliable tracking of EVD infection rates, adaptation of U.S. guidelines to create standardized EVD protocols, and examination of the association between EVD practices and clinical outcomes in low-to middle-income countries are urgently needed., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background/objective: Severe acute brain injury (SABI) is responsible for 12 million deaths annually, prolonged disability in survivors, and substantial resource utilization. Little guidance exists regarding indication or optimal timing of tracheostomy after SABI. Our aims were to determine national trends in tracheostomy utilization among mechanically ventilated patients with SABI in the USA, as well as to examine factors associated with tracheostomy utilization following SABI., Methods: We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study using the National Inpatient Sample from 2002 to 2011. We identified adult patients with SABI, defined as a primary diagnosis of stroke, traumatic brain injury or post-cardiac arrest who received mechanical ventilation for greater than 96 h. We analyzed trends in tracheostomy utilization over time and used multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression to analyze factors associated with tracheostomy utilization., Results: There were 94,082 hospitalizations for SABI during the study period, with 30,455 (32%) resulting in tracheostomy utilization. The proportion of patients with SABI who received a tracheostomy increased during the study period, from 28.0% in 2002 to 32.1% in 2011 (p < 0.001). Variation in tracheostomy utilization was noted based on patient and facility characteristics, including higher odds of tracheostomy in large hospitals (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.18-1.53, p < 0.001, compared to small hospitals), teaching hospitals (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.06-1.25, p = 0.001, compared to non-teaching hospitals), and urban hospitals (OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.33-1.92, p < 0.001, compared to rural hospitals)., Conclusions: Tracheostomy utilization has increased in the USA among patients with SABI, with wide variation by patient and facility-level factors.

Objectives: To examine cerebral autoregulation in children with complex mild traumatic brain injury., Design: Prospective observational convenience sample., Setting: PICU at a level I trauma center., Patients: Children with complex mild traumatic brain injury (trauma, admission Glasgow Coma Scale score 13-15 with either abnormal head CT, or history of loss of consciousness)., Interventions: Cerebral autoregulation was tested using transcranial Doppler ultrasound between admission day 1 and 8., Measurements and Main Results: The primary outcome was prevalence of impaired cerebral autoregulation (autoregulation index < 0.4),determined using transcranial Doppler ultrasonography and tilt testing. Secondary outcomes examined factors associated with and evolution and extent of impairment. Cerebral autoregulation testing occurred in 31 children 10 years (SD, 5.2 yr), mostly male (59%) with isolated traumatic brain injury (91%), median admission Glasgow Coma Scale 15, Injury Severity Scores 14.2 (SD, 7.7), traumatic brain injury due to fall (50%), preadmission loss of consciousness (48%), and abnormal head CT scan (97%). Thirty-one children underwent 56 autoregulation tests. Impaired cerebral autoregulation occurred in 15 children (48.4%) who underwent 19 tests; 68% and 32% of tests demonstrated unilateral and bilateral impairment, respectively. Compared with children on median day 6 of admission after traumatic brain injury, impaired autoregulation was most common in the first 5 days after traumatic brain injury (day 1: relative risk, 3.7; 95% CI, 1.9-7.3 vs day 2: relative risk, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.1-6.5 vs day 5: relative risk, 1.33; 95% CI, 0.7-2.3). Children with impaired autoregulation were older (12.3 yr [SD, 1.3 yr] vs 8.7 yr [SD, 1.1 yr]; p = 0.04) and tended to have subdural hematoma (64% vs 44%), epidural hematoma (29% vs 17%), and subarachnoid hemorrhage (36% vs 28%). Eight children (53%) were discharged home with ongoing impaired cerebral autoregulation., Conclusions: Impaired cerebral autoregulation is common in children with complex mild traumatic brain injury, despite reassuring admission Glasgow Coma Scale 13-15. Children with complex mild traumatic brain injury have abnormal cerebrovascular hemodynamics, mostly during the first 5 days. Impairment commonly extends to the contralateral hemisphere and discharge of children with ongoing impaired cerebral autoregulation is common.

Indicator of response urgency (page tag), paging domains, distribution of pages by time of the day, and factors associated with neurocritical care paging remain elusive and were examined in this study. We examined the association between patient, neurocritical care workflow characteristics, and paging domains on frequency of paging using Student's t-test, Chi-square test, and analysis of covariance. A total of 1852 patients generated 36,472 pages. The most common page tagging was "for your information" (n = 15067, 41.3%), while 2.8% (n = 1006) pages were tagged urgent. Paging was most frequent for cardiovascular (12.2%), pain, agitation, distress (6.9%) and sodium (5.3%) concerns. Paging frequency was highest for mechanically ventilated patients (p < 0.001), those with indwelling intracranial pressure monitor (p < 0.04), arterial catheter (p < 0.001), central venous access catheter (p < 0.001), and in those with lower Glasgow Coma Score (p < 0.001). Patients admitted between 18:00-06:00 (aOR 1.47, 95% CI 1.16-1.86) and 14:30-18:00 (aOR 1.46, 95% CI 1.14-1.86), and sodium (aOR 1.52, 95% CI 1.39-1.66), and cardiovascular concerns (aOR 1.24, 95% CI 1.15-1.32) were associated with higher night time paging frequency. Incorporating paging domains in daily workflow and their impact on outcome of paging on escalation of clinical care and patient outcomes warrants further examination., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between early arterial oxygenation thresholds and long-term outcome after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI)., Methods: In a post hoc analysis of a randomized trial, adults with severe TBI were classified based on exposure to different levels of arterial oxygenation as measured using the average of arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) values obtained within 24 hours of admission. Potentially important PaO2 thresholds were defined a priori. The primary outcome was Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE) score at 6 months. Secondary outcomes were cognitive outcomes measured using a battery of 9 neuropsychological tests administered at 6 months, and 6-month mortality., Results: In adjusted analyses, oxygenation thresholds of 150 and 200 mm Hg were associated with better functional outcome at 6 months (adjusted OR for better functional outcome on GOSE 1.82 [95% CI 1.12-2.94] and 1.59 [95% CI 1.06-2.37], respectively) and improved cognitive outcome at 6 months (adjusted beta coefficients for better cognitive percentile across 9 neuropsychological tests: 6.9 [95% CI 1.3-12.5] and 6.8 [95% CI 2.4-11.3], respectively). There was no significant association between oxygenation level and 6-month mortality except at a PaO2 threshold of 200 mm Hg (OR for death 0.36, 95% CI 0.18-0.71). Higher or lower oxygenation thresholds were not associated with functional or cognitive outcome., Conclusions: In this observational study, the relationship between early arterial oxygenation and long-term functional and cognitive TBI outcomes appears to be U-shaped. Mild levels of hyperoxemia within the first 24 hours after injury were associated with better long-term functional and cognitive outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of examining balanced oxygen supplementation as a potential strategy to improve TBI outcomes in future research.

Expression of inflammatory (interleukin-6 [IL-6]) and vascular homeostatic (angiopoietin-2 [AP-2], endothelin-1 [ET-1], endocan-2 [EC-2]) biomarkers in pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) was examined in this prospective, observational cohort study of 28 children hospitalized with mild, moderate, and severe TBI by clinical measures (age, sex, Glasgow Coma Scale score [GCS], Injury Severity Score [ISS], and cerebral autoregulation status). Biomarker patterns suggest an inverse relationship between GCS and AP-2, GCS and IL-6, ISS and ET-1, but a direct relationship between GCS and ET-1 and ISS and AP-2. Biomarker patterns suggest an inverse relationship between AP-2 and ET-1, AP-2 and EC-2, but a direct relationship between AP-2 and IL-6, IL-6 and EC-2, and IL-6 and ET-1. Plasma concentrations of inflammatory and vascular homeostatic biomarkers suggest a role for inflammation and disruption of vascular homeostasis during the first 10 days across the severity spectrum of pediatric TBI. Although not statistically significant, without impact on cerebral autoregulation, biomarker patterns suggest a relationship between inflammation and alterations in vascular homeostasis. The large variation in biomarker levels within TBI severity and age groups, and by sex suggests other contributory factors to biomarker expression., (© 2019 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: Hypotension after pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with poor outcomes, but definitions of low systolic blood pressure (SBP) vary. Age- and sex-specific, percentile-based definitions of hypotension may help to better identify children at risk for poor outcomes compared with traditional thresholds recommended in pediatric trauma care., Methods: Using the National Trauma Data Bank between 2007 and 2014, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of children with isolated severe TBI. We classified admission SBP into 5 percentile categories according to population-based values: (1) SBP less than the fifth percentile, (2) SBP in the fifth to 24th percentile, (3) SBP in the 25th to 74th percentile, (4) SBP in the 75th to 94th percentile, and (5) SBP ≥95th percentile. These definitions were compared with the American College of Surgeons (ACS) hypotension definition. The association between SBP percentiles and in-hospital mortality was analyzed by using multivariable Poisson regression models., Results: There were 10 473 children with severe TBI included in this study. There were 2388 (22.8%) patients who died while in the hospital. Compared with SBP in the 75th to 94th percentile, mortality was higher with SBP less than the fifth percentile (relative risk [RR] 3.2; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.9-3.6), SBP in the fifth to 24th percentile (RR 2.3; 95% CI 2.0-2.7), and SBP in the 25th to 74th percentile (RR 1.4; 95% CI 1.2-1.6). An increased risk of mortality with SBP <75th percentile was present across all age subgroups. SBP targets using the ACS hypotension definition were higher than the fifth percentile hypotension definition, but were lower than the 75th percentile hypotension definition., Conclusions: Admission SBP <75th percentile was associated with a higher risk of in-hospital mortality after isolated severe TBI in children. SBP targets based on the 75th percentile were higher compared with traditional ACS targets. Percentile-based SBP targets should be considered in defining hypotension in pediatric TBI., Competing Interests: POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The authors have indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2018 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

Objectives: To examine the impact of early myocardial workload on in-hospital mortality following isolated severe traumatic brain injury., Design: Retrospective cohort study., Setting: Data from the National Trauma Databank, a multicenter trauma registry operated by the American College of Surgeons, from 2007 to 2014., Patients: Adult patients with isolated severe traumatic brain injury (defined as admission Glasgow Coma Scale < 8 and head Abbreviated Injury Score ≥ 4)., Interventions: Admission rate-pressure product, categorized into five levels based on published low, normal, and submaximal human thresholds: less than 5,000; 5,000-9,999; 10,000-14,999; 15,000-19,999; and greater than 20,000., Measurements and Main Results: Data from 26,412 patients were analyzed. Most patients had a normal rate-pressure product (43%), 35% had elevated rate-pressure product, and 22% had depressed rate-pressure product at hospital admission. Compared with the normal rate-pressure product group, in-hospital mortality was 22 percentage points higher in the lowest rate-pressure product group (cumulative mortality, 50.2%; 95% CI, 43.6-56.9%) and 11 percentage points higher in the highest rate-pressure product group (cumulative mortality, 39.2%; 95% CI, 37.4-40.9%). The lowest rate-pressure product group was associated with a 50% increased risk of mortality, compared with the normal rate-pressure product group (adjusted relative risk, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.31-1.76%; p < 0.0001), and the highest rate-pressure product group was associated with a 25% increased risk of mortality, compared with the normal rate-pressure product group (adjusted relative risk, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.18-1.92%; p < 0.0001). This relationship was blunted with increasing age. Among patients with normotension, those with depressed and elevated rate-pressure products experienced increased mortality., Conclusions: Adults with severe traumatic brain injury experience heterogeneous myocardial workload profiles that have a "U-shaped" relationship with mortality, even in the presence of a normal blood pressure. Our findings are novel and suggest that cardiac performance is important following severe traumatic brain injury.

Objectives: To characterize admission patterns, treatments, and outcomes among patients with moderate traumatic brain injury., Design: Retrospective cohort study., Setting: National Trauma Data Bank., Patients: Adults (age > 18 yr) with moderate traumatic brain injury (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth revision codes and admission Glasgow Coma Scale score of 9-13) in the National Trauma Data Bank between 2007 and 2014., Interventions: None., Measurement and Main Results: Demographics, mechanism of injury, hospital course, and facility characteristics were examined. Admission characteristics associated with discharge outcomes were analyzed using multivariable Poisson regression models. Of 114,066 patients, most were white (62%), male (69%), and had median admission Glasgow Coma Scale score of 12 (interquartile range, 10-13). Seventy-seven percent had isolated traumatic brain injury. Concussion, which accounted for 25% of moderate traumatic brain injury, was the most frequent traumatic brain injury diagnosis. Fourteen percent received mechanical ventilation, and 66% were admitted to ICU. Over 50% received care at a community hospital. Seven percent died, and 32% had a poor outcome, including those with Glasgow Coma Scale score of 13. Compared with patients 18-44 years, patients 45-64 years were twice as likely (adjusted relative risk, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.92-2.02) and patients over 80 years were five times as likely (adjusted relative risk, 4.66; 95% CI, 4.55-4.76) to have a poor outcome. Patients with a poor discharge outcome were more likely to have had hypotension at admission (adjusted relative risk, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.06-1.14), lower admission Glasgow Coma Scale (adjusted relative risk, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.34-1.40), higher Injury Severity Score (adjusted relative risk, 2.97; 95% CI, 2.86-3.09), and polytrauma (adjusted relative risk, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.02-1.07), compared with those without poor discharge outcomes., Conclusions: Many patients with moderate traumatic brain injury deteriorate, require neurocritical care, and experience poor outcomes. Optimization of care and outcomes for this vulnerable group of patients are urgently needed.

Systolic dysfunction was recently described following traumatic brain injury (TBI), and systemic inflammation may be a contributing mechanism. Our aims were to 1) examine the association between the early systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and systolic cardiac dysfunction following TBI, and 2) describe the longitudinal change in SIRS criteria, cardiac function, and hemodynamic parameters during the first week of hospitalization. We used a secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study examining cardiac function (with transthoracic echocardiography on the first day and serially over the first week of hospitalization) in 32 moderate-severe isolated TBI patients, and quantified the admission and daily SIRS response to injury. We determined the association of admission SIRS and systolic dysfunction following TBI. Admission SIRS was present in 7 (21%) patients and was associated with systolic dysfunction on multivariable analysis (relative risk 4.01; 95% 1.16-13.79, p = .028). Both SIRS criteria and systolic cardiac function improved over the first week of hospitalization. In conclusion, early SIRS is common among patients with moderate-severe TBI, and the presence of SIRS criteria on admission is associated with systolic cardiac dysfunction following TBI., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Blood pressure data may vary by measurement technique. We performed a technological assessment of differences in blood pressure measurement between non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) and invasive arterial blood pressure (ABP) in neurocritically ill patients. After IRB approval, a prospective observational study was performed to study differences in systolic blood pressure (SBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) values measured by NIBP arm, ABP at level of the phlebostatic axis (ABP heart) and ABP at level of the external auditory meatus (ABP brain) at 30 and 45-degree head of bed elevation (HOB) using repeated measure analysis of covariance and correlation coefficients. Overall, 168 patients were studied with median age of 57 ± 15 years, were mostly female (57%), with body mass index ≤30 (66%). Twenty-three percent (n = 39) had indwelling intracranial pressure monitors, and 19.7% (n = 33) received vasoactive agents. ABP heart overestimated ABP brain for SBP (11.5 ± 2.7 mmHg, p < .001), MAP (mean difference 13.3 ± 0.5 mmHg, p < .001) and CPP (13.4 ± 3.2 mmHg, p < .001). ABP heart overestimated NIBP arm for SBP (8 ± 1.5 mmHg, p < .001), MAP (mean difference 8.6 ± 0.8 mmHg, p < .001), and CPP (mean difference 9.8 ± 3.2 mmHg, p < .001). Regardless of HOB elevation, ABP heart overestimates MAP compared to ABP brain and NIBP arm. Using ABP heart data overestimates CPP and may be responsible for not achieving SBP, MAP or CPP targets aimed at the brain., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To characterize admission patterns, critical care resource utilization, and outcomes in moderate pediatric traumatic brain injury., Design: Retrospective cohort study., Setting: National Trauma Data Bank., Patients: Children under 18 years old with a diagnosis of moderate traumatic brain injury (admission Glasgow Coma Scale score of 9-13) in the National Trauma Data Bank between 2007 and 2014., Measurement and Main Results: We examined clinical characteristics, critical care resource utilization, and discharge outcomes. Poor outcomes were defined as discharge to hospice, skilled nursing facility, long-term acute care, or death. We examined 20,010 patient records. Patients were 9 years old (interquartile range, 2-15 yr), male (64%) with isolated traumatic brain injury (81%), Glasgow Coma Scale score of 12, head Abbreviated Injury Scale score of 3, and Injury Severity Score of 10. Majority (34%) were admitted to nontrauma hospitals. Critical care utilization was 58.7% including 11.5% mechanical ventilation and 3.2% intracranial pressure monitoring. Compared to patients with Glasgow Coma Scale score of 13, admission Glasgow Coma Scale score of 9 was associated with greater critical care resource utilization, such as ICU admission (72% vs 50%), intracranial pressure monitoring (7% vs 1.8%), mechanical ventilation (21% vs 6%), and intracranial surgery (10% vs 5%). Most patients (70%) were discharged to home, but up to one third had poor outcomes. Older age group had a higher risk of poor outcomes (10-14 yr; adjusted relative risk, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.13-1.54; 15-17 yr; adjusted relative risk, 2.39; 95% CI, 2.12-2.70). Poor outcomes occurred with lower Glasgow Coma Scale (Glasgow Coma Scale score of 9 vs Glasgow Coma Scale score of 13: adjusted relative risk, 2.89; 95% CI, 2.47-3.38), higher Injury Severity Score (Injury Severity Score of ≥ 16 vs Injury Severity Score of < 9: adjusted relative risk, 8.10; 95% CI 6.27-10.45), and polytrauma (adjusted relative risk, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.22-1.61)., Conclusions: Critical care resources are used in more than half of all moderate pediatric traumatic brain injury, and many receive care at nontrauma hospitals. Up to one third of moderate pediatric traumatic brain injury have poor outcomes, risk factors for which include age greater than 10 years, lower admission Glasgow Coma Scale, higher Injury Severity Score, and polytrauma. There is urgent need to optimize triage, care, and outcomes in this vulnerable population.

Background: Examine the association of a daily palliative care needs checklist on outcomes for family members of patients discharged from the neurosciences intensive care unit (neuro-ICU)., Methods: We conducted a prospective, longitudinal cohort study in a single, thirty-bed neuro-ICU in a regional comprehensive stroke and level 1 trauma center. One of two neuro-ICU services that admit patients to the same ICU on alternating days used a palliative care needs checklist during morning work rounds. Between March and October, 2015, surveys were mailed to family members of patients discharged from the neuro-ICU., Results: Nearly half of surveys (n = 91, 48.1%) were returned at a median of 4.7 months. At the time of survey completion, mean Modified rankin scale score (mRS) of neuro-ICU patients was 3.1 (SD 2). Overall ratings of quality of care were relatively high (82.2 on a 0-100 scale) with 32% of family members meeting screening criteria for depressive syndrome. The primary outcome measuring family satisfaction, consisting of eight items from the Family Satisfaction in the ICU questionnaire, did not differ significantly between families of patients from either ICU service nor did family ratings of depression (PHQ-8) and post-traumatic stress (PCL-17)., Conclusions: Among families of patients discharged from the neuro-ICU, the daily use of a palliative care needs checklist had no measurable effect on family satisfaction scores or long-term psychological outcomes. Further research is needed to identify optimal interventions to meet the palliative care needs specific to family members of patients treated in the neuro-ICU.

External ventricular drains and lumbar drains are commonly used to divert cerebrospinal fluid and to measure cerebrospinal fluid pressure. Although commonly encountered in the perioperative setting and critical for the care of neurosurgical patients, there are no guidelines regarding their management in the perioperative period. To address this gap in the literature, The Society for Neuroscience in Anesthesiology & Critical Care tasked an expert group to generate evidence-based guidelines. The document generated targets clinicians involved in perioperative care of patients with indwelling external ventricular and lumbar drains.

Background: Secondary insults worsen outcomes after traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, data on intraoperative secondary insults are sparse. The primary aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of intraoperative secondary insults during orthopedic surgery after moderate-severe TBI. We also examined the impact of intraoperative secondary insults on postoperative head computed tomographic scan, intracranial pressure (ICP), and escalation of care within 24 hours of surgery., Materials and Methods: We reviewed medical records of TBI patients 18 years and above with Glasgow Coma Scale score <13 who underwent single orthopedic surgery within 2 weeks of TBI. Secondary insults examined were: systemic hypotension (systolic blood pressure<90 mm Hg), intracranial hypertension (ICP>20 mm Hg), cerebral hypotension (cerebral perfusion pressure<50 mm Hg), hypercarbia (end-tidal CO2>40 mm Hg), hypocarbia (end-tidal CO2<30 mm Hg in absence of intracranial hypertension), hyperglycemia (glucose>200 mg/dL), hypoglycemia (glucose<60 mg/dL), and hyperthermia (temperature >38°C)., Results: A total of 78 patients (41 [18 to 81] y, 68% male) met the inclusion criteria. The most common intraoperative secondary insults were systemic hypotension (60%), intracranial hypertension and cerebral hypotension (50% and 45%, respectively, in patients with ICP monitoring), hypercarbia (32%), and hypocarbia (29%). Intraoperative secondary insults were associated with worsening of head computed tomography, postoperative decrease of Glasgow Coma Scale score by ≥2, and escalation of care. After Bonferroni correction, association between cerebral hypotension and postoperative escalation of care remained significant (P<0.001)., Conclusions: Intraoperative secondary insults were common during orthopedic surgery in patients with TBI and were associated with postoperative escalation of care. Strategies to minimize intraoperative secondary insults are needed.

Background: Current guidelines recommend routine clamping of external ventricular drains (EVD) for intrahospital transport (IHT). The aim of this project was to describe intracranial hemodynamic complications associated with routine EVD clamping for IHT in neurocritically ill cerebrovascular patients., Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of cerebrovascular adult patients with indwelling EVD admitted to the neurocritical care unit (NICU) during the months of September to December 2015 at a tertiary care center. All IHTs from the NICU of the included patients were examined. Main outcomes were incidence and risk factors for an alteration in intracranial pressure (ICP) and cerebral perfusion pressure after IHT., Results: Nineteen cerebrovascular patients underwent 178 IHTs (79.8 % diagnostic and 20.2 % therapeutic) with clamped EVD. Twenty-one IHTs (11.8 %) were associated with post-IHT ICP ≥ 20 mmHg, and 33 IHTs (18.5 %) were associated with escalation of ICP category. Forty IHTs (26.7 %) in patients with open EVD status in the NICU prior to IHT were associated with IHT complications, whereas no IHT complications occurred in IHTs with clamped EVD status in the NICU. Risk factors for post-IHT ICP ≥ 20 mmHg were IHT for therapeutic procedures (adjusted relative risk [aRR] 5.82; 95 % CI, 1.76-19.19), pre-IHT ICP 15-19 mmHg (aRR 3.40; 95 % CI, 1.08-10.76), pre-IHT ICP ≥ 20 mmHg (aRR 12.94; 95 % CI, 4.08-41.01), and each 1 mL of hourly cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drained prior to IHT (aRR 1.11; 95 % CI, 1.01-1.23)., Conclusions: Routine clamping of EVD for IHT in cerebrovascular patients is associated with post-IHT ICP complications. Pre-IHT ICP ≥ 15 mmHg, increasing hourly CSF output, and IHT for therapeutic procedures are risk factors.

Perioperative stroke can be a catastrophic outcome for surgical patients and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. This consensus statement from the Society for Neuroscience in Anesthesiology and Critical Care provides evidence-based recommendations and opinions regarding the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care of patients at high risk for the complication.

Vascular air embolism is a potentially life-threatening event that is now encountered routinely in the operating room and other patient care areas. The circumstances under which physicians and nurses may encounter air embolism are no longer limited to neurosurgical procedures conducted in the "sitting position" and occur in such diverse areas as the interventional radiology suite or laparoscopic surgical center. Advances in monitoring devices coupled with an understanding of the pathophysiology of vascular air embolism will enable the physician to successfully manage these potentially challenging clinical scenarios. A comprehensive review of the etiology and diagnosis of vascular air embolism, including approaches to prevention and management based on experimental and clinical data, is presented. This compendium of information will permit the healthcare professional to rapidly assess the relative risk of vascular air embolism and implement monitoring and treatment strategies appropriate for the planned invasive procedure.