The precise mechanism involved in DIC and delayed traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (DT-SAH) remains unclear in multiple-trauma patients. Hereby, we describe a polytraumatized patient with DIC who died due to DT-SAH. A 75-year-old female patient was admitted to our Emergency Department complaining of abdominal pain and drowsiness after a pedestrian accident. Her initial brain computerized tomography (CT) finding was negative for intracranial injury. However, her abdominal CT scan revealed a collection of retroperitoneal hematomas from internal iliac artery bleeding after a compressive pelvic fracture. This event eventually resulted in shock and DIC. An immediate angiographic embolization of the bleeding artery was performed along with transfusion and anti-thrombin III. Her vital signs were stabilized without neurological change. Fourteen hours after admission, she suddenly became comatose, and her follow-up brain CT scan revealed a dense DT-SAH along the basal cisterns with acute hydrocephalus. This event rapidly prompted brain CT angiography and digital subtraction angiography, which both confirmed the absence of any cerebrovascular abnormality. Despite emergency extraventricular drainage to reverse the hydrocephalus, the patient died three days after the trauma. This paper presents an unusual case of DT-SAH in a polytraumatized patient with DIC.
Abdominal Pain ; Aged ; Angiography ; Angiography, Digital Subtraction ; Arteries ; Brain ; Coma ; Dacarbazine ; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation* ; Drainage ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Iliac Artery ; Multiple Trauma ; Shock ; Sleep Stages ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Traumatic* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vital Signs

Post-traumatic hydrocephalus (PTH) is treated through cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion, typically through ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) or other bypass techniques. As these shunts are associated with significant complications and high revision rates in certain populations, it is important to tailor a patient’s shunt procedure according to their medical history and complications. Herein, we report the case of a 30-year-old man with PTH following a traffic accident on a motorcycle. VPS was chosen as the method of treatment but required multiple revisions and replacements due to persistent complications such as postoperative infection, shunt obstruction and abdominal problem. As the patient’s heart failure and pleural effusion rendered both ventriculopleural and ventriculoatrial shunt not feasible, it was decided to move the shunt to the bladder (ventriculo-vesicle shunt [VVS]) in cooperation with a urologist. Follow-up examinations after about 3 months showed a decrease in ventricle size, improved hydrocephalus, and no complications such as urinary infection or bladder stone formation. In cases where the patient’s underlying conditions, such as heart failure and pleural effusion, make it unsuitable to choose the pleural cavity or atrium as non-peritoneal spaces, VVS can be a suitable option for continuous CSF drainage when complications have occurred with the previous VPS.

Objective: Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is a commonly encountered neurosurgical pathology that frequently requires surgical intervention. With an increasingly aging demographic, more older people and patients with comorbidities will present with symptomatic CSDH. This study evaluated clinical and laboratory factors affecting the shortterm outcomes of CSDH after surgical intervention. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 170 patients who underwent burr-hole trephination for CSDH in a single institution from January 2019 to December 2021. All patients were examined for risk factors and evaluated for hematoma thickness change and midline shifting on brain computed tomography (CT) scans at 3 days after burr-hole trephination. Results: This consecutive series of patients included 114 males (67.1%) and 56 females (32.9%);mean age 72.4±12.5 years. Renal disease (p=0.044) and prior intracranial hemorrhage (p=0.004) were clinical factors associated with poorer prognosis. A statistically significant association was found between initial laboratory findings, including high creatine kinase (p=0.025) and low platelet (p=0.036) levels, and CT findings 3 days postoperatively. The 3-day mean arterial pressure and postoperative ambulation were not significantly associated with outcomes. Conclusion Burr-hole craniostomy is an effective surgical procedure for initial CSDH.However, patients with a history intracranial hemorrhage and abnormal laboratory findings, such as low platelet levels, who underwent burr-hole trephination had poor short-term outcomes. Therefore, these patients should be carefully monitored.

When aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage due to multiple aneurysms is suspected, identifying the rupture site is essential to determine the exact surgical site, but it may not be easy. Even if embolization is adequately performed, complications may remain. Typical complications include rebleeding and hydrocephalus in the early phase and delayed cerebral ischemia in the delayed phase. Herein, we describe a case of rupture of an intracranial aneurysm after performing embolization for a different ruptured intracranial aneurysm in a patient with multiple intracranial aneurysms. Patients with multiple intracranial aneurysms need to be considered for closer observation than those with a single ruptured intracranial aneurysm, even if the patient’s prognosis is good.

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is an effective treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It is considered relatively safe. However, fatal complications such as pulmonary edema and liver abscesses can occur. Spinal infarction due to local embolism of the central nervous system after TACE is a very rare, but fatal complication. Here, we report a case of spinal cord infarction after TACE for ruptured HCC. Paraplegia occurred at the T10 sensory level 6 hours after the procedure. The patient received steroid megadose therapy but died 5 days later due to exacerbation of metabolic acidosis and blood loss. This case demonstrates the need for a comprehensive and extensive study of arterial blood flow prior to angiography.

Objective: Subdural hygroma (SDG) is a complication of traumatic brain injury (TBI). In particular, the outcome and outpatient treatment period may vary depending on the occurrence of SDG. However, the pathogenesis of SDG has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with the occurrence of SDG after mild TBI. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 250 patients with mild TBI admitted to a single institution between January 2021 and December 2021. The SDG occurrence and control groups were analyzed according to the risk factors of SDG, such as age, history, initial computed tomography (CT) findings, and initial laboratory findings. Results: The overall occurrence rate of SDG was 31.6% (n=79). A statistically significant association was found between preoperative diagnoses and the occurrence of SDG, such as subarachnoid hemorrhage (odds ratio [OR], 2.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26–4.39) and basal skull fracture (OR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.12–0.83). Additionally, age ≥70 years (OR, 3.20; 95% CI, 1.74–5.87) and the use of tranexamic acid (OR, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.05–4.54) were statistically significant factors. The prognostic evaluation of patients using the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) did not show any statistical differences between patients with and without SDG. Conclusion SDG was not associated with the prognosis of patients assessed using the GOS. However, depending on the occurrence of SDG, differences in patient symptoms may occur after mild TBI. Therefore, the early evaluation of patients with mild TBI and determination of the probability of developing SDG are important.

Topical epinephrine is useful to reduce bleeding during skin grafting. However, even though a clear operative field is obtained, systemic absorption of topical epinephrine can occur and this may cause severe hypertension, arrhythmias, ventricular tachycardia, myocardial ischemia, pulmonary edema, or cardiac arrest. We managed a case of cardiac arrhythmia during general anesthesia, which was induced by gauze soaked in topical epinephrine used for skin grafting of burn wounds. A 26-year-old woman developed premature ventricular complexes and ventricular tachycardia during surgery when epinephrine-soaked gauze was applied to the skin donor and burn wound sites to control oozing. The patient was resuscitated immediately and within 10 minutes the vital signs had normalized. It is recommended that caution is exercised when epinephrine-soaked gauze is applied to a large area of skin.
Absorption ; Adult ; Anesthesia, General ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Burns ; Epinephrine ; Female ; Heart Arrest ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Myocardial Ischemia ; Pulmonary Edema ; Skin ; Skin Transplantation ; Tachycardia, Ventricular ; Tissue Donors ; Ventricular Premature Complexes ; Vital Signs

Objective: This study investigated the change in the number of patients with head trauma according to the trauma mechanism among severely injured patients transferred to the emergency department of Wonju Severance Christian Hospital before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: Medical records (sex, age, diagnosis, trauma mechanism, and injury severity score) of patients referred to the emergency room between January 2018 and December 2019 and January 2020 and December 2021 were retrospectively reviewed, verified, and compared. Results: Between 2020 and 2021, the number of patients with traumatic brain injury decreased by 251 (32%). No significant differences were observed in sex, age, or time of accident. From 2020 to 2021, among the trauma mechanisms, the number of cases involving rolling down slightly reduced compared with those involving other mechanisms.Furthermore, cerebral contusions among intracranial lesions significantly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion Partial restrictions on social activities owing to COVID-19 are ongoing. Further investigation of the clinical characteristics of trauma patients over a longer period is required.

We aimed to develop a cloud-based telemedicine platform for patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) at local hospitals in rural and underserved areas in Gangwon-do using artificial intelligence and non-face-to-face collaboration treatment technology. This is a prospective and multi-center development project in which neurosurgeons from four university hospitals in Gangwondo will participate. Information technology experts will verify and improve the performance of the cloud-based telemedicine collaboration platform while treating ICH patients in the actual medical field. Problems identified will be resolved, and the function, performance, security, and safety of the telemedicine platform will be checked through an accredited certification authority. The project will be carried out over 4 years and consists of two phases. The first phase will be from April 2022 to December 2023, and the second phase will be from April 2024 to December 2025. The platform will be developed by dividing the work of the neurosurgeons and information technology experts by setting the order of items through mutual feedback. This article provides information on a project to develop a cloud-based telemedicine platform for acute ICH patients in Gangwon-do.

The precise mechanism involved in DIC and delayed traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (DT-SAH) remains unclear in multiple-trauma patients. Hereby, we describe a polytraumatized patient with DIC who died due to DT-SAH. A 75-year-old female patient was admitted to our Emergency Department complaining of abdominal pain and drowsiness after a pedestrian accident. Her initial brain computerized tomography (CT) finding was negative for intracranial injury. However, her abdominal CT scan revealed a collection of retroperitoneal hematomas from internal iliac artery bleeding after a compressive pelvic fracture. This event eventually resulted in shock and DIC. An immediate angiographic embolization of the bleeding artery was performed along with transfusion and anti-thrombin III. Her vital signs were stabilized without neurological change. Fourteen hours after admission, she suddenly became comatose, and her follow-up brain CT scan revealed a dense DT-SAH along the basal cisterns with acute hydrocephalus. This event rapidly prompted brain CT angiography and digital subtraction angiography, which both confirmed the absence of any cerebrovascular abnormality. Despite emergency extraventricular drainage to reverse the hydrocephalus, the patient died three days after the trauma. This paper presents an unusual case of DT-SAH in a polytraumatized patient with DIC.
Abdominal Pain ; Aged ; Angiography ; Angiography, Digital Subtraction ; Arteries ; Brain ; Coma ; Dacarbazine ; Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation ; Drainage ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hematoma ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hydrocephalus ; Iliac Artery ; Multiple Trauma ; Shock ; Sleep Stages ; Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Traumatic ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vital Signs