Thrombolysis and clinical outcome in patients with stroke after implementation of the Tyrol Stroke Pathway: a retrospective observational study.

Background: Intravenous thrombolysis for ischaemic stroke remains underused worldwide. We aimed to assess whether our statewide comprehensive stroke management programme would improve thrombolysis use and clinical outcome in patients.

Methods: In 2008-09, we designed the Tyrol Stroke Pathway, which provided information campaigns for the public and standardised the entire treatment pathway from stroke onset to outpatient rehabilitation.

Efficacy of silver nanoparticles-impregnated external ventricular drain catheters in patients with acute occlusive hydrocephalus.

Introduction: Catheter-associated infection of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a potentially life-threatening complication of external ventricular drainage (EVD). The purpose of this pilot study was to address the efficacy of silver-impregnated EVD catheters in neurological and neurosurgical patients requiring external CSF drainage due to acute occlusive hydrocephalus.

Methods: Nineteen consecutive patients were enrolled in the treatment arm of the study and data were prospectively recorded for these patients.

Survival and long-term functional outcome in 1,155 consecutive neurocritical care patients.

Objective: To analyze survival, mortality, and long-term functional disability outcome and to determine predictors of unfavorable outcome in critically ill patients admitted to a neurologic intensive care unit (neuro-ICU).

Design: Retrospective cohort study with post-neuro-ICU health-related evaluation of functional long-term outcome.

Setting: Ten-bed neuro-ICU in a tertiary care university hospital.

Silver segregation and bacterial growth of intraventricular catheters impregnated with silver nanoparticles in cerebrospinal fluid drainages.

Objectives: Intraventricular catheters impregnated with silver nanoparticles are developed to reduce catheter-associated infections in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainages. Silver released from these new catheters should have an anti-microbacterial effect. This study examines the silver ion release and a potential effect of bacterial growth in an in vitro experiment.

Scanning electron microscopy of the neuropathology of murine cerebral malaria.

Background: The mechanisms leading to death and functional impairments due to cerebral malaria (CM) are yet not fully understood. Most of the knowledge about the pathomechanisms of CM originates from studies in animal models. Though extensive histopathological studies of the murine brain during CM are existing, alterations have not been visualized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) so far.

Pharmacokinetics of intravenous linezolid in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma in neurointensive care patients with staphylococcal ventriculitis associated with external ventricular drains.

The pharmacokinetic profile of linezolid in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in five neurointensive care patients with staphylococcal ventriculitis was studied. The mean area under concentration-time curve (+/- standard deviation) was 63 +/- 18.9 mg x h/liter, with a CSF-to-plasma ratio of 0.

Case report: severe heat stroke with multiple organ dysfunction - a novel intravascular treatment approach.

Introduction: We report the case of a patient who developed a severe post-exertional heat stroke with consecutive multiple organ dysfunction resistant to conventional antipyretic treatment, necessitating the use of a novel endovascular device to combat hyperthermia and maintain normothermia.

Methods: A 38-year-old male suffering from severe heat stroke with predominant signs and symptoms of encephalopathy requiring acute admission to an intensive care unit, was admitted to a ten-bed neurological intensive care unit of a tertiary care hospital. The patient developed consecutive multiple organ dysfunction with rhabdomyolysis, and hepatic and respiratory failure.

Treatment of staphylococcal ventriculitis associated with external cerebrospinal fluid drains: a prospective randomized trial of intravenous compared with intraventricular vancomycin therapy.

Object: Staphylococcal ventriculitis may be a complication in temporary external ventricular drains (EVDs). The limited penetration of vancomycin into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is well known; the pharmacodynamics and efficacy of systemically compared with intraventricularly administered vancomycin is examined in this prospective study.

Methods: Ten patients in whom EVDs were implanted to treat intracranial hemorrhage and who were suffering from drain-associated ventriculitis were randomized into two treatment groups.

Safety and efficacy of a novel intravascular cooling device to control body temperature in neurologic intensive care patients: a prospective pilot study.

Objective: To determine the safety and efficacy of a novel intravascular cooling device (Cool Line catheter with Cool Gard system) to control body temperature (temperature goal <37 degrees C) in neurologic intensive care patients.

Design: A prospective, uncontrolled pilot study in 51 consecutive neurologic intensive care patients.

Setting: A neurologic intensive care unit at a tertiary care university hospital.

Temporal and spatial profile of Bid cleavage after experimental traumatic brain injury.

Apoptosis plays an essential role in the cascade of CNS cell degeneration after traumatic brain injury. However, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. The authors examined the temporal profile and cell subtype distribution of the proapoptotic protein Bid from 6 hours to 7 days after cortical impact injury in the rat.