[The clinico-laboratory criteria of brain death in neurosurgical patients].

With the purpose of developing scientifically substantiated criteria for brain death complex of clinical and physiological, biochemical, physicochemical, and morphological studies was initiated in 55 patients in a critical state because of a dangerous craniocerebral injury, tumours, and vascular affections of the brain. Generalized in the paper are well-known parameters characterizing irreversibility of changes. The following items are to be regarded as the principal criteria for brain death at the present stage of development of medicine: death of truncus cerebri and irreversibility of metabolic disturbances in brain activity.

[Secondary craniocerebral trauma in acute disorders of the cerebral circulation].

As many as 69 records were reviewed of those patients predominantly in older age bracket, in whom acute cerebral circulatory disorder (hemorrhage in 26, infarction of the brain in 8, transient cerebral circulatory disturbances in 35) was a cause of their falling and incurring a craniocerebral injury. The studies made suggest that prior history, somatoneurological examination, information provided by various investigational modalities, especially computerized tomographic imaging, all might serve to make the diagnosis of associated brain injury more precise.

[The clinical manifestations of craniocerebral trauma in elderly patients].

It has been shown that over the recent 20 years the number of senile patients with a history of craniocerebral injury rose from 4.8 to 7.2% whereas in the group over 60, from 53 to 72%.

[Prevention and treatment of purulent inflammatory complications of open craniocerebral trauma with decamethoxine ].

In the work based on the analysis of observation of 154 sufferers with an open craniocerebral trauma, the positive therapeutic and preventive action of agueous solutions of decamethoxine is shown.

[Emergency medical aid to patients with craniocerebral trauma in the prehospital period].

On the basis of analysis of more than 5000 observations of the sufferers admitted to the Kiev Research Institute of Neurosurgery for acute craniocerebral trauma from 1975 to 1991, quality of giving medical aid at the prehospital period was studied. Of most importance, are the measures directed at struggle against respiratory disorders, disturbances in cardio-vascular activity, shock, hemorrhage.

[The characteristics of the diagnosis and clinical course of traumatic hematomas located basally].

The authors analyzed 27 patients with traumatic subdural hematomas of basal location. Hematomas of this location are distinguished by a different clinical course and difficulties of diagnosis. The informative value of different methods of diagnosis is discussed.

[The characteristics of closed craniocerebral trauma in older persons].

It is shown that in the recent 2 decades the incidence of craniocerebral trauma increased from 4.8 to 7.2% among old-aged individuals and from 53 to 72% in the group of patients over 60.

[Bilateral traumatic subdural hematomas].

The authors studied 57 verified cases of bilateral traumatic subdural hematomas (BTSH) 36 of which were acute, 4 subacute, and 17 chronic. The patient's ages ranged from 15 to 84 years. The clinical picture of BTSH is made up of general cerebral, primary-focal, and dislocation symptoms.

[Clinical aspects, diagnosis and treatment of cranio-thoracic injuries in patients of different age].

The comparative analysis of the clinical manifestations and informative value of the adjuvant methods of investigation in 125 patients with ++cranio-thoracic injuries and 53 patients with isolated craniocerebral trauma was carried out. This permitted to define more precisely the possibilities of the methods of neurosurgical diagnosis and find the optimal methods for the treatment of patients of different age with ++cranio-thoracic injuries.

[Craniocerebral trauma and stroke].

It was demonstrated from analysis of 685 cases that craniocerebral injury is attended by the development of secondary acute disorders of cerebral circulation in 8.9% of cases. Cerebral apoplexy is encountered in craniocerebral trauma 4-5 times more frequently (in 25% of cases) among patients with arterial hypertension and 2-2.

[Diagnosis and treatment of chronic traumatic subdural hematomas in middle and old age].

The peculiar features of the clinical picture, diagnosis, and surgical treatment of chronic traumatic subdural hematomas were studied in 72 patients of elderly and old age. In 98% of patients they occurred after mild craniocerebral trauma of the type of brain concussion. Local signs prevailed over general cerebral signs in all phases of the disease, productive disorders of consciousness were rare as compared to nonproductive disturbances, marked intellectual-mnemonic disorders were often encountered.

[The unified interdisciplinary classification of closed cranio-cerebral trauma].

The article gives an account of the classification of cranio-cerebral traumas recommended by the IIIrd All-Union Congress of Neurosurgeons. Main clinical forms of cranio-cerebral traumas are described: concussion of the brain, contusion of the brain of light, mild and critical degree, compression of the brain against the background of its contusion and without it. A uniform gradation of disturbed consciousness and criteria for the assessment of the patient's state are presented.

[Surgical treatment of contusion foci in different age groups].

The specific features of surgical treatment of contusion foci in patients of various age groups were studied basing on analysis of 606 cases. Two groups of cases were analysed: those with an isolated brain contusion and cases with contusion and compression of the brain by hematoma and bone fragments. It is shown that removal of the contusion foci in patients of various age groups improves the results of treatment.

[Toward a single inter-disciplinary classification of cranio-cerebral injuries].

The article presents clinical criteria of the diagnosis of concussion, contusion and compression of the brain in the acute period of a craniocerebral injury. The authors specify the major signs of a moderate and deep stun, sopor, as well as moderate, deep and coma de passe. Unified evaluations of the severity of the state of a patient with a craniocerebral injury are described.

[Highway craniocerebral injuries].

The work analyses the specific features of the clinical picture, diagnosis, and treatment of craniocerebral injury because of 7 car accidents (225 patients) and in common accidents of everyday life (210 patients). Craniocerebral injury in car accidents is very severe (high incidence of massive and multiple contusions of the brain, fractures of the skull bones, intracranial hematomas) and is often combined with injury to the viscera and bones. Thorough clinical and neurological examination, x-ray of the skull, echoencephalography, cerebral angiography, and trephination of the skull help to disclose and identify exactly the character of the cerebral damage.

[Disruption of sodium-potassium metabolism in the acute period of craniocerebral injuries in the aged].

Disorders of sodium-potassium metabolism in the acute period of craniocerebral injury of different severity were studied in 138 patients whose ages ranged from 50 to 86 years. The electrolyte-excretion function of the kidneys was also studied. The features of the sodium-potassium shifts depending on the age of the injured persons were revealed as well as their effect on the course and outcome of the cerebral injury.

[Clinical picture and diagnosis of mild craniocerebral injuries during alcoholic intoxication].

The authors analysed 273 cases with brain contusion suffered in a state of acute alcohol intoxication. It was found that alcohol intoxication alters its clinical picture considerably. The dependence of the neurological symptoms on the degree and phase of alcohol intoxication is shown.