Early postoperative seizures and endovenous phenytoin. Preliminary clinical data.

Early seizures represent a major complication in the post operative course of patients operated on for supratentorial tumors or AVMs. The real effectiveness of the AEDs prophylaxis to reduce the occurrence of post operative seizures is controversial. We proposed a prophylactic treatment with endovenous PHT consisting of two infusions of PHT (mean dosage of 18 mg/kg; mean time of 1 hr) perioperatively and during the first postoperative day.

Respiratory complications during artificial barbiturate coma.

Artificial barbiturate coma was induced in 13 patients with disorders of consciousness from traumatic or spontaneous diseases. Early respiratory complications consisting with Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) were found in 10 out of these 13 patients; on the contrary, only 2 out of 13 patients, treated with routine intensive care therapy without barbiturate, showed analogous respiratory complications. The literature on the subject and the possible pathophysiological mechanism of respiratory distress are discussed.

Long-term results in 62 cases of post-traumatic complete apallic syndrome.

After the transition state of decerebrate coma, at least four different kinds of the so-called apallic status can be identified: 1. Complete apallic syndrome: coma vigil, alertness without any awareness, mass movements only, impairment of sleep rhythm, absence of any emotional responses, postural abnormalities, some primitive motor responses, tetraplegia, and alteration of muscle tone. 2.

Severe traumatic coma in infancy and childhood: results after surgery and resuscitation.

This study deals with 390 cases of severe traumatic coma in infancy, childhood and youth, aged between 4 months and 19 years. Cases in which unconsciousness lasted less than 24-48 hours have not been considered here. 161 patients were operated upon for intracranial space-occupying lesions or for open head injury: extradural haematomas 60; extradural haematomas + brain lacerations and/or subdural haematomas 16; acute subdural haematomas 18; brain laceration 36; open head injuries 17; decompressive operations, hydromas and contusions 14.

Hypokalaemia after pneumoencephalography.

The changes in plasma electrolytes and blood pH and gases following the insufflation of air into the subarachnoid space for pneumoencephalography were investigated. The only significant change observed was a rapid fall of plasma potassium most evident at 60 minutes. A concomitant reduction of the urinary Na/K ratio supports the possibility that the change observed may be due to the stimulation of aldosterone secretion caused by this procedure, though its rapid occurrence and reversibility indicate that other influences might at least in part be responsible.