Safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of weight-based IV loading dose of lacosamide in the ICU.

Among the newer antiseizure medications, lacosamide (LCM) has been increasingly used for acute seizures and status epilepticus in intensive care unit (ICU). We reviewed retrospectively weight-based dosing of IV LCM in patients admitted to ICU with acute seizures and status epilepticus. We have analyzed 354/382 patient treated with IV LCM in ICU during the years 2013-2016.

Secondary hypothermia in patients with super-refractory status epilepticus managed with propofol and ketamine.

Background: Therapeutic hypothermia as a potent nonpharmacologic antiseizure therapy has been investigated experimentally in animal models and humans. Although induced hypothermia has been shown to be neuroprotective in acute convulsive status epilepticus, whether its use will translate into improved outcomes for patients with super-refractory nonconvulsive status epilepticus (SRNCSE) has been debated. No clinical data are available on the occurrence and prognostic impact of secondary hypothermia (s-HT) in patients with SRNCSE.

Decompressive hemicraniectomy in the management of subcortical spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.

Background: The benefit of decompressive hemicraniectomy in patients with malignant acute ischemic stroke is well established, however its role in supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhages is unclear and evolving. Prior studies combined cortical and subcortical hemorrhages in their analysis despite their different natural history. Subcortical hematoma is associated with worse outcomes due to mechanical compression of subcortical structures.

Massive air embolism resulting in ischemic stroke after left ventricular assist device implantation.

We present the first case of ischemic stroke secondary to massive air embolus during implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). The patient experienced a suction event at the time of aortic cannula removal. Despite the use of all standard deairing techniques and flooding the operative field with continuous-flow carbon dioxide, a significant amount of air was delivered into the ascending aorta through the LVAD pump.

Ketamine Infusion Used to Successfully Control Refractory Status Epilepticus in a Pregnant Patient.

The management of SE during pregnancy is especially challenging to the treating physician. While antiepileptic medications might cause teratogenicity, SE can have significant morbidity and mortality on both the mother and the developing fetus. This case report demonstrated the successful use of ketamine infusion in the management of RSE in pregnancy without affecting the immediate outcome of pregnancy.

Do Not Resuscitate, Anesthesia, and Perioperative Care: A Not So Clear Order.

Background: Advance directives guide healthcare providers to listen to and respect patients' wishes regarding their right to die in circumstances when cardiopulmonary resuscitation is required, and hospitals accredited by The Joint Commission are required to have a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) policy in place. However, when surgery and anesthesia are necessary for the care of the patient with a DNR order, this advance directive can create ethical dilemmas specifically involving patient autonomy and the physician's responsibility to do no harm.

Methods: This paper discusses the ethical considerations regarding perioperative DNR orders and provides guidance on how to handle situations that may arise in the conduct of perioperative care.

Description of a novel telemedicine-enabled comprehensive system of care: drip and ship plus drip and keep within a system of stroke care delivery.

United States (US) and worldwide telestroke programs frequently focus only on emergency room hyper-acute stroke management. This article describes a comprehensive, telemedicine-enabled, stroke care delivery system that combines "drip and ship" and "drip and keep" models with a comprehensive stroke center primary hub at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans, advanced stroke-capable regional hubs, and geographically-aligned, "stroke-ready" spokes. The primary hub provides vascular neurology expertise via telemedicine and monitors care for patients remaining at regional hubs and spokes using a multidisciplinary team approach.

Propofol-ketamine combination therapy for effective control of super-refractory status epilepticus.

Retrospective analysis was conducted of patients with SRSE who were treated simultaneously with propofol and ketamine. Sixty-seven patients were identified from 2012 to 2015, and outcomes documented were resolution and mortality. The duration of combined ketamine and propofol use ranged from 1 to 28 days (mean - 3.

Pyridoxine deficiency in adult patients with status epilepticus.

An 8-year-old girl treated at our facility for superrefractory status epilepticus was found to have a low pyridoxine level at 5 μg/L. After starting pyridoxine supplementation, improvement in the EEG for a 24-hour period was seen. We decided to look at the pyridoxine levels in adult patients admitted with status epilepticus.

Safety & pK of IV loading dose of lacosamide in the ICU.

A restrospective review of patients treated in the ICU for refractory status epilepticus who had received an initial IV loading dose of lacosamide (LCS) was performed. A total of 142 patients were identified. The first 34 patients received 400mg which by weight-based measurement ranged from 2 to 11 mg/kg.

Use of propofol to control refractory involuntary movements.

The authors report the first case of propofol use for the control of non-epileptic involuntary movements in a patient with postviral encephalitis. The withdrawal from propofol was associated with re-emergence of involuntary movements. The patient was maintained on propofol infusion for 6 months while a series of medications were used in an attempt to control the movements.

Bispectral Index monitoring correlates with sedation scales in brain-injured patients.

Objective: Monitoring critically ill, brain-injured patients with a decreased level of consciousness is challenging. Our goal is to determine in this population the correlation between the Bispectral Index (BIS) and three commonly used sedation agitation scales: the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS), the Sedation-Agitation Scale (SAS) and the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores.

Design: Prospective, single-blinded observational study.

Leukocyte reduction during orthotopic liver transplantation and postoperative outcome: a pilot study.

Study Objective: To investigate the effect of intraoperative leukocyte reduction of administered blood products on the incidence of acute cellular rejection and postoperative patient outcome.

Design: Prospective, nonrandomized, historical control study.

Setting: Academic tertiary medical center.