Zero drift of intraventricular and subdural intracranial pressure monitoring systems / 中华创伤杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess zero drift of intraventricular and subdural intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring systems.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A prospective study was conducted in patients who received Codman ICP monitoring in the neurosurgical department from January 2010 to December 2011. According to the location of sensors, the patients were categorized into two groups: intraventricular group and subdural group. Zero drift between the two groups and its association with the duration of ICP monitor were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Totally, 22 patients undergoing intraventricular ICP monitoring and 27 receiving subdural ICP monitoring were enrolled. There was no significant difference in duration of ICP monitoring, zero drift value and its absolute value between intraventricular and subdural groups (5.38 d+/-2.58 d vs 4.58 d+/-2.24 d, 0.77 mm Hg+/-2.18 mm Hg vs 1.03 mm Hg+/-2.06 mm Hg, 1.68 mm Hg+/-1.55 mm Hg vs 1.70 mm Hg+/-1.53 mm Hg, respectively; all P larger than 0.05). Absolute value of zero drift in both groups significantly rose with the increased duration of ICP monitoring (P less than 0.05) while zero drift value did not. Moreover, daily absolute value in the intraventricular group was significantly smaller than that in the subdural group (0.27 mm Hg+/-0.32 mm Hg vs 0.29 mm Hg+/-0.18 mm Hg, P less than 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This study demonstrates that absolute value of zero drift significantly correlates with duration of both intraventricular and subdural ICP monitoring. Due to the smaller daily absolute value, ICP values recorded from intraventricular system may be more reliable than those from subdural system.</p>

Influence of acute ethanol intoxication on neuronal apoptosis and Bcl-2 protein expression after severe traumatic brain injury in rats / 中华创伤杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the influence and mechanism of acute ethanol intoxication (AEI) on rat neuronal apoptosis after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety-six Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: normal control, AEI-only, TBI-only and TBI+AEI (n equal to 24 for each). Severe TBI model was developed according to Feeney's method. Rats in TBI+AEI group were firstly subjected to AEI, and then suffered head trauma. In each group, animals were sacrificed at 6 h, 24 h, 72 h, and 168 h after TBI. The level of neuronal apoptosis and the expression of Bcl-2 protein were determined by TUNEL assay and immunohistochemical method, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Apoptotic cells mainly distributed in the cortex and white matter around the damaged area. Neuronal apoptosis significantly increased at 6 h after trauma and peaked at 72 h. Both the level of neuronal apoptosis and expression of Bcl-2 protein in TBI-only group and TBI+AEI group were higher than those in control group (P less than 0.05). Compared with TBI-only group, the two indexes were much higher in TBI+AEI group at all time points (P less than 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Our findings suggest that AEI can increase neuronal apoptosis after severe TBI.</p>

Analysis of related factors affecting prognosis of shunt surgery in patients with secondary normal pressure hydrocephalus / 中华创伤杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The management of secondary normal pressure hydrocephalus (sNPH) is controversial. Many factors may affect the surgery effect. The purpose of this study was to identify the possible factors influencing prognosis and provide theoretical basis for clinical treatment of sNPH.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A retrospective study was carried out to investigate the results of 31 patients with sNPH who underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery from January 2007 to December 2011. We processed the potential influencing factors by univariate analysis and the result further by multivariate logistic regression analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Factors including age, disease duration and Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score before surgery significantly influenced the prognosis of sNPH (P less than 0.05). Further logistic regression analysis showed that all the three factors are independent influencing factors.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Age, disease duration and GCS score before surgery have positive predictive value in estimating favorable response to surgical treatment for sNPH.</p>

Application of ulinastatin in severe craniocerebral injuries / 中华创伤杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the therapeutic effect of ulinastatin on severe craniocerebral injuries and to explore its mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>There were 87 cases of severe brain injury in this series and they were either treated by ulinastatin (treatment group, 41 cases) or not (control group, 46 cases) besides routine managements. We estimated C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, superoxide dismutase, and endothelin from plasmas of all the cases on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th day after injury.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>C-reactive protein level rose on the 1st and 3rd day after injury in the two groups, but descended in treatment group on the 5th and 7th day and was significantly lower than that in control group (P < 0.01). No significant difference was found for interleukin-6 in two groups during 1-5 days after injury, but on the 7th day, it decreased significantly in treatment group than control one (P < 0.01). Superoxide dismutase was higher in treatment group than control one in 5-7 days after injury (P < 0.01). Endothelin elevated on the 1st day after injury but dropped afterwards in the two groups, in which the level in treatment group was lower than that in control one. The incidence of gastrointestinal hemorrhage was lower in treatment group than control one (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Ulinastatin has the function of protecting cerebral tissue, reducing the incidence of gastrointestinal hemorrhage, improving hepatic and renal function and prognosis.</p>