Dynamics of Brain Edema


Book Description

A workshop on Dynamic Aspects of Cerebral Edema was organized to pro vide an opport~nitY,for interdisciplinary and detailed consideration of this subject, so crucial in neurology and neurosurgery. The previ ous workshops were held in Vienna in 1965 and in Mainz in 1972. In the meantime, our ideas on mechanisms of resolution of cerebral edema had been changing drastically. Controversy had arisen regarding the role of biogenic amines in the development of edema. Active work in several centers had indicated the possibility of a reversible compo nent in edematous changes associated with ischemia, the control of which could be of therapeutic significance in the problem of stroke. It was felt that a thorough discussion, at this time, by those involv ed in these various studies should help to resolve the controversies, to crystallize the implications of the new findings, and to evaluate their application for patient care. In preparing the proceedings for publication we have edited the manu scripts and selected the discussions with an aim to highlight new find ings, to make this volume readable, and to eliminate duplication. We gratefully acknowledge financial support from the institutions and organizations previously listed. Many individuals contributed to the success of the workshop and the preparation of the proceedings for publication. Doctors J.B. Brierley, I. Klatzo, H.J. Reulen, and A.G.




Traumatic Brain Edema


Book Description




Translational Research in Traumatic Brain Injury


Book Description

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains a significant source of death and permanent disability, contributing to nearly one-third of all injury related deaths in the United States and exacting a profound personal and economic toll. Despite the increased resources that have recently been brought to bear to improve our understanding of TBI, the developme




Intracranial and Spinal Radiotherapy


Book Description

This book is a practical, up-to-date guide to the treatment of patients with brain and spinal tumors. Leading experts in the field explain treatment techniques in detail, highlighting key considerations in the use of external beam radiation therapy, intensity-modulated radiation therapy, particle therapy, radiosurgery, and stereotactic body radiation therapy. Specific recommendations are described for different tumor types, and helpful information provided on other important issues, such as the interaction of radiotherapy and systemic therapy and the avoidance of treatment complications. With the development of modern technology, highly conformal radiotherapy techniques have become more complicated, yet also more widely employed. This book will equip readers with the knowledge required to set up practices to deliver quality brain and spinal radiation therapy appropriate to each patient. It will be of benefit to radiation oncologists, clinical oncologists, medical physicists, medical dosimetrists, radiation therapists, and senior nurses as well as medical oncologists and surgical oncologists with an interest in radiotherapy.




Critical Findings in Neuroradiology


Book Description

This book provides clear guidance as to which neuroradiological findings in ill or injured patients should be immediately communicated by radiologists and trainees to the emergency room and referring physicians in order to facilitate key decisions and eliminate preventable errors. It offers a practical and illustrative approach that identifies what to look for and how to report it and describes the required follow-up and the most common differential diagnoses of the main critical findings in neuroradiology. The book is distinctive in being written from a “critical findings perspective”, which makes its content more practical and memorable than that of a standard Emergency Neuroradiology textbook. It also illustrates the value of developing algorithmic approaches to report and communicate critical findings based on lists. While the book will appeal to a broad and variable audience, it is especially addressed to radiology training programs and will be a “must read” for residents and fellows in training.




The Blood Brain Barrier (BBB)


Book Description

Medicinal chemistry is both science and art. The science of medicinal chemistry offers mankind one of its best hopes for improving the quality of life. The art of medicinal chemistry continues to challenge its practitioners with the need for both intuition and experience to discover new drugs. Hence sharing the experience of drug research is uniquely beneficial to the field of medicinal chemistry. Drug research requires interdisciplinary team-work at the interface between chemistry, biology and medicine. Therefore, the topic-related series Topics in Medicinal Chemistry covers all relevant aspects of drug research, e.g. pathobiochemistry of diseases, identification and validation of (emerging) drug targets, structural biology, drugability of targets, drug design approaches, chemogenomics, synthetic chemistry including combinatorial methods, bioorganic chemistry, natural compounds, high-throughput screening, pharmacological in vitro and in vivo investigations, drug-receptor interactions on the molecular level, structure-activity relationships, drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination, toxicology and pharmacogenomics. In general, special volumes are edited by well known guest editors.







Core Topics in Endocrinology in Anaesthesia and Critical Care


Book Description

Core Topics in Endocrinology in Anesthesia and Critical Care provides a comprehensive, practical overview of the perioperative management of patients with endocrine disorders, giving clear diagnostic advice and management guidelines. This book considers the management of patients with endocrine disorders of the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid and adrenal glands, including rarer disorders such as MEN syndrome. It then considers all aspects of the perioperative management of diabetic patients, including paediatric, obstetric and ambulatory patients. Finally it discusses endocrine disorders in the critically ill patient, covering such issues as the topical conundrum of glucose control and the management of diabetic metabolic acidosis, thyroid storm and myxoedema coma. Every chapter reviews the relevant anatomy and pathophysiology and the latest developments in defining the genetic causes are also considered where appropriate. Core Topics in Endocrinology in Anesthesia and Critical Care is an invaluable tool for all anaesthetists and intensivists in their daily clinical practice.




Meningitis and Encephalitis


Book Description

Meningitis and Encephalitis are associated with high rates of mortality and neurological sequelae. The differential diagnosis includes a wide spectrum of infectious and non-infectious etiologies, some requiring urgent therapy for survival. The current management challenges in patients with meningitis and encephalitis include a low sensitivity of meningeal signs, overutilization of unnecessary screening cranial imaging, delays in diagnosis of urgent treatable causes, a large proportion of unknown etiologies, low sensitivity of current microbiological techniques especially in the setting of previous antibiotic therapy, underutilization of available molecular diagnostic tests, and empiric antibiotic therapy and hospitalization for viral meningitis cases. Even though there are published guidelines, compliance with them is not optimal and physicians do not follow standardized algorithms in their empirical approach. As meningitis and encephalitis is associated with high rates of adverse clinical outcomes, prevention, when feasible is of upmost importance. Adherence to protocols to prevent health-care associated meningitis and ventriculitis are effective but compliance with them is not uniformly performed. This book seeks to improve outcomes for meningitis and encephalitis cases handled by physicians who may or may not be thoroughly trained for these challenges. The text introduces the current guidelines but also discusses the gaps that leave clinicians struggling to implement the most appropriate approaches for these particular neurological infections. Each chapter delivers the tools necessary to identify and adhere to the most appropriate diagnostic technique, management protocols, and prevention approach for each situation. All chapters conclude with discourse on future directions in research and quality improvement. Written by experts in infectious diseases, the book covers topics that are the most devastating, including healthcare-acquired infections, autoimmune encephalitis, and infections as they present in HIV patients. Meningitis and Encephalitis is a well-rounded resource for all medical professionals encountering these neurological syndromes, including infectious disease specialists, neurologists, primary care physicians, and immunologists.




Steroids and Brain Edema


Book Description

The control of brain edema is still one of the major problems in surgical and conservative treatment of various cerebral lesions. Many attempts have been made to develop methods for reducing the high mortality associated with brain edema. Mter many years of using hypertonic solutions it can be stated that this type of therapy has not yielded satisfactory results. During recent years increasing evidence has been accumulated on the efficacy of steroids on brain edema. Steroids were reported to result in rapid relief of signs and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure and neurological dysfunction accompanying cerebral edema. It was the aim of this workshop to evaluate the effect of corticosteroids on brain edema as an advance in therapy. It was hoped that this could be achieved by a multi disciplinary approach. Though, the volume contains the contributions of various experts - internists, neurochemists, neurologists, neuropathologists, neurosurgeons, pharmacologists, physiologists - who have added considerable experimental and clin ical evidence on the action of steroids on brain edema. New pathophysiological aspects regarding the mechanisms underlying the formation and resolution of brain The effectiveness of corticosteroid therapy in various forms edema are presented. of clinical and experimental brain edema, e. g. accompanying brain tumors, head injury, spinal cord injury, cerebrovascular lesions, etc. as well as dosage and duration of treatment are critically discussed.