Key Contacts
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Dr. Alyssa LouisMD, MMed, FRCPC
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Dr. Ian RandallMD, FRCPC, MPH
Specific to TWH MSNICU
These resources are specific to clinical situations you may encounter in the TWH MSNICU. They are intended for ICU fellows or residents with substantial previous ICU exposure. For residents new to the ICU, we recommend focusing your learning on the general ICU concepts above.
We care for a large number of critically ill patients with acute and complex neurological problems in the TWH MSNICU: strokes, intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage, status epilepticus and acute spinal cord injuries. Determination of death by neurological criteria and management of the organ donor is also a focus of local expertise and you may gain exposure to these unique patients in the MSNICU.
Seizures and Status Epilepticus
Seizures:
- TWH / Krembil Brian Institute Seizure Management Protocol
- Management of Established SE (NEJM Review 2019)
- Krembil Brain Institute MSNICU Acute Seizure Algorithm (v7)
- New Onset Refractory Status Epilepticus (StatPearls)
- A practical approach to in-hospital management of NORSE/FIRES (Frontiers Review 2023)
NMDA-Receptor and Other Encephalitides:
- An update on anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis (Dalmau Lancet Neurology 2019)
- Antibody-Medical Encephalitis (Dalmau NEJM 2018)
- Treatment and prognostic factors for long-term outcome in patients with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis
Continual EEG and Inter-ictal Continuum:
- Continuous vs Routine Electroencephalogram in Critically Ill Adults With Altered Consciousness and No Recent Seizure(JAMA 2020)
- Treatment of Interictal Continuum (StatPearls)
Key Studies and RCTs on Seizure Management:
Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Here are some useful resources about intracerebral hemorrhage
General Review / Guidelines:
- AHA 2022 Guidelines for ICH
- Circulation Research 2023 Review of ICH
- StatPearls Chapter of ICH
- The critical care management of spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage: a contemporary review
Blood Pressure Control:
- INTERACT-2
- ATACH-2
- ADAPT – evaluated impact of BP reduction and ischemic penumbra and BP reduction
Surgical Intervention
- Early Minimally-Invasive Removal of Intracerebral Hemorrhage – ENRICH
- Decompressive Craniectomy + Best Medical Management – SWITCH
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Here are some useful resources about aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage
General Review / Guidelines:
- Lancet 2022 Review on SAH (Park and Claassen)
- Stroke Review on Treatment of Spontaneous SAH (Loch Macdonald)
- StatPearls Chapter on SAH
- 2023 AHA Guidelines on Management of Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Delayed Cerebral Ischemia / Vasospasm
- Milrinone and Homeostasis to treat Cerebral Vasospasm after SAH: The Montreal Protocol
- Pathophysiology of DCI after SAH: A Review
- Management of DCI after SAH (Francoeur and Mayer)
- CT Perfusion for the Detection of Delayed Cerebral Ischemia in the Presence of Neurologic Confounders
Death Determination by Neurologic Criteria and Organ Donor Management
Death Determination by Neurologic Criteria:
- A Brain-based Definition of Death and Evidence based Criteria for its Determination after Arrest of Circulation or Neurologic Function in Canada: a 2023 clinical practice guideline
- Comprehensive document and resources here: CBS DDD Project
- Infratentorial brain injury and death by neurologic criteria in Canada: a narrative review
- Checklist for Death Determination by Neurologic Criteria (DNC)
- Clinical Pathway for Death Determination
Management of the Potential Organ Donor
- Management of the Neurological Deceased Organ Donor: 2020 Canadian CPG
- Pathophysiology of DCI after SAH: A Review
- Perioperative Management of the Organ Donor After DNC (BJA Education review 2021)
Intracranial Pressure
Here are some useful resources about intracranial pressure monitoring and cerebrovascular physiology:
ICP Monitoring and Management of Raised ICP
- Intracranial Pressure – Basics Part One
- Intracranial Pressure – Basics Part Two
- A management algorithm for patients with intracranial pressure monitoring: the Seattle International Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Consensus Conference (SIBICC)
- Monitoring and interpretation of intracranial pressure