To Örebro University

PURPOSE: To assess changes of cerebral haemodynamic and intracranial pressure (ICP) in animals, with or without elevated ICP, during controlled haemorrhagic shock and resuscitation with Total REBOA (tREBOA).

METHOD: In 22 anaesthetized and normoventilated pigs, after placement of catheters for monitoring invasive proximal blood pressure (pMAP), ICP, and vital parameters, and 60 min stabilisation phase, a controlled haemorrhagic shock (HS), was conducted. In 11 pigs (EICPG), an elevated ICP of 25-30 mmHg at the end HS was achieved by simulating an epidural mass. In 11 pigs (NICPG), the ICP was normal. tREBOA was then applied for 120 min. The changes of pMAP and ICP were followed, and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) calculated. The integrity of the autoregulation was estimated using a calculated Modified-Long Pressure Reactivity Index (mL-PRx).

RESULTS: After stabilisation, hemodynamics and physiological parameters were similar and normal in both groups. At the end of the HS, ICP was 16 mmHg in NICPG vs. 32 in EICPG (p = 0.0010). CPP was 30 mmHg in NICPG vs. 6 mmHg in EICPG (p = 0.0254). After aorta occlusion CPP increased immediately in both groups reaching after 15 min up to104 mmHg in NICPG vs. 126 mmHg in EICPG. Cerebrovascular reactivity seems to be altered during bleeding and occlusion phases in both groups with positive mL-PRx. The alteration was more pronounced in EICPG, but reversible in both groups.

CONCLUSION: tREBOA is lifesaving by restoration the cerebral circulation defined as CPP in animals with HS with normal or elevated ICP. Despite the observation of short episodes of cerebral autoregulation impairment during the occlusion, mainly in EICPG, tREBOA seems to be an effective tool for improving cerebral perfusion in HS that extends the crucial early window sometimes known as the "golden hour" for resuscitation even after a traumatic brain injury.

OBJECTIVE: Surgery for chronic subdural haematoma (CSDH) is one of the most frequent operations in neurosurgical practice. CSDH afflicts the elderly population most. In 2018, Kwon and co-workers published the Kwon Scoring System (KSS), whereby six clinical and radiological factors are used to facilitate, and promote quality in, surgical decision-making and counselling of relatives. The aim of this study is to validate the KSS.

METHOD: Patients operated on for unilateral CSDH at Orebro University Hospital, Sweden, between 2013 and 2019 constituted the study population. General data and the six outcome predictors according to the KSS were extracted from the electronic patient records. The pre-operative mRS score and the post-operative six-month mRS score were assessed.

RESULTS: We identified 133 patients (69.2% male) with a median age of 80.2 years (IQR 72.6-85.9). The median GCS at admission was 15; 57.1% had motor deficits and 36.81% were disoriented. For 39.1% of the patients, the prognosis was a favourable outcome (mRS 0-1) at six months. The median KSS score was 9; 63.9% of the patients scored ≥ 9, and 36 (42.4%) of these patients actually achieved a favourable outcome. This corresponds to a prediction model sensitivity of 0.667 and specificity of 0.424. A ROC curve analysis of the model yielded an AUC of 0.62441.

CONCLUSION: In our material, the KSS did not predict outcome precisely enough to base treatment decisions or counselling of relatives on the scores obtained.

INTRODUCTION: Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is a disease that comes with a great impact on the patient's life. The only treatment for iNPH, which is a progressive disease, is shunt surgery. It is previously indicated that early intervention might be of importance for the outcome.

AIM: To investigate if a longer waiting time for surgery, negatively influences the clinical outcome.

METHODS: Eligible for this study were all iNPH patients (n = 3007) registered in the Swedish Hydrocephalus Quality Registry (SHQR) during 1^st of January 2004-12^th of June 2019. Waiting time, defined as time between the decision to accept a patient for surgery and shunt surgery, was divided into the intervals ≤ 3, 3.1-5.9 and ≥ 6 months. Clinical outcome was assessed 3 and 12 months after surgery using the modified iNPH scale, the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and the mini mental state examination (MMSE).

RESULTS: Three months after surgery, 57% of the patients with ≤ 3 months waiting time showed an improvement in modified iNPH scale (≥ 5 points) whereas 52% and 46% of patients with 3.1-5.9 and ≥ 6 months waiting time respectively improved (p = 0.0115). At 12 months of follow-up, the corresponding numbers were 61%, 52% and 51% respectively (p = 0.0536).

CONCLUSIONS: This population-based study showed that in patients with iNPH, shunt surgery should be performed within 3 months of decision to surgery, to attain the best outcome.

BACKGROUND: This study is a substudy of a prospective consecutive double-blinded randomized study on the effect of prostacyclin in severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI). The aims of the present study were to investigate whether there was a correlation between brain and subcutaneous glycerol levels and whether the ratio of interstitial glycerol in the brain and subcutaneous tissue (glycerol_brain/sc) was associated with tissue damage in the brain, measured by using the Rotterdam score, S-100B, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), the Injury Severity Score (ISS), the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation Score (APACHE II), and trauma type. A potential association with clinical outcome was explored.

METHODS: Patients with sTBI aged 15-70 years presenting with a Glasgow Coma Scale Score ≤ 8 were included. Brain and subcutaneous adipose tissue glycerol levels were measured through microdialysis in 48 patients, of whom 42 had complete data for analysis. Brain tissue damage was also evaluated by using the Rotterdam classification of brain computed tomography scans and the biochemical biomarkers S-100B and NSE.

RESULTS: In 60% of the patients, a positive relationship in glycerol_brain/sc was observed. Patients with a positive correlation of glycerol_brain/sc had slightly higher brain glycerol levels compared with the group with a negative correlation. There was no significant association between the computed tomography Rotterdam score and glycerol_brain/sc. S-100B and NSE were associated with the profile of glycerol_brain/sc. Our results cannot be explained by the general severity of the trauma as measured by using the Injury Severity Score or Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation Score.

CONCLUSIONS: We have shown that peripheral glycerol may flux into the brain. This effect is associated with worse brain tissue damage. This flux complicates the interpretation of brain interstitial glycerol levels. We remind the clinicians that a damaged blood-brain barrier, as seen in sTBI, may alter the concentrations of various substances, including glycerol in the brain. Awareness of this is important in the interpretation of the data bedside as well in research.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral injury may alter the autoregulation of cerebral blood flow. One index for describing cerebrovascular state is the pressure reactivity (PR). Little is known of whether PR is associated with measures of brain metabolism and indicators of ischemia and cell damage. The aim of this investigation was to explore whether increased interstitial levels of glycerol, a marker of cell membrane damage, are associated with PR, and if prostacyclin, a membrane stabilizer and regulator of the microcirculation, may affect this association in a beneficial way.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: ) during the 96-h sampling period were calculated. The mean PR was calculated as the ICP/mean arterial pressure (MAP) regression coefficient based on hourly mean ICP and MAP during the first 96 h.

RESULTS: (ρ = 0.490, p = 0.015) levels in the placebo group only.

CONCLUSIONS: PR is correlated to the glycerol level in patients suffering from sTBI, a relationship that is not seen in the group treated with prostacyclin. Glycerol has been associated with membrane degradation and may support glycerol as a biomarker for vascular endothelial breakdown. Such a breakdown may impair the regulation of cerebrovascular PR.

Background: Cerebral injury may alter the autoregulation of cerebral blood flow. Pressure reactivity (PR) is considered as a surrogate measure of autoregulation. Little is known whether PR is associated with measures of brain metabolism and indicators of ischemia and cell damage. We speculate that prostacyclin may affect extracellular glycerol levels (a measure of cell membrane degradation), measured by microdialysis in the brain, and thus glycerol’s association with PR.

Material and Methods: The study is a randomized, double-blinded placebo-control study on the effect of prostacyclin treatment (0.5 ng/kg/min) in severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI). The basic treatment was an intracranial pressure (ICP) targeted therapy based on the Lund concept. Inclusion criteria were verified blunt head trauma, GCS£8, age 15 -70 yrs, and a first measured cerebral perfusion pressure of ‡10 mmHg. Multimodal monitoring was applied. Samples from a brain microdialysis catheter placed on the worst affected side, close to the penumbra zone, were analysed. Mean (glycerolmean) and maximal glycerol (glycerolmax) during the 96 hrs sampling period were calculated. The mean PR was calculated as the ICP/MAP regression coefficient based on hourly mean ICP and MAP (mean arterial blood pressure) during the first 96 hrs.

Results: 45 patients, mean age 35.5–2.2 yrs, GCS 6 (3-8) and ISS 29 (9-50) were included. In the placebo group there was a positive correlation between glycerolmean (r=0.503, p=0.01), glycerolmax (r=0.490, p=0.015) levels and PR levels. This correlation was attenuated/abolished in the prostacyclin group. Glycerol tended to be higher and PR was higher in the placebo group (p=0.0164) as compared to the prostacyclin group.

Conclusion: PR is correlated to the glycerol level in patients suffering from sTBI. Prostacyclin attenuates this correlation. Glycerol is associated with membrane degradation and may support glycerol as a biomarker for vascular endothelial breakdown. Such a breakdown may impair the regulation of cerebrovascular pressure reactivity. We suggest that prostacyclin counteracts the breakdown and beneficially affect the cerebral blood flow autoregulation measured as PR.

Background: There is a trend in brain tumor treatments over time to treat patients at a higher age and to perform more advanced and radical surgery. Despite this little is known about the perioperative morbidity and mortality after intracranial tumor surgery, especially regarding the elderly. The Swedish brain tumor registry has collected data since 1999 with good coverage and is considered population based. Among the parameters registered are perioperative complications such as postoperative hematoma and thromboembolism as well as newly diagnosed epilepsy, new focal neurologic deficit and date of death.

Methods: Data from the registry has been collected and analyzed in this retrospective population based study. This study includes patients in the registry at age 65 or older, with high grade glioma (GBM, astrocytoma grIII), low grade glioma (astrocytoma grI-II, oligodendroglioma grII-III and gangliogliomas) registered from 1999 to 2015. Formation of diagnose groups are in conjunction with suggestions from the Swedish National Brain Tumor Trialist Group. From this data we have excluded patients that have not undergone surgery, where surgery (or not) cannot be determined and where data on complications is unavailable. Only the national regions with a high enough coverage are included.

Results: The material contains 1467 evaluable patients. High grade gliomas were 1277 (male 59%, female 41%), median age at surgery 71 (range 65 to 86), women not older (72 VS 71; NS). 17,5% (male 16,4%, female 20,0%; NS) had WHO/ECOG-PS >2. Perioperative mortality was 7,8% (male 9,2%, female 5,9%; p=0,03), associated with WHO/ECOG-PS >2 (p<0,0001). 15,7% (male 17,3%, female 13,5%; NS) had perioperative complications. The most common complication was worsening of neurologic function (7,6%, male 8,4%, female 6,5%; NS) and most patients (10,8%, male 12,8%, female 8,0%; NS) had one recorded complication. The mortality and morbidity remains consistent regardless of year of surgery. Low grade gliomas were 190 (male 55% VS female 45%), median age 70 (65 to 83), men not significantly older (71 VS 69; NS). 16,8% (male 15,7%, female 19,5%; NS) had WHO/ECOG-PS >2. Perioperative mortality was 5,3% (male 6,7%, female 3,5%; NS). 20,0% (male 21%, female 18,8%; NS) had perioperative complications. As with high grade gliomas the most common complication was worsening of neurologic function (13,7%, male 15,2%, female 11,8%; NS) and the mortality and morbidity remains without significant changes regardless of year of surgery.

Conclusion: In this material we can conclude that the perioperative mortality as well as morbidity is higher than in published younger patient materials for gliomas. We cannot see an increase in perioperative mortality or morbidity with higher age within the material but this could be from lack of power and we hope to be able to get a clearer view in a later comparison with the younger patients in the registry.

Meningioma surgery is often considered, even at a high age, and is regarded an acceptable practice in patients without severe health problems even though there is much that is not yet known about the perioperative morbidity and mortality. Since the start 1999 the Swedish brain tumor registry has collected data on a national level. It is accepted as population based and has demonstrated good coverage. In the registry perioperative parameters such as newly diagnosed epilepsy, new focal neurological deficit, thromboembolism and date of death can be found. &lt;h4&gt;Methods&lt;/h4&gt; We have collected retrospective data from the registry to perform a population based study of the perioperative period. Included are patients with meningioma at age 65 and older from regions with a high enough coverage of registration and with surgery dates from 1999 to 2015. Two diagnose groups were made (grade I and grade II+III) as suggested by the Swedish National Brain Tumor Trialist Group. Excluded are patients in the registry that have not undergone surgery, where surgery (or not) cannot be determined and where data on complications is unavailable. &lt;h4&gt;Results&lt;/h4&gt; 1109 patients were included (female 67,1%, male 32,9%). Median age was 72 (range 65–90) with an even gender distribution. Most patients had grade I meningioma (88,6%, female 91,0%, male 83,8%; p&lt;0,001) with an even age distribution. 14,1% (female 15,4%, male 11,5%, NS) had WHO-PS &gt;2, rising with age (Age&gt;80, 28,9%, p&lt;0,001). Perioperative mortality was 3,6% (male 4,7%, female 3,1%; NS) but clearly higher within the older age-groups (Age 65-69 1,4%; 70-74 3,3%; 75-79 4,6%; &gt;80 7,7%; p=0,004). In the gradeII-III group mortality was significantly higher 8,7% (p&lt;0,001) then the gradeI group and there is a statistical correlation between a WHO-PS &gt;2 and perioperative mortality (0–2=2,8%, 3–4=7,9%; p=0,002). 28,3% (male 33,4%, female 25,8%; p=0,008) had perioperative complications (other than death), with an even age distribution. As with mortality there is a correlation with tumor grade (grI 26,8%, grII-III 40,5%; p=0,001) and there is a correlation with WHO-PS &gt;2 (0-2 25,7%, 3-4 40,8%; p&lt;0,001). Surgery 1999–2007 is associated with less complications (1999-2007 16,4%, 2007-2015 37,5%; p&lt;0,001) but not with less mortality. The most common complications were hematoma and neurologic deficit (14,3% and 13,6%; NS), both evenly distributed by gender and age group. &lt;h4&gt;Conclusion&lt;/h4&gt; Our data shows similar perioperative mortality with published data. The risk of perioperative death is higher with rising age and a bad performancestatus correlates with a higher risk of both perioperative death and complications. The high rate of WHO-PS &gt;2 might be a contributing factor to the high rates of perioperative morbidity as compared with published material. This data suggests caution when operating on elderly patients, especially older than 75 and with compromised performancestatus.

Background: Meningioma is typically benign and is occasionally detected during examinations due to other reasons (e.g. suspected stroke, trauma). Reported incidence figures usually come from various registers, and most reported prevalence figures are estimations derived from incidence figures and survival data. The Region Örebro County meningioma project aims to gain a better understanding of the incidence and prevalence of meningioma in the population. With these preliminary data, we seek to ascertain the practical feasibility of our proposed search method.

Material and methods: In the Swedish county of Örebro with 302,252 inhabitants (2019), all radiology departments are within the public healthcare system. The electronic radiology archive (ERA) includes all patients who have undergone any type of radiological examination in the region since its introduction in 1996. To determine the number of individuals with meningioma in the region and when they were diagnosed, we conducted free-text searches for the word “meningioma” with various spelling variations in ERA and included all patients where the word appears in ERA referrals or responses. Subsequently, using data from the region’s electronic medical records (EMR), we excluded all patients not residing within the region. We then manually reviewed these patients’ referrals, written reports and radiology examinations, to determine whether they have meningioma, the date of diagnosis, whether it was an incidental finding, and presence of multiple meningioma.

Results: We identified 3,428 patients, of which 3,064 have been included in this study (being residents of the region). In a preliminary review, we have been able to identify 1,663 (55 %) patients with likely meningioma. Of the 1,663 patients, 5 % had a diagnosis date before the introduction of ERA. The median age was 73 (IQR 61-82) years. There were 24 % males and 76 % females. Multiple meningioma were found in 9 % of the patients. In the preliminary review 64 % were incidental findings, while 21 % and 15 % were classified as non-incidental and indeterminate, respectively.

Conclusion: Performing free-text ERA/EMR searches is a potential avenue to achieve better coverage when investigating incidence and prevalence of a disease such as meningioma in a public healthcare setting. In our initial review, it is evident that the method identifies and can retrieve meningioma patients from the ERA. Gender distribution, median age and multiple meningioma numbers are comparable to other reported meningioma populations. Based on our experience with this dataset, it is not advisable to rely solely on simple automated searches. Projects akin to this would likely be well suited for future automated image analysis (volumetric measurement, meningioma identification, etc.).

BACKGROUND: Meningioma is the most common primary CNS tumour. Most meningiomas are benign, and most patients are 65 years or older. Surgery is usually the primary treatment option. Most prior studies on early surgical outcomes in older patients with meningioma are small, and there is a lack of larger population-based studies to guide clinical decision-making. We aimed to explore the risks for perioperative mortality and morbidity in older patients with meningioma and to investigate changes in surgical incidence over time.

METHODS: In this retrospective population-based study on patients in Sweden, 65 years or older with surgery 1999-2017 for meningioma, we used data from the Swedish Brain Tumour Registry. We analysed factors contributing to perioperative mortality and morbidity and used official demographic data to calculate yearly incidence of surgical procedures for meningioma.

RESULTS: The final study cohort included 1676 patients with a 3.1% perioperative mortality and a 37.6% perioperative morbidity. In multivariate analysis, higher age showed a statistically significant association with higher perioperative mortality, whereas larger tumour size and having preoperative symptoms were associated with higher perioperative morbidity. A numerical increased rate of surgical interventions after 2012 was observed, without evidence of worsening short-term surgical outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS: Higher mortality with increased age and higher morbidity risk in larger and/or symptomatic tumours imply a possible benefit from considering surgery in selected older patients with a growing meningioma before the development of tumour-related symptoms. This study further underlines the need for a standardized method of reporting and classifying complications from neurosurgery.

BACKGROUND: Although high grade gliomas largely affect older patients, current evidence on neurosurgical complications is mostly based on studies including younger study populations. We aimed to investigate the risk for postoperative complications after neurosurgery in a population-based cohort of older patients with high grade gliomas, and explore changes over time.

METHODS: In this retrospective study we have used data from the Swedish Brain Tumour Registry and included patients in Sweden age 65 years or older, with surgery 1999-2017 for high grade gliomas. We analysed number of surgical procedures per year and which factors contribute to postoperative morbidity and mortality.

RESULTS: The study included 1998 surgical interventions from an area representing 60% of the Swedish population. Over time, there was an increase in surgical interventions in relation to the age specific population (p < 0.001). Postoperative morbidity for 2006-2017 was 24%. Resection and not having a multifocal tumour were associated with higher risk for postoperative morbidity. Postoperative mortality for the same period was 5%. Increased age, biopsy, and poor performance status was associated with higher risk for postoperative mortality.

CONCLUSIONS: This study shows an increase in surgical interventions over time, probably representing a more active treatment approach. The relatively low postoperative morbidity- and mortality-rates suggests that surgery in older patients with suspected high grade gliomas can be a feasible option. However, caution is advised in patients with poor performance status where the possible surgical intervention would be a biopsy only. Further, this study underlines the need for more standardised methods of reporting neurosurgical complications.

BACKGROUND: Chronic subdural haematoma (CSDH) is one of the most common conditions encountered in neurosurgical practice. After surgery, the patients often improve dramatically; but their long-term outcome is more uncertain. The purpose of this study was to investigate predictors of outcome 6 months after surgery.

METHODS: Retrospective data were collected on patients in Orebro County, Sweden, who had undergone surgery for CSDH at the Orebro University Hospital between 2013 and 2019. The outcomes were defined as favourable or unfavourable in terms of the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). A favourable outcome was defined as either mRS 0-2 or an unchanged mRS score in patients scoring 3-5 before surgery. From the variables in the data collected, a multiple logistic regression model was constructed.

RESULTS: The study comprised 180 patients, of whom 134 (74.4%) were male. Median age was 79.2 years (IQR 71.7-85.5), and 129 (71.7%) patients had a favourable outcome at 6 months. In the group with an unfavourable outcome, 18 (10%) had died and 33 (18.3%) had either lost their independence in daily living or become somewhat less independent. The final multiple logistic regression model consisted of pre-surgery variables only: age (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.87-0.97), CRP (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.94-0.99), GCS > 13 (OR 3.66, 95% CI 1.09-12.3), Hb (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.00-1.05), and ASA score < 3 (OR 2.58, 95% CI 0.98-6.79). The whole model had an AUC of 0.88.

CONCLUSION: CSDH requiring surgery is associated with high morbidity and mortality at 6 months after surgery. Age, CRP, GCS, Hb and ASA score on admission for surgery are the variables that best predicts outcome. This knowledge can help to identify the patients at greatest risk for an unfavourable outcome, who may need additional support from the health care system.

UNSTRUCTURED ABSTRACT: Chronic subdural haematoma (CSDH) is one of the most common conditions encountered in neurosurgical practice. After surgery, the patients often improve dramatically; but their long-term outcome is more uncertain. The purpose of this study was to investigate predictors of outcome, in terms of the modified Rankin Scale (mRS), 6 months after surgery. The study comprised 180 patients, of whom 134 (74.4%) were male. Median age was 79.2 years (IQR 71.7-85.5), and 129 (71.7%) patients had a favourable outcome at 6 months. In the group with an unfavourable outcome, 18 (10%) had died and 33 (18.3%) had either lost their independence in daily living or become somewhat less independent. The final multiple logistic regression model consisted of pre-surgery variables only: age (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.87-0.97), CRP (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.94-0.99), GCS > 13 (OR 3.66, 95% CI 1.09-12.3), Hb (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.00-1.05), and ASA score < 3 (OR 2.58, 95% CI 0.98-6.79). The whole model had an AUC of 0.88. In conclusion, CSDH requiring surgery is associated with high morbidity and mortality at 6 months after surgery. Age, CRP, GCS, Hb and ASA score on admission for surgery are the variables that best predicts outcome. This knowledge can help to identify the patients at greatest risk for an unfavourable outcome, who may need additional support from the health care system.

Neurocritical care (NCC) is a branch of intensive care medicine characterized by specific physiological and biochemical monitoring techniques necessary for identifying cerebral adverse events and for evaluating specific therapies. Information is primarily obtained from physiological variables related to intracranial pressure (ICP) and cerebral blood flow (CBF) and from physiological and biochemical variables related to cerebral energy metabolism. Non-surgical therapies developed for treating increased ICP are based on knowledge regarding transport of water across the intact and injured blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the regulation of CBF. Brain volume is strictly controlled as the BBB permeability to crystalloids is very low restricting net transport of water across the capillary wall. Cerebral pressure autoregulation prevents changes in intracranial blood volume and intracapillary hydrostatic pressure at variations in arterial blood pressure. Information regarding cerebral oxidative metabolism is obtained from measurements of brain tissue oxygen tension (PbtO2) and biochemical data obtained from intracerebral microdialysis. As interstitial lactate/pyruvate (LP) ratio instantaneously reflects shifts in intracellular cytoplasmatic redox state, it is an important indicator of compromised cerebral oxidative metabolism. The combined information obtained from PbtO2, LP ratio, and the pattern of biochemical variables reveals whether impaired oxidative metabolism is due to insufficient perfusion (ischemia) or mitochondrial dysfunction. Intracerebral microdialysis and PbtO2 give information from a very small volume of tissue. Accordingly, clinical interpretation of the data must be based on information of the probe location in relation to focal brain damage. Attempts to evaluate global cerebral energy state from microdialysis of intraventricular fluid and from the LP ratio of the draining venous blood have recently been presented. To be of clinical relevance, the information from all monitoring techniques should be presented bedside online. Accordingly, in the future, the chemical variables obtained from microdialysis will probably be analyzed by biochemical sensors.

BACKGROUND: Decompressive hemicraniectomy (DC) is an established lifesaving treatment for malignant infarction of the middle cerebral artery (mMCAI). However, surgical decompression will not reverse the effects of the stroke and many survivors will be left severely disabled. The objective of this study was to assess what neurological outcome would be considered acceptable in these circumstances amongst Swedish healthcare workers.

METHOD: Healthcare workers were invited to participate in a presentation that outlined the pathophysiology of mMCAI, the rationale behind DC and outcome data from randomised controlled trials that have investigated efficacy of the procedure. They were then asked which neurological outcome would they feel to be acceptable based on the modified Rankin Score (mRS) and the Aphasia Handicap Scale (AHS). Information regarding sex, age, marital status, relatives, religion, earlier experience of stroke and occupation was also collected.

RESULTS: Six hundred and nine persons participated. The median accepted mRS was 3. An mRS of 4 or 5 was perceived to be acceptable by only 30.5% of participants. Therefore the most likely outcome, based on the results of the randomised controlled trials, would be unacceptable to most of the participants [OR 0.39 (CI, 0.22-0.69)]. The median accepted AHS was 3. A worst language outcome of restricted autonomy of verbal communication (AHS 3) or better would be accepted by 44.6%.

CONCLUSIONS: This study has highlighted the ethical problems when obtaining consent for DC following mMCAI, because for many of the participants the most likely neurological outcome would be deemed unacceptable. These issues need to be considered prior to surgical intervention and the time may have come for a broader societal discussion regarding the value of a procedure that converts death into survival with severe disability given the attendant financial and healthcare resource implications.

Background: Head trauma in children is a common cause for a visit to the A&E. Among the many children it is important to identify those at risk for developing a clinical important head injury (CITBI). The most important way of identifying the children at risk is to perform a CT scan of the head. There are reports indicating an induction of 1 cancer in children on 1000 – 5000 CT examinations. It is thus important to minimise the use of CT. In 2010 Osmond and co-workers introduced the Canadian Assessment of Tomography for Childhood Head injury: the CATCH rule (CATCH-R), with the aim of identifying those at most risk and to reduce the use of CT. The aim of this study is to validate the CATCH-R, using a large cohort of children.

Material Methods: The study is a cohort study based on the data set from: ‘‘Identification of children at very low risk of clinically-important brain injuries after head trauma: a prospective cohort study’’(Kuppermanns et al 2009). It includes data from more than 43000 children. The cohort was identified using the basal criteria in the CATCH-R, i.e. children with a GCS of 13 – 15. The CATCH-R was then used to identify children who should perform a CT.

Results: We identified 37277 children with a GCS of 13 – 15 of which 7774 fulfilled the criteria for MHI according to the CATCH-R. Of these 2699 had one or more risk factors, i.e. should perform a CT scan. In the CT group 117 children had a CITBI and in the non-CT group (n=5075) we identified 36 children with CITBI. At the division MHI and no-MHI according to the CATCH-R the NPV is 99.2 % (CI 99.1 – 99.2 %), and specificity 79.3% (CI 78.9 – 79.7). At the division MHI with risk factor/s and MHI without risk factor/s the NPV is 99.3% (CI 99.1 – 99.5 %), and specificity 66.1 % (CI 65.0 – 67.2 %).

Conclusion: It seems that using the CATCH-R the risk of not detecting a child with a CITBI is very small.

BACKGROUND: Head trauma in children is common, with a low rate of clinically important traumatic brain injury. CT scan is the reference standard for diagnosis of traumatic brain injury, of which the increasing use is alarming because of the risk of induction of lethal malignancies. Recently, the Scandinavian Neurotrauma Committee derived new guidelines for the initial management of minor and moderate head trauma. Our aim was to validate these guidelines.

METHODS: We applied the guidelines to a population consisting of children with mild and moderate head trauma, enrolled in the study: "Identification of children at very low risk of clinically-important brain injuries after head trauma: a prospective cohort study" by Kuppermann et al. (Lancet 374(9696):1160-1170, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(09)61558-0, 2009). We calculated the negative predictive values of the guidelines to assess their ability to distinguish children without clinically-important traumatic brain injuries and traumatic brain injuries on CT scans, for whom CT could be omitted.

RESULTS: We analysed a population of 43,025 children. For clinically-important brain injuries among children with minimal head injuries, the negative predictive value was 99.8% and the rate was 0.15%. For traumatic findings on CT, the negative predictive value was 96.9%. Traumatic finding on CT was detected in 3.1% of children with minimal head injuries who underwent a CT examination, which accounts for 0.45% of all children in this group.

CONCLUSION: Children with minimal head injuries can be safely discharged with oral and written instructions. Use of the SNC-G will potentially reduce the use of CT.

Background: Head trauma in children is common, with a low rate of clinically-important traumatic brain injury (ciTBI). CT scan is the reference standard for diagnosis of traumatic brain injury, of which the increasing use is alarming because of the risk of induction of lethal malignancies. Recently, the Scandinavian Neurotrauma Committee (SNC) derived new guidelines for the initial management of minor and moderate head trauma (GCS 9-15) in children. Our aim was to validate the SNC guidelines by assessing the risk of a child being discharged with a ciTBI. A secondary aim was to assess the risk of a child being discharged with a TBI on CT.

Methods: We applied the SNC guidelines to a population consisting of children with mild and moderate head trauma, enrolled in the dataset ‘‘Identification of children at very low risk of clinically-important brain injuries after head trauma: a prospective cohort study’’ (Kuppermanns et al 2009). We calculated the SNC guidelines negative predictive values to assess their ability to distinguish children without ciTBI and traumatic brain injuries on CT scans, for whom CT would be unnecessary.

Results: We enrolled and analysed 43 025 children (mean age 7.0 years, range 0-17, 62.3% males). The prevalence of ciTBI were statistically significant lower in the group of minimal head injury as compared to the mild low-risk head injury group (p<0.001). The rate of ciTBI in the minimal head injury group was 0,15% and the negative predictive value was 99.8% for ciTBI (minimal vs mild-moderate head injury groups). Traumatic finding on CT was detected in 3.1% of the children in the minimal group who underwent a CT examination, which accounts for 0.45% of all children in the minimal head injury group. The negative predictive value was 96.9% for traumatic finding on CT.

Conclusion: It is safe to discharge children with oral and written instructions and, according to the SNC guidelines, minimal head injury. Use of the SNC guidelines will potentially reduce the use of CT.

Introduction: While timely specialized care can contribute to improved outcomes following traumatic brain injury (TBI), this condition remains the most common cause of post-injury death worldwide. The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference in mortality between regional trauma centers in Sweden (which provide neurosurgical services round the clock) and non-trauma centers, hypothesizing that 1-day and 30-day mortality will be lower at regional trauma centers.

Patients and methods: This retrospective cohort study used data extracted from the Swedish national trauma registry and included adults admitted with severe TBI between January 2014 and December 2018. The cohort was divided into two subgroups based on whether they were treated at a trauma center or non-trauma center. Severe TBI was defined as a head injury with an AIS score of 3 or higher. Poisson regression analyses with both univariate and multivariate models were performed to determine the difference in mortality risk [Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR)] between the subgroups. As a sensitivity analysis, the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) method was used to adjust for the effects of confounding.

Results: A total of 3039 patients were included. Patients admitted to a trauma center had a lower crude 30-day mortality rate (21.7 vs. 26.4% days, p = 0.006). After adjusting for confounding variables, patients treated at regional trauma center had a 28% [adj. IRR (95% CI): 0.72 (0.55-0.94), p = 0.015] decreased risk of 1-day mortality and an 18% [adj. IRR (95% CI): 0.82 (0.69-0.98)] reduction in 30-day mortality, compared to patients treated at a non-trauma center. After adjusting for covariates in the Poisson regression analysis performed after IPTW, admission and treatment at a trauma center were associated with a 27% and 17% reduction in 1-day and 30-day mortality, respectively.

Conclusion: For patients suffering a severe TBI, treatment at a regional trauma center confers a statistically significant 1-day and 30-day survival advantage over treatment at a non-trauma center.