Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 61 in total

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Chai FY, Farizal F, Jegan T
    Turk Neurosurg, 2013;23(4):561-3.
    PMID: 24101284 DOI: 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.5724-12.1
    Ventriculostomy or external ventricular drain (EVD) placement by free-hand technique has a high malplacement rate. It is a blind procedure that often requires multiple attempts and revisions. To date, no neurological complication due to EVD malplacement has been reported in the literature. In this report, we present the first case of coma induced by a malplaced EVD and the patient regained consciousness after the drain was adjusted. Our discussion focused on various techniques that can improve the accuracy of EVD insertion. EVD insertion under image guidance provides better accuracy with limited disadvantages. We hypothesized that the patient's coma was due to the mass effect and irritation of the malplaced EVD exerted onto the ventral periaqueductal grey matter and the ascending neurons from upper brainstem.
    Matched MeSH terms: Glasgow Coma Scale
  2. Maheswaran M, Adnan WA, Ahmad R, Ab Rahman NH, Naing NN, Abdullah J
    PMID: 18613557
    Non-traumatic Altered States of Consciousness (ASC) are a non-specific consequence of various etiologies, and are normally monitored by Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). The GCS gives varriable results among untrained emergency medicine personel in developing countries where English is not the first language. An In House Scoring System (IHSS) scale was made by the first author for the purpose of triaging so as to quickly asses patients when seen by medical personel. This IHSS scale was compared to the GCS to determine it's specificity and sensitivity in the accident and emergency department (ED) of Hospital University Sains Malaysia (HUSM). All patients with non-traumatic ASC were selected by purposive sampling according to pre-determined criteria. Patients were evaluated by the two systems, IHSS and GCS, by emergency physicians who were on call. Patient demographics, clinical features, investigations, treatment given and outcomes were collected and followed for a period of 14 days. A total of 221 patients with non-traumatic ASC were studied, 54.3% were males. The mean age of the patients was 56 years old. The mean overall GCS score on presentation to the ED was 10.3. The mean duration of ASC was 11.6 hours. One hundred thirty patients (58.8%) experienced ASC secondary to general or focal cerebral disorders. The mortality rate was 40.3% 2 weeks after the ED visit. Fifty-four point three percent of the patients were awake and considered to have good outcomes while 45.7% of the patients had poor outcomes (comatose or dead) 2 weeks after the ED visit. The mean overall GCS score, verbal and motor subscores as well as the IHSS had significantly decreased (worsened) after treatment in the ED. A poor IHSS scale, hypertension, current smoking, abnormal pupillary reflexes and acidosis were associated with a worse 2-week outcome. The mean age and WBC count was lower and the mean overall GCS score and eye, verbal and motor subscores were higher as well as those having a lower IHSS scale for the good outcome category. Multivariate analysis revealed that smokers and hypertensives were at higher risk for a poor outcome. Higher eye scores on the GCS were associated fewer poor outcomes. There was significant agreement between the IHSS scale and GCS scores in the assessment of non-traumatic ASC. The sensitivity and specificity of the IHSS score versus GCS were 71.9% and 100.0%, respectively.
    Matched MeSH terms: Glasgow Coma Scale/standards*
  3. Chan HC, Adnan WA, Jaalam K, Abdullah MR, Abdullah J
    PMID: 16295557
    Mild head injury (MHI) is a common presentation to many hospitals in both rural and urban settings in Southeast Asia, but it is not well studied. We studied 330 patients that presented to Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia Emergency Department with possible MHI, with the intentions to identify prognostic factors that may improve the diagnosis of MHI in the emergency setting as well as to determine which patients would need follow-up. Patients' one-year outcomes were classified as discharged well (DW) for patients without post-traumatic signs and symptoms and discharged with long term follow-up (DFU) for patients with such signs and symptoms. Four patients died and 82 were DFU. An abnormal skull X ray was associated with mode of accident and type of transportation, older age, presence of vomiting, confusion, bleeding from ear, nose or throat, abnormal pupil size on the right side associated with orbital trauma, unequal pupillary reflexes, absence of loss of consciousness (LOC), a lower Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, multiple clinical presentations, and DFU. An abnormal CT scan was associated with older age, multiple clinical presentation, skull X-ray findings, and DFU. A similar analysis on outcomes revealed that mode of accident, older age, vomiting, confusion, headache, bleeding from ear, nose and throat, neurological deficits, absence of LOC, pupil size, multiple presentation, abnormal skull X ray, CT scan of the brain, and a GCS of 13 was associated with DFU. In conclusion, all patients involved in motor vehicle accidents (MVAs), especially motorcycles, aged over 30 years of age, with multiple clinical presentations, including a lower GCS, and with abnormal radiological findings should have a longer follow-up due to persistent post-traumatic symptomatology.
    Matched MeSH terms: Glasgow Coma Scale
  4. Sharifuddin A, Adnan J, Ghani AR, Abdullah JM
    Med J Malaysia, 2012 Jun;67(3):305-8.
    PMID: 23082423 MyJurnal
    This was a prospective observational study done to evaluate the role of a repeat head CT in patients with mild traumatic brain injury. The aim was to evaluate wether the repeat head CT were useful in providing information that leads to any neurosurgical intervention. 279 adult patients with a mild head injury (GCS 13-15) were enrolled, and these comprised of patients with an initial traumatic intracranial haemorrhage not warranting any surgical intervention. All patients were subjected to a repeat head CT within 48 hours of admission and these showed no change or improvements of the brain lesion in 217 patients (79.2%) and worsening in 62 patients (20.8%). In thirty-one patients, surgical intervention was done following the repeat head CT. All of these patients had a clinical deterioration prior to the repeat head CT. Even if a repeat head CT had not been ordered on these patients, they would have had a repeat head CT due to deteriorating neurological status. When the 62 patients with a worsening repeat head CT were compared with the 217 patients with an improved or unchanged repeat head CT, they were found to have older age, lower GCS on admission, presenting symptoms of headache, higher incidence of multiple traumatic intracranial pathology and lower haemoglobin level on admission. On stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis, three factors were found to independently predict a worse repeat head CT (Table IV). This includes age of 65 years or older, GCS score of less than 15 and multiple traumatic intracranial lesion on initial head CT. As a conclusion, we recommend that, in patients with a MTBI and a normal neurological examination, a repeat cranial CT is not indicated, as it resulted in no change in management or neurosurgical intervention. Close monitoring is warranted in a subset of patients with risk factors for a worsening repeat head CT.
    Keywords: Computed tomography, brain injury, Hospital Sultanah Aminah, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
    Matched MeSH terms: Glasgow Coma Scale
  5. Liew BS, Johari SA, Nasser AW, Abdullah J
    Med J Malaysia, 2009 Dec;64(4):280-8.
    PMID: 20954551
    Patients with isolated severe head injury with diffuse axonal injury and without any surgical lesion may be treated safely without cerebral resuscitation and intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring. Seventy two patients were divided into three groups of patients receiving treatment based on ICP-CPP-targeted, or conservative methods either with or without ventilation support. The characteristics of these three groups were compared based on age, gender, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), pupillary reaction to light, computerized tomography scanning according to the Marshall classification, duration of intensive care unit (ICU) stays, Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS) and possible complications. There were higher risk of mortality (p < 0.001), worse GCS improvement upon discharge (p < 0.001) and longer ICU stays (p = 0.016) in ICP group compared to Intubation group. There were no significant statistical differences of GOS at 3rd and 6th months between all three groups.
    Matched MeSH terms: Glasgow Coma Scale
  6. Sabariah FJ, Ramesh N, Mahathar AW
    Med J Malaysia, 2008 Sep;63 Suppl C:45-9.
    PMID: 19227673
    The first Malaysian National Trauma Database was launched in May 2006 with five tertiary referral centres to determine the fundamental data on major trauma, subsequently to evaluate the major trauma management and to come up with guidelines for improved trauma care. A prospective study, using standardized and validated questionnaires, was carried out from May 2006 till April 2007 for all cases admitted and referred to the participating hospitals. During the one year period, 123,916 trauma patients were registered, of which 933 (0.75%) were classified as major trauma. Patients with blunt injury made up for 83.9% of cases and RTA accounted for 72.6% of injuries with 64.9% involving motorcyclist and pillion rider. 42.8% had severe head injury with an admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 3-8 and the Revised Trauma Score (RTS) of 5-6 were recorded in 28.8% of patients. The distribution of Injury Severity Score (ISS) showed that 42.9% of cases were in the range of 16-24. Only 1.9% and 6.3% of the patients were reviewed by the Emergency Physician and Surgeon respectively. Patients with admission systolic blood pressure of less than 90 mmHg had a death rate of 54.6%. Patients with severe head injury (GCS < 9), 45.1% died while 79% patients with moderate head injury survived. There were more survivors within the higher RTS range compared to the lower RTS. Patients with direct admission accounted for 52.3% of survivors and there were 61.7% survivors for referred cases. In conclusion, NTrD first report has successfully demonstrated its significance in giving essential data on major trauma in Malaysia, however further expansion of the study may reflect more comprehensive trauma database in this country.
    Matched MeSH terms: Glasgow Coma Scale
  7. Sia SF, Tan KS, Waran V
    Med J Malaysia, 2007 Oct;62(4):308-12.
    PMID: 18551935 MyJurnal
    Primary intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) results in significant morbidity and mortality among patients. There is a paucity of epidemiological data on this condition in Malaysia. The purpose of this hospital based study was to define the clinical profile in patients with primary spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage at University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) and to determine the mortality rate of intracerebral haemorrhage at the time of discharge, the prognostic factors and one year outcome of this cohort of patients. Sixty-six patients were admitted at the Neurosurgical unit of University of Malaya Medical Centre for a period of 13 months from March 2002 to March 2003. Fifty percent of the subjects were female. The mean age was 61.6 +/- 16.7 years. Among our patients with intracerebral haemorrhage, the common risk factors were: hypertension (80.3%), diabetes mellitus (25.7%) and smoking (27.2%). Common presenting features for our series were: weakness (61.8%), LOC (58.5%), headache (56.3%) and speech disturbances (45.3%). On neuroimaging, the lesions were seen in basal ganglia/thalamus (45.1%), lobar (32.9%), brainstem (13.4%) and cerebelli (8.5%). The overall 30 days mortality rate for intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) was 43.9%. The important predictors of for mortality were the GCS score on admission (p < 0.0001), haematoma volume > 30 mls (p < 0.0001), evidence of intraventricular extension (p = 0.011) and ICH score (p < 0.0001). At one year follow up, 48.5% (n = 32) were dead, 33.3% (n = 11) obtained good recovery, 36.4% (n = 12) moderate disability, 18.2% (n = 6) severe disability and 3% remain vegetative state. The overall mortality rate for our series of patients with primary intracerebral haemorrhage is quite similar to previously published epidemiological studies. ICH scoring is useful in the prognostication.
    Matched MeSH terms: Glasgow Coma Scale
  8. Kiflie A, Alias NA, Abdul-Kareem MM, Mar W, Abdullah J, Naing NN
    Med J Malaysia, 2006 Oct;61(4):466-73.
    PMID: 17243525 MyJurnal
    A total of 31 adult patients with moderate and severe head injury were assessed clinically on admission for Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and short test of mental status (STMS) on follow-up and compared to their initial and follow up CT scan. Good predictors were admission GCS, midline shift, volume of subdural haemorrhage in the initial CT scan of the brain as well as the presence of post-traumatic hydrocephalus, gliosis and site of gliosis in the follow-up CT scan. There was no direct correlation between the significant predictors on the first CT scan and the follow-up CT scan of the brain.
    Matched MeSH terms: Glasgow Coma Scale
  9. Grover CS, Thiagarajah S
    Med J Malaysia, 2014 Dec;69(6):268-72.
    PMID: 25934957 MyJurnal
    Our objective was to study the profile of cerebrovascular accidents and proportion of cerebral haemorrhage (CH) among stroke patients. This project was designed after we observed higher incidence of CH in Miri hospital as compared to conventionally reported data.

    METHODS: This was a prospective observational study conducted from 1st June 2008 to 31st May 2009. All patients admitted in both male and female wards of the Medical Unit with the first incidence of a stroke were recruited for analysis. CT scan brain was done in all patients.

    RESULTS: Total admissions in one year in the medical department were 3204 patients, both male and female together, out of which 215 were due to a first incidence of stroke; Stroke accounted for 6.7% of admissions and 16.8% of deaths in medical unit. 139 (64.7%) were ischaemic strokes and 76 (35.3%) were cerebral haemorrhages. The incidence of CH (35.3%) was high compared to regional data. 71.7% (154) patients had preexisting hypertension. Higher incidence of hypertension, diabetes mellitus and aspirin intake was noted in the ischaemic group. Also compliance to treatment for hypertension was better in the Ischaemic group with more defaults in CH category (P<0.01). Significantly more deaths were noted in patients with higher systolic blood pressure on presentation, poor Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and those with dysphagia.

    CONCLUSION: Every third stroke was due to cerebral hemorrhage; CH patients were largely unaware of their hypertension or were altogether treatment naïve or defaulters while compliance was far better in ischaemic stroke category.
    Matched MeSH terms: Glasgow Coma Scale
  10. Mohd Said MR, Mohd Firdaus MAB
    Med J Malaysia, 2021 03;76(2):258-260.
    PMID: 33742641
    Acute ischaemic stroke is a debilitating disease and may lead to haemorrhagic transformation associated with few factors such as high National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), low Modified Rankin Score (MRS), cardio-embolic clot and others.1 We report herein a 61 years old man whom presented with left sided weakness and diagnosed with acute right middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction. Thrombolytic therapy was not offered due to low Alberta Stroke Program Early CT (ASPECT) score and hence managed conservatively. However, within 24 hours, his Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) reduced by 4 points and urgent Computed Tomography (CT) brain confirmed haemorrhagic transformation with midline shift. He underwent emergency surgical decompression and subsequently had prolonged hospital stay complicated by ventilated acquired pneumonia. He recovered after a course of antibiotic and discharged to a nursing home with MRS of 5.
    Matched MeSH terms: Glasgow Coma Scale
  11. Nik Azlan NM, Ong SF
    Med J Malaysia, 2019 04;74(2):116-120.
    PMID: 31079121
    INTRODUCTION: This study evaluates factors that influence door to operation theatre (OT) time in a tertiary referral centre following activation of trauma team. Specific factors observed in this study were association of the injury severity score (ISS), activation of trauma team and the number of referred specialty to door to operation theatre time.

    METHODS: Retrospective chart review that evaluates all trauma patients which required immediate operative intervention from January 2011 to December 2015. Trauma patients were selected from the resuscitation log book and data were collected by chart review of selected patients.

    RESULTS: Only 5 out of 279 patients (1.8%) achieved optimal door to OT time. (<60 minutes) Mean door to OT time was 299.27 minutes (95% CI: 280.52, 318.52). Trauma team activation has shown significant improvement in door to OT time (p=0.047). Time of multiple team referrals (p=0.023) and time of operative decision (p<0.001) both had significant impact on door to OT time. Other factors included were demographics, ISS score, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), mechanism of injury and systolic blood pressure on arrival all which showed no significance.

    CONCLUSION: Trauma team activation in a tertiary centre improved trauma care by reducing door to OT time to less than 60 minutes. Implementation of an effective trauma team activation system in all hospitals throughout Malaysia is recommended.

    Matched MeSH terms: Glasgow Coma Scale
  12. Sidek MSM, Siregar JA, Ghani ARI, Idris Z
    Malays J Med Sci, 2018 Mar;25(2):95-104.
    PMID: 30918459 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2018.25.2.10
    Background: With teleneurosurgery, more patients with head injury are managed in the primary hospital under the care of general surgical unit. Growing concerns regarding the safety and outcome of these patients are valid and need to be addressed.

    Method: This study is to evaluate the outcome of patients with mild head injury which were managed in non-neurosurgical centres with the help of teleneurosurgery. The study recruits samples from five primary hospitals utilising teleneurosurgery for neurosurgical consultations in managing mild head injury cases in Johor state. Two main outcomes were noted; favourable and unfavourable, with a follow up review of the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) at 3 and 6 months.

    Results: Total of 359 samples were recruited with a total of 11 (3.06%) patients have an unfavourable. no significant difference in GOS at 3 and 6 months for patient in the unfavourable group (P = 0.368).

    Conclusion: In this study we have found no significant factors affecting the outcome of mild head injury patients managed in non-neurosurgical centres in Johor state using the help of teleneurosurgery.

    Matched MeSH terms: Glasgow Coma Scale
  13. Johnson JR, Idris Z, Abdullah JM, Alias A, Haspani MS
    Malays J Med Sci, 2017 Mar;24(1):40-46.
    PMID: 28381928 DOI: 10.21315/mjms2017.24.1.5
    BACKGROUND: Intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) causes blockage of ventricular conduits leading to hydrocephalus, increased intracranial pressure (ICP), and a reduced level of consciousness. The current standard management of IVH is insertion of an external ventricular drainage (EVD) catheter. However, this procedure addresses only the problems of acute hydrocephalus and raised ICP. Endoscopic washout allows for a more complete removal of the intraventricular clot. This study compared these two types of treatment in terms of shunt dependency and relevant clinical outcomes.

    METHODS: Patients who were 10-80 years old and presented with a Graeb score of more than six were randomised into endoscopic washout and EVD treatment groups. A CT brain was repeated on each patient within 24 hours after surgery, and if a patient's Graeb score was still more than six, a repeat endoscopic washout was performed to clear the remaining clots. All patients were monitored for shunt dependency at two weeks and three months, and clinical outcomes were measured at six months after the procedure.

    RESULTS: A total of 39 patients were recruited; 19 patients were randomised into the endoscopic washout group, and 20 were randomised into the EVD group. However, three patients in the endoscopic group refused that treatment and opted for EVD insertion. Patients treated with endoscopic washout had significantly less drainage dependency at two weeks (P < 0.005) and at three months (P < 0.004) as compared to patients in the external ventricular drainage group. The reduction in Graeb scores was also significantly greater in the endoscopic washout group (P < 0.001). However, the functional outcome at six months measured via a modified Rankin scale score was no different in the two groups of patients. The difference in the functional outcome of the patients was mainly dependent on the initial pathology, with those presenting with a thalamic bleed with IVH showing a poor functional outcome. This parameter was also influenced by the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score on admission, with those patients with a score of 12 or less having a poor functional outcome (MRS 5-6) at three and six months after the surgery.

    CONCLUSIONS: The use of neuroendoscopy in patients with a massive IVH significantly reduced drainage dependency. However, it did not alter the final functional outcome.

    Matched MeSH terms: Glasgow Coma Scale
  14. Rajapathy SK, Idris Z, Kandasamy R, Hieng AWS, Abdullah JM
    Malays J Med Sci, 2017 May;24(3):51-65.
    PMID: 28814933 MyJurnal DOI: 10.21315/mjms2017.24.3.7
    BACKGROUND: Spontaneous intracerebral haemorrhage (SICH) has emerged as one of the most devastating forms of stroke in recent decades. This disease is noted to carry a 30-day mortality rate of approximately 45%. An increasing number of studies have implicated a complex immune-mediated and inflammation-mediated cascade of responses in the pathophysiology of SICH and the resultant neurologic outcome. Several clinical studies have demonstrated an association between inflammatory markers and outcome in patients with SICH. However, the exact relationship between serum biomarkers and functional outcomes amongst survivors has not been clearly elucidated. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in peripheral leukocyte count (WBC count) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in patients with SICH and to correlate these findings with survival and functional outcome.

    METHODOLOGY: A prospective, descriptive and correlational study was conducted at Sarawak General Hospital (SGH) over the span of two years (April 2013-April 2015). Patients aged between 30 years and 75 years with supratentorial intracerebral bleed secondary to uncontrolled hypertension were recruited in this study. Data pertaining to the demography, clinical and radiological parameters, peripheral WBC count and CRP levels were obtained. Mortality and functional outcomes were determined at 6 months post ictus. Patients were recruited following the fulfilment of exclusion and inclusion criteria, and all obtained data were analysed with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows version 21.0.

    RESULTS: A total of 60 patients with a mean age of 56 years were recruited in this study. We found that approximately 16 patients were less than or equal to 50 years old (26.7%) and that 44 patients belonged to the older age group of above 50 years (73.3%). The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score on admission ranged from 9 to 14/15 with a median value of 11/15. The mean clot volume was 20.1 cm(3). The GCS score on admission and clot volume were significantly associated with the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) at 6 months and overall survival (P < 0.05). The elevated WBC count and CRP level on admission and at 72 hours post admission were significantly associated with GOS at 6 months and overall survival (P < 0.05). Thus, the GCS score, clot volume, WBC count and CRP levels on admission and at 72 hours post admission can be used to predict functional outcome at 6 months and overall survival in patients with SICH.

    CONCLUSION: We could conclude via this study that for patients with SICH, the main determinants or predictors of functional outcome at 6 months and overall survival were noted to be the GCS score on admission, clot size, WBC count and CRP levels on admission and at 72 hours post admission.

    Matched MeSH terms: Glasgow Coma Scale
  15. Kan CH, Saffari M, Khoo TH
    Malays J Med Sci, 2009 Oct;16(4):25-33.
    PMID: 22135509 MyJurnal
    Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in children has been poorly studied, and the literature is limited. We evaluated 146 children with severe TBI (coma score less than 8) in an attempt to establish the prognostic factors of severe TBI in children.
    Matched MeSH terms: Glasgow Coma Scale
  16. Jeng TC, Haspani MS, Adnan JS, Naing NN
    Malays J Med Sci, 2008 Oct;15(4):56-67.
    PMID: 22589639
    A repeat Computer Tomographic (CT) brain after 24-48 hours from the 1(st) scanning is usually practiced in most hospitals in South East Asia where intracranial pressure monitoring (ICP) is routinely not done. This interval for repeat CT would be shortened if there was a deterioration in Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). Most of the time the prognosis of any intervention may be too late especially in hospitals with high patient-to-doctor ratio causing high mortality and morbidity. The purpose of this study was to determine the important predictors for early detection of Delayed Traumatic Intracranial Haemorrhage (DTICH) and Progressive Traumatic Brain Injury (PTBI) before deterioration of GCS occurred, as well as the most ideal timing of repeated CT brain for patients admitted in Malaysian hospitals. A total of 81 patients were included in this study over a period of six months. The CT scan brain was studied by comparing the first and second CT brain to diagnose the presence of DTICH/PTBI. The predictors tested were categorised into patient factors, CT brain findings and laboratory investigations. The mean age was 33.1 ± 15.7 years with a male preponderance of 6.36:1. Among them, 81.5% were patients from road traffic accidents with Glasgow Coma Scale ranging from 4 - 15 (median of 12) upon admission. The mean time interval delay between trauma and first CT brain was 179.8 ± 121.3 minutes for the PTBI group. The DTICH group, 9.9% of the patients were found to have new intracranial clots. Significant predictors detected were different referral hospitals (p=0.02), total GCS status (p=0.026), motor component of GCS (p=0.043), haemoglobin level (p<0.001), platelet count (p=0.011) and time interval between trauma and first CT brain (p=0.022). In the PTBI group, 42.0% of the patients were found to have new changes (new clot occurrence, old clot expansion and oedema) in the repeat CT brain. Univariate statistical analysis revealed that age (p=0.03), race (p=0.035), types of admission (p=0.024), GCS status (p=0.02), pupillary changes (p=0.014), number of intracranial lesion (p=0.004), haemoglobin level (p=0.038), prothrombin time (p=0.016) as the best predictors of early detection of changes. Multiple logistics regression analysis indicated that age, severity, GCS status (motor component) and GCS during admission were significantly associated with second CT scan with changes. This study showed that 9.9% of the total patients seen in the period of study had DTICH and 42% had PTBI. In the early period after traumatic head injury, the initial CT brain did not reveal the full extent of haemorrhagic injury and associated cerebral oedema. Different referral hospitals of different trauma level, GCS status, motor component of the GCS, haemoglobin level, platelet count and time interval between trauma and the first CT brain were the significant predictors for DTICH. Whereas the key determinants of PTBI were age, race, types of admission, GCS status, pupillary changes, number of intracranial bleed, haemoglobin level, prothrombin time and of course time interval between trauma and first CT brain. Any patients who had traumatic head injury in hospitals with no protocol of repeat CT scan or intracranial pressure monitoring especially in developing countries are advised to have to repeat CT brain at the appropriate quickest time .
    Matched MeSH terms: Glasgow Coma Scale
  17. Chee LC, Siregar JA, Ghani ARI, Idris Z, Rahman Mohd NAA
    Malays J Med Sci, 2018 Feb;25(1):32-41.
    PMID: 29599633 MyJurnal DOI: 10.21315/mjms2018.25.1.5
    Background: Ruptured cerebral aneurysm is a life-threatening condition that requires urgent medical attention. In Malaysia, a prospective study by the Umum Sarawak Hospital, Neurosurgical Center, in the year 2000-2002 revealed an average of two cases of intracranial aneurysms per month with an operative mortality of 20% and management mortality of 25%. Failure to diagnose, delay in admission to a neurosurgical centre, and lack of facilities could have led to the poor surgical outcome in these patients. The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that significantly predict the outcome of patients undergoing a surgical clipping of ruptured aneurysm in the local population.

    Material and Method: A single center retrospective study with a review of medical records was performed involving 105 patients, who were surgically treated for ruptured intracranial aneurysms in the Sultanah Aminah Hospital, in Johor Bahru, from July 2011 to January 2016. Information collected was the patient demographic data, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) prior to surgery, World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies Scale (WFNS), subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) grading system, and timing between SAH ictus and surgery. A good clinical grade was defined as WFNS grade I-III, whereas, WFNS grades IV and V were considered to be poor grades. The outcomes at discharge and six months post surgery were assessed using the modified Rankin's Scale (mRS). The mRS scores of 0 to 2 were grouped into the "favourable" category and mRS scores of 3 to 6 were grouped into the "unfavourable" category. Only cases of proven ruptured aneurysmal SAH involving anterior circulation that underwent surgical clipping were included in the study. The data collected was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed and aP-value of < 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.

    Result: A total of 105 patients were included. The group was comprised of 42.9% male and 57.1% female patients. The mean GCS of the patients subjected to surgical clipping was 13, with the majority falling into the good clinical grade (78.1%). The mean timing of the surgery after SAH was 5.3 days and this was further categorised into early (day one to day three, 45.3%), intermediate (day four to day ten, 56.2%), and late (after day ten, 9.5%). The total favourable outcome achieved at discharge was 59.0% as compared to 41.0% of the unfavourable outcome, with an overall mortality rate of 10.5%. At the six-month post surgery review (n= 94), the patients with a favourable outcome constituted 71.3% as compared to 28.7% with an unfavourable outcome. The mortality, six months post surgery was 3.2%. On a univariate analysis of early surgical clipping, patients with a better GCS and good clinical grade had a significantly better outcome at discharge. Based on the univariate study, six months post surgery, the timing of the surgery and the clinical grade remained significant predictors of the outcome. On the basis of the multivariate analysis, male patients of younger age, with a good clinical grade, were associated with favourable outcomes, both at discharge and six months post surgery.

    Conclusion: In this study, we concluded that younger male patients with a good clinical grade were associated with a favourable outcome both at discharge and six months post surgery. We did not find the timing of the surgery, size of the aneurysm or duration of surgery to be associated with a patient's surgical outcome. Increasing age was not associated with the surgical outcome in a longer term of patient's follow up.

    Matched MeSH terms: Glasgow Coma Scale
  18. Kandasamy R, Kanti Pal H, Swamy M, Abdullah J
    Int J Neurosci, 2013 Jun;123(6):385-91.
    PMID: 23270401 DOI: 10.3109/00207454.2012.761983
    Nitric oxide has a definitive role in the complex pathophysiology of traumatc brain injury (TBI). This prospective cohort study investigated the changes in nitric oxide metabolite (NOx) levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and their correlation with factors associated with severity and prognosis after severe TBI. NOx levels were measured in CSF obtained via ventriculostomy in 44 adult patients admitted after severe TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale ≤ 8/15). The overall mean level of CSF NOx in the study population was 7.40 ± 1.59 μmol/L. Levels of CSF NOx were found to be significantly higher in subgroups of patients with poorer outcome measured by Glasgow Outcome Scale score (p < 0.042), in patients with high intracranial pressure (ICP) readings (p < 0.027) and in those with higher Marshall computed tomography (CT) grading scores (p < 0.026). Simple logistic regression demonstrated that CSF NOx levels were a significant predictor of ICP (b = 0.493, 95%CI: 1.03, 2.58, p = 0.033). A patient with 1 μmol/L increase in NOx level had 1.6 times the odds to have an ICP ≥ 20 mmHg when other confounders were not adjusted. NOx level is also a significant predictor of Marshall CT grading (b = 0.473, 95%CI: 1.02, 2.50, p = 0.037). A patient with 1 μmol/L increase in NOx level had 1.6 times the odds to have a high Marshall grade when other confounders were not adjusted. It can be concluded that CSF NOx levels may serve as a potentially useful biomarker in severe TBI given its significant association with ICP readings as well as Marshall CT grading.
    Matched MeSH terms: Glasgow Coma Scale
  19. Liong CC, Rahmat K, Mah JS, Lim SY, Tan AH
    Can J Neurol Sci, 2016 Sep;43(5):719-20.
    PMID: 27670213 DOI: 10.1017/cjn.2016.269
    Matched MeSH terms: Glasgow Coma Scale
  20. Visvanathan R
    Aust N Z J Surg, 1994 Aug;64(8):527-9.
    PMID: 8048888
    Sixty-nine severely head-injured patients treated by general surgeons over a 28 month period with admission Glasgow Coma Scale motor scores of 3 to 8 were reviewed retrospectively. Fifty-one patients were comatose on admission with periods from injury to admission exceeding 4 h in 34 patients who were referred from peripheral hospitals. Forty patients with acute intracranial bleeding underwent emergency decompressive surgery with 13 good recoveries and 18 deaths; good recoveries were observed in 11 of 20 patients with extradural haemorrhages, one out of eight patients with subdural haemorrhages, and one of 12 patients with intracerebral and/or combined haemorrhages. Twenty-nine patients with no evidence of acute mass lesions were treated medically with sedation, mechanical ventilation and mannitol infusion for cerebral decompression with seven good recoveries and 16 deaths. There were 15 good outcomes in 40 patients with admission motor scores of 6, 7 or 8 and five good outcomes in 29 patients with scores of 3, 4 or 5. A good outcome of 29% in the study may be improved by (i) better neurosurgical training of surgical and nursing staff; (ii) provision of technologically advanced diagnostic and treatment modalities; (iii) an efficient referral system; and (iv) provision of effective long-term rehabilitation.
    Matched MeSH terms: Glasgow Coma Scale
Filters
Contact Us

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links