University of Utah - CNC

ADVANCES IN INTRACRANIAL MONITORING In most neuro critical care units, treatment decisions for traumatic brain injury and other conditions are based on intracranial pressure. While it provides an important glimpse at a patient's condition, intracranial pressure isn't the only factor to consider. Our Neuro Critical Care Unit has the tools in place to measure not only intracranial pressure, but also cerebral blood flow and oxygen delivery. The technologies available in our unit include: • An Arctic Sun ® 5000 Temperature Management System to help regulate patients' body temperature. • A Bowman Perfusion Monitor, which provides accurate data regarding the level of blood flow to the brain. • An Integra® Licox® Brain Oxygen Monitor to assess the temperature and oxygen level of brain tissue. • A CNS Monitor that assimilates data from all of the devices used to monitor a patient's condition and clearly displays the data so physicians can quickly interpret it and make advanced treatment decisions. • A portable computed tomography (CT) scanner that allows physicians to perform CT scans in the intensive care unit at the patient's bedside. • 24-hour electroencephalographic (EEG) monitoring. • Pupillometers that measure pupil reactivity within one- hundredth of a millimeter to provide an early indication of complications. • Intracranial pressure monitors and intraventricular drains that help relieve intracranial pressure by draining excess cerebral spinal fluid. AN EMPHASIS ON MULTIDISCIPLINARY CARE In addition to five neurointensivists, the Neuro Critical Care team includes four advanced practice clinicians; neuro critical care fellows and residents; dedicated nurses; respiratory therapists with advanced training in the ventilator management of neuro critical care patients; a pharmacist; speech, occupational, and physical therapists; a case manager; social workers; and dietitians. These providers, with their respective areas of expertise, collaborate on all patients with the singular goal of improving patient care. This collaborative and comprehensive approach requires team meetings and multi- disciplinary rounds that are conducted daily in the unit. "All members of our team have their domain of expertise and the ability to raise concerns and improve our management plans," Dr. Ansari says. "With this collective and collaborative effort, we can immediately address all of our patients' needs and eliminate any potential for error and oversight." In addition, Dr. Hawryluk has received extensive training in the area of traumatic brain injury, which affects many of the patients receiving care in the Neuro Critical Care Unit. At University of Utah, Dr. Hawryluk runs a basic science lab that explores brain and spinal cord injuries at the molecular level, with a goal of developing new techniques for brain and spinal cord injury management. For more information about the Neuro Critical Care Unit at the Clinical Neurosciences Center, visit utahneurosciences.com and select "Trauma/Neuro Critical Care" under "Treatments/Services." GM | 4 Greg Hawryluk, MD Safdar Ansari, MD The economic cost of TBI in the U.S., including medical care, in 2010 Traumatic Brain Injury B th Number The number of emergency department visits that result from traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the United States each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The number of lives TBI claims in the U.S. each year 2.2 million 50,000 $76.5 billio The estimated number of people who live with a TBI in the U.S.

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