Influence of Cognitive Rest on Minor Traumatic Brain Injury
Minor Head InjuryBackground: Head injury is a common presentation to family medicine clinics and emergency departments (EDs), and the majority will not result in intracranial injury requiring neurosurgical consultation, but will have symptoms of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). It is estimated between 15-50% of patients with MTBI develop post-concussive syndrome (PCS). Research in the management of MTBI and prevention of PCS has been scarce to date. Although expert consensus recommends cognitive rest and graduated return to usual activities, these and other interventions are not based on prospective clinical evidence. Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine if providing graduated return to usual activities discharge instructions to MTBI patients in the ED decreases MTBI symptoms post-injury as compared to providing usual ED MTBI discharge instructions. Study Design: This will be a pragmatic, single-centered, 2-arm parallel-group, superiority randomized trial. Patient Population: Male and female patients presenting to the ED ages greater than 17 and less than 65 with the Canadian Emergency Department Information System (CEDIS) presenting complaint of "head injury". Outcomes: The primary outcome of this study is to determine if patients whom receive graduated return to usual activity discharge instructions have more clinically significant decreases in their Post-Concussion Symptom Score (PCSS) 2 weeks after MTBI versus patients who received usual care MTBI discharge instructions. Secondary outcomes include the intervention group's compliance with the intervention, comparison of PCSS between groups 4 weeks after initial ED visit, comparison of groups' number of return visit(s) to either an ED or physician's office, and the mean number of days of school or work missed for each group. Hypothesis: Given cognitive rest and graduated return to usual activities are concepts recommended by expert consensus, it is expected patients who follow the graduated return to usual activities and cognitive rest guidelines will have less MTBI symptoms at two weeks after ED discharge.
Aerobic Exercise and Cognitive Training Effects on Postconcussive Symptomology
Post-Concussion SyndromePost-Traumatic Headache6 moreThe purpose of this study is to compare a 4-week, moderately intensive, lab and home-based aerobic exercise program versus exercise plus cognitive training. Participants will include individuals who experience lingering symptoms of a head injury or concussion.
A Comparison Between Two Techniques for Performing Decompressive Craniectomy
Brain EdemaCraniocerebral Trauma2 moreThe purpose of this study is to compare two surgical techniques for a neurosurgical procedure used to treat cerebral edema (decompressive craniectomy): with watertight duraplasty vs. without watertight duraplasty (rapid closure decompressive craniectomy).
Study on Clinical Effectiveness of L-Oxiracetam Injection
Craniocerebral InjuryA randomized, double-blind, positive drug/placebo parallel controlled, multicenter, phase II exploratory clinical trial of L-oxiracetam injection to improve memory and cognitive Impairment in patients with craniocerebral injury.
ReCoUPS: Post-Concussion Patient Reports
Brain ConcussionHead InjuryPhysical and cognitive rest are recommended as treatment for concussion, but debate persists about the utility of this recommendation for patients recovering from concussion. In addition, patient adherence to physical and cognitive rest recommendations after concussion remains unknown. This study will measure and compare symptom and activity reports in the days and weeks after a concussion among patients randomly assigned to different incentive-based arms.
Effect of Cervical Collar on the Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter in Minor Head Trauma
Head TraumaThis is randomized, controlled and blinded study was performed in minor head trauma patients. Two sonographers measured optic nerve sheath diameters (ONSD) of each subjects' eyes separately for different time points. Then a mean ONSD was calculated for before c-collar placement (T0), 5 and 20 minutes in supine position.
Early Versus Late Intubation Trial in Physician Manned Emergency Medical Services
TraumaCraniocerebral Trauma3 moreThis study looks at advanced airway management in critically ill or injured patients treated by physician manned emergency medical services, comparing early (on-scene) intubation to late (emergency department) intubation.
Canadian Computed Tomography (CT) Head Rule Study
Head InjuryEach year, Canadian emergency department physicians treat 600,000 patients with head injury. Many of these are adults with "minor head injury", i.e. loss of consciousness or amnesia and a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 13-15. Only 6.2% of these "minor" patients have some acute injury on computed tomography (CT scan) and only 0.5% have an epidural hematoma requiring surgery. Among Canadian teaching hospital emergency departments, we have shown a fourfold variation in use of CT and that a small but important number of intracranial hematomas are missed at the first visit.
Impact of Helmet Use in Preschool Children
Head InjuriesFacial InjuriesTo test the hypothesis if provision of helmet education and free helmet distribution will significantly increase helmet use in preschool children of low-income families compared to those children receiving helmet education without free helmet distribution; To test the hypothesis if helmet users in preschool children will significantly reduce head and facial injuries compared to those non-helmet users
Anti-secretory Factor as a Treatment for Adults With Severe Traumatic Head Injury
Head TraumaIntensive Care Neurological Disorder1 moreIntroduction/Background Brain swelling/brain edema can occur due to many pathologies of the brain, such as infections, ischemia and trauma. The edema can be either primarily intra-cellular or extra-cellular. The mechanisms by which edema arise are not fully known but it is proposed that inside the damaged brain, fluid will pass over the blood-brain barrier of the vessels into the extra-cellular space. The accumulation of fluid will lead to an increase in distance between the cell and its closest capillary, which may lead to energy failure and intra-cellular edema. The extra volume of the fluid leads to increased intracranial pressure, which in turn leads to an increase in blood pressure, aggravating the edema. In addition to the physiological changes that occur, the edema will be increased by the immunological response to the tissue damage with release of pro-inflammatory cytokines that give rise to both extra- and intra-cellular edema. Today, no treatment has been proven efficient against traumatic brain edema. AF - anti-secretory factor is a 41 kDa protein that exists in humans and most animals. It was discovered due to its ability to inhibit experimental diarrhea. AF has been proven to have an effect on Mb Menière and glaucoma. In animal models, AF has been proven efficient in reducing increased intracranial pressure caused by trauma and virus infection in the brain. Salovum®, an egg yolk powder enriched in AF, is registered in the European Union as a medical food. Methods: 5 adult patients with severe traumatic brain injury will be included in the trial via next of kin consent. Medical interventions are protocol based. The protocol includes first, second and third treatment levels. Patients included in the trial, will receive two micro-dialysis (MD) catheters in addition to standard treatment. One catheter will be placed in a separate burr hole close to the ICP and LICOX catheter, the other MD catheter will be placed in vicinity of the damaged barin tissue. Patients will receive Salovum® 6 hours after trial inclusion. Patient dosage is 1g/kg body weight/24 hours, divided into 6 doses and administered orally, via tubing every 4 hours for 5 consecutive days. Objective: Primary end-point is to investigate if Salovum® has a beneficiary effect on ICP. Secondary endpoints are to investigate if Salovum® has a beneficiary effect on treatment intensity levels (TIL), brain-oxygenation, microdialysis bio-chemistry and cytokine expression in plasma and microdialysate.