GH 5036            

 

SAH

Key concepts

Aneurysm  

Rupture

Hunt-Hess (clinical) grade  

Kissler Fisher (CT scan) grade

Re-bleed  

Vasospasm  

Clip ligation  

Endovascular

Background - Epidemiology - Pathophysiology - Presentation - Workup - Management - Complications

 

     

 


 

 

Introduction

 

 

Background 

Subarachnoid hemorrhage entrains a number of phsyiologic changes that can be very destructive (ischemia, infarction) to the brain.

Blood within the subarachnoid space. Specific procedure and protocol pertains to spontaneous (nontraumatic) subarachnoid hemorrhage as this may be the result of bleeding from ruptured cerebral aneurysms or arteriovenous malformations. 

Appropriate diagnosis of vascular etiologies of hemorrhage is important as specific treatments to prevent re-bleeding and vasospasm are necessary to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a common 5036 Admission Diagnosis.

 

 

           Aneurysm

In adults the most common etiology (cause) of an subarachnoid hemorrhage is rupture of a congenital berry aneurysm.

 

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Inclusion criteria

Patients with vascular sources of spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage present characteristically with “the worst headache of their life.” Based on this initial history, an aggressive work-up should seek to identify hemorrhage based on radiographic (CT) and laboratory (lumbar puncture) data.

Exclusion criteria 

Patients with clearly identified traumatic sources of bleeding, not including those patients who had trauma due to a primary alteration in mental status (e.g.: motor vehicle accident as a result of spontaneous loss of consciousness)

 

Epidemiology

 

    Annual risk of rupture

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Location

 

Patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage should be transferred to an intensive care unit setting for close observation and hourly neurologic checks. Deterioration can occur as a result of rehemorrhage, vasospasm, or hydrocephalus.

Pathophysiology

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Equipment

Standard intensive care unit monitoring should be available. Transcranial doppler should be available to monitor changes in the cerebral vasculature, facilitating the early detection of vasospasm.

Procedure

No specific procedures need be performed in all patients. However, swan-ganz monitoring of cardiac parameters, arterial line monitoring, intubation, and ventriculostomy placement may all be necessary.

Surgeon Qualifications

Patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage from aneurysmal or arteriovenous malformation rupture should be kept in an intensive care unit setting. Neurosurgical input in the management of these patients is essential. Neurology or critical care medicine specialists may also offer input in management.

Complication Management

Well-described sequelae of subarachnoid hemorrhage include:

  • Rerupture—Prevented by surgical or endovascular treatment of lesions. Prior to this, the prevention of wide fluctuations in blood pressure may reduce the risk of rehemorrhage.
  • Vasospasm—Vasospasm causes clinical deterioration from ischemia, alteration of trascranial doppler measurements, or CT evidence of early ischemia. Volume loading, hyperdynamic therapy, hemodilution, and blood pressure elevation are the initial treatment measures. Refractory cases are treated with angioplasty and intraarterial papaverine.
  • Hydrocephalus—CT evidence of hydrocephalus is treated by CSF diversion. This is via ventriculostomy drainage or ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion.
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Orders

Inclusion Criteria

Patients with vascular sources of spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage present characteristically with “the worst headache of their life.” Based on this initial history, an aggressive work-up should seek to identify hemorrhage based on radiographic (CT) and laboratory (lumbar puncture) data.

Exclusion Criteria

Patients with clearly identified traumatic sources of bleeding, not including those patients who had trauma due to a primary alteration in mental status (e.g.: motor vehicle accident as a result of spontaneous loss of consciousness)

 

 

    Blood pressure

 

Blood pressure results from the energy put into the blood with each contraction of the heart. This energy moves the blood forward (towards the veins and right ventricle) against the resistance of arteries that generate their resistance through the smooth muscles that line their walls.

Immediately after leaving the left ventricle arterial blood is under the pressure that the ventricle (largest and most muscular of the 4-cardiac chambers) generated when it each contracted (heart beat). The arterial pressure reflects the integrity of the physiologic systems that maintain it: cardiac and vascular. 

 

    Vasospasm  

 

Spasm of an artery that results from injury to the vessel.  During insertion of an arterial line probably results from one or both: 1. mechanical contact between the a-line needle and the arterial wall causes smooth muscles to constrict and narrow the vessel sometimes to the point that there is no flow and frequently to the point that a pulse is no longer palpable and further attempts at aterial puncture and cannulation will be futile.

 

 

   Allen test

 

 

Test to make sure it is safe to place a catheter in the radial artery at the wrist.  

 

Technique: Compress the radial artery firmly enough that that there is no flow through it. Hold for several minutes observing for ischemic changes in the hand. 

 

Reason to do test: if inadequate collaterals through ulnar arterial arcade, hand will become dusky and cold.

 

 

   Radial artery anatomy

 

 

The radial artery is located on the same side of the hand as the thumb.

 

 

  Femoral artery anatomy 

 

 

 

(The femoral artery should only be used for placement of an arterial line if cannulation of the radial artery is impossible).

 

Nerve, Artery, Vein...

 

 

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Indications

 

 

Arterial lines are indicated for:

1. Real time, continuous measurement of arterial blood pressure

2. Sampling of arterial blood

 

 

 

 

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Setup

 

 

Doug and Traci: can you give me a list of what is required for an a line:  1.  surgeon attire, 2. position of arm, ...

 

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Insertion

 

 

Doug and Traci: describe insertion of an arterial line.  step-by-step.  We can make this part of your proctoring.

 

 

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Management

Duration:  An arterial line should be left in place no longer than 5 days. 

Replacement: If an arterial line has been in so long (5 days) that it must be replaced, the replacement line should not be placed in the same artery as the original. 

 

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Competency

 

        Post-graduate year (PGY) 2 or higher.

 

 

 

Consent

       

        Required if a next-of-kin available.

 

 

 

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Self-assessment


 

   

Orders (routine, without complications):

  • Admit to ICU
  • Hourly neuro checks
  • Routine continuous monitoring of vital signs
  • Thromboembolism stockings and sequential compression devices
  • Moderate to high dose decadron
  • Nimodipine 60mg PO q 4 hours
  • Dilantin loading followed by 5 mg/kg/day IV/PO to keep levels therapeutic
  • Insulin sliding scale
  • GI ulcer prophylaxis

 

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Hypervolemic, Hyperdynamic, Hypertensive:

 

 

Hypervolemic

                Increasing the intravascular volume

Hyperdynamic

                Forcing the heart to contract harder

Hypertensive

                Raising the blood pressure

 

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Evaluation

Patients with an appropriate history of acute onset of headache or meningismus should first receive a noncontrast head CT scan. If this shows no hemorrhage, lumbar puncture should be performed in an effort to identify xanthochromia or a large number of red blood cells. Those patients with proven subarachnoid hemorrhage should then receive either four vessel cerebral angiography or magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). CT also serves to identify early hydrocephalus.

Location

Patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage should be transferred to an intensive care unit setting for close observation and hourly neurologic checks. Deterioration can occur as a result of rehemorrhage, vasospasm, or hydrocephalus.

Equipment

Standard intensive care unit monitoring should be available. Transcranial doppler should be available to monitor changes in the cerebral vasculature, facilitating the early detection of vasospasm.

Procedure

No specific procedures need be performed in all patients. However, swan-ganz monitoring of cardiac parameters, arterial line monitoring, intubation, and ventriculostomy placement may all be necessary.

Surgeon Qualifications

Patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage from aneurysmal or arteriovenous malformation rupture should be kept in an intensive care unit setting. Neurosurgical input in the management of these patients is essential. Neurology or critical care medicine specialists may also offer input in management.

 

 

Background - Epidemiology - Pathophysiology - Presentation - Workup - Management - Complications

 

 

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Equipment

The equipment required to insert a Swan-Ganz catheter includes:

 

 

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Set Up

       

  

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Insertion

The equipment required to insert a Swan-Ganz catheter includes:

 

 

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Management

Complication Management

 

Well-described sequelae of subarachnoid hemorrhage include:

  • Rerupture—Prevented by surgical or endovascular treatment of lesions. Prior to this, the prevention of wide fluctuations in blood pressure may reduce the risk of rehemorrhage.
  • Vasospasm—Vasospasm causes clinical deterioration from ischemia, alteration of trascranial doppler measurements, or CT evidence of early ischemia. Volume loading, hyperdynamic therapy, hemodilution, and blood pressure elevation are the initial treatment measures. Refractory cases are treated with angioplasty and intraarterial papaverine.
  • Hydrocephalus—CT evidence of hydrocephalus is treated by CSF diversion. This is via ventriculostomy drainage or ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion.

 

 

Protocol for management

Orders (routine, without complications):

  • Admit to ICU
  • Hourly neuro checks
  • Routine continuous monitoring of vital signs
  • Thromboembolism stockings and sequential compression devices
  • Moderate to high dose decadron
  • Nimodipine 60mg PO q 4 hours
  • Dilantin loading followed by 5 mg/kg/day IV/PO to keep levels therapeutic
  • Insulin sliding scale
  • GI ulcer prophylaxis

 

Pathophysiology

 

    Re-bleed

     Vasospasm

 

 

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Presentation

 

The history of a subarachnoid hemorrhage is classically "the worst headache of my life".

 

          Hunt-Hess grade

 

 

Grade Presentation
0 incidental
1 headache but no deficit
2 severe head with cranial nerve
3
4 comatose
5 moribund

 

 

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Workup

 

Patients with an appropriate history of acute onset of headache or meningismus should first receive a noncontrast head CT scan. If this shows no hemorrhage, lumbar puncture should be performed in an effort to identify xanthochromia or a large number of red blood cells. Those patients with proven subarachnoid hemorrhage should then receive either four vessel cerebral angiography or magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). CT also serves to identify early hydrocephalus.

 

        Kissler Fisher grade

 

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Management 

 

            Clip ligation craniotomy

            Interventional neuroradiology

 

  

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Prognosis

 

 

 

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 Competency

 

 

    

        Post-graduate year (PGY) 2 or higher.

 

 

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        Post-graduate year (PGY) 2 or higher.

 

 

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Consent

       

        Required if a next-of-kin available.

 

 

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Self-assessment