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Résumé La dissection d’artère vertébrale est une complication postopératoire rare dont le diagnostic peut être difficile étant donné la variabilité des présentations cliniques. Nous rapportons un cas qui s’est manifesté par un accident vasculaire tegmento-thalamique au décours d’une reprise carcinologique de chirurgie abdominale. Devant une évolution atypique en deux épisodes espacés de deux mois associant cervicalgies puis accident ischémique et une manipulation cervicale intercurrente, nous discutons les différents facteurs ayant pu contribuer à cette complication : posture, manipulation cervicale, pose d’une voie veineuse sous-clavière, toxicité du cysplatine. Cette observation rappelle que la survenue d’une douleur cervicale postopératoire, surtout si elle présente une sémiologie atypique, doit faire évoquer l’éventualité du diagnostic et réaliser des explorations vasculaires. The diagnosis of perioperative vertebral artery dissection can be difficult because of non-specific clinical signs. We report a case revealed by a tegmento-thalamic stroke after an abdominal second surgical look. The interest of this observation is related to a particular evolution in two steps separated by a 2-month-interval and an intercurrent cervical manipulation. After the second anesthesia, neck pain associated with a third cranial nerve palsy and a supranuclear ophtalmoplegia revealed a tegmento-thalamic ischemic stroke due to vertebral artery dissection. We discuss here the different factors possibly involved in the pathophysiology of postoperative vertebral artery dissection: positioning, cervical manipulation, subclavian central venous access and cisplatin toxicity. Vertebral artery dissection should be discussed in case of postoperative neck pain, especially with non-typical symptomatology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Résumé Objectifs L’accident vasculaire cérébral ischémique (AVCI) est une complication postopératoire connue après chirurgie cardiaque et carotidienne. En revanche, peu d’études sont disponibles concernant les AVCI après chirurgie générale. Son importante morbi-mortalité justifie une analyse des données épidémiologiques récentes. Type d’étude Revue générale systématique. Sources de données Banques de données Medline et Ovid avec les mots cléfs : AVCI, chirurgies cardiaque, carotidienne, générale non cardiaque et non carotidienne ; données épidémiologiques nationales et européennes ; recommandations d’experts et de la Haute Autorité de santé ; chapitres d’ouvrage de référence. Synthèse des données En chirurgie cardiaque, avec une incidence de 1,2 à 10 % suivant les procédures, les AVCI surviennent en période périopératoire dans environ 50 % des cas et la majorité des autres dans les 48 premières heures postopératoires. Pour la chirurgie carotidienne, l’incidence varie de 1 à 20 % suivant la technique et l’expérience des opérateurs. Rare en chirurgie générale (en moyenne 0,15 % avec des extrêmes de 0,02 à 1 %), il survient exceptionnellement en période peropératoire, mais à partir des 24–48 heures postopératoires et pour 40 % d’entre eux dans la première semaine postopératoire, plus souvent chez des sujets âgés à risque (prothèse de hanche, chirurgie vasculaire). L’AVCI postopératoire est responsable de surmortalité par rapport à une population témoin d’opérés, quelle que soit la chirurgie. Conclusion Avec une incidence différente selon la chirurgie, l’AVCI périopératoire se distingue par son horaire de survenue et la surmortalité qu’il engendre pour chaque type de chirurgie. Objectives Stroke is a well-described postoperative complication, after carotid and cardiac surgery. On the contrary, few studies are available concerning postoperative stroke in general non-cardiac non-carotid surgery. The high morbid-mortality of stroke justifies an extended analysis of recent literature. Article type Systematic review. Data sources Firstly, Medline and Ovid databases using combination of stroke, cardiac surgery, carotid surgery, general non-cardiac non-carotid surgery as keywords; secondly, national and European epidemiologic databases; thirdly, expert and French health agency recommendations; lastly, reference book chapters. Results In cardiac surgery, with an incidence varying from 1.2 to 10% according to procedure complexity, stroke occurs peroperatively in 50% of cases and during the first 48 postoperative hours for the others. The incidence of stroke after carotid surgery is 1 to 20% according to the technique used as well as operator skills. Postoperative stroke is a rare (0.15% as mean, extremes around 0.02 to 1%) complication in general surgery, it occurs generally after the 24–48th postoperative hours, exceptional peroperatively, and 40% of them occurring in the first postoperative week. It concerned mainly aged patient in high-risk surgeries (hip fracture, vascular surgery). Postoperative stroke was associated to an increase in perioperative mortality in comparison to non-postoperative stroke operated patients. Conclusion Postoperative stroke is a quality marker of the surgical teams’ skill and has specific onset time and induces an increase of postoperative mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most frequent arythmia. During the perioperative period and in intensive care units, management of patients with AF is frequent and difficult. As in cardiology, two main issues are present: the risk of acute hemodynamically instability and the risk of thromboembolic complication. Cardiological guidelines recently published must guide the management of patients in this context. Two main factors must be kept in mind: acute AF in these situations are often of short duration; the risk of anticoagulation can be superior to the risk of thrombotic complication in this situation. An individualized benefit–risk analysis must be done in each patient. New treatments, antiarrhythmic or mainly antithrombotic drugs, are under evaluation and will be soon available. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An ischaemic stroke is a rare complication of viper envenomation that is due to multifactorial pathophysiological mechanisms. The authors describe the case of a 55-year-old patient bitten by the viper Cerastes cerastes. The patient was admitted to the intensive care unit with multiple organ failure, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, rhabdomyolysis, anuria and elevated troponin level. The persistent disturbance of consciousness has motivated a brain scan which has revealed a bifocal ischemic stroke. The complex venom of the species C. cerastes may induce hypotension, tissue necrosis, acute renal failure, bleeding disorders or DIC. With the cessation of a non-indicated heparintherapy and haemodialysis, the patient recovered in a few weeks despite the initial infusion of an unsuitable antivenom due to the late identification of the reptile. The preventive treatment of the complications of this envenomation is based on the infusion of the polyvalent antivenom Favirept®. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We report the case of a 29-year-old female who had developed a postpartum cerebral angiopathy (PCA) complicated by an intracerebral haematoma and convulsions, after a postpartum haemorrhage with sulprostone and norepinephrine infusion. PCA is an under diagnosed neurovascular pathology, responsible of reversible and non-specific symptoms. However, it can be complicated by haemorrhagic or ischemic stroke with vital or functional risks. As PCA is favored by vasoactive treatments, their administration in peripartum period, when it is imperative, should be strictly controlled. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: To define the causes of mortality of patients who died within the first three months after a liver transplantation. Type of study: Retrospective, observational, and single centre study. Patients and methods: Between March 1989 and July 2010, all patients who died within three months after a liver transplantation were included. Demographic characteristics, preoperative and peroperative data, donor characteristics, postoperative complications and causes of mortality were collected. Results: Among the 788 performed liver transplantations, 76 patients died in intensive care unit (11%). The main indications of liver transplantation were alcoholic cirrhosis (30%), hepatitis C (28%), hepatocarcinoma (15%), primitive or secondary biliary cirrhosis (10%). Fifty percent of the patients were categorized as Child C. The main causes of death were non-function or dysfunction with retransplantation contra-indication graft (18%), sepsis (18%), neurological complications (12%), hemorrhagic shock (13%), (9%), multiorgan failures (5%), cardiac complications (6%). Conclusion: In this study, the main causes of mortality were infectious, neurological and hemorrhagic. These results emphasize the necessity for better control of sepsis, haemorrhage and immunosupressors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We report the case of a stroke due to a ballistic thoracic traumatism. The vascular injury, provoked by the passage of the bullet, associated to a procoagulating state led to the formation of a thrombus in the ascending aorta. The migration of this thrombus caused a stroke, finally reversible upon medical treatment only. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Intravenous thrombolytic therapy for ischemic stroke was performed on a 75-year-old patient at recovery from cervicocephalic superficial surgery. The patient recovered totally from ischemic stroke and no neurologic sequelae was observed. Thrombolytic therapy must be performed in an intensive care unit in order to manage some bleeding events which can occur. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Fever is a secondary brain injury and may worsen neurological prognosis of neurological intensive care unit (NICU) patients. In response to an immunological threat, fever associates various physiological reactions, including hyperthermia. Its definition may vary but the most commonly used threshold is 37.5°C. In animal studies, hyperthermia applied before, during or after cerebral ischemia may increase the volume of ischemic lesions. The mechanism of this effect may include increase in blood brain barrier permeability, increase in excitatory amino acid release and increase in free radical production. In NICU patients, fever is frequent, occurring in up to 20–30% of patients. Moreover, after haemorrhagic stroke, fever has been reported in 40–50% of patients. In half of the patients, fever may be related to an infectious cause but in more than 25% of patients, hyperthermia may be of central origin. After ischemic stroke, hyperthermia during the first 72hours is associated with an increase in infarct size and increase in morbidity and mortality. This holds true also after subarachnoid haemorrhage. After traumatic brain injury, fever is not related to mortality but may increase morbidity. Whereas no causal link has been established between fever and unfavourable outcome, it seems reasonable to treat hyperthermia in patients suffering from brain injuries. In such patients, antipyretics have a moderate efficacy. In case of failure, they should be replaced by physical cooling techniques. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Haemorrhagic stroke is frequent and associated with a high mortality and morbidity. Less than 30% of patients are still alive five years after onset and few patients regain functional independence. The worsening effect of anticoagulation has been demonstrated and the failure to rapidly normalize coagulation further increases haematoma expansion. In a recent phase II trial, recombinant activated factor VII given within 4 hours of stroke onset, reduced haematoma growth, mortality and disability. An aggressive blood pressure and intracranial pressure control early after the haemorrhage seems beneficial. A large prospective randomized study (the STICH trial) did not demonstrate any beneficial effect of surgery. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Concerning any socioprofessional category, some addictive drugs like cocaine are responsible for many complications. The authors relate two case reports of young patients who suffered from cardiovascular accidents due to this drug. The first one was diagnosed with an ischemic stroke caused by carotid artery dissection and a leg distal vascular obliteration, the second one with a myocardial infarction with transient left ventricular dysfunction. Through these two case reports, the authors take stock of the pathophysiological and therapeutic knowledge of cardiovascular accidents after cocaine intake. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Medical management of a female passenger with acute stroke aboard a cruise ship at the sea allowed a fast evacuation towards a stroke unit by an helicopter staffed with an emergency medical doctor. Fibrinolysis begun in a short delay after magnetic resonance imaging. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Rehabilitation improves the functional prognosis of patients after a neurologic lesion, and tendency is to begin rehabilitation as soon as possible. This review focuses on the interest and the feasibility of very early rehabilitation, initiated from critical care units. It is necessary to precisely assess patients’ impairments and disabilities in order to define rehabilitation objectives. Valid and simple tools must support this evaluation. Rehabilitation will be directed to preventing decubitus complications and active rehabilitation. The sooner rehabilitation is started; the better functional prognosis seems to be. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: There is a growing development of continuous EEG monitoring (cEEG) in the intensive care unit (ICU) management of neurological patients. Its main objective is the detection of epileptic seizures or status epilepticus because the sensitivity of standard short-duration EEG recording in the ICU is poor. The aim of monitoring is to allow rapid recognition and treatment of epileptic complications in order to decrease secondary insults to the brain and improve outcome. Several studies have demonstrated that a large proportion of patients has epileptic crisis after subarachnoid haemorrhage, stroke or brain trauma, without any clinical manifestation. The EEG feature has also demonstrated a prognosis value but its value for clinical management needs further studies. Another application of EEG in the ICU is monitoring depth of anaesthesia or barbiturate treatment. Due to artifacts contamination, this is possible only in deeply sedated of paralyzed patients. The impact or cEEG monitoring on clinical management and its indications have to be further defined. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The clinical importance of cardiovascular consequences resulting from cerebral injury has long been recognized. However, interactions between the brain and the cardiovascular system remain poorly defined and their importance for the management of patients suffering from acute brain injury is largely underestimated. This should have profound consequences on treatment strategies during anaesthesia and intensive cares of these patients, taking into account not only brain perfusion, but also cardiovascular optimisation. This report summarizes the main data available regarding the cardiovascular consequences of brain death, traumatic brain injury, stroke and epilepsy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]