Neurocritical Care Glossary

Full Outline of UnResponsiveness score; a coma scale that evaluates eye responses, motor responses, brainstem reflexes,...

Glasgow Coma Scale; a standardized assessment tool for measuring level of consciousness in neurological patients.

A standardized scale for assessing functional outcomes in patients following traumatic brain injury or other acute neuro...

Displacement of brain tissue from one intracranial compartment to another due to mass effect, representing a neurosurgic...

Clinical grading system for subarachnoid hemorrhage severity based on neurological presentation.

Concentrated sodium chloride solutions (typically 3% or 23.4%) used to reduce intracranial pressure and treat cerebral e...

Intracranial pressure; the pressure within the skull that must be monitored and managed in neurocritical patients.

A device placed directly into brain tissue to continuously measure intracranial pressure, providing accurate real-time I...

Oxygen saturation measured in the jugular bulb, reflecting global cerebral oxygen extraction and metabolism. Abbreviated...

Lumbar cerebrospinal fluid drainage; a procedure to remove CSF from the lumbar spine to reduce intracranial pressure.

Pathological condition where cerebral blood flow exceeds metabolic demands, often following brain injury.

Severe middle cerebral artery stroke with significant brain swelling leading to elevated intracranial pressure and herni...

Osmotic diuretic medication used to reduce intracranial pressure by drawing fluid from brain tissue into the vascular sp...

Invasive monitoring technique measuring brain tissue biochemistry through implanted catheters.

A standardized scale measuring the degree of disability or dependence in daily activities for patients who have suffered...

Comprehensive neurological surveillance using multiple complementary techniques to assess brain function in critically i...

Non-invasive optical technique for monitoring regional cerebral oxygen saturation using near-infrared light.

Acute lung injury following severe brain injury due to massive sympathetic discharge.

A specialized intensive care unit dedicated to managing patients with acute neurological and neurosurgical conditions.

Therapeutic strategies aimed at preventing or limiting secondary brain injury following primary neurological insults.

Clinical deterioration in neurological status from baseline, often requiring urgent evaluation and intervention in neuro...

National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale; a standardized assessment tool for quantifying stroke severity.

A standardized numerical score (0-5) derived from automated pupillometry to quantify pupillary reactivity.

Optic nerve sheath diameter measurement used as a non-invasive indicator of elevated intracranial pressure.