Biomedical subjects

C H Castaño

Publications and source records attributed to C H Castaño.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

[Predictive factors of mortality in severe craniocerebral trauma].

BACKGROUND: The prediction of mortality in severe head injury is of interest for the evaluation of patient prognosis and to also permit therapeutic measures to be considered and improve knowledge of this problem. METHODS: A multiple logistic regression model was developed and validated from the data obtained from a series of 231 patients hospitalized for the above mentioned condition. Seventy-five percent of the patients were used to define the model with the remaining 25% validating the same. RESULTS: The variables included in the model were: intraventricular hemorrhage, odds ratio = 20.4 (confidence interval 95%: 3.56-116); compression of basal cistern and/or of the III ventricle, odds ratio = 11.5 (4.43-29.8); mydriatic pupils in both eyes, odds ratio = 5.71 (1.32-24.6); age, odds ratio = 1.03 (1.01-1.05) and Glasgow scale upon admission, odds ratio = 0.57 (0.43-0.75). The maximum global value of the model (84.9%) corresponded to a sensitivity of 84.5% and specificity of 85.2%. The cut-off point of probability of death was found to be 0.475. In the validation of the model the highest global value (84.2%) was also observed at the cut-off point of 0.475 with a sensitivity of 84.2% and specificity of 84.4%. CONCLUSIONS: The predictive factors of mortality in severe head injury are the evidence of hemorrhage in the cerebral ventricles, mydriasis and a low score on the Glasgow scale. The model presented is useful and valid for carrying out the prediction of mortality at the time of admission and is also easy to apply since the variables used are obtained in the initial examination of the patients with severe head injury.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

[Decrease in the incidence of epidural hematomas surgically treated during coma after a lucid interval. Is this an index of quality of care?].

The level of consciousness prior to surgery has been analyzed in a series of 64 patients suffering epidural hematoma (EDH) who underwent surgery during the period from July 1987 to June 1989. The percentage of cases which underwent surgery in coma after a lucid interval have been compared in different periods of time (1978-80, 1981-82, 1983-84 and July 1987 to June 1989). During the period from July 1987 to June 1989 surgery was performed on: 15 patients (23.5%) in coma from the moment of accident, 8 patients (12.5%) underwent surgery in coma but after a lucid interval and 41 patients (64.1%) were conscious. During the different periods of time the number of patients undergoing surgery in coma after a lucid interval were the following: 1979-80, 9 cases (26.5%); 1981-82, 17 cases (43.6%); 1983-84, 8 cases (20%) and during the last period, 1987-89, 7 cases (15.2%). The difference between the percentage of patients intervened in coma after a lucid interval in the previously referred periods of time was statistically significant (p 0.05).

Coma↗

PubMed1992

[Intraventricular meningiomas].

Eight cases of surgically intervened intraventricular meningiomas are presented. The patients were six males and 2 females with a mean age of 41.7 years (11-70). The length of symptoms was of several months in 6 (75%) of the cases. The most frequent symptoms observed were cephalea and alterations of the upper functions which were presented in six and four cases, respectively. Papilloedema and involvement of long pathways were the most usual findings observed in neurological examination. Diagnosis was made by computerized tomography and angiography in all the cases. Surgery using a transtemporal approach was carried out in six patients and in the other two a parietal-occipital route was used. Two patients were dead and other two presented bilateral amaurosis. The other patients had good postsurgery.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

[Symptomatic chronic subdural hematoma. Analysis of 68 cases treated surgically with small craniotomy and placement of a closed drainage system].

Sixty eight cases of chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) surgically treated (December 1984-December 1988) with twist drill craniostomy (3-4 mm) and application of a closed drainage system (CDS) are reviewed. The patients were distributed in four groups depending on the density of the hematoma: hypodense (36 cases), isodense (6 cases), of mixed density (22 cases) and hyperdense (4 cases). In about one third of patients (25 cases) the duration of symptoms was shorter than one week, in 21 cases it was between one week and one month, and in 22 patients it was longer than one month. 77.95% of cases had a preceding head injury. Headache and motor deficits were the leading symptoms, being present in 43 (63.2%) and 42 (61.7%) cases, respectively. Twelve patients (17.6%) were comatose on admission. Twelve patients required reoperation. Six patients died (8.8%). The preoperative neurological status and associated systemic diseases influenced the outcome. We think that limited craniostomy with CDS is the therapy of choice for symptomatic CSDH.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Epidemiology of head traumas. "Barcelona" data base. Objectives, design and analysis of 584 cases].

INTRODUCTION: Descriptive analysis of some features in patients with cranio-encephalic traumatisms (CET) admitted to our hospital and collected in a data base, in order to establish the prognosis of the lesions and apply the most appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Since July 1987 to June 1989 we collected data on 584 patients with CET who presented the following selection criteria: consciousness level lower than 13 points in the Glasgow scale and/or pathologic computerized tomography. According to the consciousness level (Glasgow scale) on admission, patients were classified into three groups: slight CET (Glasgow 15-13), moderate CET (Glasgow 12-9), and severe CET (Glasgow < 9). The traumatic mechanisms were divided into 8 categories (occupant, pedestrian, motorbike, aggression, labor, drop, sporting, cyclist). According to the main lesion we considered the following diagnoses: subdural hematoma, epidural hematoma, cerebral contusion (s), diffuse lesion with normal computerized tomography and/or subarachnoid hemorrhage, cerebral congestion, and diffuse axonal lesion. Results were evaluated six months after using the Glasgow scale. RESULTS: The mean age of patients with slight CET was 37.7 +/- 22.1 years, those with moderate CET 31.7 +/- 22.6 years, and those with severe CET 30.8 +/- 21.6 years. Four hundred and forty-two were men (75.6%). The time period between the accident and hospital admission could be determined in 512 cases (87.6%). Severe CET arrived to the hospital (4.8 +/- 7.3 hours) earlier than the other groups (6.6 +/- 11.9 hours in moderate CET and 14.2 +/- 23 hours in slight CET). Most of patients, 488 (83.5%), were referred from another hospital, whereas the remaining cases came directly from the accident place. Traumatic mechanisms according to the previous categories were: occupant 145 (25%), pedestrian 112 (20%), motorbike 104 (18%), cyclist 2 (0.003%), labor 39 (7%), drop 154 (27%), sporting 7 (1%), aggression 10 (2%). Percentage of traffic accident was higher in patients with severe CET (74.6, 64, and 47% in severe moderate, and slight CET, respectively). The main lesions were: acute subdural hematoma, 72 (12.3%); cerebral contusion, 207 (35.4%); epidural hematoma, 88 (15%); normal computerized tomography/subarachnoid hemorrhage, 87 (14.8%); swelling, 17 (2.9%); diffuse axonal injury, 74 (12.6%); and the remaining, 39 (6.6%) had other lesions such as hydrocephalus fracture-sinking, etc. Mortality was 44.2, 12.2, and 3.7% respectively in severe, moderate, and slight CET. CONCLUSIONS: Data base may contribute to establish the prognosis of CET and to determine the efficacy of therapeutic procedures as well as that of diagnostic and investigational methods.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Reduction of the mortality from acute subdural hematoma. Comparison of 2 series (1979-1982 and 1987-1989) of patients operated on at the Hospital de la Vall d'Hebron].

Several clinical variables from a series of 101 patients with acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) operated on during the period 1979-1989 were compared with those from another group of 43 patients who were operated on during the period 1987-1989. Twenty-seven patients (26.7%) in the earlier period and 15 (34.8%) in the later one were younger than 40 years. The difference was not significant. There was a higher proportion of patients, 41 (40.5%), in the earlier period (1979-1982) who had traffic accidents than in the 1987-1989 period, where trauma was the mechanism in 15 patients (38.8%). However, the difference was not significant. Seven patients (6.9%) from the earlier group and 18 (41.9%) from the later group had a lucid interval. This difference was significant (p less than 0.001). During the 1979-1982 period 80 patients (79.2%) were comatose on admission as compared with 27 (62.7%) during 1987-1989. The difference was significant (p less than 0.05). A small group of 11 patients (10.8%) from the earlier series were operated on by means of craniotomy or trephine; by contrast, this approach was used in 35 (81.3%) patients from the later series. The difference was significant (p less than 0.001). Seventy-nine (78.2%) and 26 (60.4%) patients died in the periods 1979-1982 and 1987-1989, respectively. The difference between the mortality rates of both groups were significant (p less than 0.05). Our data suggest that the earlier diagnosis and the use of wider surgical procedures have contributed to the reduction in mortality.

Accidents, Traffic↗