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Intrathecal baclofen therapy—how we do it

Technical note

Amr Ammar, Ismail Ughratdar, Gnanamurthy Sivakumar, and Michael H. Vloeberghs

Intrathecal baclofen has become an invaluable tool to treat spasticity of various etiologies. Children who benefit from intrathecal baclofen are often significantly underweight due to underlying disease pathology, and they lack adequate soft-tissue mass to effectively provide cover to the pump. Thus, in this population, subfascial implantation is favored over the subcutaneous technique in view of the high frequency of wound dehiscence and subsequent explantation of the pump associated with the latter method.

The authors describe and review their unit's adapted subfascial implantation technique that has been performed over a period of 10 years in 182 children. This technique provides better tissue coverage for the pump and has resulted in lowering the risk of complications as compared with the subcutaneous technique.

In Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics Volume 10 (2012): Issue 5 (Nov 2012): Pages 357-459

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Prognostic value of leukocytosis in pediatric traumatic brain injury

Soumya Mukherjee, Gnanamurthy Sivakumar, John R. Goodden, Atul K. Tyagi, and Paul D. Chumas

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to assess leukocytosis and its prognostic value in pediatric isolated traumatic brain injury (TBI).

METHODS

Two hundred one children with isolated TBI admitted to the authors’ institution between June 2006 and June 2018 were prospectively followed and their data retrospectively analyzed. Initial blood leukocyte count (i.e., white cell count [WCC]), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, CT scans, duration of hospital stay, and Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category Scale (PCPCS) scores were analyzed.

RESULTS

The mean age was 4.2 years (range 0.2–16 years). Seventy-four, 70, and 57 patients had severe (GCS score 3–8), moderate (GCS score 9–13), and mild (GCS score 14–15) TBI, respectively, with associated WCC of 20, 15.9, and 10.7 × 109/L and neutrophil counts of 15.6, 11.3, and 6.1 × 109/L, respectively (p < 0.01). Higher WCC and neutrophil counts were demonstrated in patients with increased intracranial mass effect on CT, longer hospital stay, and worse 6-month PCPCS score (p < 0.05). Multivariate regression revealed a cutoff leukocyte count of 16.1 × 109/L, neutrophil count of 11.9 × 109/L, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) of 5.2, above which length of hospital stay and PCPCS scores were less favorable. Furthermore, NLR was the second most important independent risk factor for a poor outcome (after GCS score). The IMPACT (International Mission for Prognosis and Analysis of Clinical Trials in TBI) adult TBI prediction model applied to this pediatric cohort demonstrated increased accuracy when WCC was incorporated as a risk factor.

CONCLUSIONS

In the largest and first prospective study of isolated pediatric head injury to date, the authors have demonstrated that WCC > 16.1 × 109/L, neutrophil count > 11.9 × 109/L and NLR > 5.2 each have predictive value for lengthy hospital stay and poor PCPCS scores, and NLR is an independent risk factor for poor outcome. Incorporating the initial leukocyte count into TBI prediction models may improve prognostication.

In Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics Publish Before Print