Traumatic brain injury and resuscitation with blood products: what should we do?

Bryan C Oh; John B Holcomb

doi:10.1186/cc10292

Prehospital Plasma Transfusion: What Does the Literature Show?

Transfusion Medicine and Hemotherapy ◽

10.1159/000519627 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Bryon P. Jackson ◽

Jason L. Sperry ◽

Mark H. Yazer

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Traumatic Injury ◽

Limited Resource ◽

Trauma Patients ◽

Blood Products ◽

Mortality Benefit ◽

Transport Time ◽

Cytokine Expression Profile ◽

Transfusion Requirements

Background: Early initiation of blood products transfusion after injury has been associated with improved patient outcomes following traumatic injury. The ability to transfuse patients’ plasma in the prehospital setting provides a prime opportunity to begin resuscitation with blood products earlier and with a more balanced plasma:RBC ratio than what has traditionally been done. Published studies on the use of prehospital plasma show a complex relationship between its use and improved survival. Summary: Examination of the literature shows that there may be a mortality benefit from the use of prehospital plasma, but that it may be limited to certain subgroups of trauma patients. The likelihood of realizing these survival benefits appears to be predicted by several factors including the type of injury, length of transport time, presence of traumatic brain injury, and total number of blood products transfused, whether the patient required only a few products or a massive transfusion. When taken as a whole the evidence appears to show that prehospital plasma may have a mortality benefit that is most clearly demonstrated in patients with blunt injuries, moderate transfusion requirements, traumatic brain injury, and/or transport time greater than 20 min, as well as those who demonstrate a certain cytokine expression profile. Key Messages: The evidence suggests that a targeted use of prehospital plasma will most likely maximize the benefits from the use of this limited resource. It is also possible that prehospital plasma may best be provided through whole blood as survival benefits were greatest in patients who received both prehospital plasma and RBCs.

Download Full-text

Treatment of combined traumatic brain injury and hemorrhagic shock with fractionated blood products versus fresh whole blood in a rat model

European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery ◽

10.1007/s00068-018-0908-9 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 45 (2) ◽

pp. 263-271 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Akiva Leibowitz ◽

Evgeni Brotfain ◽

Leonid Koyfman ◽

Moti Klein ◽

Shmuel Hess ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Hemorrhagic Shock ◽

Rat Model ◽

Whole Blood ◽

Blood Products

Download Full-text

Heme Regulation in Traumatic Brain Injury: Relevance to the Adult and Developing Brain

Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism ◽

10.1038/sj.jcbfm.9600147 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 25 (11) ◽

pp. 1401-1417 ◽

Cited By ~ 42

Author(s):

Edward F Chang ◽

Catherine P Claus ◽

Hendrik J Vreman ◽

Ronald J Wong ◽

Linda J Noble-Haeusslein

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Expression Patterns ◽

Developing Brain ◽

Blood Products ◽

Translational Study ◽

Diagnosis And Prognosis ◽

Endogenous Protection ◽

Heme Regulation ◽

Subarachnoid Hemorrhages

Intracranial bleeding is one of the most prominent aspects in the clinical diagnosis and prognosis of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Substantial amounts of blood products, such as heme, are released because of traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhages, intraparenchymal contusions, and hematomas. Despite this, surprisingly few studies have directly addressed the role of blood products, in particular heme, in the setting of TBI. Heme is degraded by heme oxygenase (HO) into three highly bioactive products: iron, bilirubin, and carbon monoxide. The HO isozymes, in particular HO-1 and HO-2, exhibit significantly different expression patterns and appear to have specific roles after injury. Developmentally, differences between the adult and immature brain have implications for endogenous protection from oxidative stress. The aim of this paper is to review recent advances in the understanding of heme regulation and metabolism after brain injury and its specific relevance to the developing brain. These findings suggest novel clinical therapeutic options for further translational study.

Download Full-text

Evacuation Strategies for U.S. Casualties with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) with and without Polytrauma

Military Medicine ◽

10.1093/milmed/usab543 ◽

2022 ◽

Author(s):

Patrick C Ng ◽

Allyson A Araña ◽

Shelia C Savell ◽

William T Davis ◽

Julie Cutright ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Clinical Outcomes ◽

Secondary Analysis ◽

Service Members ◽

Blood Products ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Severe Tbi ◽

Polytrauma Patients ◽

The Impact

ABSTRACT Introduction According to the Military Health System Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Center of Excellence, 51,261 service members suffered moderate to severe TBI in the last 21 years. Moderate to severe TBI in service members is usually related to blast injury in combat operations, which necessitates medical evacuation to higher levels of care. Prevention of secondary insult, and mitigation of the unique challenges associated with the transport of TBI patients in a combat setting are important in reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with this injury. The primary goal of this study was a secondary analysis comparing the impact of time to transport on clinical outcomes for TBI patients without polytrauma versus TBI patients with polytrauma transported out of the combat theater via Critical Care Air Transport Teams (CCATT). Our secondary objective was to describe the occurrence of in-flight events and interventions for TBI patients without polytrauma versus TBI with polytrauma to assist with mission planning for future transports. Materials and Methods We performed a secondary analysis of a retrospective cohort of 438 patients with TBI who were evacuated out of theater by CCATT from January 2007 to May 2014. Polytrauma was defined as abbreviated injury scale (AIS) of at least three to another region in addition to head/neck. Time to transport was defined as the time (in days) from injury to CCATT evacuation out of combat theater. We calculated descriptive statistics and examined the associations between time to transport and preflight characteristics, in-flight interventions and events, and clinical outcomes for TBI patients with and without polytrauma. Results We categorized patients into two groups, those who had a TBI without polytrauma (n = 179) and those with polytrauma (n = 259). Within each group, we further divided those that were transported within 1 day of injury, in 2 days, and 3 or more days. Patients with TBI without polytrauma transported in 1 or 2 days were more likely to have a penetrating injury, an open head injury, a preflight Glascow Coma Score (GCS) of 8 or lower, and be mechanically ventilated compared to those transported later. Patients without polytrauma who were evacuated in 1 or 2 days required more in-flight interventions compared to patients without polytrauma evacuated later. Patients with polytrauma who were transported in 2 days were more likely to receive blood products, and patients with polytrauma who were evacuated within 1 day were more likely to have had at least one episode of hypotension en route. Polytrauma patients who were evacuated in 2–3 days had higher hospital days compared to polytrauma with earlier evacuations. There was no significant difference in mortality between any of the groups. Conclusions In patients with moderate to severe TBI transported via CCATT, early evacuation was associated with a higher rate of in-flight hypotension in polytrauma patients. Furthermore, those who had TBI without polytrauma that were evacuated in 1–2 days received more in-flight supplementary oxygen, blood products, sedatives, and paralytics. Given the importance of minimizing secondary insults in patients with TBI, recognizing this in this subset of the population may help systematize ways to minimize such events. Traumatic Brain Injury patients with polytrauma may benefit from further treatment and stabilization in theater prior to CCATT evacuation.

Download Full-text

Cognitive control constrains memory attributions

Behavioral and Brain Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0140525x19001869 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 42 ◽

Author(s):

Colleen M. Kelley ◽

Larry L. Jacoby

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Older Adults ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Cognitive Control

Abstract Cognitive control constrains retrieval processing and so restricts what comes to mind as input to the attribution system. We review evidence that older adults, patients with Alzheimer's disease, and people with traumatic brain injury exert less cognitive control during retrieval, and so are susceptible to memory misattributions in the form of dramatic levels of false remembering.

Download Full-text

Lessons Learned From Coaching Postsecondary Students With Traumatic Brain Injury

Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups ◽

10.1044/2019_persp-19-00092 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 88-96

Author(s):

Mary R. T. Kennedy

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Sense Of Self ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Sudden Onset ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Speech Language Pathologists ◽

The Brain ◽

Exhaustive List

Purpose The purpose of this clinical focus article is to provide speech-language pathologists with a brief update of the evidence that provides possible explanations for our experiences while coaching college students with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Method The narrative text provides readers with lessons we learned as speech-language pathologists functioning as cognitive coaches to college students with TBI. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list, but rather to consider the recent scientific evidence that will help our understanding of how best to coach these college students. Conclusion Four lessons are described. Lesson 1 focuses on the value of self-reported responses to surveys, questionnaires, and interviews. Lesson 2 addresses the use of immediate/proximal goals as leverage for students to update their sense of self and how their abilities and disabilities may alter their more distal goals. Lesson 3 reminds us that teamwork is necessary to address the complex issues facing these students, which include their developmental stage, the sudden onset of trauma to the brain, and having to navigate going to college with a TBI. Lesson 4 focuses on the need for college students with TBI to learn how to self-advocate with instructors, family, and peers.

Download Full-text

The Speech-Language Pathologists' Role in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury for Middle and High School–Age Children: Viewpoints on Guidelines From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology ◽

10.1044/2019_ajslp-18-0296 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 28 (3) ◽

pp. 1363-1370 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jessica Brown ◽

Katy O'Brien ◽

Kelly Knollman-Porter ◽

Tracey Wallace

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Disease Control ◽

Mild Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

School Age Children ◽

School Age ◽

Speech Language Pathologists ◽

Control And Prevention ◽

Centers For Disease Control

Purpose The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released guidelines for rehabilitation professionals regarding the care of children with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Given that mTBI impacts millions of children each year and can be particularly detrimental to children in middle and high school age groups, access to universal recommendations for management of postinjury symptoms is ideal. Method This viewpoint article examines the CDC guidelines and applies these recommendations directly to speech-language pathology practices. In particular, education, assessment, treatment, team management, and ongoing monitoring are discussed. In addition, suggested timelines regarding implementation of services by speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are provided. Specific focus is placed on adolescents (i.e., middle and high school–age children). Results SLPs are critical members of the rehabilitation team working with children with mTBI and should be involved in education, symptom monitoring, and assessment early in the recovery process. SLPs can also provide unique insight into the cognitive and linguistic challenges of these students and can serve to bridge the gap among rehabilitation and school-based professionals, the adolescent with brain injury, and their parents. Conclusion The guidelines provided by the CDC, along with evidence from the field of speech pathology, can guide SLPs to advocate for involvement in the care of adolescents with mTBI. More research is needed to enhance the evidence base for direct assessment and treatment with this population; however, SLPs can use their extensive knowledge and experience working with individuals with traumatic brain injury as a starting point for post-mTBI care.

Download Full-text