Critical care neurology: Five new things

Critical care neurology has generated interest both because of the urgency to understand acute brain injury and because acute interventions could improve outcomes. Unifying themes include intervention without delay and early recognition of the potential for deterioration of the patient. While monitoring devices offer useful prognostic indicators, conducting a thorough clinical neurologic examination is paramount in determining the most effective course of patient management. Recent progress has been made in acute brain injury monitoring, more effective reversal of anticoagulation after cerebral hemorrhage, use of hypothermia as a therapeutic intervention, and in the management of severe Guillain-Barré syndrome.