Open AccessCerebrovascular complications in pediatric intensive care unit
Author(s) -
Anil Sachdev,
Rachna Sharma,
Dhiren Gupta
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
indian journal of critical care medicine/indian journal of critical care medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.317
H-Index - 30
eISSN - 1998-359X
pISSN - 0972-5229
DOI - 10.4103/0972-5229.74171
Subject(s) - medicine , pediatric stroke , stroke (engine) , intensive care medicine , pediatric intensive care unit , magnetic resonance imaging , intensive care unit , epidemiology , presentation (obstetrics) , incidence (geometry) , intensive care , pediatrics , ischemic stroke , radiology , pathology , ischemia , mechanical engineering , physics , optics , engineering
Cerebrovascular complications are being frequently recognized in the pediatric intensive care unit in the recent few years. The epidemiology and risk factors for pediatric stroke are different from that of the adults. The incidence of ischemic stroke is almost slightly more than that of hemorrhagic stroke. The list of diagnostic causes is increasing with the availability of newer imaging modalities and laboratory tests. The diagnostic work up depends on the age of the child and the rapidity of presentation. Magnetic resonance imaging, computerized tomography and arteriography and venography are the mainstay of diagnosis and to differentiate between ischemic and hemorrhagic events. Very sophisticated molecular diagnostic tests are required in a very few patients. There are very few pediatric studies on the management of stroke. General supportive management is as important as the specific treatment. Most of the treatment guidelines and suggestions are extrapolated from the adult studies. Few guidelines are available for the use of anticoagulants and thrombolytic agents in pediatric patients. So, our objective was to review the available literature on the childhood stroke and to provide an insight into the subject for the pediatricians and critical care providers.