Main treatment focuses

Our neurosurgical intensive care unit (NC-01) comprises 12 fully equipped treatment units with the possibility of invasive (i.e. via a breathing tube) and noninvasive (i.e. through a mask) respiration, monitoring of cardiovascular and respiratory function, as well as measuring the oxygen concentration in the blood. Around 1200 patients receive intensive medical care per year. Additionally, since October 2013 there has been the neurosurgical monitoring station (IMC, NC-05) with 8 treatment units with monitor surveillance, yet without respiration option. This network of our neurosurgical intensive care unit and recovery unit is one of the largest specialized wards of its kind in Germany.

The special features of the neurosurgical-ICU monitoring include the conduction of neuroscientific examinations to control brain activities, the spinal cord and the peripheral nervous system. Hereby the electrical activity of the brain is measured with the electroencephalogram (EEG). To assess patients with “defiled consciousness" or patients under anesthesia, moreover evoked potentials (i.e. measurements of a time dependent specific response to a given stimulus appropriate) are used. The auditory evoked potentials (AEP) monitor the functioning of the brain stem and the auditory system. The somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) are a reliable source for detecting brain damage and are able to make an estimation about the prognosis of possible recovery of coma patients.

Another monitoring option represents the continuous measurement of intracranial pressure in special cases and thereby ensuring a sufficient cerebral blood flow. The treatment of increased intracranial pressure values is performed via bedding measures, drug treatment of intracranial pressure, cerebral drainage and - if necessary - a decompressive craniotomy (temporary removal of part of the skull to reduce the pressure).

An assessment of cerebral metabolism is possible via microdialysis.

Transcranial Doppler is an ultrasound of the brain vessels through the skull. Thereby the blood flow of the brain can be estimated.

In addition to these special procedures monitoring the functions of the central and peripheral nervous system, and the cerebral blood flow, as a matter of course all standard intensive medical treatment methods are available.

To prepare for early rehabilitation, special emphasis is placed on the physiotherapy care of our patients.

Treatment focuses of our neurosurgical ICU and recovery unit include the following:

Acute care and prevention of secondary damage of patients with:

• Craniocerebral injuries
• Spinal injuries and multiple traumas (life-threatening injury of multiple body regions)
• Intracerebral hemorrhage, spontaneous bleeding into brain tissue or due to vascular malformations
• Subarachnoid hemorrhage, spontaneous bleeding into the meninges or due to vascular change
• Localized inflammatory diseases of the brain (in the sense of brain abscess) or inflammation of the brain ventricles

Postoperative care of patients after:

• Major brain surgery
• Major spine procedures

Monitoring of patients after neuroradiological interventions