1/
It was a delight to work with @gabifpucci of @neudrawlogy to explore the incredibly diverse CNS complications of infective endocarditis!

An #infographic & #tweetorial investigating the radiographic & clinical findings in IE + some management pearls!
#MedEd #Neurotwitter
The most common cause of neurologic injury in IE is ischemic stroke.
But! Management is somewhat different.

Notably, due to the high risk of hemorrhagic transformation, tPA is relatively contraindicated or should be used with extreme caution.

You don’t want to end up with ⬇️!
3/
As evidence: in this series, 1 in 5 patients experienced post-tPA ICH and only 10% achieved a good outcome.

Thrombolysis for Ischemic Stroke Associated With Infective Endocarditis ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.11…
4/
In contrast, mechanical thrombectomy does appear to be safe in these patients. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31734124/
@aneeshsinghalMD @kellysloaneMD

An example of a septic clot retrieved by mechanical thrombectomy @emoryneurocrit @emoryneurosurg image from @feras_akbik.
5/
In addition to ischemic stroke, IE may cause cortical SAH & IPH

BOTH may be associated w/ infective intracranial aneurysms (IIAs)!

⭐️ICH in IE = vessel imaging, preferably w/ DSA ⭐️

When to screen for asymptomatic IIA?
Debatable. At least once & ideally also b/f CT Surg
6/
The bleeding pattern resulting from ruptured IIA is often NOT the classic “aneurysmal pattern” bleed because unlike CoW aneurysms, IE aneurysms are often:
🎈Found in distal vessels
🎈Small
🎈Fusiform
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29463620/ @alialawiehmdphd

Like ⬇️
7/
Infectious Endocarditis Vascular Complication Summary:

Take away 1️⃣: Treat stroke in IE with tPA at your own peril

Take away 2️⃣: Keep endocarditis on ddx when cSAH or a cortical/Sylvian fissure IPH is discovered!

Take away 3⃣: Look for the IIA.
8/
Aside from vascular complications, endocarditis may also result in:
🦠intracranial abscesses
🦠meningitis

and don’t forget to also look for spinal epidural abscesses, too!


clinicalproblemsolving.com/spinal-epidura… @CPSolvers
9/
Although rare, intracranial abscesses may be a delayed complication of IE… even after valve replacement & BCx clearance!

For the pt w/ persistent fevers & leukocytosis, low threshold for MRI brain to r/o abscess.

Note, these may present with just AMS!
11/
Similarly, meningitis is another infectious complication. Most commonly with S. Aureus!

The 🔑: whatever abx are being used for the endocarditis MUST have CNS penetration (no cefazolin!)

A table of abx with good CNS penetration @meganRx1 from #AcuteNeurologySurvivalGuide
12/
SUMMARY:Endocarditis
🧠Can present with any number of CNS complications!
❤️Requires thoughtful approach to the timing of cardiac surgery
🧠= Low threshold for neuroimaging.
🦠Necessitates good CNS coverage!
Great reviews: tinyurl.com/sjwf7w57 tinyurl.com/km7ydhkf

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More from @caseyalbin

5 Nov
1/
It’s no secret what’s growing in blood.
But, the cultures won’t clear,
On valves it adheres!

Patient aphasic,
What’s with the agitation?

ESR & CRP rising!
An #Tweetorial advising:
Never overlook the spinal epidural abscess!!

#EmoryNCCTweetorials
2/
All poetry aside (pretty good tho, right?!)

Goals for the scroll (⬅️credit @sigman_md 😂):
1⃣ How difficult it can be to diagnose spiral epidural abscesses (SEA)
2⃣ What exactly is the spinal epidural space
3⃣ How these should be treated
4⃣ And why decompress?
3/
Diagnosing SEA = super tricky. The symptoms & labs are so non-specific!
✅Back pain ⏫(but back pain--who doesn't?)
✅Fever is often present, but not always.
✅WBC may be elevated, but sometimes just mildly. ✅Blood cultures are only positive about 60% of the time.
Read 21 tweets
30 Oct
1/
A #tweetorial about simulation in NCC
Today @namorris opened his remarks on Sim in NCC @ #NCS2021 w/ a simple question about the correct first line treatment for SE? Everyone got it.

Then he posed a tougher question.

How often does that happen?

No one voted "always"
2/
Even the most groundbreaking research won’t benefit our patients if we aren’t delivering it correctly.

I so highly encourage you to check out Nick’s talk on-demand if you have access to #NCS2021.

It is 🚨critical🚨 that we teach more effectively!
3/
Convinced?

Some practical, take-aways from this talk about finding right Simulation Solution. Image
Read 19 tweets
14 Jul
1/🧵
In the early days of fellowship, I remember checking our SAH patients’ transcranial dopplers (TCD), scanning the Vmeans & if they were ~<70 cm/sec throughout thinking:

“Great. Perfect. TCDs globally low. Nothing to worry about here!”

Right?

A #tweetorial on TCDs
2/
Right? Sort of.

🚨Note. This is not a #tweetorial about if large vessel vasospasm is the cause of DCI or just an epiphenomenon OR if treating vasospasm is the way to improve functional outcomes …That is important!... but that is not this tweetorial.
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21285966/
3/
Given #TCDs is a pretty large topic, this @medtweetorial will be told in 3 parts:
Part 1⃣:
⭐️Basic principles of TCDs
⭐️Use of TCDs to detect Vasospasm

Part 2⃣: The Pulsatility Index - why it matters
Part 3⃣: The Utility of TCDs as an ancillary test in BDT
Read 25 tweets
28 May
1/
1st week of NeuroICU fellowship. A #tweetorial summary:

1⃣ Pt in DI. Give anti-diuretic hormone (ADH), call it “pit drip”
2⃣Pt in distributive shock. Give ADH, call it “vaso”
3⃣Pt on ASA needs EVD. Give ADH (sort of), call it “DDAVP”
4⃣ Fellow postcall & confused, give….
2/
Just kidding… everyone knows the drug for that is
3/
All the names and purposes of ADH had me feeling ⬇️

So – a review of all things ADH including:
✅It’s various aliases
✅Receptors and function
✅Clinical utility in NeuroICU (+general ICUs)
Read 25 tweets
26 May
A cool case for #cardiotwitter #neurotwitter -- wondering if others have seen this happen!

A 70 yo W with history of HTN presented with significant IVH from a ruptured AVM.

Admission EKG showed this:
A #brugada pattern. She had no personal or family history of syncope / sudden death. And on admission (time of this EKG) she was not febrile. About 12 hours later we repeated the EKG:
Trops normal and ECHO later in the day demonstrated a normal EF and grade 1 DD, but no wall motion abnormality. No apical ballooning. There was mildly increase LV wall thickness.
Read 7 tweets
12 May
1/
What is the most worthless electrolyte on the BMP, and why is it chloride?

Agree?
A #tweetorial 🧵 to change your mind…

And if you’re thinking, why in the world is this a #neurotweetorial? Read on. #neurotwitter @MedTweetorials
2/
First, this #tweetorial is based on a lecture given in @emoryneurocrit didactics by one of our *awesome* teachers: Dr. Ofer Sadan (@neuro_intensive), and is shared in #tweetorial format w/ his permission.
3/
So, again, why is a #neurologist interested in chloride?

Because neurologists ❤️ giving chloride.

Ur thinking, “No. I have literally never ordered chloride.” … But, think of all the 23.4% and 3% sodium you have ordered.

All that sodium comes with a bystander: Chloride.
Read 20 tweets

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