21 yo👨 w/ a hx of traumatic brain & spinal cord injury presents to the ED for post-traumatic seizures.
MRI is ordered.
“No known implanted devices” is checked ✅
Then...The patient nearly suffers a life-threatening complication.
2/ What device was present?
3/ ⛔️ANY of these devices can be MR-unsafe! ⛔️
Many are also MRI-conditional and can result in life-threatening emergencies if the conditions are not followed!
....A further clue🕵️
Several days later the patient has fever, altered mental status, rigidity and another seizure.
4/ What device was it...?
5/ Yes an IT baclofen pump!
Some IT pumps will stop infusing during MRI, and a select number will *never* resume after the scan is complete unless reprogramed
It is of extreme importance to know which device the patient has so that the conditions can be followed!
6/ Acute baclofen withdrawal can put the patient at risk for serious withdrawal complications such as
- respiratory failure
- refractory seizures
- blood pressure lability
- delirium
- fever
- rigidity
10/ It is believed that IT pumps cause the greatest number of MRI device complications.
So while we think of pacemakers as the big MR concern, these might be even more important to eval for.
11/ Speaking of cardiac devices..
Many newer cardiac devices are MR-conditional. The ENTIRE system: leads+the pulse generator must be MR-conditional to be so.
If medically necessary, even *some* MR-unsafe cardiac devices can be scanned if there are appropriate teams in place.
12/ Other important devices to consider:
-VNS (particularly for lumbar spine MR)
-Deep brain stimulators
-Spinal cord stimulators
-Hypoglossal nerve stimulators
-Cochlear implants
‼️NEVER, never just check "no device" without actually talking to a reliable surrogate, reviewing the history!
For more great tips about maintain MR-safety, check out by Drs Robert Watson and Lifeng Yu @AANmember@ContinuumAAN@LyellJ
2/ Also @CroninNeuro pointed out that high RoPE (>= 7) and PFO and you should close regardless thus no testing needed for FVL or PT gene mutation.
True! You could throw away all venous testing… closing a PFO in this situation is evidenced based regardless of test outcome.
3/ BUT, TBH, I think I might want to know if I were at potentially higher than average for benefit from closure since no procedure has zero risk...But, has not been looked at in any RCT!
Just another data for personalization, and these tests aren't
2/
A 41 yo M w/ history of testicular cancer presents with a vague headache & several days of fatigue. A few days after these vague symptoms began, he developed burning over with left abdomen and right retroauricular pain. A day later his wife points out that he’s drooling.
🤤
3/
🛑Pause Here! (the book instructs you to do so!) 🛑
Just as suggested by this awesome chart shared by @LyellJ & @mayoneurores, all neurologic diagnosis starts with determining the tempo and focal/diffuse
1/ Awhile ago, on a triage call: “I’ve got a guy here, pretty young, came in looking terrible. GCS 4, we intubated him. Scan shows a big bleed. ICH score 4. Not sure much you’ll be able to do, but need to transfer him.”