Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Neurological Emergencies

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Surgical Emergencies in the Cancer Patient

  • 923 Accesses

Abstract

Most physicians will care for patients with cancer. Neurological complications of cancer can be severely disabling or even life threatening. Thus, prompt recognition and proper management of neurological emergencies in these patients are critical to preserve function and lengthen survival.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Suggested Reading

  1. Anderson JM. Diabetic ketoacidosis presenting as neurosurgical emergencies. Br Med J. 1974;3(5922):22–3.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  2. Baldwin KJ, Zivkovic SA, Lieberman FS. Neurologic emergencies in patients who have cancer: diagnosis and management. Neurol Clin. 2012;30(1):101–28. viii.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Bonicki W, Kasperlik-Zaluska A, Koszewski W, Zgliczynski W, Wislawski J. Pituitary apoplexy: endocrine, surgical and oncological emergency. Incidence, clinical course and treatment with reference to 799 cases of pituitary adenomas. Acta Neurochir. 1993;120(3–4):118–22.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Bunyan RF, Tang J, Weinshenker B. Acute demyelinating disorders: emergencies and management. Neurol Clin. 2012;30(1):285–307. ix–x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Cartalat-Carel S, Honnorat J. Neurological complications of cancer. Rev Prat. 2003;53(19):2147–52.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Cordonnier M, Van Nechel C. Neuro-ophthalmological emergencies: which ocular signs or symptoms for which diseases? Acta Neurol Belg. 2013;113(3):215–24.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Dalessio DJ. Diagnosing the severe headache. Neurology. 1994;44(5 Suppl 3):S6–12.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Davis S, Lees K, Donnan G. Treating the acute stroke patient as an emergency: current practices and future opportunities. Int J Clin Pract. 2006;60(4):399–407.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Evoli A, Batocchi AP, Tonali P. A practical guide to the recognition and management of myasthenia gravis. Drugs. 1996;52(5):662–70.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Feske SK. Coma and confusional states: emergency diagnosis and management. Neurol Clin. 1998;16(2):237–56.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Fey MF. Emergencies in patients with tumors. Schweiz Med Wochenschr. 1993;123(15):721–8.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Freeman WD. Management of intracranial pressure. Continuum (Minneapolis, Minn). 2015;21(5 Neurocritical Care):1299–323.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Frucht SJ. Treatment of movement disorder emergencies. Neurotherapeutics. 2014;11(1):208–12.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Futrell N, Millikan CH. Stroke is an emergency. Dis Mon. 1996;42(4):199–264.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Gibson S, McConigley R. Unplanned oncology admissions within 14 days of non-surgical discharge: a retrospective study. Support Care Cancer. 2016;24(1):311–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Graves JS, Galetta SL. Acute visual loss and other neuro-ophthalmologic emergencies: management. Neurol Clin. 2012;30(1):75–99. viii.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Guven M, Bayram F, Guven K, Kelestimur F. Evaluation of patients admitted with hypoglycaemia to a teaching hospital in Central Anatolia. Postgrad Med J. 2000;76(893):150–2.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. Hasselbalch HC, Mourits-Andersen HT, Jensen BA, Jensen MK, Nielsen OJ. Acute thrombotic complication at the debute of the Philadelphia chromosome-negative myeloproliferative syndrome. Ugeskr Laeger. 2001;163(18):2478–81. Akut trombotisk komplikation ved debut af det Philadelphia-kromosom-negative myeloproliferative syndrom. dan.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Holtkamp M. Treatment strategies for refractory status epilepticus. Curr Opin Crit Care. 2011;17(2):94–100.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Hughes RA, Bihari D. Acute neuromuscular respiratory paralysis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1993;56(4):334–43.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  21. Hurwitz TA. Psychogenic unresponsiveness. Neurol Clin. 2011;29(4):995–1006.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Jandial R, Chen MY. Mini-open transpedicular lumbar vertebrectomy reconstructed with double cages and short segment fixation. Surg Neurol Int. 2012;3 Suppl 5:S362–5.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  23. Jandial R, Chen MY. Modified lateral extracavitary approach for vertebral column resection and expandable cage reconstruction of thoracic spinal metastases. Surg Neurol Int. 2012;3:136.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  24. Jandial R, Kelly B, Chen MY. Posterior-only approach for lumbar vertebral column resection and expandable cage reconstruction for spinal metastases. J Neurosurg Spine. 2013;19(1):27–33.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Johnston KC, Haley Jr EC. Emergency imaging of the acute stroke patient. J Neuroimaging. 1997;7(2):111–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Joseph KR, Richards KC, Rotenberg JS. Rash, fever, and neck pain in the office: is this a neurologic emergency? Pediatr Ann. 2005;34(11):878–84; quiz 93–4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Kelley BC, Arnold PM, Anderson KK. Spinal emergencies. J Neurosurg Sci. 2012;56(2):113–29.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Kelley RE, Martin-Schild S. Ischemic stroke: emergencies and management. Neurol Clin. 2012;30(1):187–210. ix.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Keshavarzi S, Aryan HE. Multilevel lateral extra-cavitary corpectomy and reconstruction for non-contiguous metastatic lesions to the spine: case report and literature review. J Surg Oncol. 2009;99(5):314–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Kim SH, Shin YS, Yoon PH, Kim DI. Emergency endovascular treatment of internal carotid artery injury during a transsphenoidal approach for a pituitary tumor—case report. Yonsei Med J. 2002;43(1):119–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Klekamp J, Samii H. Surgical results for spinal metastases. Acta Neurochir. 1998;140(9):957–67.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Kottapally M, Josephson SA. Common neurologic emergencies for nonneurologists: when minutes count. Cleve Clin J Med. 2016;83(2):116–26.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Kraus JJ, Metzler MD, Coplin WM. Critical care issues in stroke and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Neurol Res. 2002;24 Suppl 1:S47–57.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Law M. Neurological complications. Cancer Imaging. 2009;9 Spec No A:S71–4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Lo SS, Lutz ST, Chang EL, Galanopoulos N, Howell DD, Kim EY, et al. ACR Appropriateness Criteria (R) spinal bone metastases. J Palliat Med. 2013;16(1):9–19.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Munhoz RP, Scorr LM, Factor SA. Movement disorders emergencies. Curr Opin Neurol. 2015;28(4):406–12.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Nentwich L, Ulrich AS. High-risk chief complaints II: disorders of the head and neck. Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2009;27(4):713–46. x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Ng L, Wang J, Altaweel L, Athar MK. Neurologic aspects of cardiac emergencies. Crit Care Clin. 2014;30(3):557–84.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Pellock JM. Overview: definitions and classifications of seizure emergencies. J Child Neurol. 2007;22(5 Suppl):9S–13.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Pengiran Tengah DS, Byrne PO, Wills AJ. Urgent 2-week referrals for CNS/brain tumours: a retrospective audit. Clin Oncol. 2003;15(1):7–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Plum F, Posner JB. [The diagnosis of stupor and coma]. Brain Nerve. 2015;67(3):344–5.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Pruitt AA. Infections of the nervous system. Neurol Clin. 1998;16(2):419–47.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Pruitt AA. Neurologic infectious disease emergencies. Neurol Clin. 2012;30(1):129–59. viii.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Quinn JA, DeAngelis LM. Neurologic emergencies in the cancer patient. Semin Oncol. 2000;27(3):311–21.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Robottom BJ, Factor SA, Weiner WJ. Movement disorders emergencies Part 2: hyperkinetic disorders. Arch Neurol. 2011;68(6):719–24.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Robottom BJ, Weiner WJ, Factor SA. Movement disorders emergencies. Part 1: hypokinetic disorders. Arch Neurol. 2011;68(5):567–72.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Rose JC, Mayer SA. Optimizing blood pressure in neurological emergencies. Neurocrit Care. 2004;1(3):287–99.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Rubin MN, Rabinstein AA. Vascular diseases of the spinal cord. Neurol Clin. 2013;31(1):153–81.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Samphao S, Eremin JM, Eremin O. Oncological emergencies: clinical importance and principles of management. Eur J Cancer Care. 2010;19(6):707–13.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  50. Sato K, Sugawara T, Fujiwara S, Mizoi K, Yoshimoto T. A case of small meningioma with acute subdural hematoma. No Shinkei Geka. 1989;17(7):687–90.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Sheerin F, Collison K, Quaghebeur G. Magnetic resonance imaging of acute intramedullary myelopathy: radiological differential diagnosis for the on-call radiologist. Clin Radiol. 2009;64(1):84–94.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Shelton BA, O’Hara E, Tubbs RS, Shoja MM, Barker FG, Cohen-Gadol AA. Emergency suboccipital decompression for respiratory arrest during supratentorial surgery: the untold story of a surgeon’s courage in times of despair. J Neurosurg. 2009;110(2):391–4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Solenski NJ. Transient ischemic attacks: Part I. Diagnosis and evaluation. Am Fam Physician. 2004;69(7):1665–74.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Spencer TS, Campellone JV, Maldonado I, Huang N, Usmani Q, Reginato AJ. Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging manifestations of neurosarcoidosis. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2005;34(4):649–61.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Stephenson K, Wilkinson J. Non-traumatic neurological emergencies presenting to the intensive care unit. Br J Hosp Med (Lond). 2011;72(5):264–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Weintraub MI. Thrombolysis (tissue plasminogen activator) in stroke: a medicolegal quagmire. Stroke. 2006;37(7):1917–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Weisz RR, Fazal M. Colloid cyst of the third ventricle—a neurological emergency. Ann Emerg Med. 1983;12(12):783–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Williams VB. Neurologic emergencies in sports. Continuum (Minneapolis, Minn). 2014;20(6 Sports Neurology):1629–44.

    Google Scholar 

  59. Wray SH. The management of acute visual failure. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1993;56(3):234–40.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  60. Wurm J, Gode U, Fucak A. Ligature of the carotid arteries performed prophylactically or as an emergency procedure in patients with malignant tumours of the head and neck. HNO. 2000;48(1):22–7. Prophylaktische und notfallmassige Unterbindungen der Aa. carotides bei Patienten mit malignen Tumoren im Kopf-Hals-Gebiet. ger.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Yamaji S, Kanamori H, Tanaka M, Mishima A, Koharazawa H, Fujita H, et al. Successful emergency operation for subdural hematoma and acute epidural hematoma in a patient with acute promyelocytic leukemia. Rinsho Ketsueki. 1999;40(7):606–9.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurosurgical Oncology, City of Hope Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA

    Todd Harshbarger M.D.

  2. Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, MOB #2001, Duarte, CA, 91010, USA

    Rahul Jandial M.D., Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Todd Harshbarger M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Rahul Jandial M.D., Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rahul Jandial M.D., Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA

    Yuman Fong

  2. Department of Surgery, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA

    Rondi Marie Kauffmann

  3. Surgical Oncology Hepatobiliary Surgery, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA

    Emily Marcinkowski

  4. Department of Surgery, City of Hope Medical Center, Durate, California, USA

    Gagandeep Singh

  5. Department of Surgery, City of Hope Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA

    Hans F. Schoellhammer

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Harshbarger, T., Jandial, R. (2017). Neurological Emergencies. In: Fong, Y., Kauffmann, R., Marcinkowski, E., Singh, G., Schoellhammer, H. (eds) Surgical Emergencies in the Cancer Patient. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44025-5_17

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44025-5_17

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-44023-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-44025-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation