Research Focus: Vascular/ Neurotrauma / Intensive Care
In addition to continual prospective analysis of treatment results of vascular pathologies (e.g., aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, arteriovenous fistulas, intracerebral hematomas and strokes, etc.) and the constant improvements in technical standards, adjuncts and operative techniques, the use of advanced imaging along with various CFS / serum biomarkers are being investigated throughout all illness stages to beneficially influence patient treatment and final neurological outcome.
Our Department of Neurosurgery has been participating in several international registries and trials, and is in close collaboration with the Department of Neurology and Neuroradiology of Medical University Innsbruck.
Invasive multimodal neuromonitoring of brain oxygenation, metabolism, blood flow, and intracranial pressure alongside with advanced imaging and targeted metabolomics profiling of CSF and serum is being performed, continuously evaluating the use of these techniques on treatment optimization and patient outcome after subarachnoid hemorrhage and severe / moderate head trauma.
Researchers from the Department work in close collaboration with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, the Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at University at Buffalo, the Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, the Zhang Research Lab in Loma Linda, California, the Charité in Berlin, the Charles University in Prague, and the Muhimbili Complex in Dar es Salaam.
Severe head injury, aneurysmal SAH as well as hemorrhagic strokes are common medical conditions at our Department. In addition to multimodal monitoring and numerous pathophysiological investigations, several mono-centric studies are being regularly commenced in close collaboration with the aforementioned Departments of Neuroradiology and Neurology of Medical University Innsbruck, ceaselessly pursuing the assessment of advanced MRI data and their correlation to various CFS-/serum biomarkers of primary and secondary brain injury.
Selected trials:
- NICAPLANT: Phase IIb trial of Nicardipine prolonged release pellets in aneurysmatic subarachnoid hemorrhage.
- TIBI I/II: multimodal invasive neuromonitoring in patients with severe and moderate head trauma in combination with early MRI and targeted metabolomics identifying CFS and serum biomarkers of neuronal injury.
- MISA: prospective cohort trial of 31P-MR-spectroscopy and targeted metabolomics in patients undergoing treatment for incidental and ruptured aneurysms. It includes a thorough plasma and CSF analysis of various biomarkers to determine pertinent factors associated with delayed cerebral ischemia and neurological outcome.
- Dual ICP: simultaneous application of multimodal invasive neuromonitoring in both intracranial supra-/ infratentorial compartments in patients with posterior fossa lesions, obtaining additional comprehensive data from the entire brain.
- Cerebral vasospasm and delayed cerebral ischemia after aneurysmal SAH: European / North American surveys and transnational cohort studies.
- German Cranioplasty Register: active participation in this bilateral register for patients undergoing cranioplasty after decompressive surgery.
- Cerebellar hematomas: several surveys and prospective multinational cohort studies.