Now in an updated second edition, this book presents essential information on neurological emergencies requiring acute intervention. Experts from a broad base of medical disciplines cover surgical indications and techniques in dealing with a range of cerebral and spinal disorders, including pediatric emergencies. This second edition includes the most current guidelines in treating head trauma and spine injury, as well as new advances in imaging and minimally invasive strategies. The revision includes new topics such as the assessment of acute loss of consciousness, the emergency management of spinal cord injury, and the management of raised intracranial pressure. Highlights: *Discusses acute intervention for spinal disc diseases and treatments for spinal infections *Covers acute repair of penetrating nerve trauma and how to manage compressive peripheral nerve injuries *Reviews emergency procedures for vertebral column fractures and dislocation injuries *Includes protocols for treating intraspinal hemorrhage and shunt malfunction and much more! This text is invaluable for practicing neurosurgeons, residents in training, and physicians who may need to treat neurosurgical patients until neurosurgical care is available.

1. Assessment of acute loss of consciousness 2. Intracranial pressure monitoring and management of raised intracranial pressure 3. Management of acute hydrocephalus (Landmarks and Techniques) 4. The recognition and management of cerebral herniation syndromes 5. Penetrating cerebral trauma 6. Extra-axial hematomas 7. Spontaneous intracerebral hematomes 8. Pituitary apoplexy 9. Acute management of subarachnoid hemmorrhage 10. Emergency surgery for stroke (add. Thrombolytic therapy) 11. Cerebral infectious processes 12. Emergency treatment of brain tumors 13. Acute bony decompression of opticand facial nerves 14. Status epileptcus 15. Special considerations in the evaluation of patients with combined head and spnal injuries and multiple trauma. 16. Summary and synopsis of the BTF Head Injury Guidelines 17. Acute intervention for cervical, thoracic and lumbar spinal disk disease 18. Presurgical and Intensive Care Management of Vertebral Column Fractures and Dislocations 19. Biomechanical Considerations for Early Operative Intervention in Vertebral Column Fractures and Dislocations 20. Athletic injuries and their differebtial diagnosis (SCI, burner, stinger, pinched neve, ect.) 21. Penetrating spinal trauma 22. Spinal Cord Compression Secondary to Neoplastic Disease: Epidural Metastases and Pathologic Fracture 23. Intraspinal hemorrhage 24. Spinal infections 25. Summary and synopsis of the Spinal Cord Injury Guidelines 26. Acute repair of pnetrating nerve trauma 27. Acute management of compressive periphal nerve injuries 28. The syndrome of SCIWORA 29. Acute shunt malfunction 30. The perinatal management of a child born with a myelomeningocoele 31. Recognition and management of epidural baclofen and narcotic withdrawal syndromes