06-18-2010, 07:41 PM
A 45-year-old woman collapses while in her bathroom and is brought to the hospital emergently. On arrival, she is non-responsive with dilated and fixed pupils bilaterally. Her temperature is 37.2 C (99 F), blood pressure is 220/110 mm Hg, pulse is 42/min, and respirations are 18/min. An emergent CT scan of the head reveals blood in all 4 ventricles. An intracranial bolt is placed for intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring and she is brought to the operating room for decompression craniotomy. After the procedure, she is brought to the intensive care unit where she does well for 48 hours. Her ICP begins to fall and she shows some signs of neurological recovery. On postoperative day number 2 her mental status again deteriorates. There is no new blood present on CT scan. The most appropriate management is to
A. administer nimodipine, intravenously
B. administer pressors, intravenously
C. administer verapamil, intravenously
D. provide no therapy at this time
E. return her to the operating room
A. administer nimodipine, intravenously
B. administer pressors, intravenously
C. administer verapamil, intravenously
D. provide no therapy at this time
E. return her to the operating room