Neuro Intensive Care
The Penn Neuro Intensive Care Unit, part of the Penn Comprehensive Neuroscience Center, is a Level I Trauma Center and Acute Brain Injury Center, offering a total comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to caring care for patients with severe neurological injuries.
Located at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, a nationally recognized medical center, this distinguished unit is among the most technologically sophisticated Neurocritical Care Units in the nation, and is the only academic facility of its kind in the region.
Penn’s Neuro ICU is dedicated solely to patients with severe neurological injuries, including traumatic brain injury, acute ischemic stroke, aneurysms and subarachnoid hemorrhage, intracerebral hemorrhage, brain tumors, brain infections, epilepsy and neuromuscular emergencies.
We treat all acute neurologic diseases, including:
In addition, neurosurgery patients receive specialized post-operative care in this ICU. Dedicated facilities such as this are rare throughout the U.S. Our nationally-renowned site trains fellows to be the next generation of leaders in Neurocritical Care and often hosts visiting clinicians and educators from around the country to train them in the latest techniques.
The Center is staffed by a team of expert clinicians in the fields of neurology, neurosurgery, radiology, anesthesiology, nursing, nutrition, pharmacology, physical therapy, and social work. Physicians and staff set the standard for care in the region and are leaders in advancing the field through research and patient care. In recognition of its lifesaving efforts, the Neuro-critical care unit was awarded the prestigious Beacon Award for excellence in critical care by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN).
The department offers a full continuum of care, with coverage 24-hours-per-day, 365-days-a-year. In addition, the PennSTAR flight program provides critical care air medical transportation within a 100-mile radius of to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
The Center employs multiple modalities of cutting-edge brain monitoring such as:
- Continuous EEG
- Brain oxygen monitoring
- Cerebral microdialysis
- Cerebral blood flow monitoring
- Brain tissue chemistry monitoring
- Intracranial pressure monitoring
- Near infrared spectroscopy
- Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography
- Advanced neuroimaging techniques such as xenon-CT, CT perfusion and angiography, and MR perfusion and angiography
Invasive and non-invasive tests and studies are performed right at the bedside. The latest medical and surgical therapies to preserve brain function are also available.
As the only academic Neuro ICU in the region, the department is staffed by internationally-renowned researchers specializing in brain injury. These investigators are leading the way in uncovering breakthroughs in the treatment of traumatic brain and spinal cord injury, subarachnoid hemorrhage, brain tumor, stroke, and more. In fact, research generated from the Center is now part of the Brain Tumor Trauma Foundation guidelines.
The Neuro Intensive Care Unit is internationally recognized for the state-of-the-art management strategies and monitoring techniques to facilitate patient care. The Neuro ICU is directed by Joshua M. Levine, MD, Assistant professor of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Anesthesiology and Critical Care, and by W. Andrew Kofke, MD, Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care. James Schuster, MD and Michael Stiefel, MD are Associate Directors. Eileen Maloney, RN directs the Neurosurgery Clinical Research Division. Ongoing research led by Peter LeRoux, MD, Joshua M. Levine, MD, W. Andrew Kofke, MD, James Schuster, MD, Michael Stiefel, MD, and Eileen Maloney, RN has demonstrated that the use of these new ICU methods is associated with improved patient outcomes.
Penn’s award-winning Neuro-Intensive Care Unit at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania is working to improve neurological outcomes and quality of life after severe brain injury and to saving lives.
Locations:
Penn Comprehensive Neuroscience Center
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
3400 Spruce Street
2nd Floor, Ravdin Building
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Pennsylvania Hospital
330 S. 9th Street
3rd Floor, Neurology
Philadelphia, PA 19107
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