Our researchers in the Division of Neurocritical Care have led and contributed to numerous publications that address medical, social, ethical, and legal considerations related to patients in the neurocritical care unit.

We systematically studied the need for prophylactic antibiotics in patients with drains after both brain and spine surgeries, and we changed our practice after demonstrating the benefits were outweighed by the potential for complications including growth of resistant bacteria and development of infection with Clostridium difficile.

We have also pioneered treatment protocols to prevent intensive care unit–related urinary tract infections and have published evidence showing these protocols can be highly effective. Patients with ruptured brain aneurysms can have very severe headaches, and we are currently studying the effects of a headache treatment protocol to reduce the use of opioids in these patients.

Using data from our prospective database of patients with intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage, Neurological Emergencies Outcomes at NYU (NEON), we explored topics such as the relationship between systemic inflammatory response syndrome and hematoma expansion, preexisting hypertension and bleed severity, race and ethnicity and white matter hyperintensity severity, and factors associated with goals-of-care decision-making.

As we served on the frontlines throughout the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, we produced numerous publications on the acute neurologic complications of COVID-19 (including encephalopathy, intracranial hemorrhage, ischemic stroke, leukoencephalopathy, and death by neurologic criteria) and the long-term consequences of COVID-19.

We also participate in StrokeNet-, National Institutes of Health-, and industry-sponsored clinical trials. Learn more about our active clinical trials.