Mass Effect

On CT Scans sometimes I see it says "no mass effect." What does that mean exactly?

No other damage? Are you talking about like when a patient has a CVA?

No other damage? Are you talking about like when a patient has a CVA?

In most cases, yes. I work on a med surg floor that specializes in CVAs (specifically ischemic).

The reason I ask is because my pt today with a hemorrhagic CVA who was later transferred to ICU (the neurosurgeon who was seeing him was upset he was admitted to our unit instead of the ICU. He said "I told them last night to admit him to ICU and I guess they didnt listen"), had a CT that said he DID have mass effect.

I was used to seeing the ischemic stroke CT Scans that say "no mass effect".

There must be more than one area of the brain that the cva is effecting then. That's what I think he meant.

In most cases, yes. I work on a med surg floor that specializes in CVAs (specifically ischemic).

The reason I ask is because my pt today with a hemorrhagic CVA who was later transferred to ICU (the neurosurgeon who was seeing him was upset he was admitted to our unit instead of the ICU. He said "I told them last night to admit him to ICU and I guess they didnt listen"), had a CT that said he DID have mass effect.

I was used to seeing the ischemic stroke CT Scans that say "no mass effect".

I was thinking of doing a post or poll asking everyone how often they get a patient where the attending or the transfering nurse mentions that the "patient should be in ICU but they don't have a bed".

I think it is happening way to often.

I was thinking of doing a post or poll asking everyone how often they get a patient where the attending or the transfering nurse mentions that the "patient should be in ICU but they don't have a bed".

I think it is happening way to often.

At my last job, we would admit patients that had to be transferred to ICU within an hour. It happened all the time. Management just wanted us to write up an incdient report but nothing ever happened after a while. I didn't care. I am NOT filling out another incident report unless its like totally gross neglience or something...like a patient being intubated within 15 minutes of arriving.

mass effect means brain damage...

whether it's r/t tumors, cva/infarct, icp, contusions, abscess, etc.

leslie

Mass effect is a general way to describe the several findings that indicate some type of mass (blood, tissue, etc) is large enough to change the normal anatomy of the brain tissue. Midline shift and ventricular narrowing are specific findings associated with a large mass effect.