Hyperglycemia in Neurosurgery

Poor glycemic control is recognized as a risk factor for postoperative infection. For the neurosurgical patient, postoperative infection can lead to devastating complications such as meningitis, encephalitis and death. Neurosurgical patients often receive high doses of medications that increase blood glucose levels such as steroids, placing them at a potentially higher risk for postoperative infection. The purpose of this multisite observational study is to assess the impact of severe intraoperative hyperglycemia as a risk factor for postoperative infection in the neurosurgical patient.