- Discussion:
- consistent relationship between cerebral blood flow and intracranial pressure is difficult to demonstrate until levels of 40-50 mm Hg are
reached;
- well-engineered intracranial-pressure transducers can easily be inserted by the neurosurgeon in the emergency room;
- use subdural rather than an intraventricular placement (which could reduce intracranial pressure through drainage of CSF to avoid the
danger of ventricular collapse & displacement;
- normal intracranial pressure ranges from 5-15 mm Hg (0.7 - 2 kPa);
- when it rises to 20 mm Hg (2.7 kPa) or more, active therapy should be undertaken to reduce it;
- intracranial pressure is subtracted from the mean arterial blood pressure to obtain the cerebral perfusion pressure;
- this pressure must be above 70 mm Hg (9.3 kPa) to provide adequate oxygen to a severely injured brain
Contribution of increased cerebral blood volume to posttraumatic intracranial hypertension.