Acta neurochirurgica. Supplement
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Acta Neurochir. Suppl. · Jan 1998
The relationship of pulsatile cerebrospinal fluid flow to cerebral blood flow and intracranial pressure: a new theoretical model.
An electrical-equivalent circuit model of the cerebrovascular system is proposed, components of which directly relate to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) compartment compliance and the determination of intracranial pressure (ICP). The model is based on three premises: 1) Under normal, physiologic conditions, the conversion of pulsatile arterial to nonpulsatile venous flow occurs primarily as a result of arterial compliance. Nonpulsatile venous flow is advantageous because less energy is required to maintain constant flow through the venous system, which comprises 75-80% of total blood volume. 2) Dynamic CSF movement across the foramen magnum is the primary facilitator by which intracranial arterial expansion occurs. ⋯ An interference of transcranial CSF movement results in a decrease in cerebral blood flow (CBF) due to inertial effects impeding pulsatile venous flow. Feedback regulation in response to this decreased CBF leads to arteriolar vasodilatation (decreased resistance), thereby lowering the pressure difference between internal carotid and capillary pressures. Assuming no changes in the BBB potential, ICP increases linearly as capillary pressure increases.
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Acta Neurochir. Suppl. · Jan 1998
Morphological and hemodynamic evaluations by means of transcranial power Doppler imaging in patients with severe head injury.
The following conditions of 17 patients with severe head injury (ages 9-76; mean 37:12 focal and 5 diffuse injuries) were evaluated during acute phase (1-14 days after injury, mean 5) by transcranial power Doppler imaging (PDI), a new color Doppler ultrasound technique: a) morphological changes via temporal window, b) hemodynamic changes in major intracranial/cervical arteries based on measured angle-corrected time-averaged mean (TAM)/ peak velocities and vessel diameter (Va), and calculated pulsatility indices (PI), vessel area (Va), and flow volume (Vf = TAM x Va). a) 1) Major trunks of intracranial vessels and circle of Willis and pathological changes in frontal/temporal lobes and midbrain were finely visualized. 2) Contusional hemorrhage and cerebral contusion demonstrated irregular hyper- and hypo-echoic lesions, respectively. 3) Delayed epidural hematoma showed a hyper-echoic band. b) 1) Decreased velocities, significant PI increase, and Va increase tendency were observed in intracranial arteries. 2) Increased velocities with Vf increase but no Va decrease indicated hyperemia rather than vasospasm. 3) Va in the intracranial vessels, however, tended to increase PDI appears useful in evaluating real-time and simultaneous morphological and hemodynamic information in pathogenesis and neurointensive care of patients with severe head injury.
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Acta Neurochir. Suppl. · Jan 1998
Moderate hypothermia and brain temperature in patients with severe middle cerebral artery infarction.
Elevated temperature is known to facilitate neuronal injury after ischemia. After head injury a gradient between temperature and body temperature of up to 3 degrees C higher in the brain has been reported. Hypothermia may limit some of the deleterious metabolic consequences of such increased temperature. ⋯ After MCA stroke, human intracerebral temperature is higher than central body-core temperature. Mild hypothermia in the treatment of severe cerebral ischemia using cooling blankets is safe and does not lead to severe side effects. Mild hypothermia can help to control critically elevated ICP values in severe space-occupying stroke and may improve clinical outcome in these patients.
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Acta Neurochir. Suppl. · Jan 1998
Monitoring brain oxygen tension in severe head injury: the Rotterdam experience.
Cerebral ischemia is considered the central mechanism leading to secondary brain damage in patients with severe head injury. We investigated the technique of continuous monitoring of local brain tissue oxygen tension as parameter for cerebral oxygenation. Eighty-two patients with non penetrating severe head injury were studied. ⋯ Early occurrence of values below 10 mm Hg indicated a poor prognosis. Comparative measurements between two catheters performed in six patients showed differences in absolute values measured, but a good correlation of relative changes was observed. We conclude that continuous monitoring of PbrO2 is reliable, clinically applicable and provides the clinician with a better insight in cerebral oxygenation and hopefully should help in targeting therapy towards improved cerebral oxygenation.
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Acta Neurochir. Suppl. · Jan 1998
Continuous intracranial multimodality monitoring comparing local cerebral blood flow, cerebral perfusion pressure, and microvascular resistance.
Maintaining cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) above 70 mmHg is currently a mainstay of neurosurgical critical care. Shalmon, et al. recently showed poor correlation between CPP and regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) [1]. To study the relationship between CPP and CBF, at a microvascular level, we retrospectively analyzed multimodality digital data from 12 neurosurgical critical care patients in whom a combined intracranial pressure (ICP)--laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) probe (Camino, San Diego) had been placed. ⋯ Autoregulation was impaired or absent in all monitored patients. We conclude that with disrupted autoregulation, CPP above 70 mmHg does not necessarily insure adequate levels of cerebral perfusion. Restoration and maintenance of adequate cerebral perfusion should be performed under the guidance of direct CBF monitoring.