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Intracranial pressure (ICP) is the pressure exerted by fluids such as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) inside the skull and on the brain tissue. ICP is measured in millimeters of mercury and at rest, is normally 7–15 mmHg for a supine adult. This equals to 9–20 cmH 2 O, which is a common scale used in lumbar punctures. [1]
Under normal conditions, regular movements such as leaning forward, normal heartbeat and breathing can cause changes to the ICP. Intracranial monitoring accounts for this by averaging measurements over 30 minutes in non-comatose patients. Readings between 7-15mmHg are considered normal in an adult, 3-7mmHg in children, and 1.4-6mmHg in infants. [4]
It can cause complications such as vision impairment due to intracranial pressure , permanent neurological problems, reversible neurological problems, seizures, stroke, and death. [1] However, aside from a few Level I trauma centers, ICP monitoring is rarely a part of the clinical management of patients with these conditions.
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), previously known as pseudotumor cerebri and benign intracranial hypertension, is a condition characterized by increased intracranial pressure (pressure around the brain) without a detectable cause. [2] The main symptoms are headache, vision problems, ringing in the ears, and shoulder pain.
Cerebral perfusion pressure, or CPP, is the net pressure gradient causing cerebral blood flow to the brain (brain perfusion).It must be maintained within narrow limits because too little pressure could cause brain tissue to become ischemic (having inadequate blood flow), and too much could raise intracranial pressure (ICP).
Patients may have a history of loss of consciousness but they recover and do not relapse. Clinical onset occurs over hours. Complications include focal neurologic deficits depending on the site of hematoma and brain injury, increased intracranial pressure leading to herniation of brain and ischemia due to reduced blood supply and seizures.
Central neurogenic hyperventilation (CNH) is an abnormal pattern of breathing characterized by deep and rapid breaths at a rate of at least 25 breaths per minute. Increasing irregularity of this respiratory rate generally is a sign that the patient will enter into coma.
For spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage seen on CT scan, the death rate is 34–50% by 30 days after the injury, [22] and half of the deaths occur in the first 2 days. [51] Even though the majority of deaths occur in the first few days after ICH, survivors have a long-term excess mortality rate of 27% compared to the general population. [ 52 ]