Effects of Intracranial Pressure Monitoring on the Patients with Traumatic Head Injury in Bahonar Hospital: Primary Report

Abstract

Background: Continuous intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is now an accepted part of neurosurgical practice, but in Iran, where has a high rate of the road traffic accidents, ICP monitoring does not use routinely.  We are reporting the primary results of applying ICP monitoring in the patients with traumatic head injury in Bahonar Hospital in 2011.

Materials and Methods: During one year, all patients with traumatic head injury who underwent ICP monitoring because of traumatic brain injury were evaluated considering the primary neurological status and the treatments they had received based on their ICP. We also evaluated the outcome 6 months after the injury.

Results: During this time, 18 patients underwent ICP monitoring. The mean age was 33±9.6 years and the mean GCS was 6±1.3. ICP monitoring showed high ICP in 13 out of 18 patients. Seven patients received barbiturate coma and 8 operations were performed on 6 patients with refractory high ICP. ICP was controlled in 10 patients. All three patients with uncontrollable ICP died during hospital admission. Outcome was related to the primary GCS, controllable ICP, and the pupil reaction.

Conclusion: It seems that ICP monitoring is a safe and effective modality in the patients with traumatic brain injury. However it is necessary to conduct studies with large samples number to evaluate the role of ICP monitoring on long term outcome and functional recovery of the patients with traumatic brain injury.

 Keywords: Intracranial pressure; ICP Monitoring; Traumatic head injury; Iran