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Intercranial-Pressure Monitoring


- 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.