Management of Elevated Intracranial Pressure

The pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, monitoring techniques, and management of elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) are reviewed. The use of barbiturate coma to treat ICP is discussed in detail. Elevated ICP can be associated with severe head injuries and diseases of the central nervous system such as brain tumors and stroke. Symptoms of elevated ICP may be difficult to distinguish from symptoms of other disease states. ICP monitoring techniques such as the intraventricular catheter and the Camino fiber optic system are useful for determination of ICP elevations before any changes in vital signs or neurological status occur. Conventional treatment and control of ICP elevations includes general and physiologic management (cerebrospinal fluid removal, fluid restriction, controlled hyperventilation, sedation, and elevating the patient's head) and pharmacologic management. Osmotic diuretics, (e.g., urea, mannitol, glycerol) and loop diuretics (e.g., furosemide, ethacrynic acid) are first-line pharmacologic agents used to lower elevated ICP. Corticosteroids may be beneficial in some patients. Patients with elevated ICP refractory to conventional treatment may benefit from therapy with high-dose barbiturates. Pentobarbital has been used in the majority of the clinical studies. Pentobarbital serum concentrations should be determined every 24-48 hours when a patient is in a barbiturate coma because pentobarbital clearance increases with continued high-dose therapy. The treatment of elevated ICP requires aggressive therapy and intensive monitoring. In patients whose ICP is refractory to conventional therapies alone, survival rates have been improved by combining high-dose barbiturates with conventional therapies.