Hyperacute measurement of intracranial pressure, cerebral perfusion pressure, jugular venous oxygen saturation, and laser Doppler flowmetry, before and during removal of traumatic acute subdural hematoma.

OBJECT: The poor prognosis for traumatic acute subdural hematoma (ASDH) might be due to underlying primary brain damage, ischemia, or both. Ischemia in ASDH is likely caused by increased intracranial pressure (ICP) leading to decreased cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), but the degree to which these phenomena occur is unknown. The authors report data obtained before and during removal of ASDH in five cases.

METHODS: Five patients who underwent emergency evacuation of ASDH were monitored. In all patients, without delaying treatment, a separate surgical team (including the senior author) placed an ICP monitor and a jugular bulb catheter, and in two patients a laser Doppler probe was placed. The ICP prior to removing the bone flap in the five patients was 85, 85, 50, 59, and greater than 40 mm Hg, resulting in CPPs of 25, 3, 25, 56, and less than 50 mm Hg, respectively. Removing the bone flap as well as opening the dura and removing the blood clot produced a significant decrease in ICP and an increase in CPP. Jugular venous oxygen saturation (SjvO2) increased in four patients and decreased in the other during removal of the hematoma. Laser Doppler flow also increased, to 217% and 211% compared with preevacuation flow.

CONCLUSIONS: Intracranial pressure is higher than previously suspected and CPP is very low in patients with ASDH. Removal of the bone flap yielded a significant reduction in ICP, which was further decreased by opening the dura and evacuating the hematoma. The SjvO2 as well as laser Doppler flow increased in all patients but one immediately after removal of the hematoma.