Intracranial Pressure Monitoring in Neurocritical Care

Intracranial pressure measurement is a cornerstone of neurocritical care management for patients with acute brain injuries such as neurotrauma or hemorrhagic stroke. The use of intracranial pressure monitoring centers around detecting secondary brain injuries and offers a target for intervention. Controversy exists surrounding the indications, utility, and impact of intracranial pressure monitoring in clinical practice and modern conceptualizations suggest its use in conjunction with other monitoring modalities to inform more personalized decision making. We will explore the history, relevance, and management of intracranial pressure in the neurocritical care setting.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand why ICP is used as a biomarker.
• Understand the components of the ICP waveform.
• Understand essentials of treating elevated intracranial pressure.