Intracranial pressure monitoring

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Overview

Risks

Results

Intracranial pressure monitoring

Alternative Names:

ICP monitoring

Normal Values:

Normally, the ICP ranges from 1 to 15 mm Hg.

Note: mm Hg = millimeters of mercury

What abnormal results mean:

Intracranial pressure monitoring is usually done in cases of severe head injury or after surgeries in cases where a tumor or vascular lesion has been removed or repaired and the surgical team is concerned about brain swelling.

Elevated intracranial pressure can be treated by draining CSF through the catheter, as well as by changing ventilator settings (for those patients who are in critical condition and on a respirator) or by the application of certain intravenous medications.

Intracranial pressure monitoring is crucial in identifying the problem and allowing for immediate treatment. Raised intracranial pressure signifies compression of both neural and vascular tissues and if left untreated can result in permanent neurologic damage and in some cases can be fatal.

Review Date: 6/10/2005
Reviewed By: Joseph P. Hart, MD, Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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