Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2026

A Bedside, Single Burr Hole Approach to Multimodality Monitoring in Severe Brain Injury
Published on: March 26, 2019
The hemodynamic response of the cerebral bridging veins to changes in ICP
Yanbing Yu1, Jie Chen, Zhichao Si
1The Department of Neurosurgery, The China-Japan Friendship Hospital, East Yinghua Road, He Pingli, Chao Yang District, 100029, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
Background:
To investigate the hemodynamic response of the cerebral bridging veins to increased intracranial pressure (ICP) during normo- and hyperventilation.
Methods:
Flow velocity (FV(m)), diameter (D), and pulsatility index (PI) were measured and calculated in the cerebral bridging veins using Color Doppler Ultrasound in seven pigs, and cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured using (133)Xe clearance in nine pigs, both during normo- and hyperventilation. ICP was increased stepwise from baseline (about 10 mmHg) to 20 and 30 mmHg by infusion of mock CSF into the cisterna magna.
Results:
Moderate elevations of ICP caused venous relative stasis as evidenced by a decrease in FV(m) and increase in diameter and PI, but no change of volume flow in the veins. CBF was stable indicating autoregulation at ICP of 20 and 30 mmHg. Parallel observations were made during normo- and hyperventilation, but at two different levels of CBF.
Conclusions:
The cerebral bridging veins dilation and blood flow velocity decrease indicate the venous relative stasis in response to the elevated ICP. This response is proposed to be caused by an ICP-dependent increase in resistance to the outflow from the cerebral bridging veins.
Related Concept Videos
Increased Intracranial Pressure l: Introduction
Cerebral Edema ll: Pathophysiology
Increased Intracranial Pressure ll: Pathophysiology
Cerebral Edema l: Introduction
Veins of Head and Neck
On the other hand, the vertebral veins, unlike their arterial counterparts, are not primarily responsible for brain drainage. Instead, they drain the cervical vertebrae, spinal cord, and some small...
Hemorrhagic Stroke ll: Pathophysiology

