Cardiovascular and respiratory complications after elective supratentorial craniotomy

The cardiovascular and respiratory complications and their treatment during the immediate postoperative period in the intensive care unit (ICU) are analyzed in 145 consecutive cases of supratentorial craniotomy. In this series, 87.5% of the patients remained in the unit less than 48 hours. In all, 67 cardiovascular disorders were observed in 49 subjects (33.7%). Supraventricular tachycardia, arterial hypotension and hypertension were, in order of frequency, the most common hemodynamic alterations. Fifty percent of the arterial hypertensions were treated with vasodilators. The etiological cause of hypotension was hypovolemia in 66.6% of the cases. Extubation was not performed in the operating room in 17.93% of the subjects, and seven patients in which it was had to be reintubated. The stay in the ICU was longer for those intubated (3.03 +/- 0.77 days). Mortality was 2.06%.