4. Intracranial pressure and cerebral blood flow monitoring in head injuries

Increased intracranial pressure is a frequent complication of head injuries. Direct measurement of intracranial pressure is now possible; it is a useful guide to therapy and allows detection of pressure under circumstances where clinical examination is unreliable or when increased intracranial pressure is unexpected. It is also useful in monitoring the efficacy of treatment by such agents as mannitol. Measurements of cerebral blood flow are still at an investigative stage but the accumulating valuable data have influenced the treatment of head injuries.