A new method of in-vivo microdialysis of the human brain

In-vivo microdialysis has been used extensively to study the neurochemical mechanisms of ischemia, epilepsy and hypoglycemia. It is also being increasingly used to document the response of neurons to various medications. Most of the work to date has been done in small animals. In the last 2 years, the technique has been adapted for use in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage, head trauma, Parkinson's disease, brain tumors and epilepsy. Two of the major limiting factors are the invasiveness of the technique and the resultant potential for CNS infection. We describe a simple, safe and reliable method to measure neurochemical changes in the human brain with in-vivo microdialysis. We were able to easily monitor for 4-6 h daily for up to 4 days in awake or comatose patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage or head trauma. Cerebral concentrations of glutamate, GABA, other amino acids and catecholamines were measured. This technique thus has a potential for on-line measurements of neurotoxins in patients with unstable neurological conditions.