[Monitoring head trauma]

Cerebral monitoring after head trauma aims at reducing secondary lesions resulting mainly from additional cerebral ischemia-hypoxia. Such monitoring must include repetitive (preferably continuous) estimation of cerebral blood flow, cerebral oxygenation and their variations. Based on this information the evaluation and modulation of the main determinants of cerebral blood flow (cerebral metabolism, cerebral perfusion pressure, arterial oxygen content and PaCO2 variations) often allows optimization of cerebral blood flow and metabolism balance. This therapeutic strategy may lead to improvement of severe head trauma outcome through reduction of additional cerebral ischemia-hypoxia.