[Acute nontumoral brain edema--the pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic principles]

Non-tumoral acute cerebral edemas represent a major problem of emergency medicine. The pathogenic mechanisms involved in the occurrence of non-tumoral acute cerebral edemas may be grouped into two categories--by pressure gradients: acute increase of hydrostatic intravascular and intraventricular pressure; acute decrease of intravascular osmotic pressure;--by tissue lesion involving: the cerebral capillaries (vasogenic edema) or the parenchymal cells (cytotoxic edema). From the acute edenogenous brain lesion, "second aggression factors" are released. In the various etiologic circumstances, this mechanisms appear associated and intricate in particular ways. The etiopathogenetic features of edema formation and their physiopathology effects have therapeutic significance.