title: The effects of the pneumatic antishock garment on intracranial pressure in man: a prospective study of 12 patients with severe head injury.
abstract: Changes in intracranial pressure, mean arterial blood pressure, and cerebral perfusion pressure in response to sequential inflation of the pneumatic antishock garment were monitored in 12 patients with severe head injury and initial intracranial pressure less than 20 mm Hg. The small incremental increases in intracranial pressure that occurred with inflation of the pneumatic antishock garment were compensated for by improved hemodynamic stability and elevated mean arterial blood pressure which produced a simultaneous rise in cerebral perfusion pressure. The treatment of hypotension in traumatized patients with head injuries is paramount and sequential slow inflation of the pneumatic antishock garment can be used in such patients without apparent ill effect to the brain when the initial intracranial pressure is 20 mm Hg or below. Further study is needed to determine the safety of the device in head injured patients with elevated intracranial pressures.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002496:Central Venous Pressure; D003128:Coma / Q000209:etiology; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005676:Gravity Suits; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000628:therapy; D007427:Intracranial Pressure; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure