The Camino intracranial pressure device in clinical practice. Assessment in a 1000 cases.
BACKGROUND
Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring has become standard in the management of neurocritical patients. A variety of monitoring techniques and devices are available, each offering advantages and disadvantages. Analysis of large populations has never been performed.


METHODS
A prospective study was designed to evaluate the Camino fiberoptic intraparenchymal cerebral pressure monitor for complications and accuracy.


RESULTS
Between 1992-2004 one thousand consecutive patients had a fiberoptic ICP monitor placed. The most frequent indication for monitoring was severe head injury (697 cases). The average duration of ICP monitoring was 184.6 +/- 94.3 hours; the range was 16-581 hours. Zero drift (range, -17 to 21 mm Hg; mean 7.3 +/- 5.1) was recorded after the devices were removed from 624 patients. Mechanical complications such as: breakage of the optical fiber (n = 17); dislocations of the fixation screw (n = 15) or the probe (n = 13); and failure of ICP recording for unknown reasons (n = 4) were found in 49 Camino devices.


CONCLUSIONS
The Camino ICP sensor remains one of the most popular ICP monitoring devices for use in critical neurosurgical patients. The system offers reliable ICP measurements in an acceptable percentage of device complications and the advantage of in vivo recalibration. The incidence of technical complications was low and similar to others devices.
Gelabert-González
M
M
Neurosurgical Service, Department of Surgery, Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. cmigego@usc.es
Ginesta-Galan
V
V
Sernamito-García
R
R
Allut
A G
AG
Bandin-Diéguez
J
J
Rumbo
R M
RM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D019586:Intracranial Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D007427:Intracranial Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D055100:Optical Fibers; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014160:Transducers, Pressure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000639:trends*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents