title: The use of hypertonic saline for treating intracranial hypertension after traumatic brain injury.
abstract: The past decade has witnessed a resurgence of interest in the use of hypertonic saline for low-volume resuscitation after trauma. Preliminary studies suggested that benefits are limited to a subgroup of trauma patients with brain injury, but a recent study of prehospital administration of hypertonic saline to patients with traumatic brain injury failed to confirm a benefit. Animal and human studies have demonstrated that hypertonic saline has clinically desirable physiological effects on cerebral blood flow, intracranial pressure, and inflammatory responses in models of neurotrauma. There are few clinical studies in traumatic brain injury with patient survival as an end point. In this review, we examined the experimental and clinical knowledge of hypertonic saline as an osmotherapeutic agent in neurotrauma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, QE II Hospital, Princess Alexandra Hospital, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. htw_white@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Hayden
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Bala
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Venkatesh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D019586:Intracranial Hypertension / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008353:Mannitol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D012151:Resuscitation; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012774:Shock, Traumatic / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic; D008353:Mannitol