Practical aspects of bedside cerebral hemodynamics monitoring in pediatric TBI.
BACKGROUND
Disturbances in cerebral hemodynamics may have a profound influence on secondary injury after traumatic brain injury (TBI), and many therapies in the neurocritical care unit may adversely affect cerebral blood flow. However, the clinician is often unaware of this when it occurs because practical methods for monitoring cerebral hemodynamics by the bedside have been lacking. Current imaging studies only provide a snapshot of the brain at one point in time, giving limited information about a dynamic condition.


CONCLUSIONS
This review will focus on key pathophysiological concepts required to understand changes in cerebral hemodynamics after TBI and the principles, potential benefits, and limitations of currently available bedside monitoring techniques, including transcranial Doppler, autoregulation, and local/regional cerebral blood flow.
Figaji
Anthony A
AA
Division of Neurosurgery, School of Child and Adolescent Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. Anthony.Figaji@uct.ac.za
D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial / Q000379:methods