Treatment of brain edema and intracranial hypertension in newborn

Abstract

Brain edema and intracranial hypertension are common complications in all critical severe ill patients. It would cause disability and death, so it can be more dangerous than primary disease. Although there are former fontanel and unclosed cranial suture in an infant, the compensatory reserves of volume-pressure compliance is far worse than that in adults. This phenomenon should be paid more attention by neonatologist. Cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) and cerebral blood flow (CBF) should be guaranted to avoid cerebral ischemic hypoxia or secondary brain injury induced by intracranial hypertension. Hyperosmolar solutions particularly appear to be an appealing addition to the current therapeutic avenues for brain edema. The curative effects of hypertonic saline are better than those of mannitol which have been improved by a variety of researches. In addition, the treatment of brain edema also should avoid some detrimental treatments that aggravate the brain damage. Key words: Brain edema; Intracranial hypertension; Hypertonic solutions; Saline solution, hypertonic; Infant, newborn, diseases