Intracranial pressure thresholds in severe traumatic brain injury: Con

Excerpt

The Brain Trauma Foundation (BTF) has recently updated its protocol-based management guidelines for the care of hospitalized patients with acute traumatic brain injury (TBI) [1]. In comparison with the previous 2007 guidelines [2], several recommendations have been changed, and a more stringent approach to adhere to high-quality studies was used. In view of the descriptive nature of the underlying studies included in the previous guidelines, the updated guidelines no longer provide recommendations for specific indications for ICP monitoring. However, on the basis of low-quality evidence (level IIB), the use of information from ICP monitoring to reduce in-hospital and 2-week post-injury mortality is still recommended [1]. In that respect, one of the more remarkable changes in the 2016 guidelines is the higher threshold for the treatment of raised intracranial pressure (ICP): from 20 to 22 mmHg. …