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Purpose: Telemetric monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP) facilitates long-term measurements and home monitoring, thus potentially reducing diagnostic imaging and acute hospital admissions in favour of outpatient appointments. Especially in paediatric patients, telemetric ICP monitoring requires a high level of collaboration and compliance from patients and parents. In this study, we aim to systematically investigate (1) patient and parent perception of telemetric ICP system utility and (2) hospital contact history and thus the potential cost-benefit of telemetric ICP monitoring in paediatric patients with a cerebrospinal fluid disorder., Methods: We conducted a nationwide questionnaire study, including paediatric patients with either a current or previous telemetric ICP sensor and their parents. Additionally, a retrospective review of electronic health records for all included children was performed., Results: We included 16 children (age range 3-16 years), with a total of 41 telemetric ICP sensors implanted. Following sensor implantation, the frequency of telephone contacts and outpatient visits increased. No corresponding decrease in hospital admissions or total length of stay was found. The telemetric ICP sensor provided most parents with an improved sense of security and was seen as a necessary and valuable tool in treatment guidance. The size and shape of the sensor itself were reported as disadvantages, while the external monitoring equipment was reported as easy to use but too large and heavy for a child to carry., Conclusion: Though, in quantitative terms, there was no cost-benefit of the telemetric ICP sensor, it contributed to extended parental involvement and a sense of improved safety., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: Optimizing the treatment of several neurosurgical and neurological disorders relies on knowledge of the intracranial pressure (ICP). However, exploration of normal ICP and intracranial pressure pulse wave amplitude (PWA) values in healthy individuals poses ethical challenges, and thus the current documentation remains scarce. This study explores ICP and PWA values for healthy adults without intracranial pathology expected to influence ICP., Methods: Adult patients (age > 18 years) undergoing surgery for an unruptured intracranial aneurysm without any other neurological co-morbidities were included. Patients had a telemetric ICP sensor inserted, and ICP was measured in four different positions: supine, lateral recumbent, standing upright, and 45-degree sitting, at day 1, 14, 30, and 90 following the surgery., Results: ICP in each position did not change with time after surgery. Median ICP was 6.7 mmHg and median PWA 2.1 mmHg in the supine position, while in the upright standing position median ICP was - 3.4 mmHg and median PWA was 1.9 mmHg. After standardization of the measurements from the transducer site to the external acoustic meatus, the median ICP midbrain was 8.3 mmHg in the supine position and 1.2 mmHg in the upright standing position., Conclusion: Our study provides insights into normal ICP dynamics in healthy adults following a uncomplicated surgery for an unruptured aneurysm. These results suggest a slightly wider normal reference range for invasive intracranial pressure than previously suggested, and present the first normal values for PWA in different positions. Further studies are, however, essential to enhance our understanding of normal ICP. Trial registration The study was preregistered at www., Clinicaltrials: gov (NCT03594136) (11 July 2018)., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The standard lumbar puncture position involves maximum flexion of both lumbar and cervical spine. The cerebrospinal fluid opening pressure (CSF op ) is measured in a horizontal position. This study investigated if flexion of hip and neck both separately and simultaneously influence intracranial pressure (ICP) to a clinically relevant extent., Methods: Thirty-nine patients, undergoing invasive ICP monitoring as part of diagnostic work-up, were included. The patients underwent either a vertical postural examination (n = 24) or a horizontal postural examination (n = 15) to examine a varying degree of spine flexion., Results: The vertical examination showed that ICP decreased by 15.2 mmHg when straightening the neck in a sitting lumbar puncture position (n = 24, IQR - 20.1 to - 9.7). In the horizontal examination, ICP increased in all but one patient when changing from supine position to lateral recumbent position (n = 15, median increase of 6.9 mmHg, IQR 3.1 to 9.9). Straightening the hips alone decreased ICP with 0.2 mmHg (n = 15, IQR - 0.5 to 2.0), while straightening the neck alone decreased ICP by 4.0 mmHg (n = 15, IQR - 5.9 to - 1.7). However, when straightening the hip and neck simultaneously ICP decreased by 6.4 mmHg (n = 6, IQR - 9.5 to - 4.4)., Conclusions: Neck flexion alone, and neck flexion and hip flexion in combination, has significant confounding influence on ICP. This may cause patients to shift from a normal ICP range to a pathological ICP range, which will potentially affect treatment decisions. Consensus on guidelines for body position including neck and hip flexion measuring CSF op may be needed.

Background: Although widely used in the evaluation of the diseased, normal intracranial pressure and lumbar cerebrospinal fluid pressure remain sparsely documented. Intracranial pressure is different from lumbar cerebrospinal fluid pressure. In addition, intracranial pressure differs considerably according to the body position of the patient. Despite this, the current reference values do not distinguish between intracranial and lumbar cerebrospinal fluid pressures, and body position-dependent reference values do not exist. In this study, we aim to establish these reference values., Method: A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and Web of Sciences. Methodological quality was assessed using an amended version of the Joanna Briggs Quality Appraisal Checklist. Intracranial pressure and lumbar cerebrospinal fluid pressure were independently evaluated and subdivided into body positions. Quantitative data were presented with mean ± SD, and 90% reference intervals., Results: Thirty-six studies were included. Nine studies reported values for intracranial pressure, while 27 reported values for the lumbar cerebrospinal fluid pressure. Reference values for intracranial pressure were -  5.9 to 8.3 mmHg in the upright position and 0.9 to 16.3 mmHg in the supine position. Reference values for lumbar cerebrospinal fluid pressure were 7.2 to 16.8 mmHg and 5.7 to 15.5 mmHg in the lateral recumbent position and supine position, respectively., Conclusions: This systematic review is the first to provide position-dependent reference values for intracranial pressure and lumbar cerebrospinal fluid pressure. Clinically applicable reference values for normal lumbar cerebrospinal fluid pressure were established, and are in accordance with previously used reference values. For intracranial pressure, this study strongly emphasizes the scarcity of normal pressure measures, and highlights the need for further research on the matter.

Background: No true reference values for intracranial pressure (ICP) in humans exist; current values are estimated from measurements in adults who undergo treatment in order to correct ICP. We report ICP values in a "pseudonormal" group of children and adults to examine if age affects ICP., Methods: We analyzed data from all nonshunted patients undergoing a 24-hour ICP monitoring as part of a diagnostic work-up and included patients with no subsequent suspicion of increased ICP and no need for pressure-relieving treatment with a minimum follow-up period of 3 years., Results: From February 2008 to November 2014, a 24-hour ICP monitoring was performed in 221 patients. Of these patients, 35 (14 children, 21 adults) met the inclusion criteria. Follow-up time to confirm absence of ICP-related disease was 3-9 years. Daytime ICP was 2.8 mmHg ± 2.2 in children and 1.9 mmHg ± 4.2 in adults (P = 0.39). Of 35 patients, 32 had higher nighttime ICP. The difference between daytime and nighttime ICP was similar in children (ΔICP = 5.8 mmHg ± 4.0, P < 0.0001) and adults (ΔICP = 6.1 mm Hg ± 3.3, P < 0.0001). ICP could be described as a decreasing function of age, with an ICP decrement of 0.69 mmHg per decade (P = 0.015)., Conclusions: We found similar differences in daytime and nighttime ICP between children and adults with no ICP-related disease. ICP seems to decrease with age across all ages. This has implications for therapeutic interventions (e.g., shunt valve selection or resistance in external ventricular drainage)., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose of Review: Monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP) is an important and integrated part of the treatment algorithm for children with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Guidelines often recommend ICP monitoring with a treatment threshold of 20 mmHg. This focused review discusses; (1) different ICP technologies and how ICP should be monitored in pediatric patients with severe TBI, (2) existing evidence behind guideline recommendations, and (3) how we could move forward to increase knowledge about normal ICP in children to support treatment decisions. Summary: Current reference values for normal ICP in adults lie between 7 and 15 mmHg. Recent studies conducted in "pseudonormal" adults, however, suggest a normal range below this level where ICP is highly dependent on body posture and decreases to negative values in sitting and standing position. Despite obvious physiological differences between children and adults, no age or body size related reference values exist for normal ICP in children. Recent guidelines for treatment of severe TBI in pediatric patients recommend ICP monitoring to guide treatment of intracranial hypertension. Decision on ICP monitoring modalities are based on local standards, the individual case, and the clinician's choice. The recommended treatment threshold is 20 mmHg for a duration of 5 min. Both prospective and retrospective observational studies applying different thresholds and treatment strategies for intracranial hypertension were included to support this recommendation. While some studies suggest improved outcome related to ICP monitoring (lower rate of mortality and severe disability), most studies identify high ICP as a marker of worse outcome. Only one study applied age-differentiated thresholds, but this study did not evaluate the effect of these different thresholds on outcome. The quality of evidence behind ICP monitoring and treatment thresholds in severe pediatric TBI is low and treatment can potentially be improved by knowledge about normal ICP from observational studies in healthy children and cohorts of pediatric "pseudonormal" patients expected to have normal ICP. Acceptable levels of ICP − and thus also treatment thresholds—probably vary with age, disease and whether the patient has intact cerebral autoregulation. Future treatment algorithms should reflect these differences and be more personalized and dynamic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Repeated intracranial pressure (ICP) measurements are essential in treatment of patients with complex cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) disorders. These patients often have a long surgical history with numerous invasive lumbar or intracranial pressure monitoring sessions and/or ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt revisions. Telemetric ICP monitoring might be an advantageous tool in treatment of these patients. In this paper, we evaluate our experience with this technology in paediatric patients. Methods: During a 4-year period, we implanted telemetric ICP sensors (Raumedic NEUROVENT-P-tel) in 20 paediatric patients to minimise the number of future invasive procedures. Patients were diagnosed with hydrocephalus, idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) or an arachnoid cyst. Most patients (85%) had a VP shunt at the time of sensor implantation. Results: In total, 32 sensors were inserted in the 20 patients; the cause of re-implantation was technical malfunction of the implant. One sensor was explanted due to wound infection and one due to skin erosion. We experienced no complications directly related to the implantation/explantation procedures. A total of 149 recording sessions were conducted, including 68 home monitoring sessions. The median implantation period was 523 days with a median duration of clinical use at 202 days. The most likely consequence of a recording session was non-surgical treatment alteration (shunt valve adjustment or acetazolamide dose adjustment). Conclusion: Telemetric ICP monitoring in children is safe and potentially decreases the number of invasive procedures. We find that telemetric ICP monitoring aids the clinical management of patients with complex CSF disorders and improves everyday life for both patient and parents. It allows continuous ICP measurement in the patient's home and thereby potentially reducing hospitalisations, leading to significant cost savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]