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OBJECTIVE: Hypertonic saline is emerging as a potentially effective single osmotic agent for control of acute elevations in intracranial pressure (ICP) caused by severe traumatic brain injury. This study examines its effect on ICP, cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), and brain tissue oxygen tension (Pbto 2 ). METHODS: Twenty-five consecutive patients with severe traumatic brain injury who were treated with 23.4% NaCl for elevated ICP were evaluated. Bolt catheter probes were placed in the noninjured hemisphere, and hourly ICP, mean arterial pressure, CPP, and Pbto 2 values were recorded. Thirty milliliters of 23.4% NaCl was infused over 15 minutes for intracranial hypertension, defined as ICP greater than 20 mm Hg. Twenty-one male patients and 4 female patients aged 16 to 64 years were included. The mean presenting Glasgow Coma Scale score was 5.7. RESULTS: Mean pretreatment values included an ICP level of 25.9 mm Hg and a Pbto 2 value of 32 mm Hg. The posttreatment ICP level was decreased by a mean of 8.3 mm Hg (P < 0.0001), and there was an improvement in Pbto 2 of 3.1 mm Hg (P < 0.01). ICP of more than 31 mm Hg decreased by 14.2 mm Hg. Pretreatment CPP values of less than 70 mm Hg increased by a mean of 6 mm Hg (P < 0.0001). No complications occurred from this treatment, with the exception of electrolyte and chemistry abnormalities. At 6 months postinjury, the mortality rate was 28%, with 48% of patients achieving a favorable outcome by the dichotomized Glasgow Outcome Scale. CONCLUSION: Hypertonic saline as a single osmotic agent decreased ICP while improving CPP and Pbto 2 in patients with severe traumatic brain injury. Patients with higher baseline ICP and lower CPP levels responded to hypertonic saline more significantly.

Osmotherapy has been the cornerstone in the management of patients with elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Several studies have demonstrated that hypertonic saline (HTS) is a safe and effective osmotherapy agent. This study evaluated the effectiveness of HTS in reducing intracranial hypertension in the presence of a wide range of serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) osmolalities.Forty-two doses of 23.4% saline boluses for treatment of refractory intracranial hypertension were reviewed retrospectively. Thirty milliliters of 23.4% NaCl was infused over 15 min for intracranial hypertension, defined as ICP 20 mmHg. The CSF and serum osmolalities from frozen stored samples were measured with an osmometer. The values of serum sodium, hourly ICP, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine were obtained directly from the medical records.The serum and CSF osmolalities correlated very closely to serum sodium (r 0.9, P 0.0001). The reduction in ICP from the baseline (measured from either the mean ICP or the lowest ICP measurement in the first 6 h after bolus HTS treatment) was statistically significant regardless of serum osmolality. The mean reduction from baseline to follow-up values was 8.8 mm Hg (P 0.0001). The decrease in ICP was as evident with serum osmolalities 320 as it was at ≤320.This study demonstrates that 23.4% HTS bolus is effective for the reduction of elevated ICP in patients with severe TBI even in the presence of high serum and CSF osmolalities.