Intracranial pressure monitoring: Gold standard and recent innovations

Abstract

Intracranial pressure monitoring (ICP) is based on the doctrine proposed by Monroe and Kellie centuries ago. With the advancement of technology and science, various invasive and non-invasive modalities of monitoring ICP continue to be developed. An ideal monitor to track ICP should be easy to use, accurate, reliable, reproducible, inexpensive and should not be associated with infection or haemorrhagic complications. Although the transducers connected to the extra ventricular drainage continue to be Gold Standard, its association with the likelihood of infection and haemorrhage have led to the search for alternate non-invasive methods of monitoring ICP. While Camino transducers, Strain gauge micro transducer based ICP monitoring devices and the Spiegelberg ICP monitor are the emerging technology in invasive ICP monitoring, optic nerve sheath diameter measurement, venous opthalmodynamometry, tympanic membrane displacement, tissue resonance analysis, tonometry, acoustoelasticity, distortion-product oto-acoustic emissions, trans cranial doppler, electro encephalogram, near infra-red spectroscopy, pupillometry, anterior fontanelle pressure monitoring, skull elasticity, jugular bulb monitoring, visual evoked response and radiological based assessment of ICP are the non-invasive methods which are assessed against the gold standard.

Keywords: Intracranial pressure increase; Craniocerebral trauma; Subarachnoid hemorrhages

Core tip: Although, over the last few decades, intracranial pressure monitoring (ICP) monitoring has become the standard of care, invasive methods are a health-resource intensive modality and are associated with chances of haemorrhage and infection. In terms of accuracy and reliability, the intraventricular catheter systems still remain the gold standard modality. Recent advances have led to the development of non-invasive techniques to monitor ICP, but further evidence is needed before it becomes an alternative to invasive techniques. Apart from primary brain injury due to raised ICP, secondary brain injury can occur due to ongoing micro and macro vascular dysfunction in the face of apparently normal ICP.