The
skull is filled with brain matter, intravascular blood, and cerebrospinal fluid
(CSF). A process of auto-regulation allows these components to adjust to each
other. When any of these volumes stop being regulated, pressure builds inside
of the skull. This results in Increased Intracranial Pressure (ICP). ICP can
occur as a complication of surgery, a sign of a brain tumor, as a consequence
of infection, or as a subarachnoid hemorrhage from a fall. (ICP can also mean
that your brain tissue itself is swelling.)
ICP
is a life-threatening condition. A person showing symptoms of ICP must get
emergency medical help immediately. The signs of ICP include a headache, nausea, vomiting, increased blood pressure, decreased mental
abilities, double vision, pupils that don’t
respond to changes in light, shallow breathing, seizures, loss of consciousness, coma, confusion about time, then location, and people as the
pressure worsens. These signs could indicate other serious conditions besides
ICP such as a stroke, a brain tumor, or a recent head injury.
You
can’t prevent ICP, but you can prevent head injury. Always wear a helmet when you bike or play contact sports.
Wear your seatbelt when driving and keep your seat back as far as possible from
the dashboard or the seat in front of you. Always buckle children into a child
safety seat. Falling at home is a common cause of head injury, especially in
older adults. Avoid falls at home by keeping floors dry and uncluttered. If
necessary, install handrails.The most urgent goal of treatment is to reduce the pressure inside your skull. The next goal is to address any underlying conditions. Effective treatments to reduce pressure include draining the fluid through a shunt via a small hole in the skull or through the spinal cord. The medications mannitol and hypertonic saline can also lower pressure. They work by removing fluids from your body. Because anxiety can make ICP worse by raising your blood pressure, you may receive a sedative as well. Less common treatments for ICP include removing part of the skull, taking medicines to induce coma, or deliberately chilling the body (induced hypothermia).
“During surgery, the increased intracranial pressure was released, part of the blood clots that remained after the first operation were drained. At the end of the operation, there is no active bleeding and the intracranial pressure has returned to normal.” (Shlomo Yosef) [i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“Increased Intracranial Pressure: A Guide for Nurses” by Ausmed
·
“Increased Intracranial Pressure” by Elea Carey
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