[Mechanism of optic nerve congestive disk development during acute period of closed craniocerebral injury].

The mechanism of development of congestion on the fundus oculi in acute posttraumatic intraocular hypertension was studied. A total of 410 patients were examined during the acute period of closed craniocerebral injury of different severity. Pressure in the central retinal vein was tentatively measured by transpalpebral compression of the eyeball with monitoring venous pulsation by direct ophthalmoscopy. The presence of spontaneous pulsation of retinal veins was regarded as an indicator of normal intracranial pressure. Analysis of the severity and location of the intracranial focus of injury together with evaluation of pressure in the retinal vein suggest that congestion on the fundus oculi in closed craniocerebral injury is triggered by the reaction of cavernous sinus intramural baroreceptors to a sudden rise of intracranial pressure.