Intracranial pressure monitoring: fiberoptic monitor compared with the ventricular catheter.

Among the frequently utilized intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring devices employed in neurosurgical practice is the Camino fiberoptic monitor. Several recent studies have described results with the Camino monitor and compared it with other forms of ICP monitoring with varying results and conclusions. The aim of this study was to compare simultaneous ICP readings from the Camino fiberoptic monitor placed in the brain parenchyma and from a ventricular catheter. ICP values were recorded for up to 118 hours in 10 patients. It was determined that the Camino ICP measurements exceeded those of a ventricular catheter in 66% of total measurements for the 10 patients. The mean ICP difference between the Camino fiberoptic system and the ventricular catheter was 9.2 +/- 7.8 mm Hg. This result suggests that the correlation between intraparenchymal pressure measured by the Camino fiberoptic monitor and the intraventricular pressure is not as close as previously described.