Prognostic signs during continuous monitoring of the ventricular fluid pressure in patients with severe brain injury.

The presence of CSF in cases with intracranial hypertension is a favourable prognostic sign; its absence is indicative of a progressive and potentially lethal intracranial hypertension. 2. A series of characteristic changes in the absolute value of the VFP as well as in the amplitude and rate of the cerebral pulse can provide reliable evidence of the integrity of the cerebral circulation. 3. Short-lasting disappearance of the diastolic pressure towards the end of the ultimate plateau wave and subsequent significant lowering of both the systolic and diastolic pressures is an additional bad prognostic sign.