Influence of body position on tissue-pO2, cerebral perfusion pressure and intracranial pressure in patients with acute brain injury.

It is a common practice to position head-injured patients in bed with the head elevated above the level of the heart in order to reduce intracranial pressure (ICP). This practice has been in vivid discussion since some authors argue a horizontal body position will increase the cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) and therefore improve cerebral blood flow (CBF). However, ICP is generally significantly higher in the horizontal position. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in regional microcirculation using tissue pO2 (ti-pO2), as well as changes in cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) and intracranial pressure induced by changes in body position in patients with head injury. The effect of 0 degree and 30 degrees head elevation on ti-pO2. CPP, ICP and arterial blood pressure (MABP) was studied in 22 head injured patients during day 0-12 after trauma. The mean ICP was significantly lower at 30 degrees head elevation than at 0 degree (14.1 + 8.6 vs. 19.9 + 8.3 mmHg). While MABP was unaffected by head elevation, CPP was slightly higher at 30 degrees than at 0 degree (76.5 + 13.5 vs. 71.5 + 13.2 mmHg). However, regional ti-pO2 was unaffected by body position (30 degrees vs. 0 degree: 24.9 + 13.1 vs. 24.7 + 12.9 mmHg). In addition, there was no change in the time course after trauma concerning these findings in the individual patients. The data indicate that a moderate head elevation of 30 degrees reduces ICP without jeopardizing regional cerebral microcirculation as monitored using a polarographic ti-pO2 microcatheter.