Correlation of the intracranial pressure to the central venous pressure in the late phase of acute liver failure in a porcine model.

Volume loading is a common method used to ensure adequate circulation. However, in the late phase of acute liver failure complications that often lead to death are cerebral swelling and brainstem edema, which are considered to result from increasing intracranial pressure (ICP). In former studies cerebral venous pressure (CVP) and ICP were reported to be independent entities. Acute liver failure was induced in 25 German land race pigs by acetaminophen intoxication. CVP and ICP were measured continuously. Hydroxyethyl starch solution and noradrenalin were administered to stabilize the circulation at a mean arterial pressure above 60mmHg. There is an increasing correlation in quantity and quality between the CVP and ICP in the last 24 h before exitus. Beginning with a slope of 0.24 (ICP against CVP) and a low correlation coefficient of 0.08. 24h before exitus, this situation remained stable until 16 h to exitus (m = 0.22, r = 0.1). The correlation increased from 16 to 8 h prior to exitus to a slope of m = 0.5 and a correlation of r = 0.3 and remained until exitus. In late acute liver failure it seems therefore clinically reasonable to keep circulation within an adequate range by the use of noradrenalin and to avoid fluid overload.