Limits of intermittent jugular bulb oxygen saturation monitoring in the management of severe head trauma patients.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate, in a prospective, observational study, whether bilateral monitoring of jugular bulb oxyhemoglobin saturation (SjO2), in addition to standard monitoring, results in modification of the management of severe head trauma. METHODS: The patients underwent bilateral jugular bulb cannulation and observation at 8-hour intervals, during which SjO2 was measured and the neurological condition and physiological variables were assessed. The study group was responsible for evaluating whether the physician's decision-making process was influenced by the detection of SjO2 abnormalities. The SjO2 discrepancy in simultaneous bilateral samples was also evaluated to determine whether it interfered with the interpretation of data and with clinical decision-making. The SjO2-related complications were monitored. RESULTS: Thirty patients underwent 319 observations. In 96% of patients, SjO2 was normal or high and had no influence on the diagnostic or therapeutic strategies. Treatment decisions were dictated by changes in clinical status and in intracranial and cerebral perfusion pressure. When these parameters were abnormal, treatment was administered, even if SjO2 was normal (101 observations). Conversely, when SjO2 was the only detected abnormality (34 observations), no treatment was administered. Abnormally low SjO2 values, caused by hypovolemia and hypocapnia, were detected in 3.4% of observations and actually modified the management. The discrepancies in simultaneous bilateral samples were substantial and gave rise to relevant interpretation problems. Fifteen percent of jugular catheters showed evidence of bacterial colonization. CONCLUSION: Intermittent SjO2 monitoring did not substantially influence the management of severe head trauma. Therefore, recommendation for its routine use in all patients seems inadvisable, and indications for this invasive method should no longer be defined on the basis of experts' opinions, but rather on randomized, prospective studies.

Emergent decompressive craniectomy in patients with fixed dilated pupils due to cerebral venous and dural sinus thrombosis: report of three cases.

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: Cerebral venous and dural sinus thrombosis is a rare cause of stroke. Although morbidity and mortality have greatly decreased in recent years as a result of early diagnosis and timely medical treatment, when coma occurs the prognosis remains poor. We evaluated whether emergent decompressive craniectomy has a role in the treatment of patients with brain herniation from dural sinus thrombosis and hemorrhagic infarct. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: Three patients developed large hemorrhagic infarct with coma and bilaterally fixed and dilated pupils resulting from aseptic dural sinus thrombosis. INTERVENTION: Two patients underwent emergent surgical decompression as soon as brain herniation developed, and these patients had complete functional recovery. One underwent delayed surgical decompression and remained severely disabled. CONCLUSION: Our results provide preliminary evidence that emergent decompressive craniectomy is effective in patients with brain herniation from dural sinus thrombosis, provided that the clinical onset is recent. We therefore recommend consideration of this aggressive surgical technique for such patients, who may survive with good outcomes.