Change in cerebral blood flow velocity pattern during induced hypotension: A non-invasive indicator of increased intracranial pressure?

Abstract

A neurologically intact patient underwent spinal instrumentation under hypotensive anaesthesia 10 days after a mild closed head injury. Transcranial Doppler monitoring of the right middle cerebral artery revealed an abnormal flow pattern, suggesting increased intracranial pressure, impaired autoregulation, or both. Patients with a mild head injury may have altered intracranial haemodynamics and the time course of recovery from these changes is unknown. © 1992 British Journal of Anaesthesia.