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55. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e. V. (DGNC)
1. Joint Meeting mit der Ungarischen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie (DGNC) e. V.

25. bis 28.04.2004, Köln

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Non-invasive assessment of intracranial pressure with venous ophthalmodynamometry

Nicht invasive Untersuchung des intrakraniellen Hirndruckes mittels Ophthalmodynamometrie

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  • corresponding author Steffen-Ulrich Pauli - Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Otto-von-Guericke Universität, Magdeburg
  • C. Mueller - Klinik für Augenheilkunde, Otto-von-Guericke Universität, Magdeburg
  • W. Behrens-Baumann - Klinik für Augenheilkunde, Otto-von-Guericke Universität, Magdeburg
  • R. Firsching - Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Otto-von-Guericke Universität, Magdeburg

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. Ungarische Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. 55. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e.V. (DGNC), 1. Joint Meeting mit der Ungarischen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. Köln, 25.-28.04.2004. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2004. DocP 02.16

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/dgnc2004/04dgnc0299.shtml

Published: April 23, 2004

© 2004 Pauli et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.

Outline

Text

Objective

The only way to identify increased intracranial pressure (ICP) up to date is by invasive procedures. As the venous outflow from the retina is exposed to intracranial pressure, since the optic nerve is engulfed by a sheath of cerebrospinal fluid, a relation of retinal venous outflow pressure and ICP appears likely. Venous ophthalmodynamometry (ODM) is an established way to register the current pressure of central retinal vein.

Methods

In 72 patients the pressure of the central retinal vein was measured by ODM while at the same time the intracranial pressure was recorded by an intraventricular catheter (IVC) implanted for various reasons like hydrocephalus [30 patients], subarachnoidal (SAB) or intracerebral haemorrhage (ICB) [30 patients] and head injury or brain tumours [12 patients]. The findings of the ODM were compared with the results of conventional invasive ICP measurement.

Results

A linear statistically significant correlation between the retinal venous outflow pressure and the intracranial pressure was confirmed.

Conclusions

ODM is a reliable method for the assessment of ICP. The technique can easily be repeated. Among the non-invasive options to assess ICP, venous ODM appears to be the most dependable method.