gms | German Medical Science

56. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e. V. (DGNC)
3èmes journées françaises de Neurochirurgie (SFNC)

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e. V.
Société Française de Neurochirurgie

07. bis 11.05.2005, Strasbourg

Article

Send article

Intracranial pressure (ICP) does not correlate with brain temperature

Zwischen Hirndruck und Hirntemperatur besteht kein Zusammenhang

Meeting Abstract

Search Medline for

  • corresponding author T. Hoell - Department of Neurosurgery, BG-Hospital, Halle/Saale
  • G. Huschak - Department of Neurosurgery, BG-Hospital, Halle/Saale
  • B. C. Kern - Department of Neurosurgery, BG-Hospital, Halle/Saale
  • K. zur Nieden - Department of Neurosurgery, BG-Hospital, Halle/Saale
  • H. J. Meisel - Department of Neurosurgery, BG-Hospital, Halle/Saale

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie. Société Française de Neurochirurgie. 56. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Neurochirurgie e.V. (DGNC), 3èmes journées françaises de Neurochirurgie (SFNC). Strasbourg, 07.-11.05.2005. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2005. Doc09.05.-13.04

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/dgnc2005/05dgnc0061.shtml

Published: May 4, 2005

© 2005 Hoell 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 clinical argument that high brain temperature might lead to elevated ICPs was investigated. The standardized measurement of brain and core temperature allowed the evaluation of brain/core temperature differences in relation to the ICP in different disorders and lesions.

Methods

In 32 neurosurgical patients brain and core temperature were recorded. Diagnosis: trauma, aneuryma, AVM. Brain temperature measurement: combined ICP/temperature probe (Raumedic®), Core temp. : urinary catheter with temperature probe (Rüsch®). Mean error of temp. sensors <0.13°C. The ICP/temperature probe was implanted 3 cm deep into the frontal parenchyma. Design: prospective, non randomized, open labeled, automatic measurement, data collection interval of 5 min, >40.000 single measurements.

Results

No correlation between ICP and brain temperature could be observed (re=0.07, p<0.01). The mean brain temperature was 0.3°C higher than the core temperature, p<0.001. Further results: Measurements in patients with meningitis showed increased brain temperatures related to the core temperature. In cases with ceased perfusion brain temp was lowered more than 1°C compared to body temperature

Conclusions

The clinically assumed correlation between brain elevated brain temperature (fever) and raised ICP values does not exist. This might allow less aggressive therapy in neurosurgical patients with secondary infections. A brain temperature of >1°C less than body temp. is a reliable indicator of brain death.