Usefulness of the optic nerve sheath ultrasound in patients with cessation of cerebral flow

Abstract

Optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) ultrasound has proven to be a useful tool for the detection of intracranial hypertension (IH). The ONSD values, in patients with cessation of cerebral blood flow (CCBF), has not been clarified yet.

Objective: Establish an association between ONSD and CCBF in neurocritical patients admitted to an ICU.

Patients and methods: Cross-sectional study of patients admitted in a third level ICU, between April 2017 and April 2018, with neurological pathology. ONSD ultrasound was performed in the first 24 hours and as the patient was diagnosed of CCBF. The ONSD values of patients with and without diagnosis of CCBF were compared.

Results: 99 patients were included, 29 of whom showed CCBF in transcranial Doppler. The ONSD measurement did not demonstrate significant differences between both groups, 6,59 ± 0,75 in the group with CCBF and 6,39 ± 0,56 in the group without CCBF p=0.141.

Conclusion: In our study, ONSD values capable of recognizing CCBF were not identified.

Keywords: Brain death; Cerebrovascular circulation; Circulación cerebrovascular; Hipertensión intracraneal; Intracranial hypertension; Muerte encefálica; Nervio óptico; Optic nerve; Ultrasonido; Ultrasonography.