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 DVNO values, in patients with cessation of cerebral blood flow (CCBF), has not been clarified yet.

Objective: Establish an association between DVNO and CFSC 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 h 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, 65.94 ± 7.55 in the group with CCBF and 63.88 ± 5.56 in the group without CCBF, p = 0.14.

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.