[Effect of moderate hypothermia on intracranial pressure and brain tissue oxygen tension in head injury].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the changes in intracranial pressure (ICP) and brain tissue oxygen tension (PO(2)) and their significance in severe head injury treated by moderate hypothermia (33-35 degrees Celsius). METHODS: Eighteen patients with severe head injury were treated with moderate hypothermia group and probes were deployed in the cerebral cortex for measuring their ICP and PO(2) under continuous monitoring. Another 14 similar patients receiving the same treatment but without hypothermia served as the control group. RESULTS: In moderate hypothermia group the ICP gradually decreased and PO(2) increased after 24 hours of hypothermia, with obvious difference from the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Moderate hypothermia can obviously reduce ICP and improve brain tissue oxygen metabolism to lower the morbidity and mortality rate of severe head injury.