RESPIRATORY
Many severe head injuries with a GCS of 8 or below require intubation and mechanical ventilation, which subsequently requires admission to ITU . This means that the patient’s airway can be protected, and adequate sedation and ventilation
can be given to prevent hypoxaemia and, thus, reduce secondary brain damage. Wright (1999) states that a rapid sequence intubation should be carried out on all head-injured patients, with adequate anaesthetic and neuromuscular blockade drugs, to reduce changes in systemic and cerebral blood flow that may be detrmental. Hyperventilation was once a common treatment for the ventilated head-injured patient but its use has become increasingly controversial. Hyperventilation was traditionally used to cause vasoconstriction within the brain by lowering carbon dioxide (CO2) levels; this would then reduce the blood flow to the brain and ultimately reduce ICP. Studies now suggest that the patient’s CO2
should be maintained at the lower side of normal, for example 4·5 kPa, while maintaining a normal pH of 7·35–7·45. If available, the patient’s end tidal CO2 should be monitored, as this will provide a continuous reading of the patient’s CO2
RESPIRATORY
Many severe head injuries with a GCS of 8 or below require intubation and mechanical ventilation, which subsequently requires admission to ITU . This means that the patient’s airway can be protected, and adequate sedation and ventilation
can be given to prevent hypoxaemia and, thus, reduce secondary brain damage. Wright (1999) states that a rapid sequence intubation should be carried out on all head-injured patients, with adequate anaesthetic and neuromuscular blockade drugs, to reduce changes in systemic and cerebral blood flow that may be detrmental. Hyperventilation was once a common treatment for the ventilated head-injured patient but its use has become increasingly controversial. Hyperventilation was traditionally used to cause vasoconstriction within the brain by lowering carbon dioxide (CO2) levels; this would then reduce the blood flow to the brain and ultimately reduce ICP. Studies now suggest that the patient’s CO2
should be maintained at the lower side of normal, for example 4·5 kPa, while maintaining a normal pH of 7·35–7·45. If available, the patient’s end tidal CO2 should be monitored, as this will provide a continuous reading of the patient’s CO2
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