Evaluation of a bedside monitor of regional CBF as a measure of CO2 reactivity in neurosurgical intensive care patients.

Objective: Mild hyperventilation remains a key element in the management of elevated intracranial pressure. However, a harmful effect of hyperventilation on the development or deterioration of ischemic lesions has been shown in patients after severe head trauma. The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical feasibility and reliability of continuous monitoring of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) during mild hyperventilation using a thermodiffusion probe.