Evaluation of Cardiac Function in Patients with Supratentorial Tumors and Raised Intracranial Pressure: HABIT-ICP, a Prospective Observational Study Using Transthoracic Echocardiography.

 An acute increase in intracranial pressure (ICP) has been shown to affect cardiac function due to brain ischemia and the associated increased sympathetic activity. However, there is limited literature on the changes in cardiac function in clinical scenarios where there is a gradual and progressive increase in ICP, such as in brain tumors. We aimed to assess and compare the cardiac function in patients with primary supratentorial brain tumors presenting with and without raised ICP for neurosurgery.

Effect of Different Surgical Positions on the Changes in Cerebral Venous Drainage in Patients Undergoing Neurosurgery: A Prospective Observational Study.

Background: Some patient positions employed to facilitate neurosurgery can compromise cerebral venous drainage and lead to increased intracranial pressure, intraoperative bleeding, and brain bulge. This study evaluated the impact of different surgical positions on internal jugular vein (IJV) flow as a measure of cerebral venous drainage and on optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) as an indirect assessment of intracranial pressure.

Methods: Ninety patients scheduled for elective primary brain tumor resection surgery were included in 3 groups of 30 each according to the surgical position: supine, prone, or lateral.