Intracranial Pressure

Abstract

Elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) is a critical condition that requires rapid diagnosis and intervention to prevent severe neurologic damage and mortality. While invasive ICP monitoring remains the gold standard, it carries significant risks in cases of coagulopathy, bleeding diathesis, or in unstable patients. Additionally, there is a risk of infection, particularly in immunocompromised patients. Transcranial ultrasonography offers a valuable, non-invasive bedside tool for indirectly assessing elevated ICP in critical care settings. There are 3 primary modes of detecting elevated ICP using bedside ultrasound: transcranial Doppler ultrasonography, transcranial color Doppler, and optic nerve sheath diameter.

Keywords: Intracranial pressure; Optic nerve sheath diameter; Transcranial Doppler; Transcranial color Doppler.