New Tools for Brain Monitoring

Abstract

In the intensive care unit, the neurological assessment of sedated patients, or patients with impaired consciousness, requires multimodal brain monitoring. There is no tool available that easily evaluates the risk of secondary insults. The main variables monitored are intracranial pressure, brain tissue oxygen, cerebral blood flow, brain metabolism, cerebral autoregulation, and electrophysiological parameters. Each tool has limitations that must be known in order to correctly interpret the data. We review herein each method in light of the recent guidelines.