Hyperventilation in Head Injuries

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the incidence and outcome of head injury among children in the United States. The paper first discusses the mortality rate from head injury and the types of injury that can occur. The paper then looks at improvements in the area of neuro-trauma management and the methods which have evolved in managing head injury. The effects of hyperventilation on the outcome of head injuries is especially focused upon in the paper.

From the Paper:

"When applying the hyperventilation therapy and determining its appropriate depth, two circumstances must be considered (Stocchetti et al 2005). At higher altitudes, normal PaCO2 levels may fall generally below the accepted 35-45 mm Hg levels. These levels were fixed at sea level and the influence of altitude should be corrected. The influence of temperature is the second consideration, especially when hypothermia therapy is used. The risk, therefore, which comes with the benefit, suggested that hyperventilation should be used only on patients with raised ICP. And it should be applied only on a highly specific manner and under specific monitoring. The data provided by the study also revealed inconclusiveness in specific indications, timing, the depth of hypocapnia and duration. Conflicting data obtained supported a wide range of therapeutic options from an enthusiastic application of the hyperventilation therapy to its avoidance. The researchers suggested the careful use of hypocapnia in the short-term control of increased ICP. They also prompted the use of multimodality monitoring to specific patients who could profit from it without the risks (Stocchetti et al)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Coles, Jonathan P., et al. Hyperventilation Following Head Injury. Vol 35 number 2. Critical Care Medicine: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2007
• Kaul, Naresh. What's New in Monitoring in Severe Head Injury. Journal of Anesthesiology, Critical Pain and Management: Indian Anesthetists Forum, 2003. Retrieved on April 23, 2008 from http://www.theiaforum.org/july2003.htm
• Roberts, Schhierhout G. Hyperventilation Therapy for Acute Traumatic Brain Injury. Issue 2. The Cochrane Library: John Wiley and Sons Ltd., 2008
• Singh, Jagvir and Arabela Stock. Head Trauma. EMedicine: Health on the Net Foundation, 2006
• Stocchetti, Nino, et al. Hyperventilation in Head Injury. Issue 127. Chest: American College of Chest Physicians, 2005

More papers on Hyperventilation in Head Injuries:

• Case Study # 110797 : "Overcoming Head Injuries and Resultant Deafness"
• Cause and Effect Essay # 11099 : "Head Injuries: A Definative look at Concussions"
• Case Study # 107697 : "Head Injury Assessment"

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