Role of assisted breathing in severe traumatic brain injury

Background. Based on available data, there is no definite clinical research describing option, timing and effects of assisted as opposed to controlled ventilation to successfully treat acute severely brain-injured patients. This study demonstrates pressure support ventilation as a possible alternative to controlled ventilation in the acute phase of brain injury. We illustrated which factors influenced the shift from total (CPPV) to partial ventilatory support (PS-SIGH) and the consequences of assisted ventilation on cerebral hemodynamics. Methods, a) Experimental design: Retrospective, cohort study, b) Setting: Adult intensive care unit of a university hospital, c) Patients population: Forty-two severe head-trauma victims (GCS≤8). d) Measures and interventions: Ventilation modalities and parameters, systemic and cerebral hemodynamics [Intra-cranial pressure (ICP), cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP), jugular bulb oxygen saturation (SjvO2)] data were collected daily and described. Results...