Consensus meeting on microdialysis in neurointensive care.

BACKGROUND

Microdialysis is used in many European neurointensive care units to monitor brain chemistry in patients suffering subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) or traumatic brain injury (TBI).

DISCUSSION

We present a consensus agreement achieved at a meeting in Stockholm by a group of experienced users of microdialysis in neurointensive care, defining the use of microdialysis, placement of catheters, unreliable values, chemical markers, and clinical use in SAH and in TBI.

CONCLUSIONS

As microdialysis is maturing into a clinically useful technique for early detection of cerebral ischemia and secondary brain damage, there is a need to following such definition regarding when and how to use microdialysis after SAH and TBI.