Accuracy of different routes of intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring using microtransducers.

Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring using microtransducer and intraventricular pressure (IVP) was compared simultaneously in 20 consecutive head-injured patients within a 1-year period. In the first four patients with subdurally placed transducers, an acceptable corresponding rate with IVP was demonstrated (88%). In the remaining 16 patients with extradurally placed transducers, acceptable accuracy (73%) was only achieved in the last four. This accuracy was repeated in an additional six patients with extradurally placed transducers (75% corresponding with IVP). We have therefore suggested that, before extradural pressure monitoring can be employed alone in clinical practice, a comparison with IVP should be performed.