Jugular bulb catheterization does not increase intracranial pressure.

Cerebral venous monitoring through jugular bulb catheterization (JBC) allows assessment of global oxygen delivery adequacy. Because of concern that venous obstruction by catheterization may cause or exacerbate intracranial hypertension, physicians are reluctant to puncture this vessel in brain-injured patients. We evaluated the impact of JBC on intracranial pressure (ICP). 37 consecutive pediatric patients with jugular bulb catheters and ICP monitoring were studied. ICP was monitored in 28 patients during JBC. Also immediately after JBC and daily thereafter the contralateral, ipsilateral, and bilateral jugular veins were compressed in all 37 patients to assess patency of these vessels. Change in ICP was noted. If ICP increased more than 5 torr, compression was stopped. Preinsertion ICP was 17.3 +/- 5.1 and postinsertion 17.2 +/- 5.1 torr. The maximum rise in ICP was 2 torr in a single patient while 6 others had a decrease in ICP. 120 compression tests were performed. Compression ipsilateral to the catheter caused the ICP to rise from 16.0 +/- 4.3 to 18.4 +/- 4.4 torr, and in contralateral compression 15.9 +/- 4.2 to 17.0 +/- 4.4. Neither the duration of catheterization nor the precompression ICP correlated with the rise in ICP. These data revealed no evidence of jugular venous obstruction in the catheterized vessel. We conclude that JBC can be performed in patients without aggravating an elevated ICP.