[Increase in intracranial pressure in monitoring brain stem auditory evoked potentials using headphones].

Ten measurements of intracranial pressure (ICP) (ventricular n = 5, epidural n = 3) in 8 patients (3 after aneurysm surgery, 5 with head trauma) were performed before and after application of conventional headphones for stimulating brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP). The effects of miniature earphones and sound tubes on ICP were also studied. In 7 of 10 measurements after application of headphones a reversible increase of ICP (mean 26 +/- 19% in patients with ICP greater than 10 mmHg was recorded; in 3 patients (ICP less than or equal to 10 mgHg) no changes of ICP were seen. Using miniature earphones and sound tubes no increase of ICP was noted in any patient, and hence these can be recommended for stimulating BAEP in case of increased ICP.