Physiological effects of controlled concussive brain trauma.

Utilizing a fluid percussion device, we measured the physiological effects of brain trauma in cats exposed to controlled levels of injury. Concussive brain injury at 3-4 atm of intensity led to profound elevations of the mean systemic arterial blood pressure from 128 +/- 26 to 229 +/- 33 mmHg, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure from 4 +/- 2 to 24 +/- 15 mmHg, and pulmonary wedge pressures (PWP) from 5 +/- 3 to 27 +/- 17 mmHg and a relatively moderate increase in intracranial pressure (ICP) from 6 +/- 3 to 38 +/- 31 mmHg (all P < 0.001). Pulmonary edema was evidenced by a significant increase in lung tissue wet-to-dry weight ratios to 3.74 +/- 0.81 as compared with a control group of 2.29 +/- 0.23 (P < 0.001). There was poor correlation between wet-to-dry weight ratios and PWP. Approximately 60% of all spontaneously breathing animals become permanently apneic within 6 min after injury, while the remaining 40% developed transient apnea. Arterial O2 or CO2 pressure alterations, in contrast to pretreatment with phentolamine did not affect the hemodynamic or edemogenic response to trauma. Phentolamine did not block the apneic response or increase in ICP. Comparative studies using intravenous levarterenol without trauma produced responses similar to trauma. Concussive brain injury of 3-4 atm results in pulmonary edema, apnea, sympathetically mediated peripheral vasoconstriction and left ventricular failure effect.