[The serial CSF lactate and pyruvate levels as a guide to prognosis after severe head injury (author's transl)].

We have studied the lactate-level in the CSF of 40 patients with a severe head injury. After a first group of 20 patients we concluded that those levels were usefull for predicting the outcome of those patients. After receiving new informations about the normal metabolism of lactate in the CSF of man and animals, we became more suspicious. Therefore we have studied a new group of 20 patients. The levels of lactate, pyruvate, pH, pC02 and p02 were checked both in the CSF and in the blood for a longer period. An own coma-scale was used. The results are discussed.