Purpose of review
Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) is associated with worse outcome after traumatic brain injury (TBI), but whether its management improves the outcome is unclear. In this review, we will examine the implications of the Benchmark Evidence from South American Trials: Treatment of Intracranial Pressure (BEST TRIP) trial, evidence for an influence of ICP care on outcome, and a need for greater understanding of the pathophysiology than just ICP through multimodal monitoring (MMM) to enhance the outcome.
Recent findings
The primary impact of the BEST TRIP trial, a randomized clinical trial that examined two TBI management strategies, one that used an ICP monitor, is in research and should not alter clinical practice. Analyses of large databases suggest TBI care based on the Brain Trauma Foundation guidelines and management of intracranial hypertension can improve patient outcome. However, accumulating evidence demonstrates there are several mechanisms of secondary brain injury (SBI), for example, microvascular dysfunction or alterations in glucose utilization that cannot be detected using an ICP monitor. In these patients, growing clinical evidence suggests that MMM can help manage SBI and improve TBI outcome.
Summary
ICP-based monitoring and treatment alone may not be enough to enhance TBI outcome, but ICP and cerebral perfusion pressure therapy remain important in TBI care. Although high-quality evidence for MMM is limited, it should be more widely adapted to better understand the complex pathophysiology after TBI, better target care, and identify new therapeutic opportunities.
